Wednesday 28 February 2018

Kicked Up Hot Chocolate Recipe

My Kicked Up Hot Chocolate is the perfect sip-able dairy-free, superfood treat.

My dairy-free Kicked Up Hot Chocolate is packed with superfood ingredients like gelatin, cacao, and turmeric. Healthy, tasty & paleo...win! | StupidEasyPaleo.com

Hi, my name is Steph, and I’m a choco-holic. I remember wayyyy back in 2010 when I started eating along a paleo framework. I took everything literally and was super strict with myself.

And if you’re following the logic here, that meant that I felt bad whenever I ate chocolate because even the best-quality dark stuff contains some kind of sweetener. Or a little bit of dairy. Or I didn’t know the sourcing.

See the cooking video here:

As you can imagine, eating this way too a lot of the enjoyment out of embarking on the journey to change my health. Luckily I saw the light pretty quickly and stopped being so unreasonable.

Eventually I changed my food philosophy from Über-Strict Paleo to Eat Nourishing Foods…

…one where I teach people to consider the how, what, and why of what goes in their piehole.

Anyhow, that’s a bit of a digression but it frames this Kicked Up Hot Chocolate recipe well. Because it’s okay to enjoy healthier versions of your old favorites from time-to-time.

My dairy-free Kicked Up Hot Chocolate is packed with superfood ingredients like gelatin, cacao, and turmeric. Healthy, tasty & paleo...win! | StupidEasyPaleo.com

So let’s check out what makes this hot chocolate so special.

I started with a coconut milk base because I’m strictly off cow dairy again (pitching a fit about giving up heavy cream in my coffee is a story for another day). I love using coconut milk because it gives a creamy mouthfeel that other non-dairy milks really can’t replicate.

If you can’t have coconut, then my second choice is homemade cashew milk. Click here for my Homemade Almond Milk recipe and swap in whatever nuts you like.

Side note: One of the most common questions I get is, “Does the coconut milk make it taste like coconut?” So, many of us are used to the fake, overpowering, almost perfume-like taste of artificial coconut flavoring. That’s NOT what coconut milk tastes like. Faint coconut flavor? Yes. Tastes like a car air freshener? No.

Okay, now…let’s talk about the superfood boosts I put into this Kicked Up Hot Chocolate.

My dairy-free Kicked Up Hot Chocolate is packed with superfood ingredients like gelatin, cacao, and turmeric. Healthy, tasty & paleo...win! | StupidEasyPaleo.com

First, I added Vital Proteins Gelatin. It provides a protein punch that rounds out the macronutrients in this hot chocolate. Plus, gelatin is famous for adding even more silky, creamy mouthfeel. And, it’s so good for gut health. Triple win.

Since you’ll be drinking this hot, there’s no worries about it firming up like gelatin usually does. But if you forget about it or need to refrigerate the other serving, heating it up again will make it liquid again.

Other reasons why Vital Proteins Gelatin rocks:

  • It’s made from grass-fed, pasture-raised animals.
  • Vital Proteins Gelatin only contains one ingredient, and it’s gluten-free and paleo-friendly…plus it provides 17 grams protein per serving.
  • It has no flavor on its own. Other gelatin brands I’ve used have tasted soooo funky, but Vital Proteins doesn’t.
  • It has 3,905 mg of proline and hydroxyproline per serving…two compounds needed to build collagen in your body.
  • Gelatin is renowned for its gut-soothing properties. Thanks to its jelly-like nature, it digests more slowly than collagen.

Click here to buy Vital Proteins Gelatin

Kicked Up Hot Chocolate | StupidEasyPaleo.com

In this Kicked Up Hot Chocolate, it’s important to bloom the gelatin first. (Don’t be intimidated…it’s easy to do.) Simply portion off a small amount of cold or room temperature coconut milk in a bowl. Then you’ll sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface of the coconut milk, and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Then you’ll whisk the rest of the warm hot chocolate mixture into that and presto…Kicked Up Hot Chocolate.

If the superfood status of gelatin wasn’t enough, I’ve also amped up this hot chocolate recipe with raw cacao powder and turmeric. A couple notes…

My dairy-free Kicked Up Hot Chocolate is packed with superfood ingredients like gelatin, cacao, and turmeric. Healthy, tasty & paleo...win! | StupidEasyPaleo.com

Cacao is different from cocoa even though it may look and taste similar. To sum it up, cacao is less processed and contains more enzymes and antioxidants. But no worries…if all you have is cocoa powder on hand, that’ll do just fine.

Turmeric is a bright yellow spice well known for giving curry powder its golden color. It contains the compound curcumin which is known for its ability to decrease inflammation and its potent antioxidant properties. If you don’t have any turmeric, you can totally leave it out. Up to you.

My dairy-free Kicked Up Hot Chocolate is packed with superfood ingredients like gelatin, cacao, and turmeric. Healthy, tasty & paleo...win! | StupidEasyPaleo.com

Kicked Up Hot Chocolate

Difficulty: Easy Recipe Type: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Serves 2

Ingredients

Directions

Start by blooming the gelatin: In a large heatproof bowl, add about a tablespoon of the coconut milk, then sprinkle the gelatin on top in an even layer. Let this sit for about 5 minutes. While the gelatin is blooming, make the rest of the hot chocolate. 

In a small pot, combine the rest of the coconut milk with the water and honey. Heat over medium until the mixture is very warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the cacao powder, turmeric, vanilla extract and salt. 

Carefully, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture into the bloomed gelatin, whisking so the mixture is smooth. Pour into two mugs and serve.

by

Recipe Notes

*You can swap in Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides instead of the gelatin and skip the blooming step. Omit for plant-based/vegetarian option. 

**Substitute cocoa powder if you have that on hand.

***Substitute with maple syrup or coconut sugar for plant-based option. If you use coconut sugar, you may need to add a bit more as it's less sweet.

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My dairy-free Kicked Up Hot Chocolate is packed with superfood ingredients like gelatin, cacao, and turmeric. Healthy, tasty & paleo...win! | StupidEasyPaleo.com

Vital Proteins is a sponsor of Stupid Easy Paleo. All content, opinions, and words are my own, and I only ever share products I believe in 100%.

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Creamy (& Dairy Free) Roasted Carrot Coulis

Roasted Carrot Coulis Recipe

Have a vegetable hater in the house? Then you need to try roasted carrot coulis. Seriously. If there ever was a recipe that shows off all the glory of healthy veggies (besides a salad), it’s this one. A quick rough chop of sweet carrots, savory red bell peppers, and spicy sweet sliced onion — roasted...

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5 Reasons to Have a Moms’ Night Out

Reasons to have a Moms Night Out

Being a mom is hard work. Really hard work!! I love my children, but that doesn’t make it easy. As moms our help and support is in constant demand … but you can’t give from an empty cup. (Unless the cup is filled with wine … I kid, I kid!) I’ve learned from experience that...

The post 5 Reasons to Have a Moms’ Night Out appeared first on Wellness Mama®.



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7 proven + profitable models for adding nutrition coaching to a health and fitness business. Help more people and build a thriving practice with these expert tips.

Learning more about nutrition is one thing; turning that knowledge into results (and a thriving practice) is another. That’s why, in this article, I share seven proven business models from top health and fitness experts. Use them to grow your existing practice — or to get a new one off the ground.

++++

The fields of health, fitness, and wellness are evolving.

Unless they have a specific problem they need solved, people are no longer looking for ‘personal trainers’ or ‘chiropractors’ or ‘physicians’…

… they’re looking for well-rounded ‘generalist’ coaches who can help them look, feel, and live better, in more holistic ways, and in ways that last.

A big part of that, of course, is eating better.

That’s why modern health, fitness, and wellness professionals are learning more about nutrition than ever before; they’re reading books, taking courses, attending workshops, and getting certified.

But getting the knowledge is one thing; turning it into results (and a thriving practice) it is quite another.

That’s why, when we recently updated and re-opened our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification, we added an entire chapter on business, advertising, and marketing (click here to see the table of contents for the course).

It’s also why we put together this article.

In it you’ll learn 7 proven models for adding nutrition coaching to your practice. (Or, if you’re just beginning, how to offer it right from the start). These come from some of the field’s top experts, including: Alwyn Cosgrove, Jonathan Goodman, Sean Greeley, Pat Rigsby, and yours truly.

Here’s a snapshot of what we’ll discuss:

Which model is best for you?

All of the strategies here are proven and expert-vetted — so you really can’t go wrong with any of them.

Still, they all have pros and cons. One model might be a lot more effective for, or better suited to, you (and the people you help) right now.

Feel free to read them all from top to bottom, or just jump to the section most relevant to you by clicking one of the links below.

Individual model

Suggested by John Berardi, Precision Nutrition

For many coaches, working one-on-one with clients and patients is a good start. In the individual model, you present yourself as a well-rounded lifestyle coach — and deliver on that promise.

One of the best ways to do this is to simply build nutrition coaching into your standard package of services.

Step 1: Get a commitment

Ask for the commitment you need to get real, sustainable change. That’s probably at least six months… maybe 12.

Establish an agreement for this duration and bill per unit of time (weekly, monthly, quarterly) instead of per session.

Then, begin your nutrition coaching practice (simply adding it to the exercise, rehab, medical, or other services you’re offering if you’re already in business).

Step 2: Decide how to work nutrition into your one-on-one sessions.

There are two options here.

Option 1: Offer a dedicated, regularly scheduled nutrition session every 1-2 weeks.

Value that session equal to what you’d value the services you’re currently offering. For example, if you charge $100/session for fitness training, you’ll charge $100/session for nutrition coaching.

Option 2: If you’re adding nutrition to an existing business, tack on 15 minutes to each session.

Again, for example, if you’re an exercise coach, do this at the start of the session, before your client is tired.

(Meet in a quiet place. Don’t do this while foam rolling/warming up.)

Of course, factor this extra time into your price per session. For example, if you charge $100 per session, consider charging $125 for a session that includes nutrition assessment and consultation.

(Likewise, if you’re a rehab specialist, or medical professional, you can do something similar.)

At this point, you’re probably thinking: “With a higher price point and a longer commitment, won’t that mean fewer clients or patients?”

Probably not. As current (and prospective) clients/patients see the tremendous value this sort of holistic coaching provides — and begin to see you as an elite-level, well-rounded coach — they’ll be more eager than ever to work with you.

However, even if you did lose a few clients/patients at first (which isn’t likely), you’ll begin attracting folks who are ready for change, and willing to commit.

That means you’ll get better results, and a better shot at establishing a great reputation, not to mention the income that reflects what you’re really worth.

Step 3: Develop your nutrition coaching format.

Here’s an example of what an hour of nutrition coaching might look like, based on the methods we teach in the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification:

1. Start with an assessment (if warranted) — check out the ones we use at Precision Nutrition for guidance.

This would involve tracking the things important to your client or patient. It could be objective things like weight, girths, skinfolds, blood parameters, photos and food intake. Or subjective things like mood and perceived health.

2. Review check-in questions.

During the prior week or two, you should have assigned new habits or practices for your clients or patients to work on. Review how they’ve done with those practices, celebrate all successes, and talk through any challenges around those habits.

3. Look back, look ahead.

Most people tend to focus on how far their goals are ahead of them, and how much time, effort, and work still remains. Change their focus by looking backwards and reframing the future as a set of opportunities.

Review what they’ve accomplished and what they’re currently excited about or looking forward to:

Looking back over the last xx days, what are you most proud of?

Today, what are you most excited about?

Looking forward, what are you most confident about for the next xx days?

4. Establish the next practice to work on.

Together with your client or patient, collaborate on what to do next. As part of your decision-making process, consider their progress, their changing goals, current sticking points, and what feels most important and/or urgent to them.

Once you agree on next actions, ask: How confident are you that you can follow this for the next xx days? Adjust as necessary until you come up with something you think will make a difference and they think they can actually do.

5. Create a plan/discuss next steps that will set them up for success.

Based on what we decided to practice over the next xx weeks…

What advantages do you have that’ll make this easy?

What surprises or challenges may come up and get in the way?

What sort of things might you do to overcome these challenges?

Top benefits of the individual model:

Easy to get started. If you have training clients or rehab patients, you have potential nutrition clients or patients too.

Keeps the scale small and manageable. This is a great place to start if you don’t feel ready for large-scale coaching, or if you’re simply happier coaching people one-on-one.

Simple integration with existing services. You’ll still be leaps and bounds ahead of the run-of-the-mill coaches out there because you’ll be coaching people to better, lasting change. You’ll have real results to show for your efforts — and you’ll be able to charge for it.

Small group model

Suggested by Alwyn Cosgrove, Results Fitness University

Unlike the individual model, the small group model lets you coach several people simultaneously in the same session. The sessions are held at a regular, recurring time, and everyone works together. Usually, there’s also a finite end point (such as an 8-week or 12-week program).

This is also a nice way to make the most of your time. You’re spending an hour (or whatever) regardless; 10 people paying $20 each will yield twice the revenue of 1 client paying $100 for that same hour.

Clients/patients may also prefer to trade off one-on-one time for a cheaper price — or simply like the idea that they’re sharing the journey with others.

Step 1: Add nutrition classes to your existing business.

If you have existing clients or patients, you can suggest that for an additional fee, they join your small group nutrition class.

Step 2: Consider “front-loading” nutrition for new clients.

Encourage uptake of the nutrition program by offering a free “entry level” nutrition starter class or kit when a client or patient begins working with you.

For example, at Results Fitness, every new client gets a “Phase 1” nutrition program that includes some initial habit-based coaching with bonus tools (like a food journal).

From there, Cosgrove estimates that 90% of clients upgrade to the 8-week small group program.

Feel free to experiment and discover the “winning formula” that works for your own coaching style and client or patient base.

Step 3: Develop your nutrition class.

What should the classes look like?

Class size can vary depending on your group and comfort level. However, generally 5-25 people per nutrition class is ideal.

The class structure could look something like this:

  • 30 minutes lecture on a given topic
  • 15 minute Q & A
  • 15 minute check-in and accountability session

Step 4: Find a good system for tracking compliance.

Accountability generally involves reviewing whether the client or patient has met their stated goals from the last session; and identifying what they will commit to work on for the next period of time.

The coach can assign the same habit to everyone, or allow each person to choose their own habit for the week, based on what they’re learning and their progress in the program. (Perhaps take a certain supplement each day or practice eating slowly at dinner time.)

Straightforward ways to track compliance include:

Have clients/patients sign a visibly placed whiteboard. By doing so, they’re committing to the week’s habit.

Keep a “compliance grid”. Throughout the program, track each individual’s consistency: If they miss a habit, they get an X; if they do the habit, they get the checkmark.

Assign “accountability buddies”. This allows people to partner up so they may check in with each other about their progress.

Top benefits of the small group model:

Return on investment: You maximize your profitability without investing more time. Serving more people at once, even at a lower rate than an individual hourly model, will allow you to increase profits per unit of time spent.

Accountability: For many people, the biggest barrier to success isn’t knowledge, it’s consistency. And consistency can be helped tremendously by accountability — something that naturally flows from having other people check in on your progress week after week.

Social support: We also know people are more likely to stick with the program if they have peers, friends or family with similar habits. A group model can provide a community feel and give folks a sense of support. They’ll keep coming back (and re-subscribing to your program) because they want to remain a part of the community.

Transformation contest model

Suggested by Pat Rigsby, patrigsby.com

In a transformation contest model, you provide coaching within a limited time frame (about 4 to 6 weeks), with a very clear goal. The contest offers a prize for a particular achievement, such as:

  • body composition changes
  • visual transformation
  • habit transformation
  • athletic accomplishment
  • etc.

Step 1: Develop and advertise the contest.

Decide on the criteria and find an enticing prize to draw people in. (Note: You will likely need a sponsor for this prize, especially if you’re not part of a fitness club or larger organization.)

Set a registration fee you’re comfortable with. $225 is a typical starting point.

Now, of course, to make a good contest, you need plenty of people. While you can have as many people as you like, to make it sporting I recommend about 20 people as a minimum.

Step 2: Offer ongoing coaching and accountability.

Throughout the pre-specified time frame of the program, you’ll deliver a combination of email coaching and in-person (or online) educational workshops. For example, you might send out a new email every Monday with that week’s program (i.e. exercise and nutritional habits), plus follow-up emails throughout the week.

In addition, you might host weekly in-person workshops or webinars throughout the program that discuss nutritional habits in more detail.

You may also choose to set up an online group, such as a private Facebook group, where you can send a daily reminder or “check-in” asking people to confirm they did their daily habit. This helps to build accountability into the program.

Step 3: Objectively measure results.

For instance:

  • If the goal is physical transformation, set times for in-person measurements throughout the program.
  • If the goal is athletic achievement, set times for group workouts or “fitness tests”.

Make sure criteria and measurements are clear and transparent. You don’t want people feeling misled or shortchanged.

While the program is short, it enables you to offer a lot of value in a short period.

Top benefits of the transformation contest model:

Creates urgency: The short time frame with specific set dates encourage people to make a commitment.

Highly motivating; keeps people focused: People can see real change within a short time frame, with a set endpoint. They can go “all in”, with an intense and focused effort.

Immediate cash influx and long-term financial benefit: You’re both enhancing the value of existing clients or patients by getting them to pay for a new service, and bringing in new clients/patients or who may sign up for other programs with you.

Enables you to deliver nutrition coaching and fitness/health/rehab coaching together in a structured way. This may be a good model if you want to incorporate some nutrition coaching into your work but aren’t ready to transfer it to your standard programs.

Corporate model

Suggested by Sean Greeley, Net Profit Explosion

In the corporate coaching model, you’ll provide nutrition coaching to a workplace (either a whole company or a specific department).

Corporate demand is increasing. It’s a great way to scale up your business and sell your services at a higher corporate rate.

It’s also mutually beneficial: Employees appreciate getting access to quality nutrition coaching and employers love the corporate culture and team-building benefits while improving the health of their employees.

Step 1: Get comfortable coaching large groups of people.

Get some experience with the group setting by starting with the small group or transformation contest model.

Step 2: Decide on the format of your nutrition coaching program.

For corporate clients, you’ll need to make a few amendments to your existing model, but you can borrow many of the same practices of either the small group program or the transformation contest program, depending on company size.

Top benefits of the corporate model:

High profits: Corporate coaching programs usually come with a higher price tag. Just be sure you can deliver on your promises. They will expect good service.

Less investment of time and administration: Corporate programs don’t need the marketing or sponsorship of free-standing transformation contests. This makes things more efficient (and potentially more profitable) for you. Transformation contests can be a bit heavy on logistics. Within a company environment, they become much more straightforward.

Broader audience: A corporate program can give you access to a large group of people (e.g. 100+), allowing you to sell/upgrade more clients or patients after the program is complete. (This assumes you have their permission to do so.)

Online coaching model

Suggested by Jonathan Goodman, The Personal Trainer Development Center

Online coaching typically involves weekly programming (by email or a software service), which may include written, photo and/or video content. It will require a degree of one-on-one time from you to provide accountability or answer questions, but that time should be structured and limited, as described below.

Step 1: Choose how many people you want.

Your goal number of clients/patients should depend on what you are trying to accomplish. Are you starting an online-only business? Is this supplemental to other projects, or will it be your primary work?

If it’s supplemental, or you’re just getting started, you may choose to begin with a small group (e.g. 10 to 20) and a small price point ($100/month).

Up to around 30 or 40 people seems to be manageable without special software. Beyond that point, you may wish to use a special software system to help manage clients/patients and content delivery.

Step 2: Choose your specialty or “niche”.

Efficient online nutrition coaching requires you to focus and establish templates for client/patient “type”. Pick no more than 3 types of individuals you want to include in your online program.

For example:

  • 25-30-year-old males looking to build muscle
  • Women in their 30s who recently had a baby
  • 60-75-year-old retirees
  • etc.

Step 3: Assess your prospects in advance.

Ask prospects to fill out a questionnaire. You can set up a simple survey online using a system such as Survey Monkey.

This will not only help you vet clients/patients to make sure they fit your area of specialty, but also to anticipate needs and problems in advance.

(For example, if you’re doing fitness coaching and clients have a shoulder injury, you will need to adjust their workouts accordingly.)

Step 4: Create 3-4 phases of programming for each type.

Each client/patient in the same category will receive a similar program, tailored slightly for them, based on their questionnaire answers.

Step 5: Set appointed times for compliance check-ins.

For example, at the end of the week, the client/patient can send you their food journal, or their update on what habits they kept, etc. You can schedule a time to review your email and check off compliance using your favorite method (e.g. a whiteboard or spreadsheet).

Schedule your time carefully. Set up regular appointments for yourself for when you will send materials, when you will check email or conduct accountability check-ins, schedule follow-ups, etc.

Step 6: Consider software.

Once you get a broader scope of clients/patients, you may look at buying software to help you deliver nutrition coaching materials.

Unfortunately not all software services support nutrition coaching. If you’re going the software route, be sure to speak with a representative about nutrition coaching in advance to make sure it has the functionality you need.

[Editor’s note: Precision Nutrition’s ProCoach is just this type of nutrition coaching software. It allows health, fitness, and wellness professionals to leverage our proven methods with their own clients/patients.]

Top benefits of the online coaching model:

It can save you time and money… if you do it right. Remember, online coaching doesn’t have to be a big business; it can be a great adjunct to an existing in-person business. For example, if you are training at a gym and want to try combining nutrition coaching with fitness, this can be a good way to do that on the side.

Client adherence can actually be better. Think about it: At a big rehab center, the client/patient buys “rehab” instead of a particular therapist. Since the therapist is often chosen for them, they may not be a good fit — and the client/patient feels no sense of agency in the decision. On the other hand, when you’re an online coach, the client picks you.

You reach the people who need you. Online coaching is a great way to reach people who need the help. For example, there are people who can’t afford gym memberships or personal training, or who are intimidated by gyms. Online coaching makes getting the help they need more accessible.

More flexibility. Online coaching can give you more freedom for how and when you work, allowing you to block off time according to your own schedule and use your preferred ways of working.

Just remember, in order to save you time, you must work efficiently and systematically. If you’re redesigning your programs for each and every person, and answering email all day long, you’re probably not going to get the results or profit you hoped for.

Partnership model

Suggested by John Berardi, Precision Nutrition

What if you’re not quite ready to provide nutrition coaching within your business?

No problem. You can outsource it.

The truth is, some coaches who are qualified to dispense nutrition advice (including Precision Nutrition Certified pros) decide that now isn’t the right time to formally incorporate practice-based nutrition coaching into their business.

That’s a fair decision. After all, it takes time to make any kind of addition or change to your business. It takes time to put all this nutrition stuff into practice, let alone become an expert at it. And it takes time to settle into your sweet spot of expertise, wherever you find it.

Meanwhile, you want the best for your clients or patients. You don’t want them getting lost in diet fads or repeating harmful patterns. You want them to feel good and succeed, in all areas of health and fitness.

So let’s say you decide that, at least for the time being, you’d like some help delivering nutrition coaching. This is where a partnership model can be useful.

Step 1: Start by picking your partner.

This may be a local nutritionist or dietitian who you trust and respect. Or it may be a reputable online coaching company, like us. (Obviously, at Precision Nutrition, we believe we’re the best in the world at what we do. So perhaps you want to partner with us? If so, drop us a line and let us know.)

Step 2: Decide on your partnership arrangement.

If you’re teaming up with a local nutrition pro, figure out what works best for the both of you: Will you exchange referrals? Go with affiliate-type commissions? Come up with a barter system?

There are lots of options, although my experience suggests that affiliate/referral commissions work best. With affiliate commissions, you determine a commission rate. Your affiliate partner pays you that rate for each person you refer to them. (And vice versa if they’re referring clients/patients to you.)

This type of revenue sharing model is commonly used in the digital/online world but there’s no reason it can’t be done offline too. Obviously, you can negotiate whatever you agree is fair, but a commission of 10 to 20 percent on each coaching package sold is standard.

For example, let’s say you decide you want to partner with us. As a Precision Nutrition Certification student or graduate you can become a referral partner of ours. You contact us, sign up for our affiliate program, and you’re given a special link to share with clients or patients for them to learn more about Precision Nutrition Coaching.

For each client/patient you think is a good candidate, you share that link with them. And if they go on to sign up for coaching, you get paid a generous percentage of the sale.

This is just an example, of course. You could set up a similar relationship with any other nutrition coach or nutrition company you choose, as long as they’re amenable.

The key is to make sure they’re giving advice you actually believe in, so that your clients/patients aren’t receiving mixed messages and getting confused.

Step 3: Stay in touch about their nutrition coaching.

For example, you might schedule regular check-ins to see how it’s going, what habits they’re working on, etc.

Just stay informed so you have a sense of their progress and so you can make sure your work dovetails with what’s happening on the nutrition side.

Top benefits of the partnership model:

You can take care of your clients/patients. If you aren’t ready or able to offer nutrition coaching right now, you’ll know they’re getting quality support in this area. Part of being a great coach is knowing when to call in extra resources to help your people succeed. Not everything needs to come from you.

You buy yourself some time. Keep working in the areas where you’re already a superstar. Meanwhile, keep learning and practicing in areas you want to grow. Remember, you don’t have to do everything all at once.

You keep it simple. Like your business the way it is now? Not excited about adding or changing things? Outsourcing is an easy solution.

You make a bit of money, and/or find some new clients/patients. Partnership can open up new opportunities and it can even make you some cash, with very little investment on your part.

Precision Nutrition’s ProCoach

As an addition, or alternative, to the models above, you may consider using Precision Nutrition’s ProCoach software, which offers Precision Nutrition Certification students and graduates an easy way to deliver the practice-based nutrition coaching we teach in our program.

In this model, ProCoach delivers the Precision Nutrition Coaching curriculum to your clients and patients, while keeping you in the driver’s seat as the coach.

You sign up your clients/patients, and ProCoach runs automatically for each person.

Each of your clients will get 12 months of lessons, habits and progress check-ins, delivered to them automatically on your behalf. Meanwhile, ProCoach gives you a platform to track their progress.

While ProCoach delivers the programming, you are the coach. That means you can help your clients/patients through the curriculum in whatever way you choose — whether that’s in person, entirely online, in a group setting in the gym, a corporate setting, and so on.

Here’s an idea of how this works.

Step 1: Get started on (or complete) your Precision Nutrition Certification.

Again, ProCoach is only available to Precision Nutrition Certified professionals.

Step 2: Sign up for ProCoach.

We’ll be making more spots available soon. Click here to check out our next launch date.

Step 3: Register your clients/patients for the program.

This takes less than 30 seconds per person. The program immediately kicks off and gives your client/patient access to their personal dashboard, from any device.

Step 4: Review their assessment answers.

The program begins with an initial screening and assessment questionnaire. You can then review client/patient responses to get to know more about them and understand their goals.

Step 5: Let the program run.

At this point, the program runs like clockwork. Folks get daily emails with short reviews and lessons about what they should be working on that day. Every two weeks they will practice a different habit, supported by daily guidance in the form of written, audio, and visual content.

Step 6: Review client progress.

Every week or two, clients/patients are asked to report markers of progress such as body weight and photos. Through your ProCoach dashboard you will be able to review progress. You can easily track everyone at a glance, and deep dive into each individual’s progress as you wish.

Step 7: Check in and provide feedback.

If you want to be more involved, you can check in, provide feedback, and give high fives through the ProCoach communication system. Depending on your coaching style, you can also add your own personal elements to this — such as in-person coaching, group meetups, webinars, etc.

Top benefits of the ProCoach model:

Provide a reliable nutrition coaching experience. You’ll deliver the same high quality nutrition coaching experience to every single client/patient regardless of what else is going on… in your life or theirs. ProCoach offers our “road-tested”, evidence-based, real-world-proven system and experience for everyone. We’ve put some serious mileage on it so we know it works.

Scale up. (The sky’s the limit.) You’ll be able to coach 5 clients, 50 clients, or 500 people easily — because ProCoach makes it simple. We’ve already coached nearly 100,000 clients using this very system. Think you can handle that many clients? Go for it. The system will work, whether you have 10 people or 10,000.

Automation makes it easy. You’ll be able to deliver nutrition habits, lessons, and assignments on time and on track, no matter what else you’re doing. Whether you’re sleeping, busy, out of town, in bed with the flu, stuck in traffic or on a plane somewhere above the Pacific ocean… it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to be there all the time, or married to your laptop, always wondering and worrying. The system will take care of your people, and make sure they get what they need. Daily, weekly, and monthly check-ins and progress tracking are also automated.

What to do next:
Some tips from Precision Nutrition

Whether you’re already in the middle of your coaching career or you’re just starting out, getting a top-notch nutrition education is the most important (and first) step.

Then you’ll need smart tools and systems for using that knowledge to get the best results for your clients/patients — and for your business.

In this article, we’ve offered lots of ideas for adding nutrition coaching to your practice. It can sometimes feel overwhelming. But starting with these steps will help you stay focused.

1. Know your stuff.

The business models we’ve laid out in this piece only work if you truly know your stuff. For example: If you’re going to coach nutrition, make sure you understand the fundamentals.

And just like nutrition, business is an ongoing learning process, too. Do you know the essentials of sales and marketing and buying psychology? Can you express what you do with clarity and passion? Do you know how to demonstrate authority and build a top-notch reputation for yourself? These may be areas where more study is needed to raise your game.

Take an honest assessment of where you are now as a coach and a business person. Where are your gaps?

Of course, if you don’t have the fundamental nutrition knowledge yet, maybe it’s time to get your Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. It’ll boost your credentials and up your game. Plus, once certified, you can use ProCoach.

2. Value your time and your services.

It may be tempting to give your nutrition knowledge away for free. Clients, patients (and friends and family) may ask you to do so, without giving it much consideration.

But if you want to make a great living, you need to put a price on your nutrition coaching services — whether that’s an increased hourly rate or a special program.

You also need to value your own time. The adage “time is money” is particularly true for health, fitness, and wellness. Be clear and specific about when you’re available, and how the time will be used.

You can also apply my ‘1-minute rule’. If you can answer the question in less than one minute, go for it. If you’ll need more than that, it falls under the umbrella of coaching — and that means you charge for it.

3. Use a system.

Nutrition coaching really isn’t something you can wing. The best, most effective, way to use your knowledge — for the good of your clients/patients and your business — is to have a system in place.

As you consider which business model to use, consider your goals and preferred way of working.

Do you feel most inspired when interacting with people one-on-one? Do you love the group setting because of your passion for public speaking? Are you pressed for time, making the online option most practical for you? Do you need to work with a partner or other third party for now, while you refine your nutrition knowledge and coaching skills?

All of these options have their own pros and cons; there is no single “right” way to do things.

It may take some experimentation before you find what works best for you. Start by picking one system, and giving it a try. As you go, you’ll learn from your mistakes, discover what works best, and adapt accordingly.

4. Get some support, if you need it.

You don’t have to do everything all by yourself, or all at once. If you’re not quite ready to provide nutrition coaching, you may consider a partnership model.

Or, if you want to provide nutrition coaching but want an easy and reliable delivery method and a tried-and-tested curriculum, explore Precision Nutrition’s ProCoach.

If you’re not sure which way to go right now, you can always reach out to us at Precision Nutrition — we’re happy to help.

5. Above all else, fulfill your promise.

Remember why you’re doing this in the first place — you’re passionate about health, fitness, and nutrition, and you want to use that passion to help people.

Your success fundamentally depends on the value you deliver. If people hire you because they want to live better, healthier lives, it’ll be your job to help them do that.

That’s the biggest reason nutrition coaching belongs in the health, fitness, and wellness spaces. It’s also why you have the potential to be immensely successful in these fields. Because if you deliver on the promise to help people live and feel better, you will stand out, and you will be successful.

Passionate about nutrition and health?

If so, and you’d like to learn more about it, consider the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. Our next group kicks off shortly.

What’s it all about?

The Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification is the world’s most respected nutrition education program. It gives you the knowledge, systems, and tools you need to really understand how food influences a person’s health and fitness. Plus the ability to turn that knowledge into a thriving coaching practice.

Developed over 15 years, and proven with nearly 100,000 clients, the Level 1 curriculum stands alone as the authority on the science of nutrition and the art of coaching.

Whether you’re already mid-career, or just starting out, the Level 1 Certification is your springboard to a deeper understanding of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the ability to turn what you know into results.

[Of course, if you’re already a student or graduate of the Level 1 Certification, check out our Level 2 Certification Master Class. It’s an exclusive, year-long mentorship designed for elite professionals looking to master the art of coaching and be part of the top 1% of health and fitness coaches in the world.]

Interested? Add your name to the presale list. You’ll save up to 33% and secure your spot 24 hours before everyone else.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification on Wednesday, April 4th, 2018.

If you want to find out more, we’ve set up the following presale list, which gives you two advantages.

  • Pay less than everyone else. We like to reward people who are eager to boost their credentials and are ready to commit to getting the education they need. So we’re offering a discount of up to 33% off the general price when you sign up for the presale list.
  • Sign up 24 hours before the general public and increase your chances of getting a spot. We only open the certification program twice per year. Due to high demand, spots in the program are limited and have historically sold out in a matter of hours. But when you sign up for the presale list, we’ll give you the opportunity to register a full 24 hours before anyone else.

If you’re ready for a deeper understanding of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the ability to turn what you know into results… this is your chance to see what the world’s top professional nutrition coaching system can do for you.

The post 7 proven + profitable models for adding nutrition coaching to a health and fitness business. Help more people and build a thriving practice with these expert tips. appeared first on Precision Nutrition.



from Blog – Precision Nutrition https://www.precisionnutrition.com/adding-nutrition-coaching-to-business
via Holistic Clients

The 7 Best Nutrition Coaching Business Models. (How to add nutrition coaching to your business, easily and profitably.)

Learning more about nutrition is one thing; turning that knowledge into results (and a thriving practice) is another.

That’s why, in this video, I share seven proven business models from top health and fitness experts. Use them to grow your existing practice — or to get a new one off the ground.

The post The 7 Best Nutrition Coaching Business Models. (How to add nutrition coaching to your business, easily and profitably.) appeared first on Precision Nutrition.



from Blog – Precision Nutrition https://www.precisionnutrition.com/adding-nutrition-coaching-to-business-video-blog
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Why Me-Time and Meditation Isn’t A Selfish Act

When it comes to yoga, meditation and even me-time in general, we can sometimes worry we are being a little selfish. Dedicating time to our own wellbeing can feel overly indulgent, and there’s even a creeping suggestion self-care is little more than an excuse for self-absorption. Dr Alison Gray, of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, has warned that “inward-looking” spiritual practices (like meditation) can make us more selfish – but is this actually true?

Like most things, this would depend on how you look at it. You could say that any action that isn’t taken for the betterment of humankind is selfish – from eating what we like for dinner to pursuing our hobbies – because we do them primarily for our own benefit. But unless we’re planning on becoming monks and completely giving up any notion of doing things for ourselves, there doesn’t seem much to gain from worrying about this.

In this context, meditating and other forms of self-care are no more selfish than having a bath, and the fact they’ve been singled out as particularly self-indulgent starts to look rather strange. However, it can be pretty easy to feel guilty about doing things for ourselves.

Why Self-Care Isn’t Self-Indulgence

People start meditating (and carving out a little time for self-care in general) for all sorts of reasons. It might be that we need a way to calm down, have a health problem that meditation helps with, or have found ourselves burnt out and chronically stressed. We may even have a religious reason.

But as soon as we’ve decided “you know what, I’m going to take a little time for myself,” the guilt can start to creep in. Shouldn’t we be working, volunteering, or spending that time on our kids, partner, or friends? Maybe we should be focusing on changing the world rather than pursuing personal happiness, and the people who claim it’s selfish to think of ourselves in this way are right. Meditation, yoga, and self-care are no longer neutral acts that you can pursue in peace, but have joined the truly vast number of “Things People Have Opinions About.”

That’s why it’s a shame that certain voices have found a place in the media to criticise meditation as selfish, because it adds yet another thing to feel guilty about in our daily lives – as if we don’t get told enough that everything we do is wrong, in one way or another. Women especially can feel guilty for devoting time to our own personal development, and so much cultural messaging reinforces our fears; pursuing a career = bad mother, focusing on the family = lazy and spoilt, being interested in health and wellness = self obsessed.

At the end of the day, life can be tough even at the best of times. If we’ve found something like meditation or yoga helps us, then we can probably safely ignore any idea that we shouldn’t be so “inward-looking” in our hobbies.

How Taking Care of Ourselves Helps Everyone

It’s become a bit of a cliché to say that you have to put your own oxygen mask on first before you can help others, but it really is true. Practices like meditation give us the breathing room to calm down, de-stress, and understand ourselves better, all of which can make us much nicer people to be around. It’s often the inward-looking habits which help us understand ourselves better, and in turn, understand other people as well.

Some of us can even find that regular meditation increases our compassion, as we experience less stress and therefore become less fearful, irritable, and angry – negative emotions that can drive some pretty problematic behaviors. Meditation and yoga are also habits which very rarely take more than an hour out of our day. It’s not as if they take up time which could be spent helping others – it’s perfectly possible to do both.

Ultimately, self-care is about keeping ourselves as healthy and happy as possible in a world that can feel pretty hostile at times. It isn’t selfish (in any meaningful interpretation of the word) to want or need coping mechanisms, or to pursue self-improvement. In fact, many of us want to improve ourselves in order to become kinder, more well-rounded people, and do more for the world around us. And if me-time is the thing that keeps our heads above water, then there’s nothing wrong with that.

——————

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Holly Ashby. Holly is a wellness writer who has worked with the London meditation center Will Williams Meditation for three years. They teach a form of transcendental meditation to help people cope with the stresses of modern life, and help those living with issues such as anxiety and depression.

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from Daily Cup of Yoga http://dailycupofyoga.com/2018/02/27/why-me-time-and-meditation-isnt-a-selfish-act/
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Pear Persimmon Breakfast Crumble

Tuesday 27 February 2018

Refreshing Ginger Honey Switchel Recipe

How to make honey ginger switchel

Ever heard of switchel? It is a fermented beverage that hasn’t seemed to gain the popularity of kombucha … yet (though I suspect it will soon!). It relies on pre-fermented apple cider vinegar and does not have a long fermentation process like kombucha or kefir do, making it a great first drink for anyone new to...

The post Refreshing Ginger Honey Switchel Recipe appeared first on Wellness Mama®.



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Follow your dreams without fear: 4 questions with Zubaida Bai

Cartier and TED believe in the power of bold ideas to empower local initiatives to have global impact. To celebrate Cartier’s dedication to launching the ideas of female entrepreneurs into concrete change, TED has curated a special session of talks around the theme “Bold Alchemy” for the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, featuring a selection of favorite TED speakers.

Leading up to the session, TED talked with women’s health advocate and TED Fellow Zubaida Bai about what inspires her work to improve the health and livelihoods of women worldwide.

TED: Tell us who you are.
Zubaida Bai: I am a women’s health advocate, a mother, a designer and innovator of health and livelihood solutions for underserved women and girls. I’ve traveled to the poorest communities in the world, listened compassionately to women and observed their challenges and indignities. As an entrepreneur and thought leader, I’m putting my passion into a movement that will address market failures, break taboos, and elevate the health of women and girls as a core topic in the world.

TED: What’s a bold move you’ve made in your career?
ZB: The decision I made with my husband and co-founder to make our company a for-profit venture. We wanted to prove that the poor are not poor in mind, and if you offer them a quality product that they need, and can afford, they will buy it. We also wanted to show that our business mode — serving the bottom of the pyramid — was scalable. Being a social sustainable enterprise is tough, especially if you serve women and children. But relying on non-profit donations especially for women’s health comes with a price. And that price is often an endless cycle of fundraising that makes it hard to create jobs and economically lift up the very communities being served. We are proud that every woman in our facilities in Chennai receives healthcare in addition to her salary.

TED: Tell us about a woman who inspires you.
ZB: My mother. She worked very hard under social constraints in India that were not favorable towards women. She was always working side jobs and creating small enterprises to help keep our family going, and I learned a lot from her. She also pushed me and believed in me and always created opportunities for me that she was denied and didn’t have access to.

TED: If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 18-year-old self?
ZB: To believe in your true potential. To follow your dreams without fear, as success is believing in your dreams and having the courage to pursue them — not the end result.

The private TED session at Cartier takes place April 26 in Singapore. It will feature talks from a diverse range of global leaders, entrepreneurs and change-makers, exploring topics ranging from the changing global workforce to maternal health to data literacy, and it will include a performance from the only female double violinist in the world.



from TED Blog https://blog.ted.com/follow-your-dreams-without-fear-4-questions-with-zubaida-bai/
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The Benefits of Red Light Therapy with Scott Nelson – Harder to Kill Radio #92

You’ve probably heard about the dangers of too much blue light, but what about red light therapy? Learn about the benefits of red light with my special guest, Scott Nelson.

Scott Nelson – Harder to Kill Radio | StupidEasyPaleo.com

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Click here to subscribe & review the show

Links & Resources:

Now, let’s meet this week’s guest…

About Scott:

Scott Nelson is the impetus, power, and energy that set Joovv in motion.

His ability to metabolize information quickly makes him an irreplaceable asset to Joovv. And when it comes to leading all of their commercialization initiatives, he’s without question, the best. The two words we would use to describe Scott are efficient and personable.

Prior to cofounding Joovv, he spent his entire professional career in leadership positions with some of the largest medical device companies in the world, including Medtronic, Covidien, Boston Scientific, and C.R. Bard.

Scott is best friends with his wife and soulmate, Liz, and loves spending time with his 4 kids. Fun fact: In his spare time, Scott is also the host of Medsider Radio, a top-ranked medical device podcast.

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Please subscribe and leave a review for Harder to Kill Radio in iTunes. When you rate and review the show, it really helps others discover the podcast, and I am so grateful for your kind words.

Scott Nelson – Harder to Kill Radio | StupidEasyPaleo.com

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Please let me know what resonated for you in this episode. I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

The post The Benefits of Red Light Therapy with Scott Nelson – Harder to Kill Radio #92 appeared first on Stupid Easy Paleo.



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Monday 26 February 2018

Tips to Naturally Reduce Stress … Starting Now!

Tips for naturally reducing stress

Stress kills. No, really… Even if a person has all the other factors right, high levels of stress can derail health. Unfortunately, just knowing stress is a problem doesn’t fix it. It can even add to it! If you’re like me, the need to reduce stress just adds another item on the “to-do” list. Laundry…...

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Vegan Protein Sources

When people ask me about a plant-based diet, in particular, active individuals and athletes, the first question is inevitably about vegan protein sources. What do you eat for protein? Where do you get your protein? How do you get enough protein? Wait, you don’t eat eggs, meat or dairy? What do you even eat?! Rest... Read More The post Vegan Protein Sources appeared first on Running on Real Food.

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140: How Stem Cells Are Helping People Recover from Injury and Avoid Surgery

How Stem Cells Are Helping People Recover from Injury and Avoid Surgery

I am here today with Dr. Christopher Centeno, MD, who is an international expert and specialist in regenerative medicine. He’s at the forefront of research on using adult stem cells in orthopedics to repair common injuries and provide an alternative to painful and invasive surgery. I’m just starting to learn about the huge potential of...

The post 140: How Stem Cells Are Helping People Recover from Injury and Avoid Surgery appeared first on Wellness Mama®.



from Blog – Wellness Mama® https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/stem-cells/
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The Most Delicious Lemon Blueberry Vegan Baked Oatmeal Recipe {VIDEO}

This delicious lemon blueberry baked oatmeal recipe screams spring with the combination of fresh blueberries and lemon zest. This delicious vegan oatmeal bake is made in under an hour and has 100% whole grains and no refined sugar. Happy Monday! We’re v excited to be working with Silk again this year to bring you more healthy,...

Read More »

The post The Most Delicious Lemon Blueberry Vegan Baked Oatmeal Recipe {VIDEO} appeared first on Fit Foodie Finds.



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Sunday 25 February 2018

The benefits of overindulgence. (And the 4 key lessons that eating too much can teach you).

New clients often come to us feeling guilty and weak after a holiday season, a vacation, or a long weekend of overeating. Our response often surprises them. Because we know that there are some surprising benefits of overindulgence and key lessons that eating too much can teach.

++++

Thanksgiving. Valentine’s Day. The first big summer BBQ. A family reunion at the beach.

Throughout the year, new clients come to us feeling guilty and terrible about eating (and drinking) too much at [insert the latest festivity here].

With a cocktail of regret, shame, and resolve to “do things better”, they tell us how “bad” they’ve been. And how ready they are to shape up once and for all.

Our response often surprises them.

Because it’s not, “drink water” or “get more fiber” or “focus on clean eating”.

It’s actually:

Maybe you needed to overindulge.

Record scratch.

Why would a health, fitness, or wellness coach ever say that?

Because overindulgence has several important — and vastly underrated — roles to play in the bigger picture of health, fitness, and nutrition.

Here are four of them:

Lesson #1. “Slipping up” is a necessary part of change, progress, and success.

We often imagine change or “progress” as a linear graph, like this:

Every day, we get better and better, until eventually we’re perfect, fit, godlike creatures who’ve Got Everything Together.

In reality, change and progress look more like this:

We wholeheartedly embrace better food choices for a bit, then eat macaroni and cheese for a week, then ace our new habits for a while, and then a business trip throws us off for a minute, then we’re back on the horse…

From week to week or month to month, our cycles and rhythms are like a Slinky (or a coil) that’s been stretched like this:

We try something new and move forward, or upward, bubbling with excitement and energy.

Then we cycle. Life throws us a situation that tests our new approach. Progress pauses, or dips downward, or goes backward.

Up, down, forward, back.

There are a number of perfectly good reasons for this:

  • Maybe we need to go back to re-open or revisit something — to reconsider an idea that didn’t grab us right away, or address a question we avoided answering when first asked.
  • Maybe we need downtime — to think, reflect, regroup, reboot, or incubate something new.
  • Maybe we need to regress briefly — to dip into our old selves or old habits and remember why we are building new ones, like visiting an ex to remember why you left them.
  • Maybe we need to repeat something — to practice, drill, and/or test our skills under different conditions.

Or maybe it’s that we simply don’t have the skills yet to reach the next level of our progression and, like everything else in life, we need to accept that doing things badly is a necessary precursor to doing them well.

Regardless of the reason, weight loss progress can stop or even go the opposite direction. And that usually happens on the tail end of a stretch where we’ve put our exercise regimen on hold, or dived into a week-long food orgy.

That’s why almost every weight loss graph looks like this.

The trend is headed in the right direction, but the day-to-day and week-to-week fluctuations feel turbulent.

But that’s not because every single person trying to lose weight sucks, has no discipline, and can’t do weight loss correctly.

Rather, based on our experience with nearly 100,000 clients and patients, it seems like dips, plateaus, and everything in between are actually necessary.

Both physiologically and psychologically.

Perhaps that’s why they’re so normal.

Which leads us to…

Lesson #2. Indulgence offers an opportunity to ask the bigger questions (and learn some stuff).

Our indulgences — even the ones we ultimately regret — can serve as amazing learning opportunities, if we let them.

Oftentimes, new clients feel ashamed when they feel they’ve overindulged. They just want to hide from their “mistake” and “start over”.

Instead, we encourage them to use overindulgence as the impetus for self-reflection.

This practice helps them get into the habit of observing and learning from what’s going on in their lives and bodies (rather than judging and self-shaming).

For example, we might ask:

  • What job is indulgence (or celebration, or reward) doing for us?
  • How important is that for our lives?
  • What kind of person are we when we’re indulging?
  • What is good about not doing anything differently?

Clients are often (rightfully) confused when we ask these kinds of questions.

“What could possibly be positive about this?” they want to know, pointing to empty ice cream cartons and a recycling bin full of beer cans.

But here’s the truth: We do the things we do for a reason.

That indulgence, no matter how big or regrettable, is doing a job for us. It’s somehow solving a problem for us, even if not very well.

Recognizing how our behaviors serve us — even “bad habits“ like four cocktails with a junk food chaser — can help us put resistance aside, stop hiding, and see things more clearly.

What need is the indulgence is fulfilling?

And what would be a more valuable/health-affirming way to fulfill that need?

Though it might seem counterintuitive, cutting our bad habits some slack and acknowledging what role they play for us, can actually lead to deeper, more lasting change.

Lesson #3. “Sometimes you need to fall off the wagon to want to get back on again.”

Recently, I shared a large, hearty meal with my friend (and PN food photographer) Jason Grenci.

As the meal was winding down — about the time belt buckles started to loosen and regret threatened to creep in — Jay waved his fork in my general direction and, through a mouthful of pickled beets, dropped this insight bomb:

”Nah. There’s nothing bad about this. Sometimes, you need to fall off the wagon to want to get back on again.”

He was right.

Not only is ‘falling off’ a part of change, but it can also make getting back on feel pretty darn good.

Let’s be honest: Few things motivate healthy choices better than waking up with the meat sweats, heartburn, a hangover, or some other uncomfortable form of bodily rebellion.

And even if you feel perfectly fine after having fun, there’s still an intuitive natural shift that winds the party down.

Perhaps taking a short break from more structured, healthy choices allows us to keep making those choices in future.

It’s the way blowing off a workout to sit on the couch, read trashy novels, and drink too much coffee actually gives you that I-can’t-wait-to-hit-the-gym buzz.

Or the way taking a vacation and making full use of the “all inclusive” swim-up bar and breakfast buffet makes you happy to come home, hit the grocery store, and stuff your fridge with green vegetables.

While you might fear that one indulgence will lead to a lifetime of chaos, research shows that we naturally adapt to pleasure in such a way that — assuming we have at least some interest in our own health and fitness, and perhaps the support of a team or coach — we naturally self-correct.

Lesson #4. Healthy indulgence might actually support “deep health”.

Spend a bit of time hanging around Precision Nutrition, and you might hear a phrase called “deep health”.

Deep health means thriving in all domains of life: physical, mental, emotional, social, etc.

Deep health means:

  • We are physically robust and resilient, able to act effectively in the world and enjoy a high level of physical function.
  • Our minds are wise, agile, and kind, helping us solve problems creatively and make thoughtful choices that align with our deeper principles.
  • Our emotions are available to us and used for good — to take action, to signal something that we need to attend to. Overall, our balance of emotions is positive.
  • We enjoy healthy, strong, affirming relationships and a variety of high-quality social connections.
  • We are constantly growing and developing, repairing and recovering, strengthening and flourishing, in whatever ways we are able to do so.

With deep health, we are moving in a “life-forward direction”.

By this definition, a “healthy indulgence” is one that is somehow:

  • meaningful
  • truly enjoyable
  • self-fulfilling
  • life-affirming

We are fully present for this indulgence. We are more alive because of it.

Non-food examples of healthy indulgences include: playing hooky from work to go hiking with your kids, or see that great movie / big game you’ve been dying to see, or get a decadent massage and soak happily in a hot tub.

Conversely, an unhealthy indulgence might be:

  • meaningless
  • an empty distraction
  • self-destroying
  • life-detracting

An unhealthy indulgence might be going out and getting trashed on crappy-tasting booze that you chug rather than sip, with people you don’t particularly like, who then encourage you to pick up that smoking habit you’ve been trying to kick.

Interestingly, a healthy indulgence often seems to have its own natural resolution.

At the end of a healthy indulgence, we often feel satisfied and content.

Let’s say you’re a parent who works hard, and then healthily indulges yourself with “me” time and rest.

After some delicious sleeping-in while the kids stay overnight at Grandma’s, you pad around the house in your pajamas, yawning happily and lazing over the Sunday paper.

And then you shower, get in the car, and go pick your ducklings up — excited to see them, ready to enter the parental fray again.

You can’t sleep in forever, nor do you really want to. But sleeping in, getting that “you” time, recharges your batteries and comes to a natural end.

Conversely, an unhealthy indulgence often doesn’t resolve. It may even be actively unsatisfying.

We might try to get the “hit” from it over and over with no results, like playing the slot machines repeatedly with no payout, not even enjoying yanking on that lever but feeling driven to do it anyway.

Plus, if we’re caught in a cycle of binge-and-restrict, indulgence can be part of a pendulum that swings back and forth between chaos and rigid order forever.

In this case, “indulgence” might be code for all-or-nothing. You’re either strictly self-monitoring or utterly, bizarrely impulsive and irrational:

ME MAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER WHISKEY CIGARETTE BACON GRAVY MILKSHAKE NOW NOM NOM NOM.

(Of course, compulsive bingeing is not part of deep health and can be hard to break without help from a doctor or therapist.)

In the end, what if we stopped trying to prevent our indulgences, and accepted them instead?

What if we treated “back” or “down” or “off the wagon” periods as a natural and normal part of the entire experience of change and growth?

I mean, look at how commonly people experience these periods. With that level of frequency, isn’t it time we asked whether they’re important instead of just something to tolerate or “get through” on our way somewhere else?

Isn’t it time we examined them, dare I say respected and appreciated them?

What if they turned out to be fuel for our “forward” and “up” periods?

And what if we all ended up healthier, happier, and even fitter, for them?

What to do next:
Some tips from Precision Nutrition

Try these next steps to learn to embrace your indulgences in a health-supporting way.

1. Ask the questions.

Consider the following…

What does a “healthy” indulgence look like for you? Why?

  • What kind of indulgence would enable and promote “deep health” and balance for you?
  • What kind of indulgence would inspire you, replenish you, and get you back on the path to deep health again?

What does an “unhealthy” indulgence look like for you? Why?

  • What things leave you unsatisfied, regretful, frustrated, demoralized, and/or feeling “stuck” in negative patterns?

2. Be honest, thoughtful, and grown-up.

Avoid playing mental games like “If I’m ‘good’ then I get to be ‘bad”, or “If I pretend I didn’t eat the cookies, then it didn’t happen”.

Face your behavior with open eyes, maturity and wisdom.

Accept that all choices have consequences.

Find a framework for reviewing behaviors and consequences, and zeroing in on what’s “OK” and “Not OK” for you, and for the health you’re trying to achieve.

3. Start building a “flight plan”.

Think of yourself as the pilot of your own life, health, fitness, and nutrition. With that in mind, consider…

  • Where are you trying to get to, and why?
  • What challenges can you anticipate that might throw you off your ‘healthy’ flight path? What can you do now to prepare for these obstacles and help yourself adapt when they arise?
  • Who’s your flight crew? Think about who you have (or who you’d like to have) in your life to help you get to where you’re trying to go. We all need support in our lives — so ask family/friends/coaches for help if you need it.
  • What’s your flight checklist? What systems or strategies do you have to help keep you get back on course after a (planned or unplanned) deviation?

4. Notice the cues and signs that tell you it’s time to correct course.

Ideally, you’ll learn the cues that tell you it’s time to change your path before you’re too far in one direction or another.

For instance:

  • Perhaps one decadent meal is perfect, but an entire weekend of them will leave you reaching for the Pepto-Bismol.
  • Perhaps one missed workout every few weeks actually helps you recover, but a string of couch-potato or desk-monkey days will leave you feeling cranky, lethargic, and squashy.
  • Perhaps a few martinis and some champagne over the holidays feels like celebration, but after the festivities wind-down, those weeknight glasses of wine start to feel like an unwelcome habit…

5. Accept — perhaps even embrace — periods of “back”, “down”, and “nothing”.

Play the long game.

If your general direction is “forward” and “up”, and you are, overall, working on “something”, then maybe cycling is part of the process.

Maybe cycling actively, significantly, helps you.

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

Learning how to coach clients, patients, friends, or family members through healthy eating and lifestyle changes (including how to accept indulgence) — in a way that supports long-term progress — is both an art and a science.

If you’d like to learn more about both, consider the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. The next group kicks off shortly.

What’s it all about?

The Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification is the world’s most respected nutrition education program. It gives you the knowledge, systems, and tools you need to really understand how food influences a person’s health and fitness. Plus the ability to turn that knowledge into a thriving coaching practice.

Developed over 15 years, and proven with nearly 100,000 clients and patients, the Level 1 curriculum stands alone as the authority on the science of nutrition and the art of coaching.

Whether you’re already mid-career, or just starting out, the Level 1 Certification is your springboard to a deeper understanding of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the ability to turn what you know into results.

[Of course, if you’re already a student or graduate of the Level 1 Certification, check out our Level 2 Certification Master Class. It’s an exclusive, year-long mentorship designed for elite professionals looking to master the art of coaching and be part of the top 1% of health and fitness coaches in the world.]

Interested? Add your name to the presale list. You’ll save up to 33% and secure your spot 24 hours before everyone else.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification on Wednesday, April 4th, 2018.

If you want to find out more, we’ve set up the following presale list, which gives you two advantages.

  • Pay less than everyone else. We like to reward people who are eager to boost their credentials and are ready to commit to getting the education they need. So we’re offering a discount of up to 33% off the general price when you sign up for the presale list.
  • Sign up 24 hours before the general public and increase your chances of getting a spot. We only open the certification program twice per year. Due to high demand, spots in the program are limited and have historically sold out in a matter of hours. But when you sign up for the presale list, we’ll give you the opportunity to register a full 24 hours before anyone else.

If you’re ready for a deeper understanding of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the ability to turn what you know into results… this is your chance to see what the world’s top professional nutrition coaching system can do for you.

The post The benefits of overindulgence. (And the 4 key lessons that eating too much can teach you). appeared first on Precision Nutrition.



from Blog – Precision Nutrition https://www.precisionnutrition.com/benefits-of-overindulgence
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