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.