The Body Image Hypocrisy

I watch the same morning news show on a fairly regular basis. This morning, the stories and their juxtapositions illustrated the biggest challenge we are facing when it comes to fitness: the body image hypocrisy.

A story about how a celebrity stays in shape (read: keeps her perfect body) after 40, the narrative running in the background as we watch her pose for a photo shoot in bikini bottoms and stilettos. The next story, the “magic mirror” in IKEA, asking women to rate how they feel when they look in the mirror. The vast majority of women choosing less-than-favorable options, and then being reduced to tears when the mirror says, “No, you’re good enough.” The next segment: steals and deals on anti-aging products for your skin. AND HAIR. Because now we have to worry about our hair looking old?

I see this happen with my clients. A woman felt great about her own progress, until she saw a 20-something former gymnast bend herself in half, every guy in the facility captivated. Her face fell, and she looked at her feet and said, “I’ll never look like that.” Others look disparagingly at their mid-sections and say, “it’ll never be flat…”

Underwear companies and cereal commercials try to empower us to be proud of whatever shape we are. Seems like a really nice thing, and I bought in until I realized they are still profiting from this perpetual feeling that no matter how hard we work, we will never be “perfect.” We won’t have flat bellies and toned whatever. But we’ll eat that cereal because it also suggests that if we do, we’ll lose weight.

The message is not to embrace your shape or your body. It’s to settle for it. The line is so thin and grey, but ultimately, we’re not getting at the root of the problem. We’re telling the 95% percent of the population who will never look like society’s ideals to settle. We’re the C students of body image. “Well, if this is the best you can do, then, we’re proud of you…  sorta.” 

But we don’t mean it. We don’t really mean it when we say, “You’re a size awesome.” Because the focus is still on the size. “You’re not a size 4? Oh, well, that’s ok… you’re a size… uhm… AWESOME!” It’s a false message of praise. Because those women are still being forced to focus on their size. It’s a constant reminder of what they aren’t.

I don’t have a solution. I don’t know how you change an entire society’s perspective, unless they want to change. Because we can say we’re all about embracing our individual shape, size, age, but we’re still buying anti-aging serums, we’re still buying gimmicky videos and pills and weight loss systems because they are tapping into this insecurity and “solving” it. We’re not shifting our focus to healthy living and healthy aging. We’re latching on to every false promise of weight loss. Gluten free, because you’ll lose weight.  Paleo diet, because you’ll lose weight. This serum so you’ll look younger. Don’t age! Don’t be fat! But if you are… well, it’s… fine…I guess.

The Power of the Mind/Body Connection: Clari's Story

Clari is one of my “rock star” clients. She has been training with me for several months, and she puts her all into every single session, as well as her independent workouts. She has made incredible strides both physically, and, as you are about to learn, mentally and emotionally. I am honored to share her story and words of wisdom with you here:

“The biggest obstacle to any kind of transformation is the voice that tells you it’s impossible.” ~Geneen Roth, Women Food and God

I am a spirit on the journey to my guided mission on earth! I did not know that until recently; well it was not fully in my conscious, anyway. What I did know was I was in a battle field where my self- sabotaging mind was telling me that this was the body I was meant to have. Worn down and on a road to Diabetes. This was it! So I would lose weight and gain it back on a binge of self-hating thoughts that would turn into Cheesecake Factory apple pie at 9:30pm. “What is wrong with me?” I thought. “How could I do this to myself?” So began the cycle (again) of getting back on the band wagon of doing the best I could with the food available around me. How did I change this? How can we all change this?

America is sick to its core with the poison pumped into our brains through constant media coverage. But what they don’t tell you on those quick fix commercials is how to change and level up your mind to be ready for the evolution we want our bodies to step into. They don’t tell you about the hard work, the self-love development, the spiritual journey, or the blood, sweat, and tears one must “suffer” to gain the rewards we seek. Our minds, hearts and bodies must be in total alignment with the goal we want to reach. It’s not easy, and whomever tells you differently is lying.

There is a choice: The road you choose to total body wellness or the default life of sticking anything you want in your mouth and paying the price. That price was getting too high for me. So I chose to change everything. Starting with the voice in my head that said, “Relax, we’ll go to the gym later,” or “Just ask for fries. What does it matter?” or “Your doctor doesn’t know how you would suffer sacrificing so much.” Change the voice that you let guide you and you will change your life. The body and the mind are intimately connected; anything you are doing is a result of a thought and with practice you can override the system that tells you (like it told me) “you will be fat forever.”

Some steps you can take to level up your inner voice are:

Meditate: I find since I have started to create a quiet space for my thoughts, through meditation, I can notice when my thoughts are working against the body I am seeking to create.

Hunger Awareness: Sometimes we eat from the place of our emotions. When I am seeking love or approval, naturally I want ice cream, I am conscience of that.  Asking yourself, “What am I really ‘hungry’ for?” brings awareness and connection to your consciousness about what experiences we are longing for in that moment. This makes us acknowledge and be aware of our emotional needs and can help stop you from the setback of emotional eating.

Finally and most importantly have a powerful goal in mind of your body transformation. The first time I met Nicole, I told her this and I keep it on my mind every day: “I want to sculpt the body of a goddess.” Create and describe an empowering image of the body you seek to create. Write it down for more power and keep it in your mind on your journey.

So far I have lost upwards of 20 pounds since I have started and what I know now is that without my head in the game, I would never have progressed this far. So get your head in the game or you’ll be right back where you started!

Claristela Cuduco is a Certified Dream Builder Coach and author of the popular, Best DreamLife blog, helping her clients design and manifest the life of their soul's purpose. As a sought out life coach and profession speaker, Claristela offers inspiring workshops as well as transformational in-depth coaching programs to help clients achieve new heights of success, fulfillment and spiritual aliveness. Stop by and find out how Claristela can empower you to achieve your dreams.

Five Benefits of Meal Planning

Changing our food habits can be challenging. There are so many things that go into proper nutrition, and an awful lot out there to choose from. But spending a few minutes each week designing a game plan can save you in more ways than one.

1. It’ll save you money: Going into the grocery store with no plan at all is a recipe for disaster, but even with a shopping list, you may be spending more money than you need to. By planning all of your meals for the week, you’ll only buy the items required to prepare those meals. Match up your plan with sales and coupons, and you’ve got a double bonus on savings.
2. Avoid impulse buys: Wandering up and down the aisles trying to remember what you need sets you up to buy impulse items—especially if you shop hungry! These items tend to be snacks or comfort foods that cause trouble when they’re in the house. If it’s not on the list, don’t buy it.
3. Variety is key: Buying the same things over and over means eating the same things over and over. Boredom can lead to cheating. With meal planning, you can ensure you’ve got plenty of different veggies, protein sources, and flavors to keep it interesting and healthy.
4. What’s for dinner? Coming home to an empty fridge or a fridge full of leftovers can tempt us to eat out or order in, a sure-fire way to waste money and eat poorly. Knowing what’s on the menu for the week makes it less challenging to stay on track. Additionally, you should plan your meals around your schedule. Make a simpler dish later in the week or on an evening when you might get home later. If you’re tired, you’ll be more willing to fix something simple.
5. You know exactly what you’re eating: Eating out or picking up pre-made meals makes it incredibly challenging to know the true content of your food. But when you’re the creator you know exactly what is—and what isn’t—in your dishes. Avoid the excessive sodium, additives, and calories in pre-made food or restaurant dishes. 

As a bonus, track your spending and calories to see your savings and progress. Happy shopping!

Benefits of the BOSU

You’ve probably seen this odd-looking piece of equipment in your gym. The BOSU (which stands for Both Sides Up), is a tool that helps you build up your balance and core strength. You can amp up the most basic movements with a BOSU to get even more out of your workout.

Split squat with round side up

NOTE: If you have any issues with hip, knee, or ankle stability, the BOSU is not a good choice for you, unless otherwise specified by a fitness professional or doctor.

Tall plank with flat side up

There are two ways to use the BOSU. The rounded side up, or the flat side up. Starting with the rounded side up is recommended, as the flat bottom provides a more stable base, and the rounded side provides a challenging surface. Simply standing on the BOSU to gain your balance can be an exercise in itself!

Once you’ve established you can stand on the BOSU and keep your balance, try exercises such as squats, bicep curls, overhead tricep presses, or split squats. That unstable surface will force your core to work harder, and you’ll find your once simple exercises to be challenging again!

Glute bridge with flat side up

The BOSU can also be used for floor-based exercises, such as planks, crunches, pushups, and chest presses. Again, the instability demands more of your muscles, so you’ll feel the burn much faster, and you’ll be working on your balance and core at the same time.

Sharing Success: Anjeannine's Story

Learning about other people’s success can be a great inspiration to your own health and fitness journey. Anjeannine has lost more than 100 lbs. since 2011. Her success story is inspirational, and a fantastic example of why I love what I do so much. Read more about Anjeannine’s story here:

I was losing weight on my own, but had plateaued at 235. I reached out to my old high school buddy,

May 2011

 Nicole DeFelice. She had become a personal trainer, so I knew she could help. She gave me some helpful hints on what I was doing wrong. The she set up a weightlifting plan, food diary, and measurement diary.  I followed the plan strictly. She read the measurements and the food diary and tweaked certain bad habits that I had, particularly my Luna bar addiction.

June 2014

Eventually, my clothes began to fit looser. I don’t know when exactly I lost 40 pounds because I stopped weighing myself, but, I did go from a size 18 to a size 14. One of Nicole’s tips is to not obsess over the scale, which has helped me enormously. I would weigh myself almost every other day. I was obsessed with the scale. Now, I know when I am losing inches by how my clothes fit. 

Nicole’s outlook on fitness is based on her belief that you should be preoccupied with making life changes, to live a healthier lifestyle. Her plans are easy to read and follow. She is very hands on, and easily accessible when you are having a binge moment. I don’t think I would’ve gotten past my plateau if it wasn’t for Nicole’s help. If you can’t afford an expensive trainer at the gym, Nicole’s no-nonsense approach to getting fit is the way to go.

For more information on how we can create your successful fitness plan together, click here. 

Snack Attack: 5 Tips for Choosing Wisely

One of the biggest challenges we face when changing our food behavior is controlling snack habits. The phrase “healthy snack” poses a multitude of challenges and can be incredibly misleading. Following these tips will help you get your nibble fix without destroying your calorie count and nutrition efforts.

1. Portion control: With the exception of crudités (that’s fancypants for cut up, raw veggies), “healthy snack” doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want. This applies to fruit, nuts, trail mix, and other options. Be mindful of the serving size. Most foods come equipped with a serving size on the label. For fresh fruits, it’s easy to look up a serving size. With fruits such as apples, oranges, plums, or peaches, one piece is typically one serving. Other items, such as berries, should be measured or counted out.  One of my favorite resources for nutritional data is http://nutritiondata.self.com/. Not only does it give you calorie and nutritional data on foods, but it allows you to compare amounts to make a decision on how much you’d like to eat. Grazing on a great big bowl of nuts, grapes, or berries is a sure-fire way to tack on too many calories.
2. Read the label: Fresh fruits and vegetables, and plain, raw nuts are pretty straightforward when it comes to what they are made of. But packaged snacks can be misleading. It’s important to not only examine nutritional information, but ingredients. A good rule of thumb: if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. Even items that claim to be “all natural” can have odd ingredients, chemicals, and other additives that you don’t want. Sticking with basic, original-form foods is your best bet.
3. Check your watch: Is it the 3 o’clock slump? The post-dinner munchies? Boredom nibbling? The time of day can help you choose the type of snack you want—or choose to not snack at all. The mid-afternoon snack should be something that will boost your energy (without a crash later). A handful of trail mix is a great way to boost your energy and your brain, and will be a great source of fuel for your after-work gym session. Evening and boredom snacking can be tricky, so this is the best time to reach for those fresh veggies or for nothing at all. Eating too close to bedtime can interrupt your sleep. Boredom snacking can lead to binging and packing on too many unwanted pounds. Drinking tea or water can help you determine if you’re really hungry, or just looking for something to do. If it’s been too many hours since you’ve eaten, you’re likely hungry for real.
4. Meal-planning: Snacking should be a part of your overall food plan every day. Just as you should be planning breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you should be including your snacks and using your other food choices for the day to weigh your options. If you’re a little light on the greens for the day, use snack times as a way to get more veggies in. Skimping on the protein? Choose your almonds or cheese. Snacks need to be part of your balanced eating habits.
5. Stay hydrated: Thirst is very often confused with hunger, so be sure to stay hydrated. This healthy habit can prevent you from over-snacking. Making sure you get at least 64 oz. of water a day is a must! You can also snack on foods with a high water content, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, or green peppers. They’re refreshing and low in calories.

Snack happy, snack healthy! 

Workout on the Go: Deck of Cards

If there’s one thing that nearly everyone brings on a family vacation or a weekend getaway, it’s a deck of cards. Now you can add a fun, simple workout to the games you play, and you don’t need to skip out on your fitness routines.

The game is simple: Choose an exercise for each suit. The number on the card determines the number of reps. Jacks, queens, kings, and aces are worth 11, 12, 13, and 14, respectively.  Jokers are wild, so you can do whatever you like with them. The goal: finish the deck!

Here’s a sample workout that uses no equipment: 

HEARTS:  body weight squats

DIAMONDS:  pushups

SPADES:  crunches

CLUBS: jumping jacks

JOKERS: 30-60 second planks