The 4 Truths to Lifestyle Change and 4 Steps to Get You There

As I am always striving to improve my skills as a wellness professional, I recently earned my Change Psychology Certification from Precision Nutrition (the #1 most recommended science-based nutrition certification program in the world). As a Certified Health Coach, I am trained in this area already but this Certification goes a bit deeper into how we change our behavior in addition to the theories behind it.

I was drawn to write this blog and share some of the theories and practical tips when it comes to behavior change to help my clients and potential clients understand a little more where I’m coming from with my approach. This is especially true when I say to have a “growth mindset”, “lean into change”, “unlearn the diet mindset”, and being open to “deep change”.

Also, education will always lead to more understanding, less fear of change, and ultimately clarity and acceptance. Through shifting the mindset from fear and uncertainty, to a place of safety and certainty, clarity moves us forward, even if it shows us constraints.

There are 4 Truths to Change:

1.     Change is messy

2.     Change can be hard

3.     Change is possible

4.     Change is built on self-compassion

1st Truth – Change is Messy – There are myriad factors to what makes us a unique individual including physical environment, social, cultural, intellectual environment, family, friends, dogs, news, etc. Our thoughts, energy levels, and health, can be for or against us. This is where “Deep Health/Change” comes in because it’s a whole-person, whole-life approach to health, including six primary dimensions: physical, mental, emotional, existential, relational-social, and environmental in order to reach wide-ranging growth and evolution (rather than “hacks” or “quick fixes”). Pretty deep huh?

2nd Truth – Change is Hard - Effort is great, but doing the wrong thing harder won’t help. “Trying hard” without strategy or skill is like trying to become a better writer by pressing harder with the pen. Rather than just working more, we need to look for what’s effective. Think – Smarter not harder!

3rd Truth - Change is Possible - Our brains are a very powerful thing that can trick us into remaining stagnant in the status quo (because natural factors of change are resistance and ambivalence), but it’s neuroplasticity is the ability to build new neurological pathways to literally pave the way to acting and thinking differently. The definition of neuroplasticity is: the ability of our nervous systems to build new connections and pathways to help us think or do things differently. We can improve neuroplasticity by: Reducing and managing stress, setting small mini-goals, practicing and repeating (which carves stronger neural pathways in the brain).

4th Truth - Change is Built on Self-Compassion - Striving for improvement doesn’t mean we’re broken or dysfunctional. We can’t bully, panic, or criticize ourselves into lasting change. Therefore, only when we compassionately and kindly accept things as they are right now can we truly hope to change them. Threat, fear, and anxiety cuts off all but the most aversive learning — avoid pain and get away. When our brains feel fear, pain, or distress, they try to avoid the suffering as much as possible, and regress into basic coping mechanisms (such as overeating, alcohol, excessive use of TV, video games, social media, etc.), this is basic neuroscience. Thus, only when we create safety and security can we then venture out into an unknown and uncertain territory.  

Key take-aways to help remember the important parts!

1.     To reach deep change, one must explore all 6 dimensions of themselves:

a.     Physical

b.     Mental

c.      Emotional

d.     Existential

e.     Relational-social

f.      Environmental

2.     Develop your skills and strategies to overcome barriers

3.     Improve your brain’s ability to create new neurological pathways/habits by:

a.     Reducing and managing stress

b.     Setting small mini-goals

c.      Taking action by practicing and repeating

4.     Create safety and security in your life before expecting deep change. Let go of self-limiting beliefs such as fear, self-criticism, panic, and making impulsive decisions by building healthy coping mechanisms.  

==> Get the support you need to develop your skills and create the life you want! Schedule your CONSULT with me today!

Now that you know more about the science and truths behind change, stay tuned for my next blog on having a Growth Mindset!

10 Surprising Cleansing Do’s and Don’ts

Cleansing can be a tricky undertaking. I see a lot of people attempting to do them on their own or they fall victim to marketing claims to seemingly good quality cleanses. The truth of the matter is that you can actually do more harm than good when cleansing.

However, there is a way to safely cleanse and I’ll show you how below!

1.     One reason why some cleanses can do more harm is because many of them are nutritionally deficient in either fat, carbs, protein, and/or fiber. They can also be deficient in vitamins, minerals, and overall calories.

Many cleanses are completely void of good sources of fat and protein. Some people simply eat broth or green juice during a cleanse. These are nutritionally deficient and can cause the body to start breaking down muscle, thus putting you in a catabolic state. This will only set your body up for failure once you go back to eating regular foods.

2.     Many juice fasts or cleanses, especially ones that are liquids-only, are so calorically deficient, often times dangerously at around 700 calories per day, that the body can hurdle into starvation mode. This means that your body will actually slow down your metabolism (which decreases your basal metabolic rate)! This is not what you want for your body, especially if you are trying to lose weight/fat. Not to mention, this will also throw your electrolytes into a downward spiral. All of this will make you feel tired, cranky, low on energy, and high on brain fog.

3.     Not to mention, liquid-only diets are completely void of fiber, thus doing you no favors in the “elimination” department. This means that you may be left feeling bloated and hungry.

4.     Furthermore, some commercial “cleanses” are actually filled with harmful ingredients, fillers, chemicals, pesticides, and sugar. For instance, some “cleanses” have bovine biproducts like whey or casein. These have been shown to have the potential to increase insulin resistance, trigger hormone problems, cause damage to the gut, kidneys, liver and even cause cancer!  These are the very things we are trying to avoid by doing a cleanse!

The only cleanse that I recommend to not only my clients, but my friends and family as well, has the components you need to safely cleanse with effective results.

So here’s a quick breakdown of some benefits of my cleansing protocol:

1.     Protein – You want to save your muscles when doing any kind of weight loss or cleansing protocol. You also want your body to build muscle because it increases your basal metabolic rate (metabolism). This means that your body will be a fat burning machine! You want your body to be in an anabolic state meaning your building lean body mass (not tearing it down – catabolic).

My amino acids are a specially patented formula that consists of predigested (broken down) proteins that are 98% absorbed into the system within 20 minutes, thereby bypassing the kidneys and making it the safest and most effective way to keep muscles strong and the fat burning metabolism high.

2.     Antioxidants, Phytonutrients, & Other Vitamins & Minerals – You will get three (3) green drinks per day and each green drink provides five (5) servings of organic greens, that’s a total of 15 servings of greens per day! This is a powerhouse of antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals! This floods your cells with superior and alkalizing nutrition to detox safely and effectively. My protocol also includes tart cherry juice which is the most powerful antioxidant on the planet. This is taken in the evening to ensure high cellular regeneration during the night and it also provides natural melatonin for a restful and restoring night’s sleep.

3.     Fiber – My protocol includes a highly quality source of fiber that tastes good too! The flax and chia seeds also offer a source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

4.     Electrolytes – It’s important to make sure your body has the right balance of electrolytes to keep your cells properly hydrated. This will help to ensure flushing toxins while maintaining a high level of energy.

5.     Good fats – Omega-3s are vital for every system in your body, including your brain, heart, bone, metabolism, liver, skin, and eye health. The spirulina in the green shakes are chock full of incredibly healthy Omega-3s that also fight against inflammation and autoimmune conditions. You also get to eat solid foods which you can include avocado and coconut oil to lightly sauté veggies with. Having good sources of healthy fats in important for hormone regulation as well as fat soluble vitamin absorption.

6.     No Nasties! – My protocol has zero fillers, chemicals, pesticides, sugar, or artificial sugar. It is Vegan, Gluten Free, Raw, Organic, Non-GMO, and Adaptogenic!

==> CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL PROTOCOL AND INGREDIENTS OF MY 10-DAY CLEANSE PROTOCOL and receive a $50 gift card!

By Kimberly Garrett, CHC, CPT, FNS, BS

Certified Health Coach, Founder of Evolve Into Wellness, LLC

References:

ACE Fitness – How Eating Too Little Will Eat Up Your Fat Loss Goals https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/5639/how-eating-too-little-will-eat-up-your-fat-loss-goals

Nutrition Studies – Provocations Casein Carcinogen https://nutritionstudies.org/provocations-casein-carcinogen-really/

Healthline - 17 Science-Based Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

3 Ways To Overcome Food Cravings Without Feeling Deprived

I often have clients who struggle with cravings in my health coaching practice.

Cravings can make or break your wellness and weight loss journey! Clients often feel like they have no control over their cravings and that willpower is the only way to cope.

Well don’t be fooled because it is vital to embrace the fact that relying on willpower alone will most often result in relapse. Willpower is a very finite (limited) resource.

Cravings for foods high in fat, sugar, and/or salt are the most common.

There can be a wide range of reasons why people crave certain foods including dehydration, chemical dependence, not enough calories, skipping meals, stress, depression, triggers and even a potential nutrient deficiency (such as citrus for vitamin C).

I find in my practice that chemical dependency on fat, sugar, and/or salt is very common.

This dependency often begins with stress, depression, or other triggers and these foods are used to increase dopamine in order to feel better short term (similar to drugs and alcohol).

1 – OVERCOMING TRIGGERS

Triggers are stimuli (people, places, or things) which bring on cravings. It is important to work with a coach or in some cases, a counselor, to help identify and overcome triggers.

A great way to overcome triggers is utilizing coping mechanisms such as replacing the undesirable behavior (i.e., eating ice cream while watching TV) with a healthier one (i.e., going for a walk instead).

Additional coping mechanisms include engaging in activities such as exercising, doing something creative, listening to calming or happy music, meditation, joining a support group, having healthy foods available (i.e., fruit instead of refined sugar), etc.

In addition, avoiding the trigger all together can be an important step. This can be difficult which is why it is so important to have support from a professional and a positive community to back you.  

==> Get the support you need to overcome your triggers. Schedule your CONSULT with me today!

Additional coping mechanisms include utilizing affirmations and/or mantras, learning a new skill or musical instrument, going outside in nature, gardening, journal writing, etc.  

2 – CALCULATE APPROPRIATE CALORIES

During a time of calorie deficit (i.e., dieting), it is also important to make sure you are eating enough calories by calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), plus accounting for your exercise (Total Daily Energy Expenditure – TDEE) and not going too long in between meals.

3 – HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS

If you find yourself still having a hard time with controlling your appetite, I recommend trying an herbal intervention to get you over the hump. Contact me for more info!

 Formulating a plan for triggers and relapse that is tailored specifically to you is the key to long term weight loss and wellness success.  

-Kimberly Garrett, CHC, CPT, FNS, BS

References:

Sandi Busch https://www.rehabs.com/about/overcoming-cravings-and-triggers/

Eric Patterson, MSCP, NCC, LPC https://www.livestrong.com/article/490211-sugar-salt-cravings/

4 Alarming Reasons Why Dairy is Bad to the Bone

Have you been drinking milk and eating cheese and yogurt your whole life because you’ve been relentlessly told it will build strong bones? Well you might be shocked by several reasons as outlined below to finally kick dairy from your diet for good in order to protect your bones and your health.

Reason 1 – False Advertising Claims

The dairy industry spends $190 million per year in advertising.  The promotion of eating fruits and vegetables by the National Cancer Institute is $1 million per year.  I'm sure you could recall all the “Got Milk” mustache billboards, commercials, and ads claiming that cow's milk is vital for health and reaching calcium requirements.  However, have you ever wondered why the milk cartons and yogurt tubs don’t contain any claim of health benefits whatsoever?  The reason why is that it would be against the law to put false and misleading health claims on packaging because the packaging laws are much more strict than advertising regulations. Packaging laws actually require there to be scientific backing to claims.  In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found zero evidence that consuming milk lowers the risk of osteoporosis. In fact, dairy is extremely inflammatory to a person's body – causing all sorts of problems such as arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer's, and even cancer.

Looking for superfoods packed with high quality phytonutrients?

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Reason 2 – Increased Risk of Fractures

Get this, a 12 year Harvard Nurses' Health Study reported that 78,000 women who drank at least 2 cups of milk per day almost doubled their risk of bone fractures.  The scientific evidence is very far off from the highly misleading and false “Milk, Does a Body Good” claims.

Not to mention, Finland, Sweden, the U.S., and the U.K. have the highest rates of dairy consumption and they also have the highest rates of osteoporosis.

Reason 3 – Advice of Leading Physicians

Well-known and outspoken physicians are publicly recommending to not consume dairy products – these physicians include:  Frank Oski, MD (former Director Department of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief, John Hopkins Children's Center), Benjamin Spock, MD, Neal Barnard, MD, John McDougall, MD, Michael Klaper, MD, Robert Kradjian MD, Charles Attwood, MD, and many others.

Are you ready to make a dietary change away from animal products? 

==> Click here to Contact me for More Info! 
 
 Reason 4 – Poor Source of Bioavailable (Absorbable) Calcium

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people are only able to absorb 32% of calcium from milk.  Whereas 64% is absorbed from brussel sprouts and 53% is absorbed from broccoli. Marketing claims of the dairy industry are opposite from actual scientific research.  Ironically, a dairy funded study (that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) found that postmenopausal women who drank 5 glasses of milk per day (containing 1500 mg of calcium) actually lost more calcium than the control group!

Surprised about these studies? Have you experienced bone fractures, bone loss, low calcium, cancer, inflammation, or digestion or autoimmune diseases/issues? Perhaps cutting out dairy from your diet could help you.

Find out how I can help you with your dietary and lifestyle goals

==> BOOK YOUR HEALTH COACHING CONSULTATION HERE

-Kimberly Garrett, Certified Health Coach, Personal Trainer, and Sport Nutritionist

References:  
Campbell, T. C. (2006). The China Study. Dallas: BenBella Books
Robbins, J. (2011). The Food Revolution. San Francisco: Conari Press

Discover 5 Healthy Fast Foods

The cartoon exhibits America’s confusion and often denial when it comes to their diet. Some people are often misinformed as to the consequences of consuming high calorie and high fat meals and what that looks like. Marketing has lead consumers to believe that they need to eat meals high in animal products, meat and dairy in order to make sure they get enough protein in their diets and they turn to the easiest and quickest way to get it – fast food.

Americans have become obsessed with singling out one of the three macronutrients, protein, thinking that it will magically grow lean muscle mass in their body. This is furthest from the truth as extra protein simply turns to fat in the body after it has ruined the kidneys along the way (Barnard, 1998; Clark, 2012). Furthermore, the increase of animal products in pursuit of the beloved protein adds considerable amounts of artery clogging saturated fat and cholesterol.

==> If you’re interested in high quality, clean, vegan, gluten free, organic protein supplement, go here to get a free $50 gift card.

It is important to note that the historical cause and effect of feast or famine between rich and poor is no longer the case in America (Molnar & Molnar, 2000).  It used to be that the poor suffered from starvation but in current day, the less fortunate are feasting on highly subsidized fast food and processed foods which are high in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, and refined carbohydrates.  Our fast food nation is way over fed but way undernourished from the lack of quality whole foods such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. 

It is a common occurrence for poor communities to seek out cheap subsidized foods such as ground beef and pork products (hamburgers, hotdogs, and lunch meats), cheese, butter, milk, cookies, candy, cakes, and soda, causing the obesity and chronic diseases to rise (WPF, n.d.). When it comes to food, the current perception of wealth is skewed due to government subsidies (EWG, n.d.). This is where politics and economic factors play a powerful role in how diet and disease are interrelated.

An excellent way to get the FAST FOOD but with gluten free high quality nutrients that you need is through green superfoods! It’s the healthiest fast food on the planet and all you have to do is add water! Superfoods like spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, and carrot juice give you the alkalizing phytonutrients your body needs to increase energy and decrease inflammation. Also, rice bran solubles increase the skinny hormone called adiponectin.  Learn more about adiponectin here.

==> Go here to get your $50 gift card!

By, Kimberly Garrett, CHC, CPT, FNS, BS
 

References:

Barnard, N. (1998). Foods that Fight Pain. New York: Three Rivers Press

Clark, M., Lucett, S., & Sutton, B. (2012). 4th Ed. Essentials of Personal Fitness Training. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN-13:978-1608312818

Environmental Working Group (EWG) - Farm Subsidies. The United States summary information. Retrieved on January 18, 2013 from http://farm.ewg.org/region.php?fips=00000

Molnar, S. & Molnar, I. (2000). Environmental Change and Human Survival: Some Dimensions of Human Ecology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall

orld Preservation Foundation (WPF) (n.d.) Plant-Based Diets: A solution to our public health crisis. Retrieved from http://www.worldpreservationfoundation.org/Downloads/Plant-Based%20Diets%20-%20A%20solution%20to%20our%20public%20health%20crisis.pdf

5 Shocking Things You Didn't Know About America's #1 Killer

The chief health concern in our country is cardiovascular (heart) disease due to its fierce ranking as the #1 killer in America.  It is a raging war within our society that begins with our nation’s infants and yet the vast majority of Americans still are confused and misinformed about the armament for a cure. 

Simply put, cardiovascular disease is comprised of a diseased heart and arteries and includes heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke (Kenney, 2012).  Cardiovascular disease is caused by inflammation in the vascular system (veins and arteries), more specifically damage to endothelium (the inner most layer of the arterial walls) which causes atherosclerosis (plaque buildup) (Kenney, 2012).   When a heart attack or stroke strikes, it can cause irreversible damage to the brain or heart.  However, the majority of the time, death is the diagnosis.  Kenney soberly indicates “Atherosclerosis [narrowing of the arteries due to plaque (pus/fat and cholesterol) buildup] is not a disease of the aged.  Rather, it is more appropriately classified as a pediatric disease because the pathological changes that lead to atherosclerosis begin in infancy and progress during childhood” (2012, p. 524).  According to countless studies, this is entirely diet related.  Children, let alone adults cannot naturally rid their bodies of the saturated fat and cholesterol through the consumption of animal products (the only types of food that contain cholesterol is from animals and their byproducts, as plant-based foods contain zero cholesterol).

The 80 million people in America who have cardiovascular disease right now (The Heart Foundation), will likely undergo a bypass surgery and/or angioplasty in an attempt to preserve their lives.  However, studies indicate that only 2% of bypass surgeries will actually prolong life and furthermore, zero angioplasties will prevent further heart attacks and prolong life (Robbins, 2011)!  However, the solution of plant-based nutrition (in addition to ceasing smoking) is easily attainable for the 80 million people in American who have cardiovascular disease in addition to the remaining 237 million Americans who live in this country and who are all at grave risk for cardiovascular disease (US Census Bureau).  

As for heart disease being a hereditary disease, that is what the meat industry would love for us to continue to believe.   The agenda of the Beef Eater Guide to Modern Meat is to put out press releases to protect their industry and to confuse the public by saying “Your genetics are a prime determinant of whether you will get atherosclerosis and heart disease.  If your parents and grandparents had it, then you are a candidate; if they didn’t have it, your risk is much lower” (Robbins, 2011, p. 21).  This clearly is not the case.  Dr. Michael Debakey, Director, Cardiovascular Research Center explains that heredity (meaning that family members have high incidences) of heart disease “only constitutes about 5% of the cases.  Most people (who develop heart disease) don’t really have a hereditary disease” (Robbins, 2011, p. 21).  

Doctors Esselstyn and Ornish have been conducting research programs that involve people who had very serious and advanced cardiovascular disease with many prior and repeat cardiac events and surgeries.  In each of the physician’s programs, their practices are very simple and impressively effective.  They place their patients on a low fat plant-based diet which not only does it cut off the packing in of cholesterol and saturated fat into the arteries, it also prevents inflammation and allows the body to naturally repair damaged tissue (Esselstyn, 2007).  This allows the patients’ “rapid restoration of the endothelial cells’ capacity to manufacture nitric oxide, and that, in turn, restore[s] circulation” (Esselstyn, 2007, p. 44).  Within just a couple of weeks of being in the programs, they all became heart attack proof and about 95% of them are alive and well over a decade later (Robbins, 2011). 

Are you ready to make a dietary change away from animal products? ==> Click here for your Free 21-Day Anti-Diabetic Kickstart Guide!

Many of us get caught up with how the outside of our body looks and how others view our physique so we put in hours at the gym to improve our looks or even go as far as forming eating disorders, but we often neglect what the inside looks like by making misinformed food choices.  I would make a bet that if we wore our arteries on the outsides of our bodies, we sure as heck would be more diligent about keeping them clean of pus/plaque through foregoing the consumption of animal products.  We have no more excuses, we are empowered to make a choice and to change.

To recap, 5 things you didn't know about heart disease (America's #1 Killer):

1. Heart disease begins in infancy

2. Only 2% of bypass surgeries actually prolong life

3. Zero (0) angioplasties will prevent further heart attacks and prolong life

4. Heart disease is only hereditary 5% of the time

5. Heart disease can be reversed with a low fat plant-based diet!

By Kimberly Garrett, CHC, CPT, FNS, BS

References:

Esselstyn, C. B. (2007). Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. New York: Penguin Group

Kenney, L. W., Wilmore, J. H, and Costill, D. L. (2012). Physiology of Sport and Exercise. 5th ed.

The Heart Foundation. Retrieved October 22, 2013 from http://www.theheartfoundation.org/heart-disease-facts/heart-disease-statistics/ 

Robbins, J. (2011). The Food Revolution. San Francisco: Conari Press

United States Census Bureau. U.S. and World Population Clock. Retrieved October 22, 2013 from http://www.census.gov/popclock/

8 Shocking Benefits that Carbs Provide

Do you know what kinds of benefits carbs provide?

Carbohydrates have been given a bad rap in the media lately with many people going gluten free or trying fad diets like Paleo and the Keto diet, which are really just reincarnations of the Atkins diet, even though it's reported that Dr. Atkins died from Heart Disease. Well, I'm here to tell you that not all carbs are created equal and there are many benefits to complex carbs!  Here are 8 of them:

1. They give energy! Carbs are the chief source of energy for all body functions and muscular exertion.

2. They are also the brain’s main fuel.

3. They improve sports performance. Carbs do this by increasing time to exhaustion for exercise. To maximize this, consume 30-60g carbs for exercise lasting over 1 hour. A Sports beverage with carbs such as Gatorade is a great option as it also replaces electrolytes.

4. Carbs help the body utilize protein and fat.

5. Carbs regulate digestion.

6. Carbs are protein sparing because energy needs will be meet by carbs thus saving protein for tissue repair and growth. Therefore, we do not want the body to use protein for energy which results in muscle wasting.

7. Carbs provide much needed fiber.

8. Carbs allows for max fat utilization. “Fat burns in the carb flame”. If an individual wants to lose fat, it can’t occur without sufficient carbs without resulting in “hitting the wall” which is like having no energy left.

But let's be clear that complex carbs from veggies, fruit, legumes, and whole grains provide bountiful benefits. The carbs that are "bad" are the refind carbs coming from cakes, cookies, and some crackers and bread. 

What are the benefits of Protein?

Protein has falsely been given the holy grail status for macronutrients.  In fact, it is the macronutrient that is needed the least by the body. What are the benefits of Protein?:

1. Once broken down into amino acids, it repairs body tissues.

And remember, consuming extra protein will not unleash a magic well of muscle building capacity!

Recommended Macronutrient Breakdown:
60% of daily calories should come from CARBS
25% of daily calories should come from FAT
15% of daily calories should come from PROTEIN

-Kimberly Garrett, CHC, CPT, FNS, BS

Reference:
Clark, M., Lucett, S., & Sutton, B. (2012). 4th Ed. Essentials of Personal Fitness Training. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN-13:978-1608312818