health coaching

Becoming My Own Client

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While pregnant with Edith I developed a sweet tooth and an addiction to bagels with tofutti. Now 4 months postpartum and although I have kicked the two…err sometimes four bagels a week and I am only having coconut ice cream every 4-6 weeks rather than once per week. That being said I’m still far off from where I used to be and after thinking things through I came to an important conclusion.

I need to become my own client.

For the last four months I have been completely focused on E and a little less focused on myself (diet and exercise included). Now that we have a little bit more of a routine (although still ever changing) I am ready to create goals to help improve my diet, fitness and energy levels. A few things I need to consider are making sure I am eating enough calories for nursing and increasing the foods that help my milk production (that’s a whole other blog post).

Okay so first things first I decided to fill out my very own health history just like I would ask prospective clients to do. So lets take a look at the first part.

As you can see my weight is quite a bit higher than I would like and that I put on a good amount of weight while I was pregnant and although I have lost a bit I am far from my pre-pregnancy weight. Goal #1: Lose Weight. I’d like to be back to my pre-pregnancy weight by October 2013.

Another notable thing to point out is that my energy levels are lower than desired.  I know you’re probably saying umm yeah you have four month old of course you are lacking energy and while that is true I know that I could improve upon this. Goal #2: Increase my Energy.

As I noted above I am a bread and sweets addict.  The funny thing is although I have always been a lover of all things bread related I was never a huge sweets fan until my pregnancy.  I too often gave into this craving during pregnancy and it has stuck with me. Goal #3: Break my sugar craving.

May 2011

Okay so lets evaluate the section above, as you can see starting at the top I need to get more sleep.  E who was a good sleeper is suddenly sleeping from about 7pm-10pm, 11pm-1 or 2am, 2:30a-4a and then she wants to be up. Honestly I don’t know where I am going to get more sleep because I usually have dinner around 7/7:30pm and then I don’t want to go to bed immediately after so I usually stay up until 9:15-10pm.  Napping during the day is difficult to do as well so really until we can get E back on a better schedule this is going to be a challenging goal but alas it’s still my Goal #4.

Next lets talk about the gluten sensitivity….yes I am addicted to bread and have a minor gluten sensitivity. I say minor because a small amount doesn’t bother me but there is a fine line between feeling fine and feeling bloated. So Goal #5 eat less gluten.

Goal #6 is to increase the intensity of my workouts. I have actually already started working on this my participating in the Best Body Boot Camp. I have been making an effort to increase the intensity, duration and get back to running. I’ll discuss this goal more as well as my others in follow up posts.

39 Weeks 3 Days (the day I went into labor)

Okay so here we are the last section and my final goal to improve my diet. During my pregnancy I ate really well with the exception of the first trimester when all I wanted were bagels and citrus.  Then the baby arrived and if you’re a new mom you know how challenging it can be to make a good meal when you are home alone with a baby.  I also hate that we end up eating dinner about 2 hours later than we used to because of Neil’s busy work schedule and E’s desire to go to bed at 6:30.  That being said Goal #7 eat more fresh fruits, vegetables and raw meals and make an effort to eat dinner earlier.

3.5 Months Postpartum

Even though I’m a health coach and I know all the things I am “doing wrong” sometimes you just have to sit down and really practice what you preach. I plan to follow this post up with a more in-depth look at my goals and the action steps I need to take to accomplish these goals.

What are your health goals? How do you plan to accomplish them?

Ready to say “Good-Bye to October!”

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…and “Hello November!” I have am anxiously waiting and preparing for November first to come.  For me the start of a new month means a start of new possibilities and November is going to be a crazy one filled with new adventures in my personal, blog and business life.  I wish I could reveal everything right now but I am going to resist the urge and leave a little mystery until everything is more secure but trust me it’s exciting.  Don’t worry though I’m not going to leave everything a mystery here is what is going on with each part:

Personal

Neil and I are finally taking a mini vacation to Philadelphia over Thanksgiving! We have been in need of a vacation for months now and unfortunately it seems nothing has worked out.  We were supposed to go to Vida Vegan Con in August but then something (I can’t discuss here) prevented us from doing that.  Then we planned to go to Philadelphia for a long weekend in August with our friends and then Irene decided she wanted to rain on our parade. Next my trip to NYC for an IIN conference was cut short because Neil went and fell of his bike and bumped his head.  Also a result of Neil’s injury (which he has now recovered from- wahoo!) caused us to rethink our Disney World Half Marathon due to the fact he lost over a month of running time.  So now we are taking the time to get away and enjoy a new city and each others company.

We also are doing a mini trip to NYC in December to meet up with our friends who we haven’t seen in years. This is my favorite kind of trip because we are flying down (thank you JetBlue for cheap flights) and we are renting an apartment via airbnb.com.  It makes the trip so much less stressful when you don’t have to drive and stay in a hotel (which is 3x as much in NYC). I tweeted earlier today about doing a meet up in sometime between Dec 8-11, if you want to join our little meet up e-mail me lindsay@cookveganlover.com

Looking forward to these tasty treats

 

Running: I have been keeping up with running and even signed up for a half marathon in February! Neil is also going to be running this half.  It isn’t Disney but the good news is that we will be able to run our second half at Disney because we were (luckily) able to defer our registrations to another race.  We chose to do the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon next September/October (the date hasn’t been released yet) which I think will be more fun because it will be warmer and at night.

Also if you are in NYC and want to come out and run with us or cheer us on we are running the NYRR Jingle Bell Jog while we are on vacation in NYC on December 10th.  We are so excited for this race!

Blog

I am planning a face lift for the blog. I am not loving the color and the layout and it just needs to be rejuvenated.   I am also looking to add some new features which will be revealed as they finish up.  In addition to visual improvements I am working to improve my photos, recipes and blog posts.  Instead of just posting to post I have been scheduling time in my day/week to actually sit down and blog.  I hope that this improves my blog and my writing.  I love my blog but I know I need to make improvements to it.

Health Coaching

Nicole Culver and I have created a 5 Session Teleclass Series that we will be putting on all month.  This series will be covering topics like sugar cravings, eating for energy, meal planning, eating out, exercise, self care and more. After each session participants receive handouts, an email with major points from session, recipes and bonus materials including a food shopping guide.  This series starts soon so if you are interested in participating you can sign up until 5pm EST on November 1st. 

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I am also offering a free teleclass on December 5, 2011 from 7:30pm-8pm EST that will discuss the top ways sugar is negatively affecting your health and happiness, tips to eat foods you enjoy and not deprive yourself, and ways your lifestyle affects your cravings. In addition you will also receive tips and suggestions on how to use natural sweeteners in your upcoming holiday baking.

Lastly, in January I will be rolling out a special CVL plant based health coaching program that you will find right here on the blog.  I am in the process of developing the entire program and more details will be coming out over the next month.  That being said I would love to hear what you would like to see in a program.

Other Events:
  • Hunger Mountain Coop’s 18th Annual Food and Wellness Expo
    • November 5, 2011
    • Location: Montpelier City Hall Time: 11:00 AM
    • Enjoy free samples of local and organic foods, free consultations with wellness practitioners and free massages! Bring a food item for the VT Foodbank and receive a $5 OFF coupon to The Coop!

 

 

Run, Coach, Rewind

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Today has been a busy day between blogging and freelance work this morning and then I headed my day job where I started my day with a mug of this delicious tea.

Shortly after getting to work I was ready for a snack so I broke out my homemade trail mix. In the mix there is raw cashews, almonds, pistachios, tamari-wasasbi almonds, fruit sweetened cranberries, raw pumpkin seeds and mulberries- such a good combination.

Lunch was leftovers from dinner chickpea chili in a wrap, a quick and easy way to transition dinner to an easy lunch. I love wrapping leftovers in a tortilla.

My work day ended and I head straight to the gym to get out 2.5 Miles for Ashley right on track for my half marathon training plan. After my run I stretched and foam rolled, holy hell I haven’t foam rolled in awhile and the foam roller was having a love-hate relationship with my IT band. Reminder to self: FOAM ROLL MORE!

Following my gym sesh I had a health coaching sesh which went really well. I have great clients and I love working with them.

Now it’s time to relax a.k.a. work on the couch for a bit while I ice my knees and enjoy a glass of vino.

REWIND

Anniversary Dinner:
Tuesday was Neil and I’s 5 Anniversary since we got together. We have been married for 3 years and we don’t usually celebrate our dating anniversary but since it was 5 years it was a big deal and the Hubz decided to surprise me with dinner at a new restaurant, The Bobcat Cafe.

Neil called, checked on vegan options and made a reservation (big deal he never does this) and I swooned. Then we enjoyed an amazing dinner:

Started the Night with a Beer- Bobcat Cafe is also a brewery!

Then we started with the Black Bean Gazpacho and...

a Green Salad with an amazing Roasted Corn and Basil Dressing

The star of the show was the 5-Spiced Tofu A-M-A-Z-I-N-G


Overall Bobcat Cafe was amazing. The food was incredible, the service was great and the beer was good. The atmosphere was a mixture of classy restaurant and a pub- which made for a wonderful place to eat.

Q. If you’re married to you celebrate your dating anniversary?

Does This Shirt Make Me Look Fast?

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This morning the Hubz and I had intended on getting up early to run before heading to Montpelier to watch Allie and Caitlin’s race but after a late night out at a concert we decided that a little extra sleep was a better idea.  Once we finally rolled out of bed we headed on our way but first we made a pit stop at a new coffee shop Maglianero Cafe for a coffee. This new coffee shop is really a beautiful place and it is bike friendly.  I got a hot drip coffee and the Hubz an iced coffee- both were amazingly delicious.

After our coffee we made our way to Montpelier just in time to see Allie and Caitlin at the first start of the race.  While we waited for them to make the loop back to the finish we headed to our favorite Capitol City Farmers Market to pick up some veggies and our favorite bookstore Bear Pond Books.  Around 9:30 am we headed to the race finish line and watched as runners began to arrive and waited to cheer on Allie and Caitlin.

At the start of their run (girls in pink)

Around 43 minutes I turned to Neil and said they’ll be here in 10 minutes, that’s my guess.  Well guess what- I WAS RIGHT ON! Allie and Caitlin turned the corner at 52 minutes and some seconds and they leaped across the finish line at 53 minutes.  They were really amazing and I am so proud.

Check out the shirts the girls made for the race:

and the back of Allie’s:

After the race we headed to The Skinny Pancake for crepes and to catch up.  Neil and I both got the Vegan Monster with mushrooms and salsa and topped with our favorite hot sauce.

Following brunch we headed to the Hunger Mountain Co-op to take a look but we didn’t pick up much just a yummy chocolate bar and coconut rolled dates for the Hubz.  When we were leaving I decided to take a peak at the sign up sheet for my Sugar Blues workshop next week and guess what? It was FULL- even the wait list is full!!! Squeal! Eeek! OMG! The pressure is on!

When we finally made it back to Burlington the Hubz and I took a look at the clock and decided we better head to the gym before it closed.  Today we decided to get a 250 meter swim in as well as our run.  I haven’t been feeling great, a little congested, so todays workout wasn’t the best on top of the fact that my legs were killing me from yesterdays squats and lunges. After our run we stopped in at Healthy Living for a smoothie and coconut water as well as some organic strawberries and organic apples. The Hubz and I shared a banana-peanut butter-flax-coconut smoothie and it was delicious.

Now it’s time for dinner, The Voice, foam rolling and relaxing with a movie. What are you up to this weekend?

Having a Wanderful Month

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Wow this has been a crazy month! I’ve been bogged down with a huge work event that has been dominating my life but now it is finally over (WAHOO!) and I can get back to normal.  That being said on top of my day job I also have my health coaching job which has really been doing amazing.  I have a few new clients and I have a bunch of workshops going on this summer; the first one is next week! In addition to working one-on-one with clients and doing workshops I am also working on setting up a few podcasts and other healthy living materials. I also am back at IIN doing the immersion program, which so far is wonderful.  I know things are sounding crazy already but they get crazier.

I recently was contacted by a friend who writes for Ecorazzi asking if I would be interested in attending and covering Wanderlust Vermont.  UMMMMM hello of course I would be! I have actually been talking about Wanderlust to my husband for months now and had been debating going so when I was approached to cover the event I jumped at the opportunity.  The Hubz is going to head down to Stratton with me so he can take advantage of the hiking and he will also be attending one day of Wanderlust, my anniversary gift to him.  So some of you are probably wondering what the heck is Wanderlust?

Wanderlust is a festival combining the holistic experience of a yoga getaway with the swagger of a rock show.
WHERE:
Stratton Mountain, Bondville, VT
WHEN:
June 23rd – 26th
WHO:
Talent includes regional bright lights and international stars, such as:

· Yoga instructors: John Friend, Seane Corn, Bryan Kest, Boston’s Amy Wren, New York’s Schuyler Grant, Elena Brower, Rodney Yee, Kristen Leigh & Barbara Verrochi plus dozens more
· Musical Talent: Michael Franti & Spearhead, Andrew Bird, Todd Boston, the Wailers, New York’s Krishna Das, Northampton’s Sonya Kitchell, and Brooklyn’s Sub Swara
· Theatrical Performers: Berkshire’s 1st  burlesque show Gypsy Lane, Vermont’s own Bread & Puppet (one of the oldest nonprofit theatrical companies in theUS), + Vermont Vaudeville
· Art Installations: Stratton resident Hugh Joudry
· Speakers: Deepak Chopra, with the support from theOmega Institute, will lead the speakeasy series

If you are attending Wanderlust Vermont let me know!

 

Among all of this chaos the Hubz and I are still going strong with our running and have some really S.M.A.R.T. goals around what we would like to do and achieve.  We are just finishing up C25K and we are going to then work on doing two 30 minute runs and one long run (starting at 2.5m and increasing by .5 until the race) per week until our 5k in July.  Following the 5k we are planning a 10k in September and will be using the Hal Higdon training plan; if we like his we will use it to train for our half as well.   In other active news the Hubz and I are gearing up  to do some backpacking on the Long Trail this summer which should be a lot of fun.  We had planned on doing an overnight trip this weekend but we might have to reschedule do to rain.  Do you hike? Are you into backpacking?

Lastly lets talk about food. I haven’t been doing much for cooking lately due to the crazy schedule I have had.  Most of our food has been pretty boring and basic like greens, beans and grains or salads, however this is all going to change soon! I have plans to start working on another e-book (probably won’t be looking for testers until August) and also working on some really great healthy recipes for the blog.

Well that is what’s going on with me- what is new and good with you?

Three Things Part 1: Hot Water Bottle

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Over the next three posts I am going to reveal three wonderful (inexpensive) things that are great for your health.  When I first heard about these three things during my program at IIN I was skeptical and couldn’t really understand how three simple things could really change your life and improve your health, but they really DO work.  It is amazing how small changes can have such a large impact on us.

The first of these three things is a hot water bottle.  Yes you know those big oddly shaped bags that you fill with hot water that you have probably seen in old movies and cartoons.  It sounded a little crazy to me too at first but the benefits are really wonderful and they are inexpensive too.

Fill it with hot water from the sink. The water bottle will stay warm for up to 2 hours.

Use it to:

  • Relax particular muscles or use for the entire body
  • Deliver nurturing comfort to enable a deep state of relaxation

Try using the hot water bottle on:

  • The feet for warmth
  • The back for strain
  • The lower abdomen for cramps
  • The abdomen for digestion and relaxation of body and mind

Additional Uses:

  • To combat illness: use as a warm, soothing companion to help you through flu, chills, and aches.
  • To ease menstrual cramps: a hot water bottle on the abdomen brings pain relief and soothing comfort.
  • As a bed warmer: a warm hot water bottle placed in your bed makes for a cozy sleep, especially on cold winter nights.
  • To ease arthritic pain: a natural, moist heat therapy for arthritic pain relief, especially great for hands.
  • To calm children: a warm cuddly companion to provide a calm secure feeling when children are ill or upset.
  • As a traveling companion: take it with you on trips to comfort you – no electricity needed.
  • To calm your pet: placed under a blanket, a warm hot water bottle soothes puppies in new surroundings — it provides warmth and security and calms them down.
  • To encourage restful sleep: to help you sleep after a high-stress day, lie down with a hot water bottle on your stomach, close your eyes and breathe deeply, so the bottle rises and falls. Many people carry a lot of tension there and the weighted heat releases it. Try it!
© 2010 Integrative Nutrition 5/10

To learn more about my health coaching visit my site http://gethealthywithlindsay.com/

 

 

Parfait For The Win!

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Today’s post is supposed to be about self-care but honestly you’ve been getting a lot of those lately so I’ve decided to switch gears and do a little life check in.  If you are looking for a self-care post I encourage you to read my two latest posts:

I also have a new recipe post

In other foodie news the Hubz and I have been on a parfait kick for the past week.  They are quick, easy and so delicious.  We have been making them for breakfast and sometimes for dessert in a variety of combinations.  Our favorite though is vanilla soygurt, Justin’s chocolate hazelnut butter, berries and Uncle Sam cereal for some crunch.  Other combinations have been vanilla coconut yogurt with dates, kiwi, mango and Uncle Sam cereal for some crunch and then a variety of different flavors of coconut yogurt with berries and Uncle Sam cereal.  We are just loving it and I can make one cup of soygurt/coconut yogurt be enough for the two of us when it’s bulked up.  However the better deal that I have turned to are the large 3serving tubs of Whole Soy vanilla soygurt so good and so easy to use for parfaits.

Health Coaching Update- The Hubz is working on my new site and I hope to have it up and running in the next 6 weeks – there are are lot of details to workout.  I also have arranged for four workshops throughout this summer at Hunger Mountain Co-op so if you are in the area you should sign up for one of them.  I will be providing more details when everything is confirmed.

I also got my brochures printed and they look beautiful but I need to get a new photo of myself for the inside and I need to find some place less expensive (than Staples) to get them printed- any suggestions?

In other news the Hubz and I have a currently secret project that we’d like to roll out this summer and it is something I know you will be excited about. I also am getting back into recipe mode and I am planing to work on a summer recipe ebook. We also will be working on community summer garden plot soon and I will be doing more post about that. So there are a lot of things to look forward to.

What are you plans for this summer?