Life can become challenging, overwhelming and just plain difficult at times. Although I have healed myself in body, mind and soul, and have developed an array of techniques to prevent me from falling into the abyss – once in a while – it happens and I find myself in the depths of my lower self.

So, what did I do in that moment? I reached out to a dear friend of mine for support. She’s a coach like me and of course, she knew exactly what I needed. She held space for me and guided me back to my essence – the truth of who I am. Ahhhh…it feels so much better to be in this place of grace and ease.

The next day, my friend checked in on me to see how I was doing and she wanted to let me know that she had had a vision of me holding a rock or sitting on one. Immediately, I knew what she saw. I have this semi heart-shaped rock that I keep on my altar that came from a sacred place while I was on retreat last year.

I hadn’t paid much attention to it lately, but when I picked it up I could immediately feel the energy it holds radiate throughout my entire body. Truly, it was an incredibly powerful moment. It took me back to the place where I found the rock and exactly what it represents for me – strength, courage, fierceness, power, love, light and wholeness – the true ME.

I have since moved the rock to my bedside table and have been holding it when I feel the need to reconnect and redirect my focus within. It seems so simple, yet I can’t tell you how empowering it is to utilize this symbolic rock to help me stay grounded.

What is YOUR rock? Where can you turn when you’re feeling the downward spiral begin? Is there a special object, piece of jewelry, book or song that makes you feel like…well YOU – the whole and complete version of YOU?

If you don’t have anything like that, create it for yourself. Visit your local alternative bookstore and peruse the gemstones, statues, jewelry and anything else that calls you to find your special “rock”. Once you’ve determined what that is, keep it nearby and visible so in those moments when you’re feeling pulled down, you won’t have to go far to bring yourself back to center.

AND, in those moments when you need more than your “rock”, reach out for support to a friend, a loved one or a coach and allow yourself to be held and nurtured as you feel yourself return from the abyss.

Food is fuel for the body, right? Aside from eating food because it tastes delicious and makes you feel good, the primary reason we consume food is to provide us with energy.

So, how energetic do you feel after your meals? And, how long does your energy last?

Have you ever considered that you obtain significantly more energy by adding more raw, living foods to your plate? Raw food like fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, sprouts and superfoods – contain the nutrients your body seeks daily for nourishment along with the enzymes your body needs to break down the food and assimilate it.

Once food has been heated above approximately 118 degrees Fahrenheit, a considerable amount of the nutritional value has been compromised. This means that you’re receiving partial benefits from eating the cooked food even if you have a plate full of colorful cooked vegetables.

Taking it a step further, once food is processed, pasteurized, homogenized, etc., you can count on that “food” providing little or no value. Sure, it might taste good, but your body needs real fuel to keep it working in top condition.

I invite you to incorporate uncooked food at every meal, thus ensuring that you have the elements your body needs to properly digest the food (enzymes) and give you life force energy, nourishing you on a deep cellular level.

Have you ever thought about the reasoning or rationale behind eating a salad with your meals? This is it. Your body needs the raw food for optimal digestion. Ideally you want to eat salad right before consuming cooked food so your stomach has the “goods” it needs to support digestion of the heated food.

I challenge you to increase your consumption of live foods to 60 or even 75% of your food intake every day. Not only will your energy soar, but your body will naturally begin to function at an optimal level thus you will feel like you can do anything! Trust me on this…

Try making a green smoothie for breakfast filled with the yumminess of fresh cucumber, celery, wild blueberries and leafy greens. Eat a big salad with your favorite animal or non-animal form of protein for lunch. For dinner, start out with some fresh pressed veggie juice and then work your way into your favorite cooked foods.

There are an unlimited number of ways to add more raw, living foods to your everyday eating style. With a little creativity and a trip to the farmers’ market, you’ll be well on your way to soaring energy and increased vital

The same thing used to happen when I ate while working in front of my computer screen. Not only did I trash my keyboard with crumbs and the occasional spill of dressing or sauce – but I would finish the meal or snack and feel completely unsatisfied. This, of course, would lead to grabbing for more food to feel fulfilled.

When I began practicing the art of mindful eating my food started tasting better AND I stopped overeating. I instantly noticed how different my entire eating experiences became.

I discovered that I was eating foods that I didn’t particularly like, but somehow kept putting them on my plate thinking I liked them. I learned that I didn’t need to eat as much food as I had been eating because I tuned into the “full” message my stomach would send to my brain. And, I found that I could no longer eat behind my own back.

So, if you’re open to enjoying more pleasure while eating, I invite you into the concept of eating when you’re awake versus eating on auto-pilot.

Now I know you might be thinking, “how will I get everything done in my work day AND stop and take time to nourish my body while fully present?” I’m guessing the inner dialogue might go more like this, “how can I possibly stop what I’m doing to eat? I’m such a great multi-tasker, I can eat mindfully and read my friends’ posts on Facebook.”

Honor yourself and your body and give this mindful eating thing a try for one week or even one day and see how things shift for you. It’s really all about making time for YOU!

Here’s how it works:

-       Create loving boundaries around where you will and will NOT eat. For example, I will eat sitting down at my kitchen table. I will NOT eat while seated in front of my computer screen.

-       Remove all distractions before you put the first bite in your mouth. Turn off the TV, hide your phone, etc.

-       Pause and take a good look at the food on your plate. Smell the yummy aroma, notice the lovely colors, etc.

-       Close your eyes and say a prayer of thanks in a way that is meaningful to you.

-       Start eating with full presence and awareness – savoring every bite as you chew slowly and thoughtfully.

-       Check in with your stomach a few times throughout the meal to listen in for clues that it might be getting close to full. Ideally stop eating when you feel about 75-80% full.

-       When your meal is done, pause one more time, close your eyes and give yourself thanks for nourishing your body with amazing food!

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 brown rice tortillas

1 can Eden Foods black beans (rinsed)

1 cup torn mixed green leaf lettuce

¾ cup organic corn kernels (cooked or raw)

½ cup sliced black olives

½ cup chopped red and/or orange peppers

apple cider vinegar

guacamole

salsa

Directions:

-        Heat black beans in a small pot over medium heat.

-        While the beans are warming up, in a dry skillet, warm each tortilla over medium heat.

-        Spread a layer of guacamole on each tortilla and add beans, corn, olives, lettuce, peppers and sprouts.

-        Sprinkle lightly with apple cider vinegar and add desired amount of salsa.

-        Close up wraps and enjoy!

I listened to her comment about how committed she is to getting her body back – again. This time is going to be different, she said. This diet is going to work because it worked for her two times before. Yes – she gained the weight back (and more) the previous 2 times, but as long as she follows the plan,  removes almost all of her favorite foods, doesn’t give in to temptation and exercises for at least one hour per day – she can lose all the weight she wants.

As I sat and listened to her enthusiasm it brought me back to the days when I used to diet. I remember feeling so determined to make it work this time around. I remember feeling that as long as someone else told me exactly what and how much to eat and drink, I could do it – at least for a while – until my willpower ran out. And then there I would be back at square one – bingeing on all the food I was depriving myself of during the diet.

Diets suck! They suck the life out of you and they teach you that you’re a failure every time you fall off the wagon. Eventually you lose trust in yourself and your ability to follow through on your commitments to yourself, which totally messes up your head.

Diets don’t just mess with your mind – they mess with your body. Imagine how difficult it is on your body every time you lose a sizeable amount of weight and then gain it back again and then some. Think about how hard your body works every day to support every day living and then throw on top of that the stress of putting on extra weight over and over again.

I say, “Ditch Your Diet!” That’s precisely what I did and I finally lost the 25-30 pounds of excess weight I carried around for years and I’ve kept it off. Never again will I count calories or points. Never again will I weigh and measure my food. Never again will I engage in militant exercise routines. Instead – I trust in my body’s wisdom. I treat myself to loving self-care daily. I engage in gentle movement that my body loves. And I’m more happy, healthy, vibrant and fulfilled than I’ve ever been!

If you’re interested in learning more about my unique approach to weight loss, I encourage you to sign up for my free teleclass, Ditch Your Diet And Drop The Weight For Good.

Fast-forward 2 decades later and I find myself sitting in the audience with 4,000 other holistic health coaches at IIN’s Mega Conference in Long Beach, California listening to Geneen say in a slow nurturing tone, “How we eat, is how we live.”

She then goes on to explain that we can learn so much about ourselves by simply observing our plates – the how, the when, the what – all of it speaking volumes about how we move through life.

The question I have for you is – Are you willing to take a look at your plate? And are you willing to learn from it? I’ve learned from my own issues with my weight and the hundreds of women I’ve coached that the only way to move through and past this thing we call “a weight problem” is by doing the inner work.

It’s NOT just about the food. It’s NOT just about eating less and exercising more. It’s NOT just about going on another diet. And when you come to understand that and take the necessary steps to go beyond the surface issues – you will find more peace within yourself and with your relationship to food and your body.

Geneen Roth is a true inspiration and truly one of my heroes. She faced her disordered eating head on and has been sharing her story and wisdom with others for decades now so that we can all find peace. I continue to use Geneen’s pearls of wisdom and inspiration in my coaching practice and in my life so that I, too, can lead others to peace.

I’m deeply grateful to IIN for inviting Geneen Roth to share her message with the students and grads in attendance at this past weekend’s phenomenal Mega Conference!

David embodies the vision of health I aspire to every day. He truly walks his talk and within minutes lifts you higher than a kite with his enthusiasm about living life and offering your body the finest, most superior nutrition on the planet.

There are 4 categories of food that David promotes for optimal health and longevity:

Raw and living foods

Superfoods

Superherbs

Micro-algaes

Some examples of these health-promoting foods are beets, which are great for liver detoxification, cabbage, which contains anti-cancer properties, maca which is a wonderful vitality substance, chorella, which does a number of things to support the detoxification process in the body and of course, mushrooms for their medicinal effects.

During David’s talk on the IIN Mega conference stage, he demonstrated how to add many of these foods into a blended drink that not only tastes good but will make you feel alive, revitalized and provide your cells with everything they need to replenish and renew themselves.

I was so inspired by David’s talk and energy that I want to experiment with the dozens of healthy foods he recommends consuming on a regular basis. I plan to create some new recipes for you using these foods, so stay tuned!

And if you want to learn more about how you can learn from the top health experts like David Wolfe, contact me so I can share more with you about the school I graduated from, IIN.

To be part of the movement and mission of IIN feels incredibly special. IIN makes it so easy to stay motivated and remain on the path towards helping transform the lives of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people in my lifetime.

One of the amazing quotes of the day came from John Robbins, “Less pain, More LOVE!” This came from a conversation he had with his Dad just hours before his Dad died. If you don’t know who John Robbins is, he’s the son of Robbins – owner and founder of Baskin/Robbins.

I’ll share more with you about the speakers, their messages and inspiration over the next couple of weeks so continue to check back frequently.

Once I said “yes” to IIN’s certification program for holistic health my world changed dramatically…in a wonderful way. I learned from some of the most amazing health experts in the world while at IIN – like David Wolfe, Paul Pitchford, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Mark Hyman and many more.

The education IIN provided me far surpassed my expectations. And I had no idea how many new like-minded, health-conscious friends I would make along the way. I’m so excited to be connecting with many of them at this weekend’s IIN Mega Conference in Long Beach.

For two days, thousands of conference attendees – including myself – will enjoy learning from the best of the best like Joshua Rosenthal, Geneen Roth, Paul Pitchford and David Wolfe. It’s sure to be spectacular because that’s just how IIN does it.

I plan to share my experience with you while I’m there so be sure to check back here soon.

1/2 cup shredded coconut

4 tbsp raw cacao powder

1/4 cup raw agave nectar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

• Mix ingredients thoroughly in a bowl
• Shape into balls and place on a non-stick platter
• Put in freezer for one hour and enjoy!

Optional:

Put an almond in the center of each ball

Note: You can find the best raw cacao power and raw agave nectar on my website.