A Happy (Guiltless) New Years!

xoxo Elizabeth & Steph!

Why be Guiltless?

We're always asking you to give yourself some slack...to love yourself and appreciate the characteristics that make you who you are. But why? Why should you work on the relationship you have with yourself? When life gets busy, it seems like the first thing that should go on the back burner is your self-image, right? But it shouldn't. Here's why:



Having a positive image of yourself leads to...

1.) Increased self-awareness: When you are more self-aware, you are better equipped to handle whatever life throws at you. Whether it's a challenging project or even simply noticing when you need to take a break, increasing your self awareness is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.

2.) Better health: Studies show that those who maintain a positive relationship with themselves are more likely to eat better, exercise more, get more sleep, and lead overall healthier lifestyles. If you love the package you come in, it will pay off both inside and out!

3.) Better relationships: When you're overwhelmed with feeling down about yourself, it's almost impossible to be sensitive to others. You risk unknowingly hurting someone's feelings, or even worse, you may isolate yourself from those who love you. When you have a good relationship with yourself, it makes it much easier to maintain good relationships with loved ones... and it makes it easier for them to show their love for you in return.

4.) Better job performance: When you have the ability to recognize the good qualities about yourself, it will show in your work. Increased confidence will allow you to shine and produce the quality of work you know you are capable of.

5.) Increased interest: When you're feeling good, the world is your oyster. You are more likely to explore, discover, and enjoy life when you're in a good place with yourself.

This is only the tip of the iceberg! There are countless benefits to feeling positive about who you are. Life will inevitably be kind when you're kind to yourself.

Hope everyone is staying warm this wintry week! Be well.

Have you noticed any positive changes in your life lately that you can attribute to your "guiltlessness?"

Resolutions? Let's Set Some Goals!

Oh January 1^st—the day when everyone swears to lose 5 lbs by January 5^th, when gyms across the nation become suddenly jam-packed, and your best friend is swearing off chocolate. If you've managed to save some self love through the rest of the holiday season, this becomes even more difficult when everyone around is resolving to make 2011 bigger and better than ever, through deprivation and brand new intense workout regimes. When was the last time you saw these New Years Resolutions followed through to September? Perhaps it’s because most of us do not plan well enough, and fail to set good goals. So this year, let’s shift our talk from resolution-making to goal-setting!

To make positive change this year, create small achievable goals that focus on the positive.

• Brainstorm. What do you want? And Why? Clearly defining these two things will give you a strong start to causing change.
• Start with a simple plan. Make it specific, and achievable. How can you realistically get from point a to point b?
• Accentuate the positive: Avoid “I will not.” Instead use “I am”. Replace “I should”, with “I will.” Example: Instead of “I will not eat chocolate” try “I will make sure to eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day.” “Instead of “I should work out everyday” use “I will be active to stay healthy and happy, and give my body the rest it deserves.”
• Make it visible for accountability. Share it with your best friend, your mom, on Facebook, on Twitter, or on your blog. Letting others know will help you stick to your goal.
• Take steps. Goals aren’t all or nothing philosophies. Make small, gradual steps to reach your goal. Remember that slipping on rigid goals isn’t always a bad thing, and should be considered an opportunity to grow and learn. It is important to revaluate your goals throughout the year to see what may be preventing you from reaching them, and whether they are still helping you create the life you desire.
• Stay Focused- Reflect and evaluate how your progress has gone. Goals can always shift. Acknowledge what you are doing well! This will foster hope and motivation to continue doing great!

I have two traditions that I would love to share with you for a positive January 1st. First my family gathers together with a calender and day-book of 2010 and relives all the positive things about the past year. We then look to the year ahead and some of the things planned to start thinking about what 2011 will hold. At the start of the new year I also like to create a Vision Board. I bring together a lot of images and words that inspire me, and create a board that outlines some of the goals I would like to accomplish in the new year. You can learn more about vision boards here and here, and here is what mine looks like this year:

on my vision board I put images of strength and flexibility both in body and in life. I reminded myself to remember that I am strong, confident and beautiful and ready to face the world.

This will hang in my room all year, as a reminder of what will make 2011 so great!

If you don’t want to commit to an entire board, write an affirmation card. Write something you would like to change in the New year, and keep it somewhere where you can look at it and be reminded for the reasons to change.

Everyone likes instant gratification, but success takes works, and planning, and long term goals make that possible!

“Remember: You have the power within you to create the life you love. Be gentle with yourself. You are worth every desire.”
-Lori Shemek

What are your goals for 2011? Do you use January 1^st to reflect and set goals?

Have a Guiltless Christmas!

Holiday Cheer Up!

The holidays are upon us, which means you're probably up to your ears in cooking/shopping/holiday cheer. Around this time of year, I often hear people refer to their stomachs as "bottomless pits," or to a specific time period of "endless eating." This is understandable as holiday food is by far the best! This year, let's aim to do two things:

1.) Participate in a little indulgence without overdoing it and without the guilt.

2.) Vow to ban all post-party fat talk.

Too often do we either worry ourselves into food restriction or guilt ourselves into food remorse. This holiday season, enjoy the company of your loved ones, and when you're filling your plate, do it with all of your holiday favorites. If you're feeling conisderate about your health, just make sure everything is in moderation...For example, if you have two favorites consisting of a baked brie dish and a root vegetable medley, take them both but a little less brie and a little more veggies. This type of balancing act will keep your appetite satisfied guiltlessly.

Banning all post-party fat talk (and thought!) will be a more powerful exercise than you would think. Instead of thinking/saying, "Those 5 Christmas cookies were delicious, but I think I just gained ten pounds," do/say/think this: "That Christmas cookie was delicious! Who made those? I want that recipe!" See the difference? Much more optimistic and merry!

I wish you all luck in your last minute shopping, cooking, and holiday preparation!

Enjoy yourself, be mindful, and be well.

What's your game plan for the holidays?

Bakery Guilt

Yes I am a recent Boston University Nutrition Graduate, and yes I have worked in a bakery for a year and a half. Not just any bakery, but the sweetest traditional French artisan bakery, where it sells of chocolate and butter 24/7, where everyone always has a smile on their face, and everything produced tastes like heaven. It's a place where you go to feel warm and fuzzy inside, and allow yourself a special treat.

image source

The things customers says to us at bakery ranged from rude, to flirty, to sweet to unbelievable. It's an endless source of amusement and can be very enlightening on peoples' relationshop with the world, food, and themselves.

The day before I took my vacation I had a small family come in mid-afternoon-mom, dad and junior. Their first time to the bakery they took some time to take all the sights and smells in. The husband was a loud type and I patiently answered all his questions. After some time, he turned to his wife and said 'what do you want to get, fatty"

While I'm sure it was done in jest (the entire family was overweight) and that he really loves his wife, blah blah blah. I was dumbfounded-and simply stared at him for a bit. How could you say something like that to someone you loved?

In case you didn't realize it (I think you'd have to be living in a cave not too) America has a weight problem. With over two-thirds of the population overweight or obease, we have a little bit too much junk in the trunk.

But calling your wife a fatty is not going to fix this problem. In fact, it will probably only further exasperate the problem. Perhaps she finds love, comfort and solace in her food, and with a low self-esteem she's much more likely to turn to that.

Not that I'm advocating that you all run to your nearest bakery, but I'm sure you've heard of the French Paradox- how can the French eat so much "bad" food, and be thinner and happier than fad-diet obsessed Americans? Yes, their diet may consist of more refined carbs, sugar and saturated fat, but their RELATIONSHIP with food is leaps and bounds better than ours. They listen to their hunger cues, stop eating when they are full, and savor their meals.

By building a relationship with food that does not involve guilt, we are on our way to a healthier, happier life. Where you don't feel shame when eating a crossaint. And perhaps you should examine your relationship with those in your life as well, and request that they not sabotage your plan by calling you "fatty." Build a support network of people that believe in you and uplift you to a higher level. And enjoy your pain aux chocolat.

How can you start to heal your relationship with food?

I Love my Smile

I Love my Smile
by: Donna Greenblatt