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Our parents are our greatest teachers.
There was so much about my mom that I wanted to be like- not only who she was as a person and a mom but in how she worked. I often hear her voice when I’m talking to my own kiddos or working on a project. But there has always been one area where I didn’t want to be like her. Her health. From the early age of 16, I was eager to help her get healthy. Remember those VHS tapes with Tony Little? Yeah, I would do those with her in the living room. And Richard Simmons! It didn’t matter. I believe at that time she was recently diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and she was trying to work on herself and I was all in with her. But over the years her commitment to herself took a back seat. To work To family To life circumstances Over the years I kept trying to help her but I really didn’t know what I was doing. So the obvious choice for me was to change my major from Art Studio and Art History to Exercise Science and Nutrition. She was my why She was my everything And anything I could learn to help her was my mission It was this mission that I started to look at my own health habits. I was extremely active but didn’t really think about the foods I consumed and if they were healthy or not. I mean, I lived of off Frontier, Saggios and tacos so it couldn’t have been that bad! Shortly after my new journey began she suffered a heart attack. 90% blockage. 2 stents and an amazing cardiologist later she was gifted 7+ more years of life. And it was in those moments where I knew this lifestyle thing was indeed for life. Take extra special care of your heart now and every day. And if you need help along the way, reach out, I’m here for ya. Becs
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I've been sharing a lot about thyroid lately but really this can apply to any season of life.
There’s tired and then there’s tiiiiiiirrrred. It’s a different kind of tired. Like your soul is exhausted. Like your entire body is screaming for rest. No matter how much you sleep, it still isn’t enough. Everything in you is just fighting an uphill battle. …and then that becomes your story. …or at least, it became my story. I remember when I made the realization that it was indeed just that. A story. A story that I kept repeating over and over to myself. I’m tired. I’m so tired. I’m so tired of being tired. I don’t know if you’ve ever said those things to yourself. But when your thyroid isn’t functioning properly or medication not up to par, it’s something that was on repeat. I mean, that’s how I felt. BUT!! One day, I caught myself…”gosh, I’m so tired….wait a minute…I’m not tired. Why am I saying that?” It had become so ingrained in me and that’s what my body responded too. And when I told myself I wasn’t tired, my body opened up. I had a different physical response. I was met with energy and a verve for life again. The language I was continually telling myself became my story. Yes, I had been tired. Yes, my body was screaming for rest. All of those things were true at one point. But my brain didn’t let go of that story. Thyroid issues or not, awareness is crucial, especially when we’re not feeling well or feel something is off. Thyroid levels may not stay linear forever. So when they fluctuate and some of those symptoms come back, that story can come creeping back up again. The same can be said about life in general. Telling ourselves that this (whatever experience you may be going through) is only temporary and this isn’t how life is going to be forever can help navigate those stories popping up. What stories do you keep saying to yourself that might be holding you back? Happy to chat Becs Ladies!!! Come join me in my FREE private Facebook group, The Recommit to YOU Daily, where I post motivational content on health, wellness, mindset and self-discovery every day! If you go down the rabbit hole of research of eating right, it can seem pretty restricting. Add an autoimmune or other health condition and that restriction may seem even more restricted.
I’ve gone gluten free I’ve gone dairy free I’ve gone egg free I’ve gone caffeine free I’ve gone grain free I’ve gone soy free I’ve gone plant based I’ve gone legume free I’ve gone AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) OMG, what the heck is left to eat?! Have you ever asked yourself that? Over the last almost 15 years I’ve experimented in virtually every way of eating to better my thyroid health. But here’s the biggest lesson where SO many people get trapped, stressed and feeling lost. **We have to respect the law of individuality** One size does not fit all. Our bodies are unique. Truth is, there is plenty to eat! Having experimented and tracked my food for years, I know now what works for my body and what doesn’t. What I need to watch and where I can indulge, because hey, I'm human and I like tacos! Thyroid issues or not, it is a practice. Not only is it a practice of what to eat, but it’s a practice to track and read your body…what feels good and what gives you energy or what completely drains you. And sometimes, it may not even be the food. Often we need to look upstream. What are your stress levels? What is your sleep like? How much water are you consuming? Are you moving enough throughout the day? It doesn’t have to as complicated as we make it. If you need help with this, or your mindset around it, I’m here to coach. Becs Ladies!!! Come join me in my FREE private Facebook group, The Recommit to YOU Daily, where I post motivational content on health, wellness, mindset and self-discovery every day! Want to feel like yourself again?
Can you even remember what that feels like? Looking back to my young adult life before I was consistently active, I was always exhausted. I assumed it was because I was working ridiculous hours and full-time school on top of it all. I felt sluggish in mind and body. But after I started getting active consistently I was feeling full of life, always on the go, mind just clicking and having a systematic way of doing things. I was even more busy now that I added in daily strength training and cycling time but it all flowed perfectly throughout my day. Life was great! Insanely busy, but great for years. My mind and body felt connected in all areas. Then after my first pregnancy I could barely think My legs felt like lead going up the stairs I felt like I was glued to the bed when I woke up like I was trapped in a weird dream. I started having heart palpitations My hair started falling out ZERO energy to get though the day …and my primary care said “welcome to motherhood.” Pfft, thanks. I think. Thankfully, during my 6 week post-partum checkup I shared these symptoms with my OB and she ran blood work and sure enough, my thyroid levels were WAY off the spectrum. This was the beginning of a life long journey. A life long journey of managing thyroid levels but also a life long journey of being an advocate for my own health. For 50 years my mom suffered. She would share her complaints but wasn’t HEARD. I realized that I needed to do my own due diligence. There have been numerous times I’ve had to challenge a practitioner to get the bloodwork or even certain medication that I’ve needed. And I will do it a million times over. Had I accepted my primary doctor’s comment of being a new mom and not listened to my own body, I’m not sure how things would have turned out. And this is why I’m sharing my experience. Because who knows how many others have been passed over and just accepted the story that someone else has given them. If you want to feel like yourself again, thyroid issues or not, you must stand up for YOURSELF. And if you need someone by your side, I’m more than happy to walk alongside you. Becs Ladies!!! Come join me in my FREE private Facebook group, The Recommit to YOU Daily, where I post motivational content on health, wellness, mindset and self-discovery every day! It's Thyroid Awareness Month and I'd like to share some stories these next few weeks.
I used to think I had a learning disability and was even tested when I was younger. I’ve always had a hard time remembering the curriculum I just learned. It would take me forever to write things out. I had a hard time articulating out loud what I know in my head. Sometimes this still happens. This created a ton of self-doubt and low self-esteem. Until I realized years later, that I probably had Hashimotos since I was a teenager. The brain fog and stumbling to find the words. The constant tiredness and falling asleep in class. Everything I look back on leads to undiagnosed Hashimotos. But having a diagnosis doesn’t solve the problem. Even having the “right” medication doesn’t solve the problem, completely. There’s always that little bit of sludge that still keeps the thoughts stuck. What has helped me tremendously was focusing on 5 keys areas: movement, mindset, meals, sleep, hydration. Not only does the brain fog clear up but it helped bring back the energy that was being zapped from my body and my body back into the clothes I want to wear. To get a handle on it, we need to train it to serve us and not keep us stuck. It’s SOOOOO easy to let it sink us into all the bound nature feels. But we CAN pull ourselves out of that sludge. Happy to chat if you or someone you know has been feeling this way. Becs While we're getting in the swing of making changes to our health and wellness, I can’t stress enough the importance of what is often overlooked, especially for my friends with thyroid or metabolism issues.
What is often overlooked is also needed to build our foundation. If we keep adding more to unstable foundation, things will eventually fall. Then we're back to trying all the shiny objects that come across our screens or struggling to make our non-serving behaviors work. Metabolism issues or not, focus on building your foundation before adding more and more. And overtime, these can become your non-negotiables.
If these 1/2 dozen things aren’t being done consistently, there’s no point in going all in on magic potions, the super secret fat loss programs, or restricting everything to cardboard for the rest of your life. Sitting all day at work and restricting food then grinding it out in the gym will probably do the opposite of what you’re hoping for. It is possible to get in shape It is possible getting in shape being hypothyroid/Hashimotos. Focus on your foundation and everything else will come into place. And if you need help along the way, reach out, I’m here for ya! Becs Ladies!!! Come join me in my FREE private Facebook group, The Recommit to YOU Daily, where I post motivational content on health, wellness, mindset and self-discovery every day! As we begin our new year, this is the time when we start focusing on our health and wellness.
People start going to the gym, hiring a coach or personal trainer, and start cleaning up their nutrition. Being in the field for over 17 years, one thing I see during this time is the all-in perspective. Everything must change. Now! That's usually not sustainable in the long-term and often leads to repeating behaviors that didn't serve you in the first place. Instead, pick ONE thing that you’re going to be consistent with. Here are some things to help you along
Whichever one you pick, even if it’s somethings else not listed, be consistent with it. Think about your vision of who you want to become. Hold the vision in your mind in order to get that. Choose it to bring it to your mind and awareness everyday. Keep it simple and count your wins along the way. Not motivated but you know you need to do something? Reach out. Let’s hop on a discovery call and simplify this together. Becs Ladies!!! Come join me in my FREE private Facebook group, The Recommit to YOU Daily, where I post motivational content on health, wellness, mindset and self-discovery every day! When my mom passed I felt compelled to do something in honor of her.
It took some time to figure it out but we decided to have our gym host a scavenger hunt…because if you knew mom you knew she loved her yard sales and treasure hunting. All proceeds were donated to our local diabetes advisory council. That was 8 years ago. Grief has a way of getting us lost in life. Even years later. 2002 when I changed my degree to Exercise Science and Nutrition and started this path of being a fitness professional it was all to help my mom live healthier. She was unhealthy, overweight, had thyroid issues and diabetes. So when she passed, a lot of that ambition got lost along the way. But over the years I kept going back that vision and the people I wanted to help.
And here we are 20 years later and my work is transitioning to thyroid wellness and a couple of other things in the works, while still coaching others on all things exercise, nutrition and mindset. 78% of women put themselves last in terms of taking care of themselves. A place where I know most of us have been. My mom lived that life for so long. A life that I wish she made more time for her own self-care. Thyroid, diabetes, coronary heart disease…that’s a lot. As we start to wind down the year, ask yourself if you’re taking care of YOU.
If not, I want you to ask yourself why and why not now…. There will always be something going on in life where it isn’t the perfect timing. There will never be perfect timing. It’s within the mess that we find our way to adapt and pivot to move forward, even if moving forward is 2mm. Most will wait until the year is over to recommit to themselves again. Most will wait until life gets easier to start taking care of themselves. Most will mask symptoms with medication yet wonder why they still don’t feel like themselves. Most will. And most will also find themselves right back in the same patterns a month later. Ask yourself what you could do NOW to break that cycle and move forward 2mm. Happy to chat if you need guidance along the way. Becs Awareness leads to change.
We prevent bad decisions before they happen, rather than feeling guilty for them after they’ve taken place. Here’s how a client explained her “Noticing and Naming” story: My biggest lesson has been the art of the pause or noticing and naming. I had been following my nutrition habits, eating well, working out. Then I went to the movie theater. Despite my pre-movie pep talk, I found myself in the concession line. Even as I was standing there, I kept repeating ‘You don’t want this, you don’t want this.’ Fast forward 20 minutes, and I’m eating the popcorn. I felt lousy, physically and mentally. And for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what drove the entire experience. Chalk it up to habituated response. A few months later, I went to another movie. I had the same feelings of apprehension going into the theater. I told myself to just enjoy the smell of the popcorn in the lobby. Let it sink in. So I did. As I breathed the stuff in, I noticed a strange feeling in the pit of my belly. I can only describe it as the feeling of need — the need to be loved, the need to be comforted, the need to feel secure. Hmmm…all this from the smell of popcorn? By pausing and really noticing what was going on in my head, in my body and in my emotions I was able to see the need behind the need. I was able to sit with that weird mix of emotions and I was able to see clearly that this was a need that movie popcorn could truly never fulfill. Notice and name what cues tell you to eat today. Ask yourself: "Is this a need, a want, or a should?" "Is this signal, or noise?" Pay attention and observe what's happening. This is one of the lessons we’ll be exploring for the 4-week Nutrition Reset that begins tomorrow. Enrollment closes in just a few hours at 9pm. If now is not the time it’s not the time but if you want help becoming the healthiest version of you, you can find all the details and enroll here. I’ll be with you every step of the way. Hope to see you in the reset! Rebecca Many people looking for change will want to jump immediately to a tailored program telling them what to eat and when.
Yet, in my experience, 98% of clients do not have solid fundamental skills. (Even if they say they “eat enough protein” or “eat lots of vegetables). It's sorta like an athlete who wants to go to the Olympics before mastering the basic movements in their sport. I want to emphasize: Clients must show and demonstrate that they can do the simple basics consistently first, before making their program more complicated. Unlike many other “diet plans”, my coaching isn’t a set of “rules” or a “one-size-fits-all” prescription. In fact, it’s not a prescription at all. It’s a set of principles about how and why nutritional choices work. Principles such as:
You know it takes time to build a fit body, improve health markers (such as bloodwork), and change body composition. Physical change can be frustratingly slow. Too slow, sometimes, for you to stay consistent and motivated when it seems like nothing is happening. However, practice happens daily. Skills can improve faster than bodies can change. Having a practice-based curriculum means you can focus your attention on what is improving right now: your process, your daily habits, and your skills.
A practice-based curriculum gives you the opportunity to win and feel satisfied every day Practice helps you discover what you really need, and to own your process of change. Want help becoming the healthiest version of you? Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives. It’s my goal to help those who want to go from stuck to sustainable, to eliminate their limits, to recommit to themselves, find and nourish their purpose. If you want to chat more about how to get unstuck, clear the overwhelm and on a road to balance and peace, I am here. If you’re interested in coaching, I am looking for a handful of ladies to join me to spring into a nutrition reset over the next 4 weeks. March is nutrition awareness month and I’m looking for a small group of women who want to be consistent with their nutrition, go from stuck to sustainable, and learn/implement mindful, moderate eating for good. I’m looking for those who want to quit starting and stopping programs all the time, and finally hunker down and figure out their forever-healthy approach for good – no more random diets or plans. Do you fit that criteria? If so, my 4-week Spring into Nutrition Reset starts Monday, March 8th. This course is for those of you who are looking to increase your results by stepping up your nutritional game! The online group will meet on Mondays at 4:30pm and each week I will go over a new lesson. Then the group will discuss our successes and our struggles, and provide support for one another. If you’re unable to make the call live, not to worry, everything will be recorded so you can catch the replay! There will also be a nutrition group members-only in Whatsapp (free download) where you will share recipes and ideas, motivate each other to stay on track, and keep each other accountable! At the end of the 4 weeks, you will have built sustainable habits that will help you maintain a healthier lifestyle and continue on your journey even after the 4-weeks are over! Who this is for?
I’m only looking for a handful of women who are ready to spring into this 4-week nutrition reset. Enrollment closes tonight at 9pm and we begin tomorrow, Monday, March 8th. Click here to enroll or message me if you have any questions, I'd be happy to jump on a call with you! Rebecca |
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