Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to you all!!!  One of the things I love most about my job is the amazing connections I have made with all of you!  Another is the community of friendships that have been created in my small group classes.  I love to see women helping women, whether it be fitness tips, nutrition, parenting, career advice, offering a heads-up on what is coming in later years, no matter the topic, you guys are an amazing network of information!!

So, my Mother’s Day gift to you is offering a few tips on how to try and slide through the perimenopause and menopause years with little interruption to your daily lives.  I know many of you have arrived at this time, some of you are past, and many of you have not gotten there yet, but we cannot deny that it is coming our way.  So here is your best defense advice for beating bloating, weight gain, hormone fluctuations, hot flashes, skin breakouts, mood swings and insomnia:

1.  Cut the sugar, processed foods, wheat, alcohol and for some people, caffeine.

2.  Try to eat 3 meals a day that include protein, fiber, and fat at each meal.  Make sure your fats are healthy fats which include coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and butter.  Avocados are a great source of fat as well.  Try to fill you plate half to three quarters full of vegetables.

3.  Cut down on refined grains.

4.  Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables daily.  The single most important thing you to do to improve your diet is to increase your consumption of vegetables and fruits!

5.  Exercise!!!  Create a balanced exercise program for yourself that includes strength training, cardio, balance training, and either yoga or animal flow type workouts (or come to my class and you will get all of the above).

6.  Supplements – Thorne Research makes a great multivitamin for women over 40 (you can get it at Pharmaca).  I also recommend Nordic Naturals Essential Omega and a probiotic everyday.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT – I now have an affiliation with Elementus in Menlo Park, so if you, your spouse or kids are interested in training at a personal training facility, I can accommodate you!  Please check it out at http://www.elementusmp.com.

Thank you to everyone for your support last week.  It was one of the roughest weeks I have had physically as I was battling vertigo from a blocked ear all week.  If you have never had vertigo, I hope you NEVER get it, it is MISERABLE!!!  I am on the mend now and hoping to start fresh this week!  Looking forward to seeing you all in class!!!