Day 1 - Digestion

If your digestive system functioning properly, you will not be able to effectively absorb nutrients and fight disease. Eating the recommended foods I provide will help you to "move things along" so to speak.

Just know...if you experience heartburn, indigestion, eczema, diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, or other digestive discomforts, your digestive tract is not optimally healthy.

That said, I am all about helping you get your body functioning properly from the inside out! And the first step is through your nutrition!

I am looking forward to seeing you post everything in the Facebook Group! It is a crucial step to your growth! Promise.

Day 2 - Embracing Change

If you didn't already know this, CHANGE IS HARD.

Change happens in so many different forms in our lives, whether it's changing your exercise and nutrition routine, adjusting to a new job, or physical changes that seems to be out of your control.

Some changes are more positive than others.

I promise you, the changes you will experience during this challenge will be amazing and can change you for the better...forever!

Embrace the discomforts you encounter; Get out of your comfort zone; Learn as much as you can about yourself; Make changes for yourself for the better.

And don't forget...I have your back.

Day 3 - Focus & Energy

How do you speak to yourself?  With love and compassion?  Or with hate and dismissiveness?

There is no question the way you speak to yourself has a huge impact on the results you achieve no matter what it is in life.  

Focus on what you want...because as Tony Robbins says, "Where focus goes, energy flows." 

More often than not, we see people focused on all the things that aren't going right....this WILL NOT create success!

That said, I would love for you to post 3 things you LOVE about yourself in the Facebook group!

Day 4 - The Real Work

At this point, you should still be somewhat detoxing. And I use that term lightly because this isn't a "detox" - but understand the body and how it works, that is the best way to describe where the body is at this point.

If you notice your skin breaking out a bit, or a rash popping up, this is probably why. Your body is now prioritizing getting rid of all the impurities in your system!

I wanted to give you a few days of adjusting to the food and exercise before digging into some of the mental stuff.

You know one of the primary goals for you is for you to get in touch with what has been holding you back.

Here are some important questions I want you to answer...

1. When is the first time you recall being unhappy with your weight or body?
2. What did you do about it?
3. How many times have you attempted to change your body?
4. What worked and what didn't?
5. Why do you think this has been such a struggle for you?

Getting in touch with your past experiences, is the only way to begin to alter your future...

There's a great quote: "When you are ready to quit, think about why you started."

This is so important. I've said it before, but your success with this challenge and beyond is 100% related to your mindset. If you think you can, you will.

Day 5 - Thoughts to Actions

Thoughts --> Words --> Actions

Let me explain... How you THINK impacts the language you use. 

The language you use largely determines your behavior and actions.

Here's a scenario...

If you constantly have negative thoughts...you hate your body, you are a "failure" because you can't stay consistent, you're "lazy" because you don't go to the gym...will turn into your words. 

You will start speaking variations of those inner beliefs.  And when you speak things aloud they become your reality. You fall off track and eat for convenience/comfort.

So, I am challenging you today to create new patterns. The other day I asked you to identify things you love about yourself. Take those things you love about yourself and practice thinking about them regularly.  A mantra so to speak. You will naturally develop more positive language. 

The positive inner language gives you an inner power to feel as if you can truly be successful, then you will act on that feeling of success to get the results you desire.

YOUR EMOTION DETERMINES YOUR MOTION.

Be honest with yourself...what are your natural thought patterns throughout the day?  I'm talking about everything in general, not just your body.  Are they more positive than negative? 

If not, can you see how negative thought patterns produce real life negative outcomes?

I hope this all makes sense! 

Let's work on changing your thought process these next few weeks.

Day 6 - On the Weekend

I've gone through phases in my life where I really struggled with consistency.

Day 7 - Food Relationship

I want to explore the relationship you have with food. A healthy relationship with food looks like:
-Fuel
-Nourishment
-Colorful
-Enjoyment
-Socialization
-Consciousness/awareness
-Love

An unhealthy relationship with food looks like:
-Dependency
-Comfort
-Thoughtless
-Lack of control
-Overindulgence

I truly believe that food is far more than fuel. It brings people together, represents cultures, and can bring so much joy to life!

But just like a relationship you might have with another human, when your relationship with food starts to exhibit the negative qualities above, it's no longer serving you. 

It’s important to be aware of this and shift. Your health and happiness depend on it. If you use food to cope with stress, depression, loneliness, boredom, or any other emotion, you need to work to identify another habit you can replace food with.

Now, let’s establish that it’s not the end of the world if you use food as a coping mechanism, so stop beating yourself up for that!

It served a purpose for you at one point in your life, but now it’s causing more stress and havoc than it is good. We can forgive ourselves with a fresh neutral perspective.

“Honor Your Feelings Without Using Food.”

I love the way this is phrased because the word HONOR makes you consider that your feelings need attention, and right now you may be using food to give them that.

You need to create what I call your WHEN and THEN scenario. For example, WHEN I feel stressed, THEN I make sure I take a walk, go to the gym, etc. WHEN I need comfort, THEN I make a cup of tea and read a book.

Replacing food as a coping habit with something else will take thought, practice, and consistency, but I promise it can be done!

Day 8 - Limiting Beliefs

Take a few minutes to reflect on how you are doing so far.
What went well for you?
What did you struggle with, if anything?
How can you improve as you move forward?

Self-reflection and assessment is so important to make sure you progress! I hope you are embracing these emails and the inner transformation.

I want to talk about a BIG topic, so create a bit of space for yourself to really think and answer these questions. This is about limiting beliefs. These are stories we hold as truth that keep us from being totally fulfilled and reaching our goals.

Some examples of limiting beliefs around  wellness, body image, and nutrition are:

• I don’t have a fast metabolism, so I can’t be successful.  Why even bother..
• I don’t have the time.
• I don’t have the money.
• I can’t do this because I have other people in my house to feed, and they don’t like “healthy” food.
• My body is not good enough the way it is.
• I have to do extreme things to feel good in my body.

Step 1 is to identify your own limiting beliefs. Write them down.

Step 2 is to figure out how that belief holds you back. For example, “I don’t have the time.” To me this says, “My health is not a priority because there are so many other things and people in my life that are more important than me.”

Step 3 is to decide what a better way of thinking about this would be.  - In other words how can you , "reframe" it.

Step 4 is to create a new, more positive statement: "I always have the time because my health is my number 1 priority. If I don’t put my health and a positive relationship with myself first, I will never be my best for anyone or anything else.

There’s a good chance you’ll have more than one limiting belief to address, and please do feel free to carry this process into other areas of your life in which you’re seeking change!

Day 9 - Inner Critic

I hope you're spending some serious time diving into what we explored yesterday around limiting beliefs.

You will be so shocked when you discover how much these hold you back until you identify, work through them, and constantly check your mindset.

We're going to continue in that same vein. We're diving into your inner critic. 

What does that critical, nasty voice tell you about yourself? 

What does it tell you that you aren't capable of? 

What failures does it constantly remind you of?

First, identify what your inner critic says to you.

Second, write three statements from the standpoint of your inner critic.

The first should be your critic speaking to you from an ANGRY point of view. 

Example:
"You are a failure, and incapable of ever sticking to a plan.  Just stop trying and disappointing everyone already."

The next should be your critic speaking to you from a FEARFUL point of view. 

Example:
"You have failed so many times before, trying again is terrifying.  You will probably mess up and fear that shame & guilt all over again."

The next should be your critic speaking to you from a LOVING point of view. 

Example:
"You are on a beautiful journey of self-discovery.  This is a process, and you can learn to progress every step of the way."

You are welcome to make your statements longer and have multiple statements/judgments you address...

Spend some time on this, then read your loving statement aloud.
Over and over again.  Put it somewhere you can see it every day so you can bask in its warmth and honesty. - Perhaps when you wake up and just before you go to bed could be some options.

I would also love for you to share this in the group.  You've got this...let's do the work on YOU.

Day 10 - Personal Responsibility

We MUST take ownership and personal responsibility for every single aspect of our lives from our weight and body to our daily happiness levels to how we spend our time to where we are in life.

Sure, there are things that happen which are beyond our control.  But we still CHOOSE how we respond.

Having coached hundreds of people, I have seen personal responsibility embodied so beautifully in even the toughest situations. I have also seen tremendous amounts of blame placed for life situations. 

Here's the thing about blame...it gets you nowhere because it changes NOTHING. It's much easier to blame than to take personal responsibility, so it is the natural default for many people, which is why I wanted to bring awareness to you about it today.

Let’s make our success principle be PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. Take personal responsibility for your success because no one can do it for you.

As a coach, I have helped change people's lives...because they have come to a place of being coachable and flexible, in addition to being open to owning responsibility and going about things differently than they once did.

You can't pick and choose which parts to change, and you have to always be honest with yourself about what's really going on. Everyone (even I) have struggled with personal responsibility when it came to certain things, but I never gave up working on it. 

It is time to take back control over your own happiness, your life, and your future. It’s time to take a look in the mirror to see things for what they truly are. If you are unhappy in a situation, you can choose to stay or leave. If you're unhappy with your body, you can choose to change it. It is all within your control.

Day 11 - Non-Scale Victories

During a program like this, it's really easy to get caught up in numbers.  Those numbers are likely why you signed up for this program in the first place. But let's shift gears for a moment. 

You are just about 1/2 way through the through the challenge, and I have no doubt that you have made some significant changes to your lifestyle. 

What are you most proud of that isn't related to the scale?

Did you give up a food you used to depend on?

Have you exercised more consistently than ever before?

Are your clothes fitting differently?

Are you receiving compliments from people around you?

All of those things are HUGE! 

All bodies are different. 

There are so many factors that play into how yours will respond.

Just remember,  the purpose of this challenge is to learn how to make choices that will improve your quality of life now and in the future.

When you choose a healthier lifestyle, your body will settle at a healthy size/weight that’s perfect for you. Often patience is one of the biggest challenges. 

Just remember how many years you've wanted to improve your health...to think that the problem will be solved in your first 11 days isn't realistic. 

There is deep change that needs to take place, which is why I am encouraging you to do and see things differently to push you out of your comfort zone.

That said, you CAN make significant progress with 100% effort!  Find those non-scale victories and share them with me here or, even better, in the FB group!

Day 12 - Goals>Temptations

Now is about the time that we typically see the excitement of being in a new program starts to wear off.

You may be feeling a nagging pressure to "be good" but you fear you may give in to temptation. 

That is why I am calling it out here!

I am here to offer a few words of wisdom:

• Eat before you go to social gatherings so you aren't walking in starving
• If you are going to a restaurant, look at the menu ahead of time, pick your meal, and don't even open the menu if you arrive hungry - you already decided before you arrived!
• Plan your exercise time on BOTH Saturday and Sunday
• Experiment in the kitchen! Research healthier versions of traditionally unhealthy dishes (Pinterest is great for this

I hope this helps! 

Now, head to the Facebook group and let us know what you're committed to doing this weekend to combat the potential fall-off.

Day 13 - Priorities & Lies

Getting real again today. In the hundreds of people I have coached, I have noticed recurring patterns. We’re talking about two of them today...
1. They don't prioritize their own wellness
2. They lie to themselves

Let's explore both. What I have found is when people don't prioritize their own health and wellness it's because they feel selfish and/or unworthy. It could be due to past experiences or someone telling them they have no worth. It could be because they hate what they see when they look in the mirror. It could be because they have guilt around prioritizing themselves over other obligations like family and their job.

So hold up the mirror....
Do you feel like you are making time for your own health and well-being? 
Do you have guilt around self care? 

Then ask yourself the BIG question: WHY and what are you going to do to change it?

Until we look after ourselves enough, living an abundant and generous life is far more challenging. Taking care of your health and your body should always be the priority!

So many women, for whatever crazy reason I have no idea, believe that sacrificing their own needs for their family is noble, and in certain desperate instances it is, but you will have so much more energy, grace and joy for others when you feel refreshed and energized yourself.

The other side of this is that we lie to ourselves. We convince ourselves we don't have the time, money, energy, support, or resources to get what we want. We believe what we want is possible for other people but not for ourselves. We make excuses for why things are the way they are and we BELIEVE them.

One life-changing thing I have learned once becoming an NLP Practitioner, is to constantly question what I believe to be true.  I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you to do the same. It's helped me and so many of my clients take an empowered stance over our lives. 

We certainly are not perfect at it...it is a constant work in progress.  This practice will allow you to make some pretty significant changes to your life and adjust your mindset tremendously.

What lies have you told yourself that you believe as truth?

Your assignment for today is to reflect on and answer the questions above. I am putting this out there to help you take back control and move toward living an exceptional life that the YOU of today would be envious of. Extraordinary is possible if you believe it and work for it, it will happen! I would love for you to share with me how this message has impacted you.

Day 14 - Dreams we left behind

Think back on your life. 

Is there a dream that you once had that you didn't pursue?

It could be small or it could be life-changing. 

Maybe you wanted to change careers but didn't because you were afraid. 

Maybe you wanted to put yourself out there in a powerful way but you didn't because of what people might think. 

Maybe you wanted to start a relationship but you were afraid of being rejected.

There are so many reasons we hold ourselves back.

I have often seen people hold themselves back from pursuing health and fitness because they are afraid they don't have what it takes to be successful, that they'll fail again.

Fear is the number one thing in life that will hold you back and keep you from having an extraordinary quality of life, accepting that the mundane is just how it is.

But it doesn't have to be that way!

Today I want you to share with the group a big goal or dream that you gave up on somewhere along the way.

Can you see yourself re-committing to pursuing it? 

If yes, GREAT - what do you need to do to make it happen?  If not, why not?

This internal work is absolutely essential for getting where we want to go in life, whether that's a fit and healthy body, fulfillment in your job, a smokin’ hot bod, a loving marriage,  or a deep meaningful relationship with a higher power.

Are you in? :)

Day 15 - Intention is everything

When you get really clear on your intentions, everything works. 

To me, this means aligning your goals strongly with your WHY.

And you have to adopt a "no matter what" mindset because obstacles will always appear. 

If you train yourself to give up in the face of a challenge, you'll never truly succeed. 

If you train yourself to fight until you get what you want, you'll always win.

It may not be when or how you expected, but eventually, winning will be inevitable.

Think back on times in life you've been really successful. 

What was your intention? 
What was your commitment behind it? 

I guarantee any of the big wins you've had in life have been backed by clear and powerful intention.

When have you failed to succeed? 
Do you see the link between your intention and failure?

It's so apparent if you stop for a moment and think about it.

What has got me so excited is the clear and powerful intention so many of you have expressed during this program! 

It is already leading to a better relationship with food and exercise, improved body image, a great sense of self, and a stronger belief in what's possible.

Thank you for including me in your journey, and I can't wait to see what the rest of our final week brings! :)

Day 16 - Who do you have to become?

We all have gaps in our lives. 

There's something we all want, that we don't yet have...that's the gap between where we are and where we want to be.

Perhaps you wish that you were an avid exerciser who hated to miss a workout. 

Perhaps you hate your job and dream of starting your own business.

Where you are now and your desired destination are really, truly only separated by a mindset shift followed by action.

The problem is comfort zones. They tend to be a favorite place for most.

It's warm, cozy, and safe. 

Unfortunately, we have the ability to spend a lot of time there. 

We retreat to that place when things feel hard or impossible, when we feel judged or exhausted.

But if you really, truly want to change in any area of your life, first you must DECIDE that there isn't another option.

Then, identify the steps you must take to get from where you are now to where you want to be. 

Then take action relentlessly and consistently.  

And somewhere in there, you must identify who you have to become to be successful - brave, a leader, a person who makes no excuses...

I promise you'll get there if you do the above. 

The problem is, most people aren't willing to do what it takes to get what they want in life.  

But I believe you can!

I believe you're different. 

I believe you can have anything you want in life.

Please post in the group how this resonates with you!

I am cheering you on!

Day 17 - Daily Choices

You are so incredibly close to the end.

You may be struggling to keep the promises you made with yourself while others are thriving.

Everyone's learning curve is different and there’s no need to cast judgment on yourself throughout this process.

The most important thing is that you are doing your best to keep improving each day and to not let any excuses get in the way of your success and completing this challenge.

After all, it’s only 21 days! ;) 

If you have been following me for a while you have heard me say that it is the little things that don't seem like a big deal "in the moment" but when compounded time, it IS a big deal!

If you skip your workout today or even this whole week it's no big deal. 

But if you continue to make the daily choice to skip, you’re going to ultimately fail in your fitness.

Make sense?

All the little decisions we make all day every day create the result at the end of the day.

So consider with each and every decision you make whether it's moving you closer to your goal or further from it. 

There are absolutely no neutral choices.  

Hope that gives you something to think about.

Day 18 - Consistency is Key

I almost hated writing the subject line for this email because it sounds so cliche but it's true.

As we near the end of the program, I want you to start thinking about what's next.

How will you maintain the focus you've had as you venture back into non-Activate land? :)

I know one of the biggest obstacles everyone faces is time.  So I would like to make some suggestions:

Have awesome, high-quality meal replacement and support supplements on hand for when you can't get to real food or if it's something you prefer say in the mornings. I can help you with this if you need some direction!

Make grocery shopping and food prep a priority.

Schedule your workouts into your calendar like you would any other appointment and treat them as such!

There are so many strategies out there, but it comes down to sticking with what works for YOU. 

You want it to feel like habit, like a routine. 

The easier you can make things on yourself the more successful you will be long-term.

Think about what's worked well for you during this challenge and do more of it.

Think about what hasn't worked and how you can adjust to make it work. 

Life truly is a series of trial and error. :)

Hang in there with us a few more days (and beyond!)!

 So consider with each and every decision you make whether it's moving you closer to your goal or further from it. 

There are absolutely no neutral choices.  

Hope that gives you something to think about.

Day 19 - Are you evolving?

If you recall when you signed up for Activate, a huge component of it was around doing the work on yourself! 

It takes digging deep, assessing where you're stuck and holding yourself back, recognizing WHY you’ve fallen into the habits you’ve created, and facing yourself head-on in order to commit to change.

Changing habits that are years or decades old isn't easy, but if you want a different result for your life than you've been getting, you've got to put in the mental work.

If I am being honest here - if you don't work on your mindset every single day going forward - checking in on your habits, mindset, and dedication to your goals, you will quickly slip back into old habits. 

You will find yourself starting over again on another challenge, trying a new diet, or otherwise.

It doesn’t have to be that way!

You want sustainable habits that are long-term.

By no means do you need to MASTER all of the principles - remember it’s all about awareness - choose the ones you struggle with to focus on.

You’ve come a long way and there’s no reason to go back to your old way of thinking! ;)

If you haven't been doing the internal work throughout this program, I highly recommend you go back through these emails and process/respond to the questions posed.

That's where the real transformation happens.

So, hit reply now and let me know what you're committed to doing once we complete this challenge in just a few days! 
OR.....

If you don't know what your plan is and you would like to set up a zoom call to chat about some options, let me know that too!

I can't wait to hear from you!

Day 20 - One day left on your journey!

We are getting to the end and you are doing amazing!

I am so incredibly proud of you and you should be proud too!

I am celebrating you and all of your wins you have made during this process. :)

Please hit reply and share ONE of your "take-aways" from participating in this challenge! Something that you KNOW you will continue to hold true to you as you continue your wellness journey. I would love to hear what that ONE THING is!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Day 21 - You did it!

You should be VERY EXCITED with everything you have accomplished! It's hard to believe today is our final day!

Remember, this is all about non-scale victories, establishing self-awareness, and feeling confident in your own skin and your abilities to develop a self-care practice.

If you feel more energetic, more in control, more excited about nourishing food, physically stronger...all of those things are equally as important!

Being honest with yourself 100% of the time and taking personal responsibility for yourself 100% of the time are absolute keys to your success going forward...really to any area of life.

All of the work we have done around limiting beliefs and learning about your personality type will be key in your success going forward.

I know there can be a tendency to want to dip back into old patterns and ways of thinking, especially toward the end of the challenge, but I encourage you to keep reading over the guide and choosing one or two habits to hone in on that you’re still struggling with.

Remember, this is just a practice and there’s no need to feel guilty if you didn’t do everything as you thought you would. There’s no such thing as perfection.

If you’re struggling, choose ONE habit that you KNOW you can be successful with! Once you’ve nailed that habit, that’s when you’ll add in another habit to work on.

Living your best life and having a healthy relationship with your body image and food is priceless and worth every ounce of effort you put into it.

You can create the life that you DESIRE.

Imagine life with NO crash dieting, NO binge eating, and NO restrictions.

You absolutely can live your best, healthiest, most energetic, and vibrant life...without restricting and avoiding enjoyment.

You. Are. Amazing. Period.