An Alchemist’s Recipe for Dreaming Big

It’s Memorial Day weekend…time to kick-off the most relaxing season: Summer! I’m writing this on Thursday as Carlos and I are headed to Lancaster this weekend for some much needed R & R. I’ll be posting the following Monday about our trip as there is a HUGE farmers market there. I’m so excited to get away and start dreaming big about the next steps for my role in spreading the word on healthy living.

I ran across this clip below with Will Smith talking about charting your own destiny. I found it exciting and inspiring. I remember hearing this stuff years ago. But it didn’t really resonate until I got my health in order.

I always wanted to believe you could create a life you wanted to bound out of bed in the morning for. But it wasn’t until I had a body I felt comfortable in, a mood that was consistently optimistic and calm, along with enough energy to “beat anyone on a treadmill (which you’ll get once you watch the video), did things like this video move me to action. It took an exceptional level of health to take this knowing in my head to a fundamental belief that flowed through my body. There’s a huge difference between knowing and believing.

Here’s Will Smith recipe for success. I’d add that to be able to out run anyone on a treadmill and be able to have the laser sharp focus and stamina Smith references, you need a top-notch nutrition and exercise plan for your unique body, a strong spiritual connection to keep guiding you and a great team to train and support you.

What is the missing ingredient you need to live the life of your best imagination?

Daylight Expansion!

I know everyone calls the clocks moving forward Daylight Savings Time but aren’t we expanding daylight…and on the March 21 equinox, when we have equal hours of daylight and sunlight, it marks the time until the fall solstice in September that we will now have more daylight. We are expanding our brightness as we speak!

In honor of having more light, I think it’s time to feel more lightness in our lives. I know it can seem difficult with the perceptions about our economy, the environment and insert top anxiety here. BUT – it can be done, starting with our food.

As we enter the Spring season, it’s time to shift what we’ve been eating and help our bodies de-congest from the heaviness of winter. I know I’m adding in even more greens and decreasing my animal protein consumption. Even after a couple of days, with the warmer weather, I feel lighter in my steps. It’s also time to look at life off of our plate.

Eating is a metaphor for how we live. Do you have too much on your plate from a lifestyle perspective? How can you lighten your load? Pick one thing – maybe it’s cleaning out a closet. Maybe it’s giving up anger towards a friend or family member. Or maybe it’s adding in more fun! You get to choose – it’s your life and it’s time for expansion.

Falling Off the Wagon

So winter has had it’s way with me. Last week, I fell of the healthy living band wagon. It was no exercise, coffee and too much chocolate. And for some, this is their everyday lives but when I checked-in with myself, I knew I wasn’t taking good care of myself.

And for someone who prides themselves on walking their talk and preaches self-care as a number one priority, I felt doubly guilty (and I think this blog entry is serving as my confession!). But more than anything, I felt like CRAP.

This all happened because I’ve been working non-stop since a couple of days before the New Year. It’s all great stuff that is transpiring and given the economy, I am fortunate to have so many opportunities come my way. It’s difficult too, when you love what you do, to ever truly separate yourself from your “work”. Everything in my life, I see through the eyes of a health counselor.

But regardless the rationale, the going, going, going hit me last week. I was too tired to work-out, which lead to a coffee fix. Which lead to afternoon cravings of chocolate and pure exhaustion at the end of the night, which lead to more chocolate. Rather than beat myself up, which I did in less healthy days, I just surrendered.

I gave myself till the end of the week to skip the gym, drink coffee and eat whatever I wanted (which much to my surprise, wasn’t much different than what I normally eat…just more chocolate!). As my dear friend, a fellow health counselor and new Mom, said to me in an email, “You can walk the walk pretty often, but it’s a long walk, and it’s sometimes necessary to sit down in the middle of the road.” So I sat for awhile.

I cleared my calendar this weekend so I could hit my own reset button. I did things that I enjoyed. I went to dinner with some new friends, hit the gym, went shopping with my sister for an outfit for TV (I’ll be on NBC again on Friday) and cooked up a storm. I also took a nap and watched really bad reality TV. It was wonderful! And now, I’m back on the wagon and feeling like new.

So my point in all this babble is even the most committed of us to our health deviate from time to time. I almost think it’s healthy. It reminds me of why everyday, I prioritize to eat whole foods, go to the gym and regularly connect with my spirit, family and friends. Because it feels so damn good.
And all those extras like boundless energy and optimism, clear skin and being at a healthy weight without stressing out about it, don’t hurt either.

Here’s to beating the drum, yet again!

JL Trades in Food for Fun

Last spring, I began meeting with Ali for nutritional counseling. At the beginning of our sessions together, my main focus was to end my cravings and bring closure to an almost twenty year cycle of trying different diets/exercise programs, where I would meet with success for awhile, but then succumb to cravings – only to start the search again for a new “solution”.

By working with Ali, I began a transformation not only with my eating but also with my life. My “aha” moment came the week I worked on finding more time for myself and listing things I already love or would love to do. By taking time for myself, I have begun to cultivate new interests (singing and songwriting!) and, in general, have learned how to nourish myself without always turning to food for comfort. Some of these seemingly simple changes have been nothing short of amazing in my life: my always-hectic, frenzied schedule has become more calm, I am finding more productive ways to deal with people and have felt empowered as a result, and when I find myself facing life’s challenges I feel that I can meet these obstacles and come out on the other side stronger and better.

My stormy relationship with food has improved significantly: in fact, I find that I spend less time thinking about food and more time enjoying life! Because I am able to eliminate energy-wasting activities and thoughts at this point, I feel more relaxed, sleep better, and have more energy each day. My chronic sinusitis has subsided significantly, and my weight fluctuations have ended.

Ali is such an exceptional listener, and always has timely advice and resources that enhance whatever we’re discussing. In addition, her nonjudgmental nature makes room for open, honest conversation. I especially enjoyed the weekly goal-setting and follow-up e-mails. By revisiting goals reflectively, working on the present productively, and making subtle changes for a better future, I felt that our time together was purposeful and always moving in a positive direction.

Ali’s knowledge of mind/body health is extensive, and I would always leave our sessions feeling energized, inspired, and filled with new, exciting information. I believe that anyone working with Ali will experience success if that person is willing to be honest with him/herself, be introspective, and follow through with his/her goals! Ali certainly possesses the expertise and personality to help anyone achieve success!

~ JL, New Jersey

Eating for Energy Workshop

I thought the Eating for Energy workshop was fun and informative. I liked that Ali’s focus was on sugar rather than calories and fat, because I do believe that sugar is the evil in our food these days. Ali was very upbeat and seemed to have a practical approach as well as the more scientific outlook. And those energy balls were delicious!

~ Debbie Gilmore, Philadelphia

“Eating for Energy” Group Workshop

The “Eating for Energy” workshop was engaging and brought to light a lot of facts that we didn’t know. Ali’s focus on sugar rather than on fat and calories was interesting and different from most of the nutritional information that is widely publicized. People were very intrigued and were asking Ali lots of questions during and after the workshop. From the very health conscious to the not so health conscious, all of the attendees in our office really enjoyed the workshop, and I think that everyone learned something new.

Ali brings a new perspective and awareness to nutrition, and talked about how simple changes in eating habits can have profound effects on the way one feels throughout the day. I have tried to incorporate many of her suggestions into my daily life and have definitely noticed a difference in my energy levels and overall well being.

~ Julie Martina, KPMG

Mike’s Journey: Who Knew Eating Healthy Could Be So Fun?

When you first meet somebody, you usually know if they are a good person. After meeting Ali for the first time, I knew almost instantly she was the thing I was looking for. Working with Ali has been one of the most eye opening experiences of my life. Her wealth of knowledge and guidance has helped me get my eating the way we all should.

I had more energy than I’ve had in years and my lower back pains and digestive issues are gone. I never knew that just eating better and having a fun attitude about it can help us in so many ways. Ali helped me transition my thinking in the foods I eat and what they do for my body. She has given me the knowledge for a better life and will be passed onto my family, including my soon to be son Ryan, as well. Her support over the last six months was a blessing and she truly is that good person I knew she was when I first met her.

~ Michael Delany, Philadelphia

October 2008 Newsletter

Fall Greetings!

Here in Philadelphia, summer is definitely over and my favorite season is already in full swing. It’s time for my 30th birthday (today!) and nature’s harvest season. Depending on how and what we tended to this year, it’s feast, famine or somewhere in between.

This is certainly playing out in the United States right now. As someone who sees both food and finances as an exchange of energy—and thus intertwined and subject to natural laws—the parallels are uncanny. For decades, industrial agriculture has denatured our soil and warmed the earth, Corporate food companies have manipulated food prices and nutritional science. The result: We are in a health crisis. This same domination, uncontrolled growth and short-sightedness has poisoned the soil of Wall Street.

But the great thing is nature’s ability to adapt for survival. We always have a choice and responsibility for what sprouts in our lives. Life will always be cyclical, but if we focus on what really feeds us (and not a pre-packaged life) we can avoid these extremes.

So during this harvest season, first appreciate what is already growing in your backyard. There’s always something tasty. And then look to what isn’t growing and weed it out. Just start with one thing. Try cooking one night a week or drinking more water or enrolling in a class about something that interests you. Given life’s interconnected nature, one step will facilitate more change. Health is the default in nature – your body wants to feel great. It’s that simple. Of course, simple doesn’t always mean easy. But, if you pay attention during the growing season and follow your instincts, you will be rewarded with a feast.

I hope this fall brings you a bounty that includes time to enjoy what you’ve accomplished this year. Be sure to take the time to dream bigger for next year. If you are ready to change your food and lifestyle choices and need support, schedule a consultation with me. Make your “someday” today!

Once I pull myself away from this election coverage, I’ll be there planting and planning for next year too.

And remember in these tough economic times, cooking and buying locally saves money, enriches the soil and provides a sense of grounding that we need now more than ever. Food changes everything. It’s a powerful way to vote for your health, the environment and fair trade. And judging by the last two presidential elections, voting with your dollar counts more than your one at the polls. So to the community organizers who make local farmers markets happen, thank you for keeping our health choices and democracy alive.

Eat well. Be well,

Ali

P.S. If you are curious about Obama’s and McCain’s stance on food policy, you can click on these links. Neither candidate has the ideal solution but from someone well-versed on this issue, Obama’s plan is significantly better for the future of America’s health, food safety, family farms and global warming. If you have any questions on how to read through the spin or what all of this means, I’d love to hear from you.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/rural/

http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/8d810b1d-a6db-47b0-b54b-334c2255aa4e.htm