Love the Skin You’re In!

Health + Happiness + Habits = Living Well

 I confess I was not always happy with my relationship with my body. No big surprise since I’ve dedicated decades to the celebration of a woman’s body. (You teach what you need to learn). Thankfully, time does heal but I have discovered that by changing just a few basic habits, my whole outlook and self-image slowly transformed and will never go back.

The top habit I’m practicing makes a priority of eating loads of organic healthy veggies, meats, eggs and plenty of fresh filtered water, supplying my diet with more of that than highly processed and sugary foods. I have the cookie or two for God’s sake but leave the box for the next visit! That goes for ice cream. Have it and enjoy but avoid making it your main meal. Treat these fringe foods as guests that come to visit now and then. Before you know it, you will shame-less-ly indulge and not overdo it. Moderation always is the key, leaning hardest on the freshest food you can find, makes an incredibly happy bod. Add to this what your body needs as far as dietary supplements and you’re off to your best health, ever.

Sleep glorious Sleep takes either our #1 or #2 spot! Most of us are balancing multiple roles in our busy lifestyles, so it’s not always easy to make time for ourselves, more over get enough sleep.  Nevertheless, it is paramount that we do.  That means making time for a quickie (nap) when we need it and include activities we love.  Getting enough sleep each night is without a question, our best medicine!

Our third habit - physical activity.  No, I don’t always work out at the gym, but I do walk, swim, SNOWSHOE, or create an adventure — whatever it is , I make a conscious effort to engage in as many (outdoor) activities I possibly can.  I actually bring a bathing suit on business trips in case the hotel has a pool. A great place to stretch, do a little barre with the water up to your neck while holding on to the side then, fingers crossed for a well maintained hot tub! That’s something to celebrate. The key here is to plan ahead for your business/personal/ trips and do something you actively enjoy. Start dancing in a class or out on Friday night! Whatever you choose is going to be different for everybody.  My goal is not to achieve the perfect body, but to enjoy the activity I do and feel the joy and vitality taking place in my body. Big difference.

Habit #4:  Laughter!  For some people, it’s music or movies, but for me, it’s doing things with people who make me laugh.  I would encourage everyone to find those special activities and people who lift your spirits and free your soul and pepper them regularly throughout your life.

Last but certainly not least: meditation. Try it. Life-changing. ‘Nuf said. (Insight Timer app is free - Voted Happiest App in the world- and a good starter for beginners or for old hacks keeping it simple).

Loving the skin you’re in comes from nourishing yourself: mind, body, and soul! Now in my 50’s, I’m learning one of life’s biggest lessons to let go of other’s opinions and accept myself as I am, right here and now. Don’t waste your time to be otherwise, no one cares. They really don’t.

Be True. Be you.

Mindful Eating

Mindful Eating

Have you watched the movie FED UP created by Stephanie Soechtig and executive producers Katie Couric and Laurie David? Well, I did last week and boy did it blow me away and change how I was eating!

I, along with my brother (who asked to me to watch the movie again with him) are on this high nutrition, low sugar awareness lifestyle reboot. Texting and sharing our recipe finds and new found energy levels.  It's pretty cool.  Our sister, mother of three and business owner has followed wholesome food preparation for mostly all her family's meals for over two decades and I think for the first time my brother and I really understand why!  Our health is in our grasp.

Did you know that (1) one can of COKE has approximately 39g of sugar? According to the FDA: women should not exceed 6 tsp (25 grams), Men 9 tsp (38 grams) and children 3-6 tsp (12-25 grams) per day.  (print this paragraph out and put into your kitchen)

When I got home, I went through my pantry, reading every label I could find and before I knew it, I had two garbage bags filled with foods with 5 + grams of sugar.  Did I feel guilty? Yes, but not for long. Out it went!  I am still blown away by what's been right under my nose all these years in all it's 61 different names on labels, and I thought I was a healthy eater?  

I had cancer and should have remained mindful. It can be laborious for sure.  Not always are we in the mood to cook, read labels, choose unsweetened products and foods higher in fiber. It's so easy to slip back eating on the run, grabbing what's quickest.

But the cool part of this is, I can make changes now and make better choices rolling forward, like my lie depended upon it (which it does)!  Shopping for my food the day/week ahead and making enough for two meals. (what I make for dinner will feed me lunch the next day and vice a versa.) Gone are brain fog, after lunch exhaustion, most cravings, and am excited to experience more (I'm 4 days in) while I continue with this adjustment.  Katie's cooking show, Full Plate with her husband John is fun and easy to follow for some ideas.

Delicious plain Greek yogurt and fresh blueberries!

I'd love to hear your thoughts.  Sign up for a newsletter where you'll find recipes for the most popular meals I post on Instagram and FB.

To more mindful living!

*If you'd like to learn more about hidden sugars in foods, please click here.

Ask Emme: Dress Code

Q: I was at lunch with a colleague recently when she said she had been asked by my supervisor to speak to me about the length of my skirts. Apart from the fact that I would have preferred that my boss talked to me directly, my skirts are actually no shorter than anyone else’s. I think I’m being targeted because I’m full-figured, and I’m very annoyed. How do I handle this situation?

A: Skirt lengths at the workplace should be no higher than two-and-a-half inches above the knee, no matter how divine your legs happen to be.  (I can hear a collective groan)  Call me old fashioned, but this is where I come from.  If you and your colleagues are nowhere near the ballpark, then you should all make adjustments, not just you. (but don’t count on it). Then calmly go to your boss and tell him/her that you’re disappointed that he/she didn’t approach you personally. I know that you’re feeling singled out, but now is a good time for you to step up and turn the negative into a positive. Raise the standards of your company’s dress code by lowering your hemlines and direct more attention toward your smarts and hard work.

Ask Emme: Desperate for Marriage

Q: One of my best friends desperately wants to get married. She’s getting set up on blind dates, signing up on online dating sites, calling up old boyfriends and she even cut off all her hair thinking she needed a new look. Unfortunately, her efforts aren’t paying off and she’s really depressed and difficult to be around. I’ve tried to give her advice and have told her that finding a partner would be a nice plus, but her expectations of marriage after a few dates is unrealistic. Now she’s upset with me, what’s a friend to do?

A: This is a classic case of the more you try to make something happen, it won’t. You can never force love, marriage, or friendship. It has to evolve in its own time. She’s upset because she knows you’re right. I applaud you for being so diplomatic because what she’s doing is a major turnoff for any guy who comes near her. Telling her to get a life is a bit harsh, but it’s the truth. I suggest helping her understand why she is placing such urgency on being married. There seems to be something deeper going on there and I bet it’s a fear of not finding someone seeped with low self-esteem.

Only when she’s able to deeply connect and respect her truest self and true beauty that the chance of a good man will come along. Healthier to let go to faith that all is exactly the way is should be while she allows time to get her “house” in order. From there all good things flow!

Ask Emme: A Cookie is Just a Cookie

Q: I have a friend who tells me what I can’t have very time we go out to eat. The last time, I wanted a cookie and she said, “What? Have you kissed size 12 good-bye to say hello to size 18 forever?” She had asked me to stop complaining about my weight, and I did… but now she does nothing but! How do I get her off my back?

A: Stop the insanity and tell her to get with it; that diets stink and eating well, is in. When you deny yourself food that you don’t eat regularly, like cookies, you crave it, and eventually overdo it the next time you bump into that goodie.

Take a page from my book.  I was quoted by Alex Witchel, which made the quote of the day in The New York Times as saying, ”A cookie is just a cookie, get over it! ”