Tag Archives: weight-loss

Healthy Holidays

Posted on by

Healthy Holidays

‘Tis the season of temptation!  Parties, open houses, dinners and all manner of festivities fill our calendars at this time of year. We are bombarded by baked treats, spreads of bite sized savories & nibbles, and epic buffet feasts.  It can feel impossibly challenging to stick with your healthy, clean eating routine when faced with so much edible cheer.

It may be too much to expect to lose weight through December and into the New Year, but the holidays should not be reason to slide out of our new good habits and pack on extra pounds. A good motto to adopt for the season:   Maintain Don’t Gain!

healthy appies

But how you say?  Here are 9 tips to keep healthy yet still partake in all the merriment:

1.  Be prepared

If you’re hungry when faced with a temptation, it’s much MUCH more difficult to say no. Keep healthy snacks on hand when you’re at work and out & about so that you avoid getting into a low blood sugar situation. No-one makes great eating decisions when they’re starving.

2.  Moderation

Denial is too much like dieting, so I don’t believe that anyone should have to entirely stop eating what they really enjoy. When you’re presented with a platter of something you absolutely love then have a little. Enjoy the flavours and really savour the experience of having a portion. A bite CAN be enough if you decide it is.

3.  Bring the health

If you’re going to a potluck then make something really healthy and scrumptious, so that at least you know that there will be one thing on the buffet table that you can fill up on.

4.  Snack before you go

Arriving at a party really hungry is a recipe for disaster!  Have a portion of Isalean shake or a healthy snack before you go. That way you’re not relying on the buffet to fill you up and you can selectively snack.  As a bonus, the enzymes in the shake will help your digestive system with any of the treats you may partake in.

5.  Choose wisely

Certain foods you’ll encounter on a party spread are obviously less than stellar choices.  Anything wrapped in phyllo or bacon for starters.  Add to that… cheese, most crackers, sausage, mini quiches, chips, most dips and sauces. Instead, go for the veggie platter, hummus, guacamole, salsa, shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, kebobs sans sauce, olives, fruit.  If you must indulge in a little cheese, pair it with a piece of apple or cucumber instead of the high fat crackers. At a dinner buffet, fill the majority of your plate with salads, veggies and turkey breast. Easy on the stuffing and gravy!

6.  Know when to stop

It’s easy to nibble mindlessly when you’re socializing. But most of the time you will find you’re eating simply because it’s there and not because you’re still hungry or really enjoying it. Step away from the buffet!  One simple trick I use is to pop a piece of gum in my mouth – just make sure it’s a non-toxic brand such as Spry.

7.  Avoid drinking excess calories

Drink plenty of plain or sparkling water at parties. When you’re inclined to imbibe, have one of these better options… red wine, clear spirits with soda water or tonic, Caesar or Bloody Mary.  Avoid cocktails with pop, diet pop, juice and cream. Egg nog is trouble, nothing more can be said about that!

8. Maintain your routine

As much as possible, stick to your healthy daily habits.  Eat clean at home and continue with your daily exercise. Don’t allow unhealthy treats in the house – if you don’t have them, you can’t eat them! Bake your own clean cookies and bars to have on hand.  Do your best the majority of the time, and then when the time comes to celebrate you can indulge a little and thoroughly enjoy yourself.

9.  Keep your eye on the prize

Do you want to feel and look your best, and be vibrantly healthy every single day?  Certain foods simply do not contribute to this vision. Keep this in mind when making choices – most of the time the fleeting moment of gratification when tasting something is simply not worth the way it’s going to make your body feel later. Once you’ve been clean eating for a time, you will find your system will throw a tantrum if you introduce too much fat or sugar.

Wishing you an abundantly happy and healthy holiday!

In good health,
~kristi

 

 

© Kristi Bellis and Bluleaf Living, 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kristi Bellis and Bluleaf Living with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

 

Healthy Mind-Set

Posted on by

Healthy Mind-Set

I have this quote from Kathy Coover (co-founder of Isagenix) on the pin board above my desk:

Productsdontfail

In the years I’ve been coaching people on the Isagenix products, I’ve definitely seen this to be true.  I know the products work. I hear feedback daily from people who are having overwhelming success.  I have my own good health as proof.  There is no deficiency when it comes to Isagenix products.  So why do some people succeed in reaching their health goals, while others fail?

This past year I’ve had the experience of coaching my husband, who has successfully lost over 100 pounds.  Living with the person I’m coaching gave me a whole new insight into the process.  What I witnessed with Mike is that getting the product into your body every day is the easy part.  It didn’t matter that he didn’t follow the 30 day protocol religiously.  What I discovered was that a positive mind-set is as big a part of transforming your health as improving your nutrition.

Here are a few of the qualities that I witnessed in Mike that I believe are key to his amazing success, beyond just consuming Isagenix products every day:

1.    Commitment – he is thoroughly committed to improving and maintaining good health.  He doesn’t waver. He doesn’t make excuses.  He’s playing at 100% ALL IN! He doesn’t just talk about it, he DOES it.  His motto: “suit up and show up”

2.    Vision – he has a vision for what he wants to achieve and he hasn’t lost sight of it.  When he is faced with temptation he is able to recognize what will and what will not lead him forward towards his goals.  His focus is on gaining health (positive), not losing weight (negative).  We don’t own a scale and weigh ins only took place periodically.

3.    Willingness to Change – he has an open mind and is receptive to coaching. He has accepted new ideas about healthy eating. He takes a more active role in food preparation and has learned how to snack healthy and try new recipes.  He is prepared with healthy options every time he leaves the house.  He is eating more consciously – recognizing when he’s full, eating when he’s truly hungry and not out of habit.

4.    Balance – he still eats the food he loves, just less of it. He doesn’t view this is a diet so nothing is off limits but this is where #2 comes into play.  He recognizes that the key is moderation, not deprivation.  He has created space in his life to make daily exercise a priority.

5.    Transparency – he has been totally open and honest about his circumstances.  He has shared his intentions and goals with friends and family.  Putting it all out there provides an aspect of accountability that helps stay on target.

6.    Gratitude – he expresses his gratitude out loud every single day.  He is thankful for the ability to move easily, to be free of discomfort.  He is thankful for restful sleep and abundant energy.  He is thankful for Isagenix, for plentiful healthy food and good meals shared.  He is grateful to be happy.

If you’re taking Isagenix and not getting the results you want, I urge you to consider taking a closer look at your mind-set and see where you can make some adjustments to move you towards success.

In good health,
~kristi

 

 

 

© Kristi Bellis and Bluleaf Living, 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kristi Bellis and Bluleaf Living with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Journey to Health

Posted on by

Journey to Health

I’ve coached many, many people over the years I’ve been working with Isagenix products.  The stories and transformations always amaze me, and are really what motivate me to continue sharing.  Playing a small role in changing someone’s life is supremely rewarding.

I feel grateful for every opportunity I get to work with a new cleanser, but I must say that the most rewarding coaching relationship to date has been working with my husband Mike.  I waited years for him to come around to the idea of trying a 30 Day program.  I just knew that he would benefit, and aspects of his health that troubled him daily would improve by taking the products.  I urged him to try it but he just wasn’t open.  I watched him suffer, knowing that I had something that could help.

Many of my colleagues share the same experience – that those closest to them, the ones they want to help the most, are the most resistant to trying the products.  I’m so pleased that Mike finally decided it was his time to change, and that he trusted me to coach him through the process.

Here’s a video of his journey to health that we used to support his IsaBody Challenge submission:

Video not available

My patience in waiting for Mike to say YES was a good lesson for me, as a coach.  It simply has to be the right time for someone, in order to get a successful outcome.  When a person starts taking the product because they were forced or coerced to by a well-meaning friend or loved one… they often fail.  I will address that issue in a separate post – Healthy Mind-Set.

It is Mike’s hope that by sharing his journey of transformation, he can uplift and inspire others who are suffering, and who are ready for change.

weight-loss transformation

Mike at his goal weight of 220 lbs

In good health,
~kristi

 

 

 

© Kristi Bellis and Bluleaf Living, 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kristi Bellis and Bluleaf Living with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.