Vitamin You

When you start with you, you can change the world.  Starting with yourself, making positive choices, living in your true voice will naturally and effortlessly inspire others to do the same.  It is a domino effect.

Choosing to eat well, choosing to smile, choosing to see others in a positive light are all small steps you can take to change yourself and those around you.  This is why I call my business Vitamin You.  You are the antidote to your health.  Health is more than just eating your broccoli, health is all encompassing.  Health in your heart, health in your mind, health in your environment.  It starts with you and your confidence.

I was inspired to write this post after Marie TV created a video about Half The Sky.  I read Half The Sky about 3 years ago and it was life changing.  We truly feel the pain and excitement of others through stories.  Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn wrote this book to bring awareness of the change that comes with empowerment of women.  As a woman who has experienced sexual harassment in my work place, a minor experience compared to the discrimination and harassment women have faced in some of the poorest countries in the world, I know the toll it can take on your self esteem and self respect.  This needs to change.  Women have so much to offer.  We must support each other and be the change we would like to see in this world.  I highly recommend reading this book and taking action – starting with you.

Half the Sky Movement.  Check it out.

October Goals

Although it is 90 degrees here in California, I can feel the Fall in the air.  Leaves are changing colors and there’s a slight chill breaking up our heat wave.  People won’t stop talking about Pumpkin Lattes, winter boots and halloween costumes.  I am excited for October!  This month I plan on perfecting a homemade pumpkin latte, simply because Starbuck’s version is overwhelmingly sweet for my taste buds, I also plan on majorly cramming for GMAT and grad school applications … adios social life.  Lastly, I plan on taking deeper breathes and embracing a meditation challenge.  What’s funny is I had been thinking of this all September.  Today, one blogger and Gabrielle Bernstein mentioned their own meditation challenges.  It must be meant to be!  I will be following GB’s challenge.

Here’s the schedule for the week:

Monday:  Run / Spin

GMAT: Class

Tuesday: TRX

GMAT: Study 3 hours – check out the Library at VC (I wish it were open longer!)

Wednesday: Spin

GMAT: Class

Thursday: Teaching Spin

GMAT: Off

Friday: Off

GMAT: Off

Saturday & Sunday – 4 hours each day.  Take my first practice exam!

October Goals:

31 Day Meditation Challenge

Meal Plan every Sunday

Roast a chicken twice this month, Make homemade broth to fight off any bugs

Have an amazing Halloween!

Start running – 5 miles a week

Get another spinning gig

Save dinero

What are your goals for October?

Handling Difficult People At Work

How do you do it?
Over the past 6 years, I’ve found myself in more uncomfortable situations at work than I want to think about.  Most of it has been sexual harassment cases that are not blatantly outrageous, but have put me in uncomfortable situations.  It’s always been a verbal attack.  Sometimes I wonder if this is because I’ve found myself in a ‘man’s’ world, Commercial Real Estate, or it’s simply Bad Luck.  What I fight with everyday is when do you tell someone to stop, how do you tell someone to stop, how do you avoid the awkwardness that will ensue AFTER you tell someone to stop.

For me, sexual harassment is a form of disrespect.  A man puts a woman down in the workplace to relinquish their control.  Either they were raised to not respect women in the workplace, their wife is at home so they feel threatened by a woman in the workplace, or they are just plain Assholes.  Sometimes the latter is the most difficult.

Holding Myself Accountable

Last week was a bit intense, but I was able to stay on track for the most part.  Baby steps with this GMAT and application thing, it can all be very overwhelming.  Here’s the plan for this week:

Monday:  Hike Arroyo

GMAT:  Online Class 7-10PM

Tuesday: 6AM TRX (try something new!)

GMAT: Study 3 hours

Wednesday: 6AM Booty Barre

GMAT: Online Class 7-10 PM

Thursday: Spin at 530 PM

GMAT: Off

Friday:  Run 4 miles!

GMAT: Off

Saturday & Sunday:  STUUUUDY!

Planning Ahead

Since I’ve begun working with clients, I’ve noticed one theme in particular.  Many people desire the skills and focus to plan meals and workouts ahead of time.  By planning ahead, you make better decisions and hold yourself accountable.  It reminds me of a book I recently read called The Checklist Manifesto.  Creating a check list or to do list helps you stay organized and stay on the path to success.  With that being said, it’s Monday, and here’s my weekly work out and study schedule:

Monday – 2 mile morning run with lunges (100) … I’m still nursing an ankle injury, but it felt good to run in the morning fog, even if the run was simply a loop around the neighborhood.

GMAT – 7-10 Online Class, 10 practice questions from GMAT review

Tuesday – 6 AM teaching Spin

GMAT – Library 3 hours, 20 practice questions, complete book III & start Book IV

Wednesday – 6 AM Booty Barre (my new fav workout)

GMAT – 10 practice questions, Class 7-10 AM

Thursday – Teaching Spin today, 20 pushups and foam roll

GMAT – Off

Friday – OFF

Saturday – Teaching spin today, 20 pushups and foam roll

Sunday – Boot camp

GMAT – 5 hours, practice exam day!

Let’s see if this works!  Next step will be organizing my meals.  Are you IN?!

What is Healthy?

The news has been reporting that McDonald’s is in the midst of revamping their menu to include more healthier items, and I quote “more smoothies, wraps, salads.”  Is this what society believes is Healthy Food?  To be quite honest, I’d feel more than underwhelmed if I ordered a smoothie, wrap or salad from McDonald’s.  But if they decide to post calories, I just may have to order the salad.

 

My guess is they will provide Non Fat dressing, Non Fat milk, Lower sodium chicken breast, Sugar Free Smoothies.  Still, is this healthy?  I suppose this change is a positive one for those who simply can not afford to eat anywhere but McDonald’s.  Unfortunately, their diet will still be lacking in many nutrients necessary to live a healthy, satisfying life.

Healthy to me is Real Food – fruit off the branch, grass fed cow from the fields, lettuce picked from my garden still dripping with morning dew.  This isn’t about calorie counting, this is about satisfying hunger at it’s most primal source.  When we deprive ourselves, we find ourselves wanting more.  This is a natural reaction to the low fat, non fat, sugar free craze.  You are instantly allowing someone to eat more of something because it isn’t that bad for you, it’s ‘Sugar-Calorie Free.’  I’ve been there – Non Fat Yoplait yogurts in college feared me!  When I eat real food, I have a sense of satisfaction and wholeness.

What does Healthy mean to you?  What did it mean to you 10 years ago?

Try Something New

Last night I attempted Booty Barre at a new fitness studio in my City.  After being a crossfitter for 3 years, I was looking for a workout that had more of a ‘feminine’ edge, something that would stretch my muscles and use my body weight vs. throwing giant weights around and working on my testosterone (sorry crossfit! I still love you… just not right now!).  Booty barre was perfect!  Jami, the instructor was awesome.  As we went through the movements.  I felt like I was back in ballet when I was a little girl, except this time my buns were burning!

(SOURCE)

Part of my health coaching business will be inspiring people to try new things.  Putting yourself out there is important.  It takes confidence in yourself and a fearless attitude.  You are vulnerable.  It is something we always did as kids, but as we get older, I notice people stick with what makes them comfortable.  There is so much to see and do in this lifetime, why not put a smile on your face and challenge yourself to something new.  The scariest part is always taking the first step.

My company, Vitamin You, will be launching in 4 months.  I hope to use this blog as a platform to keep people posted on my journey of becoming a leader in the health coaching industry.  Working Girls Kitchen was just the beginning and that was 3 years ago.  While living and working in San Francisco, it was hard to fight my urge to write and cook ‘healthier’ meals.  It’s fun to reflect and see how far I’ve gotten with this passion in health & cooking.

What new workout / event / club / etc. have you tried lately that made you anxious a intimidated?  How did it work out?

September Goals

September has instilled a sense of Fall in everything I do.  I’m craving pumpkin in everything, I can’t wait to bite into a crisp (in season) apple, I’m more focused at work and with my career goals, I have an unrelenting desire to curl up by a fire every night with a good book, red wine sounds delicious, the list goes on.  With a new month, also comes an opportunity for me to document my goals.  Blogging makes me a feel a little vulnerable (my 2 readers will learn a lot about me ), but I do admire the girls who blog everyday and put themselves out there.  It’s all about building a community and finding someone who resonates with your personal goals & lifestyle.

This summer has brought some challenges in my career.  I have to admit I am very unhappy with my company and only see one way to making things better… that is out.  In fact, I just googled my name to make sure this post wouldn’t be seen by potential employers! ack.  Instead, I found a health psychologist in Australia… internet makes the world so small!

Here are my September Goals so far!

• Try TRX at a local studio
• Meditate more
• Hike at least once a week
• Study hard for my GMAT exam (Stay focused!)
• Finish 2 essays for my grad school programs
• Go gluten free

(Source)

What are your goals for the month?

 

Writers Block… Keep Writing!

Work and no play makes me a dull girl!  I love it when my family is on vacation and I get to stay home to watch the dogs.  It’s amazing how much I can get done!  Now I have to admit I’m being a little bit sarcastic, as I usually find myself twiddling away in the kitchen all day because, to be honest, that is what I call fun.  As much as I’d love to be riding horses and breathing in the mountain air of Montana, I got the chance to work on my meal prepping skills and work on a bit of a ‘detox.’

Unfortunately, I still find myself with writers block.  Fortunately, I’ve realized the best way to conquer writers block is to simple, write!

Things have been pretty busy around here, actually, not busy.  Things are going to get busy around here, starting today.  Tonight I begin my second round of GMAT class, I’m on Module 15 of Integrative Institute of Nutrition, and I’ve begun the application process for several graduate schools in and out of California.  If all else fails, welp, I’m off to Culinary Institute!  Yep, that’s the plan.  The Culinary Institute idea is actually never going away until I actually attend.  Whether I attend within the next year or so, or within 15 years, it is going to happen.  Life list of to dos!  Just can’t fight it.

Meal planning is huge as I attempt to juggle ten things at once.  Here’s what I typically make:

• Roasted Vegetables – right now squash and tomatoes
• Braised Chicken – hope to have the recipe up soon, it’s delicious
• Morning smoothies (this is obviously not prepped)
• Clean & chop up a bunch of romaine lettuce for some B.A.S’s (big ass salads)
• Juice Carrots, Apples & Ginger to add to smoothies in the AM

If I stick with this plan, I tend to remain relatively calm and collected.  Food is they medicine!  I need all the healthy food I can get as life gets just a wee bit stressful.

The Journey

I was recently reading one of my fav blogs, Gracefulfitness, and she made an excellent point:  Health is not a destination, it’s a journey.  Isn’t this like everything in our lives?  It’s so easy to get stuck in the tangible results & the intangible outcomes of our pursuits, but deep down inside, we are changed and challenged by the journey. 

My career is always on my mind as something that hasn’t quite reached its potential.  Granted, I’m still in my twenties, but I’m beyond anxious for my career to take off.  It’s the grey area that drives me crazy!  The point from making ideas to actually executing a decision… ahh, decisions.  Why are they so hard? 

Yesterday I started the Integrative Institute of Nutrition Health Coach program.  It’s been a long time coming.  I’m that girl who talks about her amazing gluten free, sugar free, primal pancakes & then brags about her deadlift PR.  It has also taken me 10 years to figure out what type of diet & exercise works best for me.  This is why I turned to IIN.  Bringing about change takes an individualized and personal approach.  I’ve come a long way… from playing division 1 soccer and being in the best shape of my life to working in a corporate setting that has had me bound to a desk 10 hours a day.  The latter is definitely not my favorite. 

This blog will evolve as I continue my education & I look forward to capturing the adventure!