Written by Nancy Lepow-Marrone

The past few months I found myself lacking motivation to workout. I have found it harder and harder to get back into my daily routine, which usually consists of going to the gym a few days a week and hiking a couple days a week.  Most of the time, I found myself getting home from work and talking myself out of my daily workout with any excuse I could think of: “I’m exhausted, I need to do more laundry, my back hurts,” and the list continues.  As time passed, I found that I was becoming more and more creative with the excuses I used for not exercising; as a result I started to feel really bad about myself…What’s wrong with me? I always enjoyed working out, where did my fitness love connection go?

That night I was talking on the phone with my best friend and venting to her about how I have lost my motivation to exercise, ironically she was going through the same thing but was too embarrassed to tell me.  There is no better way to be held accountable than by working out with someone else, so by the end of the phone conversation we made a commitment to one another that we would workout together the next day. I was really determined to get started again, so I made sure I brought my workout clothes to work with me to avoid any risk of getting home and finding an excuse to sabotage my workout.

After our scheduled workout I felt excellent, and actually to be honest it was a heartwarming and enjoyable experience. We were able to chat about our obstacles, teach each other new exercises, push ourselves to stay 15 minutes longer then we planned to, it was great and felt great.  It was clear that our fitness levels were different but it didn’t matter, we were working out again!  I think the best thing about our workout was that we were able to spend time together; which our schedules usually don’t allow, and we had a chance to gossip and catch up for the week.  When we finished we decided that we would make it a point to get together twice a week and so far so good.  We have also come up with some great workout routines together!

My husband has noticed how motivated I have become again and it actually has rubbed off on him.  The both of us have decided to hike at least twice a week together and we are going to focus on being more creative about where we hike, so that we don’t get bored with the same trail week over week. Mixing it up has really helped with our motivation to get out and get moving.  Not to mention, a beautiful hike coupled with a healthy meal makes a great V-day date!

I have to be honest, time flies by when I workout with my best friend or with my husband, and I’m actually having fun doing the workouts! I am no longer looking at my workouts as just another thing “I have to do.”  The time spent working out provides quality time together and we get to catch up on life while improving ourselves. So the solution to lacking motivation this month is to focus on loving your heart, figuratively and literally speaking! Jumping back into your routine not only gets you healthy, but it can rub off on others around you too!

NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!  Get out there and do something heartfelt for yourself, grab your sweetie, friend, or a relative and get back into getting that heart-pounding! It will make you and your workout partner feel better, both physically and mentally!!!

REVIEW:

These delicious jams come from Nature’s Hollow, a company that specializes in sugar-free gourmet toppings. Xylitol is their sweetener of choice, a sugar alcohol, but one that causes less digestive upset than malitol or sorbitol. These preserves are available in a wide variety of flavors, we tried the apricot and raspberry flavors and loved them both! The Raspberry jam is packed full of tiny raspberry seeds, which adds fiber and a crunchy dimension. They’ve got a great nutritional profile for our program, with only 2 net carbs per tablespoon. You could try adding a tablespoon to your Greek Yogurt, cottage cheese or if you’re feeling super adventurous, try using these to make a sweet glaze for pork tenderloin or lamb chops.

Nature’s Hollow products are available at Sprout’s in Sunnyvale, Bumble Bee Health Foods in Mountain View or you can simply order them online through their website, Amazon or Netrition.com. They sell for around $5 for a 10 ounce jar (Netrition offers the most competitive price, but shipping and handling must be factored in).

Natures Hollow also sells sugar free versions of Maple Syrup, Ketchup and Honey. We haven’t tried them at yet, but leave a comment if you have! We’d love to know what you think.

Celery root or Celeriac is the root or bulb of celery, and is about the size of a large potato. This special root is far less starchy and has a  lower glycemic index than other common root vegetables. It has a crisp, yet hearty celery flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked (try making celery root chips* or cooking it like a baked potato). Be on the look out for it near other root vegetables at a local grocery store or farmers market.

Ingredients (6 servings, about 1 cup each)

• 1 quart water
• 1 leak or small onion, thickly sliced
• 3 1/2 cups celery root, diced (about 2 celery roots)
• 7 oz. fresh spinach leaves
• freshly grated nutmeg
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, to garnish

Instructions

• Combine leek, celery root, spinach and water in a deep sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes till vegetables are soft.
• Poor the vegetables and liquid into a blender or food processor and puree (in batches, if necessary) until smooth.
• Return to the rinsed pan and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Reheat slowly.
• Heat a non-stick skillet (do not add any oil). Add the pine nuts and toast till golden brown, stirring occasionally so they do not stick. Sprinkle them over the soup and serve.

Units per serving:

Carbohydrate: 1 1/2
Condiment: 1

Nutrition facts per serving:

90 Calories (37 from fat)
4g Fat
3g Protein
10g Net Carb

*To make celery root chips, preheat oven to 350 F. Peel the celery root and slice it as thin as possible using a sharp knife or mandolin. Arrange the slices in one layer in a baking pan lined with oiled parchment paper, drizzle (or spray) with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and cook on the middle rack of the oven until crispy.

To enter for the chance to win, contestants must simply tell Alice in 25 words or less why they are ready NOW to make a healthy lifestyle change. The most sincere, original and creative entry will win a personal consultation and 2-month membership at GreenLite Medicine valued at $969.00.

Click here to enter the competition and get your own chance to be the picture of health in 2012. You better hurry!! Deadline for entry is February 5 at 11:59pm.

Check out his starting stats and check out his posts on the GreenLite blog to track his progress throughout his weight loss journey.

NAME: Marcus D.

AGE: 38

HEIGHT: 6′

STARTING WEIGHT: 222

MAINTENANCE WEIGHT:???

WEIGHT LOSS MOTIVATION:

“I’ve struggled with my weight my entire life. After being diagnosed pre-diabetic, I knew it was time to make a change. Greenlite has provided exactly the motivation, direction and expertise that I needed to lose weight for good!”

Click Here to hear Marcus talk about his experience at GreenLite Medicine

I started GreenLite Medicine on May 25, 2011. From the minute I walked in the door Zoe, the receptionist, made me feel very comfortable and welcome. I met with Dr. Rugh and found out that I had high blood pressure which I never knew about prior to my first visit at GreenLite. I started the program without the appetite suppressant, which at first concerned me because I always felt hungry. Dr. Rugh prescribed a blood pressure medication, got my blood pressure into the normal range, and then I was given the lowest dosage of the appetite suppressant to assist me with reaching my weight loss goals. Dr. Rugh is a warm, caring person who is also very professional, and she tends to the needs of all her clients.  I also had a chance to meet with Heather, the nurse practitioner, a couple of times and she was just as supportive, warm, and professional as everyone else working at GreenLite.

My health educator Holly was wonderful and I attribute much of my success to her. She was so supportive and offered a variety of resources to help me through my weight loss journey.  Without me even realizing it, she helped me to understand that this is really a lifestyle change, not just quick fix to get weight off and then go back to my normal unhealthy habits.  Bread, pasta, sugar…these are all items that we don’t necessarily need and I have learned how to effectively eat them sparingly. On Special occasions, once a week, or when in the maintenance phase you can have these foods, moderation is the key. If I gain one pound or two, I immediately would get back to eating 1000 calories a day for the next few days and I would eat protein, vegetables, and fruit. This routine helps easily shed any extra pounds I may have gained. After years of trying every diet there is I finally get it and know I can keep my weight under control thanks to Holly!

I choose this program because a friend of mine went to GreenLite and lost 40 pounds in a few months. She looked great and told me about what she was doing to reach her weight loss goals. She said she had tried every other program, just like me, and that this program was easy to follow. The appetite suppressants were really helpful, as time went on I began to feel less hungry and my body became accustom to small portions.

I really didn’t exercise much while on the program. I was on the treadmill 20 minutes a day for a week and then I lost interest. I realize exercise is important and now that I am going through the maintenance phase of the program, I have started walking. The trick is finding something you enjoy to do for exercise. I have not quite found that yet, but I am hoping to keep up with the walking daily to help with my maintenance program.

So far, I have lost 33 pounds and I went from a size 16 petite to a size 6! I feel and look so much better and everyone I know can’t believe how great I look. I enjoy seeing people that I haven’t seen in months because they are shocked to see how much more trim I look! I am 61 years old and I haven’t been this small since I was in high school.

I do not like water and this program requires that you drink lots of water every day; therefore I have come up with a solution where I take my GreenLite Medicine water bottle and put crystal light packets in it, creating pink lemonade instead of plain water. Greenlite has taught me that even though I am not a cook, a premade Costco chicken goes a long way, and it is pretty easy to put fresh asparagus in the microwave to complete the meal.

Since I lost weight I feel so much better about myself and that affects every part of my life. I don’t really have any special talents or hobbies. I am a real estate agent (as I have been for over 35 years) and I find that I have more energy to deal with all aspects of my job. I also have more energy to play with my grandchildren, which is the highlight of my life! I guess you might say they are my hobby, it takes a lot of energy to keep up with toddlers and babies, but now I am able to!”

Happy 2012!  For most of us, a new year means a new year’s resolution.  While our positivity and motivation are always high when we first set our goals, sometimes we feel them waning by February.  This year, stop the cycle of resolving to make a change, but then not following through.  Here are a few simple tips on how to hit the ground running and maintain that pace toward a positive change in your life….

1)  Set realistic goals — One of my favorite quotes is “Willpower is like a muscle… it gets stronger with use but will ultimately weaken if overloaded.”  Make sure the goals you set are challenging but not overwhelming.  Concrete, well-defined, and measurable goals, when reached, will provide feelings of achievement and success — this often gives us the drive we need to keep going.

2)  Change your environment — Look around… does your space provide what you need (or don’t need) to be successful?  Perhaps you need to alter your surroundings to support your new behaviors.  Clean out the cabinets, or at least reorganize them so the “bad” stuff is unavailable to you.  Purge the fridge and freezer and stock them with the right foods.  Dust off the bike in the garage, or pack your gym clothes and put them in your car the night before.  Doing just one small thing a day can greatly improve your focus.

3)  Ask yourself “What’s in it for me?” — You had a good reason for making that resolution, so don’t forget what it was.  Keeping a list of the pro’s and con’s of sticking to your plan will help remind you of the bigger, better picture… and I’ll bet your pro list is way longer than your con list.

4)  Announce your intentions — Often times, the best way to stay on track is succumbing to a little peer pressure.  Make a public announcement to friends and family about your goal, and ask for their support.  It’ll help you feel like you’re not in this alone, and you might even gain some great advice and insight, not to mention inspire others.

5)  Anticipate obstacles — Even under the best of circumstances, on your path toward achievement you may encounter occasional obstacles.  The key is to plan for them, instead of just reacting on an emotional level when they actually happen.  Identifying and thinking through potential temptations beforehand can make a big difference on how we handle and control them when they surface. 

6)  Focus on the positive  — Positive thoughts and actions have a way of self-manifesting. No matter how tough your day is, think of at least one positive thing, one thing that you’re grateful or happy for.  Jot it down in a journal so you can look back on your entries.  It can be a powerful motivator to continue on a positive trend.

7)  Don’t beat yourself up  –  Yes, you’re human, and that’s a good thing.  If you encounter a setback, forgive yourself and hit the reset button.  Don’t use it as an excuse to continue negative behavior, just be realistic and realize that the situation is temporary.  Each moment is a chance for a fresh start, so keep trying.  And remember… smile every chance you get.

At GreenLite we try to provide our clients with as many tools as possible to support them in their weight loss efforts. We think aromatherapy and doTerra essential oils can be an extremely useful tool to not only help manage your stress levels but can also help to curb emotional eating.

REVIEW:

“A scent is worth 10,000 words.” You simply need to experience essential oils in order to fully understand and believe in its power, even WE were skeptical at first. Many of us at GreenLite Medicine were new to aromatherapy but became advocates after we experienced the oils first hand. Watch for yourself and check out the video below to see how the high stress environment of Vanderbilt’s Emergency Room was affected by the oils:

Aromatherapy can induce feelings of relaxation or alternatively elevate the mood, depending on the oils used. The olfactory (smelling) organ in the nose is closely located to parts of the brain that influence emotions and influence the reward centers of the brain. Aromatherapy can influence various emotional problems and stress levels which can sometimes result in overeating.

For the past month we have been sampling doTerra essential oils in our Mountain View office for our clients to experience first-hand. Although there are many essential oils available on the market, we were particularly impressed by doTerra’s exceptional level of quality control. DoTerra is the only company who’s oils are classified as Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade^® and are 100% natural, free of any contaminants such as pesticides or other chemical residues. The herbs used for their oils surpass organic standards and special care is taken so the oils are properly extracted and distilled. Many of their oils are pure enough to be ingested internally (one drop of peppermint oil equals 20 cups of peppermint tea!). The more common ways to experience the aroma is to drop the oils on pressure points or to place the oils in a diffuser (a machine that heats and disperses the oil in the air).

DoTerra offers a wide variety of single oils, (lavender, peppermint, orange) as well as oil blends (serenity, purity, elevation) and even has a blend specific to appetite control, called “Slim & Sassy”, which is a blend of grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, ginger, and cinnamon. The price of the oils range from $14 to $50 depending on the type and blend of oil, and considering the outstanding quality of doTerra products, this price is relatively reasonable compared to other oils on the market.

Experience the oils for yourself and sample them in our Mountain View location. You can also enter our raffle for a chance to win yourself a complementary bottle of essential oil! If you are a client that doesn’t come to the Mountain View office and you’re interested in sampling the doTerra products, simply ask the front desk and we can arrange an aromatherapy experience for you at your GreenLite location. GreenLite is currently selling a limited quantity of the essential oils, but if you are interested in the full spectrum of doTerra products, they are available online.

NOTE: GreenLite has NO financial incentive or arrangement with Do Terra’s representative for the sales of their oils. We only offer the purchase of the oils as a convenience to our clients.

GreenLite Medicine is proud to have Alice Radio’s very own DJ Marcus D participating in our Weight Loss Program. Alice Radio listeners will also have the chance to enter to win 2 free months on the GreenLite program and “Win and Lose” alongside Marcus D for the New Year. Follow his progress here on GreenLite’s blog and let him know what you think.

“Weight loss can be unbelievably daunting. Tell me again how I have to completely revamp my eating habits, count my calories and never get to eat any fun food again, ever. That was my first thought anyway, sitting in the waiting room at the Greenlite location in Mountain View with no idea what to expect. I’ll admit, I wasn’t that excited about the prospect of a complete lifestyle overhaul but I had been promising myself that I was going to drop these 30 pounds once and for all. For myself, for my health and well, I just wanted to look really good with my shirt off,  is that so wrong? As I started to meet the staff, I quickly realized that I wouldn’t be embarking on this journey alone. No, I was getting my own entourage, a staff if you will, of people who share a common goal…MY goal. Readings were taken, body fat was measured and I was on my way. Meeting with my counselor Holly was positively enlightening. We talked about calories in and calories out, being accountable for what you put in your body and fitting realistic goals into my lifestyle. I started the [GreenLite weigh loss] program the week before Christmas. Not as some bizzaro tourture experiment, but rather to keep me on track during the biggest binge eating times of the year. And you know what? It worked. Through Christmas with the family AND New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas, not only did I maintain but I even managed to LOSE weight.  And I really didn’t feel like I missed out on anything. You know why? Because my eating habits were off-track to begin with. My portion sizes were all wrong, eating schedule was off and I found a few sources of “hidden” calories that the average person(including me) just doesn’t think about. Once those things  got cleaned up and I got on the “plan,” I felt lighter, tighter and more energetic than ever. I’m meeting with Holly tomorrow morning and I can’t wait to jump on the scale. More to come.

-Marcus D.”

Although weight loss is the number one New Year’s resolution, it also has the highest failure rate…”People want to lose the weight but unless they see results fairly quickly, good intentions can fall by the wayside,” said Dr. Rugh, CEO of Greenlite Medicine. “Learning to lose can happen quickly with key changes in behavior and the weight loss that results helps reinforce that behavior. But with support and guidance, these habits can evolve into a lifestyle change.”…

So what are the components of success and strategies proven to produce lasting lifestyle change?…