It’s one of many key elements that will impact the outcome of whatever it is you’re working towards.
With that in mind, let’s chat about vigilance.
Vigilance is defined as being mindful of potential challenges or difficulties.
If there’s no vigilance, the probability of remaining consistent is unlikely.
The compound effect is that the achievement of the desired outcome either doesn’t actualize or it takes way longer than it could have.
In my work as a coach, in both the nutrition and activation and accountability spheres, I often find that a lack of vigilance has a huge impact on whether or not clients reach milestones or outcomes that they indicated they wanted when they began working with me.
Here are the top five ways I see a lack of vigilance manifest into unmet goals:
•Losing sight of goal. Not checking in regularly (daily and ideally, multiple times per day).
•Self-deprecation being the motive for desiring change. Hating X about yourself will not yield the results you want. (You might achieve some semblance of your goal but you still won’t be happy, satisfied, etc.) So stop with the negative self-talk and approach your quest from a place of love and see what happens.
•Distractions and lack of integration into life/style. Life happens. But if you use it as an excuse, you’ll never find an opportune window. The actions required to meet your goal must be integrated into your life so that distractions don’t threaten to derail you.
•Too much leniency and reverting to past patterns or habits. Enough said.
•No accountability or infrastructure for feedback. Having support and resources for feedback in place can put you on the fast track but often not valued because of the investment of financial resources, allocating time, or any elements of education that will assist the cause.
Be mindful of these sneaky little ways you might be holding yourself back from the fulfillment of what you want.
If you feel pulled to explore this on a deeper level, I’m offering a two-week immersive experience to help activate you to your highest potential. Reach out if you’d like more information or to lock in your space.
Albert Einstein is credited for the definition of insanity.
Insanity: doing the same thing, over and over again, and expecting different results.
Seems legit.
I had an epiphany related to a personal pursuit that is basically summarized by this quote. ‘Spinning my wheels’ might be another appropriate catchphrase.
The repetitive nature of what I was doing was unnoticed because I was looking at it from the perspective that there was safety in repeating the process. Over and over. And getting the same result.
All too often we hear consistency is key. Key to what? Doing the same thing over and over? Are we rewarded when we repeat our efforts? In a sense, yes. I cannot deny that long-term effort does yield results in some regards. However, it can also create a false sense that we are being proactive when we’re probably more complacent than anything. (See my last post to read about my thoughts on complacency.)
Doing the same things over and over feels safe. There is security in things that feel familiar. Routine can be really helpful to an extent. It can also impede progress.
I’m constantly questioning so many of the challenges I see people doing; 100 squats for 100 days, 75 Hard, running or activity streaks that span many weeks, months, or years, etc. They’re cool and a great way to build new habits but is there growth, figuratively and literally, in doing the same thing over and over? At the end of a 100-day streak of squatting how much strength have you built? Does doing 100 squats feel easier on day 100 than it did on day one? If you run a mile a day every day for 300 days, on day 301 are you going to feel fit enough to go run 13 miles? If you complete 75 Hard, what happens on day 76?
While I do love routine and ritual related to some of my personal practices (my 5-year sobriety streak or daily morning meditation practice for example), I know the value of getting off the hamster wheel once we recognize that we’re on it.
My newfound awareness of the repetitive actions I’ve taken out of comfort and safety has shaken me. It’s given me an opportunity for self-assessment and instead of throwing in the towel because I wasn’t getting the result I desired (and was getting pretty much the same result over and over), I’ve decided to switch things up.
Variety, changing things up, finding new ways to refine a process, and willingness to explore other ways of doing something, I believe, will yield better results than doing the same things on repeat over and over.
It frequently gets thrown around in the world of fitness and nutrition; attributing a lack of discipline to why one might be challenged to meet their goals.
Listen, the word itself, by definition, has a pretty harsh connotation. It’s defined as training people to obey a set of rules or codes of behavior and the use of punishment to correct disobedience.
I cringe when I hear people talk about not having the discipline to do something or that they wish they were more disciplined. I don’t believe it’s necessarily about being deficient in discipline but rather an overabundance of complacency.
A complacent mentality is feeling content with the status quo. It’s being satisfied with your current situation so that you are not truly willing to invest in making the necessary changes in habits, patterns, and ways of thinking to instigate the transformation of personal health and wellbeing (or in some cases, other life-altering decision making).
I’ve talked about this before on various platforms but I relate self-punishment to a form of discipline that stems from self-depreciation. Hence, one of the reasons I don’t like the use of the word discipline or the usage of disciplinary action to evoke change.
I much prefer to use terms like ‘show up’ and ‘aligned action’ to replace the extreme punishment evoking language that we’ve been conditioned to use when we aren’t showing up for ourselves or aren’t taking actions that align with the outcome you desire to achieve.
My private clients, and even those in my close network, know that I’m very mindful about language and the words I choose. Repeatedly using words and phrases that are common in our culture that have negative connotations are actually programming our subconscious whether we realize it or not.
I’ve had people message me and describe themselves or their current dissatisfied state with words and phrases like I’m fat, I’m a piggy, I made the scale cry, I’m nasty, and many other heartbreaking depreciating self-talk.
There are a lot of elements to integrating change. And I believe, wholeheartedly, that it must be rooted in self-love. You cannot hate your way to healthy. You cannot hate yourself to being vibrant and full of life. You cannot hate yourself to transformation.
You don’t need more punishment, you need more love.
HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language; it’s the language used to create web pages and considered the building blocks for how a page will display to the viewer.
I had a conversation with a middle-school-age girl, whom I’ve known since she was born, over the weekend that illuminated to me how critical it is that we examine how we speak to ourselves.
She was telling me that she is really lazy. I don’t think it’s uncommon for kids to be considered lazy. By definition, it means unwilling to work or use energy. And in certain situations, I know laziness is the default label we use when we experience someone trying to avoid work or responsibilities.
My premonition though is that the lazy label she’s given herself could lend to this beautiful, vibrant young woman potentially not achieving her potential simply because she believes she is too lazy to. And that saddens me.
This actually came up recently with a new nutrition client I’m working with. During our first session, I had to administer some tough love regarding the depreciating self-talk. I do not tolerate it and here’s why: our language, the words we choose, are incredibly powerful. When we speak, whether we are addressing others, or ourselves, attributes to our internal programming.
There are many real-world examples of this, unfortunately. Children being told they’re “no good” or “losers” who won’t amount to anything and then we watch these kids actualize behaviors that affirm the labels they were given.
I saw the conversation I had with the girl as an opportunity to help her reframe her “laziness” as a means of energy conservation so that when she finds there is something that lights her up, she’ll have the energy to pursue it with purpose. I encouraged her to use language that signifies conservation of energy so as to not justify the label of laziness.
Granted, it might not get her out of her share of chores at home but I do believe that there is great power in shifting how we label ourselves and our behaviors.
If you are using depreciating self-talk or language of any kind towards yourself, please stop immediately.
You become what you believe yourself to be so if you’re constantly calling yourself a fat ass or pig, talking about your lack of discipline or that you can’t achieve what you want because you’re lazy or whatever, you are creating your reality.
Your choice of words – your personal HTML is code for how YOU view yourself internally and how you display yourself externally.
Your language is literally coding you so please stop talking down to yourself. Choose your words, your HTML, wisely.
Learn how to prioritize nutrition to support deficiencies.
The body is amazing. And complex.
Dysregulation and dysfunction are often a by-product of nutritional deficiencies. All systems in the body are regulated by the nutrients we assimilate through the foods we consume. Therefore, if we lack a balance of macronutrients (protein, fatty acids, and carbohydrates) or micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) the result could be a decline in basic system functions (digestion, for example) and in turn, health.
I believe that knowledge is power.
And, I want to help people gain access to the information – and resources – they need to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing by way of nutrition.
I’m offering a new option for people who would like to not only better understand where they could use additional nutrient support but also allow for the management of their wellbeing on their own schedule in a way that fits the dynamic of their life.
This package has two independent options; the Nutritional Deficiencies Analysis and the Customized Nutrient and Lifestyle Recommendations which are based on the results of the analysis and goals.
The analysis, by itself, is $35. You can do what you wish with the results; there is no obligation to work with me or opt into the second option.
The Customized Nutrient and Lifestyle Recommendations is $168 and includes evaluation of dietary and lifestyle habits based on the Nutritional Deficiencies Analysis results and other biomarkers, review of health goals and concerns to help guide recommendations, and personalized suggestions to follow to optimize your wellbeing on your own schedule and terms. This option does not include ongoing support or accountability so please keep that in mind if you desire guidance to implement dietary or lifestyle changes.
The graph above shows where a client of mine needs therapeutic nutrition support: her liver, gallbladder, small intestine, and need for fatty acids all scored high priority based on the analysis. Based on this information, I was able to create personalized dietary and supplementation recommendations to support the areas identified as needing a little extra help.
The Nutritional Deficiencies Analysis is not intended to diagnose any illness or disease but rather illuminates the need for foundational support through nutrition.
If you have any questions or want to explore any of my services to determine which one might be the most beneficial for you, please do not hesitate to connect with me. I’m here to empower you to live your life with vibrancy!
Eggs, raw cheese, grapefruit, honey, half & half, coffee. Simple and effective.
Feeling crappy is more affordable.
Swinging through the fast-food joint is way more convenient than preparing real food at home.
Turning a blind eye to symptoms of dysfunction is easier than dealing with the root cause of why you feel tired, bloated, suffer from reactions to certain foods, experience digestive issues, have a low libido, etc.
However, the conversion rate of those inquiries into clients is pretty low.
Why? Because people aren’t willing to invest in themselves. It’s too expensive.
Private, one-to-one nutrition support and guidance is not worth feeling good, losing excess body fat, achieving performance goals, or reaching a better state of health and wellness.
Buying high-quality, organic, whole foods that require actual cooking, and top-of-the-line supplements fall into the same category. Feeling crappy is simply more affordable.
And if you are suffering from any sort of ill health or chronic condition, not to fear! There’s a ton of prescription medications that’ll fix you right up. They’re definitely more “affordable” than real food.
But here’s the thing, if you desire to change how you feel, it requires that you change what’s on your plate.
Personally, I choose to buy the highest quality foods I can get my hands on because they make me feel good. And the foods you consume should make you feel good!
If your cells aren’t singing after you eat (because remember, the foods we consume are the raw materials that build every cell, tissue, and organ and activate their supporting functions in our bodies), you’re not eating real food.
Do you want your body to be constructed from Doritos? Or nutrient-dense, whole foods that supply ample nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs to thrive?
Foods that are produced with regenerative farming practices, pasture-raised, grass-fed, non-GMO, organic, and otherwise thoughtfully produced matter. They are more nutrient-dense than their counterparts and provide more bio-available vitamins and minerals. More bang for your buck, so to speak.
I’m worth the investment. And so are you. Our health and well-being are worthy of the greatest care regardless of the price tag.
If you’re on the fence about investing in your health, consider the cost of not…
Allergies, autoimmune diseases, irritable bowel, leaky gut, mood disorders, cognitive decline, diabetes and metabolic dysfunction, heart disease, cancer…. what will those cost you?
A bunch of years ago, a good friend of mine was approaching his 50th birthday. He was a fellow runner and together, we had formed a small running club in our community and I volunteered with a couple of youth running programs he organizes through his work with kids.
As the date approached, he decided that he wanted to commemorate it by running 50 miles the week of his birthday.
Being the friend that I am and always one to want to see my friends succeed with their endeavors, I offered to run as many of the 50 miles with him as scheduling would allow (his birthday falls around the holidays and I believe he had plans to travel out of state).
I can’t recall all the details but I do remember that at some point (early on if memory serves me), he felt like he’d bitten off more than he could chew. However, I was not about to let him quit. I made it my mission to cheer him on, to encourage him, and to drag his butt out to hit the pavement when he wanted to do anything but run.
He gave me the nickname Pry Bar.
And, he ended up running all 50 miles over the seven days. I was so incredibly proud of him and grateful that I could support him in achieving what he set out to accomplish.
I’m sharing this because a few days ago, I decided to cancel my February Aligned Activation workshop and not schedule any additional ones at least for the immediate future.
There are a handful of reasons which I may expand on at a later time. But the number one reason is that I prefer the intimacy of working with people one-on-one. Group coaching feels sterile to me. I want to have real conversations, not just speak into a social media abyss. I want to connect and know who I’m working with… What makes them tick. What lights them on fire. What scares the shit out of them. What their roadblocks are. And, how I can best support them in whatever goals they desire to achieve.
I may not be able to physically go run with someone that has the goal to complete their first 5k or train for a half marathon. But I can offer support in overcoming challenges. I can provide perspective when things seem unclear. I can help generate a game plan and facilitate the creation of strategies that align with the goal.
I can be your steadfast co-pilot, your biggest fan, and your loudest cheerleader.
What I’ve decided to offer in lieu of monthly workshops is private goal support mentoring. A la carte style; 44-minute private, one-on-one sessions for $44.
Together, with your desired outcome as a guide, we troubleshoot anything you feel is holding you back. We’ll explore whatever it is that you need to succeed, whether it be gaining clarity around what you seek to accomplish, the creation of systems, examining tools for implementing tangible actions, time management, habit stacking, or whatever else support looks like to you to help actualize your vision.
If you need your own personal Pry Bar or a HYpe woman in your corner, I’m your gal!
After taking a few months off from posting on social media about nutrition-related topics, I’ve recently begun to feel the pull to re-emerge in the nutrition sphere.
I am just too damn passionate about high-quality whole foods that are thoughtfully produced and sourced. I care too much about helping people understand the damage that is being done inside their bodies, robbing them of vibrancy and destroying their chances at living life to the absolute fullest, by consuming ultra-processed pseudo-food-like products. I so badly want to help people improve their quality of life and provide them with the tools and strategies they need to do so.
But that isn’t the intention of this post. You can read a recent Instagram post I wrote on the topic HERE if you’re curious.
Anyway, I’ve started to dabble with sharing some of my current meals, and on a few occasions, I shared images of my egg waffle sandwiches. I damn near broke the internet! And, it provided a sobering epiphany.
The posts generated a lot of interest and curiosity. And questions about ingredients, ratios, instructions, etc.
Utilizing what I had on hand.
I don’t really offer recipes. Unless it’s for a baked good, I don’t follow recipes when I create meals. I create meals based on my personal preference for high-quality, whole-food ingredients. I structure meals around things I have on hand and readily available rather than “cravings” and needing to make a quick trip to the store. My meals are based on what my nutrient needs are, and depending on if I’m working toward fitness or esthetic pursuits, my macronutrient targets. I do my best to allow my intuition to guide me.
So back to my egg waffle sandwich. It’s pretty simple. I currently need a high amount of protein. I also need ample essential fatty acids and some carbohydrates to fuel my activity level. My hens and ducks are laying like crazy and since eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, I consume them frequently. I don’t eat grains and only occasionally indulge in store-bought grain-free bread, but sometimes I want a vessel to make a sandwich out of.
Egg, cheese, and seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder).
Enter the egg waffle. For which I have no recipe. Sometimes I make it with one whole chicken egg and a couple of servings of egg whites with a small portion of shredded mozzarella cheese. Lately, a duck egg, which is roughly the equivalent of two small chicken eggs, and some egg whites and no cheese. Or maybe a couple teaspoons of parmesan. Other times I might do two whole large chicken eggs and some egg whites. Or not. With cheese, if I have some/want some. Or not.
Are you beginning to see where I’m going? There is no recipe. There’s no IT HAS TO BE THESE EXACT INGREDIENTS IN THIS SPECIFIC RATIO. There aren’t any directions other than combining whatever you prefer and have so there’s enough liquid to cover the surface of whatever style of waffle maker you’re using, plug the appliance in, and let it cook until your maker indicates it’s done. Put whatever you want on top.
In one of the posts I wrote, within my HY PERFORMANCE Facebook group, I specifically said the intention of sharing a few of my recent meals was to inspire ideas. Not to provide recipes.
What struck me after receiving a number of messages asking for more details, I realized that collectively, we’ve not learned how to create simple meals from whole-food ingredients. We’ve been taught to open a package, boil the contents, and then add the accompanying seasoning packet. Remove the product from the box, puncture the plastic wrap, and put it in the microwave for three minutes. Open a can, put the substance inside in a pot, and warm it up over medium-low heat. Take the innard product out of the shroud it came in, split the contents into twelve pieces, put them on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Enough liquid mixture to coat the waffle maker.
What happened to free thinking? Ingenuity? Creativity?
We’ve become dependent on packaged processed foods because we don’t know what to eat or how to prepare foods that don’t come from a box or a can or other sealed mold to promote a long shelf life.
(Don’t even get me started on “I don’t know what to eat” statements. My brain implodes when I hear someone say that. I literally lose brain cells.)
The waffle maker does its magic.
Even having had this epiphany, I still believe it would be a disservice to provide recipes. Part of my role as a coach is to teach people self-sufficiency. Independence. And even innovation.
If I provided meals plans, told clients exactly what to eat and when, or shared an endless stream of recipes with detailed instructions with ratios of ingredients and/or nutrients that might not even be ideal for the individual following it, they wouldn’t learn how to tap into their wellspring of creativity. A healthy dose of curiosity leads to experimentation and exploration of new ways to prepare whole foods using a variety of techniques.
I’ll happily continue to offer ideas based on combinations that I’m currently enjoying. Just remember that my needs are vastly different from your needs so don’t misconstrue these ideas as being a recommendation that you should eat like I eat. My dietary protocol is unique to my bio-individuality, my goals, personal preferences, food budget, and home/family dynamic.
If you would like more guidance on dialing in a nutrition plan while learning how to navigate some of these challenges, explore my Functional Nutrition services page and see if there’s an option that fits your needs.
Please reach out if you have any questions or want to book a call to chat and see if my style of coaching would be a good fit for you.
In my experience, most of our perceived challenges or roadblocks when it comes to reaching a goal, actualizing a desire, etc., are the result of our own self-sabotage.
There are infinite ways that we get in our own way but I’ve identified what I see most common in my work with my private nutrition clients. And if I’m being honest, are challenges that I’ve imposed on myself in one way or another over the years.
I view self-sabotage as a means of self-preservation; that means that we deliberately keep ourselves in a static zone of safety to reduce the potential for discomfort.
Sound familiar?
During my February Aligned Activation workshop, The Self-Sabotage Spiral, we’ll dissect three common self-sabotage diversions and deep dive into understanding why we default to them as well as explore some practical solutions to self-correct so that you can get out of your own damn way.
The workshop will be held live on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. The transmission will be approximately 44 minutes within a private Facebook group and the replay will be available immediately afterward. An accompanying workbook will be provided. The activation (investment) for my workshops are $44 but I do offer an early bird rate so keep an eye out!
I do what I do for ME. You do what you do for YOU.
I cannot want for you what you want for you more than you want it.
During a conversation with a client a few weeks ago, I made the comment that I have often felt that I want what she wants for herself more than she does.
For the record, I adore this client. I do want her to achieve what she desires so badly, and I have absolute faith that she is capable of it.
But over the course of our time together, it often seemed that I was dragging her instead of walking alongside her.
And to be frank, that’s not my job as a coach and mentor.
I am a portal for transformation.
However, if you want to be in my field and experience the fruition of whatever goals you have, the requirement is that you take the initiative to enter. And show up for yourself. Every. Single. Day.
I cannot do the work for you.
I can guide you, support you, steer you in the right direction, make recommendations, give you ideas, provide feedback, be your loudest cheerleader, and celebrate every win with you. But if I want it for you more than you do, it won’t work. Period.
I’m setting new boundaries with how I hold space for clients. My desire is to work with clients who are ALL IN.
I frequently get inquiries and messages from people who exclaim “I’m ready!” And then weeks pass without any action or further discussion. You’re either all the fuck in or not. There is no “I’m kind of ready” or “I think I’m ready but still on the fence about how ready I really am because life is crazy and I’m not sure and maybe next week, or next month, or in 2025 when my kid graduates high school will be better and then I’ll really be ready.”
I’ve worked with people who’ve said all the right things yet fail to follow through. I’ve had clients forget about their check-in appointments or get busy and not prioritize their commitment to themselves (and honor my time). I’ve witnessed every aspect of self-sabotage you can imagine.
My intention is not to be callous or without compassion. But it would be a disservice if I were to avoid administering a touch of tough love to trigger you a little bit.
If you have considered or are considering working with me, know that the requirement is going to be that you’re willing to prove that you’re all in.
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