Challenge day 12 There is always hope. You can change. 4/30/10

I was looking for something in my closet today and found an old journal from 1992. I opened it up to a page where I was writing about how fed up I was with being miserable and depressed and worried that I would never gain control over my bingeing and purging cycles. It felt like lifetimes ago yet in a weird way just like yesterday. It felt like an impossible dream to be living one day without that feeling of being totally out of control, afraid and ashamed. Today I took a moment to celebrate that I am free now. I also spoke to two people today who continue to struggle and continue to feel as if there is simply no hope of getting to the other side. I know that pain so well that when I see others going through the same thing I remember how dark that place feels. There is always hope, you can always change. It takes a knowing that it is possible. If one person can do it, it is possible. One of the reasons I wrote the seven secret principles to thinner peace was to give hope to anyone who has this feeling of living out of control, a practice to help change, believe and succeed. These changes don't happen simply by going on a diet but by committing to making life long changes. Taking on practices like the 30 day challenge also provides you with a way to build that muscle of making conscious choices. I think that when we shift from the "dieting" mentality and look at making long term positive food choices we can create that bridge that will be the access to freedom and peace of mind. I also think that when we eliminate junk food, processed food and large of amounts of sugar in our diet we no longer have to fight the cravings because the cravings disappear and when you are a person who is addicted to using food, this is critical. Just like the worst place for an alcoholic to hang out is in a bar for those who struggle to gain control over their eating habits the worst thing is to keep eating foods that trigger those feelings of shame, guilt or regret and propel them into uncontrolled eating or binges. The intenSati method is the practice of living mindfully and waking up to the power within you to change, to make long lasting change. It is possible, there is hope and I believe anyone can get to the other side with love, commitment and a practice, like intenSati that is a technique for transforming from the inside out. So whether you are someone who simply wants to lose a few pounds, struggling with an eating disorder or wants to make healthier choices, remember it is a practice and just like anything the more you practice it the easier it becomes. Keep your eye on the vision of who you choose to be and never, ever ever give up. If you do struggle with an eating disorder I suggest you reach out for help. There are support groups like overeater anonymous, grey sheet which is also a 12 step program or reach out to a therapist that specializes in eating disorders. helped me Dr. Judith Brisman was who I reached out to in 1993 who helped me recover from my darkest time. I also talk about her in my book. She is the founder of the eating disorder resource center. Eating Disorder Resource Center 330 W. 58th St. Suite 206 New York, NY 10019 Tel: 212-582-2217 Today celebrate what breakthroughs you have had and remember you can change, it is possible you can live a life you love in a body you love. Just make one small positive change a day and keep your eye on what you want instead of where you are. Love, Patricia Join me May 7th at the TSalon for more on this topic. 6:30-8:30 in NYC chelsea market. www.shop.satilife.com to rsvp

Challenge day 11! Can vinegar boost your metabolism?

I have heard from many of you that you are feeling great! What a gift you are giving yourself by taking on this challenge. Whether you have participated 100% or you are simply taking a few of the suggestions and applying them to your life, you are winning. Any small change in a positive direction soon leads you to an entirely new destination. Can Vinegar help boost your metabolism? Researchers report that consume about 3 teaspoons of vinegar a day can help you reduce the accumulation of body fat and reduce body weight. I recently have started using apple cider vinegar, olive oil and a tablespoon of hummus as my salad dressing and I love it. I began using it when I ran out of balsamic vinegar and was so pleasantly surprised. Then I did some research on it and found that there were many claims that apple cider vinegar is great for your health as well as helps with weight loss. Some theories suggest that it helps to speed up the metabolism, while others suggest that it burns calories. A suggested remedy for weight loss using apple cider vinegar is to mix 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink it before every meal or sip it throughout the day. I actually tried the suggestion of mixing the vinegar with water first thing in the morning but It was too intense for me, I simply couldn't stomach it. I am not sure what the truth is about apple cider vinegar and which health claims are true but you can be sure it is a much better choice for dressing your salads and vegetables than any pre-made, store bought dressing. I use it generously and I really love it. Give it a try! Welcome to day 11! Love, Patricia Join me on May 7th at the TSalon for a great evening of inspiring conversation and a light dinner. It is from 6:30-8:30pm and the cost is $35.00. Sign up early at www.shop.satilife.com for a discount. I hope to see you there!

Challenge day 10 Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm

Today I really did not do well in planning my day with food. If you don't know, I am pregnant and more than ever is it important for me to be eating regularly and having balanced meals. I have been really feeling great. Today I had a busy day. Out all day which is unusual for me. Usually I get home in the middle of the day to make my lunch and do some work before I go out again to the gym.
I made a few 'mistakes" today. I had a good breakfast, a whole grain english muffin one egg and one egg white. I went to the gym and after class had a small bag of nuts that I brought from home. It was supposed to be my afternoon snack but I had to rush to a meeting and didn't have time to get a full lunch and I was hungry so I ate the nuts. Then an hour and 1/2 later I had a break and grabbed a vegetarian sandwich. Not the best choice but whole grain bread, avocado, sprouts, tomato. Then I had a busy afternoon and by 7pm when I was done I was so hungry I didn't care what I was going to eat but eating was important.
I had two choices right in front of me. A soup place and an italian pizza place. Yes I went for the pizza. Two slices! And then....yes I even had some cookies after that!
Ah I learned a very good lesson today. The timing of my meals is essential. I would have been better of today having another snack in my bag, a piece of fruit, a hard boiled egg, anything so that I could have eaten it in that before I get so hungry I went for the pizza. I can't even remember the last time I ate pizza! But nevertheless I enjoyed it and am free to make a better plan for tomorrow.

How did your day go today? Did you plan it well? What worked? What didn't work? What can you focus on improving tomorrow?
Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. Someone famous said that, I think it was Churchill. I am enthusiastic and willing to apply what I learned today to my busy day tomorrow.

Have you been eating any seeds lately?
Seed help reduce the risk of diabetes, as they are a source of resistant starch just like beans. Resistant starch helps reduce blood sugar and dampen insulin spikes after eating. Flaxseed in particular, is a great source of the vegetable -based omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid which also prevents inflammation. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of omega-3's as well as zinc. Make sure you crush or grind the flaxseeds before you eat them.

Sprinkle them on yogurt, fruit, salads or smoothies.

Have a great day! Keep posting your comments, questions and breakthroughs on the wall. It helps everyone stay motivated!
Love
Patricia

PS. I hope you can join me on May 7th at the TSalon for a conversation on honoring yourself. Go to Satilife.com for more info and to rsvp! 6:30pm

Congratulations Day 9. Keeping track and keeping things moving.

Please Join me for my lecture "Honoring yourself" May 7th in NYC at the TSalon, Chelsea Market 75 9th ave. Go to satilife.com to rsvp. I would love to see you there! I will also have my books for sale. The power of keeping track. If you really pay attention to what works for you and keep track of it, it will help you inspired and help to implement those things long term. Journaling at the end of your day is a great way to look back and see what worked and what didn't work. Ask yourself: What worked for me today? What can I improve tomorrow? Did I eat enough or too much? What can I learn that I can carry with me the rest of my life? What am I proud of myself for? These are just a few questions to get you started. Use this journal to keep you inspired and creating a way of life that supports you in living a life you really love in a body you really love! It is also important to make you are getting rid of toxins especially notice if you are constipated. If you aren't going to the bathroom one a day try some of these options recommended by Dr. Mark Hyman two tablespoons of ground flaxseeds a day sprinkled on salads, fruit or vegetables Take two to four 100-150mg capsules of magnesium citrate twice a day. Reduce the dose or stop completely if your bowels become too loose. Many people are magnesium deficient. Take 1000-2000 mg of buffered ascorbic acid (vitamin c) powder or capsules once or twice a day. This helps detoxification and inflammation. I also suggest psyllium husk powder. If you take the recommended dose this also helps. These products can be used safely and long term. I have been hearing from many of you. Congratulations for hanging in there! Please continue to post your breakthroughs and questions on the wall to inspire and support your fellow challengers. Enjoy! Patricia

Are you having sugar cravings? Challenge day 8 Wow! One week down

How did you do over the weekend? No matter what, whether you had a little too much food or drink you get to start all over again today! No regrets just get right back in the game asap! Some of you have been wondering about sugar, you are craving something. Just remember you are changing the way your body is working and metabolizing and it will want what you used to give it even if it is not the best choice. Just hang in there and after 30 days it will pass and you will not have cravings anymore. That is heavenly! It is not that you will have to grit your teeth and hold yourself back from it forever, it will really pass and you will have reached a whole other place! That is the goal. Imagine the day, not even a desire for sugary foods! Ah Heaven! But in the meantime, when those cravings do hit and hit strong here are some tips to get through it. 1. licorice tea, very sweet! 2. drink lots of water 3. brush your teeth 4. give up the "but I really want it!" conversation in your head 5. Repeat, "this too shall pass, I am not giving in!" Looking for an interesting switch for dinner? Tonight I made an omelette that was very satisfying and tasty. I steamed some fresh organic broccoli until lightly cooked Added some fresh organic tomato with oregano and a little olive oil. Two whole eggs and 3 egg whites. Served 2 It is a great meal because you get very full with the vegetables and egg is a great protein to have but to reduce the calories just use one egg per serving and add egg whites. A complete meal!

Challenge day 6. A great smoothie recipe to start your day

This shake is soy free and you do not need to add any protein powder.
1/2 cup of plain, unsweetened, gluten free almond or hazelnut milk
1-2tbsp. of nut butter
1tbsp. organic flax seed oil
2tbsp. ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup of fresh or frozen, non citrus organic fruit such as cherries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, pears or bananas.
ice
2-4 ounces of filtered water to desired consistency

This is a great shake to start your day. it provides essential protein for detoxification, omega 3 fatty acids from flax oil, fiber for healthy digestion, increased elimination from flaxseeds, and anti-oxidants and phytonutrients from the berries and fruit.

It will sustain you, even out your blood sugar are control your appetite throughout the day.
The UltraSimple Diet: Kick-Start Your Metabolism and Safely Lose Up to 10 Pounds in 7 Days.

The recipe is from the ultaSimple diet:

Enjoy!
Patricia

Boost your metabolism! Not all fats are created equal. Day 7

Friday, May 7th 
How Deeply Do You Honor Yourself?
Specifically chosen for the 3rd stop, the T Salon will host Patricia on her book tour. Complimenting the T Salon’s “Always Evolving” mission statement, this lecture will leave you feeling ready to change your point of view and start honoring your mind, body and spirit!

T Salon, Chelsea Market
75 9th Avenue ~ 495 W 15th Street, NYC
Cost: $35 (Includes lecture and light refreshments)
Limited space available. Advanced registration required.
Please purchase tickets at OUR STORE.


NOT ALL FATS ARE CREATED EQUAL.
Fat is essential but eliminate "bad" fats! Here is where to start!
If you do nothing else but eliminate this one fat from you diet you will be making great progress. Trans or Hydrogenated Fats. This is from the book "The Ultrasimple diet by Mark Hyman" Great book. You should eliminate trans or hydrogenated fats. These man-made fats are completely foreign to our biology. They are very toxic and inflammatory. Trans fats, putting it mildly, are not good for you or your metabolism. They block fat burning, cause diabetes, promote weight gain, create inflammation, raise cholesterol, and are even associated with cancer and dementia. Eliminating all trans fats will, with on quick change, leave your diet free from almost all processed and junk food. Trans fat are used to keep foods fresh on the shelf for a long time, because they don't break down. So keep an eye on any foods that. come in a package or are processed in any way. And keep in mind that even "trans fat free" foods cn ahave up to 0.5 grams per serving, so if you eat 4 servings from a package of cookies or crackers with trans fats you will still be getting 2 grams of trans fats. NOT GOOD. Beware! Look for the word "hydrogenated" on the ingredient list and don't buy it. Good fats extra virgin olive oil Avocado coconut oil cold pressed nut or seed oil Hemp seed oil Fish oil I love to add coconut oil to my oatmeal in the morning along with raw cacao nibs and some stevia. YUM! Remind yourself every day it is about treating your body the best you can. Just keep it real! Real food. Mostly plants. Not too much. No trans fats! Spread the word and get your friends and family to join you. If you want to succeed help someone else succeed. What you give is what you get! Read all labels before you put ANYTHING in your mouth! Love, Patricia

Challenge day 6! Be in it to win it! April 24, 2010

Join me for a lecture from my book The intenSati Method, 7 secret principles to thinner peace on May 7th at the TSalon. For more information go to satilife.com and click on events! RSVP asap! Be in it to win it! A great reward for putting yourself through this 30 day challenge is you can really get to know a lot about yourself. If you want to upgrade your habits one way is to catch yourself when you come up with really good reasons or excuses. Remember this 30 day challenge is called a challenge and will most likely be in at least one area, challenging. You will benefit most if you can catch yourself justifying, giving up and coming up with very good reasons as to why you simply can't do it today. It doesn't mean you have to be perfect but use this month to catch when you give in and give up on yourself. Try to do it differently then you have ever done it before. Try not letting yourself off the hook so easily but instead rally for yourself. Most cravings pass in a few minutes. The hardest part of working out is just getting started. The food you eat only stays in your mouth for a few seconds and then you ask, was it worth it? Being self aware and making conscious choices about what you are thinking, eating and doing will be what will help you drop the old and empower the new habits, way of life. IF you want something to change in your life you have to change. You cannot become who you want to be by remaining who you are. Feed the new you not the old you. Summer is just around the corner, make this your best summer yet because you feel so good! Please continue to post your comments, breakthroughs and questions on the wall. It is really helpful and inspiring! Love Patricia

Congratulations on beginning day 5 Stay in the game it gets easier!

How are you doing? Please take a moment to post any comments, questions, breakthroughs or challenges. I would love to hear how you are doing. Your questions and comments help me guide you better. Have you been reading labels and being mindful about the sugar and refined carbohydrates in your diet? Here is a a quote from Dr. Mark Hyman. We all know they we would be better off eliminating or reducing them in our diet but knowing how and why can be helpful. "Eating sugar and refined, high glycemic-load carbohydrates (like bread, potatoes, and white rice, all of which raise your blood sugar quickly) fuels the hormones that keep your appetite out of control. Stopping this process for one week will change your outlook forever. By doing this you won't have to fight your urges and cravings for the rest of your life" High Fructose corn syrup. I may have said it already but it is important enough to repeat. Eliminate it completely from you and your family's diet. These super-sugars quickly enter the bloodstream and trigger hormonal and chemical changes that make you feel even hungrier. Consuming any type of sugar or anything that quickly turns to sugar in your blood also causes insulin surges that start a cascade telling your brain to eat more and your fat cells to STORE more FAT. READ LABELS. Many processed food have HFCS especially food that is often fed to kids. Start them young! It is very addicting. Alcohol Ever wonder why you are always asked to give your drink order first at a restaurant, and then you get a bread-basket? It's because if you eat some sugar (in the form of white bread) then drink a glass of wine you will likely order more and eat more. Taking a holiday from alcohol will help you tune in to your appetite adn prevent you from overeating. Here is a little math that might make you think twice about those 2 glasses of wine at night. If one glass of wine contains about 100 calories then 2 glasses a night amounts to an extra 1400 calories a week, or 72,800 calories a year. If you gain 1 pound by consuming an extra 3,500 calories, then 2 glasses of wine a night will add 20.8 pounds a year to your weight! Just eliminating sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol can have profound effects on your weight and the way you feel in a very short time, even if you do nothing else!! Hang in there! It gets easier and easier! Congratulations on day 4 get ready for day 5 Love Patricia If you love intenSati or want to know more about it please join "I love intenSati" fan page on Facebook for updates, invites, community photos and leader posts!

Day 4 of the 30 day challenge. How to choose good quality protein

Lets talk about protein sources to choose when on your 30 day challenge.  Remember it is not only about calories we take in the the quality of the food we ingest that effects our health, weight and metabolism. One of the main goals of this challenge is to significantly reduce the amount of toxins in your body and get your  body running more efficiently.  That is why I stress choosing organic products.

When it comes to choosing where to get your protein from you want to take extra care to make sure your source of protein is considered.  Here are some suggestions  for choosing what protein is best.

Red meat, limit to once a week
Choose only organic, grass fed or range fed meat or chicken
Trim all visible fat
If you are eating chicken, remove the skin before cooking
Eggs are a great source of protein but choose organic, free range, Omega3  eggs
Nuts, eat them raw and unsalted
Beans including whole soy foods such as tofu, edamame, and tempeh
Fish (wild not farmed)
Hemp seeds


Although you will spend more for organic, grass fed, free range meat it is worth it.  It refers to the way of raising feed animals (chicken, pigs, and cattle) in which the animal is not confined to a feedlot, stockyard, coop or barn.  Animals raised in  confined conditions tend to have more diseases, are less healthy, and are fed an unnatural diet.  thus, they are full of poor-quality saturated fats. When they move more  and eat a healthier, more natural diet, they are leaner.  When you eat grass-fed beef, you are eating leaner meat that has fewer saturated fats.

If you normally eat a lot of chicken and meat try shifting to plant based protein more often. Keep red meat to no more than once a week and try to have as many meals as possible with non-animal based protein.   Try beans, nuts, soy, tempeh and hemp seeds as replacements for animal protein as often as possible.

Keep the animal protein the smallest part of your meal and instead load up on raw and cooked vegetables, greens, leafy lettuces and other powerfully rich and nutritious carbohydrates.

Remember, Eat food. Mostly plants. Not so much. Keep it organic, grass fed and hormone/ pesticide free.

Congratulations  you are now on day 4!
Love
Patricia

Join me on May 7th for the next stop on my book tour and lecture series. I will be at the TSalon, the first sustainable tea cafe, bar and market.

How Deeply Do You Honor Yourself?  Do you listen to yourself instead of being swayed by others' negativity or doubt?  Do you make time for you?  Do you honor your intentions by making yourself a priority?  Do your reactions to conflict or stress go against your goals?  Join me for the 3rd stop of my book tour, at the T Salon in Chelsea Market.  Complimenting the T Salon’s “Always Evolving” mission statement, learn how to change your point of view and start honoring your mind, body and spirit!

Friday, May 7th
6:30-8:30pm
T Salon, Chelsea Market
75 9th Avenue ~ 495 W 15th Street, NYC
Cost: $35 (Includes lecture and light refreshments)
Limited space available. Advanced registration required.
Sign up by Saturday, May 1st and receive a DOUBLE BONUS!
1) Raffle entry for a Sati Life Gift Bag
2) Coupon for a “buy one ticket, get one FREE” for a future Northeast Book Tour Lecture!

http://www.shop.satilife.com/product.sc?productId=50&categoryId=5