Don't bother listening to this episode unless you are ready to let go of the old way of doing things. The old ways of losing weight don't work, in fact they cause more harm than good!

​Diets and deprivation will never work. You need to look for a new way to lose weight based on intuitive eating, trusting yourself, and simple healthy eating. If you ARE ready to let go of the old ideas you may not realize you have been attached to, then please listen right now for what to replace them with! 

*I promise I will never share your email address with anyone.

I love to talk about your inner goddess (or gods). And when I talk about the inner gods/goddesses, I am actually talking about... wait for it... hormones!!! I bet you didn't see that one coming, did you?

Yes, to me, the gods/goddesses can help us see, in a real way, how we are out of balance, and how we can use the same skills of that out of balance goddess to prevent the problems, just as she causes the problems when she is out of balance. 

In this episode, I tell the story of Persephone, and how she can help us find peace and balance that can ultimately lead to weight loss in our lives by accepting our reality and living up to our best self within it!

​Enjoy! This is a fun one :) 

*I promise I will never share your email address with anyone.

I explore the life changes and societal pressures that result in putting ourselves last and making ourselves feel like crap, and I share how our wisdom can help us shift that, how we can rediscover the wisdom of our youth to merge the best of both worlds and create a healthy lifestyle that will bring us closer to our health goals, weight loss, and the work life balance that we need. I share a BIG IDEA that has been percolating in my mind for many years, and how you can apply that to make your life better!

*I promise I will never share your email address with anyone.

You are a leader. You are ambitious, and you are busy. The truth is, it's rewarding. It feels good to be successful!

However, when we begin to forget the other parts of who we are, your career can become unhealthy. What happens when you keep falling off the wagon when it comes to your health? When you make changes for a while, but just can't seem to sustain them?

It is hard to admit that the thing we prize most about our life - our successful career and the accolades that come with it - may be the exact thing that is disrupting our achievement and success in our health.

I know, as a fellow member of the Very Ambitious Person Society, that it can be really hard to think that I can't control or succeed at something that I am putting my mind toward. Really hard!

I want to let you know first and foremost - if you are not succeeding in health - it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH WILLPOWER!

There are a whole bunch of reasons why it has nothing to do with willpower... the primary reason is because willpower is finite and we use it up during the day so it will never work. Other reasons include circadian rhythms that make us lose our inhibitions when the sun goes down, which is why we always end up overeating at night (among other things we do without inhibition), and also because of hormones.

Hormones get their own paragraph. I'd give them their own article, but my business coach tells me they are too boring! Our hormones are in charge. It doesn't matter what we think or tell ourselves, in the end we do what our hormones tell us to do -- not what our brains are saying. Things that cause our hormones to hijack our actions: stress, emotional triggers (like a fight or a rough day), stress, age, stress, monthly changes, stress, sugar, stress, poor diet, stress, caffeine, and... did I mention stress?

If you are ready to take charge of your health a different way, then I have the answer. It all starts with aligning our actions with our values. If you really truly desire to reach and maintain your body's ideal natural weight, then it is time to prioritize it. This is the part where you pull that thread and see where it leads you. The actions you need to take are not the same as the ones I need to take or any of my other clients need to take.

Finding the middle ground seems elusive in the beginning, because we aren't used to taking it. Lots of my clients tell me they really don't know what the middle ground would be. That applies with clients who are looking to give up the dieting mindset (of deprivation as the only way to lose weight) as well as create sustainable exercise patterns (not going hard for 6 weeks... then quitting). No matter what your middle ground is, if you are used to going "all in" it can be hard to figure out how to do something else... something that may feel like "not enough" but in reality is exactly the answer that will allow you to succeed! We have to carve new neural pathways to do this. The steps are simple, though not always easy.

I always approach things by focusing on practical steps you can take right now - using smart scheduling (and, OK, a teeny tiny bit of willpower - just in the beginning!) I couple this logistical side, or "pre-planning" as I call it, with the emotional/spiritual/hormonal/stress detangling.

So as we figure out what your emotional/spiritual/hormonal/stress triggers are and eliminate them from the source, you sustain yourself with the pre-planning, and eventually these meet in the middle... Yes! That is the middle ground that we are looking for!

And it is from this middle ground that you really can achieve your ambitions in both career and health, without sacrificing one for the other, but truly having it all!
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I like to dabble in woo. Check out the latest of it while I tell you all about how I went from believing I had rheumatoid arthritis (wrong) to being too anemic to go get my blood drawn and confirm it (true) to finding out I had adrenal fatigue (also true)... and how all of that led me to hang up crystals in the corners of my house!!!! 

(It says download, but it actually opens in a new window where you can stream it.)

*I promise I will never share your email address with anyone, and I am very considerate of how often I email you, approximately 1-3 times per month. I will only use your email to let you know about new podcast episodes, when I release books and journals, and occasionally send you gifts :)  

Balancing being the primary caregiver and growing a business and writing books is, well... it's tough to say the least. 


Identify Your Needs

I've realized lately that I NEED time to be focused and productive. It is the reason I started a business in the first place! But even though I knew that was behind starting a business, I see that the opportunity to do my work in a focused, UNinterrupted environment is really a core need I have... and one having young kids who are only in school part of the day really impedes upon! 

I struggle with how best to use my childfree time... do I take care of myself? Do I run errands (that are way easier on my own of course)? Do I try to buckle down and get my work done?  

And of course, when I'm talking about just a few hours per day, those hours go FAST!!! Just making sure I exercise take up a third of that time!!! And, exercise, I've come to realize, is also a non-negotiable!!! 

Of course as someone who has a lot of ambition for both my family and my business..and my self!  It is really hard to take care of all three to the level that I desire.  

Oh, especially without cutting into my sleep!!!!!! 

Yes, it's complicated. 


Observe How Things Affect You

I definitely don't have all the answers. What I find is that I can only do some of those at once. 

There are time I cut into my sleep, and then realize that makes me feel shitty. 

There are times I quit exercising, and then realize that makes me feel shitty. 

There are times I do not focus on work, and then realize  that makes me feel shitty 

There are time I don't do self care, and then realize that makes me feel shitty! 


PRIORITIZE!

The best plan I have right now is to let go of the crap I really don't care about - no clean house, no fancy meals - just tried and true recipes, no big parties. (Don't get me wrong... I LOVE PARTIES!!! I just have to put hosting them on hold for a while... I do a pool party once a year in the summer, and that is easy since all everyone does is hang out by the pool, but otherwise, they have been temporarily arrested.) 

And then, honestly, I cycle through my other priorities... so I don't ignore one area entirely,  I just give it up a little until I need to bring it back. 

I walk instead of doing classes (until I crave the strength and yoga).
I work less (until I want to work more).
I eat cheese and crackers and carrots and dip (until I need something more grown up).
I stay up a bit too late (until I get crabby and go to bed earlier).

Well, you get the idea! 


And Reality Check...

I know this isn't necessarily the most inspiring approach, but it's the most realistic. Sometimes we just need a reality check. There is so much bullshit out there about how you can have it all...and I think you can. But you can't necessarily have it all at one time, and that's ok.  


Enjoy the Ebb and Flow

It's actually one reason why writing my books has been so awesome for me right now! I love the cycle of book writing. I do the writing - that usually comes in bursts of inspiration and the journals are usually written in a week or two! (My longer books sometimes come in several periods of inspiration spread out over time.)

Then, there is a period of handing a lot of work over to others... that feels great! The content is written, and it starts to transform into an actual book with the help of others! 

Then the tedious finalization... I look forward to someday outsourcing this, but for now I want to have the final say so I have to be part of the last steps :) 

Then... the launch! This gets exciting again and so I'm re-energized!!! 

Then... time to rest... before I take on another project :)  

I wanted to share a few books that I have loved over the years! These are books that I have been going to for years, and keep enjoying them every time. They go right in line with my forthcoming book, The Kitchen Witch, and will inspire you in ritual and cooking alike! 

Healthy Teas
This book gives many specific recipes and instructions on how to make a wide variety of teas, for health and pleasure. I mean who doesn't love tea? (Dude, if you are saying "me," then it might be hard to be friends!)

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​Healing With Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford
This encyclopedic book on healing is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine. Okay, it may not really have an "inspiring" feel - it's a bit of a tome, but it is SO full of useful information and is like an intro course to healing with whole foods based on the philosophies of health in Chinese Medicine. 

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The Language of Flowers
This is a very small book, but lists the traditional European meanings of various flowers and plants. It is so fun to read and get inspiration on what the flowers say when you pick them or give them! 

The Herbal Healing Deck
I'm obsessed with this deck of oracle cards! I LOVE the artwork and the insights are always helpful. It's been a powerful way for me to connect with plant energy and think about plant spirits and just connect with plants! I'm not much of a green thumb, so I'd rather think of them in their wild habitat! Haha. 

The Aromatherapy Handbook
This is the best resource I have found on uses for essential oils.  The book details various ways to use essential oils for therapeutic aromatherapy, as well health, cleaning, and gift giving, among others. It is an awesome reference book and makes it so easy to make healthy oils and beauty products. 

Alegra Loewenstein is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. By generating these funds - at no cost to you - she can continue to offer free and fun content on her site! 

After having kids my hormones have been super out of whack.

I slept poorly (even long after my kids were sleeping through the night), & I had painful periods.

(What a weird word, "period," but I have to admit even though every woman menstruates, I still find talking about it "publicly" is a bit awkward...and when I'm with friends I'm either crass or ridiculously casual!!! Kinda like when I go to my lady parts doc and I wanna say "My puss has been feelin' this." Or "My twat has been doing that." but DUDE, I can't say "PUSS" or "TWAT" to my DOCTOR!!!! SO then I feel obliged to say vagina, which I NEVER use in my regular life, and it's all just so awkward.) 

Anyway... It got my thinking about hormones and the role they play in so many people's lives. I love to say that hormones make most of the decisions, and hormones always win.

This is true. Hormones are often why we can't resist sugar/fat/salt. Crazy but true. Stress and junk food both send our hormones on their own little rollercoaster and both end up with cravings that we literally can't resist. That's why willpower has nothing to do with weight loss. Which is why you shouldtake my quiz and find out who is actual culprit! 

I am SO grateful I got some amazing help from a naturopath and an herbal remedy that has basically resolved my hormone issues! Yes, sweet sweet sleep is my friend again (for the most part... I still get interrupted more than I like and have hard time going back to sleep after my child asks me to hold his tissue while he blows his nose at 2am... but at least I don't wane up randomly anymore).

But I know that for many women I meet and clients I work with, hormones play a role... and more often than not it is stress hormones. 

Yes, I went there!
​I'm talking about Chakras. 

Body Wisdom

The body wisdom I'm talking about is super simple techniques to get in touch with your own body and its wisdom. It's not yoga, even though I went ahead and mentioned chakras finally. There is some overlap in that yoga is definitely based on body wisdom as well. But what I'm showing you here and in my other Body Wisdom videos is much simpler than that. It's just ways ways to feel better and know yourself better, which helps with SO MANY things in life.

Sacral Chakra

I realize chakras have a lot to tell us, but that's not what this particular post is about ;)  Chakras capture huge ideas and potential - about abundance, pleasure, and more.  But at a minimum, they also just refer to a basic area of the body. So even if the idea of chakras weird you out, just go with it. I'm introducing a way to relax and improve the health of your entire lower abdomen / lower back area...summed up as the sacral chakra :) 

Self Care

Oh yeah, the all important self care. The thing we all sacrifice to take care of other people, to work a little harder on our job, to get ahead a bit faster, or sometimes just to  get by. But it really is essential to take care of ourselves. That's what this body wisdom can teach us - simple ways to get in touch and give a bit of care. 

Take Me To Bed

Okay, not really, but take this idea to bed. I literally had NO self care and had only excuses when my physical therapist would ask why I didn't do my neck exercises, or whey I stayed up too late working, or why I felt like shit all the time. And then I realized I could do all these amazing self care routines IN BED!!!!! It changed my life.

I stretch laying down; I meditate laying down; I journal laying down... I basically do all my self care laying down!! It's amazing. 

​And of course... let me know what YOU feel when you give this a try!!!! 

Take me to bed with you... for real!!!
And do this simple secret before you go to sleep. 

Just kidding. Actually, it's so simple you can watch it and then go to bed after, because the blue light from your screen is bad for your sleep (and likely adds anxiety). 

We Are All Stressed
This simple secret is a fantastic antidote for 21st century stress - the stress you feel, your friends feel, your husband/wife/partner feels, your colleagues feel... and sadly almost all of us feel. 

While it manifests in different ways - anxiety, depression, general stress, even anger - the chronic demands society puts on us, and our inability to create the community we need to counteract those demands, adds up!

Hold Your Heart
In this simple technique (technique is too complicated(, you literally hold your heart. We all need a bit more nurturing in our lives, and this is a way to give it to yourself.  

Add a Twist
You can really amp up the relaxation by adding a simple twist. Turn your knees to the right and hold your heart; turn your knees to the left and hold your fake heart (right side). 

Take Me to Bed
This is why I tell people to take these videos to bed!!! They are soooooo simple and relaxing and really help you detach from some of the day before you head off to sleep. 

I totally sucked at self care until I started doing my self care in bed!!! All the things I love to do that make me feel great: journaling, reading, stretching, body wisdom, meditation (I do it laying down), self massage, and other things all happen in bed. And frankly, I really never could get them into my life until I figured this secret out! 

So while you may not want to actually take your screen to bed (like I said, the light it emits is bad for your sleep), you should take these ideas to bed and give them a try!!! 

And of course, let me know when you do!!! 

​Have a friend who feels anxiety? Be sure to share this video!!!