Attune Foods' LinksMeet Chaz, our new intern at Attune Foods. Fresh out of college, he definitely has a few things to say about how his nutrition is developing. So, how do you personally take control of your nutrition?
Posts Tagged ‘healthy living’
How do you take control of your nutrition?
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
HLS Take-Aways
Friday, August 26th, 2011
Back in Calgary, computer open, I’m overwhelmed at all my new friends in the blog world, at all the information I took in from the sessions, at all the fun experiences I had at the Healthy Living Summit (HLS) this past weekend. The long and short of if is that it was incredible! And while I posted an initial recap of the HLS, I wanted to take some more time now that the excitement has settled and I’ve gathered my thoughts and express what I learned from the conference with you – all thanks to Attune Foods, who sponsored my attendance at the event!
Here are some of the things I took away from the experience.
1.) Only people count
Above all, my reason for attending this weekend was to intentionally be a part of this online healthy living community of bloggers. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t anxious! My nerves were high as I accepted the ticket, made my travel arrangements, boarded the plane, and arrived in Philadelphia flying solo. Initially, I wasn’t as concerned with content or which city the event was hosted in; I was simply hoping to connect with others and build relationships in this blogging community. All nerves and butterflies aside, this goal was certainly accomplished! What a great experience and opportunity to be reminded of the truth that “only people count;” community counts. I am thankful to have sat alongside, learned alongside, dined, laughed, and ran alongside some amazing people and am inspired to stay intentionally involved in this community.
Whether it’s your first time attending an event like this or you have many friends at a conference you’re reuniting with, I think everyone is nervous to some degree before the event kicks off. But engaging in an experience like this means putting yourself out there and being vulnerable in a community setting. It’s intense, it’s fun, it’s unique, and it’s real. Regardless of how many readers you have or how many years you’ve been blogging, the truth is that only people count, and being able to attend the HLS reminded me of this and encouraged me to continue relationships with the incredible people I met after we parted ways.
2.) Being fueled with healthy foods makes a difference.
I have participated in and helped facilitate many conferences and retreats in different settings and often find myself feeling lethargic, puffy, and lacking energy due mainly in part to the food served. My experience with the food at the HLS could not have been more drastic, and I was once again reminded, as I am whenever I choose to fuel my body with good nutrition, that healthy foods go a long way to keep your mind and body engaged and energized.
The plethora of healthy options (including gluten free, organic, vegetarian, and vegan) made it easy to choose snacks that boosted my energy for the afternoon sessions and made meals last longer in my body throughout the day. This is due largely in part to our sponsors, namely to Quaker Oats and Attune Foods, and I so appreciated the tasty, all-real-ingredients food options throughout the weekend and felt well taken care of in every respect by these sponsors. I loved Attune Food’s idea of breakfast as your happy hour, meaning that your “happy hour” doesn’t have to be getting drinks at the bar but rather treating yourself to a healthy breakfast, going for a walk, or reading a good book. What a great concept! My food take-away from the HLS is that good food fuels well, and choosing to have only healthy options in the house will ensure that I’m making those right choices that will, eventually, turn into right habits.
3.) Inspiration
Simply put, I was inspired at this event, and inspiration is pretty big take-away to bring back into your daily life! I was inspired because I stepped out of my comfort zone and meet new people from different walks of life with so much to offer. I was inspired by the other bloggers I met, all sharing different perspectives and speaking from their own life experiences. I was inspired by the sessions and encouraged to write more powerfully with action mantras, learning also that it’s possible to monetize your blog without “selling out.” I was inspired by the tasty and healthy food and feel inspired to create back in my home kitchen for my husband and I.
This entire trip could not have happened if it wasn’t for the generosity of Attune Foods and Annelies. I entered their ticket giveaway post sincerely but not really thinking I would win; when I got the notice that I’d won, I was shocked – a little scared, pretty surprised, and super excited. That sponsored ticket was a the push I needed to get out the door and attend an event like this, and I am taking away so much into my life in Calgary. People – community. Healthy – food. True – inspiration.
What was the last inspirational event you attended or motivational talk you heard that inspired you to act, change, or move in a certain way?
Live well & be well, friends!
Bonnie
When your body speaks, do you listen?
Monday, June 27th, 2011
Ninety-nine times out of a hundred I would have spelled the word right.
S. O. U. V. E. N. I. R.
Souvenir.
However, in that moment, when it really mattered most, I had a total brain collapse and I spelled it wrong.
S. O. U. V. E. R. N. I. R.
DING… “We’re sorry Mr. Sullivan… Congratulations Riannon”
For the second year in a row Riannon Fletcher (yes, I still remember her name even though it was in the 4th grade) beat me in the school Spelling Bee. I took second place. It felt like I should have been the first loser. I was devastated and distraught. It was probably the easiest word I had been given during the course of the competition and because of one fleeting moment when I decided I’d just spout out my answer instead of thinking it through, I misspelled the word.
I missed out on the 8 inch trophy of a bee wearing glasses and a cap and gown. I missed out on my chance to go to regionals and compete for that $50 first prize furnished by the local newspaper. And most of all I missed out on the glory of being recognized by my peers as “the best speller in the school.” This was before spell check too, so it was kind of a big deal.
This is obviously all a little bit tongue in cheek (only a little though, I hold grudges), but do we ever do the same thing to our bodies?
Do we ever just skip over that internal prompting or voice that’s helping us understand what it is we need nutritionally, just because we’re in a rush or because we try and outsmart our intuition?
I know that I do.
When I was 9 years old I trained my brain countless hours so that I could win that spelling bee. The amazing thing about our bodies is that they instinctively come packaged with the ability to let us know when things are running smoothly, and when there’s a red flag.
All we have to do is take the time to listen. We have to stop and think long enough to hear our bodies tell us what they need.
As life gets increasingly busy, the ability to stop and ask ourselves “am I full, or am I trying to clear my plate?” becomes more and more difficult. When we eat that favorite food we know is going to make us sick afterward (hello pork nachos!), we’re ignoring the wisdom of our bodies.
All the studying in the world won’t better help us understand our dietary needs better than the signals from our own bodies. That’s a fact. Next time we reach for that chicken wing (traditionally indigestion-inducing), cheese stick (for the lactose sensitive), or baguette (for the gluten sensitive), let’s take a quick pause and listen before we partake.
Taking the time to learn from our bodies will definitely help in our respective journeys to be H. A. P. P. Y. Guaranteed!
Do you have any techniques you use to listen to your super wise body? Share them in the comments!
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