Clarity Wellness

One of the most frustrating things I see people struggle with is when they hit that dreaded weight-loss plateau. It happens to everyone. You start a new plan, you lose a few pounds, you're super-stoked, and then a few weeks or months into it you stop losing weight. What's going on? I'm working so hard--why isn't this working for me anymore? Here are the questions I ask them, and often just a tweak or two will get them headed back in the right direction.  1. Are you hitting your protein goals each day? This is a game-changer for most people--especially women. For some reason, many women seem to think that they don't need much protein. That couldn't be further from the truth--especially as we get older. If you want to avoid sarcopenia (loss of muscle) and osteoporosis, then you need to prioritize protein, to the tune of one gram per pound of ideal body weight per day. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, and your body burns more calories digesting it than...

Yes, I’m in the business of building meal plans for people who want to improve their health and (usually) lose weight. Most people, however, use my meal plans as “training wheels” to ultimately build their own meal plans, and that's the way it should be. Building a healthy meal plan doesn't have to be complicated.  In fact, the easier the better, IMHO. Here are the basic tenants that will start you on the road to better health almost immediately! 1.  Eat   two or three full meals a day . Build nutrient-dense, satiating meals, so you won't feel the need to snack later. If you find yourself getting "snacky" between meals, add a little more protein to your meals, drink plenty of water, and take a look at whether or not you're really hungry. You might just be bored, upset, or in the habit of eating at that time.   2.  Start with a savory,  protein-packed breakfast (whenever that is) .  Save your carbs for later in the day. Eggs, Greek yogurt, a prote...

I really could care less who wins the Super Bowl.  I've never been much of a football fan, but I do love a good Super Bowl party.  I'm totally in it for the company, the food, the commercials, and the halftime show. I only wish it was Super Bowl Saturday instead of Sunday.  Or make Super Bowl Monday a national holiday.  But I digress... For many, the Super Bowl party marks the beginning of the end of a great streak of healthy eating .  You make it all the way through January eating clean, exercising, and maybe even abstaining from alcohol.  Then along comes the Super Bowl and wham!  All those yummy treats start you on a slide that continues through heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, Mardi Gras beignets, and Spring Break beach drinks.  It's the holiday season 2.0.   So what do you do? First and foremost, make a plan .  Don't let it take you by surprise.  Make sure that plan is reasonable and doable.  Recognize the p...

  In case you haven't seen my latest post, I recently had skin cancer surgery, and ended up popping a few stitches.  Now I have a hole on the top of my head that is healing very slowly.  It's been over a month now, and I'm still a long way from being healed.  My next stop is a wound care clinic, and then I'm on to a plastic surgeon.   Looking in the mirror in the mornings and trying to do something with my hair while hiding the mess under a headband is the hardest, and honestly, for a few weeks there, I had a really tough time dealing with it.   I'm tired of playing the victim role, though.  I know what I need to do to heal myself, and the answer doesn't lie at the bottom of a box of cookies.  Not that I had gone overboard with the junk food, but I did let things slip a little.   In my nutrition coaching business I give my clients a meal plan to follow each week, and those that do see the greatest results.  So...why was I ...

Changing your eating habits doesn't have to be hard.   There are books and books full of amazing low-carb recipes, as well as a gazillion websites dedicated to keto, paleo, and everything in-between.  I've linked to a few of my favorites at the bottom of this page. However, I've found that the easier you make things, the more likely you are to succeed.  Complicated leads to overwhelm, which leads to reverting back to even easier--which usually comes in a shiny silver package full of unpronounceable ingredients. I've had people tell me they can't figure out what to eat if they can't eat sandwiches.  Unless you've found a really good recipe for keto bread, it's easier to simply find other options.  I honestly can't tell you the last time I ate a sandwich, (except that one time last week when I put a slice of turkey and some avocado mash between two chaffles--omg!) Here are some of my favorite, easy, low-carb lunches that don't require an oven, can ...

Is the nutrition world making your head swim? Eat only meat! Eat only plants! Stay away from carbs! Sugar is the devil! It doesn't matter what you eat as long as you count your calories! I'll admit, I'm sure I add to your confusion sometimes, and I probably add to your stress levels.  My cousin recently told me, "I read your stuff on Facebook, and I just want to go eat a cookie." I'm sorry.  I really am.  It shouldn't be that confusing.  All the science out there essentially boils down to two things:  eat whole, unprocessed foods, and control your blood sugar. Even if we know the science, our relationship with food can be a complicated one.  It's doesn't have to be that way, though.  If you're not happy with the relationship you have right now, it's like any relationship.  You're not going to change it overnight.  It takes work, it takes patience, and it takes baby steps. Sometimes you're hit by a lightning bolt (a diagnosis, the de...

There have been many times in the last week that I have had to say to myself, "Keep it simple." My kids are finishing up the first semester at school and everyone's just the tiniest bit grumpy. Complicated is not an option right now. It's officially the holiday season, which means you're planning for big dinners, parties, gift-giving, housecleaning, decorating, and essentially creating a whole lotta magic in your house, especially for the little ones. Some of you even have elves creating mayhem in your house on a nightly basis!  I love to see your pictures of them on Facebook, but I'm a tiny bit glad I never had one show up in my house. ;) With all this background noise in your head, it's hard to concentrate on the here and now, and sometimes you just need to take a break and remember that you don't have to do it all.  Nor should you.  I love to cook and try new recipes.  However, I've found lately that it's very frustrating when I spend an hou...