Brand new kicks

The new Salomon speedcross 3 are all mine !

Staying merry and bright through the holidays

Sigh.... The Holidays.

If you are trying to lose weight this time of year it can be challenging. The socializing centered around food and drink, the baskets of goodies dropped off at your office - not to mention how stressful it can be to decorate, find parking, shop amongst the madness  find the perfect oufit for the christmas party and please all of your friends and coworkers by attending their parties all while feeling quite frazzled and garnering enough energy to take a second to think about our food choices.
 During this potentially stressful time i wanted to share with you two articles by amazing women and pioneers in their approach to treating disordered eating and compulsive eating patterns. Take a moment for yourself and a deep breath :) and check these out :

"The Logic of Binging" By Michelle Morrand

Michelle is the founder of Cedric Centre located in two locations in British Columbia.
Check out their website for more info : Cedric Centre

Jean L. Kristeller PhD wrote an article for Spirtuality Health magazine called "Making Every Bite a Spiritual Practice" which describes her work with binge eaters. Using meditaion to create a connection to their thoughts and feelings, Kristellar teaches participants to both gage their hunger and connect with what is stimulating that hunger (feelings of depression, sadness, anxiety, boredom) The method she has developed is called MB-EAT or Mindfullness Based -Eating Awareness Training
Unfortunately the article is not online but...... you can purchase it here. Or pick up a copy of 'the SOUL BODY connection' at great book or magazine shops :)

I hope you enjoy these articles and you find more than a moment of peace to appreciate all this time of years brings.

In health and happiness,
Erin xo

If you have any thoughts or questions you'd like to share with me please feel free to comment below.

True Comfort

It’s raining where I am and so I retreat in doors for a wet winter evening. It is often in the evening, the end of the day – we are tired, our energy drained, we seek comfort to soothe ourselves and for so many of us that comes in the form of food – hence the term “comfort foods”

There are many things that we can do other than eat to give us energy and make us feel good. Food like other forms of stimulants takes our attention away from what is really going on.  So what to do when we find ourselves running to the cupboards?? Being a firm believer in whole foods and nutrient rich foods changing lives and especially if you are trying to lose weight- may I suggest not having any junk in your house.  NONE.  AT ALL. If you have a partner or your kids have tempting snacks trying putting them in their own cupboard that is out of the way or in a top shelf pantry. Tough stuff !!  Even harder is asking yourself the questions about why you are late night snacking?  General rule of thumb we have heard over and over again is to not eat 3-4 hours prior to bedtime, so why do so many of us reach for that tasty treat at that time of night ? Are your days jammed packed and you are not taking time to eat at regular intervals  throughout the day and literally starved yourself setting up a dangerous appetite and snails pace metabolism ? Or are you satiated but find that lull in the evening makes you want to “tune out” or turn off?  Do you reach for snacks to fill a void?

Each of your situations is unique and all of you face challenges that will require a unique approach to overcome. The right counsellor or life coach can help you identify the underlying reasons some of us self sabotage or have yet to put yourselves first on our priority lists. Taking the first step is identifying your fitness goals and asking for help. Most fitness professionals are in this business because they are passionate about health and fitness and they want you to achieve the same amazing benefits that having a healthy fit body can bring – and believe me as a passionate fitness professional that nothing is more rewarding than watching a client run their first mile or believe in themselves for the first time.

*Stay tuned for Fitness class schedule starting in February 2012*

In health and happiness, Erin