While this might seem like a radical change of course, I actually don’t see it like that at all. Environmental toxins – what’s in our homes (and now more than ever, in our bodies) are just as important to pay attention to as what we eat and can indeed influence our state of health- from disease to excess weight. The connections might not be clear and they might not be obvious, but they are strong and I’ve committed myself to opening up the conversation with you about what you can do to protect yourself and your family from the devastating harm these toxins can cause. Why? Because not enough people are! In the current conversations about health – from morning news show snippets, to popular magazines – the focus is on calories and exercise… eat less junk food, eat low-fat foods, whole grains, and your vegetables, and remember to exercise daily.

But clearly that’s not working right? That’s why we have a nation of sick people getting sicker every day. Obesity. Diabetes. Heart disease. Cancer. Autism. ADHD. Thyroid Disorders.

And who are the most vulnerable populations? Who are the group of people who are seeing the largest increase in disease rates of anyone?

CHILDREN.

And second in line to them are women of child bearing years.

My goal over the coming year is to help you to see the deep and strong connections between your health and the toxins that are in your home – the majority of which you probably don’t even realize are there. While my focus will be on young women and children, please know that creating a safer and healthier space, and cleaner way to eat and live will benefit everyone. Why? Because whether you’re 7 or 70, the chemicals that you’re exposed to daily can still impact your health in devastating ways. If there are young women or children in your life, daughters, sisters, nieces… share what you learn with them (or invite them into the circle!).

If you came to be on my mailing list because you were interested in weight loss – I urge you to stick with me, because so many of the chemicals floating around in our bodies from the things we use every day are directly linked to weight gain… Making the shift to less harmful habits and products likely won’t make you lose 30 pounds, but it will definitely support you on your journey.

If you find that the conversation about toxins is too far removed from your goals or interest right now, and we must part ways, then I wish you endless love, support, and gratitude for your being a part of my community.

If this topic piques your interest, if you’re concerned about headlines about chemicals in our foods, water bottles, or increases in diseases in children – then I look forward to being able to help guide you through the maze of confusing and often conflicting information.

If there are people in your life who you feel need to be plugged into this conversation – invite them in!

2012 is already framing up to be an exciting year for me – with exciting partnerships and projects already on the calendar. There will be new content and programs on my site which will help you start to take action in your own homes so you can have the peace of mind that you’re leaving no stone unturned.

To take a peek at what this might look like, check out the brand new gift that I created called “Are These 3 Everyday Items Making Your Kids Sick? What Every Parent Should Know…” – share this with your family, friends, PTA board… It’s too important to keep it to yourself! (You can get this by signing up in the box on the right of this post!)

I hope your holidays are calm, peaceful and relaxing (as much as they can be anyway!), and that 2012 brings you health, peace of mind, and happiness.

Best wishes and Happy Holidays, and looking forward to helping you transform the health of your family in 2012!!

Yours in health,

PS – If you already know that you want to kick this toxins thing to the curb but aren’t sure where to get started- I want to invite you into a f.r.e.e. Whole Home Detox Strategy Session with me. This session is designed to help you see where the toxins in your home live, how they’re affecting your and your children’s health, and exactly what you can do to ease the worry and give you the peace of mind that you’re doing the absolute best for your and their health. To schedule yours, just click HERE: https://my.timedriver.com/2MSPJ

1. A Stick

2. A Box

3. String

4. Cardboard Tubes

5. Dirt

Think back to when you were a kid…these really were the essentials! With these 5 things you could create anything! You could go out in the backyard, find some sticks, a length of string and have yourself a great time filled with creativity and imagination.

But, (wait for it…) kids these days! My goodness! They want the newest gadgets, the spanking new iPhone 4s, with the cool cover and all the latest apps. They want whatever is advertised on TV as being the hottest, coolest new thing, and nothing else will do. While I’m not suggesting you ditch traditional gift giving altogether and start wrapping boxes of dirt (imagine their faces! ha!), I will suggest that you rethink gift giving a little bit. Why, you ask? Well, there are a lot of reasons why rethinking gift giving is a great idea – from being less wasteful, to being more environmentally mindful – but for me one of the most important reasons to rethink gift giving is that so many of them are just plain bad for us.

Bad for us? In a lot of ways yes! That fancy scented candle set… The expensive perfume… The brand new non-stick cookware set. On the surface these might seem like great gifts, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find that these gifts are loaded with toxins that are linked to things like obesity, thyroid disorders, liver toxicity, behavioral problems, birth defects, and cancer. Happy Holidays, right?

So what do you do instead? You think OUTSIDE THE BOX, and you RETHINK THE GIFT! To help you do that, I’ve put together a Eco-Chic Holiday Shopping Guide – full of ideas on how to get creative, think outside the box, and give gifts that actually mean something this year. And for those of you that really love to shop but want to buy safe gifts that aren’t going to contribute to horrible diseases (that would be all of you, right?), then you’ll want to check this guide out asap- before you hit the stores!

Just Click HERE to get your F.R.E.E Shoppers Guide!

It’s the perfect alternative to wrapping sticks this holiday season!

Ahhh!!

Now you may not know this about me, but I’m a total scaredy cat. I hate scary movies, and will only watch them on bright, sunny mornings (so by the time I go to bed, I’ve forgotten about it!). I hate haunted houses and things that jump out at me, and I much prefer the cute, fun, or silly costumes to the zombies and other gory, blood drenched ones. No thanks.

But come Halloween, that’s the least founded of my fears. What really scares the crap out of me is what’s in all the costumes and make up that everyone, especially kids, wears. Can you guess? Toxins. Lots of them, and amazingly, some of the worst. What am I talking about? Well the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics recently sent 10 children’s face paints to an independent lab for testing and found that:

• Ten out of 10 children’s face paints contained lead at levels ranging from 0.05 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm).

• Six out of 10 children’s face paints contained the potent skin allergens nickel, cobalt and/or chromium at levels ranging from 1.6 to 120 ppm – far exceeding industry safety recommendations of 1 ppm.

• Snazaroo Face Paint, labeled as “non-toxic” and “hypoallergenic,” contained some of the highest levels of lead, nickel and cobalt found in the study.

Really? The "World's Safest"?? Doubt it!

That’s CRAZY, right?! The CDC take a firm stance that the only safe level of exposure to lead is ZERO. None at all. But sadly there’s no regulation in the industry that makes these products, so if they want to put lead – a potent, and well established neurotoxin, in a product that’s going to be in direct contact with your child’s body, they can go right ahead and do it.

So what do you do? For your kids, or yourself, on this holiday that’s all about face paint, and dressing up?  Well, you can easily pick or design a costume that doesn’t require face paint – that’s pretty easy. Or, if you feel like you just have to dress up like a zombie, or Tammy Faye Baker, try buying your face make-up from a place like this.

But the scary stuff doesn’t stop there – there are the super toxic hair-sprays – neon ones, ones that glow in the dark… Some of these products, particularly the cheap-o ones that you’ll find in those pop-up Halloween stores, are loaded with things like Butane (yes, the stuff in lighters) recognized as a human carcinogen (causes cancer), and colorings and other additives that have been banned for use in cosmetics in the European Union and other countries around the world (but not here in the US). Check for labels that read “Warning: Danger extremely flammable. Do not breathe spray particles. Container may explode if heated.” Would you spray that on or near your own head, let alone your child? No way.

And be mindful of buying vinyl costumes… these are those masks that slip over your head and have that nasty plastic-y smell. What you’re breathing in there are Phthalates – a class of chemical that’s linked to hormone disruption, early onset puberty, and birth defects, as well as vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen that causes liver cancer. This definitely includes soft fake teeth sets that go into the mouth, which also have high lead levels.

Loaded with Lead

See why this stuff scares me?! The fun, thrill, and excitement of Halloween really takes a back seat to my concern over children’s health when I see them walking down the street covered in face paint. And the hard part is that currently, there’s no real way to know if the face paint you bought contains lead, nickel, chromium, or other heavy metals because FDA has no safety standard for these in cosmetics and federal law doesn’t require them to list them on the ingredient label.

Forgoing face paints altogether is the best option, as is picking costumes made of fabric, not plastic or vinyl. For lots of great holiday activity ideas, check out GreenHalloween.org, or this, this or this site for easy, (mostly)make-up free DIY Halloween costume ideas for kids – big and little!

Keep their costumes safe and worry a little less about all the candy they’ll be eating. There are bigger monsters out there on Halloween!

We heard lectures and talks on foods that affect blood sugar, metabolism, and that protect us against cancer. The amount of information we got in only 2 short days was amazing. But guess what I noticed was missing??

Exactly what I was talking to you about in my last email – this missing piece of TOXINS. While both Dr. Katz & Hyman mentioned toxins as being a significant contributor to the obesity epidemic, they glossed over it, giving the whole topic nothing more than a passing mention. I admire and respect these two professionals, but was frankly a little upset that again, an amazing opportunity to address this piece of the puzzle was lost.

So what did I do? At the end of the event, during Q&A time with Joshua Rosenthal, the founder of the school, I stood up, in front of FOUR THOUSAND people and said that this was not okay – and that this piece of the puzzle is HUGE! In my typical cheeky way, my “question” was this: “How can I get up on that stage, and talk to a group of people this big about this issue?!” People hooted, hollered, clapped, and cheered – it felt incredible!

So here’s the deal – I want to address this missing piece of the puzzle with you, right now, in a really easy, approachable way. I no longer want to present you with only 2 or 3 pieces of the puzzle. I want to give you the whole thing!

I know you want to look good, feel good, have tons of energy, feel hot and sexy in your jeans, get restful sleep without having to rely on drugs, pills, or quick fixes. I also know that you definitely don’t want to struggle with frightening illnesses like cancer, obesity, diabetes… What I’ve realized is that its just not possible to have all of that without addressing all the pieces of the puzzle!

I want you to be empowered to help yourself – to be able to literally or metaphorically stand up in front of 4000 people and say “this is what I want!” and then go after it.

This whole idea is what inspired my 5 Day Clean & Green Diet Detox – to teach you how you can have amazing energy, restful sleep, delicious food, and lose weight and get super healthy in the processes.

Doors are opening for registration in just a few days, and I’ve already had a number of people say they want in. They want in because they want to…

• Shed a couple of extra pounds – sometimes the difference between feeling ‘okay’ and feeling incredible!
• Let go of unhealthy eating habits that have been holding them back from feeling their best.
• Get energized! No more 3pm slump or feeling exhausted at the end of the day
• Fall asleep easily, rest soundly, and wake energized
• Learn how to support your body’s natural detoxification systems so you never feel bogged down by heavy, unhealthy foods again
• Understand this critical, “missing piece” of the weight loss/ health gain puzzle!

The amazing thing is that we’re going to do all of this in only 5 days!!

Mark your calendars for October 6th at 8:00pm EST for the kickoff of this program.

Pretend I’m an audience of 4000 people – tell me what you really want – why you want IN on this fun, transformative, and delicious 5 day detox, and I’ll share with you 1 simple thing you can do now to participate in this program for F.R.E.E.

I set aside 10 “scholarship” spots for this program and 6 have already been claimed – so if you want in, but want to know how to do it for F.R.E.E. then email me and tell me:

What you want for yourself & why you want to participate in this 5 day detox

I’ll email you back with details on how you can participate at zero cost.

It was exhilarating to stand up in front of that many people and share my passion for this “big picture” and it’s with this same feeling that I approach the launch of this program – so I can help you stand up, say what you want, and then go get it!

Can’t wait to see you in the detox!

-Lara

In early August I found myself in the emergency room TWICE in one week with terrible food poisoning. If you’ve ever had food poisoning, or even a bad bout of the stomach flu, than you’ll know how awful I was feeling. The culprit? My guess is almond milk, although I can’t be sure.

On that first morning in the ER I was being questioned by a med student who was taking down my history, symptoms, and an accounting of what I’d eaten. I told him all about the ingredients in my recent (but never again!) favorite smoothie. Although I was certainly in no laughing mood, it did strike me as pretty funny (and a little sad) that he asked me if I happened to put any Brussels sprouts in my drink that morning. Really? Brussels sprouts in my smoothie??

I knew what he was trying to get at, but the poor guy clearly didn’t know his sprouts! Recently salad sprouts have been making headlines for being contaminated with dangerous and sometimes deadly e-coli bacteria – but not the mini-cabbage, delicious-when-roasted kind!

I was sure it was food poisoning, but both the ER doctor, and my regular doctor who I followed up with the next day told me it was likely a stomach virus. Okay, fine. Stomach virus it is. So 3 days later I go back to my favorite breakfast smoothie and the seemingly exonerated almond milk, and whammo! Back in the ER only a few hours later.

As I lay there, getting re-hydrated with saline, freezing under a heap of hospital sheets, I got to thinking about how I should have listened to my gut, both figuratively and literally! My body was telling me something MAJOR, and I ignored it over the “wisdom” of doctors.

What was my body telling me? That there was a toxic, dangerous invader in my system, and that it needed OUT – FAST. As much discomfort I was in, I had to acknowledge the infinite wisdom of my own body in knowing exactly what to do to protect me from serious harm.

This got me thinking about all the other kinds of toxins that we’re exposed to, and how our bodies work incredibly hard to protect us from them as well. What are these other toxins? They are the dangerous chemicals lurking in our shampoos, body lotions, toothpaste, and even on our fruits and vegetables. They’re in canned food, water bottles, and vinyl shower curtains. They’re in that “new car smell” and they’re in children’s toys… pretty much everywhere! And our bodies work hard to protect us from those toxins too.

But here’s one of the amazing ways in which they do it: Our bodies pack on, or cling desperately to our fat stores! Why? Because many of these toxic chemicals are “lipophilic”, which means they dissolve in, or are attracted to fatty tissues. The more chemicals coursing through our veins, the more our body tries to protect us from them by storing them in our fat cells. Don’t have enough fat cells to keep you safe? No problem! Our bodies will start packing on pounds to sequester those dangerous toxins, and will hold on to is as hard as it can.

Can you see why I think it’s SO CRAZY that no one has been talking about this missing piece of the weight loss puzzle? That it’s not just what you’re eating, and how much you’re exercising. It’s not just your genes, or the amount of stress you have – there are bigger things going on?

This is why I’m so excited to finally tell you about what I’ve been working on the past few weeks! [Drumroll please....]

My 5 Day Clean & Green Diet Detox!

A 5 Day Detox to Help You Shed Extra Weight, Skyrocket Your Energy, and Re-set Healthy Eating Habits!

• If you’ve got a couple of extra pounds to shed…
• If you’re tired of the 3pm slump every day….
• If you’re aching for help putting healthy meals on the table…
• If you’re ready to start addressing all pieces of the weight-loss/health gain puzzle…

This whole idea of Detoxing might be new to you – but people have been detoxing for centuries. Lately though, detoxes seem to be focused on emptying you out instead of supporting your body’s natural systems of detoxification.

And amazingly, I’ve yet to see a detox on the market that addresses the issue of “the other toxins” – and how they are affecting your health and your weight. I’m not going to lie, I’ve been really hesitant to share this information with my clients for fear of freaking them out, or overwhelming them, but I had a couple of good friends tell me that I needed to put my own fears aside, and get out there and help people detox in a meaningful way. I’m not talking about lemonade cleanses, or enemas here, I’m talking Clean & Green!

The 5 Day Clean & Green Diet Detox is going to kick off on October 6th at 8:00pm (est) so mark your calendars!

To help you get started supporting your body’s natural systems of detoxification, I created this F.R.E.E. guide called 6 Simple Strategies To Detoxing At Home. I want to share this stuff with you right away – because even if my detox program isn’t for you – you can still benefit from understanding how to support your body so you can feel great, function optimally, and maybe shed a few pounds in the process.

Click HERE to download this F.R.E.E. ‘how-to’ guide now!

And don’t forget -mark you calendars for October 6th – the kickoff of this super fun new program!

Participating is this detox programs means that you’ll be able to…

• Shed a couple of extra pounds right before fall clothes shopping begins!
• Let go of unhealthy eating habits that have been holding you back from feeling your best
• Get energized! No more 3pm slump or feeling exhausted at the end of every day
• Fall asleep easily, rest soundly, and wake energized
• Discover how unsuspecting, everyday items in your home may be making you fat! (this is that “missing piece”!)

Looking forward to having you join me in a few weeks!

You’ve probably heard me talk about how stress can compound your struggles with weight and saying healthy, and it’s absolutely true!

Here’s what I’ve learned about extra weight and struggles with losing it – there’s never just one thing solely responsible. More accurately, there are a lot of things at play and if we truly want to succeed – if we truly want to shed our excess weight, increase our energy, and feel amazing all the time, we really need to address all of them. I tell people all the time that they can eat all the kale and quinoa in the world, but if the other parts of their lives are stressful or toxic, then it won’t matter. They’ll still get sick, they’ll still hold on to extra weight, they’ll still be tired and worn out all the time.

In my work, I see a lot… a TON of programs aimed at helping people lose weight, and while some of them are great, the vast majority are missing at least one, but usually way more pieces of the puzzle. And there’s one piece of the puzzle that I have never seen addressed – anywhere! I’m amazed, and frankly upset that this critical piece hasn’t been addressed in any comprehensive way, because it’s just as important, if not MORE, than healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

Here’s the incredible thing about addressing this missing piece – it not only helps your body function at it’s best and let go of extra weight, it also helps you reduce your risk of cancers, neurological conditions, behavioral and developmental problems. Amazing. Why are more people not talking about this?!?!

Do you see what I mean about being upset that this hasn’t been addressed!?

I want to help you start out the fall season without stress, without take-out dinners, flagging energy, 3pm slumps, and too-tight pants…

I want to show you how you can drop a few extra pounds, skyrocket your energy, re-set health eating habits, and get you started addressing this critical missing piece so you can finally be a full picture of health! (I know I’m being vague here… I’ll spill the beans soon enough on the details!)

Last week I asked you what you really want this fall – less bloating? More energy? Better Sleep? Healthy Recipes for quick dinners? I bunch of people replied and we given a sneak peak at this amazing new program that’s almos ready to launch… If you want the inside scoop on this program (before anyone else!) then send me a quick email at lara@laraadler.com with a note about what YOU really want this fall, and not only will I give you a behind the scenes look at this program, but I’ll give you details on how you can participate for F.R.E.E.!

I only set aside 10 spots for f.r.e.e. admission, and at this point most of those have been snatched up already – So if you want the behind the curtain peek at this new program, AND learn how you can get all the juicy content for f.r.e.e., send me an email ASAP and tell me what you really and truly want for yourself this fall!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Has this happened to you: You worked hard all spring and early summer to get into shape for the summer season- for bathing suits and beaches, for vacations, and lots of sun. Many of you may have even reached your goals – were feeling healthy and fit at the start of summer…

But then backyard barbecues happened! And lots of summer ice cream happened. And the long days, and late nights meant eating more than you normally do, and lo and behold a few extra pounds have crept back on. Urgh

So it’s that time of year again. Whether you’re actually in school or not, this is the time of year we either buy new cooler weather clothes, or pull out the stuff from last year, and thanks to all the summer burgers, hot dogs, and ice cream this isn’t as fun as it could be. Last years clothes maybe fit a little snugger, but on principle, you just don’t want to buy new clothes – bigger clothes, right? Because when we do that it’s an admission – an acknowledgement that we’ve fallen off track. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard (and sometimes said myself) “I’m going to keep it even though it doesn’t fit – I’ll get back into them one day!” I know that for me, when my jeans make me feel like a stuffed sausage, it’s time to make some changes!

But while it’s super easy to just haul out the oversized sweaters and sweatpants, that’s not really how we want to dress, and certainly not how we want to feel!

I want to ask you – during this time of year – busy “back to school” end of summer/start of fall – what is it that you truly want?

Comment below or send me a quick email with a note about what you really want this fall – do you want a little less bloating? Do you want more energy to get through the busy, hectic days? Do you want quick and healthy recipes that can help you not only get back into shape, but help you get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes?

I can’t wait to hear what you want for yourself this fall!

Amazing beach in Hawaii!

I was really looking forward to some beautiful sightseeing and checking out the soft white beaches, but in all honesty, I was pretty apprehensive about the swimming part. I’ve never been a good swimmer – I’m totally uncoordinated and end up looking like a struggling dog when I’m in the water. Not a pretty sight! My two golden rules with swimming were always 1) I had to be able to see my feet – the water must be clear, and 2) that my feet have to touch the bottom. That doesn’t allow for much more than hanging around swimming pools, and the shallow end to boot, but there was no way I was going all the way to Hawaii and not snorkeling! I panic really easily the second either of those rules are broken though, and despite being in my mid-30′s, have never been able to shake it. Snorkeling was going to be a HUGE obstacle for me.

Why do I get scared? To me, it’s simple. The water – it’s immense depth, volume, and size totally overwhelm me. I feel tiny in the ocean, completely helpless and out of my element. For years that overwhelm has kept me off the beach and out of the pool. I didn’t even own a bathing suit until last year!!

So how did I move through that overwhelm and end up snorkeling in some of the most amazing reefs in Hawaii AND swimming with a sea turtle (ack!! so cool!)?? I had help. I just knew that I’d be a floundering mess on our first day of snorkeling. But guess what? I wasn’t!! Jenny even said I was a natural! Ha!

I had two distinct kinds of help. First, I had her support, which reduced that overwhelm to such a manageable size that I was able to relax and enjoy myself. Second, I had the right tools – fins! I couldn’t have done it without them. There were times when it got rough, and I got scared, but Jenny was right there, holding my hand (literally) in the water and swimming with me back to a place where the water was more calm and less deep. And when we got there – look who was waiting for me! This big, beautiful, and amazing sea turtle, lazily munching on algae, being gently tossed with the waves. My fear and panic was immediately replaced by peace, awe and gratitude. I realized that I never would have seen him there had I not felt that sense of panic first. Swimming with him was HUGE for me

Swimming with a sea turtle!!

So why am I telling you this? Because I’ve seen this type of fear and overwhelm stop people in their tracks and keep them stuck in uncomfortable places. I’ve seen fear and overwhelm paralyze people from making healthy choices and addressing important issues. Whether it’s getting into deep water, addressing out of control eating, or looking at the toxins we’re exposing ourselves and our children to – overwhelm stop us in our tracks and often times causes us to bury our heads in the sand.

The people who are able to “see the sea turtle”, able to experience the calm and gratitude are the ones that dive right into that overwhelm. The smart ones do it with support, and the right tools. I never, ever, not in a million years would have gone into that water without a snorkel mask and fins. The overwhelm would have drowned me.

Lately I’ve been talking to a lot of new parents about all the toxic things their children are exposed to, and I can see the fear and overwhelm wash over them. I can see them thinking “this is so big, it’s too much, I just can’t deal.”

I’m curious to hear from you what areas of life cause you to feel so overwhelmed that you are paralyzed, head buried in the sand? For some it may just be learning about what toxins are lurking in your home, in your children’s bedrooms and in your bodies, while for others it could be the overwhelm of looking for a new job, or starting a new weight loss program.

I’d love for you to share with me what presses that panic and overwhelm button for you, or where you’re currently stuck in the sand, paralyzed by overwhelm – Comment below and share where you’re stuck or shoot me a quick email and I’ll reply with a quick solution to help you get moving forward again!

Well there we were hard at work, getting really pumped up about the videos we’re working on and then BAM – Life Happened. Miranda’s work/life schedule took a sharp turn, causing a temporary roadblock. We’re rolling through it slowly, but together. At first I was a little bummed (we both were!) about this bump in the road, but then I realized that this is actually a great teaching point for how you can respond when life throws you off track.

Life Happens – to all of us at one time or another – we’re rolling along, comfortable, working towards a goal, and then ACK! – a life changing event, a job loss, or heck, even a piece of chocolate cake, and we suddenly feel derailed, lost, and spinning out of control. How do you respond? Do you give up? Throw in the towel, and say ‘forget it’? Or do you challenge yourself to learn from it…do you look for a new perspective on the situation, or look for the positive?

I always encourage people to look for the teaching points in their own lives when roadblocks or ‘life’ gets in the way of their plans, goals, or ideals. Could eating that piece of cake (even though you’ve been trying to be healthier and lose weight), however unhealthy it was, actually have served a purpose for you? Instead of beating yourself up about it, try using it as a mirror for what’s really going on… where in your life are you not getting the kind of sweetness that chocolate cake can so consistently provide? See the situation for what it really is, and then learn from it and change. Or look at the situation as an opportunity to start fresh.

Miranda and I saw our situation as pretty sucky when it first presented itself, but now I realize that it’s allowed us to open up to new ways of serving you. We were so focused on these videos that we were missing opportunities to support you that were right under our noses! Even though our areas of expertise are different, Miranda and I share a very similar approach and philosophy about getting and staying healthy (this is why I was so excited to connect with her in the first place!). She writes regularly on her own blog (something I need to do more of!) about how to help her training clients stay on track with their fitness routines – so I wanted to share some of her advice with you! Check out her post below!

The best part is that you can replace ‘fitness’ and ‘training’ with ‘healthy eating’ and weight loss’ and the message reads just as loud and clear!

Until our video series is up and running, I’m going to be sharing with you great fitness tips from Miranda, so you can start integrating them into your life!

If you have fitness tips, healthy living tips, or ‘life happens’ tips, let me know – I’d love to share them with everyone!

Since neither Miranda or I wanted to leave you hanging, we realized that we could continue to offer tips, ideas, and inspiration to help keep you on track to being the fittest and healthiest you’ve ever been. Even though our areas of expertize are really different, Miranda and I have a very similar approach and philosophy about getting and staying healthy (which is why we make such a perfect team!). When I was reading through Miranda’s blog posts I realized just how similar our work is, and how easily our messages cross translate!

I decided to share one of her blog posts with you – even though it’s about fitness and working out, pay attention to how closely her message applies to healthy eating and healthy habits! The post below the the final of 5 Tricks that Miranda uses for helping her clients keep their weight off for good, and one that I thought was particularly appropriate.

Guest Post: Miranda Zukowski – Trick #5 For Keeping The Weight Off For Good!!

The Final Trick for keeping the weight off for good is to Build Your Accountability Team!

This means, simply, surround yourself with people who are pulling for you to reach your goal. Sometimes it might be your mother, husband, or close friend, but pulling from people you are around all the time is a gamble. They have a tendency to say or do things to sabotage your efforts, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not. It could work, but your besties might not be the obvious answer here.

I would say pull from a different crowd. Maybe a co-worker who is trying to reach the same goals, someone you met at the gym who is always there when you are, or the mother of one of your child’s friends.

If you want to get a little deeper into it, you could have a coach, personal trainer, or nutritional counselor. All of these options are AMAZING as this is what they do professionally and they know exactly how to guide you on your path and encourage you.

Your Accountability Team doesn’t need to be a circus. It can be one to five people. More than that can be too much, but feel it out and see where it takes you.

Once you have your team in place keep an eye on yourself. Our conscious mind controls maybe up to 4% of what we do. Read that again. You are MAYBE in control of up to 4% of what you do! Who’s steering the other 96%? Your subconscious. So when you start to push out of your comfort zone and create a better life for yourself, your subconscious pops in and says “Whoa, wait a minute here, this is not what we’re used to, let’s get back on track”. And that’s when self sabotage comes into play. You start to come up with excuses, and they’re great excuses, but still just excuses. You start to fall off your wagon within a month.

This is why it is CRITICAL that you have an accountability team in place to keep you in check when you start to self sabotage. We all fall off our wagons, it’s human nature. So when you are due to send your food journal to your nutritionist, or you are supposed to meet your personal trainer, or even when you’re supposed to call your workout buddy to check in, don’t argue for your limitations! Don’t start complaining about why you can’t do this or that. Just own it, keep your appointments, and you will get to the next level.

Your accountability team will hold you accountable for your actions, that’s what they’re supposed to do. Rather than argue with them and fight like they’re the enemy, acknowledge that you’re making excuses, accept help from your team, and get back on track.

There’s so much more to this topic, but those are the basics:

1-Create your team

2-Follow their advice and allow them to help you

3-Don’t argue for your limitations or fight with your team

Use all five tips to create a healthy new life for yourself and take the weight off for good!!!

Yours in Health,

Miranda Zukowski