The Breakfast Experiment: Is Breakfast the Most Important Meal or Not?

February 21, 2020 Lizzie Cook

Your mother told you breakfast was the most important meal of the day… but is it really? The report is due in two hours. Or perhaps you’re in the middle of a mid-term exam. Or you’re making sales calls. Suddenly, bam! Around 10:30 a.m. you hit a wall. All you want to do is look out the window. Hmmm…what did you eat for breakfast?

I hate to say, “I told you so,” so I’ll turn to Mom, who has said it countless times: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s the meal that’s designed to supply a third of the macro and micro nutrients your body needs to run without a hitch.

3 Healthy Ways to Indulge + Enjoy Your Chocolate Cravings

February 13, 2020 Lizzie Cook

Mmmmm…. Chocolate. Chocolate is the only ingredient that is its very own food group. Well, not really—but it seems as if it should be. Powerfully comforting, creamy, delicious—many people eat chocolate at least several times a week. Which begs the question…

Is Chocolate Good for You? The answer is both yes and no.

Chocolate has been used for centuries to treat bronchitis, sexual malaise, fatigue, hangovers, anemia, depression, memory loss, high blood pressure, poor eyesight, and more. It also helps release that feel-good neurotransmitter—serotonin—in the brain. But eat the wrong kind & you’ll get loads of sugar, calories, and junky ingredients.

6 Little-Known Health Benefits of Adding Essential Oils to Your Daily Water

February 1, 2020 Hilary Milnes

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A new week is the perfect time to reset and take stock of your internal goals. In doing so, I’ve realized the goal I set that has helped drive the most change in my life. Sit down. Grab a glass. I hope you’re thirsty, because we’re talking about drinking more water.

Drinking water is a seemingly simple daily task, but it requires dedication and intention. I drink at least 1/2 my body weight in ounces of water daily, which isn’t something I achieved overnight. I started drinking this much water consistently 13 years ago when I looked for ways to quit drinking soda pop. My Grandma, when she was in her 80s, kept a 64 oz. polar water bottle & she told me that if I drank more water, I would crave less sugar. She gave me the water bottle, and I kept it on my work desk. It was the first healthy habit that I stuck to and it’s become much more than that to me.

Drinking water is essential to my overall health: emotional, spiritual, and physical. Water can significantly change your body. In addition to cleansing toxins, can…

Is It Possible to Find a Work + Life Balance?

December 16, 2019 Lizzie Cook

“Work-life balance was a mistake from the start. Because we don't really want balance. We want satisfaction.” -Matthew Kelly, author Balance is a waste of time… Balance is a sticky subject among many people. We have careers, partners, children, family commitments, charity work, classes, hobbies, worship time—plus, big desires to improve our health. How can one possibly balance so many things? I’m going to let you in on a little secret here… You can’t.

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Is It Possible to Find a Work + Life Balance?

How can one possibly balance so many things? I’m going to let you in on a little secret here… You can’t.

Work + Life Balance: Is It A Myth?

“Harmony” is an easier goal than balance. Harmony means everything is co-existing in a spirit of cooperation. But whatever you want to call it —harmony, balance, or “fitting it all in”— there is a secret to doing more of what you want and less of what you don’t want.

Want to hear the secret? I just need to warn you that although the equation sounds simple, it actually takes massive willpower to execute. It also requires that you get absolutely clear on what you want your life to look like, and what you do not want in your life.

Ready? Okay, here’s the secret…

4 Steps to Finding the Secret to Work + Life Balance

(or Harmony, as I like to call it):

First ask yourself what isn’t serving you. What doesn’t need to be in your life? What is dragging you down? Keeping you awake at night?
Second, get rid of (or fix) the things you identified in step 1. Have you identified a few things? Now get rid of them. (Or fix them. Now.)
Third, ask yourself what you want in your life—or in this week or day? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to do? Who do you want to be with?
Lastly, focus your energy on these things you identified in step 3. Anything that doesn’t fit into this larger scheme… let it go (or learn how to say “no”).

Ready to dive in and make a few changes? Give these tips a try and see how much more harmonious your life can be.

No balance required.

xo, Lizzie

GET EVEN HEALTHIER!

Are you curious about how to harmonize your health goals? How to fit wellness into your busy schedule? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about!

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3 Types of Healthy Fats to Start Eating (+ An Avocado Dip Recipe)

November 15, 2019 Lizzie Cook

How much is too much when it comes to consuming fat in your diet? Dietary fat: is it good or bad? Both. You see, not all fats are created equal. Let’s dive into the difference between types of fat & a few healthful foods to start adding to your regular weeknight meals to incorporate healthy fats!

5 Tips to Kick Portion Control Distortion + Select the Correct Serving Size

October 15, 2019 Lizzie Cook

v\“How much is too much?” Quick Quiz: How many portions are in a bag of snack-size whole grain crackers? Or a small bottle of locally-pressed juice? Or a lunchbox pack of granola bars?

Hint: it’s not “one.” Often, the above products actually contain 2 or 2.5 servings per package.

Can YOU Eat Just One? Sure, you could go ahead and enjoy just half the bag, but are you really going to do that? Don’t beat yourself up if the answer is no: If you place food in front of most people, they tend to eat it all. It’s just the way we’re wired.

8 Types of Root Vegetables to Add to Your Plate (+ Delicious Root Vegetables Recipe)

August 15, 2019 Lizzie Cook

When you think about healthy eating, do salads and green vegetables usually come to mind? How about adding a little more variety to your plate?

Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and turnips are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates & a great way o add a healthful variety to your diet. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels as refined sweet foods do, these power-packed root vegetables help regulate your blood sugars.

Why Eat More Root Veggies?

Long root vegetables – carrots, parsnips, burdock, and daikon radish – are excellent blood purifiers & can help improve circulation in the body. Round root vegetables – turnips, radishes, beets, and rutabagas – nourish the stomach, spleen, pancreas, and reproductive organs. Which root vegetables do you eat most? If you’re like most of the world, you probably eat carrots and potatoes the most. Here are a few other root vegetables to explore and add to your dinner plate!

How to Use the Power of Forgiveness to Stop Unhealthy Eating

July 15, 2019 Lizzie Cook

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Have you ever downed an entire package of chips, crackers, or cookies? Ate pizza or cake until you felt sick? Drank more coffee or wine than your body wanted? Do you remember how you were feeling at the time? I ask because sometimes we overeat to help distract us from emotional pain.

Think about it: have you noticed that sometimes when you overeat you’re not hungry at all? What you are is lonely. Or angry. Or sad. Or resentful. Or frustrated. Or something else. What hurt are YOU holding on to?

How to Cook Beans for Easy & Healthy Meals Powered by Plant Protein

June 15, 2019 Lizzie Cook

“I was determined to know beans.”— Henry David Thoreau, The Bean-Field

How about you? How well do you know beans? Creamy cannellinis, meaty garbanzos, sweet adzuki, tender pintos, and so many more—beans are one of the most powerful, nutrient-dense plant foods around.

Consider this: Beans are packed with tons of fiber, as well as plenty of iron and protein. They are rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients. They are low in calories. Plus, studies have found them to lower risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.