DeStress... Yoga with Angelika Tishler

What better way to end #BeatStress November then with a series of yoga videos from me and my yoga teacher, Angelika Tishler of YogaOne in the beautiful hills of Caledon, Ontario. She has helped shape this muscle-y body into a more flexible and graceful yoga body.

Here are 4 basic moves to try in your home today:

Ojai Breathing

Knee Press Pose & Corpse Pose

Reclined Butterfly Pose

Legs Up the Wall Pose

Eating Clean Despite an Irregular Schedule

Here's an excellent question from Facebook fan Germaine Gill:

"Hi Tosca, 
I just wanted to say what an inspiration you are to myself and everyone that fallows you. I lost my brother over 9 yrs ago in an accident and understand the pain and loss you have felt. Hugs to you and your family! I just started a new job that requires me to work shift work. I'm struggling with a schedule of eating on midnights (630pm-630am) I am also working out in the gym at the office on the night shifts to help me stay awake without drinking too much caffeine. Could you give me some pointers on what types of food and when I should stop eating? Thanks so much! You look amazing!"

I do often hear that an irregular schedule can be an obstacle to sticking to an Eating Clean lifestyle, or for that matter any way of eating.  I believe the only way to approach the Eat-Clean Diet lifestyle on a schedule that is different from say, an 8 to 5 work day, involves adjusting your day according to your own schedule.  If you begin to work at midnight  then eat your breakfast in the hour or two you have before you begin to work.  Then count three hours after that for your next meal and another 3 hours and so on.  It is a matter of thinking it through beforehand.  Then plan for success by filling a cooler with appropriate clean foods so that you will never go hungry.  This works very well if you give it a try and trust the process.

Equipment-Free Workout

So excited to share with you today a message from Dean, the super-fit boyfriend of our Eat-Clean Diet Ambassador Christina. Check out those abs & check out his awesome, equipment-free workout!

Christina & Dean looking fit and fabulous!

Hi everyone!  My name is Dean and like many of you, I am an Eat-Clean Diet enthusiast.  Some of you may have seen me around on my girlfriend Christina’s blog, The Athletarian.  When she told me that there was an opportunity to guest blog for Tosca, I thought it would be great to give a male perspective on Eating Clean.

In university I was an all-star basketball player who practiced every single day and spent my non-practicing hours in the gym lifting weights.  Living on campus, I had access to a lot of unhealthy but convenient food.  Between studying, practicing, and leaving the province for basketball games, food convenience trumped health.  I still looked fit, I was ranked one of the best players in the country, and my performance never suffered.

It wasn’t until both university and basketball days were over that things started to change.  Physically I still looked relatively the same but my energy levels dropped.  I attributed it to the decrease in physical activity at first but when Christina introduced me to a different way of eating, things began to change.

About five years ago she discovered Tosca Reno sitting on a shelf in a bookstore.  She became immersed in the lifestyle almost immediately, eating only foods that were unprocessed and real.  I caught on pretty quickly, mostly because she would cook in batches and I naturally eat food when I see it.  It didn’t take long for me to figure out that not only does this food taste great, but it makes me feel amazing.  My energy levels are where they should be and being a Physical Education teacher, this is 100% necessary.

Here is an equipment-free workout I do with my students:

400m run
25 push ups
30 seconds mountain climbers (active rest)
25 squat jumps
30 seconds jump rope (active rest)
25 burpees
400m run

Repeat 3-5x
Don’t forget to warm up and cool down!

Thank you, Tosca and The Eat-Clean Diet Team for inspiring Christina and helping me get back on track.  There is no going back for us now!

Paleo Gingerbread for the Holidays!

Last night my daughter and I came home from the office completely zonked. We were even too tired to get through a workout. Instead we decided to get creative in the kitchen and bake. We've been experimenting with this delicious paleo bread recipe from one of my favorite newsletters, Goop - yes, Gwyneth Paltrow's newsletter! Last night's experiment was a HUGE success, we crafted a delicious, paleo-friendly, alternative-sugar based gingerbread jam-packed with dried fruits, nuts and spice perfect for your holiday menu. I'm surprising my book team with it today at our meeting.


Here is the recipe - sorry if you felt like you had to jump through some social media hoops! I promise this recipe is entirely worth it :)

Movember!

It's time to rock the Movember love in support of prostate cancer and other male cancers. 

There are only a few days left in this rocking month-long celebration of moustached men, but that doesn't mean it's too late. 

You can still support your local Movember movement or donate directly. 

Don't forget to support the prostate of the man in your life Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, tomatoes and (my favorite) BROCCOLI!

Post-Thanksgiving Motivation from He and She Eat Clean's Scott Carlson

Check out this super-fit pair! Scott Carlson and his wife changed their lives with the Eat-Clean Diet & now continue to encourage others by maintaining their wonderful blog - HeandSheEatClean.com. Scott shares his motivation for changing his life below and generously shares his recipe for Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats. Yummy!

Eating Clean… if you asked me what this meant five years ago, I would’ve laughed and said it sounded like another “fad diet” that will only be around for a couple of years. Boy, was I wrong.

After graduating from college, getting married, and settling into my career I realized that it was time to make some changes.  Nothing that I ate would ever be found in one of Tosca’s books… Fried chicken, pizza, cheeseburgers, milkshakes, sugary sodas or sweet tea, and other processed junk food were all part of my daily diet.  These were the same types of food that my dad ate, which played a large part in his early death at the age of 49 from colon cancer.  Choosing not to end up going down the same road, I began to learn more about exercising combined with Eating Clean and adopted the lifestyle.

It has been about four years since I began, and the changes I’ve experienced have been amazing!  I went from 240 lbs (size 38 waist) down to 210 lbs (size 32 waist).

Not only has Eating Clean provided me with more energy and a better outlook on life, it has supercharged my gains in the gym.  I like to compare it to driving a Ferrari and refusing to fill up with high octane fuel and using poor tires… by settling for low quality parts, you’ll never experience the vehicle’s full potential.  I’ve been able to power through workouts and continually break through plateaus because of Eating Clean.

My wife and I are very passionate about the Eating-Clean lifestyle and we work together to prepare all of our food each weekend.  We also work very diligently to inspire other couples, so we, along with the help of our cousins, post recipes and provide advice on our blog HeandSheEatClean.com.

Here’s a recipe for my Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats:

Happy Thanksgiving America - I'm Celebrating with You!

My mother and I travelled to Michigan to celebrate Thanksgiving with my brother Ron and his family.  The weather here has been spectacular and very conducive to exercising and getting outdoors.  Yesterday I trained at The Arctic Coliseum which is really a series of ice rinks, but includes a gym as well.  My brother's entire family plays hockey including their endurance athlete mom, Tammy (she is a Sister in Iron aka Sister in Speed).  It felt great to move the old body around in the weight room.

It is exciting to be here in Ann Arbor visiting fun places, seeing all the fit people (Ann Arbor is one of the fittest cities in the USA) and checking out the Zingerman's line of food shops.  They were featured in the movie "The Five Year Engagement" - check it out this weekend for a laugh.  But Zingerman's is an Ann Arbor destination where you can buy superb breads, desserts and other baked goods, cheeses, ice creams and butter made from the milk of grass fed cows, peanut butters and finally my favourite, delicious coffees!  There is something for everyone here.

Today is Thanksgiving Day but more importantly, Turkey Trot Day in this neighbourhood where my brother lives.   I am starting the day off with a 2.5 mile run.  Just about ready to roll out the door into the mild November temperatures.  Afterwards Ron and Tammy have invited their friends over for coffee and treats.  Tammy spent the day baking yesterday - I wash't much help but I did supervise the "clean" aspect of food.  It will be fun.  Hope I can keep up with the runners.  Perhaps I will be the one trotting while everyone else is running.

Later today I will send you details about our Thanksgiving Day Meal but for now I want to let you know how thankful I am for all of you who follow the Eat-Clean Diet and Tosca Reno.  You give me the spark I need to work harder and harder!  Thank you.

I am also grateful for my loving family who has stood beside me through so much this year.  Thank you girls!

Finally I am thankful for the gifts Bob has given me.  They will stay with me always.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Tosca

Some Science Behind Snacking

Today I'm excited to have my daughter Kiersten's boyfriend Julian join us on the blog. Julian is currently a M.D Candidate at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, and recently received his Masters in Neuroscience from Queen's University - my old stomping grounds too! Julian will share Some Science Behind Snacking... Just in time for the holiday season might I add ;) Take it away Julian. 

Julian snacking and studying at his favorite library!

This Sunday, not unlike other Sundays, I will sit down at my desk for my 8 or so hours of obligatory studying. During this stint I will probably make 8 or so trips into the kitchen to hunt for snacks. Chips are the usual culprits, but snow peas, nuts and seeds become very popular when Kiersten visits.

Looking for an excuse for my constant snacking I headed to the internet, straight to PubMed, to find some scientific explanation (especially one that does not implicate “poor self control” as a cause for my habit). I was reassured by a paper that showed a link between a heightened sensitivity of mouth, lip and tongue to overeating. The paper went on to explain why this heightened sensitivity would make eating particularly “rewarding” to the individual. Now I had my excuse. Curses to my overly sensitive mouth!

The Reality of Eating Clean

Don't miss this one! Today we are joined by Casey Gager. He gives us an excellent view of what life is really like as a male Eating Clean. He has also very generously shared both a sample workout and a recipe for Red Clam Sauce. Amazing! Don't miss his no-nonsense action plan - he really makes it work!

Casey starting at 250lbs (left) and now a svelte 195lbs.

Challenges
For about three years my wife and I have followed the Eat-Clean Diet. It was her idea to start and she had a hard time selling me on the idea of another "diet" as we had tried three or four other diets and being the cook in the house, I found those diets to be tedious to prepare and lacking in flavor. Being a good husband, I did my research and read the Eat-Clean Diet for Men book. From there, I was able to adapt the principles to our weekly eating plan. We keep a 80/20 Clean to Cheat meal ratio to keep ourselves on track with our goals. Still, there are challenges I struggle with every day.

One common reaction during a discussion with another guy about the Eat-Clean Diet was:
"Guys don't diet."

In Robert's Honour

Today is the day toward which we have been putting a lot of time and effort. It is the grand re-opening of the Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic (RSNC) at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM)in Toronto, Ontario where we have donated in order to have a clinic room in Robert's honour.

Robert used a combination of conventional and naturopathic medical care during his battle with cancer. You can read more about his journey and his wonderful doctors here.

As a way to give back to the community, myself and Robert's doctors decided it was best to donate to CCNM and the RSNC, further facilitating the integration of medicine. Robert benefited best from a combination of care.

RKP has also made a donation to outfit the Sports Medicine rehab room at the clinic. Patients will now have complete care and it furthers RKP's mission to provide support for the individual who wants to improve his or her physical, mental and emotional well being.

It will be a great honour today to stand with my children and see what our hard work has done.

We also thank you for your support along this journey. We honestly wouldn't have been able to do it without you.

You can read more here.

stress, Stress, STRESS, and STRESS!!!

I am happy to have Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino of Best Ever You here with us today to keep the information flowing for #BeatStress November. 

Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino is a Hay House Author and the Founder and CEO of Best Ever You, understands first- hand the challenges life can bring and has worked with thousands across the globe to illuminate their light within and help them live their best life. Elizabeth and her husband and four boys live in Maine. She has a degree in Communications and Broadcasting, is a Life Coach, food allergy expert and survivor and is the host of The Best Ever You Show. Visit her websites at www.ElizabethHamiltonGuarino.com and www.BestEverYou.com for more information

When I write the word stress, watch what happens when I write it this way STRESS or this way S-T-R-E-S-S or STRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or this way stress and lastly, for those with a laughter approach to it I will spell it backwards - sserts.   We read it differently when written differently; just as we react or respond according to what is happening in life.

Stress means different things to different people, and everyone deals with it differently.  For the most part, it is spelled the same way, but it is the impact of the words or actions that require solid, bold, uppercased and exclamation point-like attention or your health and quality of life will be affected.

Stress can also, believe it or not, have a POSITIVE influence on your life as well. According to a study published in the journal, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, stress can actually boost our immune system.  It's the fight or flight response that engages our hormones and pumps up our blood and gets us going! The hormone Cortisol is released when we experience that fight or flight response, and that can motivate us and actually improve our immunity. Too much Cortisol lowers our immunity and impacts our overall health. That's the good stress we experience when we are motivated to take action.  "Evolutionarily, it makes sense," said study author, Firdaus Dhabhar, a member of Stanford's Cancer Center. "In nature, stress and immune activity are typically coupled. It's like a lion chasing and wounding a gazelle. Nature taps into this stress response to give a boost to the immune system in the face of danger.

Stress-Free Holidays

Fitness beauty Nicole Wilson shares with us her tips for managing the holidays the stress-free way. Take it away Nicole.

Red cups, holiday baking, gift wrapping and the in-laws are on their way. It’s that time of the year, schedule overload! Before you hit the panic button here are a few tips to help you beat stress this holiday season.

1. Say No! If you are people pleaser, no isn’t easy. Say yes only when you are sure you have time to prevent feeling guilty about over-promising.  It’s okay not to be superwoman and your friends won’t mind if you politely decline their dinner party.

2. Jot it Down. Keep a calendar and pen handy in your purse. This way you can get in the habit of writing down your appointments. Visually tracking your schedule will help keep you from over promising and allow you to keep commitments you've made to yourself which brings me to number three.

3. Schedule Y-O-U Time. Yes, it seems impossible but grab a girlfriend, yoga mat, your kids skipping rope or hula hoop and schedule (in pen!) at least 30 minutes of exercise a few times a week. Releasing tension and talking can help prevent any anxious feelings. Writing these down at the beginning of a week helps you stay committed to making time for yourself.

4. Prep Food. Take an hour twice a week and cut up a bunch of fruits and veggies. By having healthy options at your fingertips will keep you from falling prey to the drive-thru and feel guilty about it later. This means one less thing to stress about.

Baby steps like these (and deep breaths) will make this time of year must more manageable. Start making small changes and incorporate a few of these tips and you will find yourself a lot happier and a lot less stressed.

Grabbing the Bull by the Horns - Choosing an Energy Drink with Nathan Robbins

Today we have amazing guest blogger Nathan Robbins with us. He gives a male perspective on tackling the Eat-Clean Diet. He also shares a great energy drink recipe below.

I’m “that guy.” You know, the one who can seemingly eat whatever he wants and not appear to gain an ounce. I generally eat healthily. I don’t freak out if I have an extra slice of pizza and know there’s some things that, at least for now, aren’t going to be leaving my lifestyle anytime soon (I’m looking at you, occasional Hendrick’s Martini.)

That being said, I finished a workout during my lunch break and strolled in drinking a popular energy drink. One of my co-workers said, “You take such good care to eat right. How can you drink that stuff?”

To begin with, it gives me a boost at the right time of the day - especially after a workout. In fact, I actually feel a bit bubbly and ebullient afterwards. But after reading about a girls death after consuming two Monster energy beverages, I thought I should investigate whether my treat should be replaced.

For starters, the boost comes from caffeine. That could be achieved with a black coffee. There’s sugar in there for sure and a bunch of “special” ingredients like Taurine, for which there’s little evidence to say what good it does. At any rate, the sugar can take a hike. Talk about two steps forward and one back! So being that there’s 120 useless calories and a boatload of caffeine, I looked to replace it. There are a bunch of ready-made juices and protein drinks that are designed to replenish whatever’s lost during a workout, but their full of lots of “ingredients” and I don’t really wreck myself that much during a lunchtime session, so perhaps I don’t really need anything more than water.

Reiki for Mindfulness & Relaxation

We continue #BeatStress November with Sandra Lepholtz, Reiki Master. She is a close family friend and also worked very closely with my late-husband, Robert, while he was undergoing cancer therapy. Sandra works out of The Healing Place in Oakville, Ontario offering Reiki Treatments and Training. She also providing Mindfulness Meditation and Guided Meditation Workshops. 

Sandra, Reiki Master

Do you find yourself focused on the past or the future; perhaps you are not enjoying life’s simplest pleasures?  Are you stressing about situations that have yet to occur?  Overanalyzing situations in your mind?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your mind is likely filled with clutter.  But the question remains, where does this clutter originate?  Take a deep breath; recognizing these matters is a great place to start.  Mindfulness Meditation is a tactic used to help guide you through the development of eliminating this clutter.  This technique can help you to reduce your stress, improve sleep patterns, promote healthier eating habits, develop happier relationships, and improve personal growth.  This practice has the ability to positively change your life.

I asked my daughter (fourth year university student at UBC) to explain how mindfulness resonates with her; she described to me this; “when I think of mindfulness, I think of thoughtful awareness.  I believe anyone can be mindful, however, in most cases it resonates from the development of our values.  Mindfulness allows us to live in the moment, avoiding dwelling on the past, or focusing too much on the future.  I find this notion to be something that most of society takes advantage of.  It is human nature to think in different tenses, but it’s interesting to further investigate how we tend to focus on the future or the past. Reflecting on my week I noticed myself focusing on frustrations from projects or time management leading up to today.  I also find myself planning for the future to compensate for focusing on the frustrations of the past to get more work done.  Unfortunately, what is lacking here is the ability to focus on the present, the task at hand.  What I need to focus on is not either of these things.  What I have realized is how these tenses work as distractions from the present.  Instead of getting everything organized and doing it, I find myself drifting in thought with regard to what I have to do and why I didn’t prepare myself for a previous lecture.  I also find myself excited about an upcoming event, which I build up in my mind; usually once the event arrives I get so caught up in remembering things I need to accomplish next, the moment moves by at a high speed.  This is something I am working towards improving; I am working on directing my energy towards being more mindful of living in the moment.”

Reader Questions

Starting today I will be answering a couple of reader questions a  month from Facebook, Twitter and here on the blog.

Here's a popular one from Facebook fan Belinda Book:
"Could you please help me... Need advice on Clean Eating during pregnancy... Could you please write a book about it? Thanks Tosca!"

Answer:
Since Eating Clean is simply a lifestyle way of eating it is completely safe to continue to eat this way.  In fact Eating Clean ensures you will be eating abundant good nutrients for both mother and child.  If you are not already eating this way it is an important opportunity to cleanse the body and prepare a healthy place for the child to grow.

Beat Stress with Puppy Love

I took some time out this weekend to hang out with dogs and my family. Puppy love is one of the best ways to relieve stress. Animals instantly make you feel better.

Don't you agree?

10 Practical Ways to Eliminate Stress and Restore Balance to Your Life

Kristi Youngdahl is our guest blogger today. She has some excellent approaches to both recognize stress and manage it.

Kristi and her fabulous family beating stress the most natural way -
with a little humor!

We all have some level of (dare I say the big, scary word) STRESS. Sometimes it comes on like a freight train, other times it slowly creeps in and takes over. When I find myself grabbing for chocolate instead of fruit or skipping workouts because I’m “too busy,” that’s when I know stress has started taking a toll on me. Maybe you can relate…maybe you’re on a stress-induced chocolate binge right now as you read! But don’t sweat it. With the right tools, we can all manage stress, restore balance to our lives, put the chocolate down, and continue on our journey of living our best life in health and happiness.

The best place to start is to focus on the foundational elements responsible for your overall well-being. Eating Clean, positivity, daily exercise, adequate sleep, and lots of water are all ingredients in the universal recipe for wellness. Surprise, surprise… these are also key elements for eliminating stress! So here are 10 ways to start practicing stress reduction in your life today, by paying attention to your basic needs and building a strong foundation for health and wellness.

Eating Clean is Stress Free

We have Chris Munch with us today to share his approach to Eating Clean the stress-free way by making a plan for the week, visiting his local farmer for a hand-selected basket of veg, and making awesome recipes like the one he shares below for pretzels. 

Typical CSA Farm Share basket. 

Let’s face it, guys like food! I personally love food, my life revolves around food.  When I am not eating, I am generally planning what the next meal will be or making a meal plan for the week.  I even met my wife while working as a cook in a restaurant.  In fact, I love food so much that it may surprise you that I also love Clean foods.

I started trying to Clean up my diet a couple of year ago, after picking up a copy of Clean Eating magazine.  After learning about Eating Clean, I slowly transitioned my diet to a point where I can say that 95% of what I eat is Clean. (Yes, I do eat the occasional cheat snack, who doesn’t! Well Tosca maybe? Note from Tosca: yes, I do treat myself too) But that is the beauty of Eating Clean, you do what you can! Any step towards Eating Clean is a step in the right direction. I swapped my cola for sparkling water, my white sugar for maple syrup and my white flour for whole-grain red fife.  I even signed up for a community supported agriculture share (CSA) where every week I pick up a basket of produce from the local farmer.

I am also 7 weeks into the GSP Rushfit exercise program. The nutritional plan included in the program also promotes a Clean diet.  By eating balanced Clean meals I find that I have more energy and able to commit to my workouts.  Something I had a hard time doing while eating junk and I would end up quitting after a week or two.

Honestly, not many guys are going to eat salads and sip green tea when hanging out. (Yes, I do this while alone). When my buddies come over and I feed them Clean foods, they generally have no idea.  Burgers (homemade) and hot dogs (Clean, nitrate free) on the BBQ or homemade soft pretzels (whole wheat) dipped in mustard. I have even combined them and made Eating Clean pretzel dogs! Eating Clean is not always what you would suspect!

Eating-Clean Pretzels

Beat Stress with a Sound Sleep

Bring on the ZZZ's! Photo Credit: Paul Buceta

We are well into #BeatStress November.

How are you feeling?

Are you sleeping well?

One of the biggest parts of keeping stress levels low is getting a good sleep each night. This is easier said than done for a lot of people so I thought I would compile a list of my favorite ways to get a better rest.

I also asked my daughter, Rachel aka The Traveling Naturopath, to share some of her thoughts on sleep. You can read more on her blog.

1. Think about sleep well before it happens.  Get your mind into the game. You can drink tea, meditate, take a bath or read something light and restful.

2. You need to incorporate exercise into each day even if it is only a walk.  Even breathing fresh air is helpful to clearing the mind and promoting sleep.

3. Don't consume caffeinated beverages before bed. This is just a bad idea. Even too much water can having running to the loo all night long.

4. Don't eat a big meal just before bed. This can sit heavily in your stomach both interrupting your sleep and causing some pretty wild dreams.

5. Fight after dinner drowsiness by moving around and saving a good sleep for later when it is your actual bed time.

6. That being said, a quick siesta/nap in the early afternoon is often helpful to reducing stress and promoting better evening sleep.  Millions of South Americans and Europeans can't be wrong.

7. Be sure to hydrate properly all day long.

8. Switch warm milk for warm water to reduce stress before bed and help you prepare for sleep. I will often add a teaspoon of Natural Calm (natural Calcium Magnesium supplement) to help promote relaxation.

9. Sleep naked. Keep your body at a better overall sleep temperature by sleeping in the nude.

Zain Jamal Helps Us Beat Food-Related Stress with Mindfulness & Vitamin Water

#BeatStress November continues with a post for lovely Zain Jamal. She's a yoga guru who knows how to find balance in all that she does - and trust me - she's a busy lady. Don't miss her exclusive mindfulness video and her vitamin water recipe below. Take it away Zain...

Alarm clock.  Shower. Feed the kids. Pack the lunches. Breakfast. Oh, I forgot to send that email! Better hurry I only have an hour to train before I have to get back to work. Lunch meeting. Conference call. Clean snack? Check! I’ll eat it while I’m picking up the groceries.  Honey, of course I’ll get the dry-cleaning, no problem.  Mom, can Katie stay for dinner?! Meatless Monday it is! Ok family fed, dishes done. I can finally relax with a little movie and well maybe a few of those chocolate things because I feel like I haven’t eaten all day. Just a few though.  Movie is over.  Bag is empty.  Yikes! What happened? 

Sound familiar?  

Now take a deep breath and exhale.  Feel better?  The practice of mindfulness is as simple as taking one conscious breath.

Through practicing the Eat-Clean Diet lifestyle I’m sure that you have come across the concept of ‘mindfulness.’  I first heard this term several years ago when I was working towards recovery from an eating disorder, and, although I understood the theory, the idea of locating this illusive ‘present moment’ seemed hypocritical.  I mean, if I was not present, where was I?  

Life in today’s society is incredibly hectic.  Between work, family obligations, social obligations, living a Clean, fit lifestyle and focusing on personal goals, constant thoughts about what happened or what is about to happen in an hour, in a day, next week, become our natural state.  The issue with this is that we find ourselves in a perpetual state of motion, rather than in stillness, and hence rob ourselves of the precious present moment.  In doing so, we find ourselves eating but never quite feeling satisfied or training but not fully experiencing results.  Not to mention, this constant motion causes an extreme amount of stress on the body keeping the sympathetic nervous system on autopilot, which leads to cortisol release, weight gain, water retention, hormonal and digestive issues.

Incorporating mindfulness changed my life and was the key to my recovery and weight loss, which you can read more about in Oxygen magazine’s special issue of Off The Couch 2012.

After years of suffering with an eating disorder, I no longer understood where my boundaries were when it came to feeling hungry or full - the lines were completely blurred.  I would often find myself zoning out during meals and not fully concentrating on each and every bite or on the experience as a whole.  In fact, many times I couldn’t even remember if I had even had a meal!  Practicing mindfulness helped me to re-learn these basic and critical bodily impulses.

Prior to engaging in mindful living, when I was eating, I would be thinking of the next thing I had to do.  I would be working on the computer, chatting on the phone or watching a movie but never really fully focusing on the sacred act of eating my meal.  As a result, I would get to the end of my meals never feeling fully satisfied or satiated.  In turn, there was a greater dissonance in my mind/body/spirit connection.

This would also lead to a pattern of snacking, binging and emotional eating.  I was never really ‘hungry’ during these binging sessions but simply wanted to feel ‘full’.  I later understood that this lack of satiety or fullness was directly connected to a lack of full presence during each moment. 

For those of you who follow me on my blog Eve Post Apple, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or on my website, you will know that chilling out is a big part of my fit lifestyle and provides the balance for the intensity necessary to not just manage life’s obligations but to enjoy them.

This video explains some of the ways that I practice mindfulness in my life when it comes to conscious breathing, eating, and grounding myself.  I encourage you to try at least one of these tips today when you first wake up, at your next meal or during a stressful moment and just notice how you feel.  

Curt's Clean Bill of Health & Clean Nachos

For a lot of men (and ladies too), kicking back and watching the game is an excellent way to chill out. Curt Suda, today's guest blogger, shares his approach to Clean Nachos for game day, and how family health scares got his head in the Eating Clean game. Sound like someone in your life? Don't forget to share his story. 

Curt on his Eating Clean journey...

My adventure with Eating Clean began with my wife who suffers from an inflammatory bowel disease.
After years of trying different medications and steroids, she decided to try a holistic approach and sought out the advice of a respected “alternative” doctor. After a few tests my wife was put on a very restrictive, anti-fungal diet to try to get her “gut” back in check. Since this was a major change for her, I decided to be as supportive as possible and followed the same diet.  This meant drinking coffee black (no dairy), eating fresh vegetables, no snacks of any kind, no alcohol and little to no grains. We quickly found that a great side effect of this new way of eating was weight loss. I thought, “This isn’t too shabby and it’s not that hard.” I was glad I was doing this with her.

To be honest, I wasn’t very healthy at the time either. My doctor had told me that my blood was thick like jelly because I was so unhealthy. I weighed over 300lbs. and I had developed sleep apnea. I was inactive and I ate every kind of chip, pie, cake and fast food out there.

After seeing the initial positive results of a Clean and holistic approach to my wife’s disease, I wanted to learn more about Eating Clean. I decided to do some further research and purchased Tosca Reno’s book The Eat Clean Diet Recharged. I knew I could do this with a few additional changes and really help us to live even healthier lives. I started eating primarily Clean and healthy foods and incorporated a regular workout routine that is a mix of weights and cardio. I have dropped over 30lbs, no longer have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, and all of my lab results are perfect and within range.  I no longer need to take medications to keep my health in check and I don’t have to wear a mask to keep me breathing while I sleep. Why I didn’t do this earlier, I don’t know, but I’m grateful that I did. I just turned 40 and I’m in the best shape of my life. There is no doubt in my mind that the Clean foods I’m eating are a huge reason why.

Have I had some hiccups along the way? Absolutely! It doesn’t destroy me and I get right back on track with no issues in a few days. I’m a father of three girls under the age of 10, I work full time, I exercise regularly and I still get the yard work done! I do 90% of the food shopping, so it’s not a hard thing to undertake. It starts with a little research, a shopping list and a trip to the store.

I have included one of my favorite recipes for this time of year, FOOTBALL Season! I love nachos when I watch my team play on game day and this is what I came up with as that perfect game day snack!

Suda’s Touchdown Nachos
Makes 2-4 servings

Yoga with Trish Stratus

Our guest blogger today is Trish Stratus. You may recognize her from her many Oxygen covers over the year, but now Trish has taken things in a new direction with Stratusphere Yoga studio located just outside of Toronto. She shares with us her personal experience with yoga and how it helped her step into a whole new world. Don't miss her moves below...

Yoga: It's Not All Lotus Flowers & Buddhas
Here are some things I love about my yoga practice: I love the rhythm of connecting my breath with my movement. I love that there is no right or wrong - every pose, no matter what variation you do, will still give you the same benefits. I love the yoga booty that comes with a regular practice. But the most valuable part of my yoga practice are those precious minutes where you get to spend some one-on-one time with the most important person in your life... YOU.

You know how it is... we never give ourselves permission to disconnect. I always say going to yoga class is like putting up my out-of-office email reply: "TRISH IS NOT AVAILABLE. SHE HAS STEPPED ONTO HER MAT AND IS CURRENTLY CONNECTING WITH HERSELF AND ALL THAT IS IMPORTANT TO HER. PLEASE TRY BACK IN 90 MINUTES WHEN SHE HAS RESET, IS MORE BALANCED AND FOCUSED, AND THUS WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TACKLE ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO THROW AT HER. NAMASTE”.

I know the mental image of a professional wrestler probably doesn’t immediately conjure up images of lotus flowers and buddhas – and I must admit, it did take me awhile to unleash my inner zen. See, I was one of those people who thought “yoga’s not for me and it’s not a real workout.” Then I hit my first class and… it was really hard! This, as a pro athlete, was a tough pill to swallow. Usually, I score pretty high in the athletic department, so when the end of the class came and I could barely manage a chaturanga, my ego was slightly bruised. And, yes, I too secretly wondered what the heck a chaturanga was… turns out it’s just a yoga-push up. Clearly, my Sanskrit was a little rusty.

When I finally checked my ego at the door, it was a little easier to keep coming back to class. Plus, I couldn’t deny how great my body was feeling, and I was starting to rock those chaturangas. And the pleasant side-effect? Suddenly my crazy wrestling life no longer seemed so crazy. I was on the road traveling 300 days a year, being thrown around the ring four nights a week. When I started practicing yoga regularly my crazy schedule suddenly seemed more manageable, the body slams didn’t hurt as much, and I got less irked when the toilet seat was left up. I liked what yoga was doing to my body, but I loved what it was doing to my life.

Eight years later, I know that yoga will always be a part of my life. Whether I’m doing a strenuous 90 minute class, or taking a 5-minute breather to reflect, my “yoga practice” is whatever I need it to be. So go ahead… unleash your inner zen.

Check out these Stratusphere Yoga poses to help you get your zen on while you get your sweat on – the signature system I developed integrates strength training moves into a yoga flow to give you the best of both worlds.

Beat Stress November

Our monthly themes continue with the latest topic - Beat Stress!

This topic couldn't be any more timely!

At this point in the game we've all settled into a new school year and made it through the transition from summer to fall. More recently, we've also experienced a string of traumatic weather on the East and West coasts of both the US and Canada with earthquakes on one side and Sandy on the other. With the holidays lurking just around the corner it's time for us to take a few deep breaths and manage the stressors that can be so damaging to our health.

We've got an incredible line up of guest bloggers including yoga gurus Trish Stratus & Zain Jamal,  Best Ever You's Elizabeth Hamilton, and more more more.

We're also hosting a great contest this month - Your Mantra. Create your own power mantra and enter to win a signed Eat-Clean Diet prize pack.

Better yet, cozy up on the couch with a bowl of Vegetarian Chili and follow along on Facebook and Twitter with #beatstress.

Let's get zen!

REMEMBERING

Planting mums and daffodils for Robert.

This past Sunday I was invited to the church where we held the service for Robert and incidentally also where we held Braden's funeral service a year ago.  My sister Martina and I attended the celebration of Mass on Sunday, October 28 to remember Robert and others who had passed in recent months.  Later there was an opportunity to pray for Robert at the cemetery.  I was glad for my sister's support during the Mass because I had thought I would be able to manage but until Robert's name was mentioned I was fine.  Just hearing his name sent me sobbing remembering what I had lost.  Yet I want so much to honour him in all I do so I knew it was right to feel both the pain and the happiness.  Yes, happiness.  I have so much to be grateful for don't I?  Robert taught me so much, gave me so much, helped me grow so much … I can't imagine my life any other way.  I can grieve and be grateful at the same time.  Being in the church at the very place where we celebrated Robert 6 months ago made me connect once again to the weight of that day.

After Mass, my sister and I stepped into rubber boots (Wellies as Robert would have called them) and bore the brunt of rain and cold to plant mums and daffodils at Robert's grave in Greenwood Cemetery in Georgetown.  The headstone had just been installed.  It is an imposing piece of pink granite, Bob's favourite, mined from the Canadian Shield.  The deep burgundy mums we planted looked fine against the rough pink stone and I know the bright yellow daffodils will stand beautifully tall in the spring sun next year just as the daffodils on the hill at our home will look next April.  Martina and I planted similar flowers at Braden's grave.  Father and son united under the heavens.

When we finished planting both of us were completely soaked and covered in mud but we are glad to have taken care of our men and memories as we had.  I take Robert with me everywhere I go because I am a better person for having him in my life.  There are many days that I feel it is impossible to bear his loss but there are many more that are filled with hope, his lasting gift to me.  Robert, I am grateful to you.

Love and gratitude,
Tosca

Oxygen Winners!

Thanks to everyone for sharing your wonderful Clean O' Ween ideas! I hope you all made it through the day successfully, whether that was indulging in a sweet treat or trying out an alternative option.

I am happy to announce our latest winners:

1. Bikini Mimi
2. Amanda
3. Marie-Stephanie Proulx
4. Vicki
5. Grether

Please contact rcorradetti@rkpubs.com with your full shipping information. Thank you.

Thunder Bay is No Sleeping Giant

Keeping it lively in Thunder Bay!
Photo Credit: Matt Goertz

The only previous experience I had with Thunder Bay, Ontario was sending my daughter Kiersten out there for tree planting.  This is a job many summer students enjoy doing because they are outdoors and they make good money.  I was headed to this northern Ontario city to conduct a seminar.  My sister, Martina, accompanied me on the journey.  As we flew over Lake Superior in the early morning we could see a monstrous lake - Lake Superior is the biggest freshwater lake in the world containing 20% of the worlds' fresh water supply - we could see the lights of the city sparkling below us and a massive land mass jutting out into the water, something we would later learn was called The Sleeping Giant.

On the ground we were met by Sharla Brown from Keynote Events and her helper Tammy.  Sharla is the feisty gal who coordinated the entire event.  From the moment I met her I knew we were in good hands because she had every detail well organized and I never had a question about where I was to be or when.  Throughout the book signing at Janzen's Pharmacy, the dinner at Five Forks and the seminar held at the Victoria Inn, I met the wonderful people of Thunder Bay.  There were many heart warming stories from women and men who had endured much yet found their way to health and wellness with the help of Eating Clean.

Brenda Adams of Janzen's

It was my pleasure to meet Brenda Adams, owner of Janzen's Pharmacy and sponsor of the event, and her team, all of whom were smiling no matter what.  Thank you for hosting such a wonderful event, bringing awareness to health and wellness to so many in the gateway to the North.

Michelle Hamilton and her son John. 

I also met Michelle Hamilton and her husband Pete and their son John.  What a story!  Perhaps I will have Michelle guest blog for us so she can share her powerful story about courage and perseverance.  The main piece of this story is that she and I endured similar heartaches regarding our sons.  Braden Kennedy, Robert's son and my stepson, sustained global head injuries when he was hit by a car.  He passed in 2011.  Michelle's son John sadly also sustained brain injuries 3 years ago.  Although I knew the story, I had not met John until the weekend in Thunder Bay.  He made my day with his smiles and gentle nature.  The good word is he is making a slow recovery.  Thank goodness for small miracles.

The event itself was filled with laughter, tears, emotions of all ranges and silliness too.  We enjoyed working my favourite body part - the glutes - as well as the lower abs.  We made yummy Lifestyle Bars and led the way for more health and wellness in Thunder Bay.

Thank you Thunder Bay!

Hope to see you at one of my events.
Tosca