Curvy, healthy, happier

This morning I strapped on my sports bra, threw on leggings and a t-shirt and walked up to the beach (no shoes of course) with my best girl for what was going to be a “serious” run. The beach was beautifully empty and we started our run. Sadie is actually much faster than I am and now runs off leash really well. Sadie had something else in mind than doing a “serious” run. Instead we jogged and played for a long time. Laughter came out of me for no reason at all. Maybe this is what it is like to be a kid. I was always a serious kid though. We then strolled on the beach and clarity and reflection hit me out of nowhere. I’m hoping I can get it all down. So here it goes and hopefully it will help you reflect or be inspired.

This past year has been a challenging one and I do love myself some challenges but this was the tops so far. I’ve learned a lot and I am in a better place. The biggest thing is that I am comfortable in my body. I’m a little curvier and softer than last year at this time but I’m healthier. And I’m okay with the curves as I know that can change once some of the stress from my board exams are over. Stress does some crazy things to my body. The curves are just hiding a healthy body. My digestive system is on point, my adrenals are healing and my hormones are more in balance. I still have to work on my EFA’s (essential fatty acids). Last year I was leaner and eating what someone I trusted coached me to do. I was training and enjoying it but unaware of the beating I was giving my body without proper nutrition. Yes I was “Paleo” but I was missing some key components. I’m glad that person coached me even if it was into an unhealthy body system because I learned so much. You have to look at each person’s bio-individuality, which I kept thinking during the process last year but I was hoping that if I did what others did I would look like them. Don’t we all feel like that at points in our life. Talking about nutrition I will save for my company blog. So I’m curvier. I’m happy. And I’m healed (well almost). I know a great deal more about nutrition from my own experience and the really cool clients I have in my new practice.

I’m dealing with my stress better and it does push me to be successful. But at times I forget to fit in other aspects of health and enjoying life. That’s been tough with moving, hurricane relief (which is never ending), starting two new contracts and ending another, taking my board exam for licensing in my counseling field (that was a beast of an exam in an 85 degree room), being enrolled in nutritional therapy practitioner course (big finals and practical coming up on June 8^th), starting my own business and seeing clients. Oh and wait tomorrow I go to another training to take on another contract back up in Philly. So there has been a lot on my plate and I haven’t really stopped to think about everything I’ve accomplished. I set my goals and I reach them but then I forget to sit back and acknowledge them. So yes I’m ringing my own bell right now. I deserve a pat on the back.

There was more reflection on the beach this morning but I can’t seem to get it all out of my head. When will there be a machine that can type what I am thinking!?! It would make my life easier.

I’m setting a new goal is that on mornings that I don’t have a client scheduled early or I’m not personal training someone at 5 am. I’m going to stroll on the beach with my best girl. I’m going to take time to play not just start training hard again. I’m hoping to find a yoga studio I like down the shore or maybe I will just do my own on the beach in the morning. I’m going to continue to work on myself because that is never ending as I like t challenge and learn new things. Before I finished this nutrition program I enrolled in another course. I’m going to garden and maybe read a fiction book again. I’m going to start writing down my recipes. I’m going to look into starting my own company to cook for others. Figuring out what to charge and finding the time is going to be a challenge. I wish I could do it for no cost. I’m going to try to unclutter my life.

OK that was more goals then I planned on writing and I have more in my head.

The point of this was that I never thought I’d be comfortable in my body. But I think now that my internal body is healthy, I am comfortable. The composition will change when I really want it too. For now I’m healthy and happy and curvy. Isn’t that what we are supposed to be.

I had a beer

and I liked it. Well I loved it while enjoying it with a friend. I hadn't had beer since Nov. 6th.  I do love my beer but it didn't love me back. So while hanging with a friend catching up I had one beer and it made me a little silly then I had another. Yes I'm a cheap date because I should have been done at one. The second one made me even more silly. But that's not the point. The point is the next day was awful.  Whenever I have an adult beverage, I don't sleep well. This has always been the truth. I only can sleep a couple hours before I'm up and energized. Just like usual this happened. What I didn't expect was how my body would react. I wasn't nauseous or having bathroom issues. Instead - yes I'm going to get personal - I was really bloated, my tooth started bothering me and my gums even bled (which they never do), and my body hurt. So I tried to do the functional exam on myself. Sure enough my liver and gallbladder points were super sensitive along with my enzyme points. Yup I was having a reaction. So I ate a protein and fat diet with some greens that had probiotic, fermented dressing on it. I took extra supplements and drank a ton of water in hopes to flush it out.  Yikes I was feeling foggy brained and my reflex points were so sensitive. I had to wear some leggings to work and a loose dress so I didn't feel worse.



The good thing is that I'm 90% sure it was the beer. The downside is that I love beer. I may do a coca pulse test to see if that was the sensitivity to that beer and try it with other beers.

It took a couple of days to get back to normal. Now only slightly bloated but my reflexive points are less sensitive during a function evaluation.

Now that my body is healing it can pick up on the things that effect it. Before my body was just shutdown all the time and on survival mode. Now it's telling me (and yelling at me) what I can and can't have to be healthy, functional person.

Mom's making changes

This may be the most amazing post I get to write ever. Well until Part II of her progress.

For those of you who don't know my mom, they broke the mold when they made her. Seriously, she is smart, beautiful and a hardworker. She's overcome so many challenges but still faces the day with love and optimism. Her whole life she has been fighting the battle with her body weight. I'll let her write a post one day all about this as its sad that when she was "skinny" she was still told to lose weight. Makes me want to go back in time and punch people in the face! Ok off topic.  Mom works 6 days a week close to 50 hours a week so any changes needed to be simple and not time consuming with cooking meals. Luckily, she also has an amazing chef who cooks healthy, nutrient dense meals.

When I started eating Paleo / Primal, my mom started to also. Since I'm a practitioner in nutrition (I'll be done school in June), I've learned how to do functional assessments and evaluations that can target the reason why the body still isn't losing weight, not making performance goals, and having other systems. What I have learned personally and by others I have been helping on their road to success, is that changing the diet just isn't enough.

It's not just about weight loss, change in diet, or training more. It's about healing those systems we have done damage to all those years by eating processed crap and foods we have sensitivities to.  If it was just easy as to switch the foods everyone would be doing it and having long term results. Often times the change in diet helps and you see drastic differences but then people plateau or have other symptoms going on.

What needs to happen is to address body systems on a bio-individual level. Providing supplements that will uniquely help each person to get their body system back to working optimally is the end goal. Food alone won't correct this; supplements for a course of treatment (for a lack of a better word) is the route for success.

So back to my mom and her road to wellness.  I completed some assessments and found that her digestive (which is the route that most of us need to address first) system wasn't working optimally. Through Lingual-Neuro Testing, I provided her with supplements to aide in digestion. Her diet was pretty much the "Paleo" diet with some twists. Her results just after 17 days are amazing. Mom lost inches everywhere. Total inches lost from measuring hips, waist, chest, biceps and upper thigh is 6.75 inches! In her waist alone she lost 2 inches and hips 1.5 inches! Writing it still gives me chills of excitement. I could see her face was thinning out but 2 inches in 17 days is crazy!!! What is even more important is that mom had been having severe foot pain for the past 6 plus months. Doctors couldn't figure out what the crippling pain was from (no surprise there!). I kept telling her I bet I can get rid of the pain. Man we should have placed a wager. She went from having debilitating pain getting out of bed in the morning and barely being able to walk after a full day of work in pain to having no pain. No pain!! I think she even forgot about her foot pain because I had to ask her "how are your feet doing" and she smiled "I have not pain".  All of these changes were in diet and supplements alone. Mom hasn't started the physical exercise component yet. Part due to the poor weather and that her personal trainer hasn't been getting up at 5 am. I really need to find a facility that opens at 5 am so we don't have to train in the living room.

So what was her diet like. Again, this is different for each person so I don't want to make recommendations and then you follow it without consultation as we don't know how your body will adjust or work to what her recommendations are. I can tell you she ate some kick ass meals cooked by yours truly. Friday nights are "Filet Fridays" as I have dubbed them, she had had avocado chocolate pudding, meatballs, buffalo chicken, meatza, homemade Kung Pow chicken and a bunch more (recipes to be posted). Lots of veggies are included plus a special whey shake from Biotics. She reports not feeling hungry, increased energy, not groggy upon waking up and no afternoon slumps. She's been challenged by seeing others at work eat cookies and sweets, chicken cheesesteaks, Chinese food and some of her other favorites. And yes we have had a pint of Ben & Jerry's hanging out in the fridge that has gone untouched along with some other tasty looking items. Hey you gotta challenge yourself!

My beautiful mom and I Christmas Eve 2012

It's not just about feeling good about how we look in the mirror, it's about having a healthy body on the inside and not having symptoms of illness.

If you, a friend or family member, wants to address any health issues or to focus on weight loss or athletic performance, let me know. My goal is to help everyone have the knowledge and access to living a healthy lifestyle.

Oh and if you see my mom, give her a high-five for all her hard work, change her eating behaviors and not giving up even in moments of weakness.
 

Arg! It has been sooooo long

So much has happened since I last posted and I have a list of post titles that I want to write about. Some are for here and some are for the business site. Writing proper, research based posts are important to me and to make sure my recipes are perfected. Part of me wants to save my recipes and make a cookbook one day but there just isn't enough time for me to do all that.

So the last couple of months I survived a hurricane, fought (and still fighting) with insurance companies, moved, signed up for my board exam, started my own business and am in school to be a nutritional therapist. Oh don't forget that I am working as a mental health therapist still with an hour and half commute each way two times a week.

This is pretty much how my thoughts are during the day. Phew its tiring and I quickly even drew this because I can never find the perfect photo online and I'm not 100% happy with this either. Anyway I promise to update more often, even if the post isn't PERFECT!

Currently, I'm doing a detox protocol through Biotics which I was just trained in to see and feel what the process is like before prescribing to clients.  I'm on the 11th day and feel amazing. I wake up refreshed and ready to start the day. No afternoon slumps. Oh and as of day 9 I lost an inch in my waist already. Now for those of you who don't know me I eat fairly clean 80% of the time. I focus on eating nutrient dense, unprocessed foods. The detox follows what I already know but eliminates so other foods during a couple of the steps. Such as coffee, dairy, bacon, pork, fruit and sugar. I've done detox protocols before but without supplements. With the supplements, my body can properly release all the toxins so that any of the body systems (endocrine, gut, liver) don't become toxic or overly stressed. This is really important to do at least twice a year and sometimes more. I'll explain more on that in another post.  But I should mention healthy guts = no illness.

Ok so now I forgot what I was writing as I just helped an older gentleman work his iPhone in Starbucks. So I will end this post for now.

Here is to unperfect posts but with the information you need. Stay tuned for my business website but if you or anyone you know wants help with their nutrition and performance goals let me know. If they are suffering with any symptoms like 

heartburn, fatigue, constipation, fluctuation of energy, colds/illness, autoimmune disease, poor, concentration, sugar cravings, digestion, allergies, bloating, slow recovery post training, joint stiffness, sleep issues, menstruation issues, fertility, inflammation, hair loss, etc. 

I can help them address any and all of these.

Hybrid Cycle Day 4

So I started a new program at CFCC Hybrid Oly lifting.  This is what it is to quote CFCC

"The Hybrid Level of Oly is open to members who have taken 20 classes of Intro to Olympic Lifting (see below).  The purpose of this class is to Snatch, Clean and Jerk often, but also to examine the specific weaknesses of lifters and actively incorporate assistance lifts and movement patterns that reinforce the Olympic Lifts and the strength, speed, mobility, and stability that it takes to train them aggressively (as in Competitive Programming). In addition to training Olympic Lifting, this class will also engage in explosive conditioning workouts that support CrossFit training methodologies and support the goal of becoming better at the Olympic Lifts.  The sum total of these conditioning workouts will be no more than 2-3 per week, and they will be optional. Shoulder stability and Hip Explosiveness can be reinforced through the incorporation of other movements and especially for athletes looking to alternate between CrossFit and Olympic Lifting, Hybrid programming can assist with maintaining a certain level of working ability in the slightly more aerobic threshold of CrossFit."

I'm glad for this as I LOVE strength training and there is conditioning involved.  On day 2 it kicked my ass more than any reg CF programming.  I'm also happy for this as I got my appetite for food back.  I'd been struggling with eating. I'd make something that tasted fabulous, have a couple of bites and then not be in the mood to eat it anymore.  Well now I've been eating more protein and wanting foods. It's hard to be trying to hit a certain amount of protein and be choking it down. Seriously, my fork would quiver as I tried to eat some chicken.

So today I trained from 7-9 which meant first alarm goes off at 5. I have to plan for this time now for when Sadie is back and I will have to walk and feed her in the am.  Train is at 6 am.  This morning I had time to read some food logs and some research before getting on the train.  Honestly, my first thought this morning was when can I go to bed.

So I trained with Jim. Just Jim and I and more things clicked with my lifts.  Today we did mid hang cleans (find 3 RM; 90% x3x2), power snatch (peak of 2), clean deadlift (find 5rm), barbell loaded good mornings (3x5) and rowed 5 x100 m with 1 min rest. 

After training I had a couple of nutrition meetings and didn't eat. Just had BCAAs before and after training, coconut water and hot herbal tea. I don't know if it was the not eating or wanting to sleep more this morning but I was falling asleep on the train home and almost missed my stop. First time ever I fell asleep on the train. 

For meal 1 of the day I had:
3 eggs & 2 slices of ham scramble, 1 chicken sausage

For meal 2:
Roasted Turkey Breast
1 lb turkey breast - boneless and skinless
lemon juice and EVOO
garlic powder, salt, chili powder, cumin, cayenne powder, dried oregano
roasted in 350 oven for maybe 40 minutes (forgot to look at the time as i was doing 1,000 other things just kept checking until juices ran clean and meat thermometer read 165ish)
let rest 10 minutes (the hardest part)

Cabbage Slaw Saute
a bit of bacon fat in pan
add sliced half moon onions
red cabbage sliced
using a peeler added in some parsnips
salt
cooked down with lid on part of the time then added some red pepper flakes and juice of 1/2 fresh lemon for brightness and freshness

OK off I go as I have a ton of work to do and research articles to read before bed. Which I'm hoping is early as I get up at 5 am tomorrow!

NEWS!! Services offered

I woke up this morning eager and excited to share my news with everyone. I’m opening a second office location at 12^th and Locust. Read below for details about my practice for individual and group sessions along with seminars. Please pass on to friends, family, and colleagues. I look forward to helping those overcome their challenges and reach their goals!

What challenges do you work with people on?

We all have things we’ve always dreamed of being or doing but life, fear, roadblocks or lack of skills hinders this. Wanting to make changes is the first step; the second is having someone with the knowledge and support to help you reach your dreams.  Most often, I work with clients on: relationships, goals, life and career transitions, anxiety, depression, and trauma. My performance clients choose to work on areas of goal setting, nutrition or relationships with food.

I strongly believe that success is 80% mental; small successes lead to big results!

Expertise

With a Masters in Clinical Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and continuing education through the Post Deployment Center and Widener University, Abbey brings clinical experience to her coaching. She has worked as a life coach within the adult population for over five years helping clients with a variety of challenges and is also the lead clinician practicing child and family therapy for a non-profit mental health agency in Philadelphia and New Jersey.  Abbey has helped clients identify patterns and rewire their cognitions so they can overcome trauma, build relationships, and successfully make career and life transitions.

Abbey also holds seminars on topics such as goal setting, de-stress techniques and nutrition. She helps athletes and CrossFit members explore how the mind affects both their performance and reaching their goals outside of the box. Through her personal, educational and professional experience, Abbey feels this body/mind connection includes one's relationship with nutrition and has studied with other nutritionists to gain insight into varying perspectives and techniques.

What is different about the kind of coaching and therapy you do?

My experience and education drives the work that I do. I have worked with a variety of clients from different populations with different needs and am able to successfully meet them where they are at.  I offer guidance, support, and interventions to my clients that can help them make positive changes the day they leave my office. My clinical background and training sets me apart as I’m trained in assessment, research based interventions and techniques. I will help clients to build skills to identify patterns and overcome challenges. Although I’m trained in assessing and evaluating for diagnosis within the DSM, I do not offer this in my sessions. Instead, if I feel that there are mental health concerns, I will refer the client for further assessment.

How can I tell if coaching is for me?

Coaching is for you if you are feeling "stuck" or unsatisfied in an area of your life. Maybe you have lost some of your passions and joy in life.  Maybe you are just going through the motions on a day-to-day basis. Are you struggling to meet personal goals? Are you happy and fulfilled in your career/education, relationships/family, health, athletics, and/or personal development? Have you been neglecting certain aspects of your life? Is something in your past keeping you from moving forward? Does anxiety or depression keep you from socializing or reaching goals?

How to get started?

Simply message me using this form if you are interested in individual or group sessions to overcome life challenges and reach your goals.

For those of you who have missed my goal seminars either at CrossFit Center City or at other locations, please message me so I can provide you dates for the upcoming seminars.

Vinegar

So a month ago I stumbled upon Coconut Vinegar. Definitely a wise choice to buy and try. Almost apple cider in flavor but a little stronger.  Delicious on a salad with some EVOO. Get creative folks, read the labels and try out something new.  That is all for now!