Caesar Salad, Hold the Caesar

Today was class #3 of this round of my 30-Day Detox.  The participants have now been off of sugar completely for 2 weeks and off of wheat for one week.  Today we took out dairy.  Results of the detox are as wonderful as ever:

-Weight loss
-Drastically reduced appetite
-Cravings greatly diminished
-More energy
-Beautiful skin
-A proud sense of accomplishment and control

I love my clients.  They are beautiful people, inside AND out!

Today I served them lunch, as always.  We had Curried Tofu Scramble with Tomatoes and Spinach, Vegan Caesar Salad, and Quinoa.

This salad rocks my world and I share it today with you my readers.  Enjoy!

Vegan Caesar Salad
No chickens, anchovies, or cows were harmed in the making of this salad.  Lettuce and cashews however, were not so lucky...


½ head romaine lettuce

1 tomato, diced

6 very thin slices of red onion

2 T sliced black olives

Freshly grounnd black pepper

2 T Ranch Dressing, as follows

Ranch Dressing:

1 cup raw cashews, soaked a few hours or overnight and drained

1 date, soaked with cashews

1/2 avocado OR 1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic

¾ cup water

2 T fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp sea salt

1 T minced fresh basil or 1 tsp dried

1 T minced fresh dill or 1 tsp dried

Place all in FP and blend until creamy.  Toss 2 Tablespoons with salad.  Add more dressing as desired.

And in some inane randomness...  

This is my Polar HRM and Trainer telling us all that I have just completed a 7.57mile run:

and that I torched 981 calories on this run...

enabling me to re-fuel with this:

Boo-yah!

October!

Wow, I went from Lazy Vacation-Mode to Full-Tilt Back-in-Business in a blinding flash.  Suddenly, I seem to have programs to run, clients to see, speeches to give, recipes to test...Yikes!  But it's all good.  I'm going to re-cap the goings on below for my own sake as much as yours.

But first...  Vacation!

We did some of this:

and this:

There was this:

and I saw one of these:

We ate some of this:

(My Tofu Scram with Kale and Mom's Piroshkis)

and I adored this:

That's me with my awesome big sis.

You can visit her website and buy her book.  Pluggin' the fan-damily.

So we're back here in Israel now and it's back to work.  Here's a recap of the month we've got planned here at Triumph Wellness.  I hope to see some of you at the following events.  Wherever it says to email, you can send that to me here:  Emily@TriumphWellness.com

Firstly, if you've been paying attention at all, you will know I have been promising a new fully-featured, fabulous website.  Well....  not yet.  That's all I can say.  We shall make do like this for now.

On Thursday, October 7th I am speaking to the English-Speakers of Kfar Saba Group meeting at 7:30pm.  The topic is "Clearing the Nutrition Confusion".  You know how one day "they" tell us something is good for us and a month later the same thing is the worse thing anyone could ever eat?  I'm going try to clear that up in 30 minutes  ;-)  No sweat.  If you live in Kfar Saba and are an English-speaker, email me for the location.

On Tuesday, October 12th I am starting another 30-Day Detox Group Program.  Four 90-minute meetings on Tuesdays from 10-11:30am.  Each meeting includes 60 minutes of class time and 30 minutes of cooking and eating some seriously delicious and healthy chow.  This is a program I run several times a year and people just love it.  They come in terrified that they could live a day without sugar, wheat or dairy and I make it so easy and fun that the month just flies by.  This is a great way to get yourself back on track and feeling tip-top fast.  Cost is 500nis.  Email for more info or to register.  More details can be found here.

On Wednesday, October 13th I'm teaching a Fresh Feasts Cooking Class entitled Family-friendly Feasts.  Class is 7:30-9:30pm in my home in Kfar Saba.  My kitchen is Kosher and all the food is Parve/Vegan and your family will LOVE it.  We cook and talk and then we eat, yum!  Cost is 150nis and you MUST register in advance.  More details here.

On Friday, October 15th, I will be the guest nutrition expert at the Bracha booth during the Raanana Breast Cancer Walk.  Info on the walk can be found here.  Info on Bracha can be found here.  They asked me to do an interactive cooking demo having to do with calcium-rich healthy foods.  I'm predicting something involving sesame...  Come on down to visit, to eat something with me and of course to support a good cause.

On Saturday, October 16th I am having a nervous breakdown.  Just kidding.  Sort of.

Monday, October 25th is the first day of the 8-week Total Body Transformation Program.  Classes meet every Monday from 11:00am-12:30pm.  We will get right down to business and teach you how to get thin and stay thin for the rest of your life.  This program is only for people who are really ready to change their behavior, eat better, exercise, and build a healthy lifestyle for good.  This is NOT a diet with some random generic meal plan.  You will learn to eat, to craft your life to support you forever, and to bust through your fears and obstacles.  The cost for 8 meetings and unlimited email support in between is 1200nis and can be broken into payments.  Admission is by application only and the application deadline for this program is Oct 21st, no exceptions.    More info here.

Phew!  When all that's done, I'm going to need more of this:

so I don't end up like this:

8-Week Total Body Transformation Program

WooHoo!!!

Questions about this program have begun to trickle in, so I figured I'd cough up the details here.  It's still pretty early, but maybe this will plant a seed you can mull over in the next few weeks.

Here's the deal:  When clients come to work with me individually, we work at their own pace, which is usually gentle and slow.  Clients make changes one or two at a time as they are comfortable and we don't add new challenges until the previous ones have been accomplished.  This is a very successful approach for many people who have failed before on programs where they were required to bite off more than could chew or sustain long-term.

I continue to offer this kind of very successful program on a one-to-one basis and I welcome you to make an appointment to try it for yourself. I work in person, via phone or Skype.  Emily@TriumphWellness.com or http://www.triumphwellness.com/

But this summer everything changed for me personally.  I'll write more about in a another blog, but I can say that I have had a TRANSFORMATIONAL few months.  I've lost some stubborn weight, gotten fitter than I've ever been before, and made huge leaps in my mental and spiritual growth.

I am committed to no longer playing small in the world and I'm looking for clients who feel the same way.  Is anyone else out there?  Ladies, who wants to play big with me?!  Who is sick and tired of not having the body she wants and letting it stop her from being her greatest and best?  Who is sick of being a slave to food, to being a slug on the sofa, to wishing things would be different?  Who is super ready to do what it takes to change it all?

The 8-week Total Body Transformation Program will be:
-in Kfar Saba

-8 Monday mornings from 11am - 12:30pm beginning October 25th

-A very small group of committed women who will hold themselves and each other accountable, give and receive support

-There is no prescribed, one-size-fits-all meal plan.  I do not tell you what to eat.  Rather, I help you devise an eating plan that suits your unique needs, tastes, and individual calorie and nutrient requirements, which I will help you understand.

-Each participant will be required to log her food and exercise online daily.  Studies show that people who keep food logs lose TWICE as much weight as those who don't!  The food logging people are much more successful at keeping the weight off for good too.  I will teach you how to do this.  It is fun and easy.  The only exception I will make to this is for those who do not have computer access daily and will instead log their food on paper and present it to me at meetings.

-Daily exercise is required to the ability of each participant.

Lots of my clients balk at the idea of logging their food, but there is NO OTHER WAY to fully understand what you are eating and why you are carrying excess weight.  Do you know that frustration of "thinking" you ate really well all week and then getting on the scale and seeing no downward progress or even a gain?  You will never again have to experience that terrible feeling once you understand exactly what you are eating and how it affects you.

I know some of you think "This is too hard.  Just give me a diet to follow."  So let me be Dr Phil for a sec and ask "Well, how's that workin' for ya?"  If it never worked before, why do you still think it WILL?  If it only worked while you were on the diet and then fell apart when you fell off the diet, then it wasn't a sustainable solution.

Here's me, before and after.  This took considerably longer than 8 weeks!  In fact it took 2 years.  But if you can get the first 8 weeks down pat, the rest is a walk in the park.  I am going to give you all the tools you need to continue on your own, but of course am always here for anyone who needs further support.

I only lost the 70 excess pounds I was carrying when I STOPPED following someone else's diet plan and learned to eat the food that I liked and that worked best for me.  And I know it was the right thing to do because it's 8 years later and the weight is still off.

Did you know that only 7% of dieters will ever reach their goal weight?  And of those who do, only 3% will maintain their goal weight for longer than a year.  I'm not so great at math, but to me that looks like a 97% long-term failure rate!  Think about all your friends who are always trying the latest diet.  Those statistics pretty much ring true, right?  There is always one or two women in a group who have lost weight by dieting and maintained it.  And then the other 97-98 women who stand there scratching their heads wondering "Why Can't I?"

The point is, we have to learn how to EAT, not how to NOT eat.  But we can't eat crap and have a dream body.  And we can't sit on the sofa dreaming of change, we have to actually get off of behinds and DO IT.

Here are a few questions to help you determine if this program is for you.  You would be a good candidate for this program if:
-you are a woman, 18 years or older
-you are really ready to drop the excuses, move beyond your fears and self-limiting behaviors, and finally step into the life and body you have always wanted.
-you are ready to give up the quick fix, short-term diet mentality
-you are willing to get in the kitchen and cook
-you are willing to try new foods and reduce the amount of processed foods, restaurant foods and sugar you currently eat
-you finally understand that you may be using your weight as an excuse for not accomplishing other things in your life or as an excuse to stay stuck, and be willing to stop
-you want to be held accountable and learn from a a certified nutrition professional who has helped many, many people lose the weight for good AND done it herself
-you want loving support and firm honesty to help you on this journey

But this program is not for everyone and that's OK too.  If you have any of the following feelings, I can tell you right up front that this particular program is NOT for you:
-you are someone who "already knows it all" and isn't willing to hear possible new ideas or actually APPLY what you know
-you are a negative person in general and would rather complain and stew than do something about it
-you are unable to let go of past hurts and pain and move beyond them.  You are stuck in your "story of woe" or think you are broken or defective and will never be able to change
-you are not ready to accept responsibility for your weight and would rather blame your thyroid, your hormones, your eating disorder, your husband or your family,. etc.
-you don't want, or are unable to take any steps outside of your comfort zone
-you want to hold onto diet mentality, and beat yourself up because it doesn't work. 
-you absolutely will not log your food daily and committ to daily exercise


All that makes me sound like a mean ball-buster and really that is so not true.  I have been there myself and there was a long time that I myself was in the "not" category above!


I want you to know that there is nothing wrong with you if you are not there yet.  I am not judging you.  In fact, if you read that list and feel you are almost there but it is all just too scary and impossible sounding, then come to me as a private client and I will help you move forward out of "stuck".  Whatever you do, just don't give up!

Shut up already and tell us the price, Emily!

1200 nis gets you eight 90-minute very small group meetings (4-5 women probably) and unlimited email support between.  It also gets you amazing, family-friendly, life-affirming recipes, handouts, worksheets and all my very best success-proven techniques from years of helping women just like you reach their weight and health goals!

Think about what it would really be worth to you to solve this problem once and for all. 

If you are interested in the group and would like an application, email me at Emily@TriumphWellness.com

If you are interested in the group but need to speak with me in person first, email me at Emily@TriumphWellness.com.

This  program is available by application only to ensure that participants are well-matched and are in the right state of readiness.

Application deadline:  Oct 21, 2010
Program Start:  Oct 25, 2010

I hope to have you aboard this amazing journey!  Now, whether or not you are interested, we can ALL use a good song and dance and nobody says it like Natasha B!  I ADORE this song and if you do too, I think we're on the same page.  Enjoy!

Flat Out Fear

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified, terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."  -Franklin Delano Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933


So to quickly recap the last 2 posts, (here and here):


1.  Step One
Understand on a deep and complete level that how you look and feel at this very moment is TOTALLY the result of your day-to-day thoughts, actions and habits.  You are not over-weight because of your slow metabolism, or your thyroid, or your sugar addiction or your eating disorder, but rather because of how you behave in the FACE of those problems.  Each of those very real problems, has a solution.  There is help readily available to get you past those and any other weight-related issue.  If you are still allowing those or any other issue to stop you, then you are not fully taking responsibility and do not completely see the connection between what you do and what you get as a result.


If you are saying "but, but, but..." stay here and keep working.  There is nothing wrong with you and you are not "bad"!  You are just here at this stage, that's all.  If you try to jump into action from this stage you will probably end up doing the Yo-Yo Dance.  Keep working here until you make the connection (ie, blammo).


(If you get it but need help finding the solutions, that's what I'm here for.  Email me and make an appointment:  Emily@TriumphWellness.com)


2.  Step Two
Motivation.  Why do you want to change and why do you not want to change?  What is your big"Why"?  Is your "Why" exciting enough to carry you past the obstacles or will you crumble the moment you hit resistance?


If you are one of the many who say "I know what I need to do and I know why I want to do it, but I just don't do it" then you need to spend some time working in step two.  Changing long-held habits and beliefs takes strong, unwavering effort.  If you don't want it badly enough, hang out here working on this until you do.  When I have clients stuck at this place I try to get them emotionally aroused about the situation. I take them through a meditation that zooms them out through the years so they can feel what it will be like 5, 10, 20 years down the road of no change. It's a little ow-ey but it usually works.


Sometimes you just need a hand at this stage with implementation, consistency and accountability.  Maybe you are stuck on meal planning, organization, finding the time to get it all done, finding healthy food you actually like to eat, or exercise you actually like to do.  Or maybe your sugar/food addiction is really kicking your butt and you could use some extra-strength Fighter Power.  Again, that's what I do.  Email me or hire a coach or get a buddy, whatever.


So, how about this scenario:  You totally understand the connection between behavior and result, you have a totally scintillating "why" and are all jazzed up and ready to change your life....  and then... you don't.  What the heck could be wrong now?!  Please meet...


3.  Step Three
Face the FEAR.  Friends, it is called a "Comfort Zone" for a reason.  Stepping out of it is downright frickin fracken uncomfortable.  Go re-read that FDR quote up there:  fear is "...terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."


Are ya just plain scared out of your wits?  Heck yes!  I know I am most of the time.


This is starting to sound like an ad for 1-800-CALL-ME, but seriously, having someone to stand in that fear with you, to keep whispering in your ear "I know you can do it", well, it can make all the difference.  I mean, how many of us would have gotten through child-birth, the single most scary thing in the world, without a helpful nurse, midwife, spouse, partner, mother, friend?  No one expects us to go it alone where birthing babies is concerned, but we isolate ourselves when birthing our dreams.  Why is that?


There are generally two kinds of fear at this stage:  Fear of Failure and believe it or not, Fear of Success.


The first one is pretty obvious.  If you are like most people, you have already failed at this a bunch of times and the thought of failing again doesn't exactly inspire action.  Ask yourself "what's the worst thing that can I happen" and you will hear answers like "I will end up even fatter." or "I cannot bear the heart-break of losing this weight only to gain it back again."


Yup, it sure is safer to stay put.  Nothing ventured, nothing lost.  This is the point where I myself was trying the chunky necklaces and colorful neck scarves, remember?


Do you hear that little voice whispering "not me, not me, not me"?  Listen closely and see if you can hear it?  There's always my pal Tony Robbins to help with this one...


The fear of success is more subtle.  I mean, what if you DO succeed at weight loss?  What if you get to your goal weight?  Can you handle it?  People are going to look at you differently, people you don't even know are going to treat you differently (yes, they will!).  If your weight has been your main problem for 30 years and then the problem is solved, are you going to be able to cope with that vacuum?  If you have always seen yourself as fat and un-sexy, how are you going to feel when guys check you out, approach you, whistle at you? 


A lot of women I meet have gained their weight following a sexual assault or experience, or a frightening illness, or a traumatic event.  The fat has been their security blanket.  They are about as willing to drop the blanket as a 2-year old is to drop that tattered scrap he clings to.  One of my mentors used to say that taking off the fat suit is like standing in front of a giant fan with no skin on.  Not for the faint of heart.


Well, the funny thing about Fear is that it's only scary until we face it.  Face Fear down and it'll turn tail and run home crying to it's mama.  The only way out of this one is THROUGH.  Maybe it's time to pull on your big girls pants, take a deep breath and give your fears the what-for.


Now, close the door, turn the speakers up, click the link and send that Fear packing!  (The sight of me dancing to Gloria Gaynor is about as scary as it gets).

So what was my Blammo anyway?

I received a lot of questions about yesterday's blog post:


1.  When did Blammo happen?
2.  How did it happen?
3.  What was it exactly that you did then that you hadn't been doing before?


I can tell you exactly when, where, and what my Blammo were because that day is etched quite clearly in my brain.  Sit down little children and granny will tell you a story:

220lbs.  Leftover Gestational Diabetes that has taken on a life of it's own long after the baby has left the body.  Lots of binging on sugar.  Lots of Emotional Eating.  Although I knew I was really fat, I couldn't really understand what everyone else was making such a fuss over?  Did I really look THAT different?


But what could I do?  Every time I tried to diet I would end up binging even more and getting even fatter so I knew that was no solution.  Exercise wasn't really an option because everything hurt.  I had plantar fascitis in my feet, my knees and hips were always sore, I had the cardio capacity of a marshmallow.


The dialogue in my head went something like this:
"I am too tired to fight this anymore.  Nothing works.  Seeing as I have been some degree of over-weight almost my entire life, maybe this is just how my body is?  Maybe I am fighting a useless battle?  I will always be big, so maybe it is time to accept that and make the best of it."


I did not know it then, but I had just hit rock bottom.  Rock bottom doesn't always feel bad.  Actually I felt pretty good at that moment of surrender.  Like when suicidal people finally set a date for their suicide and their loved ones later report how happy they seemed in the days that led up to their deaths.


It turns out that Surrender is the KEY here actually to what was about to happen.  When you Surrender, your defenses go down.  When your walls are down you can hear things that maybe you were unable to hear before.

I went off to the Library.  As far as I am concerned, The Library contains all the answers anyone could ever seek.  That day, I was looking for books on Fat Acceptance.  If I was going to be fat, heck yeah, I would do it in style.  I sat there pouring over pictures of smiling overweight models in chunky necklaces and brightly colored scarves and wondering if there was anyone in the world who really believed that "drawing the eye upwards" could disguise the fact that 200lbs lurked below the neck.


A growing sense of discomfort was stirring in my soul.  This little tiny voice was whispering "not-me-not-me-not-me...."


I scooped the books up intending to check them out for a closer look at home.  On the way to the circulation desk, something drew me aside to the Self-Help section.  Tony Robbins was leering out from the cover of his latest book.  I chuckled and thought "do people really read that stuff?"  My hand is reaching for it, I am opening it, I flip randomly to a page and feel the hair stand up on the back of my neck.  Find an empty carrel, drop the fat books in a heap, take out a sheet of paper and a pen and start working through an exercise called "who do I want to be" or some such.


For about an hour I wrote who I want to be.  I wrote about how I wanted to look, what sort of things I wanted to do with my life, and what I thought was my place in the world.  Then Tony asked "What is stopping you?"  Well, I'm fat, I binge, I can't control my sugar intake, I am obsessed with eating and dieting.

Tony:  Is it a good trade?  Are the choices you are making BETTER than the reality you are trading them for? 


Blammo, to me, felt like Tony Robbins whacking me upside the head with a plank of wood.


Tony snuck his cheesy, inspirational self into my brain precisely at that moment when my defenses were down.  I could see clearly for the first time ever that the CHOICES and HABITS I engaged in on a daily basis were bringing me the opposite result of ALL the things in the world I ever wanted.  Changing the behavior would change the outcome.  I had heard this a million times before but this was the first time I really got it:  Was I going to lay down and accept defeat and live the next 60 years being this stranger hiding behind chunky necklaces, or was I going to fight for the person who lives inside of me who is full of beauty and life and has awesome, fun, exciting things to do in this world?  Not that fat people can't be beautiful or have great lives, I just knew that I, as a fat person, wouldn't.

Here's what happened next:  The HOW didn't matter anymore because I had a WHY.  Karen Knowler calls this "Your Big Why" and says that no goal can be reached without one.  In all my past attempts I had focused all my energy on the "How": lists of good vs bad foods, how many calories would I need to take in and how many would I need to burn, should I mix carbs with protein, eat low-carb, eat low-fat, dairy-free or dairy-rich, raw, vegan, atkins, south beach....  that's all "How" stuff, it doesn't really matter and it can take you off course.

"Why" trumps "How".  "Why" clears the deck, shows you the path, put blinders on the sides of your vision to eliminate distractions, and kicks boulders out of the way.  "Why" is different for every person and will be different at different times of one's life.  Again, to paraphrase Karen Knowler, your "Why" has to be big enough and juicy enough to give you goosebumps and make you want to RUN to it in an all-out sprint.

One more example:  If you are operating on "How", when someone passes a plate of your favorite food you think "Arg! I wish I could have that!  I am so deprived all the time, it's not fair, I deserve to have some fun too! waaaah!" All the pleasure is in that FOOD and all the pain is in saying No.  That. Is. Hard.

When your super exciting "WHY" is in charge and that plate of favorites comes around, you say "No the F-k Way!"  (sorry, but my "Why" swears like a sailor)  "What I am working for is so much more delicious and wonderful than that food could ever taste that I am not even tempted.  Be gone with you Dream Stealing Cupcake!" and you are so happy that you want to dance around like a Pussycat Doll singing "hahaha...hahaha"

So to wrap it up, I think our consciousness has all these layers.  We just have to keep peeling the layers until we get to the one that makes the difference.  And then, we have to keep peeling after that too because things are always changing.  That's pretty much the process I take clients through.  Sure we talk about brown rice and spinach, but I know that for most people that's the "How" stuff.  It sure can help, but I more important is helping them eek out their delectable "Why."


You know, as I went through the process of writing the last two posts, I think I peeled away the layer with the stomachache.  Maybe that'll be my next post...

The Spirit of Fortitude

Yesterday I finished reading The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.  It got me thinking.  The story, basically, is about an extremely dysfunctional family:  parents who are unfit to parent, and their kids who could have followed in their depressing legacy of alcoholism, poverty, and hopelessness, but instead rose up and built adult lives of achievement and financial security.


I adore stories of people over-coming the odds.  I always root for the underdog.  I am utterly captivated and fascinated by the process whereby one decides to push past the barriers and accomplish the seemingly impossible.  I am totally obsessed with it, if you want to know the truth.


Lucky for me, it's also my job.


Day after day, I meet women who have been trying all of their lives to reduce their size and become the slim woman they dream of.  Not just slim of course, but also at peace with food, no longer hungry, no longer obsessed, no longer a slave to counting each calorie eaten and burned.  These women have been working on this ONE unaccomplished goal for 15, 20, 40 or even 50 years.  They have met with so much other achievement in life - phenomenal careers, the raising of amazing children, over-coming heartbreak, disease, financial crumble - and yet this one goal of SLIM has never been reached.  Or, even sadder, it has been reached briefly and then lost again.  Those woman forever cling to the memories of that brief shining moment when they were who they always wanted to be.


By the time they come to me, most women have usually tried a million diets and workout plans, some sensible, some crazy, each one going to be THE THING that will finally bring them what they want.


And it's not like they didn't try!  Holy cow, these are the strongest, bravest, most tenacious and stubborn women you will ever meet!  They work their asses off in pursuit of this one single all-consuming goal.  But it evades them time after time.


I often hear them say "I am so frustrated by this, I could just scream!" or "I just do not have the strength to give this one more try."


I get it.  I know this pain too.  I have been there too.  I screamed and cried and pounded my fists and pleaded with The Creator to please let me have this one thing I wanted so badly from the time I was 16 years old and chubbier than the rest of the girls.


And one day, seemingly out of the blue, I turned it around for myself.  One day "blammo" it all became clear and all I had to do was walk the walk.  Everything else fell away and step by step I walked all the way to my goal and stayed there.


But why?  What made me have "blammo" and why don't some other people have it?  Why do some of my clients sit across from me and I watch quite literally as their entire expression changes and they take this big deep breath and say "I get it.  I'm going to be OK now" and suddenly all the power they were using on the "battle" gets channeled into the success?  Yet others sadly go on struggling and fighting and doing the one-step-forward-one-step-back dance?


I wish I knew.  If I knew the answer to this question, I would bestow it on the world for all to share.  I study the question constantly.  I read book after book on the psychology of achievement and motivation, I pick the brains of my clients who have gotten it.  I ask "What was it that finally got through to you?" and they all say "I don't know." which is what I say too. 


For a long time, I was obsessed with survival literature.  You know, stories of the folks who get lost in the wilderness or in a disaster and some live and some die.  In the fascinating book Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why by Laurence Gonzales, the author puts forth that there is some internal survival mechanism that only about 10% of the population seem to possess.  They do not see Death as an Option.


They do not see Death as an Option.


I did not see Fat as an Option.


I looked in the mirror and said "NO!  This isn't me.  This is not my life and I don't care how hard I have to work and how long it might take, I will never, ever, EVER give up, give in, or accept a different conclusion than the one I seek."


Blammo.


When the chips are down.  When it feels as though the entire world is against you.  When you have failed a billion trillion times.  When you think you have no strength left.  When you feel so humiliated you can't even look yourself in the eye.  When you are lost at sea in a tiny life boat.  Will you be the one to accept the fate that seems inevitable?  Or will you be the one to scrape your own guts off the pavement, stand up and say "NO, I am not finished yet."

100 Days of Vegan Yumminess

Today my blog takes a turn in a different and more personal direction. I hope you don't mind! Contrary, I hope this will make for interesting and hopefully inspiring reading.

First of all...quick trip through memory lane:

I have been a vegetarian more or less since high school. There have been periods of meat-eating thrown back in there, but mostly just lacto-ovo vegetarianism. I initially became a vegetarian "because of the animals" blabitty-blab, but continued on, not just because of the animals, but because I learned that it is a healthier way of living, it's better for the environment, it's easier to control my weight, it makes me feel like a better person.

Latco-ovo vegetarianism means eating no lamb, chicken, beef, fish or pork, frogs, snails, dogs... ack, ok whatever, but it does include consumption of dairy products and eggs. I have known for sometime that the dairy and egg industries are also brutally cruel to the animals and that both feed directly into the beef and poultry industry, but yet I was never really able to motivate myself to stop eating them, save for two 30-day long Raw Vegan Challenges I did a few years ago. I have been edging ever closer to Veganism in recent years and now have decided I am ready to take the plunge.

In fact, I bolted awake at 4am this Friday morning past with the words "100 Day Vegan Challenge" on my lips. And "blog about it" was thought #2.

So here we are. I am starting, tomorrow, Sunday, November 15, 2009, a 100 day Vegan Challenge where I will do my best to not eat anything that came from an animal. I'll post here anything interesting, good recipes, tips and all sorts of vegan goodness.

What are my objectives for undertaking this challenge? (Holistic Health Coach long-term motivation tip: It's always important to know WHY you are doing something and even better to be EXCITED about why you are doing something.)

1. The animals, the environment, my physical health, my spiritual health. I plan on talking more on each of those subjects in the days to come. (But not in a self-indulgent, boring, navel-gazing way!)

2. Dairy is gross. It's cow breast milk. I'll say more about this later, but basically, Ick.

3. Eggs are chicken periods. I mean seriously. WHY are we eating the product of their reproductive cycle?? I wouldn't eat something that came out my own hoo-haw, so....

4. You still with me? Good, stick around. I promise this will be fun and non-preachy scary. Most of the time.

4. I'm ready to lose a little more weight. I have been holding steady here for almost 7 years now, after losing 70 lbs. It's fine, I'm a normal weight and my blood sugar numbers look good, but I am finally ready to get a bit leaner. I have a feeling this is going to help me get there.

5. I have lactose intolerance. I contiually play Russian roulette with my digestive tract and that's just dumb.

6. The last and potentially most exciting reason for me, is that I am finally in a position to influence a larger audience of people. Already many of my nutrition clients are embracing vegetarianism in their lives, from going all the way, to eliminating dairy, to just including more vegetarian dishes now and then. It's all good. Every little bit we do helps. Every animal we don't eat is...well, an animal we don't eat. And an artery in our own body that doesn't get more clogged.

So please, stick with me here, check back often, be inspired by a recipe, enjoy my writing, challenge some of your own ideas about the food we eat. I promise to make this FUN! Or funny. Or embarrasing, which will be funny for everyone except me. So still funny for you.

I'll see you all tomorrow armed to the teeth with Tofu!

Postponement and Reward

Update on the New Groups: We are postponing group sessions until after Sukkot and then we'll all begin. If you are interested in signing up for any of the 3 groups:

Weekly Weight Loss,
Weight Loss for Resistors,
or the last 30-Day Detox,

please email me at Emily@TriumphWellness.com asap!

Private counseling continues as normal throughout the Holiday period.

My weight loss method is a NO-DIETING method. When you eat delicious, healthy, whole, natural foods, weight releases from your body naturally. This allows you to also maintain what you've lost without constant deprivation, calorie counting, and struggle.

Lite bread filled with artificial flavors and preservatives, non-fat dairy products filled with chemicals fillers and fake fats, artificial sweeteners, packaged, processed food made by machines... all of these these are toxic and unrecognizable by your body. Each of those foreign substances are stored away in your fat cells and actually lead to weight GAIN! Ick. PLUS all of those artificial flavors just keep you jonesing for more and your appetite rages out of control.

Dieting is a temporary solution to your weight loss problem. You lose weight while you're on the diet white-knuckling through with will-power, but then you fall off the diet because it's so dang restrictive, and you gain your lost weight back. Sound familiar? Sure it does because we've ALL done it over and over again!

I'm sure you have all heard that expression about the definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again while hoping for a different result.

How about trying something different? Something that makes sense and listens TO the wisdom of the body rather than stifling it with tortuous will-power and subjegation?

I invite you to hang up that ineffective dieting practice and learn to eat to feed your body and your health. Your body is an incredible machine and it knows what it's doing. I will teach you how to listen and give it what it needs to run at top efficiency.

Join one of the groups, work with me privately, read my newsletter, email me, call me...It's time.

OK, so if you got this far in the post I am giving you a reward! Last night two of my 30-day detox groups wanted to celebrate the completion of their detox, so we had a party. It was a pot-luck. Do you imagine that everyone brought cheesecake and chocolate, chips and soda to celebrate? No Way! They are all feeling so amazing and so hopeful that they ALL prepared beautiful, healthy whole-grain, veggies dishes that tasted SO GOOD! There was:

Creamy Roasted Vegetable Soup
Vegetarian Chili
A Giant Fresh Green Salad
Brown Rice Salad with Apples and Cranberries
Thin Tofu Slices with Tomatoes, Basil, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Vegetable Casserole
Quinoa with Orange, Spinach & Chickpeas
Green Tahina Sauce with Herbs

Wow! Everything was really delicious. And I brought a yummy dessert that didn't have anyone's blood sugar flying off through the roof or set cravings in motion or anything! Safe, high-fiber, full of nutrients and delish. Here ya go:

Emily's Vegan Flax Cookies

1 cup oats, ground in the food processor to make a flour (1 cup ground actually)
1/2 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup ground nut flour leftover from making nut mylk
1/4 cup whole flax seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar
1/3 cup sunflower or coconut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 180 C (350F). Oil a cookie sheet.

Stir together flour, flax, cinnamon and salt. Add maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Stir until combined. Drop teaspoon-fulls onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until turning golden. Cool on a rack.

Isn't this better than dieting???

New Group Programs for Fall!

In addition to my regular individual counseling program, this Fall I will be running several groups based on overwhelming request. There will be THREE groups as follows:

1. Weekly Holistic Weight Loss Group
In a small group setting, we will support one another in making healthy lifestyle changes. This is NOT a diet plan and no meal plans will be handed out! Diets are only band-aid measures. They treat the symptoms - over-eating and over-weight - without addressing the causes, which can be anything from Adrenal Fatigue or Food Intolerances to uncontrolled Emotional Eating or unchecked Limiting Beliefs about ourselves and much more. This group will meet weekly for 8 weeks beginning mid-September. Yes, we will be working together THROUGH the Holidays. Wouldn't it be nice to eat well and FEEL well this Holiday season, rather than depriving or stuffing yourself as usual?

This group is ideal for:
-People who are ready and motivated to finally make healthy changes in their lives by learning to prepare delicious healthy, whole foods and to overcome obstacles that have tripped them up in the past.
-People with a Can-Do attitude who are willing to stop Dieting and start Eating real food!
-Graduates of my 30-day Detox program who are looking for more guidance and support.
-Adults age 18 and older

Eight 90-minute meetings include:
-Personalized Binder with handouts, coaching exercises, recipes etc
-Healthy cooking food demo and tasting at every session (Kosher kitchen)
-Between meeting personal support with me via email and with the group on our own private yahoo group.
-We will cover foods such as truly healthy sweets and snacks, whole grains, greens, beans, sprouts, sea vegetables and super foods while reducing sugar, artificial sweeteners, wheat, dairy, junk and processed foods.
-Coaching topics will be as needed by the group and will include Setting Irresistable Goals that draw you forward, Elimination of Limiting Beliefs and Inner Resistance that hold you back, Buidling a Balanced Life, Erradicating Emotional Eating and Evaluating Cravings.

This Group will meet weekly beginning around Sept 15 through November 3. Email Emily@TriumphWellness.com for exact times.

There is currently NOTHING like this Group being taught in Israel. This is all my best stuff and tons of new information as well. If you want to get off the Diet-Rollercoaster and find peace with food for once and for all, THIS is the group to join!

Cost is 400 nis per month for 2 months.


2. Weight Loss for Resistors
I have developed this format after spending the summer studying the Psychology of Change - why we make changes and why we don't. This is a group specifically for people who have been told they need to lose weight by a doctor or spouse, but can't summon the strength to do anything about it. We will work together, very gently, examining why we are resisting healthy change, evaluating our current mental and physical states and discovering motivation we didn't know we had. Again, this is not a diet or meal plan, but rather a behavior modification program that will allow you to understand and dissolve your resistance to permanent weight loss

Eight weekly meetings beginning in late September.

This group is ideal for Adult men and women who
-are resistant to changing their habits
-have tried before and failed and thus believe change is not possible
-feel hopelessness and despair over their weight but feel powerless to change it
-are mired in denial about the seriousness of their problem

This Group will meet weekly beginning around Sept 24 through November 12. Email Emily@TriumphWellness.com for exact times.

I am basing much of this program on the ground-breaking psychological program the National Cancer Institute has found to be more that TWICE as effective than standard programs in helping smokers quit. I have adapted the information on smoking to weight loss.

Cost is 400 nis per month for 2 months.


3. My Famous 30-Day Detox
This will be the LAST time I run this group until the Spring so if you've been putting this off, here is your last chance! In a fun and supportive group setting we will slowly eliminate sugar, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, wheat and dairy and watch our energy soar and our health sparkle! This program is VERY popular so sign up fast. The dates for the last 30-day detox of 2009 are October 12 - November 2.

Who is the Program Suitable For:
-Men and Women, age 18 or older
-Any size, shape and weight welcome
-This detox is healthy and safe for anyone, regardless of any current illnesses or health challenges.

What Does the Program Involve: A safe, supervised gradual detoxification from sugar, artificial sweeteners, wheat, dairy products, coffee, beef, alcohol and processed foods. This program uses only real, regular food you can buy in any market. There are no supplements or powders required. You will feel strong and healthy during the detox and so it may be done without affecting your work or home life. We will only be eliminating the above foods while increasing enzyme-rich fresh fruits and vegetables.

What benefits can you expect to achieve by following this 30-day detox?
-Weight loss of 2-5kgs is typical
-Improved Digestion
-Reduction of Gas and Bloating
-Better Energy Level
-Clearer Skin
-Improved Mental Clarity
-These 30-days are an excellent jumpstart to an on-going weight loss or wellness program!

Special Group Price of 400 nis per person includes:
-Four 90-minute small-group sessions jam-packed with information, support, motivation and fun
-A Personalized Binder full of handouts, tips, menus and recipes
-Unlimited email support between sessions on our own private Yahoo group
-Demos of healthy Detox-friendly food preparation and tasting at each session (Kosher Kitchen)
-An exclusive group-member discount on colon hydrotherapy treatments at B-Teva Clinic in Raanana (these are optional treatments for those who want a deeper detox experience)

ALL Groups meet in Kfar Saba. If you'd like to organize and host a private group in your home, email me! Emily @TriumphWellness.com

For registration and more information email or call Emily Segal Emily@TriumphWellness.com 054-441-9858. Read more on my blog http://www.emilysegal.blospot.com/

My Top Ten Tips for Permanent Weight Loss and Health

1. Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Yes, this is really THE most important tip!

2. Allow yourself to experience the feeling of hunger before you eat anything. Ideally this will happen 3 times a day, before each meal.

3. Eat High Nutrient Density Foods 90% of the time: Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts & Seeds give you the biggest nutrition bang for the calorie buck.

4. Only 10% of daily calories max should come from low-nutrition foods. That's 150-200 calories to play with. (Thanks Tom for fixing my math!!) A cup of coffee with sugar and milk. A cookie. Savor it and don't overdo.

5. Eat at least 40 grams of fiber a day. More is better. You can log your food for free into http://www.fitday.com/ to see how much fiber you are currently consuming. You should be moving your bowels easily at least once a day my friends!

6. Deal with the behaviors, thoughts and habits which cause overeating and keep you overweight. (Having a Health Coach for this can be INVALUABLE!!)

7. Daily vigorous exercise. Raise your heart rate. Get sweaty. Build some sexy muscles.

8. Balance your Primary Foods: Rewarding Relationships, LOVE, a Satisfying Career, a Refreshing Spiritual Practice, Physical Fitness, Secure Financial Life...

9. Eat Real Food, not packaged processed franken-food. If there are ingredients you cannot pronoun or recognize, your body can't either.

10. Practice daily Mental Training to harness and utilize the power of your mind and your thoughts. (Health Coaches are good for this too!)