Hey guys! It's Pancake Dayyyyyy!!!!!! 

*"But wait...aren't you a health coach?! How can you like pancakes when they are made from flour and sugar and carbs...all that stuff you guys are always telling us to avoid??"*

Let me tell you: 

Pancakes held the KEY to my HEALTHY LIFESTYLE SUCCESS.

Let me explain...

When I first started my health journey, it was because my body was failing me. Doctors didn't know what was going on and I was left to my own devices to sort out my health and life. 

I was DETERMINED to do as much as I could to support my body via food. It was the only thing I had power over when the medical community couldn't help me. 

BUT. . .I had a problem
 

My diet was CRAP and needed a massive overhaul.

BUT. . .I had an even bigger problem! 

I *LOOOOOVED* my unhealthy food and my biggest weakness was breakfast foods: pancakes, waffles, french toast, you name it. 

So I asked myself some serious questions: 

1) How do I start eating healthy and ENJOY IT? 

2) How do I eat healthy but not feel deprived? 

3) What the hell am I going to do about my love of PANCAKES?!?!

Luckily I found the answers and I am going to share them with you today!

Here are MY FOUR EASY SECRETS to get that healthy lifestyle overhaul you've been trying so hard to achiEve:
 

1) I STARTED BACKWARDS

I didn't toss everything out that was bad. I didn't even start with eating more vegetables or less crap!  

I made it my first mission to try a new healthy pancake recipe...EVERY WEEKEND...until I found the most amazing, delicious AND nourishing recipe I could find. It became a household tradition to have pancakes every weekend, share them with friends and experiment with the foods I loved.

I didn't have to deprive myself of pancakes OR my health! WIN-WIN!

2) I MADE A LIST OF ALL MY FAVORITE FOODS THAT WERE ALREADY HEALTHY

While I did eat a lot of crap, I also ate healthy foods on accident...because I already liked them! So I made a list of my top favs and put them into rotation more: (ceviche, grilled shrimp, asian chicken salad, stir-fries, fajitas...you get the point)

3) I FOCUSED ON EXPLORING

Every week I bought a NEW ingredient that was healthy that I never tried, I researched delicious recipes and explored them in the kitchen. The focus was on experimentation and not on the final result. Most of the time the results were GREAT! Sometimes it was a total disaster. But it changed my kitchen from a stressful place to a place of fun and exploration!

4) I TOOK PICTURES

Food pictures ARE MY SELFIES. They show who I am. When I made something that was DELICIOUS & NOURISHING I took a picture and wrote down the recipe. 

I added it to my weekly or monthly repertoire and this made it easy to find something easy to make when my brain was too tired to think. 

When starting to eat healthy this is one of the big ones. We lose inspiration and forget what we can eat. Capture what was tastey and each time you make it, the prep is even faster & easier! 

By applying these 4 ideas, I was able to overhaul my kitchen and my entire lifestyle! 

Now I don't think of "eating healthy" as a way of life, it is just what happens when I go to cook. 

And every weekend...I get to have my pancakes and eat them too! 

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY EVERY BODY!
 

MAY YOU ENJOY YOUR PANCAKES SURROUNDED WITH LOVE AND SYRUP!

-Janine

p.s. Here is one of my fav pancake recipes for the moment. CLICK BELOW, try it out, make the tweaks you want and ENJOY! 
 

Oatmeal Flour Pancakes

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Holidays can be a wonderful time of year but they can also bring your stress levels through the roof! 

When your body feels stress, it can create more cravings for those fatty, sweet and salty foods that are generally not great for your waistline. 

Stress also takes a toll on your mental well being. 

To help combat the holiday weight gain & mental meltdown here are some much needed reminders for all! 

1. BREATHE

Deep breaths help lower your cortisol levels, bring much needed oxygen to your body & help keep you calm when you most need it. This is so simple yet SO hard during the holiday season. Practice, practice, practice and you will be able to get through the most stressful of moments.

2. SET AN INTENTION

Set an intention for the holiday. Without intention you can feel scattered.  It's easier to get back on track when you have an intention. Examples of Intentions: Enjoy my family / Stress Less / Focus on Love / Find Connection / Self Care. 

3. HYDRATE

You have 37 TRILLION cells in your body that all need you to feed them. Water is the elixir of life! It will help you have more energy, eat less, feel less stressed, and not pack on the holiday pounds.

4. CREATE SPACE

Family gatherings can lead to boundary issues, arguments & stress. Plan in down time for YOU! Create space in the morning & at night to reconnect with you and consciously add 30 second-1 minute YOU times during the day. Something as little as 30 second recharges can keep you going all season long.

5. SLEEP

You know you are not getting enough! And it is HARD! I get it! Make a plan and try to add even just 20 minutes + a night here and there. You deserve it. Your body will thank you every single day! 

6. EAT CLEAN

Holidays pack on the stress and pack on the pounds. Enjoy large feasts during the core times, but make the rest of the times as healthy as possible to support your immune system during cold season, keep you sans regrets come January and keep you emotionally balanced.

7. JOY

PLAN your JOY! Joy is not something that happens to you, it is something in your power to create. Schedule in a massage, tea with a friend, a soak in a tub, a morning walk. Make a list of all the things that bring you Joy and reference it frequently! 

Set your intention on ONE of these each day and see how it goes. Some days you will sail through like a champ and others stress may get the best of you. And that's ok! Set the intention to practice, practice, practice and ENJOY! 

In health & holidays,

-Janine