Daily Smile by Kristin

24/01/2020

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE TOXICITY OF BEAUTY PRODUCTS?

So this was a HUGE eye-opener for me when I first found out about it. I've had sensitive skin since I was a teenager - actually one time I bought a fun colored eye color pencil from Sephora and I broke out in an alligator 🦎 skin kind of rash on my eye (right where I had worn it) which was really awesome since it took a WHOLE week to go away 😳. But I digress...

It wasn't until I was diagnosed with PCOS that I started to research more and more into "cleaner" beauty products. There's a lot out there that has absolute's - like you should NEVER use normal lipstick or whatever again. My personal standpoint is to be informed of what you're putting in and on your body and make decisions that feel best for you.

I haven't found (yet) a mascara that's non-toxic and doesn't run (aka avoiding the raccoon look) so I still buy that "normal." If that's the only thing in my beauty routine that isn't "clean" - I'm okay with that! Everything else I've found is pretty comparable. (If you want recommendations on my favorite non-toxic beauty brands I can absolutely tell you that!)

Back to the toxicity of beauty products...

There are a number of chemicals in traditional products that you should be aware of:

#1 ) Phthalates - these are used in plastic wrap as well as solvents in cosmetics and can damage the liver, kidneys, and reproductive organs (in both men and women). If you see an ingredient in beauty supplies just listed as "fragrance" chances are in contains phtalates. This is also a big one in "normal" nail polish! (I love the brand Ella + Mila for my non-toxic nail polish needs)

#2) Synthetic Fragrance - manufacturers in the USA don't have to disclose their fragrance formula because it's considered proprietary information. BUT these things can contain up to 4,000 ingredients including phtalates (like above) along with petrochemicals and benzene (a known carcinogen).

#3) Parabens - they are a chemical that act as a preservative in things like shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lipstick, and other beauty products. The chemical structure of parabens (isobutyl-, butyl, isopropyl-, and propylparaben) looks very similar to estrogen. So when we put parabens on our skin (our largest organ) it can cause hormonal issues because it competes with REAL estrogen for endocrine receptors in the body. And estrogen dominance (too much estrogen floating around in the body) is tied to breast cancer.

#4) Formaldehyde - this is usually used to embalm humans - BUT it's also used in nail polishes. It's been recognized as a known carcinogen, so safe to say - stick with formaldehyde-free nail polishes (like Ella + Mila or Sunday's or Base Coat)

#5) BPA - I think most people know about the uproar this caused in the early 2000s, but this is a harmful chemical that can be found in plastic packaging (it can also be found in alumnium cans like canned vegetables and seltzer). The reason this is an issue in beauty products is because of the plastic packaging which can leech into the product. So when possible, avoid plastic packaging for beauty products.

There's a lot of controversy around BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) & BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene). BHA has been listed as a "possible" carcinogen because of its effects in animals - but they haven't seen results yet in humans. In addition, these chemicals have been shown to affect the thyroid production in mice, but again not shown in humans quite yet. They've also seen these chemicals cause liver and kidney damage in mice.

So if you're one of those people who say you rather be safe than sorry, then avoid these chemicals too!

If you've got questions for me, let me know below!

21/01/2020

TIPS FOR A BETTER NIGHT'S SLEEP (Plus Why Sleep is SO Important!)

Sleep is literally one of THE most important things we can do for our health. It also seems to be one of the hardest to fit in nowadays (kind of funny this is more difficult for some people than getting in an exercise class).

There's a few reasons why it's so important:
1) There is research that suggests getting less than 7 hours of sleep actually causes small amounts of brain damage doing it even one time
2) Having adequate (7-9 hours) of sleep is VERY necessary for blood sugar balance and stabilization
3) Adequate sleep is tied to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol (on the flip side - less sleep is tired to higher levels of cortisol)

I used to be someone who would *maybe* get 6-7 hours of sleep each night. Many times less because I forced myself to wake up early and I went to bed late (because of working late or going out for drinks) - so I completely get the struggle.

BUT if you want to make sure your body is happy and is able to work FOR you (not against you), then you need to start prioritizing sleep. Cortisol (the stress hormone) is one of THE biggest factors in weight loss plateau's. That's why many times people who take up yoga over running will end up losing more weight - because their stress levels go down!

Stress is also linked to chronic inflammation - which leads to chronic illnesses. So you can do something completely FREE each night to help prevent that. Sounds awesome right? Now I'm not a mama yet so I can't say for sure that this will help crying little ones in the middle of the night, but here are a couple of tips that helped me get into a normal sleep pattern.

#1 - Figure out what you'd like your sleep schedule to be. Make sure it includes 7-9 hours!
This is really the easiest way to get onto a sleep schedule. Decide that you'll be in bed by 10pm and get up at 6am (or whenever). Having a reliable sleep time also helps your adrenal glands - which controls the amount of stress hormones released!

#2 - If you have a fitbit, set a sleep alarm reminder at night. If you don't have one, then set a daily recurring alarm on your phone about 45 min before you want to be in bed.
As mentioned in #1, you want to make sure you go to bed at around the same time each night. So the best way to do that is by setting an alarm! I know for me sometimes the night will fly by and I won't even know what time it is. But now that I have my alarm every night, I'm reminded to wrap things up and then get ready for bed. This definitely keeps me accountable!

#3 - Take some magnesium 45 - 60 min before bed.
If you have some trouble falling asleep, magnesium is a great way to wind down. Not only are many Americans deficient in this, BUT it also helps lower stress and makes us sleepy. Double YAY! My favorite brand is Natural Calm (the Raspberry Lemon flavor is amazing) - there are some brands out there that totally taste gross as a heads up.

#4 - If you're one of those people who has their mind spinning of things they need to do as they fall asleep, keep a journal and a pen next to your bed and write down things that come to mind that you need to do.
That way you don't lose sleep over not being able to remember in the morning! Another good thing to help a racing mind is a sleeping meditation. There are a couple on YouTube that you can listen to or you can use something like the Calm app's bedtime stories.

When you treat yourself with love and understand what your body needs, then things in your life get SO much easier. Do you have questions? Want more elaboration?

I can give you all the tips in the world for improving your sleep, but if you're not implementing them - then it's going to get you no where. If you want someone to keep you accountable, help you figure out what's going wrong / what needs improvement, figure out WHY you've been doing what you're doing, and decoding the messages your body is trying to communicate to you - then let me know! I'm only taking on one more 1-on-1 client this month and if you want that to be YOU then message me or comment below!

14/01/2020

LAST CALL - The group food mindset program is kicking off TOMORROW JANUARY 15TH!

If you want to get in on this action and see MASSIVE (and quick) changes in your physical body and in how you feel, then you've gotta join the program before it's too late!

As a little reminder, the food mindset group program goes into the fundamentals of food mindset and how you can use these principles to figure out what's going on with you - because everyone's story is unique and different. This program will also teach you exactly how to change those subconscious stories and beliefs that are running on auto-pilot in the background of your mind.

Think of your subconscious mind as the operating system of your body (like how it is in a computer). It tells you what you're capable of doing and what you're not capable of doing. It's always running in the background doing mysterious things we don't all quite understand. But once you understand how to utilize the OS in the computer, your life becomes MUCH MUCH easier right? That's the same with food mindset.

Plus, this group program is a fraction of the price to work with me 1-on-1, so you'll also be getting a cost savings. How bout them apples!! If you've got questions or are interested in chatting through a little more, comment below or message me!

10/01/2020

Is what you eat the problem or is it your mindset around food?

So almost 4 years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS - 2.5 years ago was when a doctor told me that it wasn’t the food part of my life that was keeping me in PCOS symptoms...it was actually my relationship (and mindset) with food.

The reason why was because I was stressing myself out SO much about food. What I could eat, what I couldn’t, etc. I was motivating myself through shame and I was literally producing more of the stress hormone (cortisol) in my body because of it. And if you don’t know, your body is always trying to get into balance (so when you’re putting yourself down or beating yourself up, it’s always going to seek a way to bring itself back up quickly - like through sugar).

So here are a couple of questions to ask yourself that may be helpful to see if it’s actually your mindset that’s preventing you from making the changes and getting the healing you need!

1) Do you spend most of your time focusing on what you can’t have or can’t do versus what you CAN? (like focusing on that you can’t have sugar, versus seeing that you can have more vegetables or naturally sweet things instead)

2) Do you beat yourself up over “mistakes” you made? (For example: beating yourself up after you’ve overeaten)

3) Do you feel guilty or fear of eating certain foods?

4) Do you believe that being healthy is hard, time-consuming, bland, or difficult?

5) Do you motivate yourself to make changes based on negativity and self-criticism?

6) Do you find yourself eating something standing over the sink or in your pantry without realizing you’re doing it?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it’s probably worth looking at your mindset around food versus what you’re eating! Of course food plays a HUGE role in our health, but if we’re not in the right mindset then it makes it so much harder than it has to be - plus our brains are incredibly powerful and mindset problems can absolutely manifest themselves physically (think of the link between stress and neck pain/tension!).

Let me know if you have any questions! I’m so passionate about food mindset and this is the exact thing I help my clients with 😊

I have both a group coaching program and 1-on-1 spots available if you want to learn how to change your food mindset!

09/01/2020

How to Make the Transition of Going Gluten Free Easier

So back in 2009 I went gluten free for the first time because the birth control pill TOTALLY messed up my digestion (thank you Yaz) and then I went back to eating gluten again (...long story). Once I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2016, I did some more research on holistic approaches and I went back to being gluten free.

I know that was a lot of back and forth 😆 BUT I say that because I’ve tried some really terrible gluten free products (back in 2009 there were very few quality GF products available). Like bread that basically disintegrates when you bite into it, super bland crackers, etc.

On the flip side, I know some really great brands and products that actually taste good!

And with anything, if you try to do too much too quickly you’ll end up feeling really overwhelmed and stop doing it. So, with that being said here are a couple tips & recommendations I’ve picked up over the years to make the transition to gluten free easier!


#1 - Good GF bread is usually found in the freezer
I know there are a few shelf-stable gluten free breads, but the best tasting ones I’ve found have been in the freezer (with the exception of Schar - they have good multigrain GF ciabatta rolls when you’re feeling fancy). Not to mention, the ones in the freezer typically have less preservatives, sugar, and icky ingredients. My favorite brand by far is BFree (I usually find it in Walmart). Although my absolute FAVE option for GF bread is Simple Mills Artisan Bread (almond flour) baking mix. It’s paleo and it’s great for PCOS. The catch here is that you have to make it yourself and it can be a little pricey in-store, so I always like to buy mine online from Amazon or Thrive Market, etc.


#2 - Don’t rely upon GF substitutes like pasta, crackers, pretzels, cookies, etc. Use these products more of an indulgence.
I see too many times that people automatically think something is healthy because it’s gluten free. That’s just not the case unfortunately. Many times they have lots of ingredients (with not as much nutritional value) plus too many carbohydrates - which we know isn’t good for PCOS because of how it affects our blood sugar. I personally love using GF pasta that has simple ingredients like Chickpea pasta or Red Lentil pasta (my fave brands are Barilla, Banza, and Tolerant). I’ve tried the red lentil and black bean pasta from Trader Joe’s and I really hate to say it - but I just don’t think it tastes that good!


#3 - Opt for naturally gluten free things instead!
For the most part when I’m getting my carbs in, it’s a natural GF carb option. Not only do they provide you with things like fiber and protein and other nutrients (like carotene and magnesium), but you can also make them a bunch of different ways so you don’t get tired of the same old thing. My favorites include spaghetti squash, acorn squash, sweet potatoes, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, GF oats, and brown rice. Of course everything in moderation here!


#4 - Simple Mills is Gluten Free’s gift to earth.
I know that’s bold, but seriously - Simple Mills has amazing mixes you can buy. Plus, their cupcake and cookie mixes are sweetened with coconut sugar - which is much better for blood sugar when we’re feeling like a sweet treat.


#5 - Read the ingredient labels
This was the first thing I started doing more of when I was going gluten free - you’ll be SO surprised to see what’s in some of the things we normally buy! For example - I had no idea that salad dressings, dips, and sauces could contain gluten - but surprisingly they do! You’ll want to make sure you avoid ingredients like barley, barley malt extract, wheat, whole wheat, spelt flour, rye, and semolina. This is more of a guide for someone who DOESN’T have celiac disease because with celiac, you have to be SUPER attentive to surfaces that wheat has touched - not just the ingredients.


Making a change - especially a big one like cutting out gluten - can be overwhelming. But if you take it one step at a time, you may actually find you like it! It’s also MUCH easier to make a transition to this if you focus on the new cool things you’ll incorporate into your life versus the things you’ll be “missing out” on.

I hope that’s helpful and I’d love to hear some of your favorite GF items! ❤️

P.S. if you want help with your food mindset or help finally implementing the health changes that you really want - then reach out in the comments below or message me!

08/01/2020

Why Journaling About My Relationship With Food Helped Me Get My Health Back

I don’t think enough people know about how life-changing journaling can be, so I wanted to share what I’ve been doing that’s helped me get huge transformations in my health!

I think it’s really important to mention that for over 10 years I suffered from food obsession, binge eating, emotional eating, punishing myself with exercise, obsessively restricting & dieting...you name it I pretty much did it.

I knew that my relationship with food wasn’t “normal” - but I thought this was just who I was. I literally dreamed of being that person that was never affected by food or that girl that would eat until she was content and then just stop. BUT the biggest thing here I didn’t realize was that this was taking a huge toll on my physical health.

I was doing all the holistic diet and food and lifestyle stuff “right” to reverse this chronic condition I have (called PCOS) - but I still wasn’t able to get my monthly period. (Also PSA - if you didn’t know that your period is now considered your 6th major sign of health...now you know! It’s super important because it can indicate a larger health issue like diabetes, too much stress, too much estrogen - which can lead to breast cancer, etc)

It wasn’t until I went to a reproductive endocrinologist that I realized (...actually he told me) that my relationship with food was causing too much stress on my body so that’s why nothing was changing and I wasn’t getting a period!!!

I was like “whaaaaaat?!” It was a totally eye-opening moment.

After reading about journaling in a self-improvement book, I decided to give it a go. After the first time I did this I felt soooo relieved and like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. So I did it again and again...and again - just because it made me feel so much better!

That’s why I wanted to share a few tips on the way I journal that has really helped me heal my relationship with food and also get my monthly cycle back (because I wasn’t stressing myself out so much over food anymore!)


#1 - Get a new notebook and make sure you keep it for your eyes only
I love starting off fresh with a new notebook - it’s almost like you’re starting a new book in your life. BUT after all that I’ve read research wise about journaling, it’s really important to physically hand-write it as compared to typing it. Another thing here is that you want to keep this for your eyes only. You want to make sure that you’re able to pour your heart and soul and all those deep dark thoughts into this thing, which leads me to my next point….


#2 - Write stream of consciousness
Stream of consciousness means that you’re not trying to formulate a perfect flow of sentences or even trying to make it make sense. Literally write whatever pops into your mind - it can start on one topic and go to another in the same sentence. It doesn’t have to follow a pattern like we normally do for writing. One trick I learned was to not let your pen pick up from the paper - just keep on writing and writing whatever comes to mind. Many times it’s our worries or how we feel (like I feel bloated, I can’t believe I allowed myself to eat that cookie, etc) or even that fight with our partner we’re still mad about.


#3 - Do it in the morning
I’ve found doing these things in the morning is SUPER helpful. It doesn’t have to be immediately after you roll out of bed, but doing it in the morning helps you see what’s going on in your mind that day or how you feel (like worried, anxious, etc). Plus, doing it in the morning usually means that you won’t find a million reasons not to do it….like later in the day.


#4 - Write without judgment
This one was really big for me - I used to have this really bad habit of criticizing every little thing I did (I’m still working on this!). This was especially true if it was something that didn’t bring me to where I wanted to go - like having that sugary treat when I know with PCOS we’re not supposed to do that or eating more than I should have at dinner last night. But when you release the judgment from your thoughts, you can see what’s going on and then you can take action to remedy them. For example, if you see that your thoughts are more about beating yourself up for that sugary treat yesterday - you can change that by re-focusing the fear and thoughts on the good things you’re going to do today for your body (like exercise, eat greens, etc).


Journaling has really helped me see what’s going on beneath the surface - or even what’s playing on auto-pilot in my mind, which is causing me stress on a physical level!

Have you tried journaling before? What’s been your experience? I’d love to know! ❤️

P.S. if you want to learn how to heal your relationship with food (just like I have) in order to feel confident and sexy in your skin, body and clothes - then sign up for a free health & mindset consultation in the link below!

07/01/2020

"It's just a matter of willpower."

I get sooooo mad when I hear people say in order to get healthy you "just need more willpower". Like really? If it were that easy we wouldn't have so many people struggling with their health.

As someone who's struggled with almost everything under the sun in terms of eating disorders & unhealthy eating habits, I can tell you with absolute certainty it's never just about the food.

Because if it were just about the food, people would be able to stick to diets easily and not have a care in the world. Which basically never happens right?

Food is a means to an end. You may be putting yourself down so much that you NEED food to release the feel-good hormone in your brain. You may have unresolved emotional trauma that you use food to help you get through. You may have not learned how to process emotions growing up, so you turn to food to help you avoid confronting them.

In the food mindset group program I'm launching on January 15th, we get into the major food mindset culprits - things that affect whether we emotionally eat or whether we binge/restrict. Not only do you get your mind-freaking-blown by the info I share about your mindset and how your brain works, you also learn how to change your patterns. So that way you never have to feel controlled or obsessed with food - you can see it objectively and make healthy decisions with ease (yes truly with ease!). And guess what leads to? You feel better about yourself - feeling more confident, happy, sexy, magnetic, appealing, awe-inspiring, and just downright damn fantastic.

I know it works because I've seen the change in myself and my clients. THIS CAN be your reality too. But you have to take the first step - I'll be there to support you the rest of the way! Comment below or message me for more details! 💕

06/01/2020

If you're looking to start a new podcast for your commute - I've got a recommendation for you!

I went on Victoria Johnson's podcast "Heal Your Life Talk Radio Show" and we chatted about SO much! Including my favorite topic - food mindset.

Go and give it a listen and let me know what you think!

Kristin developed anorexia when she was 15 years old. She recovered from it but never dealt with the underlying issues and a few years later found herself both binge eating and consistently over-eating. After she addressed the true root issue of her mindset, she went on to be an advocate for women w...

06/01/2020

Isn't it SO frustrating to keep on making the same mindless decisions about food over and over again?

I've been there and I know. You're always really gung-ho in the morning that today will be different and you'll make sure you don't eat too much or don't have that sugary stuff at the office. But somehow someway, when you get home for dinner at night you have a million things on your mind and don't stick to eating slowly and healthfully.

Then that of course leads to eating a little too much and then you scolding yourself about forgetting to do it once AGAIN.

This was me for such a long time and I know how FRIGGIN HARD it is to break the cycle. Because the same old stuff isn't going to help you change your habits. It's not another diet you need - you need to change the way you think on a fundamental level.

Once I learned HOW exactly to do that, life became really friggin easy. I was able to make healthy choices and eat slowly and mindfully without obsessing about it. I was able to lose the guilt around food and able to see things objectively - rather than emotionally.

This is EXACTLY what you get when you join the group food mindset program that's launching on January 15th. You gain total clarity on what you've been doing (that you didn't know you were) and what you need to do moving forward to stop this from happening again and again (...once and for all!). Comment below or message me for more info!

02/01/2020

In less than 24 hours of getting back home to CO this past weekend I started getting sick with a stomach virus (thank goodness it wasn't on the plane am I right?!) True story: I had a major fear of getting a stomach bug for about 5 years when I was a teenager. Mainly because one Christmas (why do these things always happen around the holidays?!) I had a really awful one where I was getting sick for like 6 hours straight. It was absolutely terrible. My mom always used to say - it's great to lose 5-10 pounds, just not in one day!
..BUT if your immediate thought was "Oh I would've loved to have a stomach bug so that way I could lose the weight I gained from the holidays" then we DEFINITELY have some work to do on your food mindset! Why? Because this type of thinking is keeping you unhappy with yourself, your body, and your life. And on top of that, it's leading you to WANT the unhealthy stuff like cookies, chocolate, fried food, etc.

If you're familiar with Louise Hay, you'll know that basically everything in your life can turn around once you actually start to be happy and love yourself. Not just losing weight - but all aspects of your life like your career, finances, and relationships. Our outer appearance is really just a reflection of what's going on within us. I know that may sound a little woo-woo but hang in with me.

When you believe things about yourself - like that you're never good enough or that you can't trust others - those things will always manifest itself physically. Whether it's in pain in your back or a protective "fat suit" (basically you're creating a literal/physical barrier between you and the rest of the world), it always shows up physically.

That's why this food mindset group program I'm launching this month is THE EXACT answer to what you need to get started changing these patterns in your life. Here's how it will work:
☑️ We'll have 4 group calls for 4 weeks straight where we'll dive SUPER deep into one specific topic each week (with lots of "homework" to boot!)
☑️ You'll get downloadable worksheets to implement the training into your daily life (this is TRULY where the work is - as much as I'd love to do the work for you, you really have to dive deep within yourself and your own experiences. No one knows you better than you!)
☑️You'll be able to keep the recordings of each weekly training for life!
☑️ You can ask as many questions of me as you'd like during the 4 weeks (through a private messaging app)

You may be thinking...
Do I really need this?
Can't I just do this on my own? ..or Everything else I've tried has totally sucked and not helped me - how will I know this will?

Totally fair and valid questions. But here's what I have to say:
⭐️ If you've been struggling with food obsession (like constantly thinking about food - what to eat, how much to eat, constantly worried about your weight) then working on your food mindset is the missing piece of YOUR puzzle. No matter how long you've been battling this - it always comes down to one or two fundamental things that you just haven't been aware of before. And like I say (and also know to be true) - no diet program can fix a mindset issue.
⭐️ If you've tried all the diets and different programs then you know it's really EFFING HARD to do this on your own. Ever heard of an accountability buddy? Yep, it's a thing for a reason. Our internal resistance will keep holding us back (oh hey thank you fear) unless we have someone to really push us. That of course will be me and the other women in the program.
⭐️ Ask yourself: did the other programs you do just dictate to you what you should and should not do (like what to eat and not to eat)? Or did they ask you to dig deep into your mind to see the reasons WHY you had been making those decisions in the past? Especially when we know that after a binge or when we've overeaten a meal we totally feel like s**t. Did they ever ask you WHY you continue to make decisions that don't make you feel good? That's what this program does. It peels back the onion of your mind and gets to the root issue of WHY you've been stuck in this pattern.

You don't have to suffer anymore. You don't have to be at war with yourself and your body. I spent too many years of my life in this battle and I know how much joy it strips from us. So make 2020 the year you DO something about it.

If you have any questions or absolutely KNOW this program is for you - then send me a message or comment below!

18/12/2019

HOW LEARNING TO WORK WITH MY BODY CHANGED MY LIFE ✨

I used to be constantly tired, craving (and eating) sugar constantly, relying upon multiple cups of coffee to get me through the day, using sheer “willpower” to eat healthfully, having all sorts of digestive issues, forcing myself to workout even when my legs were quite literally giving out beneath me, and motivating myself by criticizing every little part of me.

I thought that this was just the way life had to be. That there wasn’t another way. Thank goodness I was diagnosed with PCOS because it started to make a little bit more sense for why certain things were happening in my body. But I also felt that “oh sh*t” moment where I had no idea how to go about changing things - so much of what’s online is gloom and doom.

But when I started approaching my health holistically for the first time in my life - I started getting my energy back, had less anxiety, got rid of the bloating and constipation (keepin it real), saw my stress go down, got my period back naturally for the first time in 13 years (now it’s consistent month to month!), got my confidence back, AND best of all I didn’t feel like crap all the time!

Not feeling like crap was physical and mental - I didn’t shame myself 24/7 like I used to so I wasn’t constantly criticizing myself all the time. Plus, physically I was feeling better too because I learned how to eat to make my body feel good and operate properly! (which funny enough is exactly what inspired me to become a mindset & holistic health coach)

The biggest thing that helped me without a doubt was working on my mindset. Because no matter how “perfect” my diet was, since I didn’t have my mindset right - I wasn’t able to keep up the “perfection” for that long. Working on mindset allows you to see WHY you’ve been making the choices you’ve been making - especially when those decisions go directly against what you actually want (like losing weight).

Even though the work was hard and took A LOT of commitment, I’m now finally happy with my body and with food! We only have this one life and we ALL deserve to be happy and love our bodies. So this is a reminder - we’re all capable of anything we want, we just have to be open to trying new things and be committed to that change!