CAUSES OF BRAIN FOG - YOU'LL WANT A COFFEE FOR THIS.

Ugh, I have brain fog just trying to write this and I'm going to assume it's because it's almost 1:00pm on a hot ass Sunday

and all I've had is a protein bar and a latte and all I can think about is getting out my boogie boards and frolicking in the ocean for a hot minute. 

But on a serious note...you know how some days you just feel ON? You're awake, alert, happy. witty, smart, and just all around fabulous and then other days you feel like you developed 20 forehead wrinkles over night, your eyes feel like they're about to fall out of your face, your body hurts, and you don't know what time or day it is? 

Can I get an "I" for every girl who is SO FUCKING OVER the latter?

Personally I feel like I have a pretty good idea as to why some days I feel like Chrissy Teigen and other days I feel like Lindsey Lohan circa 2007, no offense.

For me I feel like the most common things are lack of QUALITY sleep with a splash of stress or anxiety so that's fun. 

BUT I wanted to do some more research and really figure out what could be causing it on such a consistent basis and HOLY SHIT, there's a lot that could be contributing to it.

I feel like all of the reasons make sense but it's interesting to read through it and ask yourself if you're really taking as good of care of yourself as you think you are. I learned so many more reasons as to why some days I may not feel my best and now I'm excited to obviously share them with you and also apply them to my own life to see how much better I feel. 
 

Also - I learned that fish oil is really helpful! SO let's get into what brain fog is, causes brain fog and then talk about what we can do to check in with ourselves and start to fix it.

What Brain Fog IS:

I mean, unfortunately, I feel like we're all WAY too familiar with what it is BUT just in case you're not...brain fog is a broad term that's used to describe feelings of fuzzy thinking, lack of focus and dimmed mental clarity. 

It feels difficult to remember simple things like where you put your keys, names of people and places and even memories. Or it could be a difficulty with quickly processing information which also takes away from our understanding and focus. 

It could look like a hard time navigating, calculating, problem solving, planning and organizing. 

And then to top it off, if your having brain fog you're likely having a lost of second guessing plus a lack of focus and pretty much horrible mental clarity. 

Safe to say we've probably all been here a time or two, ay?

Causes of Brain Fog:

Typically it's going to be due to poor life style choices, the side effect of a medication or the result of a medical condition. 

Diet:

SUGAR -

Refined carbs and sugary snacks or drinks metabolize too quickly which causes our blood sugar levels to go up, up upppp. Our brains love glucose aka blood sugar SO we immediately feel energized and happy but, insulin comes in and removes the excess glucose in an attempt to bring our levels back to normal. 

This decrease in blood sugar causes us to experience mood swings, irritability, brain fog an tiredness. If you are insulin resistant then brain fog may also be an issue because your brain is most likely not getting enough glucose so consider eating a diet high in fiber, protein, meats, fish and nuts. 

LOW FAT DIETS -

Fat plays a big role in the quality of our brain so jumping on the band wagon of low fat diets may not be a great idea if brain fog is something that you're experiencing or wanting to avoid.

The other day I was reading Max Lugavere's Genius Foods Book and he explained that most of us are consuming a diet VERY high in Omega 6's and VERY low in Omega-3's. Like 25 TIMES more Omega 6's than 3's. NO BUENO. 

Omegs - 6's are an underlying cause of inflammation which may be triggering brain fog, as well as ADHD and Anxiety. I personally just started taking 2,000mg of fish oil a day to help with my anxiety and I am SO excited to see how it nourishes me over the next month at least. 

FOOD ALLERGIES -

I think it's fair to wonder that if a certain food has such a negative effect on your body, what kind of effect could it have on your brain?

Common food allergies include dairy, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts but some of the MOST popular food allergies in the U.S. are Corn, Soy and Gluten.

According to Max Lugavere's Book as well as Michael Pollen's "Debunks Food Myths", "the average American gets 2/3 of their calories from wheat, corn and soy." (STUDY)

So looking further into the effects on Brain Fog when removing those foods from your diet could be really beneficial if you ask me!

WHEAT - 

Wheat deserves it's own section haha. Remember, we're talking about foods within our diet that may be linked to some kind of brain fog right? Well schizophrenia, autism, and epilepsy are all BRAIN DISORDERS that show strong associations with the consumption of gluten. 

OBVIOUSLY gluten isn't the primary factor that causes any of those issues but studies DO suggest that they may be a contributing factor. (STUDY 1) (STUDY 2) (STUDY 3) (STUDY 4) 

Going gluten free also won't be the cure all for all health problems (even though everyone in LA seems to think so haha) but it is something that I think is worth experimenting with because I think our society is SO addicted to carbs in general that if we could learn to replace those calories and carbs with fiber and protein rich foods, everyone would see a reduction in their weight. 

I don't personally have an issue with gluten but that's not because I went and did any kind of fancy test with my doctor. I simply did the Elimination technique that's in my Total Reset Two Week Cleanse, and I was able to enjoy a lot of healthy, un processed foods while not consuming any of the foods that people are typically sensitive to. 

This might be a good place for you to start as well if you feel like your diet could be cleaned up and if you want to try and pin point the foods that irritate you personally. 

What I DID notice though when I went on a very low carb diet for 30 days (50g of carbs or less) was that I consumed less calories, felt more full, and looked leaner! 

DEHYDRATION -

So when I was going to the Academy at Show Up Fitness in West Hollywood to become a personal trainer, I LEARNED SO MUCH! But! One thing that really stuck with me was when my coach said "it only takes 2% dehydration to affect your attention, memory, and other cognitive skills". (STUDY)

WHAT! That's insane to me. To think that if you're feeling a little off, it could simply be that you are the slightest bit dehydrated and all you need is more water. But most of us think we need coffee or a nap or that our life is just too hectic. Next time you're not feeling 100, ask yourself, have I had enough water today?

Dehydration can result in fatigue, light headedness, confusion, anxiety, dizziness, and could be causing your brain fog. 

CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL WITH DRAWL - 

These are clearly 2 things that are known to be so addicting that people feel inclined to take a coffee or alch detox for days, weeks, or even months at a time. This is great but don't be surprised by the headaches, brain fog, mood swings, and fatigue that shows up after about 1 day of detoxing. 

Nutritional Deficiencies 

YEEEUP. Go figure. Being less than satisfactory in any of the nutrients below could be what's causing your brain fog. 

- Vitamin B12

(Read about the top 10 Vitamin B-12 Rich Foods)

- Vitamin D

(Here's 9 Healthy Foods that are High In Vitamin D)

- Omega 3's

(Know 12 Foods that are VERY High in Omega - 3's)

- Magnesium 

(10 Magnesium Rich Foods That Are Also Healthy)

Lack Of Quality Sleep

Ouf. This was a rough one for me when I was getting 4-6 hours of sleep almost nightly due to working like a psycho person and going to school and training and health coaching, let me tell ya. 

Lack of sleep causes memory issues, mood changes, and trouble with thinking and concentration. Your brain function is completely altered and I think it effects more of us than we even realize. I know a lot of people get romantic with the idea of "grinding" and "hustling" and just being super fucking busy but honestly, it's not cool IF you are not able to take care of yourself along the way. 

When I was really busy it was interesting to see how many people were saying, "Well you're doing so well and working so hard!", "You're killing it!!" And I was like, "I feel like I'm killing myself lolz". 

But really. I didn't feel cool. I didn't feel like I was being the best version of myself or feel like I was actually even doing that great of a job because I was SO exhausted all the time that I was just a boring person to be around. 

We actually form connections during sleep that help us process and remember new information so a lack of sleep can impact both short and long term memory. 

Chronic sleep loss can lead to anxiety and depression which I think explains why I had my first panic attack during those busy months. PLUS concentration, creativity, and problem solving skills all decline. 

READ THIS:

"Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments equivalent to those of alcohol intoxication. After 17-19 hours without sleep, performance was equivalent or worse than that of a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%. After longer periods with out sleep, performance reached levels equivalent to a blood alch concentration of 0.1%." (STUDY)

This is why sometimes when you're super tired and pull a weird night where you're in bed by like 5:00 am and up at 8:00am - you feel hungover. 

Stress:

Ohhh, I am all too familiar with this. Chronic stress leads to insomnia, memory loss, anxiety, weight gain, and depression AND it puts you at a greater risk for diseases that you want to avoid like dementia and Alzheimer's. So if you're stressed because of work for example, it makes it hard to sleep, which compounds into feeling massive brain fog. See how easy it is to feel like we're always a little off?

Being Physically Inactive: 

Lack of movement has so many negative effects on the brain. This research argues that physical exercise may be the single most important thing that you can do for your brain. When we exercise, we bring more oxygen to the brain and reduce cortisol all while stimulating new brain function. SO GO MOVE. Especially during those times where you feel like you're tired and don't know why, or when you just want to crawl into bed. 

I PROMISE YOU WILL FEEL SO MUCH BETTER. Just get that blood flowing!

AGH, okay so that's a lot right? I mean, for me I usually always assumed that it was stress or lack of sleep like I explained before but I came to realize that I haven't been eating much fat lately, and especially with how hot it's been I need to be drinking MORE water than usual. If you feel like you're suffering from Brain Fog, try going through the list of natural remedies below and seeing if anything could use more attention in your life. 

Tips For Getting Rid Of Brain Fog

+ Eliminate processed foods and if you consume any foods that you know irritate you, eliminate those all well. 

+ Start getting some more healthy fats in your diet. I LOVE THIS FISH OIL. And as always, be cautious that you're not trying a million new fatty snacks all at once because they can pack a lot of calories. Instead, just try adding a little olive oil or avocado to your next meal and take a fish oil supplement. We want to increase brain function, not gain weight. 

+ Get high quality sleep. Check out my blog (5 Sleeping Tips for Students and Women Who Are Busy AF!) to see how I managed to get the best sleep that i could even though my schedule was insane. 

+ EXERCISE!

+ Try meditating to reduce stress.

+ Get a check up to see if you have any unknown medical conditions.

If you guys have any more tips please leave them below!

X

SHOULD YOU BE COUNTING YOUR CALORIES?

Hi Hi Hi! 

I'm really excited to talk to you guys about this topic because I've been talking to my clients about this a lot more lately and it's been one of the biggest and easiest factors in their weight loss journey. 

Okay so you guys know how I'm going to school to be a trainer right now? YEAH. School to be a PERSONAL TRAINER. Ever heard of it ;) Honestly, I hadn't. I thought you just took a class online and then got certified and then BAM, you're a personal trainer. 

Turns out that thats what most trainers do which is why most trainers actually aren't very good but - that's a different post. 

Anyways - I go to school at Show Up Academy here in LA and I AM OBSESSED WITH IT. My coach is super dope and VERY knowledgeable which is where this whole concept of counting calories came back into my life. 

So like 5 years ago, I was horribly OBSESSED with counting my calories. I put myself on a strict 1,000 calories a day diet while working out because - well - I was an idiot haha and I'm pretty sure I had body dysmorphia. 

Once I realized that I had an obsession with counting calories every second of every day, I did my best to stop, and let myself eat according to what felt good. Ever since then, I stopped counting calories and really just tried to pay attention to the ingredients that were in the foods I was eating. 

I think because I already had a good idea of the calories in most things that I was able to choose super healthy things and not feel like I was over eating them, AND THIS is where I notice a lot of girls are confused today. 

---

A lot of girls are on the "counting ingredients" train. Meaning - a lot of us are eating things that are healthy and trendy like non gmo, organic, all natural etc, which is GREAT, but because it's healthy doesn't mean that we can eat endless amounts of it. 

---

This is why when clients come to me and tell me that they eat super healthy but they aren't losing weight...as a matter of fact they're GAINING weight, I ask them to do a food log for me. 

The food log consists of logging your macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein) plus calories for 2-3 days. And NO cheating!

I want to see it all!

The almond milk in your coffee, the olive oil on your salad and in your sauteed veggies, plus the 1 glass of wine and 1 small bag of chips you had after dinner. 

THESE ALL HAVE CALORIES! We like to make up rules when it comes to food and say that "this doesn't count" or "this is basically like 0 calories" haha, it's actually pretty funny when you think about it. It's like mmmm nope! Pretty sure that olive oil just added an extra 130 calories to your daily intake.

Or when we say "I just had hummus. Hummus is healthy!" Did you eat half of the container? I think I've probably done that before, it's pretty easy to be honest haha and it's also like 350 calories. Also did you eat it with about 13 gluten free crackers? That's another 140 calories. 

I'm not saying that any of this is bad AT ALL. I'm just suggesting that maybe we should consider paying closer attention to what the calories are in the foods we're eating if our goal is weight loss. Because if it IS, then a hummus and gluten free cracker snack that is 490 calories is something we need to be aware of, ya know?!

And I hope that I'm not coming off like I'm some kind of saint because I'm not haha. Doing a food log is very humbling even for me! I'll go a week or two thinking I'm eating cleaner than I am and doing a food log always brings me back to reality. 

So it's not so that we can look it over and beat ourselves up over it, it's just so that we can be aware of what were doing and change it if necessary !

Here's what I suggest:

Download this food log that I created and fill it out for 2-3 days! (You'll want to print multiple copies, I'd say 1-2 per day). If you have a cheat day, fill out the food log, if you have a super clean day, fill out the food log, if you have a day where you didn't have much time to eat and your energy sucked all day, fill out the food log. 

This will give you an idea of what your range is :)

After you fill it out, e-mail me at info@chelseyrosehealth.com and we can discuss what to do next! I can help you figure out how many calories you should be eating on a day to day basis depending on your goals, and I can help you figure out what to start removing from your diet in order to make weight loss happen smoothly :)

OR - just start with the two week reset cleanse!! All of my clients have noticed results with this cleanse so this is a great place to start :)

That's all for today! I hope the food log helps you out :)

X

Chelsey

MY TOP 5 GO TO ENERGY ELIXIRS

SUPEROODS, MUSHROOMS AND DUSTS, OH MYYYY!

Seriously though...YES YES YES, I am so happy you guys requested this blog post because this is the shit that I have at least one of on a daily basis! I got so used to using these that it seemed natural but a lot of you we're always asking how you can jump o some extra energy and were wondering what the hell was in my purse haha SO here it is!

These are ALWAYS in my cabinet or purse and they go into either my smoothie or my earl grey latte on a daily basis. 

I am SUPER busy and I love it, but this list has been the secret to my energy and focus from morning to night. 

I swear by everything here so check them out and see if anything resonates with you! I will leave links to them at the bottom if you want to purchase anything right away!

As always, let me know on Insta or comment below for other blog ideas or topics that you want me to talk about!

X

GET THE ENERGY ELIXIRS:

Moon Juice - Organic + Wildcrafted Edible Joy (Spirit Dust, 1.5 oz)

Four Sigmatic Organic Mushroom Elixir Mix with Lion's Mane and Antioxidants for Concentration + Focus, Vegan, Paleo, 0.1 Ounce (20 Count)

MRM - Maca Root Raw Superfood, Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Vegan and Gluten-Free (8.5 oz)

Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil, Reliable and Quick Source of Energy (16 Ounces)

https://www.onnit.com/alpha-brain-instant/

XXXX

WHY YOU'RE STILL GETTING BLOATED, EVEN AFTER A HEALTHY MEAL

Okay, does this ever happen to you guys?

I work late nights at a Hotel cocktail lounge and sometimes it just gets so insanely busy that there is NOOO time for a break. There's hardly any time to breathe let alone think about food. 

I'll get slammed for like 4 hours straight and then as soon as I have a second, I'll run to the guys at room service (they love me) and see if they can make me a salmon salad. Then I'll go back out to the floor and bust my ass for another 15 minutes then I'll run and get my food and bring it back up stairs with me where I try to grab a bite ( or 5) of it in between all the other shit I'm doing.  

I get a 5 star meal packed with the best protein, the best veggies, butter lettuce, goat cheese and a lemon vinaigrette and eat it like a starved dog without any recollection of how it smelled or tasted. (Sometimes if I'm feeling really slutty I'll throw in a pretzel roll with basically a stick of butter and just die and go to my own little heaven for a second). 

I hardly (aka NEVER) feel satisfied after eating like this and then THE WORST PART, I go home two hours later with a fucking food baby the size of a football and just wonder to myself...

HOW THE EF, am I so bloated?!?!

I probably just walked 10,000 steps, I haven't sat down in at least 6 hours and I ate a SALMON SALAD Jesus Christ I just CANNOT. 

SO. with me going back to school and all to be a health coach (holla at me ;) ) I'm learning A LOT. There is so much info that I can't wait to share with you guys but for today, we're talking allll about this eating healthy, staying active, and still getting bloated situation, because it's pretty effing annoying. 

Here's the main thing that we are all doing wrong and some tips on how to fix the problem, for good. 

EATING UNDER STRESS

The number one, worst thing you can possibly do if you are trying to avoid getting bloated. When we are stressed our brain can't differentiate from 'real life about to be swallowed by a shark' stress versus 'short staffed hectic night at work' stress. 

All it knows is that it is in a fight or flight mode. So when it comes to stress and our digestion, there's a few things that happen here. 

First, our blood leaves our stomach and get's pumped to our arms and legs (essentially, to run if we need to) and causes our body to NOT try and focus on digesting ANYTHING. It's only thought is to RUN. Nothing else. 

So our nervous system turns our stress on, and our digestion OFF. 

So right off the bat we know that if we want to digest anything we need to be relaxed. A good analogy for this is basically any other culture other than Americans haha. 

This shows that WHAT we eat is actually just 1/2 of the equation. HOW we eat is the other half. 

I even decided to test this out the other night after learning all of this amazing information. I was at work, hungry, but not busy. I decided to go grab a pretzel roll with butter and a salmon salad just to have something to munch on and I ate it over the course of about 30 minutes. 

I didn't get bloated, i felt satisfied and I didn't even feel too full. I FELT AMAZING. 

So the question that we all need to focus on is HOW do we focus more on staying in a calm state while we eat so that we don't overeat, become bloated, and cause in digestion?

Try these 6 tips next time you sit down for a meal and see how it QUICKLY helps you and makes you more aware of how you really feel. 

1. HAVE A 20 MINUTE MEAL.

Okay NO MATTER WHAT, from here on out, I want every meal you have to take 20 minutes. Next time you eat something, just turn the timer on on your phone, eat normally, and turn the timer off when you're finished. 

You might be SHOCKED with how quickly you we're able to put down a meal haha, I usually hover around 10 minutes.

Next time you eat try to just make sure that you add 5 minutes to your eating time. Do this until you've hit 20 minutes and then repeat that for 7 days and notice how different you feel. 

When we eat too quickly, we don't give our brain and our stomach enough time to make the connection that we are eating. So we stuff our faces with all this food and then BAM. ALL OF THE SUDDEN our brain realizes what is going on and tells us to STOPPPPP. 

At this point we've already over indulged and if we're in a stressful environment or ate while we were internally stressed, then alll that food is going to sit there until your body feels like it is safe. THEN it will start the digestion process. 

If we eat slowly over a period of 20 minutes, we will be able to properly work with our body and allow it to signal us if we are full or not. 

2. PUT UTENSIL DOWN 3 TIMES DURING A MEAL

This will help you hit your 20 minute mark. Have a few bites and then set your fork DOWN. JUST CHILL the ef out for a second, okay?! Make this your goal, maybe even make it 5 times! This will help you to eat less instead of having one bite in your throat with another bite in your mouth and another bite on your fork. 

3. BREATHE BETWEEN BITES

Okay, this is interesting. Oxygen helps to speed up the metabolism. I know this makes sense because when I work out, I'm hungrier throughout the day and I usually always go to the bathroom more regularly when I work out. Just FYI. 

There's actually something called Villi (Pronounced VEAL) in our intestines that's PRIMARY job is to absorb nutrients and it does this by extracting large quantities of oxygen to break down a meal. 

• When the blood lacks oxygen for the villi to pick up, the nutrient absorption decreases. 
• When the blood has plenty of oxygen, the nutrient absorption increases. 

SO BREATHE in between your bites. This is basically the OPPOSITE of what I would do while I was stuffing my face with salmon behind a wall at work so, I'm working on this too haha. 

4. CHEW YOUR FOOD AND EAT WITH YOUR SENSES. 

Did you know that your digestive process actually begins in your mouth? Your mouth starts releasing enzymes that break down your food which is why REALLY chewing each bite and USING your sense of taste and smell is so important. 

When food is inadequately broken down, it can easily pass through your GI tract without absorbing the appropriate nutrients. 

ALSO did you know, there's actually a muscle at the base of your stomach that CONTROLS the passage of food into your small intestine. You know how we relax that muscle? SIMPLY CHEWING. So just chew that ish. 

5. EAT UNTIL SATISFIED, NOT FULL.

Why the hell do we eat until we're too full anyways when we KNOW we HATE the way it makes us feel? Well one, it's a habit. And because it's likely that throughout the day or the week, we are constantly depriving, denying, disconnecting and dieting. 

Once you start the "20 minute meal" like we mentioned above, you'll notice at a certain point that you actually are satisfied and you'll probably start moving away from getting SO full. 

Next time you go out to eat with friends, play the "slowest eater" game with yourself. 

Just be the last one to finish your plate and I bet that 1. you'll notice how FAST everyone around you eats, and you'll notice that as the dinner goes on, you won't finish your food or you'll realize you weren't quite as hungry as you thought you were. 

Keep me updated on how you feel after trying 1 or all of these tips!!

XX

MAKE YOUR BODY GO FROM A SUGAR BURNER TO A FAT BURNER IN 2 STEPS

How often do you feel yourself thinking or telling someone, "I just want to lose some fat...".

I feel like girls are asking me how to do this ALL the time. We all want to put on lean muscle, lose weight and burn fat. Haha GOALS.

What you'll learn is that muscle weighs more than fat so if you want to gain muscle and drop the number on the scale, you're probably going to be disappointed. This is why I tell people to STOP paying attention to the number on the scale BUT that's for another post...

What I want to talk about today is FAT BURN. 

I know for me personally, I'd like to know how I can make my body burn more fat all day long. 

Anyone else?

I started looking into this and what I found was two words that you may or may not have ever heard of, and two simple steps.

The words I'm going to use in this post a lot are INSULIN and GLUCAGON. So just be aware, and don't let me lose you. The concept is actually pretty straight forward and it makes sense. It's also an easy fix so let's get into it!

Right now most people are what we'll call A SUGAR BURNER. 

If you eat bread, drink sodas, love rice, pancakes, sushi, cookies, pasta, or any other white simple carbs, you're probably a sugar burner. 

Basically what happens when we eat anything bad for us (simple carbs and sugar), we get a big spike in our blood sugar which makes us feel like we have energy. Our brain thinks that this is an emergency since it was so sudden and signals our pancreas to send out a ton of insulin. 

The insulins job is to LOWER blood sugar by transporting the sugar (glucose) to the muscles and liver. So as it is doing this, the insulin is actually blocking any access to your fat storages because well, sugar is much easier burn QUICKLY. 

Then, if there is any excess glucose that can't get pushed into the muscles or liver, your body starts storing it as fat. 

So just from eating something bad, our body not only BLOCKS our fat storages from being used as energy but it also DEPOSITS more sugar AS fat. 

LOSE LOSE SITUATION. 

So then I read about something called Glucagon (GLUE-CA-GONE) and even though it is also secreted from the pancreas, it has the opposite effect of insulin. Insulin and glucagon are sort of like a see-saw so when one goes up, the other one comes down. 

Glucagon is a FAT BURNING hormone. It literally signals the body to release stored fat and to burn it as fuel. 

SO I basically wanted to know how I could get this Glucagon thing to be signaled to do that, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. 

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HOW TO STIMULATE MORE GLUCAGON

Brace yourself, it's only 2 steps. 

1. Eat more LOW GLYCEMIC foods.

Don't worry, I had to look up low glycemic too. This basically means that by eating low glycemic foods you are consuming foods with less sugar. Anything that is considered LOW GLYCEMIC is considered a food that you can eat that will not spike your blood sugar. 

This tends to be COMPLEX CARBS. Think of things like oats, brown rice, whole grain bread, bananas, lentils and whole grain pasta.

These foods tend to be brown as opposed to white. 

WHY?

Because a white pasta compared to a brown pasta only means that the white pasta has been stripped of all its nutrients like fiber and vitamins and minerals. This is why it has essentially no color and why it spikes your blood sugar! 

Fiber helps things digest slowly so if you eat something without fiber then it will do exactly what we are trying to avoid and spike your blood sugar. 

Here is a list of low glycemic foods. If you have a question about a particular food just google it :)

2. EAT PROTEIN

This is the other way that we are going to turn our bodies into fat burning machines. 

Protein directly stimulates the production of Glucagon. Did you get that?

Protein directly stimulates the production of Glucagon.

Protein directly stimulates the production of Glucagon.

Eating protein tells your body that it is safe to burn fat and it also keeps you fuller for longer periods of time which helps you stay satisfied on a low calorie diet. 

Make it your goal to eat protein with every meal. Nutrition stripped has a perfect layout here of the 10 plant based proteins you should be eating. 

I also found a study that was featured in the Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology where researches did an experiment on rats (gross I know) BUT they injected one group of rats with insulin and the other group of rats with glucagon. 

The rats that received the insulin gained body fat and ate more while the rats with glucagon lost body fat. 

Being a sugar burner means that you are a fat accumulator so try these tips to become an energized fat burner!

If you have any questions or comments leave them below! I love talking with you guys!

XX

I DID A 3 DAY JUICE CLEANSE AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED

Sometimes I have the self control of a fucking Victoria's Secret model and other times I do things in such a serious auto pilot mode that I don't even remember doing it. 

The first time I did a 3 day juice cleanse was about 3 years ago now. Over the course of a few months I went from eating turkey and chicken every day to cutting out meat, to eating plant based, to Raw and then I wanted to take it a step further and try a cleanse. 

I started with 1 day and loved it so much that I went to the store later that night and bought a separate THREE day cleanse. After day 4 I went and got 1 more day making my very first cleanse last for a total of 5 days. 

WTF. 

I think I was a robot. I loved the way I felt, I loved knowing that I was filling my body up with nutrients and I feel like I only stopped because I could barely pay rent so juicing for a day let alone almost a week wasn't really in the budget. 

Fast forward to THIS time around when I decided to dive into a 3 day cleanse and holllllyy hell the vibe is WAY different. 

I still don't eat meat but the day...or 7...before I started the juice cleanse, I wouldn't say I was eating HORRIBLY, but I definitely wasn't eating Raw. 

I was eating healthy food but I was eating more than I needed, and I had like 3 taco nights which really didn't help with the constant bloating I was experiencing. 

I was fed up and felt like I needed a RESET so I went from lots of food to nadddda but juice. 

SO

I got my juice cleanse from Pressed Juicery because their juices taste amazing and their prices are better than most. I think I paid 160 for my first 3 day cleanse and I paid 120 for this one PLUS it comes with more to drink throughout the day. 

I told the woman working that I wanted to do the ADVANCED cleanse meaning the one that has the LEAST amount of sugar and then I asked if I could swap out one of the juices for a juice that had a thicker consistency and more protein since I would be somewhat active during the cleanse. 

Basically this meant that I would have one protein drink in the morning, 4 juices throughout the day, another protein drink for dinner PLUS a chlorophyll drink throughout the day and an aloe vera drink before bed. 

The chlorophyll helps provide you with energy and fullness throughout the day and the aloe juice helps with digestion which I LOVE.

Day 1

Went SUPER well and I think it's always the best day of a cleanse. I was lit with motivation and determination and was stoked that I didn't have to try to plan out any meals for the day. I didn't feel unsatisfied at any point throughout the day at all, I actually had to force myself to finish one of the juices before bed because I forgot about it. Everything was great. THEN

Day 2

Was when I started day dreaming about sweet potato fries and a veggie burger. I was PISSED. I remember the first time I did the cleanse I felt amazing, high energy, no cravings, nada. This time I literally kept imagining myself eating a burger and wanted to munch on something sooo bad. 

This tends to be the subject of day two. Your body starts to crave things and you start to FEEL what it's like to detox.

Luckily what I can't imagine is wasting 120 dollars on a juice cleanse because I couldn't resist cravings for 10 minutes.  So I made it through day 2 and felt really good by the end of the day. I was up from 7:00 am until almost 1:00 am so I still managed to knock out a long day plus a yoga class and a 30 minute nap:)

 My stomach is flat again at this point. My digestion is on point. I'm sleeping like a baby and I'm not experiencing any headaches or tiredness. 

Day 3:

WOKE UP FEELING AMAZING. Had my smoothie drink and felt totally alert for 4 hours. Downed my second juice in a second and felt great again.

Mind you - I work at a cocktail lounge so there are food and drinks everywhere so the temptations are HIGH but every little thing that I want and decide to pass gives me a little bit more confidence in my self control. 

Then I realized that this is half the reason why I love juice cleanses. They get your mind back on track and build up your strength to say no to things because you know you are more interested in reaching your goals. 

Seriously though, how many times have you told yourself that you weren't going to have sweets for a week and by the end of day one your eating more sweets than you normally ever would have?

This happens to all of us. We start to a lose a sense of our self control and our goals. For me - spending this much money on juices makes me determined to do it right because other wise I feel like it would be a waste of money. 

It also motivates me to meal prep healthy foods for the week ahead when my cleanse is OVER so that I don't just fall back into my old habits and waste my time doing the cleanse that way. 

ALSO - you wouldn't believe the amount of shit you get done when you're cleansing. For example, if I wasn't on a cleanse then I would probably be in my bed right now eating a huge bowl of popcorn, sippin' on a grapefruit seltzer and watching GIRLS. 

Or I would be bugging my boyfriend about going out to lunch or seeing who wants to go out to dinner tomorrow. 

Since all those options are off the table, I'm staying home, getting house work done, and creating new projects. 

You kind of have to stay busy on a cleanse or else I feel like you could go nuts so all around it's a win in my book. 

DAY AFTER:

Today is my first day after the cleanse and today feels 100% times better than yesterday. i could drink juice all day today no problem if I wanted to. Yesterday I was still cravings burgers and fries and today I'm not really craving anything. 

I had a juice for breakfast and I'm being cautious of what I eat today. I don't want to just have a big meal and shock my body again and I'm definitely doing my best to stay away from anything with preservatives or added sugars. 

I had a little bit of tuna with gluten free crackers for lunch and right now I'm making ceviche so just trying to have some light, healthy snacks and still drinking 1/2 a gallon of water throughout the day.

I've noticed that my face looks a bit thinner from not having any sugar and drinking SO much water. 

That's another thing. 

When you do a cleanse, you are supposed to drink 16 oz of water in between each juice this way you don't get bloated from all the fruits and veggies you are consuming. This actually also helps you feel SUPER full at times. 

Your skin will look brighter, your bloat will go away, your digestion will be on point, you're cravings will be reduced, and you'll be loaded with the vitamins and minerals you need to get through the day with energy. 

I totally suggest starting with a one day cleanse and if you like it then move on to a 3 day cleanse. 

I ALSO suggest knowing when you are going to start the cleanse so that you can start eating less and HEALTHIER for the few days leading up to the cleanse. TRUST ME, this will make your cleansing experience a lot better!

Let me know if you have any questions!

XX

HOW TO SLEEP YOUR WAY TO BETTER HEALTH - GUEST POST

Written by: Elaine Clara Mah

Do you often work till the wee hours of the night, and then go home to find that though you’re mentally exhausted, you’re still finding it difficult to sleep? 

The importance of sleep has been frequently overlooked, with many getting less than the optimal 8 hours of quality sleep every night. This is worrying, as a lack of sleep is extremely harmful to the body. Sleep deprivation hinders the ability of the mind to relax and therefore leave it constantly in a fight or flight state, which affects the general health of the body.

Why is Sleep Important?

As a student, I thought I thrived on less sleep. I would spend many nights burning the proverbial midnight oil to finish assignments on time, surviving on a sinful amount of energy drinks. Sure, I finished my work and also did well on it. But on the health front, I was losing. I felt lethargic in the day and when that last can of energy drink finished, I crashed into bed, only to wake up feeling even more exhausted.

Getting adequate sleep each day is essential to the human body because our system needs rest, much like how our electronics need a recharge.

Chronic sleep loss can put us at risk for many health problems including heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. A lack of sleep impairs cognitive processes including alertness, concentration and reasoning – skills that we use in our day-to- day lives.

So how do we get a good night’s sleep? Here are some effective tips:

Stick to A Schedule

Create a sleep schedule for yourself. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday. Creating a consistent schedule will help regulate your body clock, which will help you fall asleep and stay asleep regularly.

Where possible, make it a habit of going to be early and then rising early to start your day. Try to get at least eight hours of adequate sleep every day; it has been linked to being productive at work.

Get A Relaxing Ritual Going

A relaxing ritual before bedtime will help you fall asleep easier and get sufficient rest. Relaxing allows the body and mind to accept sleep better; relaxation enables the production of melatonin naturally – a neurochemical essential for deep and restful sleep.

Start the relaxation ritual by dimming the lights, diffusing calming essential oils and turning off your electronic devices.

A meditation practice before sleep will also aid in relaxation by reducing stress and calming the mind. Meditation will also help you focus on the present and enable you to let go of any pains and problems that they are holding unto.

Exercise Regularly

A consistent exercise schedule is a good way to get better sleep at night as it reduces stress with the release of endorphins and tires you out.

Walking and jogging are great exercise choices, but if you’re looking for more dynamic workouts, cycling or martial arts may be suitable for you.

For a practice that creates more relaxation, give yoga nidra a try!

Lead A Healthier Lifestyle

Like it or not, the food you consume plays an equally important role in the quality of sleep that you get at the end of each day. Eating acidic and

spicy foods may cause heartburn, which will disrupt sleep. High-fat foods like burgers and fries also affect sleep cycles as they are considered heavy meals, which will result in the digestive system going into overdrive.

Try to minimize your intake of junk food as they are difficult to digest and can wreak havoc in your body, causing sleep disruptions. Instead, opt for healthier meals with more vegetables and good fats. 

About

Elaine Clara Mah

Elaine is a Contributing Writer for BookMeditationRetreats.com. She is a firm believer in meditation and sets aside at least an hour a day for silence.

MORNING MEDITATION IS MY FIRE RIGHT NOW

PHOTOGRAPHER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR: THEETERNALCHILD

I didn't think the day would ever come but I'm here, and I'm falling in love with meditating. 

I'm a busy woman, mid-twenties. THERE'S A LOT GOING ON HERE. On a day to day basis without really realizing it or even stressing about it, I'm working out, going to work, working on my passion, socializing, thinking of how to move forward, thinking of how to move to the next apartment, wondering how I can travel more, save more, have better skin and hair, and spend more time with family. 

Meditating is a moment for myself first thing in the morning, TAKING TIME FOR MYSELF, without any thoughts.

It's a time and place for me to sit and enjoy the quietness of the morning and to let my mind kind of just relax and expand.

I've read from pretty much every person I admire that they love meditation. I've read all about the benefits, the feeling you carry with you for the rest of the day when you do it, and the importance of taking that time for yourself BUT I've never been able to get into it. 

I was always thinking about what I needed to do as soon as I was done meditating. I also always just sort of felt like it was  a waste of time and that my time would be more useful spent at the gym running my ass off. 

Don't get me wrong, running is a great way to release endorphins and clear your mind but meditating is a separate practice with separate benefits. 

As some of you may know, I'm a huge fan on Cameron Diaz. 

I talked about her in this post about how I became motivated to start running again after I read her first book THE BODY BOOK. 

More recently, I read her book THE LONGEVITY BOOK and this is where she spilled all the goodness on her meditation routine and the benefits. 

Let me drop some knowledge on ya real quick. 

STRESS.

When we stress, we are basically responding to something that is happening like a late uber, or missing a flight or when it becomes more serious we are stressing over illness or relationships and financial responsibilities. 

We have these things called Telomeres attached to our cells like a little tail and whenever we stress we are shortening that tail. This eventually gets dangerously shorter and shorter until it gets to the cell and the cell dies or it goes into senescence. 

The accumulation of senescent cells is a driver of AGING AND ILLNESS.

So, we can do some things like run or go to acupuncture to reduce stress levels but the practice of meditating is shown to have the most long lasting results. 

Meditation actually has a beneficial impact at the cellular level by LENGTHENING your telomeres. 

Longer telomeres means healthier cells and less inflammation within the body. 

Then obviously, the stronger our immune system is, the better it will be able to respond to sicknesses and illnesses which will expand the length of our life. 

THAT'S JUST A SMALL tid bit that I learned from The Body Book. 

I was also more recently inspired by people like Amanda Chantal Bacon (owner and creator of Moon Juice) and McKel Hill (Creator of Nutrition Stripped. Particularly this article). 

This interview of Amanda and this blog written by McKel inspired me and made me realize that a lot of woman who I look up to are practicing meditation DAILY.

I just started thinking to myself that I can do this. 

If they can meditate, why can't I?

So the following morning after reading up on some meditation techniques, I woke up early, laid out a beautiful lace blanket on my floor in front of my window, opened it up to listen to the rain, lit 3 candles and placed them on the floor in front of me and googled KUNDALINI MEDITATION. 

This was what Amanda of Moon Juice said that she did so I figured I would start with that. 

I found a 10 minute practice, pressed play and just focused on my breath. 

Between going to work and hitting the gym and running errands, I'm around people and interacting ALL DAY. 

Once I started to realize how precious this time is for me first thing in the morning, i've been getting more and more excited to get into it. 

I'm already looking at new meditation techniques to see if there are any others that I like and I am moving on to 20 minute sessions. 

I've also been getting up earlier so that it is completely quiet and then I cap it off with 15-20 minutes of a morning yoga stretch. 

I finish up by 8:00 am and feel AMAZING. 

This is the YouTube Chanel that I've been loving so far for meditation and yoga so far. 

I also found out that UCLA offers free meditation videos online which are popular because they are conducted by professors so you actually gain some knowledge while you're in your practice and you understand why you are doing what you are doing. 

So moral of the story, I am LOVING it so far. 

Find a place in your home that you can turn into your little "spot". Like I said, mine is in my room in front of my window on my lace blanket. 

Wake up a little earlier so that you can complete the meditation and not feel like you have to be in a rush and just remind yourself that this time is YOURS and yours only.

I think that will help you relax!

Let me know if you guys have any tips for me or let me know if there are other channels that you like so I can check them out!!

LOVE YOU GUYS!

XX - C

MY DIET OVER THE LAST 2 WEEKS

So I feel like I've been keeping you guys a lot more updated with my workout schedule and results via insta and snap BUUUT although I've told you I've been strict with my diet, I haven't really broken it down yet.

First of all, these pictures were taken only 1 month apart. The one on the right was taken right when I got home from NY so I had been eating everything, drinking everything, I was dehydrated and swollen form traveling. The one on the right was taken a few days ago after 3 weeks of following this eating schedule and sticking to my workouts. 

(YIKES).

First lets quickly go over what my diet was like before because it didn't really seem that bad.

I would wake up in the morning, have a cup of bullet proof coffee and maybe a piece of whole wheat toast with 3 egg whites + sriracha. 

Then I would go to the gym, come home and have a plant based protein smoothie which usually included greens, a banana, almond milk and almond butter, flax seeds, and other super food powders. 

For lunch I might have my Curry cauliflower rice or as of lately I was having a can of tuna with vegan mayo, bread and butter pickles and whole wheat crackers. 

So far not too bad yeah?

So then I would go to work, and this is where I'm realizing the downfall was. 

I would run around for 4 hours then be starving without time to take a break so I would go sneak a piece of pretzel bread with butter like a freaking animal and stuff my face then go back to work. Cool right?

Then I would snack on the jalepeno olives, and then 9:30 pm rolls around and I would finally have time for a break. And I'm one of those people who like, LOVES dinner.

I feel like my day ins't complete until I have dinner. For some people they feel like they can't wake up until they have breakfast so, I get it. 

So I would end up eating work food on my break. Not a lot, but enough that it was messing up my diet. Not to mention the food there is all covered in grease and oil so even if I'm having small portions, it adds up over the week. 

After eating and drinking my way through Thanksgiving I had one of those moments where I decided that i was going to really ACTUALLY get my ish together. 

I think I have pretty decent self control but I clearly lost all control as soon as I went to work, WHICH HAS BEEN A LOT LATELY BECAUSE WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED AND I COULD KILL SOMEONE, but that's off topic. 

The first thing I did ...

the next day on my way to work was stop at Whole Foods and I bought a large bag of raw UNSALTED almonds. 

Who knew how much these little guys would help. I kept them in my car and I would snack on them on the way to work, then I would just bring them inside with me and have some when I felt like I needed a little something. 

I felt like I wasn't having cravings and I wasn't as hungry for food by the end of the night. According to this blog, those feelings are pretttty on point. 

Almonds are actually beneficial when it comes to losing weight, despite their higher calorie content. One study even found that almonds consumed as snacks reduce hunger and desire to eat later in the day, and when dieters eat almonds daily they reduce their overall calorie intake. 

The second thing

I made sure to do was really re focus on my water intake. You will be SO surprised how you're cravings diminish and you eat smaller meals when you're drinking enough water. 

Third...

VERY MINIMAL DRINKING. Ugh I know, trust me, I'm the first to crave a glass of red wine or a whisky sour when it's cold outside or just a beer at lunch...soothes my soul. Haha, BUT I told myself only 2 drinks max one day a week.

I started shrinking FAST. All my clothes started feeling like they were fitting the way they were supposed to, I've been more in control of my eating (no drunchies) and I've stayed more hydrated. 

Alrighty, so those were the main changes I made, the main NEW RULES if you will. 

Now here's what my diet's been looking like throughout the day.

8:00 am - Wake up, have a small almond or peanut butter Perfect Bar.

I do this because I always hit the gym in the morning and before I do that I have my 3 favorite products from MRM - L Carnitine, Pre Workout, and BCAA's. These three things combined help with optimal fat burn, weight loss, and muscle retention BUT if you have them on an empty stomach, you're going to hate yourself.

Also when I take my pre workout and L Carnitine I have it in 1 glass of water so I'm also hydrating as soon as I wake up.

10:00 am - Post Gym Plant Protein Smoothie

Lately I've been keeping it really simple and doing this:

- 1 1/2 cups almond milk

- 1 large table spoon of flax seed peanut butter from Trader Joe's

- 1 Scoop Vanilla Plant Based Protein from MRM ( Remember, you can always go to their site and use my code CHELSEY at check out to get 40% off any product!)

- 1 TSP Cinnamon

- 3 Ice Cubes

- 1 Scoop Collagen Vital Protein (to help with hair, skin and nails!)

Or if I have berries, I loveeeeee this berry smoothie. 

1:00 pm - For lunch lately I've been having an organic soup (Annie's Soup) with a piece of whole wheat toast OR the Kale and Edamame salad from Trader Joe's because it's big, amazing and cheap, OR a juice with almonds and or a perfect bar. So I keep it fairly light, never letting myself get to the point that I feel SUPER full.

4:30 pm - On the way to work I munch on almonds pretty much the whole way and take either a juice with me or a chilled green tea. I like to do a caffeinated green tea with a peppermint tea for energy and a better taste. 

7:00 pm - Lately I've been brining my spaghetti squash bake with me to work and having that for dinner! I'm so obsessed with it and it's just a bunch of veggies so I never get too full from eating it but I'm definitely satisfied. I also like it because it can be served hot or cold. 

10:00 pm - I've been going for a hot tea around this time made of chamomile, fresh ginger juice, lemon juice, and honey. It's soooo good, it relaxes me, warms me up and makes me feel like I'm having a little treat before calling it a night. 

Notice how I end up eating something light about every 3 hours. That helps speed up your metabolism because you're body knows that it's going to be getting food so it feels like it's safe enough to quickly digest your food and dispose of it.

This is why when we don't eat for a long time and then have a meal, our body hangs on to as much of it as possible which promotes WEIGHT GAIN.

Get it? 

So I hope that helps clarify what I've been doing! Ask any questions below!

GOJI BERRIES: YOUR COLLAGEN BOOSTING, ENERGIZING, "CHINESE MEDICINE VIAGRA".

So if you read my posts on acupuncture and cupping, you know that I'm sort of obsessed with Chinese medicine...NOT TO MENTION, there was also that time I raved about the China Study Book that basically changed my diet for good. 

I feel like they just get it you know? So I went to this Chinese Herbal Tea Store in Beverly Hills a few weeks ago and learned all about the power of ginseng for energy and ALSO how they're obsessed with the benefits of goji berries.

(They taught me a lot more but I couldn't repeat the names back to you if you paid me so it was kind of useless.)

So obviously goji berries rang a bell. 

YOU GUYS.

I looked up the benefits and these things are like effing magic. First of all I've had them in smoothie bowls, on yogurt and I've eaten them plain and they're so bomb. I feel like they're so under appreciated. 

1.

So first of all it's obviously a fruit BUT they contain 8 ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS, which are like the building blocks of protein. And ESSENTIAL meaning that we would die if our bodies didn't have them. #YESLAWD

2.

ALSO, a small 4 ounce serving provides us with 10% of our daily protein needs & considering that's coming from an all natural FRUIT, is seriously amazing.

3.

Third thing. Always remember that we DON'T want to consume simple carbs, and that we ALWAYS want to consume COMPLEX CARBS. 

Simple carbs are carbs that have been stripped of all of their nutrients, which usually makes them white because they've lost their color. Think white bread, white rice, white potatoes, white sugar etc. COMPLEX carbs are the carbs that are healthy for us that we can use as fuel because they slowly give us energy.

When we eat SIMPLE carbs on the other hand, they all turn into sugar as soon as we digest it which gives us a huge rush of energy like a sugary energy drink, and then makes us crash. (This is why you feel like you could sleep for 9 days after eating a huge plate of pizza or a massive bowl of pasta).

SO. Moral of the story is...the sugar in goji berries is actually a complex carb AND they are high in fiber! Which makes them the perfect snack while you're out running 5 million errands or at work. Fiber filled fruits are also why I'm obsessed with pears.

4. 

This might be my favorite little fact about these things. 

This is AMAZE because vitamin A decreases our signs of agin because it INCREASES our collagen production and reduces acne, AND helps keep our hair healthy AF. 

5. 

So, back to the whole Chinese viagra comment...YEAH..

Goji berries are used in Chinese medicine to help increase energy and enhance the release of hormones. This allows them to actually help us handle stress + they support a healthy mood, mind, and memory. 

Great. On to the good stuff. 

They ALSO increase blood flow, including to our sex organs which is why they call the Goji berry "The Viagra of China". HAHA. I feel like this berry is accomplishing more than I do in a week.

Just remember that you get what you pay for. They might run a little more on the expensive side (for obvious reasons) and if you find cheaper ones, it's likely that they are packed with sulfates, and we don't want that. 

So grab some, sprinkle them all over your life, in your bed, whatever, and let me know how it goes! 

THE SMOKING TREND IS OUT

I feel like people used to be attracted to cigarettes as quickly as they were attracted to a dope bomber jacket. It just became a statement piece, weird right? Like this outfit would be perfect if onlyyyy I had a cigarette. 

Over the last couple of years I feel like the trend has definitely died down, like a lot. I remember when I used to go visit my grandparents and their house would just REEK of smoke. I swear, now when anyone even walks through a house with a cigarette in their hand I can sense it.

Our older generations we're definitely in the cigarette scene but like I said, times have changed... I mean the box even states SMOKING KILLS on it now. YIKES.

I personally CANNOT STAND the smell. I've just never been into it. When someone smokes I can smell it on the breath, in their hair, on their clothes, in their car, on their hands...EVERYWHERE.

What's interesting though is that smokers actually begin to lose their sense of smell and taste so they really don't understand how overwhelming it can be.

Not only that but smoking drys out your skin which eventually starts to make it look grey because there is a lack of oxygen supply in the body. 

They also cause MAAAAJJOR wrinkles, causing you to look much older than you really are and they turn your teeth and your fingers yellow :(

Smoking is one of the biggest forms of preventable death. By smoking you increase the risk of cancer in your mouth, esophagus, liver, kidneys and you have an increased risk of cervix cancer.

What really bothers me about cigarettes is that when I look at it, I have NO EFFING IDEA what's in it. I do know though that it is packed with carbon monoxide, you know, that thing you have an alarm for in your home? Because if you inhale to much you can die in about 3 minutes.

Carbon monoxide basically high jacks your oxygen and completely robs you of your red blood cells. As soon as carbon monoxide grabs ahold of these cells, you can NEVER get them back or repair them, no matter what you do. 

On the up side though, red blood cells only last about 4 months so IT IS POSSIBLE to stop the habit in it's tracks, and create a new you!

Smoking is a serious issue that a lot of people are hooked on. I totally understand that it would be hard to quit, especially if you have been doing it for most of your life. for most people it is a serious way of relaxing, relieving stress, and having something to do for 5 minutes.

A lot of people like to smoke on their break, or in their car, and unfortunately, a lot of girls have turned to smoking to resist the urge to eat since smoking reduces your appetite.

This is what I call "a quick fix", and I'm not for those.

I don't think you should pick up a new bad habit for a short term result because that bad habit will have even longer lasting BAD consequences than good ones. 

if you're feeling like you have a problem snacking too much or feel like you just want to lose a little weight, drink 24oz of water in the morning and eat 3 pears + 2 oranges and tell me you're not full. 

Eating things with fiber and drinking plenty of water will reduce cravings, curb your appetite and promote weight loss + give you ENERGY while making you feel full. See? Not that hard, and your not trashing your body and your beautiful hair and skin with toxins.

If you don't smoke right now, PLEASE don't start, you will just start chipping away years on your life. If you do smoke now, try something new everyday to quit. 

Smoke less for the first few days, then tell yourself that you're done. Get nicotine packets or start exercising to help keep it off of your mind. This will start adding years to your life!

You can do it!

xoxo

Chels