New Season • New You (Health Program)

*Sigh...  Summer has come to an end and it's time to face reality once again. I know how busy people get during the summer months. Trying to cram 3 get togethers into every Saturday and Sunday during the Summer. There's little or no time to think about your healthy lifestyle or exercise. Although we are outdoors more often, the multiple potato salads outweigh the effort we put in.

That's why I thought a 3 Month Fall Program would do the trick to get you back into shape. Whether you didn't achieve your Summer health goals, looking to lose some baby weight and want guidance getting there or you just want to shape up for the winter parties coming up... this program has something for everyone! The Fall Program is infused with positivity. I'm ready to help you achieve those goals you've been humming and hawwing about. There's no better time than now! (cliche but true).

This program can be done in person or via skype (free yoga class not included in skype package). The  program keeps you accountable for your health and the once a week sessions keep you on track to success.

The initial health consultation is complimentary as it's a time for us to go over your health history, current health and all the goals you have planned for yourself. This is also a great time for us to see if we work well together.

Email or message me today to book your initial health consultation.

-Michelle

Certified Holistic Health Coach

Think Arete - If You Weren't Afraid

Happy Friday! I wanted to share something that floated into my inbox this morning. I thought it would be a great way for everyone to start their weekends. Maybe even a few of you won't return to that 9-5 job that doesn't agree with your soul on Monday morning ;)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and don't forget to pursue your happiness and LOVE your life and everyone in it!

            

thinkAreté.theManifesto  |  by Brian Johnson

What would you do if you weren't afraid? 

OK...
 So...uh...what exactly are you waiting for?
 This isn't a dress rehearsal...
 Wake up!
 Here's the deal: What we can be, we MUST be.
 Period.
 There's no getting around that one.
 So, turn off your TV. Put down your drink. Get off the medication.
 Quit numbing yourself. The pain's not going away.
 Not until you Think Areté.
 Think Areté?
 Yep.
 Gandhi got it. Einstein got it. Mother Theresa got it.
 Tiger gets it. Gates gets it. Oprah gets it.
 The Greeks got it.
 Get this: Guys like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle said that if you want happiness you better live with Areté--a word that literally means virtue or excellence but has a deeper meaning...something closer to “constantly striving to reach your highest potential.”
 Areté.
 How beautiful is that? It was one of the highest ideals of Greek culture.
 It should be one of ours.
 Tragically, it's not.
 We seem to be more interested in resumes, accolades and 401k's.
 Speaking of retirement...
 Who came up with that? Work our asses off doing something we're not passionate about so we can accumulate enough money to pay the bills from our stress-caused illnesses while we bitch about what we should have done when we were still young.
 Hmmm...can't quite figure that one out. Seems like it makes a bit more sense to go ahead and dare to live now...
 Why not Think Areté?
 Live to your highest potential--moment to moment to moment.
 Not in the mood?
 Fine. Then live with regret, anxiety, and disillusionment.
 Your call.
 Think about it. When do we feel most alive?
 Exactly. When we're being ourselves--our highest selves.
 You want happiness?
 Think Areté.
 Dream. Grow. Stretch yourself.
 Rip off the tie. Jump out of the cubicle.
 Dream. Think. Dare to be crazy.
 What are you waiting for?
 Think Areté.
 Live. Love. Smile. Hug. Laugh. Dream. Do. Create.
 Have fun. Be intense. Be audacious. Be unreasonable. Act impeccably. Breathe.
 Be you. Be different. Get paid to do what you love. Dance in your underwear on your way to work...
 Why not?
 Ditch the tie. Escape the cube. Leave the 8-5. Trash the resume.
 Ignore the critics. And the cynics. Burn the corporate ladders. Laugh at the ceilings.
 Quit the bitching. Open your mind. End the laziness. Overcome the fear. Transcend the conditioning...
 Why not?
 Move the world.
 Change the world.
 Push the human race forward.
 Whatever you call it, go out and do it.
 When?
 Now.
 Not when you have enough money or once you do this or do that. That's nonsense.
 It's not gonna be easy, but go out and live your dream. Now.
 You deserve it.
 And, if that doesn't move you: The world deserves it.
 Think Areté.

-Michelle
Certified Holistic Health Coach

Graphic Source: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/272467846179116604/

Back To Basics - Roasted Vegetables

A common question I hear amongst my health coaching clients is "How do I incorporate more easy to make vegetables into my diet? So I thought I would share with you all my #1 solution  - Roasted Vegetables.
It's my go to dish during the fall and winter months and quickly adds a ton of veggies to any meal.

 

I will admit, I used to be intimidated by these roasted veggies until one day I had no choice to do it myself. Funny thing - It's crazy how easy this dish is to make! Toss in all different kinds of veggies like brussel sprouts, sweet potato, carrots, potato, yams, peppers, and for flavor onion & garlic. You can also add in half way through any softer veggies such as broccoli, zucchini and mushrooms.

 

Roasted Vegetables

 

Wash, Chop, Bake and Eat!

 

1. Wash your veggies, give them a good cleaning.
2. Chop them up into cubes, think baby blocks style. Be sure to that they are all relatively the same size. I like to cut the onion and garlic a bit smaller so the taste can really get in there.
3. Throw everything into a casserole dish and drizzle olive oil all over. Add some sea salt and salt n pepper. Mix it all up.
4. Cover with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees F for 50 minutes. Half way through - toss the veggies up a bit, cover again with tin foil and place back into the oven.
5. Once they are done you should be able to place your fork through the vegetable without effort.

They make for great leftovers. There you go - lunch planned now too!

 

Enjoy!

 

-Michelle
Certified Holistic Health Coach

3 Tips to Avoiding the Flu Bug

Eat Those Greens!

 Crossing my fingers, knocking on wood that I don't jinx myself by giving away my tips to avoiding the flu or catching the latest cold. I'll come clean... I haven't had a cold for 3 years! Really?! yes sirreee.


I follow these tips as soon as I start seeing people around me coughing, hacking or sneezing. That alarm goes in my head, time to go into the safe zone.

3 Tips to Avoiding the Flu or Cold Bug :

1.) Drink hot or warm water constantly during the day.

Our lymphatic system is the drains to our body. When these drains are clogged up the germs that we take in get stuck in our bodies. When germs are stuck in our bodies the body sends signals to fight these germs and that's when we start feeling sick. Keeping the body hydrated keeps the lymphatic system flowing smoothly and leaving your immune system in tact.

2.) At All Costs - Don't Touch Your Face!
Simple yet often forgotten by numerous people. It was found in a study that on average people touch their face up to 104 times in 3 hours. These germs can get into your system through your mouth, nose, and eyes. It's a quick route for those bugs.

3.) Eat Even Healthier!
During the flu season it's no time to decide to go off your healthy eating plan. It's time to bump it up instead. Keeping your immune system in working order is your main goal when trying to avoid the bug. Eating unhealthy and packaged food doesn't provide your body with proper nutrients. Try eating more vegetables, soups and lean protein so your body is ready to defend.

Good luck out there people!

-Michelle

New Website Launched: Holistic Health Coaching

Ladies and Gents..... I give you:  My New Website!

Join me for a Health History consultation

www.REVIVE-healthcoach.com

I've been a busy bee lately (or should I say elf?!). I'm no website designer but I've given it my best and created my own website for my Holistic Health Coaching Practice.

Man is it nerve racking to put yourself out there. When you present something straight from your soul that means the most to you, it can become a tad bit scary. But this is what I'm meant to do in life and I'm happy to help people.

Hope you enjoy it!

Please pass it along to any of your family or friends who you think would benefit from health coaching program.

Lots of love,
Michelle

The Soda Pop Ban Debate

What's your opinion of the ban on super sized sodas in New York City?

I think it's a good idea. People don't realize how many calories they are consuming and how much sugar is in them. People also don't take in account the amount chemicals they are consuming when they drink the diet and normal soda pop. Over time a large consumption of soda pop can catch up to your health and cause harm.

I understand that everyone has a right to choose what they eat or drink but we are still in the times of extreme marketing and advertising that hypnotise people and then have them addicted to the sugar.

Check out this infograph that presents some interesting facts:


Source: everyday HEALTH


-Michelle

Cancer Update

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

As you may know, my mom was diagnosed with cancer back in August. It's been quite the roller coaster of emotions from one week to the next. She's an incredible strong woman who is continuing to work while she does her chemo treatments. Her lump in her neck has gone down (woohoo) and the cancer in her lungs has begun to respond to treatment. This round of chemotherapy will last till the new year.


print via


Overwhelming heavy heart while the brain reminds me to keep positive and remove the sadness. It's a constant conflict but I'm lucky that I am constantly surrounded by optimistic positive influences. I think the hardest part is seeing someone you love so sick. There's no controlling how she is going to feel each day. She may have plans to come over and visit but by half way through she has to leave as she starts to feel too sick. That's when I want to jump in and take her place. Just give her a break from it all. She's learnt through trial and error that the body responds to what you feed it. So there's no bad fats anymore and tons of healthy fruits and vegetables that keep her from being sicker than she needs too.

Now here's a kicker, my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer a couple weekends ago. He's got melanoma on his back and goes in for an operation in the end of November. He's only in his late 60's and suffered a heart attack a couple years ago. Man, the saying "when it rains, it pours" is quite true! Gramps likes to keep to himself about his health issues but I'm always going to be there when he needs some support. I've got my positive thoughts and fingers crossed that the operation goes smoothly and everything is back on track.

While performing health history consultations with people over the last little while, I've noticed a frightening trend. Almost every single person I've talked to has someone in their life who has been diagnosed with cancer. And so often when you run into someone around town and the topic of cancer comes up, they know someone who is battling cancer. This absolutely astonishes me, disgusts me and motivates me. How does it motivate me? Since studying at IIN to become a health coach, I've learnt so much more on how it's possible to prevent many cancers and to never give cancer a chance to live in your body. We are what we eat! By also monitoring our stress levels and increasing happiness, I believe there is hope to bring the rate of new cancer patients down and help current cancer patients recover. I want to help people learn how often we put our health in danger through nutrition & lifestyle and how it is preventable and reversible.

Take Control of Your Health, Before it Takes Control of You

I have a dream that one day we teach our children the ways to prevent cancer & illness through nutrition and well being. I want it to be a common fact just like how we now teach our children about sex education.

Knowledge can change the world!

-Michelle

5 Interesting Water Facts That Will Benefit Your Health

Our body is made up out of 75% of water and our brain is made up out of 85% of water. Water is crucial to our health. Water is believed to be more important than food! We could last for a while without food but could not last for days without water.

5 Interesting Water Facts 

1. Often times when you think you are hungry for food it is in fact your body sending signals that you are dehydrated and need more water. Try having a glass of water before reaching for food.
2. Drinking warm water in the morning helps to activate your brain and metabolism. Drinking cold water actually makes your body work harder by trying to warm the water up to body temperature. It's best to drink cold water in the afternoons.
3. Water can be used for therapy. Showers can make you feel refreshed and awakened. When you are feeling sick it's important to take several showers to clean the "gunk" off and let your body breathe.
4. It is recommend that men drink 13 cups of water a day and women drink 9 cups. It's best though to get in tune with your body and find what amount works for you.
5. Above all, water can heal. Next time you have a headache, try drinking more water and you will be amazed that the headache will ease off or disappear all together. Water can flush toxins out of your body and make room for fresh healthy cells.

It's important to take in natural, clean water. Coffee, soda and tea can actually have the opposite effect and dehydrate you. Try to avoid water that contains chlorine and when possible filter your water.

Are you good at getting your proper amount of water in a day?

-Michelle

Opportunity to Guest Blog for LiveLoudly

I have an opportunity for my fellow bloggers to guest post on my blog from November 23 - December 1st. I'll be in Cuba during this time.

• I have 3 openings available.
• The guest blog post must be health and wellness related.
• It must include at least one high quality image.

If you are interested in one of the spots, please feel free to contact me and we can discuss your idea for a post.

-Michelle

Things That Really Matter

Yesterday I came across a post from Jess Lively and wanted to share it with you all. I had seen this story a couple years ago but had completly forgot about it.

It's a great reminder to appreciate what truly matters in life. Family, friends and happiness should never be second best.

Appreciate the Small Things in Life That May Mean the Most

Golf Balls, Sand, Coffee and a Mayo Jar

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “YES”.

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things – God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions. Things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else — the small stuff.” he said.
“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you…” he told them.

“So… pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. Take care of the golf balls first — the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled and said, “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

Don't forget to tell the most important people in your life that you love them and that they are everything to you!

-Michelle

Did You Know? Gummy Vitamins

Eeek! It's one of those things that make me cringe, Gummy Vitamins! and especially if you are feeding them to kids.

These buggers are sneeeky!

Gummy vitamins do not improve your health. The gummy's are usually coated or combined with corn syrup (sugar). Not only is sugar unhealthy for your body but it also starts cravings for more sugar. To create the gummy vitamin the manufacturers must heat the material to very high temperatures that pretty much kills all the nutritional value in the vitamin. This leaving you with  : A Daily Candy.

With kids, it's important to avoid teaching them that eating candy everyday is an okay thing to do. Small kids don't understand that it's supposed to be a vitamin. All they see and think is candy, candy, candy! Creating a daily habit of eating candy is very unhealthy for any child.

I know it may be heard to get your children to take vitamins if they are picky eaters but it's best to try to get them to receive more vitamins and nutrients from the food they eat. Load your kids up with as many organic veggies, fuit and lean protein as you can. There is some vitamin & supplement companies that provide vitamins for kids that do not contain corn syrup and other high content sugar substances. They also try to make it kid friendly by shaping the vitamins into characters.

All you adults who pop those gummies back every day... let's be honest.. something that tastes that good, can't be good for you! Don't worry, I used to be fooled too ;)

Have you fallen for Gummy Vitamin temptation?
-Michelle

img via

Thanksgiving & Gratitude

Sunflowers at Kits Whole Foods

This weekend here in Canada it's our Thanksgiving. My family usually gathers at my mom/grandparents house or my aunts house to dive into delicious food. This year though there's been a mix up in dates with my cousin's hockey tournament and my aunts family will be out of town. So my mom and I will be joining my boyfriends family on Sunday for a quiet Thanksgiving there. I'll miss my own family dinner but this will be nice to spend some time with his side of the family. I don't know if I'll be able to grab pictures of the thanksgiving spread before it's rummaged apart. It's good food over at the Kennedy's!

Like everyone else I find Thanksgiving a great time to slow down and appreciate the people around us. Ponder how the year has gone and what I'm looking forward to in the last few months of the year.

Do you take the time everyday to be grateful? Should we have to wait for Thanksgiving to share with family what we are thankful for? I think I'm going to suggest to my family the next time we gather all together for a meal that we say what we are thankful for. A new family tradition!

Practising gratitude every day can create a positive environment for you and the people surrounding you. Think about what happens when you roll through your gratitude list. Soon there's a smile on your face, your feeling a little lighter, you forget about the minuscule problems in life and fresh ideas pop into your head. People around you feel this energy. They notice a smile on your face and imitate it, thus creating a domino effect. Try starting your day with a gratitude note. It doesn't have to be perfect, it's just to get the ideas strolling through your head.

• Over at Lululemon they wrote a great blog post about Gratitude : Today I'm Grateful For...
• and our local girl, former Bachelorette, Jillian Harris wrote about what she is grateful : My 2012 Thanksgiving Thanks!

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My Personal Thanks:   I'm thankful for, are you ready for this one.....  My mom's tumour on her neck has decreased in size and the chemo has made the cancer in her lungs go from a black mass to a grey matter! Woohoo. I'm grateful treatment is working. I'm grateful she continues to laugh and smile (laughter reverses cancer - studies actually show!). I'm grateful for my family who unconditionally love and support me. I'm grateful that I have a soul mate who knows me so well and who continues to be there for me even when I get very aggressive or mad when there's waay to much going on in my head! I'm grateful for my job, new SUV (the perfect health coach mobile) and my health. I'm grateful for gaining knowledge to become a health coach so I can teach people that cancer is preventable: don't give Cancer the chance to be a part of your life.

Are you grateful for anything special this year?
-Michelle

Monday Review: Dog Photography

I got a little sneeky this weekend!

Meeka & Kailey

I've been taking my dogs to Uptown Dog (dog daycare) for years now. There I met an incredible person, Kelley. She recently opened up her own business on the side doing outdoor dog photography named Mutts Be Loved.  My mom had wanted to schedule a session with Mutts Be Loved before she was diagnosed with cancer but once the treatment started and the costs for medications came into effect there just wasn't room in our budget for a photo session. Kelley contacted me earlier this week and wanted to surprise my mom with a photo session with our dogs.

Kelley was incredible with the dogs and did an absolutely amazing job. She picked them up from my house and took Meeka & Kailey (our dogs) out to a couple parks and trails and began her camera magic. She quickly got the photos edited and we were able to print some out to surprise my mom with them on Sunday. My mom had no clue this surprise was coming except that I kept confirming with her that we were having coffee at 1pm exactly so she thought something was off (silly me). Kelley presented them to her and she instantly started to cry.... and of course made the rest of us tear up. It truly touched our hearts how thoughtful it was of Kelley to do this for my mom. Every bit of happiness and positivity added to her day will make a difference. Seeing those incredible pictures of her dogs will add a smile to her face all the time.

It's beautiful the affect animals can have on our wellbeing. A simple touch to a dog can calm your heart rate and bring a softness to your own body. My mom has told me that Kaily & Meeka have been an important part of her healing process. They've been there for her during the rough nights of being sick and they lean up against her when she needs a hug. Now when I'm babysitting them and she's missing them she can look at these pictures too.

Thanks again Kelley! - Mutts Be Loved (facebook page)

-Michelle

Did You Know? : Milk

you are not my mother - img via

I remember the days when I was little and we had milk in our cereal every morning and a glass of milk with every dinner. These days I reach for the Almond Milk. Oh how times have changed.
Over the last couple of years I've learnt more and more about milk and how it actually isn't that great for our bodies. Just recently though I discovered my last tad of knowledge about the side effects of milk that sent me into the "Absolutely No Milk" category.

Did you know?

• We are the only mammal that drinks milk from a different mammal? We are naturally only supposed to drink our own milk. Milk from a cow is meant to make a calf grow 8 times it's birth weight by it's 1st birthday. Calves grow to be 1000-2000lb animals! Babies also require milk from their mothers to grow quickly in the first few years of life but don't require cow's milk to continue growing afterwards.

• You don't require milk to get your calcium intake for the day. You can actually receive more calcium from other sources. Sesame seeds contain 90mg per tablespoon, 1 cup of broccoli contains 178mg and 1/2 cup of Tofu contains 258mg. The average daily dose recommended is between 700-1000mg. It's also not bad to take a calcium supplement if you are lacking calcium. People don't realize that we consume a lot of our calcium through our food we eat.

• It has been found that the majority of the world population is lactose intolerant (lactose is found in cows milk). Being lactose intolerant causes upset stomachs, digestive problems and unnecessary bloating. So why do we want those symtoms?

Now here's the fact that pushed me over:

• A majority of cows are milked while they are pregnant. This meaning that we take in a very large amount of hormones from the cow. These hormones can't be filtered out and have a great effect on our bodies. In studies this has shown to increase the risk of cancers, especially breast cancer.

img via

If you are still needing that "milk" in your cereal or coffee why not switch to Almond Milk? One cup of Silk Almond milk (unsweetened) contains 45% of your daily recommend intake of calcium.

Do you drink milk? Have you ever thought about switching over to Almond or Soy milk?

-Michelle

P.S. -This was in no way endorsed by Silk or any other Soy Milk or Almond Milk Company. This is solely based on my personal studies and findings.

Healthy Weight: Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping

I wish I could shop at the organic grocery store or farmers market every time but I can't so I've learnt how to make the best of it at the Supermarket.


fresh veggies from the market


Have you ever noticed that every grocery store (supermarket) is set up the same way? It's no coincidence. People have been paid to figure how our thinking works and lead us to parts of the store that are more profitable to them. Where do they make the most money? Middle isles and at the till. The problem for us is that these areas are the most unhealthy areas in the whole store.

Here are some tips on how to shop healthy at the grocery store:

• Avoid middle isles: the middle isles contain products that can sit on the shelves for long amounts of time and almost everything has been processed (no real nutrients). This meaning the products have chemicals and preservatives so they don't rot. Chemicals don't belong in our bodies.
• Keep it Fresh: The perimeter of the store will have fresh fruit & vegetables, fresh bread, meat, seafood and frozen products that have been frozen while still fresh. No this does not mean that the frozen pizza or microwave meal is good for you. I'm talking about the frozen peas, carrots etc.
• Try to avoid going to the grocery store when hungry: I know oh too well that it leads to disaster - "I'll have one of these and one of those". Not only do you make unhealthy choices but you also spend unnecessary large amounts of money. Ever had a someone come back from the store with an extra 5 things that weren't on the list? I wonder why lol.
• Be ready for the checkout: If you know you are extremely tempted by those pesky candy bars and gum then come prepared with a tiny bag of trail mix or carrots. I like to grab a magazine while waiting in line so I'm not staring directly at 30 different types of chocolate.
• All Natural - Gluten Free - Sugar Free, etc.: Just because the label reads that it's free of something doesn't make it healthy. It can still be full of preservatives and still be highly processed. Make sure to read the label and try to buy boxed/canned products that only have 5 or less ingredients. Keep it real!

Where do you wish you could grocery shop?

-Michelle

Healthy Weight : Keeping Smoothies Skinny

Beware: Smoothies are usually considered a meal and I'm a Smoothie Freak! Love em!
 

Smoothie Art

A large percentage of smoothies that are offered at on-the-go places have the same amount of calories as a meal. Liquid calories can be dangerous! There is also a large amount of sugar in smoothies (natural or added) and should be consumed in the morning or early afternoon so your body can burn off all that extra energy/sugar.

There's also healthy smoothies and then there's "smoothies" which are actually just milkshakes in disguise. Smoothies can be a great meal replacement if made correctly and be amazingly beneficial to your health. Adding Kale into your smoothie everyday is an easy way to get those extra greens.







A run down of some of the smoothies offered at "on-the-go" places:

Jugo Juice - a fav "on the go" one

Mc Donald's Peach Smoothie - 545g serving

320 calories / 70g carbohydrates (sugar) / 65g of sodium

Dairy Queen/Orange Julius - Strawberry Banana - 587g serving

320 calories / 82g carbs / added sugar and fructose corn syrup

Booster Juice - Mango Hurricane - 24oz

336 calories / 78g carbs (sugar)

Starbucks Strawberry Banana Smoothie (soy) - Grande

290 calories / 58g carbs (sugar)

To give you an understanding of how it compares to a restaurant breakfast:
A waffle at IHOP (no syrup/no butter) is

310 calories / 37g of carbs

Now I'm not saying go grab a waffle instead of a smoothie but I'm showing you that a smoothie is pretty much a meal and can sometimes be considered an unhealthy meal if you don't know what's going into it.

The BEST thing to do : Make them at home so you know what is going into them and how much is going into them. That way you can also make meal sized or snack size.

Here's an example of a smoothie I make at home most mornings for breakfast:
  

Magic Bullet - your best friend in the kitchen!



• 1 small frozen banana
• Handful of frozen mango chunks
• Handful of blackberries
• Large handful of Kale
• 1 scoop of Vega (Natural) Energizing Protein Powder
• 1 tablespoon of Flax Seeds
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of almond milk

Blend! and slurp!

Amazing added ingredients for smoothies:

Kale : High in Vitamins A, C & K. Great source of Iron and fights fatigue. I can notice a huge awesome difference in my skin when I add Kale.
Flax Seeds: Great source of fibre and Omega 3's.

Chia Seeds: High in calcium, iron and magnesium. They also contain Omega 3's.
Coconut Water: Filled with potassium and 5 different electrolytes. My favourite brand is Zico.

To milk or not to milk?
I'm not a fan of using milk but instead I like to use almond milk or soy milk. I find that milk is not easily digested by anyone and causes more harm then good.

What do you put into your smoothies? Are you a smoothie lover?

-Michelle



My Life Update : What Is A Health Coach?

I'm taking steps towards my goal - dreams - purpose in life right now!

September Favourites (so far) : Sunsets, Tea and Smoothies



September is going to be the start of some really exciting things in my life. School officially started yesterday and I was an eager beaver and jumped right into studying. I'm attending the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York to become a health coach. I can officially start practicing in February. It's really interesting to meet a wide variety of people from across the world that are enrolled into the program. I love that the common interest is to create healthier lives for everyone in the world.

So what is a health coach you ask?
A health coach guides you to better overall health. Food is not the only thing that determines how healthy you are. It comes from a balanced combination of healthy relationships, fulfilling career, staying active (getting exercise) and spirituality. A health coach helps you recognize where you can improve in your life to find that overall happiness and health. Once recognized, set out and determine how to improve your health, setting goals and creating plans.

We've probably all been there at once when you can eat all the veggies you want but the scale doesn't move. Think back... were you happy at work? were you constantly arguing with others? was there no love in your heart for others? Sitting down a majority of the day? All these factors can bring down your overall health.

When your overall health is down for large periods of time, it leads to disease.

Preventable diseases is one of the reasons I wanted to become a Health Coach. It upset me to see the people around me year after year be diagnosed with diseases. Or hearing about peoples family members being diagnosed with a disease way to early in their life.

A few simple (sometimes challenging) life changes and you can prevent so much turmoil from entering your life and the ones you love.


Would you ever consider seeing a health coach?

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Pictures & Pinterest

A short week has come to an end!

What's everyone up too this weekend? We are heading out to see a DJ (Morgan Page) downtown tonight. It's a nice chance to let go. Lately everything has been so high strung and the idea of relaxing is forced. I've made sure to meditate in the morning to ensure I'm get some "grounding time".

I've been wandering through Pinterest this week so I thought I would share some of my favourites and a couple of my own pictures from the week.

This is from last weekend at Joe Fortes. Lucky for us we showed up at happy hour and scored a perfect spot on the roof top patio (score!). Everything in this picture made me feel blah! It's amazing how you can feel the difference between "fresh/whole food" and "deep fried/proccessed" food. Don't get me wrong... it all tasted in INCREDIBLE. The best part of the appies was the bread with lobster oil and balsamic vinegar dip.

via Pinterest

This is a great DIY project I would actually take on. We haven't put anything up on our bedroom walls yet. It's been 9 months since we moved in! Can you tell I'm not much of a interior designer?? Help me!

via Pinterest

Love this look! Not a huge fan of the braclet though. I can't believe how excited I am getting for Fall fashion.

via Pinterest

This is what fills me :  FAITH - HOPE- LOVE

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Michelle

Start Before You're Ready : New Health Plan

When a new season comes along it brings the opportunity to create new healthy habits.


img via


September is the perfect time to jump back into a healthy routine. Although it can get pretty hectic in the beginning of September with everyone coming back from vacation and kids returning to school, it's actually easier to get back to a normal routine. The amount of unplanned outings goes down and there's more time for scheduled activities and exercise. The number of unhealthy food temptations thankfully dwindles down too.

When to begin? Now! When creating a new plan for your health, there is no better time than right now to start it. It doesn't have to be made into a huge deal. Just take the first step. Don't make excuses of why you should wait for tomorrow or next week or when everything is a bit calmer. Your health routine/plan is a way of life and not a "diet". If it seems overwhelming, just take small steps at first.

For example: If your goal is to run a half marathon and you've never ran before, you wouldn't go out and run 5k on the first day. Your body would go into shock and you would more than likely quit on your new goal. Take it easy and gradually build up. The same principles apply to your eating habits. You don't have to go all out on the first day. Gradually eliminate unhealthy chemical filled foods from your diet each day till eventually you are eating only those vibrant and natural lean proteins, veggies and fruits.

Happy September Everyone!
Do you have any new goals for this Fall or Winter? I'd love to hear them.

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Labour Day Long Weekend

Did you read that? woop woop it's another long weekend! 
What do you have planned for this lovely long weekend?



The last of the Summer Flowers

 I'm taking this weekend to rest and go with the flow.. mostly. I think I will be heading out on Sunday for a very early morning adventure to the beach to listen to the waves and smell the sea. I'm really looking forward to it.

I also plan on taking this weekend to read a large part of my book "The Charge" by Brendon Burchard. I've always been interested in how the brain works and how to get the most of it. So far the book is great.

Photography - a must for this coming weekend. I don't know what has been holding me back from getting out there and taking some photos (which I love doing). Maybe I'm bored with what is right in front of me. It's time to go roaming and appreciate the little things. Hopefully I'll have some awesome pictures for you guys next week. I want to brush up/learn new skills - anyone have some awesome YouTube tutorials they would recommend?

• WestJet airlines proposed a question: Where would you take 135 of your friends if you had a jet? I said I would take everyone to one of my favourite resorts in Punta Cana. We would celebrate family and friends.
• I've been lazy at cooking this week as I'm a bit tired. This would be perfect to throw together on the BBQ and ta da it's done and ready. Dinner is served!
• And the talk of the town.. FALL. It's just around the corner. You can sure feel it's colder in the mornings and evenings. Time to get a new jacket. This one is perfect for keeping warm while active.
• Diner En Blanc -Vancouver took place last night. The pictures posted on Twitter were gorgeous. It was a beautiful summer night for them. I would love to go next year. I just found out about it last night. Oops a little late.
• Beautiful performance and song! How will you leave your mark on the world?

To leave you with a quote to ponder.
It's shown up in couple places in my life this week :

"Ask not what you are getting from the world but, rather, what you are giving to the world"

Have a wonderful weekend!
-Michelle