Are we feeding ourselves into being overweight?

I believed that I had to eat a certain way because all the experts told me so.  
I believed that it must be right if so many people taught this way.  

I also knew that it was not working for me.  I knew that I felt hungry all the time.  My stomach did not agree with all of the eating that I was trying to do and I felt worse when I ate more often.  I also could not maintain the weight that I wanted.
  
Eating 5 to 6 small meals each day was NOT working for me. Over a year ago to stop following this advice and do what worked for me.  

Why are we taught to eat so often and usually fed so much?

This all started in the 80’s with the low-fat food craze, processed food explosion, fast food growth and portion size changes.  This is also about the time that all of the experts started telling us to cut calories, eat low-fat and exercise more.  Then we started learning to eat small meals, more frequently to keep our metabolism high.  Interestingly, this is also the time when the American population started becoming more overweight – because we were being taught, in my opinion and according to the science, the wrong information. 

I’ve been researching, listening to experts in the fields of metabolism and weight loss resistance to learning more about metabolism, how our body functions on a cellular level, the healthiest way to eat and what the science is showing us to be fact.

I’ll be sharing with you more about what I’m learning, but for today, I just want to chat a little about how, in my opinion, eating 5 to 6 times per day is not the solution.  

The reasons that I’m sharing with you all are why I’ve been eating, for over a year now, only 3 meals per day with hardly any snacking in between.

What does eating 5 to 6 times per day do to us?

1. Contributes to dysregulation of the hunger hormones, leptin and ghrelin

2. Causes us to eat more calories over the course of a day

3. Causes us to never really feel satisfied and always feel hungry

4. Decreases our metabolism over time

5. Constantly eating keeps our blood sugar elevated and insulin levels elevated – this contributes to more hormone dysregulation

6. It’s not natural for our bodies to always eat – we have to give our digestive systems time to rest during fasting time.  This is how our body naturally wants to function.  

*I’ve shared some of what I’m learning and what I’ve personally experienced in this blog post.  The content here is my personal opinion.  This content is not intended to be medical advice nor replace the care of your health care professional.  As always, consult your health care provider before making any changes to your regimen.

How to Stay Healthy While Traveling

Hi!  I hope you're having an amazing weekend with family and friends.  And that you're enjoying a little time to relax and unwind also!

This weekend I'm in Talladega, AL for the annual Vettes 4 Vets Corvette Track Day Fundraiser at the Talladega Speedway.  This is the one time each year that I'm allowed to really drive my Vette without fear of getting a ticket, all while on a Nascar track.  Fun doesn't even begin to describe it!  The most comical part about this year's event (aside from us detouring into the backroads of Georgia for about an hour yesterday on the way in!) was my lecture from the safety crew as I drove off the track at the end of our lap session!  I could see him lecturing the car in front of me, so I knew I would be next and I was as nervous as could be!  Burney was laughing at my safety lecture the whole time.  Turns out I was driving a little too fast for them!

Before we left yesterday, I recorded live video on Facebook sharing my top tips to stay healthy while traveling and the exact super simple travel strategy that I use to stay on track with my nutrition and fitness while traveling. (Click the play button on the video below!)

I've also created a packing list PDF file that I use each time I travel  to help make travel more simple and ensure that I don't forget any of the healthy items on my list!  That PDF files is available for download from my Empowered Intentionally Facebook Community.  The link to join us is below! 

I’ve created the Empowered Intentionally Facebook Community to empower busy, successful women with the tools, support and guidance to simplify their nutrition, simplify their fitness to become healthier, stronger and more confident.

I would love to have you join us in the Empowered Intentionally Community! 

Click HERE to join us in the Empowered Intentionally Facebook Community

How to Stop Your Stall and Get Back on Track

HOW TO STOP YOUR STALL AND WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU REALIZE YOU'VE FALLEN OFF THE WAGON! 

Confession time?!?

I'm sharing exactly what I do when I realize that I've stalled out and gotten a little off track with my nutrition & fitness!

AND I'm sharing EXCITING news about my 2 new programs!

Stay tuned to the end of the video for those details! 

Details for both programs are also above - click the pictures! 

How to Get Unstuck After Not Reaching a Goal

                

Hey!  Hope you’re having a wonderful week so far!

Last night on my Facebook page, I shared a little about why I’ve failed to reach a goal that I set for myself AND what I’m doing to get unstuck and continue moving forward.  I wanted to share this with you also because these tips can be applied to any goal and any setback!

Here’s the quick back story.  I had decided about a month ago to make a few adjustments in my own nutrition, learn more about gut health, metabolism and what I can do to tweak my nutrition to help my body function better.  So that was a month ago and I realized this past weekend that it’s been a month, I’ve made a little progress  but I’m nowhere near where I want to be with this goal.

I sat down over the weekend and figured out WHY I’ve failed to reach the goal.  These are the reasons why I’ve failed during this goal.

1.  I didn’t actually believe in myself 100% when I started.  I doubted myself and wasn’t sure if I would be able to accomplish the goal.
2.  I let myself get overwhelmed with it all.  You know that saying “can’t see the forest for the trees”?  That was me, letting myself get overwhelmed with details.
3.  I didn’t really implement much of what I was learning.  I collected all of the information, but didn’t do much to take action.

Once I realized exactly what I had let myself do, I came to a stern understanding with myself.  This time WILL be different.  I’m going to get myself UNSTUCK and WILL MOVE FORWARD.

This is exactly what I’m doing to unstick myself and move forward toward my goals

1.  I’ve shifted my mindset.  Having belief in ourselves and our abilities is the first step to accomplish anything.
2.  I’ve decided to tackle the goal in small steps, one step at the time to prevent overwhelm and frustration.
3.  I’m actually going to IMPLEMENT and TAKE ACTION!
4.  I’m going to have patience with myself.  

I wanted to share all of this with you because I believe that so many of us aren’t accomplishing the goals that we set.  These tips can help all of us take charge, take action and reach our goals!

p.s.  If you haven’t joined my Empowered Intentionally Community over on Facebook, you’re missing out!  Empowered Intentionally is the community I’ve created for smart, busy, successful women (yes, that’s YOU!) who know that they need to make their health, fitness and nutrition a priority.   This community will give you daily support, inspiration and encouragement to help you empower yourself to live life healthier, feel amazing and enjoy the journey. For me, being healthy is all about simplifying nutrition, simplifying fitness and simplifying as much as we can to life healthier. CLICK HERE to join & add your friends!

Project: Priority RENEW

Are you ready to take this whole health & fitness thing to the next level?
Are you ready to make this the best summer yet?
Do you want to FEEL amazing in anything that you wear this summer?
Are you ready to learn a different approach to eating, to adjust your nutrition and to find what works best for your body so that will see even more progress?
Are you ready to learn how to increase your metabolism naturally?
Are you ready to have more energy than ever before?
Do you want to change up your workouts, try something new and challenge yourself even more?
Are you ready to stop with the excuses and go all-in for your health?

NOW is the time, you deserve to feel amazing!  You deserve to have more energy!  You deserve to feel more confident!

I’ve created this 30 day program for YOU! 

This program is for you if you’ve already started your health journey and you’re ready to kick it up a notch, focus on your health and learn what works best for you.  If you’re ready to take control of your energy levels, fitness levels and overall health.  If you’re ready to take what you already know about fitness and nutrition, apply new knowledge that you will learn and see amazing changes, this program is for you!

During Project: Priority RENEW, I’m sharing the exact steps that I’m taking for myself right now.  Learning and implementing new nutrition and fitness information is helping me see changes and even more progress with my health and fitness goals.  

During Project: Priority RENEW, I’ll share with you the exact changes I’m making with my current fitness and nutrition.  And I’ll share with you the science behind the changes I’m making centered around metabolism, fitness, gut health, sleep and nutrition.  With these tools, this knowledge and my support, you’ll be able to make changes for yourself that will help you break through a plateau and increase your results.  

Here’s what’s include in the Project: Priority RENEW Program!

1.  THE fitness solution.  Complete workout programs to simplify workouts with fitness experts as your personal in-home trainer.  All of these workouts on your own time, in your own home, eliminating excuses of not having enough time.  During Project: Priority RENEW we will be using All Access Beachbody On Demand.  The All-Access Beachbody On Demand Challenge pack will give you streaming access to ALL of our Beachbody workout programs for an entire 12 months!  This means that together you and I will determine the best workout for you do complete during this program.  And for a complete year, you’ll have access to workout programs that will change your life and your fitness level.

2.  Complete nutrition guides, meal plans and food lists to help you begin to take control of your nutrition.  To help you with clean eating and learning what’s best for you to eat while still enjoying treats once in a while!  I believe in the 90/10 (healthy 90% of the time and treats 10% of the time) approach to nutrition and follow this in my own journey! 

3.  THE nutritional solution.  A supplement to supply your body with nutrients that we are all lacking.  This program includes a 1 month supply of Shakeology.  It provides one healthy meal per day, helps decrease craving, fuels your body with whole foods and superfoods while tasting like dessert!  It provides you with the healthiest meal every day.  Shakeology is the supplement that I’ve used every single day for over 3 years.  It’s literally my solution for supplying my body with nutrients that I could never buy in the store.  As a pharmacist, I’ve researched everything about Shakeology and believe in the integrity of Shakeology.  

4.  A complete set of portion containers.  This helps us learn the correct portions of all the foods we’re eating because we can overeat even healthy foods.

5.  A private Facebook community for daily support, encouragement and accountability.  This community will be an amazing asset to your success.  You don’t have to begin or continue your health and fitness journey alone.  This community will give you support when you need it and a kick in the pants when you need it.  Being accountable to your health and fitness goals ensures that you will succeed when you put in the hard work and effort.

NOW, here are all of the bonuses that you will receive from me as your Coach!  I’ve created amazing tools to help you see even more results!

Bonus 1.  A quick start guide PDF to help you quickly dive into your workout program and nutrition guide.   This guide will allow you to begin your program with confidence and immediately!

Bonus 2.  A 3 Day Accelerated Results Guide.  This guide will give you a clean eating plan that will help you focus on your nutrition to begin your journey and see results quickly.  This is exactly what I use when I need to re-set my nutrition, re-focus, stop the sugar cravings and re-set my gut health.  Motivation comes from results and this guide will show you the results.!

Bonus 3.  The Batch Meal Prep guide so that you’re not in the kitchen all the time and still always have healthy food prepped & ready to eat!  I don’t love to cook, but I do love to always have healthy food options so that I’m not tempted to reach for the quick junk food.

Bonus 4.  A Journal Tracker Page to journal each day about fitness, nutrition, gratitude and goals.  Journaling each day has helped me succeed, celebrate each small success and stay on track with my goals.

Bonus 5. The Intermittent Fasting Handbook.  To explain what intermittent fasting is, why it’s so beneficial to our health and how intermittent fasting can increase your metabolism, increase your results and help you be healthier.  I’ll share tips for getting starting with this type of eating pattern.  I’ll also share exactly how I’ve been intermittent fasting for a couple years now and how it’s helped me.

When you’ve had enough with the excuses.
When you’re ready to kick your health up a notch.
When you’re ready to amp up the results.
When you’ve decided that your health is too important.
When you’ve decided that you do have the time to commit to your health, and no longer use the excuse of being too busy.
When you’ve decided that you are too important not to.
When you’ve decided that you are worth all of this determination and commitment.

All you need to do is decide that you’re going ALL-IN with me. 

We’re in this one together!  During this program, you and I will take our fitness and nutrition to the next level together!
Then click the link below to place your All-Access Beachbody On Demand challenge pack order through me as your Coach.  Once you’ve placed the order, email me at kristinratliffhealth@gmail.com and we’ll get started on the most important project you’ll ever work on.  Your health!

The deadline to join me in Project: Priority RENEW is Friday May 26th!  And we begin on Monday May 29th!

Here is your order link for the challenge pack to join Project: Priority RENEW.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER 

The Annual All-Access Beachbody On Demand Challenge Pack.  This challenge pack includes 12 full months of streaming access to our Beachbody On Demand subscription service.  This gives you access to every single Beachbody workout program ever created as well as all new programs released in the next 12 months!  It’s a crazy amazing challenge pack!

If you have ANY questions at all, please don't hesitate to email me at kristinratliffhealth@gmail.com

Project: Priority YOU

I remember very vividly how it felt to go on an amazing summer vacation cruise and not even put on a swimsuit.  I remember how miserable I was.  I remember how defeated I felt with myself.  My clothes weren’t comfortable for me, I didn’t wear shorts and I avoided tight fitting clothes like the plague.  Energy was non-existent for me during that time.  My career as a pharmacist had taken over my life and I’d let my health slip in a hugely disappointing way.   

Can you relate to any of these feelings?

How do you feel about summer closing in on us?
How are you feeling about that swimsuit you know you need to buy?
How are you feeling about those shorts that are going to be necessary for the hot months?
Are you ready for those summer clothes that don’t hide everything like winter clothes do?
How is your energy level now? 
Are you excited for summer vacations?
Do you have enough energy to enjoy the vacations coming up?
Are you ready to stop with the excuses?
Are you ready to begin taking care of yourself?
Are you ready to stop using the excuse of being busy the reason that you’re not taking care of your health?
Are you ready to increase your metabolism naturally with changes in your nutrition and exercise routines?
Are you ready to increase your metabolism naturally by incorporating weight training into your fitness routine?
Are you ready for simple nutrition solution that allow you to eat healthy and still enjoy treats with life?
Are you ready for simple fitness solutions for actual results?

If you’ve answered YES! to any of these questions, Project: Priority YOU is EXACTLY what you need.  Summer is coming!  

If you’re just beginning your health and fitness journey, this program along with support from me as your Coach is what will give you results.  Now, you’ll absolutely have to put in the hard work and time, but I’m going to help you discover that nutrition and fitness can be simple!

Project: Priority YOU begins on May 29th!

Here’s what’s included in the program!

1.  The fitness solution.  Complete workout programs to simplify workouts with fitness experts as your personal in-home trainer.  All of these workouts on your own time, in your own home, eliminating excuses of not having enough time.  You have 3 choices for the fitness program to use during Project: Priority YOU.  The first is the All Access Beachbody On Demand Challenge pack for streaming access to all of our Beachbody workout programs.  The second is the 21 Day Fix fitness program.  The third is the PiYo fitness program.  (more details on all of that below!)

2.  Complete nutrition guides, meal plans and food lists to help you begin to take control of your nutrition.  To help you learn clean eating and learn what’s best for you to eat while still enjoying treats once in a while!  I believe in the 90/10 (healthy 90% of the time and treats 10% of the time) approach to nutrition and follow this in my own journey! 

3.  THE nutritional solution.  A supplement to supply your body with nutrients that we are all lacking.  This program includes a 1 month supply of Shakeology.  It provides one healthy meal per day, helps decrease craving, fuels your body with whole foods and superfoods while tasting like dessert!  It provides you with the healthiest meal every day.  Shakeology is the supplement that I’ve used every single day for over 3 years.  As a pharmacist, I’ve researched everything about Shakeology.  I believe in the integrity of this product and know that there is no comparison to the nutritional value of Shakeology. 

4.  A complete set of portion containers.  This helps us learn the correct portions of all the foods we’re eating because we can overeat even healthy foods.

5.  A private Facebook community for daily support, encouragement and accountability.  This community will be an amazing asset to your success.  You don’t have to begin or continue your health and fitness journey alone.  This community will give you support when you need it and a kick in the pants when you need it.  Being accountable to your health and fitness goals ensures that you will succeed when you put in the hard work and effort.

NOW, here are all of the bonuses that you will receive from me as your Coach!  I’ve created amazing tools to help you get started and see results!

Bonus 1.  A quick start guide PDF to help you quickly dive into your workout program and nutrition guide.   This guide will allow you to begin your program with confidence and immediately!

Bonus 2.  A 3 Day Accelerated Results Guide.  This guide will give you a clean eating plan that will help you focus on your nutrition to begin your journey and see results quickly.   This guide shows you exactly what I do to re-focus on clean eating and stop sugar cravings.  Motivation comes from results and this guide will give you results!

Bonus 3.  The Batch Meal Prep guide so that you’re not in the kitchen all the time and still always have healthy food prepped & ready to eat!

Bonus 4.  A Journal Tracker Page to journal each day about fitness, nutrition, gratitude and goals.  Journaling each day has helped me succeed, celebrate each small success and stay on track with my goals.

When you’ve had enough with the excuses.
When you’re ready to begin your health journey.
When you’ve decided that your health is too important.
When you’ve decided that you do have the time to commit to your health, and no longer use the excuse of being too busy.
When you’ve decided that you are too important not to.
When you’ve decided that you are worth all of this determination and commitment.

All you need to do is decide which option below will be the best for you during Project: Priority YOU.  If you need help deciding, please email me at kristinratliffhealth@gmail.com and we’ll work together to decide which option is best for you.  Then click the link below to place your challenge pack order through me as your Coach.  Once you’ve placed the order, email me at kristinratliffhealth@gmail.com and we’ll get started on the most important project you’ll ever work on.  Your health!

The deadline to join me in Project: Priority YOU is Friday May 26th!
Here are your options to join Project: Priority YOU

1.  Annual All-Access Beachbody On Demand Challenge Pack.  This challenge pack includes 12 full months of streaming access to our Beachbody On Demand subscription service.  This gives you access to every single Beachbody workout program ever created as well as all new programs released in the next 12 months!  It’s a crazy amazing challenge pack!
CLICK HERE TO ORDER

2.  The 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack for the DVD 21 Day Fix workouts to use in your home.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER

3.  The PiYo Challenge Pack for the DVD workouts of PiYo to use in your home.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER

If you have any questions or need help deciding on your challenge pack option, please email me at kristinratliffhealth@gmail.com

I can’t wait to begin Project: Priority YOU with YOU on May 29th!

Re-Ignite Your Metabolism FREE 5 Day Challenge

Are you frustrated because you feel like you’ve hit a plateau with your health and fitness?

Have you realized that your current health & fitness routine just isn’t working as well as before?

Are you eating the same foods that once kept you at your goals, but just aren’t working now?

Have you realized that the workouts you’ve been doing are no longer as effective?

Are you struggling to figure out what you need to do so you can start seeing progress again with your health & fitness?

I’ve answered YES! to all of these questions during my own journey.  

This is exactly why I’ve created this FREE 5 Day REIGNITE YOUR METABOLISM Challenge!

During this FREE 5 Day Challenge, I’m going to share with you exactly how you can begin to make changes with your current fitness and nutrition so that you can REIGNITE YOUR METABOLISM and begin to see progress again! 

I’ll share with you exactly what I’ve done to reignite my own metabolism with simple steps that you can implement to quickly see progress.  

Here’s what you and I will be discussing during this 5 day challenge (in our Empowered Intentionally Facebook Community):

• Mindset

Identifying struggles holding you back and implement mindset shifts that will help you reignite your fire to succeed with your health and fitness goals.

• Nutrition

Simple solutions to make changes with your nutrition, improve your gut health and still make progress while enjoying an 80/20 lifestyle.  This means that you can still enjoy treats, live life and still see progress with your health.

• Fitness

How weight training and bodyweight training will help your body burn more fat and increase your metabolism.  I’ll also share with you the exact workouts that I’ve fit into my busy schedule that have given me long-lasting results.

• Sleep, Stress & Hormones

How hormones and sleep affect our metabolism and steps you can implement to improve your cravings and improve your metabolism.

• Support & Accountability

How a support and accountability system that gives you a push when you need it will be the game-changer in your health and fitness journey.

ALL of this will be happening in the Empowered Intentionally Community beginning May 8th!

Simply click HERE to join the closed Facebook community and you’ll be ready to begin our REIGNITE YOUR METABOLISM Challenge next Monday, May 8th!