Making the Cut

Eating, 'right eating,' however defined, is the adult version of the monster under the bed.  We do not dare to look, but we *know* it is there, and keeps us in great suspense.  Eating Raw, Atkins, South Beach, Paleo, etc, no matter what your reference is, it is definitely one that will ask you to change your normal habits around at over-night, say good-bye to what you knew as 'ways to eat,' and only follow the new plan-indefinitely.  In return, the new plan promises you the body, health, vitality, sex-life, happiness....and a ton more.  That is an ultimatum and a half if you ask me, that is hard to say 'no' to.

Are ultimatums possible to impose?  If so, can they last, do they?  Most importantly, do they work?

The short answer is, everything works short term, and when stuck to it for a few weeks, even a few months.  But can this new plan of promises be a lifestyle?  Most of them would have a very different answer to the last parts...  

I work with many people myself who choose to change their eating habits, or bodies, or lifestyles, and ask for the plan to help them lose the weight, most of the times.  The more mature I become, as a professional, the more experience I have accumulate, first hand, and otherwise, the more I see that a diet is not the answer to health/well-being.   Health has to be something that allows one to enjoy life, oneself, one's environment, while having vitality, physical capacity, mental and spiritual maturity, and freedom,  most days of one's life.  

This is why, I changed my approach.  Instead of a 'diet,' what I do now, is, I offer a Meal Guide & Coaching, so that those who wish to embark on the path to better body, and eating habits, can have me one-on-one to support them, while owning the process to explore it all.  

I do not want to ever be a babysitter, or a crutch for anyone; nor would I ever vouch that my methods are the only ones that work.  However, what I know to work does work, and I stand by it.  All the while allowing for my knowledge and expertise to continue remain an ever-evolving journey, that I am privileged to share with those who are open to live better throughout their lives.

To your well-being, happiness, and healthy-habits,

Monika

Right start, THEN Right track

I love starting the morning up (when I don't have clients so early) with a great workout, or walk outside when the weather permits.  I think that is such a great way to set the tone and energy for the day.  Lately I have began meditating and feel so different.  This morning just as I was in my meditation, something became very clear to me.  When starting with a workout, while it energizes me, my mindset, the underlying intention for my day has never been specific. I am sure many can relate to this, such leaves one be susceptible to the energies of our environments as we go on with our days.  However, when starting the day with the right intention, THEN follow with physical activity, you have just double dipped into the best of both worlds, and everything else that may comes your way IS more likely to be handled at a higher level. 


Start your day right, meditate.  Start slow, 3 minutes, add 2 minutes weekly, until you arrive to a comfortable length of time.  What works for me well is, sitting in my open concept living room on a great chocolate brown cushion, facing out the glass sliding doors, and setting my GYMboss timer (yes you may use it beyond the gym, and exercising):


That way, I CAN get lost in my breath, stay relaxed, and open for whatever may comes.


Namaste,
Monika

Health-seeking Heroine

In just two weeks the WISH Summit (Women's International
Summit for Health) will be kicking off and if
there's ever been a reason for you to tuck aside some
time for yourself, this is it!







This event doesn't cost a penny.

You don't have to pack the kids and the dog in a minivan
to get there.

Just sign up, join me and the tens of thousands of
other women around the world who will be listen in
to the calls from their home computers when the event
starts on March 8th.

http://www.wishsummit.com

The WISH Summit hosts 40 spectacular, action-oriented
calls focused on the most pressing health
and wellness issues for women today:

-hormones and how to balance them

-specific health issues facing women of color

-healthy nutrition for women

-probiotics and how they affect women's health

-food, diet, cleansing and detox

-relationships (what you're doing that's causing
problems, and how to make the drama stop.)

It's all on the agenda!

The money, the men, the miracles you've been waiting
for, and the line-up includes some of the brightest
minds and spiritual leaders of our time!

You can check them all out here and learn more
about the event:

http://www.wishsummit.com

You're going to have those forehead slapping moments
when you realize so many things about yourself.

You're going to laugh and cry and awaken
something deep inside you that has been longing
to escape the hum drum of another to do list.

For 40 days and 40 nights you'll be able to listen to these
calls on the internet for f.r.e.e. and finally put
yourself on the to do list.

http://www.wishsummit.com


Even if you just invest 15 minutes a day for
40 days, you're guaranteed to make miracles happen!

Hope to catch you there as part of this event!

Love,
Monika

The Raw Divas Inc.

2620 Frontenac, Apt. 1
Montreal, QC
H2K 3A1
CA

DETOX me BEAUTIFUL

I am prepping for a detox week.  Yaouwza, it is more challenging than I would have predicted.  It is not the 'drop some pounds, in a few days' kind of detox(although, that will also result).  Rather, it is an opportunity to journey further into the self, through being aware and more mindful: practicing yoga, journaling, mindful eating, m e d i t a t i n g, and self discovery...


Well, I am queen to all the above, separately.  However, the package deal, makes me feel like I  was dropped off in China for the first time....  Very humbling, very raw, very challenging and an opening to discover me, even further, yet a new way, yet again.  Love DOES wear different outfits :)


As I sat there, researching some recipes to support my mission, I wanted to hear the new single from ladyGAGA (I am a HUGE ladyGAGA fan).  I love to also hear and feel lyrics, while listening to music. So, I dug those up the matching words to the song.  To my surprise, the lyrics of the new single, 'born this way,' perfectly fit the theme of the detox, for my own interpretation:


"Im beautiful in my way, Cause God makes no mistakes 
Im on the right track, baby I was born this way"



Remove the garbage, the toxic filters from your immediate perception of yourself, of your world.  Commit to moving towards seeing [you] clearly, and see just how beautiful you are.  You were born this way; Check it out below. Enjoy!!!!







PS - Here is another discovery:  The world's greatest empowerment party for women: W.I.S.H. Women's International Summit for Health (register free before March 8):





xoxo
Monika

Win at EVERYTHING

I was inspired by Setch Godin’s blog this morning ‘No one plays the lottery if there are no winners’ (read here: http://bit.ly/f6gwsv). It made me think, is there a lottery that IS in our control, and we CAN win?


If you could predict  a lottery, or a specific outcome, would you go for it, and make yourself the winner?  If you KNEW you could turn the odds to succeed, daily, to your advantage, would you?  Of course you would, you would be silly not to? 

What if I told you, you CAN, would you change your life to be a DAILY WINNER, at the greatest PRIZE of your life, would you do things different right away?  I am sure, I have your attention now.  It is possible.  This lottery is your health; hence, your life.  While genetic make up is a factor, your daily nutritional habits can make you WIN big time. 

In the game of nutrition, you CAN make yourself the absolute winner, OR loser. YOU control the outcome.  While many fall for gambles of the boxed healthy meals, the bottles that promise to deliver the perfect weight, the powders that are supposed to leave the abs good to grade cheese on, it is in the purity of nutrition where you will find your WIN.  That is the bottom of the line truth. 

You need, NO powders, NO pills, NO NOTHING extra.  All you need is good, old self-education, and some guidance from a professional, who can help you learn food/nutrition, and what your body needs to be healthy and well-functioning.  Let me share, some of my favourite resources here:

-Staying Healthy with Nutrition, rev: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine 

-The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet 

-The World's Healthiest Foods: Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating

-Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future

-The IMPACT! Body Plan: Build New Muscle, Flatten Your Belly & Get Your Mind Right! 

-In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto 

Get your nutrition 101 under your belt.  Begin to take control of your health.  Know what lands on your dinner table, in the lunch bag, or snack holder, at home, in the car, at the office, even when out to dine or at a social gathering.

You were born to be the WINNER.

2/15/11 7:34 AM

Love, take it personally

Valentine’s Day is here. We take it personally, whether or not we admit to it; whether in a good, or a bad way. 

Those who are together with a special love, and are happy, cannot wait for this extra opportunity to put a little extra sizzle into their bond, February 14^th.  Those who are coupled, but unhappy, either can use this day to make reuniting with happiness easier, or to grow resentment further, and weigh themselves down even more. 

Single boys and girls can ignore the day, or remind themselves of the love they wish to have in their lives, and use this day to further cultivate their vision, or prepare for the great love a little more.

Regardless what your take on Valentine’s Day may be, in my opinion, Valentine’s Day should be the happiest day of the year. That is, because Valentine’s Day serves as a reminder for us all of LOVE.  Love, romantic love, starts with self-love. Without self-love, real love is not possible.  For those who ‘hate’ Valentine’s Day, unfortunately there are a number of people who do), you are only furthering love from your life, giving yourself even more reason and content, to be unhappy, and love-less.

Today, February 14, 2011, Valentine’s Day, celebrate love, celebrate yourself, and watch how love will further unfold in your life.  Delicious!

In love,

Monika

Here's to great eating

Change the way you perceive things.  And your experience becomes real.  Apply this to the way you look at food.  How conscious ARE you when choosing the foods you eat?  As guessed, the majority is not so much more tuned in, than the extent it requires to acquire, and make the food disappear.  In our culture we have been largely conditioned to go for ‘greater value’ in terms of quantity, over quality.

When eating, the focus should be on feeding, and fuelling the body, so that, it can provide the health and wellness to experience life at best.  Whereas, a deal of getting more food for the buck, is more likely to be nutritional value of the lesser kinds, that in the long run creates poor health and lesser vitality.

I also believe that it impossible to fully enjoy the foods you acquire in bulk.  When you eat for enjoyment, you cannot take in huge quantities.  Nor can the body physiologically process large quantities of food optimally, all at once.  The body needs small feedings of high-quality nutrition, at frequent intervals. 

Consider this, what makes a 400 g chocolate bar possible to sell for $5.00, at the same time, the organic piece of 80 g chocolate runs closer to $10.00?  One word, quality.  The ingredients, the flavours, the texture, the nutritional value will greatly differ between these two.  Same goes for, for instance, chicken breast in bulk vs. from an organic market, or farm.  Or, organic eggs, vs. those in bulk.  Not to mention fruits and vegetables.

If we eat for quality (value), as opposed to, quantity (deal), we have a better chance to acquire and create better value in our lives in the long run.  Try Passion Collection to see what I mean :)