FOOD.
We are a diet culture and have created a society of being afraid of food.
What to eat, how much to eat, when to eat…..AHHHHH or even don’t eat.
It can make your head spin around like poltergeist.
It’s confusing, overwhelming and it can leave you feeling defeated before you even started eating.
Anyone feeling me on that?
I have been there too! Before I started taking care of myself at the age of 40, I used to drink wine every night – usually 1-2 glasses. I used to be mindless about my addiction to sour patch kids and chocolate chip cookies. I used to eat off of my kids plates. I would eat mindlessly all of the O’s…Cheetohs, Oreos, Cheerios, Tacos…ok I still eat tacos (just a much healthier version) and so will you if you love them like me!
Thinking of what I was going to eat for lunch today and specifically all through the week was the furthest thing from my mind. I was a mom to 2 young children and was just trying to keep up with life. I would think about lunch when the time came and then would eat without purpose — whatever was available….think PB&J’s. Still ok, depending on the situation actually. When you work with me, you will know WHEN PB&J’s can actually be a doable meal resource, just not errrrryday. Mmmmmmmk?
I have eaten many different eating styles/diets; clean eating, low carb, keto, mediterranean, tracking macros, portion control, carnivore.
We are always LOOKING FOR THE ANSWER.
Am I right or am I right?
The answer is……..
A few difference answers in my personal opinion and experience for what actually helps people GTE resultsand KEEP results:
ANSWER #1:
Whatever kind of eating style/diet that is going to give you the jumpstart towards change, then do that!
If you are excited about keto, then do it.
If you are excited about clean eating and portion control, then go for it.
If you want to do a program that delivers to you food, then do it.
HERE IS THE KEY: Just know that whatever you choose it needs to be sustainable over time, time and time again. Its needs to be a daily habit.
So this way you can be consistent and consistency will allow you to create change, whether it is building muscle, losing fat, eating less sugar, eating from and in the correct rations all of the macros foods groups of proteins, carb, fats, etc.
This may now change your perspective on what you choose to do to lose the weight and lose the weight for good.
This is why when it comes down to it, I prefer to teach people sustainable life long skills for losing the weight, keeping it off, gaining great energy, changing your body shape and having it all be fun and enjoyable while still actually eating your favorite foods in moderation, month after month, year after year, no matter where you go or what event or holiday you are celebrating and yes, still being able to eat pizza, drink wine and eat chocolate.
“WELL, what kind of “diet” is this Shelley?” you ask.
This is what I call, flexible nutrition / intuitive eating, tracking macros, and clean eating.
Yes this will be your standard way of life and eating if you are working with me.
I will teach you all about macros, how to track them and you will see and experience first hand the WOW factor and awareness you get when you know what you are putting into your body.
It’s what I’ve personally done for 8 years to keep looking younger year after year, while I keep getting fitter and healthier year after year, and keep the weight off, even being at the age of 48 heading into menopause when weight loss and energy become harder to navigate due to hormone issue. Yikes, must I say that right now really? LOL
What is also so cool about eating via tracking macros, you will burn more fat and boost metabolism because your body is sensing “OK…WE ARE EATING…ALL FIRES AT FULL BLAST!”
Meaning, your metabolism will boost because its burning more calories because you are eating more calories – you are eating what your body needs, versus if you are only eating 1000 or so calories, your body literally thinks it is starving and holds on to everything and eats away at your own muscle for energy if you don’t have enough fat to use for energy.
And if you DO have more than enough fat to use as energy, it keeps storing it thinking it will need it for later. It’s a constant downwards spiral. But honestly it’s not complicated when I show you, teach and guide you how to do this. This is a skill for life!
SO YOU MUST….I repeat MUST, eat what you body needs. If you are looking to lose fat/lose weight, then you need to be in a SLIGHT deficit – not too much or your body will go into “hold onto everything we get because who know when we will get more” mode, and we don’t want that. I PROMISE there is a perfect happy medium you need to be at and I will show you the way.
Is this making sense?
We go deeper into this in The Fit Empowered Woman Project 8 Week Bootcamp Challenge.
After the dreaded Covid Pandemic of our lives and being at home and no sports or running around with friends, my 11 year old sone put on some weight and started to eat from anxiety a bit too much sugar and carbs.
I watched him suffer through body image and crying over the weight # on the scale. It literally broke my heart. Here I am teaching thousands of women how to be healthy, fit and happy in their lives and my own son is going through the same thoughts and emotions as the women that when they first come to me are feeling.
I felt it.
It hit home.
We cried together.
I gave him all the encouraging self love chat that I always talk about but it wasn’t enough. I saw his habits and they weren’t healthy.
You know what speaks without having to have me speak?
TRACKING.
When we track what we do or eat, they answers are on the paper or the tracker. We SEE IT first hand with our own eye balls. No one needs to tell us what we need to change. It’s right there in front of us.
I decided to do an “experiment” with him.
I taught him about macros, assessed the macros what he should be eating, and how to track them.
We did it together!
He lost 15 pounds in about 2 months. No workouts, just pure nutritional focus.
He was wearing mens medium shirts and now wears mens small shirts.
I tell him NOT to focus on the # on the scale as he is a growing boy. He literally grows taller everyday I feel. LOL Although the scale is a tool that can be used, it should be THE only tool.
He COMPLETELY changed his habits. I see what he does and he changed on his own without me preaching or telling what not to do anymore.
Now I’ve got this kiddo focused on getting in all the macros, in correct portions and he naturally chooses and focuses on getting in protein, veggies, healthy fats and still enjoys foods and treats (in moderation) that kids love.
If I can help an 11 year old boy – I KNOW I can help you mama! I swear I tear up every time I tell this story because of how much it changed HIS LIFE and mine too as his mama being around him every day.
WE ARE people who want to FEEL GOOD in our body.
We want to LOOK GOOD for ourselves and possibly for others too. That is OK to want that.
We want to do the right things, make the right choices, and know we are making progress.
THAT is what flexible nutrition + clean eating + tracking macros will do for you….FOR LIFE!
And I and SO FREAKING EXCITED to show you how! It truly makes all the difference.
If that excites you, hang tight and I’ll share with you how we can work together before we end today’s lesson. 🙂
ANSWER #2:
WHEN IN DOUBT I use the perfect plate method.
HONEST TRUTH as always. I do not whip out my macros tracker for every meal all of the time. When I am traveling, or a holiday or event or eating out with friends, I am not whipping out my tracker and tracking my food. I am using the “Perfect Plate” method.
When I learned of this just a few years ago – my mind was blown.
Like, how could something be so easy, be so fun, so simple and WORK for everyone! This is the FIRST STEP answer to your nutritional “should I eat this, or that, or how or what or how much” questions.
You cannot mess this one up!
No matter where you are; in your day to day life, you can eat like this and be confident that you will eat nourishing healthy energizing foods that will help keep your metabolism running strong, keeping you energized and burning fat.
In The Fit Empowered Woman Project program I give you a cheat sheet of foods to stick to and this diagram visual of how your plate should look.
Using the perfect plate method is a sure fire way to always know that you are eating with the right intention and ratios of food.
Now if you want to step that up and start narrowing down exactly how MUCH of each macro type you should eat for even greater results and an amazing eye opening awareness, then you will want to upgrade your nutrition focus towards tracking your macros with a tracker, as I mentioned above.
Pairing those two together completely changed the game for me and got me amazing results in my wellness journey really making my fitness efforts count AND allowing me to workout less, and a BONUS of gaining lean muscle and actually seeing my abs in my late 40’s! WHO KNEW it could be possible. I still moved my body everyday; either followed my workout plan, and/or got in my 10k steps.
So what are the next steps from here after the JUMPSTART to Healthy Habit 7 day Challenge?
You get to graduate into The Fit Empowered Woman Project 8 Week Bootcamp Challenge
This is an ALL IN customizable simple and effective fitness, flexible nutrition, mindset & healthy habits, accountability, coaching program with Shelley.
This is for you if;
- You are looking for a lifestyle change and not a quick fix
- You have weight loss or fat loss goals
- You need a RESET on your lifestyle habits
- You need accountability, check-ins and a Coach who cares about you empowering your life and having success in your wellness journey
- You want to have more energy in your life
- You want to sleep better
- You want to get results out of a workout program – I’m talking a sculpted body and booty, and smaller waist and no more flabby arms
- You want to make over 40 be the best years of your life in how you feel, function and look.
- You want to workout, but don’t have a lot of time and need it to be effective and follow a program that you know will gets result when you put in the time
- You have limited time to workout and can commit to 3-5 day per week 30 minutes a day
- You want to eat your favorite foods, but you also want to lose weight/lose fat or maintain where you are, and/or tone up
- You want a guide for what to eat, when to eat, and recipes to keep it simple.
- You want to balance your hormones
- You are a woman over 40 experiencing the onset of or your are in menopause
- You need consistency, accountability, motivation
- Being among other women on the same path will help motivate and support you
–>> EXCLUSIVE OFFER to join the FOUNDING MEMBERS CIRCLE for THE FIT EMPOWERED WOMAN PROJECT starting 10/25.
If accepted into the program, you will receive LIFETIME membership.
This offer will never be offered again since this is a first time release of this specific program and YOU being IN the program and are going to help refine the program details by allowing me to help you and make it even better for generations to come.
APPLY TODAY for a 15 minute strategy session and lets see if this program is a great fit for your wellness goals and if you area great fit for program.
We are looking for 20 women who are ready to make a change. Who are ready to show up. Who are ready to blast through the rest of 2021 and INTO 2022 even better, healthier, fitter, more excited for life and more empowered than ever!
Is this you??
APPLY HERE TODAY and plan on jumping on a 15 minute strategy call within the next few days with Shelley.
Now that you have completed the JUMPSTART to Healthy Habits 7 Day Challenge, I would love if you could take 5 minutes to fill out this survey so that we can continuously improve the challenge.
Thank you in advance!
Here is the SURVEY.
In love, light, and empowerment for living your true highest self and your best life!
Shelley xoxo
