Dinner Staples

Posted on April 15, 2014 by danayeats

I am all for trying new recipes and experimenting with flavors because after all that is why cooking and eating brings so much pleasure to me. But I am also a mother of 3 so I need to know what staples to always have on hand, to create a guaranteed crowd pleaser ( that doesn’t consist of nuggets or buttered noodles).

We all know our families or our individual tastes that we enjoy. I urge you to tap into those flavors or individual food items and try to create a simple, nutritious, quick meal; you might just find a winner that you can incorporate into your weekly or bi-weekly menu planning.

Some staples for me are chicken or beef stir-fry with broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, snap peas with either rice noodles, brown rice or quinoa; or taco salad with ground turkey, black & pinto beans, corn, cherry tomatoes. I make sure to have a fridge stocked with fresh veggies because then I feel I can make a quick nutritious dinner with whichever protein I have in the house.

I also usually have salsa, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, grainy mustard, and jams (apricot and blackberry are my favorite staples to have). With these condiments I can turn a boring skinless boneless chicken breast into a mouth-watering entrée.

I understand the challenges of trying to put not only a nutritious meal in front of yourself or your family each night but you want to make it a pleasurable experience. After all, food is not just fuel for our body’s but an entire experience that shapes our relationship either healthy or unhealthy with food.

If you have an unhealthy relationship with food today or are challenged in the meal planning and preparation area please contact me directly at 4pillarcoachings@gmail.com. Together I am confident that we can turn the page and create a healthy relationship with food for you and your family.

Want some personalized help with your family’s health and fitness? Schedule your complimentary 30 minute session with me now.

Posted in Be Healthy, Nutrition Tips | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Part 6 – Loving Relationships

Posted on April 11, 2014 by danayeats

Now I know we all have our off days, I want you to think about what helped you turn that off day around. Was it meeting a friend for a walk, a long over due phone call with a family member, meeting a girlfriend over lunch, playing golf with a buddy or a spa day to recharge? If that sounds accurate for you, you have already seen the positive effect that relationships can have on your life.

Research shows that a good social support network has numerous physical and mental health benefits. It can keep you from feeling lonely, isolated or inadequate and if you feel good about yourself, you can deal with stress better. Friends and loved ones can be a good source of advice and suggest new ways of handling problems. But they can also be an excellent distraction from what’s bothering you. If your network of friends is small, I urge you to think about volunteering, joining an outdoor activities group or trying an online meet-up group to make new friends.

We all need a little extra push every now and then and a trusted friend or family member is the perfect one to do that for us.

Want some personalized help with your family’s health and fitness? Schedule your complimentary 30 minute session with me now.

Posted in Be Healthy | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Food Sensitivites

Posted on April 9, 2014 by danayeats

Do you wonder if you have been suffering from an unidentified food sensitivity? Do you suffer from eczema, IBS, low energy, acne, ear infections, GI issues, migraines, ….the list goes on and on. If you answered yes to any of the above aliments you might be suffering from a food sensitivity.

Food sensitivities can be hard to identify for a number of reasons. You might have been experiencing the symptoms of the food sensitivities for years, so that is your “normal” and you don’t suspect there is another way to live. Also, symptoms don’t always immediately present themselves, some foods might not show symptoms in your body for 24-48 hours after consuming them. You might have taken an allergy test and it came back “clear” from allergens but trust me allergy’s and sensitivities are two very different things and are not always caught in these tests.

I have a proven method of cleansing your body and re-introducing the most common foods that causes these disruptions. I know if might seem daunting at first, but with the support that I offer clients this process goes very smoothly. You will not only be empowered with the knowledge you gain but you will know exactly what is causing your eczema, IBS, fatigue or other symptom.  We will work together to cleanse your body, reintroduce each food in a specific manner and then work to establish your new diet. If you are interested in learning more about this program please contact me at 4pillarscoaching@gmail.com.

Want some personalized help with your family’s health and fitness? Schedule your complimentary 30 minute session with me now.

Posted in Be Healthy | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Part 5 – Release Emotional Toxins

Posted on April 7, 2014 by danayeats

Let’s be honest many of us harbor emotional toxicity in the form of unprocessed anger, hurt or disappointment. We have all been hurt, rejected, angry, frustrated and many other emotional feelings in our lives but how we handle, process and move forward from these emotions is the real question. This unprocessed residue from the past contributes to toxicity in our body and it needs to be eliminated so you can have the optimum health you desire.

I have found a great question to start with when I am evaluating these feelings or emotions is: “What am I holding onto from the past that is no longer serving me in the present?” Once you have that identified it is much easier to release it and move forward. It is very helpful to journal these feelings out and then release them in a manner that is helpful to you to provide closure. Along with journaling, I find that meditation helps with gaining clarity on these feelings that so many of us bury.

When we hold onto all of these feelings it is very hard to be at our best. It takes a lot of energy every day to harbor these emotions. I encourage you to look deep inside yourself and ask “am I holding onto anything that isn’t helping me gain my ultimate health goals?” If so, I urge you to try to identify what is holding you back and work at releasing it. You will be re-energized and ready to truly take charge of your life and your overall health goals.

If you need any help in this area please contact me at 4pillarscoaching@gmail.

Want some personalized help with your family’s health and fitness? Schedule your complimentary 30 minute session with me now.

Posted in Be Healthy | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Part 4 – Sleep We All Need It!

Posted on April 2, 2014 by danayeats

Sleep, we all need it but are we getting enough. I understand the effects of sleep deprivation first hand! If you have been following my blog you know that I have 3 kids – 5 1/2, 3 1/2 and now a 9 month old, so trust me I know what lack of sleep or non-restful sleep can do to a person and on the flip side I know how I feel when I get a full 6-8 hours of sleep – I am a whole NEW woman ready to face anything!

There seems to be a tendency for people in our society to boost about how little sleep they need to function. But trust me it will eventually catch up with them as well. Many sleep studies that have been conducted over the years, now show that “we” all need about 6-8 hours of RESTFUL sleep to keep our body in balance. When we regularly don’t achieve this amount of sleep we start to notice health issue. Our body’s natural balance is affected, our immune system is weakened, inadequate sleep has been linked to weight gain and depression and it speeds up the aging process.

Do not fear if you are one of the none, regular, restful sleepers today. Look at your situation, is it due to having a circus act around you that you aren’t getting your regular z’s, or is it something you are doing that you can change and control. There are many effective rituals that can be done before bed to put you in the best state possible for a good restful night’s sleep. Our body is very forgiving to us, sometimes to a fault, start giving it what it needs and you will see how your body thrives.

If you need help establishing and starting an effective sleep ritual for you or your family please contact me directly at 4pillarscoaching@gmail.com

Want some personalized help with your family’s health and fitness? Schedule your complimentary 30 minute session with me now.
Posted in Be Healthy | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Part 3 – Moving Your Body

Posted on March 31, 2014 by danayeats

Part 3 of my Mind-Body connection is: Get the Blood Flowing! Now I am sure there are many creative ideas floating around after that one comment, and quite honestly I don’t care what you do to get moving and to get the blood moving. As Nike said for all those years: JUST DO IT!

To truly get the benefits of exercise for heart health (cardio) and muscle mass (strength training), you should aim to be working out 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes. This might seem like a stretch especially if you are currently not active. I don’t want you to think this is an all or nothing thing. Start slowing, today is a new week make a commitment to exercise twice this week if you are new to exercise, or 5 days if you are currently working out 2-3 times a week. Try to balance your regime with both strength or weight-bearing exercises (yoga, resistance or weight training) and cardio (walking, jogging, biking, swimming – anything where you are moving at a good pace but still able to talk).

Not only does exercise keep the body young, but it also keeps the mind vital and promotes emotional wellbeing. The key is to start off slowly, find physical activities you like, and do them regularly. You will be surprised how quickly you increase your endurance and enthusiasm for moving and breathing.

Want some personalized help with your family’s health and fitness? Schedule your complimentary 30 minute session with me now.

 

Posted in Be Fit, Workouts | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Eating Whole Foods

Posted on March 27, 2014 by danayeats

Step 2 of creating the true mind-body connection is centered around feeding our bodies with nutritious foods. Now if you have been following my blog, you know my philosophy of eating a diet of whole foods. I have had clients ask me if there are certain groups of food that we should not eat. I am not a person that believes in completely eliminating any food or food group, but I do believe in BALANCING our meals and food choices.

I believe the best thing you can do for your nutrition is to eat a wide variety of fresh, colorful natural foods. When you bring awareness to how you eat, how much you eat and what you eat, you will slowly start to change your eating habits. This slow progression is the best way to ensure a sustainable lifestyle change and to avoid the typical yo-yo diet. We all need to strive to obtain a healthy relationship with food. When we just view food as fuel, or to “the” thing that fills emotional voids we end up sabotaging our overall health. If you or someone you know needs help identifying ways to regain a healthy relationship with food I am here to help.

If you would like a more personalized plan to help you achieve your health and fitness goals,  Schedule your complimentary 30 minute session with me now.

Posted in Be Healthy | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Meditation

Posted on March 25, 2014 by danayeats

Now I know some of you are thinking meditation…really… But I am here to tell you that meditation takes on many different forms and that even for the skeptic there is a form of meditation for you!

Meditation can range from active and verbal methods such as chanting, all the way to quietly sitting and calming your mind. I encourage you to try various types of meditation until you find one that works for you. Even if you meditate for 5 minutes a day, you will be getting all of the benefits of this practice.

In meditation, you experience a state of restful awareness in which your body is resting deeply while your mind is awake though quiet. In the silence of awareness, the mind lets go of old patterns of thinking and feeling and learns to heal itself. Scientific research on meditation is accelerating with the growing awareness of meditation’s numerous benefits, including a decrease in hypertension, heart disease, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and addictive behaviors.

If you need help learning how to meditate or need additional tips on how to incorporate  this into your daily life please contact me at 4pillarcoaching@gmail.com.

Want some personalized help with your family’s health and fitness? Schedule your complimentary 30 minute session with me now.

Posted in Be Healthy | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Mind Body Connection

Posted on March 24, 2014 by danayeats

I have thought a lot about the whole mind-body connection for a while. I do truly believe that many common alignments that we all get, are in fact linked to the way we eat, if we are active, what our emotional state is and if we are creating balance in our lives. Here are 7 key principles that I find helpful when looking for the mind-body connection:

1) Creating a quiet space each day to rest your mind and meditate

2) Eating nutritious whole foods

3) Moving your body

4) Having restful sleep

5) Releasing emotional toxins

6) Cultivate loving relationships

7) Laughing and enjoying life

During the next week, I will be diving into each of these principles  and showing you how you can apply them to your daily life to help achieve the mind-body balance for yourself and your family!

Want some personalized help with your family’s health and fitness? Schedule your complimentary 30 minute session with me now.

Posted in Be Healthy | Tagged , | Leave a comment

It isn’t pretty but tasty….Dinner Tonight

Posted on March 14, 2014 by danayeats

Long ago my Mom taught me to truly enjoy my food and sometimes the best tasting meals are not the prettiest. Well, I have created a delicious gluten-free dinner but I am warning you it was not pretty. It was very easy to create and could easily be made ahead of time.

Teriyaki Chicken

Boil a pot of water, once it is boiling add rice noodles remove them from the heat and let them cook in the boiling water for 8-10 minutes.

Saute chicken – once the chicken is cooked add sliced carrots and bell pepper ( I used an orange bell pepper – had a green and orange theme veggie night with the kids). Add gluten-free teriyaki sauce and simmer until veggies are cooked.

While your chicken is cooking steam broccoli and whole organic edamame (remember my post about GMO’s – soybeans are one of the highest GMO foods so please always buy organic). Toss it all together and there is dinner. Again not pretty but very tasty.

You are getting great lean protein from the boneless, skinless chicken breasts and edamame. Tons of Vitamin C, A, K, Anti-Inflammatory properties (particularly from the broccoli), along with calcium and iron. So go ahead make this delicious, healthy tonight and eat your colors by making it an organge and green veggie night. Trust me everyone will love it!

Needing more tips & tricks to increase the health & fitness for your family? Subscribe to my newsletter to get them in your inbox.

 

Posted in Be Healthy, Favorite Recipes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment