Clarity Wellness

Who doesn't love to eat? We look forward to holidays when we know our favorite foods will be served.  We love to eat out and try new things we don't usually cook ourselves.  Some of us even like to bake for fun on a lazy Sunday afternoon.  Unfortunately, though, that can catch up to us when we eat too much or eat things that aren't especially nutrient dense.   I am totally guilty of this.  I have a terrible habit of trying things off my kids' plates just because I just like to try new tastes.  I love to go beer and wine tasting with friends and family.  I love to bake, and even though the things I usually make these days are technically healthier options, they often lead to overeating.  Five grain-free/sugar-free blueberry muffins are still too much. I would love it if there were an easy answer to this problem.  We humans are programmed to look for pleasure, and eating provides a lot of pleasure.  Here are a few things that have wor...

I know you already know that you can save money on food if you cook at home more often and plan your meals so you don't throw so much out. Right? Then why don't we do that? Time? Energy? What to make? The key is in the prep work. Here’s how to do it so you can hold onto that hard-earned cash and reduce your food waste: 1. Look at what you already have. Shop your fridge and pantry before planning your meals for the week. That way you won’t end up throwing things out that go bad before you can use them, and you won’t buy things that you didn’t realize you already had. Make sure you have a few basic staples on hand to use in an emergency—frozen produce, cans of tuna or salmon, eggs, etc. 2. Check out the grocery ads and download your coupons before you go shopping. If something is on sale, now may be a good time to stock up on things you use often, like meat or in-season produce that you can freeze. 3. Decide on a meal plan. Look at your schedule for the week, taking into acco...

Aren't they pretty? Hi friends, here's a little bonus I thought I'd put out.  Short, sweet, and yummy. :) If you'd like to talk to me more about creating a wellness and nutrition plan that works for you , I've got you!  I'm a certified Nutrition Coach who will create a simple, customized meal plan for you and coach you through how to implement it into your busy life.  We also talk about all the pitfalls that make it hard, and help you make it the anchor that keeps you healthy, energized, and sane through the whirlwind of your everyday life. I'd love to talk to you about the program, so  book a free consultation with me by clicking the  Calendly  button. I look forward to talking to you! Click here to sign up for my weekly newsletter Join my  Clarity Wellness Low-Carb Ladies Facebook Group

Habits make our lives easier. They make things automatic and free us from the decision fatigue that hits us near the end of the day. However, you probably already know how hard it is to create a new habit. The old ones are so deeply ingrained. It should be simple—there really are only 3 steps involved. Trigger, behavior, reward. With some things it really is that easy. Walk into the bathroom, brush your teeth, enjoy the reward of fresh minty breath. Unfortunately, other habits are not so easy to implement. Habits around food can be the hardest! That’s where we bring in the big guns: habit stacking. Throw every trick you’ve got at it. There are lots of things you can do, but here are some of the most powerful tools I have found for creating better habits around food: 1. Put it in front of your face. If you want to drink more water, fill your water bottle and take it with you everywhere. If you want to eat according to a plan, print it out and post it on your fridge....

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 ...

I am a fan of the sun.   I love its ability to warm me when I'm cold, to trigger vitamin D production in my skin, and to boost my mood.  As a kid growing up in Iowa, I spent long afternoons mowing lawns, hiking around the nearby woods, and lying in the backyard trying to get the perfect tan.  Most of this did not involve sunscreen. Ok, maybe some baby oil or Coppertone SPF4, but nothing really protective.   As an adult, I have always enjoyed a little bit of a tan, but I've been more careful.  I limit my time in the direct sun and wear a hat every time I go out for a long hike or run.  Sunscreen is part of my daily routine. Unfortunately, it all caught up to me this year.  I go to the dermatologist every year, and every year she burns off a spot or two that she refers to as my "barnacles," otherwise known as actinic keratoses. This year, however, she decided to take a couple of biopsies.  They were basal cell carcinomas, requiring Mohs sk...