4 Steps to Feeling Fabulous for the Summer of 2016

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It is finally getting warm and I am so excited about all the activity! I love picnics, parties, seeing family and friends and travel. We have some great trips to look forward to. I just went to Buffalo NY, Miami is next then Fort Worth, Orlando and in the fall, Zurich.

I teach fitness, and keeping in shape is so much more fun in the warm weather and I do push myself with the nice weather. I have a great life! My birthday comes amongst all the excitement, and so I have been doing some reflection and contemplating on how to look and feel 10 years younger. I’m a little shocked by the number, so I am sharing with you my plan and will suggest these steps to my clients. Who doesn’t want to look and feel fabulous especially in the summer?

Step 1: Make a decision to get healthy and stay healthy. Do not get carried away by all the festivities. It is very difficult to get all the nutrients we need from the food we eat when we dine out so often. In addition, in the summer, We tend to eat more, try new foods and drink more. Consider this: just one beer every day can add a pound every 10 days. That can really add up.  Decide to omit one indulgence every day that adds 300 calories and you have LOST 1 GREAT pound every 10 days! How easy is that? (My indulgence was always a peanut butter cup.)

Step 2: Commit to filling in those gaps with a good supplement program. What to take? So many years ago, I had a very dramatic change in my health when I started on a Shaklee supplement program. I was a very unhealthy nurse in my 20’s, getting the flu more often than I was well. A very kind person had me fill out an assessment of symptoms and recommended a Shaklee program based on what my body was telling me. What was profound about that exercise was I gained knowledge about some amazing natural options.

I regularly refer back to that assessment to see what I can do naturally for pain, allergies, PMS. Over the past 28 years, the results from supplements surpassed my expectations.

Step 3: Reset your body in 5 days. We all get off track and then we don’t feel good in our clothes, we have pain, we think foggy, or can’t sleep well. Having experienced a reset,  I can say I just love how I feel by day two. This 5-day reset allows you to reduce cravings and get rid of that bloat while feeling satisfied! You drink 3 Shaklee Life Plan Smoothies a day and take the Vitalizer Strip plus graze on vegetables, fruit and some protein. It’s only 5 days and it just turns your life right around again!

Step 4: Get into action. No matter how busy you are, plan your exercise time. It isn’t selfish or a time waster. We now know how vital it is to walk, run, bike, play tennis, and do cardio types of exercise everyday. Keep moving. Your heart muscle loves to be challenged so it can stay strong. Resistance exercises add skeletal muscle and can be as easy as planks, wall squats, wall push ups, the triceps dip exercise on a chair. Also, yoga is fabulous because it uses your own body weight to build muscle. Even if you do exercise a little now, continually challenge yourself. It is not only good for the body, it is good for the mind!

Olympian Margaux Isaksen is an example of doing these steps. She is on the Shaklee Pure Performance Olympic team going to Brazil this summer. She eats well and takes Shaklee’s pure products that give her the cutting edge for the world sports stage.

We all have our dream of getting to the next level in our lives. Why not give your body the best food, supplements and activity so you can do and feel your best?

I love helping people achieve their next level of health. Contact me for more info on how I can help you!

Wanted: An entrepreneur who appreciates the unlimited income, time freedom and travel like the rich and famous.

 

I’m looking for an entrepreneur who has dedication and passion for helping others. This can lead to Shaklee Star treatment, gifts, and recognition in Orlando during the global Shaklee Live Event in August. I am looking for someone who is ready NOW! Contact me to get started. #LiveAmazing #ShakleeEffect

Live Life With Zest,

 

 

 

 

 

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4 Habits of People With Exceptionally Young Looking Skin

Special: Free Shipping on orders over $75. Offer ends March 31st.

These four habits will help your skin stay beautiful, youthful, healthy and clear!

1. Keep stress in check

I was impressed with an article in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Investigators said stress affects the protective outer layers of the skin, leading to redness and irritation. Not to mention wrinkles. So the next time you get anxious, notice your furrowed eyebrows and the little lines anxiety causes.

What to do:

Make it a point to relax your face during the day. Have a deep breathe reminder at your desk.  Unclench your jaw. Use the base palm of your hand on the bone under  your eyes, put pressure from the inside to relax the muscles under the eyes.  Do this 12 times (Qi Gong exercise).

2. Break a sweat

Aerobic exercise keeps the circulation going and stimulates the lymphatic system. This brings nutrients to the skin and carries waste away from the skin. The lymphatic system does not have muscles and exercise stimulates this daily exchange. Research out of University of McCaster in Canada found that people over 40 who exercise regularly have skin that is closer in composition to that of 2-30 year olds!

What to do:

Regular exercise means 3-5 times a week for thirty minutes. Can’t find 30 minutes? Try it in ten minute segments at three different times of the day.

3. Do a Seasonal Elimination diet

One of the benefits of reducing foods that may be creating inflammation in your body is having less reactive skin (rashes, break outs, wrinkles). Most of us notice how some foods make us tired, gassy, bloated, or we crave sweets. These are also causing inflammation. Most of these foods are in the grain, dairy and meat category.

What to do:

Do a seasonal Fresh Start 7 Day Cleansing Program. It is an elimination diet focusing on what foods you CAN eat, instead of what you can’t! The cleanse is followed by a 4-week program to rebuild your health and metabolism. This March, on Wednesday (23rd & 30th) and I will be offering a workshop discussing the benefits in Midtown NYC.  On Tuesday, March 29^th I will also host a webinar on this program. Email me for more information. (diana@zestylifenyc.com)

4. Choose a natural and effective skin care line

Your skin is one of the most valuable assets you have and it is the largest organ of your body. So taking care of your skin is not only about looking good,  it’s about staying healthy. So, natural matters! The Enfuselle skin care line meets the criteria below:

-Oil free
-Soap free
-Dye free
-Dermatologist tested
-Hypoallergenic
-Won’t clog pores
-Not tested on animals
-Contains no animal-derived ingredients

I was first impressed with this skin care line because Shaklee did a 2-year study and the results were so dramatic I had to try it!

 In 28 days a clinical study confirmed 665% increase in skin firmness, 421% reduction in the appearance of wrinkles, 88% reduction of the appearance of fine lines.

I have been using this line now for over 10 years and consistently people comment on how good my skin looks. I am sharing my secret with you. Keep in mind, consistency is what gives you the amazing results you are looking for. Contact me for more information and to find out your skin type. 

Here are some results people have had with these products:

Also, join me tonight for a Health Chat to learn more about this amazing skin care system. 

Live Life With Zest,

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5 Crucial Ways to Whittle Your Middle

Free shipping for orders over $75 until January 31st. PLUS: Sign up for the Fresh Start/Foods Rule Class by January 31st for a significant discount!

What causes that extra padding around your middle beyond calories?

1. Insulin Resistance. Eating the high carb diet that most of us eat (including alcohol and sugar) for just a few years, the body has learned not to respond to insulin. So the blood sugar level rises and quickly converts to fat. The belly is the best place to store that fat.
2. Adrenal Fatigue. Due to the fact that we are under constant stress, our bodies are releasing cortisol and adrenaline that signals the body to release sugar for fighting or fleeing. Since we don’t live in a world where we use that sugar (our true fight or flight response is rarely activated), that sugar gets stored as fat.

These are the best ways to whittle your middle:

1. Eat foods or drink shakes that are balanced. That keeps our blood sugar levels even (no need for insulin) and we avoid cravings. It can be a balanced meal or snack (like a food or whole food supplement). Balanced means eating a combination of protein (builders), carbohydrates (quick energy) and fats (good for skin, hair nails, hormones) in a ratio that gives us immediate and sustained energy, so sugar levels don’t rise (we won’t get cravings) and it won’t get stored as fat.Shaklee’s Life Plan Shake, Shaklee 180 meal in a bar and Shaklee 180 snack bars are balanced and will keep your insulin working for you!I am offering a class to help you use food, supplements, exercise and positive thinking to balance your body.

2. Exercise in a way to build muscle. Weight training, yoga, and interval training can build muscle. Muscle takes up less space so you look leaner as the scale numbers go down. More muscle means more energy and higher metabolism. Here’s a bonus: Shaklee’s Life Plan shakes contain the amino acid leucine that helps retain and build muscle. Clients are so encouraged when they look thinner sooner with these shakes and Shaklee 180 Program. The news is all good with insulin too! The more muscle you have, the less you need to release insulin.

3. Find ways to reduce your stress level and cortisone levels. By reducing cortisol levels you are effecting how your body stores fat. Shaklee has a 30 minute Stress Relief herbal supplement to minimize the stress burden on the body. It contains Ashwaganda (a body balancer), L-theanine (to stay relaxed and alert), Beta-Sitosterol (which reduces cortisone levels).Meditation, yoga or Chi Kung, for 20 minutes daily also teaches you how not to live your life with your foot constantly on the accelerator!

4. Build healthy gut flora. Studies show that gut flora plays a large role in weight control. Populating your gut with healthy bacteria helps with digestion and metabolizing your food. Shaklee’s Life Plan shake is a meal, plus it contains pre and post biotic (which help with digestion and metabolism).Shaklee’s Optiflora pre and post biotic is a system that builds gut flora. What makes this system unique is the little pearl in the system, which is triple encapsulated. The bacteria numbers stay intact as it passes through the stomach and small intestine and gets released in the large intestine.The new Fresh Start Cleanse is a program will help you build you digestive flora with specific foods and supplements.

5. Get a metabolic boost. The ingredients in Shaklee’s Metabolic Boost contain ingredients to help with Insulin Resistance (which reduces cravings and helps release energy) as well as EGCG, which is commonly found in green tea and is known to increase calorie burning. Shaklee 180 Energy Tea also contains calorie-burning EGCG to increase metabolism and give you a boost of energy!

Knowledge is power! We have products that have been scientifically proven to work. Shaklee weight loss participant’s have lost over 3 million pounds! I am offering a fabulous program with 20 years of research that can be accomplished individually, in our group or in person in a 6-week Fresh Start/Foods Rule program.

I have 28 years of experience in helping people re-commit to their health goals And reclaim your optimal health.

It is your time to own your health, let me help you! 

I also recently discovered this awesome company called Bring the Gym to Me. With a network of over 500 fitness instructors, they will match you with a personal trainer or fitness instructor that is perfect for you. With classes like Yoga, Pilates or one on one training. The best part, is that the trainer comes straight to your home(!) with workouts scheduled and customized to suit your needs. Check them out at http://www.bringthegymtome.com.

Email or call/text to find out what will work for you. diana@zestylifenyc.com or 216-526-5496.

Live Life With Zest,

 

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Healthy Holiday Eating Habits to Keep You On Track All Year Long

 

 

“It’s just what I do this time of year,” is what I hear often as a health coach. Yet year after year, pounds accumulate and we feel sick, tired, and disappointed as we approach a New Year with those 5-10 extra pounds.

Understanding habits is a great way to pinpoint what we are doing to sabotage ourselves. Brad Lamm in his book “Just 10 Pounds” describes 6 Eating Habit Styles. Maybe you will recognize yourself in one or two of them.

Then for each one I will give a strategy to get you back on track. Don’t’ worry if you identify with more than one.  If you’d like to take the quiz email me at diana@zestylifenyc.com.

1. The Emotional Eater: In this style, a person uses food as comfort. We eat when we are happy, sad, or bored… and everything else!  The foods tend to be comfort foods:  like macaroni and cheese, meatballs and gravy, grilled cheese sandwiches, or cookies. Can you relate?

The problem occurs when you notice you are gaining weight and not feeling good about it.

Tip:  Become aware of what  foods you reach for and how many calories the foods contain. Either replace them with foods that have less calories (low fat cheese) or eat a smaller portion size.  For a grilled cheese sandwich, have half a grilled cheese for half the calories.  To lose one pound of fat, we have to eat 3,500 calories less (or burn it off with exercise).

2. The Habitual Eater: This is a person who is good with structure and sticks with it until they have an emotional  trigger.  They are not flexible when problems arise, like with time restraints and responsibilities and do things like skipping meals, eating fast foods, or they eat that brownie everyday at 4pm.

Tip: Take an organized approach to meal planning. Use a guide like portion control. Imagine a hand as a way to do meal and snack planning.  My clients love this. It gives them a visual to plan their weekly food.  For example, a fist is one cup or 200 calories of pasta or rice. On a 1500 calorie diet, you are allowed one fist per meal. So make a pan of rice and divide it into 5 portions in the refrigerator for the week. You can do the same for protein like chicken. The palm of the hand is 3 ounces or 150 calories.

3. The External Eater:  External  cues are all around us in NYC, restaurants, windows, grocery stores and at holiday party settings. It can be difficult to say no. Since the external eater is visual, take a few moments each day to visualize yourself in that little black dress or your favorite slacks. What weight do you want to be? Weekly, keep track of those numbers.

Tip: When you go to a holiday party, decide ahead of time to pick foods that will support your desire to keep slim. It’s a habit! When at a party pick vegetables, eat fruits and protein (cheese, hummus) that  will keep you fuller longer. If you are full you are less likely to be tempted.

4. The Critical Eater: This person is knowledgeable about dieting and exercise but can become obsessive about dieting rules. It is all or nothing thinking. They have forgotten how to enjoy food and are very hard on themselves if they make a mistake.

Tip:  Focus on what foods you want to enjoy and take the focus off “bad” foods. Enjoy cooking, even if just once a week cook a dish that is healthy but tasty. It could be for friends. Find the joy in healthy cooking and eating with friends.

Here is a good resource for “good-looking”, healthy, and delicious foods. I use a lot of their recipes.

5. The Sensual Eater: Is the person who really appreciates food and loves every bite and does not say no.  They enjoy every bit of pasta, lobster, and sauces.  This can really add calories and weight.

Tip: At a restaurant, share a meal.  After every bite, drink a glass of water to reduce the addictiveness of the flavors. Begin to shift to cooking that will give you a broader range of tastes.  Soups are a fabulous example. Add 3 or more vegetables, broth, chicken or tofu and some pasta with herbs like sage and tarragon.  Flavorful, and you are creating a broader range of flavors for the taste buds.

6. The Energy Eater: Is the person who listens to their hunger and feeds the body as necessary. But many people reach for more fast acting carbohydrates like breads, crackers, and granola bars which cause more hunger (because of an insulin spike)  and they tend to unknowingly eat too many calories.

Tip: Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. Limit fast acting carbs, and emphasize slow carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits, and non starchy grains (Quinoa). Stamina foods are protein and fats. Eat protein at every meal.  Protein can be nuts, low fat cheese, cottage cheese, tofu, rice and beans. Avocado is a fabulous fruit/fat for energy people. It will fill you up and is good source of the right kind of fat.

A great snack is 1/8 of an avocado  crush and spread over whole grain crackers.

It’s very important to start your day with a breakfast of 24 grams of protein. Your body has been fasting all night. I find smoothies to be an easy and convenient way to be sure to get the day off to a fabulous start and have fewer problems with cravings.

Set the stage for a fabulous New Year and new you with self knowledge and a shift in habits.  I always say, “Where there is a will, there is a waistline!”

NOW is the time to prepare for your healthy 2016! Contact me for details – the Fresh Start Cleansing program begins on January 11th.

E-mail diana@zestylifenyc.com

Call or text 216-526-5496

Live Life With Zest,

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Holiday Gift Giving 2015: For Ageless Beauties & Handsome Gents

Special: Free Shipping on orders over $75. Offer ends December 15th.

The holiday theme of 2015 is Ageless!

The other day I was crossing Bowery Street with 2 armfuls of shopping bags. They were heavy and I could not bear to wait for the next light. I had five more seconds to cross and the oncoming cars were restless. I was running out of time when a 21 year old angel grabbed my arm so I would not get hit by an approaching car. As he let go of my arm when we reached the curb, he said “You are in better shape than I am.” He was out of breath. Not sure how old he thought I was. Really did not want to know!

But I got to thinking, how are we defining age? And that the best gifts are ones that last, the gift of looking and feeling young, so we can breathe easy while racing across streets…and no one has to know how old you are!

This holiday season, give the gift of health to all of the ageless beauties and gents in your life! Here are my top 12 picks:

 1. Vivix – Liquid or Liquigels

2. Enfuselle Anti-Aging Duo: Time Repair AM & C + E Repair PM

3. Shaklee 10 Turnaround Kit – lose 10 lbs and 10 years!

4. Stress Relief Complex – Keep cool under stress!

5. Pump it up – Physique & Performance

6. Enfuselle Cleansing Gel & Balancing Moisturizer

7. Men’s After-Shave Duo: Enfuselle Hydrating Toner & Calming Complex

8. Get Clean Kit -avoid rashes from harsh chemical cleaners!

9. Basic H & Germ-Off Wipes – quick and easy clean!

10. Enfuselle Infusing Mineral Masque & Refining Polisher

11. Enfuselle Instant Firming Serum

12. Get Clean Water Pitcher – fresh water is the elixir of life!

For more holiday fun & gift ideas, please join me this Sunday, December 13th for my Holiday Brunch Open House! 

Live Life With Zest,

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Is Overeating Holding You Back?

CHOreograPH/Bigstock

 

What is holding you back from looking great in your spring clothes? Overeating.

Most of us are used to being good sometimes and overeating other times. There are a lot of reasons why we overeat, and some of them can be not eating breakfast, late night cravings, emotional eating, and triggers such as alcohol at social events.

We had a lot of success with the “Ten Pound Turnaround” and there is still time for you to join in on the fun. We are trimming our middles and learning a lot as we discover ways to overcome our urge to overeat.

Why We Overeat 

Circle the answers that apply to you:

1. Which foods trigger overeating for you? Hard candy? Cookie? Pizza? Alcohol?
2. What time of day are you more likely to overeat? Morning? Mid-afternoon? Evening? Between 7-10pm?
3. What emotions stimulate automatic behavior to overeat? Sadness? Anxiety? Fatigue?

If you circled any trigger foods, you’re not alone – according to FDA research, one of the biggest trigger foods is sugar. And when you add fat to that, it is synergistic.

Last night I attended an event that had macaroons and champagne. I knew that I was in trouble. What was my best option? In this case, the champagne was the better option because although it’s all sugar, the effect is not compounded by fat and sugar together, such as in the macaroons. I had a small glass of champagne and a glass of seltzer water, and it worked! I didn’t feel any urge to overeat.

If you circled a time of day that you are most likely to overeat, the best answer is to add structure and plan ahead with your diet. Eating small meals five times a day is a great way to curb cravings and avoid midday and nighttime overeating. Shaklee’s Core Energy has ginseng which helps the body adapt to stress, so your energy stays even throughout the day and your busy schedule won’t drain you and encourage overeating.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t have much control over our daily schedules, so planning meals ahead of time can be challenging. If you need to eat late at night, choose a 200 calorie snack with lots of protein and fiber such as nuts or a small portion of cheese. No matter your schedule, thinking ahead and making a plan is key and will help you avoid overeating at any time of day.

Making sure your blood sugar is even throughout the day will help you avoid a sugar crash, which makes you want to overeat. If you are an emotional eater, sticking to a balanced meal plan will make it easier to fight cravings when you are feeling fatigued, sad or anxious. High protein, high fiber meals, such as the Shaklee 180 Smoothee, will satisfy your body’s needs and keep you satiated. Adding a supplement such as the Stress Relief Complex will help prevent blood sugar spikes which leads to the “sugar blues” and causes overeating.

It’s not too late to join the “Ten Pound Turnaround” club! No matter your challenges with overeating, we will join together as a group to problem-solve and share tips and support to stay on track. The Shaklee 180 program is a great health-enhancing program so that your body starts reacting better to sugar and stress, so you can avoid pitfalls affect your health, vitality and zest!

Live Life With Zest,

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Get Ready, Get Set: To Start a Successful New Year!

I don’t want to have any regrets this year. Being healthy is not a given – it’s something you have to work for. As the expression goes, “if you ignore your health, it will go away.” This is a great time to think about what you’ve done well, what has worked for you, and what you want to change for the better for next year. These four steps will help you feel better, look better and take control of your destiny.

Photo Source

1. What did you accomplish this year? Instead of focusing on what you didn’t do, it’s time to find your supportive voice. Take stock on what you did accomplish this year. Did you start to exercise once a week? You can burn 350 calories with a strength training class and lose a pound every 10 weeks. It is a good trend. If you did nothing, and lose muscle every year and you’ll gain fat by sticking with the status quo! Ouch!

So for the next week, I want you to write down what you did well in 2014. Build that supportive voice muscle!

2. Do a Wellness Evaluation with an RN and health coach like myself. Issues like stress, digestion, being sick too often, brain fog, migraines and weight loss do well with looking at lifestyles issues and a stress reduction program. The Wellness Evaluation I work with will get to the source of most health challenges and help you find what nutrients you are missing (and the supplements and foods will fill in the gaps), what foods you are sensitive to, and pinpoint the bad habits that are detrimental to your health.

The Wellness Evaluation is a great start to achieving better health.  By taking it a step further and investing in my three month program you can start to develop new solutions to habits that are holding you back. It’s interesting how one challenge can not only effect your weight, but how you perform at your job!

3. Do a short healthy detox. January 5th is a good day to start a five-day “Kick Start Detox.” You will feel and look like a million bucks and this will spur you on begin your 2015 program.

We are starting a group that meets once a week on the phone and once a month in person. Email me if you are interested. Spots are filling up fast! Research shows that making changes in a supportive group setting will help you be more successful.

 

4. Make a game plan today for how you will improve your health this year. The Shaklee 180 health programs make it easy to reach your goals. Some of the benefits are:

• It’s very convenient
• As you make changes you learn new habits
• It is balanced, healthy and preserves lean muscle
• It costs the same as eating out for lunch
• It is on special until December 31st
• You will see results sooner – because you’ll be losing fat, not muscle.

Here is an amazing story from the Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. Jacqui Mccoy lost 207 pound on this TV show in one year. She was driven by the desire to have a baby, but was not able to at her weight. Her success was shown on an hour Friday night special. When the year was over and she started training others to do the same food and exercise program, she was shocked when she started to gain back the weight and her hormones were a mess. Jacqui was convinced by her mothers weight loss to try the Shaklee 180 program. She lost the new 80 pounds with ease and the best testament to how healthy a program it is, is that last September she finally achieved her dream of a baby!

Here is the special:

Starting January – March 2015 There will be 4,000 of us losing at least 10 pounds for a 40,000 pound challenge Jacqui McCoy gave us!

What is your dream for better health in the New Year? I would love to help you identify your vision, and clarify and set your goals. With my help you can develop your supportive voice as well as corrective strategies along the way and achieve your goals!

Don’t ever let anyone talk you out of your dreams, just because they have given up on theirs.

Live Life With Zest,

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