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December 19, 2024

Easy Holiday Baking and Cooking Substitutes

Holiday meals are about bringing people together, but when some guests have food sensitivities or allergies, it can feel like a challenge to make ever

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Christmas, Food, Health
December 12, 2024

Doorstep Dining Done Right

‘Tis the season of parties, buffets, Christmas cookies and oodles of joyful gatherings that include delicious, even healthy, food. At the same time,

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Christmas, Food, Health
December 5, 2024

Post-Thanksgiving Mini Reset

Thanksgiving may have left you feeling a little too much like the stuffed turkey centerpiece. If you’re ready to shake off the sluggishness before m

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Christmas, Food, Fun, Health
November 28, 2024

Savor, Stroll, and Stay Thankful

Thanksgiving. A time to enjoy the company of loved ones, share stories, and of course, indulge in delicious food. Here’s a tip to help you savor

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Family, Food, Fun, Health
November 19, 2024

Gobble Up These Thanksgiving Preparation Tips

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, gathering, and indulging in an amazing feast. However, hosting can sometimes feel more like a marathon than a ce

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Food
November 14, 2024

Mediterranean Feel-Good Soups for Fall

As we transition from fall into the holidays, staying mindful of our health goals can help us enjoy the season without feeling run down or overwhelmed

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Food, Health
November 7, 2024

Healthy Eating FAQs and Answers

Before I get into this week’s topic, I must first retract a statement that I made last week about Mr. Non-Compliant. I stand corrected, as he did NO

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Food, Health
October 31, 2024

Mr. Non-Compliant’s Birthday Fest

This week Mr. Non-Compliant (aka my dear hubby) celebrated a birthday. He flaunted his morning non-compliance by leaving the EMPTY cinnamon roll box o

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Family, Food, Fun, Health
October 24, 2024

Not a Vegetable Fan? Read This

It’s not just kids that wrinkle their nose at a plate of green stuff. Lots of fully-grown adults feel the same—inclined to hide their Brussels spr

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Food, Health
October 17, 2024

How Safe is Your Cinnamon?

I’m a huge cinnamon fan. I shake it in my coffee, smoothies, muffins, stewed apples, and of course, pumpkin pie. Years ago I mixed it with a little

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Food, Health

She Fell for the Gingerbread Men and Last Call for the Cookie Bake

December 2, 2021
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Christmas, Food, Grief, Health, Hope

December. Holidays. Parties. Gifts. Puppies.

The commercials and ads portray this as a wonderful, gleeful, joyous time of year. And it is, for a much different set of reasons than the marketing people make it out to be.

At the same time, some real-life stuff brings sadness, stress, loneliness, anxiety. And a bundle of not so happy emotions.

Holiday blues can lead down a path of emotional eating.

Hang with me here. This gets better. I’m really not trying to be a December Debbie Downer. My hope is to bring a bit of comfort to those of you who may be dealing with this month’s real-life tough stuff and the eating binge that sometimes happens.

Like it did to my friend. Three of her friends have passed away in the last month. She’s grieving.

We’ve been working together as she gets healthier, loses weight, and feels really good in her body.

She’s doing the work and accomplishing her goals. Cheers and applause!

The bottom fell out this week when she lost her third friend and discovered the little gingerbread men cookies at the store.

The gingerbread men called to her, managed to somehow jump into her buggy, and make it into her home. 

In a moment of total grief and hopelessness, she opened the bag. She began by eating only 6 of them. (“They’re very small,” she told me.)

She then ate 6 more. According to her, they were AMAZING! (I’m so proud of her for following my rule of only eating what’s amazing.)

She had been craving the warm comforting spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, and ginger, along with the richness of molasses. She honored her craving with a food that brought her comfort, perhaps linked to a happy childhood memory.

Then, she texted me to let me know what had happened, when she finally woke up from her sugar-induced nap.

There are times when this happens to everyone—even the cleanest eating personal trainers and coaches on the planet.

Some of their favorite things: donuts, Oreos, wine, bread. Oh, and ice cream.

I told my friend to let it go, and hide the remaining “bad boys” in the back of the pantry. And eat some vegetables with your next meal.

Today, she has no desire for those little guys. She’s done.

Not only that, she noticed how she feels when she is on sugar overload vs. when she eats nutrient dense foods, like turkey and salad.

Sometimes we have to go off the rails to realize that we actually feel so much better when we don’t.

The gingerbread men accomplished what nothing else could have in those moments. We laughed about how they had seduced her into eating them, one right after another, after another…. The laughter helped relieve her grief. Interesting how we find healing. (There’s a picture of one of them, lurking in the shadows.)

I’ll be touching on topics like this as well as other holiday food challenges during our Zoom cookie bake this Saturday. 

Gingerbread men, anyone?

The Amazing Cookie Bake with Health Coach Carol

I’m baking cookies this Saturday December 4, and I’d love for you to join me! Through the magic of ZOOM, we are all gathering to bake and socialize and have a darn good time.

Now, I know lots of you are sick of zooming. However, this is a very interactive experience and when we’re done, you’ll have a batch of cookies baked and you won’t have to keep wondering when in the world you’re going to find time to do THAT!

AND, if you don’t have cookies for Santa, he may not show. Do you want to risk it?

The Particulars

 WHAT: The Amazing Cookie Bake with Health Coach Carol

 WHERE: ZOOM, so you’re in your own kitchen, and yet we’re together

WHEN: Saturday, December 4, 2021 from 10:00am to 11:30am CST

HOW: You gather the ingredients you need to make whatever cookie you desire, and we all make cookies

WHY: Creating cookies from scratch is an act of love, and the world could use more love

COST: FREE

This will be similar to those cookie exchanges, except we make our very favorite—or try something new—and enjoy a special treat together. And you know my rule, only eat it if it’s AMAZING!

As a result, what may on first glance appear counterintuitive to our health, is not. 

While the cookies are baking, I’ll be coaching you on various aspects of health. We learn from one another and share lots of laughs.

To join in the fun, be sure to email me prior to Saturday, December 4 to save your spot. I’ll then email you the event Zoom link, along with any special instructions.

Sending love,
Health Coach Carol

“Today, me will live in the moment, unless it is unpleasant. In which case me will eat a cookie.”–Cookie Monster

Last Minute Shopping

November 25, 2021
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Christmas, Food, Fun, Health

As hard as I tried, and as much as I planned, I still ended up at two grocery stores the morning before Thanksgiving.

Even the best made plans…

There had been a run on a few of my favorite items in the past several weeks, so I had to try some alternative stores, as well as get creative with a recipe.

I refuse to let some bare shelves get the best of me and my Thanksgiving preparations. 

No bah humbug here. Oh, wait, that’s a Christmas saying. Oh well, that’ll be here soon enough.

At any rate, thank you for reading my blog posts, giving me feedback, and sharing some of my ideas with your friends.

I appreciate you!

Even though it’s Thanksgiving, and I’m spending lots of time in the kitchen, I’m excited about our cookie bake coming up in December.

I’ll continue to post the details this week and next, in case you lose an email and want to participate.

The more the merrier!

I haven’t decided what kind of cookie I’ll be baking yet. If I asked Mr. Non-Compliant, he’d tell me chocolate chip. “Is there any other kind?” He’s pretty predictable.

The Amazing Cookie Bake with Health Coach Carol

I’m baking cookies Saturday December 4, and I’d love for you to join me! Through the magic of ZOOM, we are all gathering to bake and socialize and have a darn good time.

We’ll only mute when the mixers are mixing. It can get loud. We learned that last year. The rest of the time we’ll be enjoying casual chit chat.

Now, I know lots of you are sick of zooming. However, this is a very interactive experience and when we’re done, you’ll have a batch of cookies baked and you won’t have to keep wondering when in the world you’re going to find time to do THAT!

AND, if you don’t have cookies for Santa, he may not show. Do you want to risk it? 

The Particulars

 WHAT: The Amazing Cookie Bake with Health Coach Carol

 WHERE: ZOOM, so you’re in your own kitchen, and yet we’re together

WHEN: Saturday, December 4, 2021 from 10:00am to 11:30am CST

HOW: You gather the ingredients you need to make whatever cookie you desire, and we all make cookies

WHY: Creating cookies from scratch is an act of love, and the world could use more love

COST: FREE

This will be similar to those cookie exchanges, except we make our very favorite—or try something new—and enjoy a special treat together. And you know my rule, only eat it if it’s AMAZING!

As a result, what may on first glance appear counterintuitive to our health, is not. 

While the cookies are baking, I’ll be coaching you on various aspects of health. We learn from one another and share lots of laughs.

To join in the fun, be sure to email me prior to Saturday, December 4 to save your spot. I’ll then email you the event Zoom link, along with any special instructions.

Wishing you the best Thanksgiving!

Gobble gobble,
Health Coach Carol

“Thankfulness is the quickest path to joy.”—Jefferson Bethke

5 Tips to be Buffet Savvy

November 18, 2021
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Christmas, Family, Food, Fun, Health

It’s that time of year. Buffets and holiday gatherings abound, and they’re all centered around delicious food and drink.

LOTS of food.

The setting can cause anxiety for some. What will I eat when there is SO much? How do I get through this without gaining weight?

HELP!

Never fear, Health Coach Carol is here, with some tips for your healthy holiday toolkit as you celebrate with loved ones and friends, as well as acquaintances. 

Tip #1

As you gaze over the massive amounts of delectable foods, zero in on your favorites. You know what they are. Begin with small helpings of those, knowing you can have more if need be.

Tip #2

Begin by eating your protein. You’ll be laying down a great foundation for whatever shows up in the upcoming bites. Eat slowly and enjoy each flavorful food. If it looks better than it tastes, you have my permission to not clean your plate.

Tip #3

Skip the bread or rolls. Really? You can have bread anytime. It takes up too much space. How often do you get to have savory stuffing or real cranberries? And then, what about…

Tip #4

…dessert? Maybe it’s pie or some other sweet treat. If sweets are your thing, be sure to save a pocket of space in your stomach to have a taste. More than one dessert that you simply MUST try? Go for it. Key word here is “try.” A little dab’ll do ya.

Tip #5

Make your time with family and friends the priority, because it is. Bask in the love of those around you and feel grateful. The food is what brings people together, but it’s not the main thing. When you keep this in mind, you won’t leave the table overserved, needing to loosen your belt.

The Amazing Cookie Bake with Health Coach Carol

I’m baking cookies Saturday December 4, and I’d love for you to join me! Through the magic of ZOOM, we are all gathering to bake and socialize and have a darn good time.

We’ll only mute when the mixers are mixing. It can get loud. We learned that last year. The rest of the time we’ll be enjoying casual chit chat.

Now, I know lots of you are sick of zooming. However, this is a very interactive experience and when we’re done, you’ll have a batch of cookies baked and you won’t have to keep wondering when in the world you’re going to find time to do THAT!

AND, if you don’t have cookies for Santa, he may not show. Do you want to risk it? 

The Particulars

WHAT: The Amazing Cookie Bake with Health Coach Carol

WHERE: ZOOM, so you’re in your own kitchen, and yet we’re together

WHEN: Saturday, December 4, 2021 from 10:00am to 11:30am CST

HOW: You gather the ingredients you need to make whatever cookie you desire, and we all make cookies

WHY: Creating cookies from scratch is an act of love, and the world could use more love

COST: FREE

This will be similar to those cookie exchanges, except we make our very favorite—or try something new—and enjoy a special treat together. And you know my rule, only eat it if it’s AMAZING!

As a result, what may on first glance appear counterintuitive to our health, is not. 

While the cookies are baking, I’ll be coaching you on various aspects of health. We learn from one another and share lots of laughs.

To join in the fun, be sure to email me prior to Saturday, December 4 to save your spot. I’ll then email you the event Zoom link, along with any special instructions.

Enjoy this pre-Thanksgiving week!

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

“The only thing standing between me and a donut is you.”—Mr. Non-Compliant at church on donut Sunday

Do What You Can

November 11, 2021
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Food, Health, Personal Development

I feel as though time is accelerating, even though we turned the clocks back an hour.

That hour always messes with me—and my dog. She looks for her breakfast and dinner earlier.

I stay up too late and wake up earlier with the dog. And I’m tired why?   

Fortunately, we’ll be back on track in a couple weeks.

In the meantime, there seems to be more to do in preparation of the upcoming holidays than time allows. Even with that bonus hour.

One idea is to let go of the perfection monster.

We do not live a Hallmark movie life. As Mr. Non-Compliant says, “Even the snow is perfect.” He only knows this because he sneaks up on me and catches me with the Hallmark channel on occasionally.

I can only watch “The Martian” with him so many times. (Spoiler alert here, if you’ve never watched either.) At least we both watch movies with happy endings.

It’s our nature as human beings to focus on the “To Do List” items that we can’t do or won’t get to, then feel inadequate.

Same thing happens when it comes to compliments vs. criticism. You could get 100 thumbs up, but it’s the one thumb down and negative comment that will bug you when you can’t sleep.

For the sake of experimentation, which life is full of anyway, I’m going to do my best to focus on what I CAN do and feel content with that.

For example, as I mentioned last week, I bought my Thanksgiving staples already so that I’m not running from one store to another to find an item the night before.

That’s a big win for me. Can do and did. Gratitude.

When it comes to (lots of) decorations vs. food—the food wins every time. My family would rather have their favorite homemade cookies instead of extra Christmas lights.   

You get the idea.

It’s also important to continue my daily routines. I’m constantly realizing how much I can get done in a mere 15 minutes—or not.

So, as I look at my list at the end of each day, I’m practicing the art of appreciating what I’ve accomplished, instead of beating myself up about all that is left to do.

Being happy and focusing on what we can do may bring about more gratitude this Thanksgiving and holiday season. It’s worth experimenting to find out.

Speaking of Cookies

 I’ll be hosting The Amazing Cookie Bake with Health Coach Carol on Zoom, Saturday, Dec. 4 from 10:00am to 11:30am CST. We had a delicious time last year, baking our favorites together with the help of technology.

Mark your calendar to join me for this FREE event! More details coming soon.

Thank you, veterans, as we honor you today for your service.

Sending you love,
Health Coach Carol

 “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”—John Wooden

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