Tomorrow

“You will never stop overeating if you don’t stop dieting.”

Katherine Nilbrink, The Body Whisperer

Thank goodness for “tomorrow!” Tomorrow is always when I’m going to get back on track with my health and wellness goals. Whether tomorrow is Monday, New Year’s Day, my birthday, the start of a new diet program, etc. Tomorrow brings me hope and relief. Hope that I will once and for all figure out how to feel comfortable in my skin. Relief that I can eat or drink whatever I want today because tomorrow is when I will figure it all out!

But this tomorrow will be different. Why? Because I’m working with a holistic life coach and a plant based nutrition coach who knows that diets don’t work! She has traveled the well worn path of junk food addiction and come out the other side enlightened. I trust her wisdom. Who is “she”?

She is Katherine Nilbrink, founder of The Body Whisperer Project. I first met Katherine several years ago when she was my professor at a plant-based nutrition course at eCornell University. She taught me to take a more scientific approach to nutrition reports in the news that had me so confused. Do I have to eliminate all sugar, oil, and fat? Does milk do the body good or doesn’t it? How much protein do I need? Is animal protein necessary? Where do I get protein? Do I need supplements and vitamins or not? Katherine helped me answer these questions and a whole lot more. She provided lots of trustworthy resources and found creative ways to stay in touch including her “Talk Tuesdays” where she talks about everything from addictions to zen!

So, when Katherine announced her Body Whisperer Project and said that the first students to sign up get lifetime access at no additional cost, I wanted in! I know that Katherine stays on top of the latest health and wellness information. She knows how to decipher the reports and teach it so that the news makes sense.

I am excited about Katherine’s Body Whisperer Project and can’t wait to dive into a wellness program that will help me connect to my healthiest self.

When does the first Body Whisperer Project start? Tomorrow!

 

Grounding God

As I was getting ready to put my shoes on this morning I felt an overwhelming urge to walk outside barefoot. When I got outside I again felt an urge to sit down on the ground, then lay down on the ground. Laying flat on my back wasn’t very comfortable so I sat back up and basked in the sunlight for a few minutes. It felt so good. I haven’t purposely sit or laid on the ground in years, since I was a teenager I think. It reminded me of when I used to stretch out at the beach or in the yard with my best friend to soak up the sun and talking about nothing in particular. Just enjoying the moment.

It has been about 15 minutes since I came back inside and I still feel endorphins dancing around under my skin. Getting happy on the inside makes it so much easier to be happy on the outside.

As I was sitting on the ground I heard that whisper I have come to identify as the voice of God tell me that this is what I am called to do… heal my body and help others heal their body too using the methods that God is guiding me to do which is becoming a morning routine that includes prayer, meditation, affirmations, visualization, whole body vibration, grounding, walking, learning, writing, sharing. This is the key to my sanity and success. I could write a book about this. God says, YES!

I smile at the beauty of the mind. I am grateful for a beautiful mind and a glorious God who loves me.

Water Log Challenge

Join me for a 10 Day Water Log Challenge

I am taking a nutrition class which is actually a chemistry requirement to finish my 30 year bachelor degree at Indiana University. I love learning about nutrition and was happy to see that nutrition study could fill a chemistry requirement. I have never really measured what I have consumed before so this should be an interesting class. The professor promises us that we will never look at nutrition the same way again after this class!

One of the extra credit assignments is to track our water intake for ten days. To calculate the requirement for our body all we had to do is divide our weight in half and drink that amount in ounces every day. I typically drink two to four 20 ounce bottles of water a day, but that is nowhere near the 150 ounces I need to keep my body properly hydrated. I sometimes get a headache and brain fog which is one of the first signs of dehydration. I know that dehydration is behind a lot of my junk food cravings.

I am excited about this assignment. I have known for a long time that I need to step up my water intake and this is the perfect opportunity. Along with the log, we have to take a photograph of all the disposable water bottles we use during the ten days. That got me to thinking about how big of a carbon footprint that is. I have purchased reusable water bottles before but I have often forgotten them at home and then resort to using plastic again, which I know isn’t good for my body or the environment. So, I purchased a reusable water bottle with a sports cap. I don’t really like the sports cap because only a little bit of water comes out. I ended up twisting the cap off so I could take big swigs to reach my water intake goals.

Logging the amount of water I am drinking every day is making me more aware of the need to drink water. I have been tempted to drink sweet tea which is one of my biggest weaknesses, but I have made a deal with myself that I can have some tea or whatever other drink I want AFTER I drink my daily requirement. So far, I’m not thirsty after I get all that water in. I guess that’s the name of the game. I am on day three and already noticing more bathroom breaks which helps me get up more. Win. win!

Climb Above The Snake Line

Climb Above The Snake Line for Optimal Health and Happiness!

I spent the weekend in bed trying to head off the flu. I know rest can help your body heal. Plus, my energy level was zero. I felt like a zombie. So what to do when you are in bed all day and night? I scrolled through Facebook, read a little, but couldn’t concentrate. My mind just kept wandering to random thoughts and memories which left me feeling exhausted mentally and physcially. I know part of it was because of the flu, but another part of it was grief because my aunt died. She wasn’t just any aunt. She was the one who rescued me from the pound so to speak. I was 14 and locked up “for my own protection.” I was scared of what the future held for me. Was I going to become another statistic? Not if my aunt had any say in the matter, which fortunately she did. She went to court on my behalf and said I could live with her family which I believe saved me from a marginal life, or worse. I drifted away from my foster family over the years, but I never forgot my aunt’s kindness for taking me in and treating me as one of her own. She had been fighting the big C for years going in and out of remission. Her body was worn out, but not her spirit. She hung on to the very end.

The family gathered several times to say their goodbyes. I went twice and couldn’t bare to see her like that, so frail when I remember her being so strong even though she was a petite woman. So, I dealt with my grief the best way I knew how which was to numb out. I usually write to deal with intense emotions, but I couldn’t even bring myself to do that. Had there been a lot of junk food in the house, I’m sure I would have turned to eating as well as that is something I have done on autopilot for many years to distract myself and calm my nerves, even though that calm is a brief illusion. I decided to watch TV. No thinking required.

I watched hours of the political rallies. I never thought in a million years I would be interested in politics, but as I get older, I realize the important role voters play in determining the successful candidate. After hours of watching the political banter, I felt more confused and concerned than I did before. So, I turned to another reality show starring Caitlen Jenner where there was more political discussion. It reminded me how much tension is created when you take sides on the political debate. I notice it a lot on Facebook too. People saying if you support a certain candidate, you are no longer their friend. Sometimes it feels like I’ve entered the Twilight Zone. It has made me lose interest in social media. I run hot and cold on social media anyway. Sometimes I get excited about making connections, other times it feels so superficial. I have always appreciated technology, but sometimes nothing beats human connection in real life.

So, after watching too many mind-numbing reality shows, I flipped through the channels and ran across one of my favorite preachers, Joel Olsteen. I love his upbeat, optimistic approach to faith and spirituality. Do you ever feel like God is speaking directly to you through someone else? That is how I felt with the sermon Joel was preaching. He was talking about how important it is to overcome temptations of the flesh. He said that the flesh likes to be in control but no good comes of the flesh controlling you. Feelings are part of the flesh. When I feel like being lazy and staying in bed instead of going for a walk to get some fresh air and circulate the blood in my body which would help me just as much if not more than rest. Or when I feel like eating junk food instead of nourishing my body with the life-giving energy that comes from the fruits and vegetables that I know I should eat and that I preach to my family to eat. When I go against my instincts or what I know is right and let my flesh or feelings take control, there are consequences that are not in my best interest and not what God has planned for me.

Joel said temptation of the flesh will always be there, but every time we do what we instinctively know is right, we grow stronger and if we do the right thing consistently, we will eventually reach a point where temptations of the flesh or our feelings no longer control us. He called it the snake line and said it is a phrase that rock climbers refer to where they reach a point in their journey that snakes do not go because the air is too thin. When they first start climbing, they are concerned about snakes hiding among the rocks and biting them. But, as they climb higher and higher, the snakes cannot get to them because they are in a place snakes fear to tread. Isn’t that a beautiful metaphor?! It will become part of my arsenal of mind weapons that I use to defeat temptations of the flesh as I move up the mountain of life towards optimal health. I’m sharing the message with the hope that it helps you too!

Kathy G

Vegetarian to Vegan

Today is my 53rd birthday. It could easily blend in with all the other birthdays and fade away, forget it and move on. But, something is stirring in my soul that I can no longer ignore. I watched Undercover Boss a couple days ago. One of the featured businesses was a frozen yogurt company. The undercover boss went to the dairy farm that provides the milk for their yogurt. One of the chores he had to do was to stick his arm in a cow’s butt which is apparently something that is done to check the health of the cow. The cow was shaking her head and mooing as he was doing this procedure. The cows were not grazing freely in a pasture. There were hundreds of cows all in a row with their heads stuck between metal bars. I turned off the show. I couldn’t bare to watch anymore. I have already watched so many documentaries of animal cruelty all in the name of providing food for our insatiable appetites.

When I first became a vegetarian four years ago, I did it mostly for health reasons (although Earthlings had a profound effect on me and did contribute to my decision), but my health hasn’t improved that much. I am still morbidly obese which I contribute to consuming junk food including dairy – ice cream, cheese and chocolate which often has milk in the ingredients…

What I am discovering is that the longer I am vegetarian, the more aware I am becoming to the humane side of wanting to stop consuming animal products. I can’t get those images of animals being mistreated out of my head.

I just don’t want to be part of the carnage anymore. I realize that this decision puts me in a precarious position where people who eat meat may feel like I am judging them. I am not. I am doing what I must for my own health and sanity. I believe we all have to come to our own conclusions based on the information we receive and process.

So, for my birthday, I am giving the greatest gift I can think of. A gift that will benefit me, my family, and the animals… vegetarian to vegan… it is time.

I am going to do everything I can to consume whole, plant based food. I am giving myself the gift of health.

Happy birthday to me!

What is the Pegan Diet

The Pegan Diet

On my way to work this morning I heard a teaser from the John Tesh radio show to tune in at 7 p.m. to learn about a new and upcoming Pegan Diet. My first thought was what is that? Does he mean the Pagan Diet? The word Pagan is what Google programmers assumed it meant too when I searched the word Pegan! By adding the word DIET I got over 37,000 results. Pegan is a combination of the Paleo and Vegan diet. Isn’t that the same as a Flexitarian? I suppose the word Pegan is catchier, more marketable, capitalizing on two popular diet trends. The word diet is a slippery slope that is up for interpretation. The minute I say I’m on any sort of diet, the SOS (Sugar, Oil, Salt) demons come out and cravings kick in.

I prefer to think of my plant-based journey as a lifestyle, something I continually work towards. I’m not falling for the fad diets. I’ve done that way too many years as it is. The first “diet” I remember going on is the Grapefruit Diet when I was about 10 years old. I don’t eat grapefruit to this day because of that diet. Then there was the Tomato Juice and Vinegar Diet. I can barely stomach vinegar now either. I don’t want to do extreme diets. I just want to learn what works for me and so far that is the WFPB (Whole Food Plant Based) lifestyle. I’m not there yet. I’m still slaying my food addiction dragons that come at me every time I open the refrigerator door or see a fast food restaurant. It’s a lifelong process not a short term diet.

Another part of the process is to not get distracted by diet trends or fads. Pegan, pagan, vegan, vegetarian, SAD… I am trying to not to get wrapped up in labels and just learn what nourishes my body, mind and spirit while contributing to the greater good. For me, it’s an obvious choice to make, but not always an easy choice to follow.

Kathy G

21 Day Fix Beachbody Challenge

  
My daughter and I recently attended the Beachbody Super Saturday in Indianapolis which featured celebrity trainer, Autumn Calabrese. I love going to events like this to learn from the experts and to hear the stories of transformation. The most inspiring part of the meetup was when the leaders asked people to stand up based on how much weight they have lost starting at 5 lbs. More than half the room stood up. Then they asked people to stay standing if they had lost more weight 5 lbs at a time. By the time they got to 100 lbs only a handful of people remained standing. I don’t know why but that made me feel emotional. My daughter said it made her tear up too. I asked her why and she said because she has done it before (3 times) and knows how hard it is. 

The concept of 21 days to habit appeals to me. I have tried several of the Beachbody Challenges but ended up losing interest before the 90 days were up. 21 days seems doable to me. The workouts are only 30 minutes. I like that the exercises incorporate both cardio and strength training. 

Autumn said at the meet up that she is starting a Challenge May 1st. My daughter and I are in. How about you? Want to join us? Sign up at time2getfit.com and let’s give it our best shot! 

Kathy G

Keeping it Real

Well I said I would post every Monday, so here I am. I have two draft posts in the queue, but they don’t really apply at the moment. Today is one of those days when I really don’t want to write a blog post, especially about my transition away from the standard American diet to a whole foods plant based diet because today the SAD is winning. I went to Taco Bell after work and had a fiesta salad (no taco meat), cheesy fiesta potatoes and four cinnabons.  It tasted really good in the moment, but of course the regret came later as it always does. I wish the healthy food tasted as good as the junk food. Sometimes it does, but not today. I ate some green beans and potatoes and water melon for lunch. It was so bland. Every time I give in to junk food cravings it makes me feel like I will never slay the food addiction dragon. I just want to curl up in bed with some peanut M&Ms or Lays BBQ potato chips and read a book! It takes such incredible discipline to stay on track. Why can’t it be easy? It makes me want to scream sometimes. I just finished listening to The Power of Habits and the author talked about how food is often part of a routine for an issue that has nothing to do with food. He used the example of getting a cookie and talking with co-workers every day around 3 p.m. He used a food diary to determine that what he was really craving was social interaction. I spend a lot of time in my head. Maybe food replaces my social interaction too. So, I will do what I always do to get out of a funk. I will go find something inspirational to watch or listen to. I apologize to any one who happens by looking for inspiration or motivation, in my post today. I’m just keeping it real.

Kathy G

Update Tuesday morning…

Today is a new day. I will learn from the past and put it behind me. When I look at yesterday objectively I see that I did none of the things that I know will keep me on track and feeling good so I don’t turn to food to fill the gap. This morning I made sure to move my body as part of my morning routine. I did Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer. Even that little bit of exercise makes me feel like I’m starting my day off on the right foot. And it feels good to move my body after being realatively still while I sleep for several hours. My next step is journaling, affirmations, and gratitude. I always pray before I get out of bed, but it takes these other consistent actions as well to help me get out of my own way and stay in a positive place and move forward. 

Discipline – The Power of Habit

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

I love connecting with positive people online (and in person). I have some friends that share the most uplifting posts on Facebook. Today, my virtual friend Bruce Fowler shared his friend’s post who shared quotes from the book The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. (Isn’t it cool how you can learn through the power of social media?!)

Here is the part of the post that spoke to me:

“Unfortunately, many of us had discipline forced upon us as children. Naturally, we rebelled against an externally imposed structure. We were not shown that true discipline always comes from within, and the motivation for that urge is love. When we are doing what we love, when we are pursuing something that has meaning, discipline comes naturally… discipline liberates rather than confines you.” ~ Charles Duhigg, The Power of Habit

The word discipline has always struck terror in my inner child. I spent a lifetime running from discipline because I had discipline in the worst sense of the word forced upon me as a child. When I grew up, the word discipline was like a landfill where I tossed my pain from childhood. I stayed as far away from that word as I could.

Whatever definition you give discipline, look at the other end of the scale and that is where you would find me. I didn’t use discipline in anything including myself or my kids. I ate what I wanted, I exercised if and when I wanted to, I spent money on whatever my kids or I wanted leaving bills unpaid, I worked when I wanted and I didn’t tolerate anyone who tried to force discipline upon me including my employers. I quit jobs I loved because I refused to have any authority figure reigning over me doling out commands. I didn’t discipline my children and wouldn’t let anyone else discipline them either including their father. If he tried, it would cause a fight. I paid a high price for rebelling against discipline which extended beyond me to my family.

It took many years of personal development for me to accept that discipline can be a good thing and is absolutely necessary for success. The shift I had to make in my mind was away from associating discipline to external control and punishment. Even the dictionary defines discipline as punishment: “The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience”… “Control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders be obeyed and punishing bad behavior”… “To punish (someone) as a way of making sure that rules or orders are obeyed.”

Discipline = Punishment, Discipline = Control, Discipline = Obey, Discipline = Rules, Discipline = Pain… that was my association that made my innate flight or fight response kick in like nothing else I have ever experienced in my life. Even writing about the word and long-associated definitions makes me want to rebel.

Once I started studying personal development and successful people I realized that there is an entirely different meaning of the word discipline. It doesn’t have to be a form of punishment. It can be for your greater good. Merriam-Webster also includes this expanded definition: “To train (yourself) to do something by controlling your behavior” and “To train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control.” It is this definition of discipline that I have come to respect and am becoming acquainted with after a quarter century of running away from it.

The post reminded me about the type of discipline that empowers you to pursue your passion and live a life of meaning and purpose. I was inspired to immediately get the referenced book, “The Power of Habit” so I can discover more about how to develop the discipline it takes to live my best life, reach my highest potential, and of course share my insights to help inspire others to live their best life too!

“Once you understand habits, it’s like someone gave you a flashlight and a crowbar and you can get to work.” ~ Charles Duhigg

What I found most fascinating about The Power of Habit is how it shines a bright light on discipline. No longer is it a dark, enforced obedience, but a neural pathway in your brain that is developed by your daily routine.

So, armed with this deeper understanding of habits, I am creating new habits that will help me stay on track with my Vegformation journey. My morning routine will include exercise just as brushing my teeth and taking a shower are part of my morning routine. I made an appointment to get a mani/pedi which I will use as a reward for my new habit of exercising first thing in the morning. I think I’m going to like this new way of forming habits!

Kathy G

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PlantPure Nation Indy Premier

PlantPure Nation Cookbook

Saturday, April 18, 2015, I attended the Indianapolis premier of PlantPure Nation with my 13 year old grandson. I loved that he was able to share the experience with me and get education about the plant based truth. I sure wish I would have known what he now knows as a young child. He was curious after attending the event and we had a great discussion about the topic all the way home. 

I was bummed that my iPhone battery died and I wasn’t able to get pictures. I really wanted to get a picture of him with Dr. T. Colin Campbell and I’m sure he would have be happy to do it. We were only a few feet away from him on the front row. I did get an opportunity to tell Dr. Campbell thank you and that I love his work. That made my day. He is my hero. I have much love and respect for someone who dedicates their life to a good cause and is willing to put everything they have worked for on the line to make sure the truth gets out to the public. 

I also have a lot of respect for the PlantPure Nation team who are travelling tirelessly around the country sharing the PlantPure truth. I hope their documentary goes mainstream. I have a feeling this documentary will push the flood gates wide open. Every documentary and person who speaks up have pushed those gates open a little wider. It’s only a matter of time before the truth can no longer be ignored and positive change will take place one person at a time, one community at a time. 

It is an exciting time in human history. I know doom and gloom abounds, but there is also so much hope and possibility for healing and harmony. I feel it when I am near projects like this which is why I am drawn to them and want to get more involved. I plan to get Kim Campbell’s PlantPure Nation Cookbook on Amazon and support the PlantPure Nation Kickstarter project. I’m also interested in the PODS they talked about at the panel discussion at the premier. It sounds like they have done a lot of planning to take the PlantPure message to the next level. I’m fascinated by their grass roots, Guerrilla Marketing approach. I would so love to meet up with them in Washington DC on May 9th, but even if I don’t make it there in person, I will be there in spirit and continue to do what I can to spread the whole food plant based lifestyle message in my sphere of influence starting with myself and my family. I’m looking forward to this plant powered journey! 

Peace, Love & Spinach,

Kathy G

facebook.com/vegformation

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Check out the PlantPure Nation Kickstarter Project

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