Victoria Wellness Professionals

I am happy to announce a new Contributor to our Blog. Danielle Van Schaick, Registered Dietician and owner of Dani Health will be here to answer your nutrition questions and offer some guest posts from time to time. If you have Nutrition questions or are looking to make changes to your eating habits or just looking for new fresh ideas, I highly recommend Danielle and Anneke of Dani Health. Enjoy todays post:

Dietitian’s Kitchen
by Danielle Van Schaick, R.D.

As a Nutrition Professional, I continually search for food products that I can recommend to my clients. These products must meet my strict nutrition criteria however, it doesn’t end there. No matter how healthy a product, we simply won’t eat it (nor get it’s nutritional benefits) if it doesn’t taste good. Here are a few of the products that you’ll find in my kitchen!

1. Olympic Probiotic Organic Yogurt

• 100% natural and certified organic, guaranteed free from pesticides, herbicides and other chemical substances
• Naturally high in calcium. Milk and milk products provide a source of calcium that is easy for the body to absorb
• Contain probiotics, active bacterial cultures that have many proven health benefits such as strengthening the immune system and improving digestion
• Naturally low in lactose, making it easily digestible and acceptable for those people with a lactose intolerance

2. Catelli Smart Pasta

• Contains inulin, a prebiotic fibre that stimulates the growth of ‘good bacteria’ in our intestines
• Only contains 1.5 calories per gram, versus 4 calories per gram typically found in other carbohydrates
• Has minimal impact on blood sugar levels, and may be suitable for people with diabetes
• May increase the absorption of calcium
• 9 grams of fibre per 85 gram serving (3 x the fibre of traditional white pasta)
• 0 mg of sodium per 85 gram serving.

3. Kashi Chewy Granola Bars

• High fibre (4g fibre per bar)
• Nutritionally balanced with 5-7 g protein per bar
• Minimally processed, and contain only natural ingredients
• No partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial anything
• Taste great!

4. So Nice Unsweetened Soy Milk

• Low calorie – only 60 calories per cup
• Nutritionally balanced: 6 grams protein and only 3 grams carbohydrates per cup
• Good source of poly & monounsaturated fats (the good ones!)
• Lactose free source of calcium – provides the same amount of calcium as cow’s milk
• Use only organic, non-GMO soybeans grown in Canada and the US
• Contains more isoflavones than other soy milks

5. Silver Hills Squirelly Bread

• Made with organic sprouted grains
• Low GI, so they are digested more slowly by the body, keeping the blood sugar levels stable for longer and making you feel more satisfied.
• High fibre – 5 grams per slice
• Nutritionally balanced: 5 grams of protein per slice – something other breads can’t say!
• Tastes great toasted (a little dry if not toasted)

A Registered Dietitian (RD) is a health professional who can provide advice on nutrition, food and healthy eating choices to help you look good and feel great. Registered Dietitians take complex medical and nutrition research and make it easier for you to make daily food choices and plan healthy meals. They can show you how healthy eating can be fun, enjoyable and delicious! Registered Dietitians are your trusted experts in nutrition.

Dani Health: www.danihealth.com
#405-1095 McKenzie Ave.
Victoria, B.C. Canada
(also servicing Duncan/Nanaimo)
Phone: 250-590-6382
Fax: 250-590-6422
info@danihealth.co

Uncategorized dani health, fat loss, nutrition, registered dieticians, weight loss

Holy Cow, I think my partners over at Prograde have lost their grip on reality.

Not only are they offering you a chance to save 5% on ALL your Prograde purchases, but they’re also throwing in over $700 worth of FREE stuff!

By becoming a Prograde VIP before this Thursday at 11:59pm EST you get as part of your membership a 90 day meal plan from Nutrition Expert Jayson Hunter.

So yes, he’ll show you exactly what to eat and when to help you get in the best shape of your life! It even comes with weekly shopping lists so all of the thinking has been done FOR you.

But again, you have to become a Prograde VIP before this Thursday at 11:59pm EST to qualify for the 90 Day Meal Plan Bonus.

Get all the details right here: http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html

Till next time,
Narina

PS – Seriously, you know Prograde is the only supplement company out there that I trust. And Jayson Hunter is a world-class nutrition expert so the Meal Plan bonus alone is more than worth the tiny investment in the Prograde VIP membership.

http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/vip-membership.html

Uncategorized fat loss, nutrition, Prograde Nutrition, supplements, weight loss

I was reading a blog post the other day from a marketing/business expert and it raised a good topic for todays blog post. The blog post was entitled, “Stop Whining and Get on With Life”. The article dealt with making decisions about what you want out of life and being responsible and accountable for your choices.

This got me thinking about being responsible and accountable for our health and wellness.

Comments come up on a daily basis at the gym about weight loss, working out and what works, what doesn’t work etc. It seems I am answering the same questions over and over as I am sure everyone that works in this industry does.

Does it frustrate me? Never and I really don’t mind answering these same questions because at least the questions are being asked and that is, at least a step in the right direction. However, asking and doing are two different things.

Losing weight, gaining strength, getting lean all take work and hard work! If you think you are going to get the body you want, or the strength gains without hard work, then maybe working out at a gym filled with fixed stationary equipment, or plodding hopelessly on a stair climber or elliptical is more to your liking.

If, on the other hand you really, really want to make changes to your body or hit those strength goals, then buckle down and work hard. As the saying goes, “Nothing good in life comes easy”, and a lean, strong body is no exception. Stop making excuses and make exercise and good nutrition a priority. No one is preventing you from getting the body you want, except you.

If you don’t have time after work for a workout, then get up early before work and get it done. Rather than sit on the computer at your lunch hour surfing the internet, get off your butt and go for a walk or get into the gym for a lunch hour workout. No one says your workout has to be an hour – you can make some serious inroads to a lean body with a 20 minute kick butt workout!

But once again, it boils down to how bad you want it. Everything in life comes at a price – the question is, “Are you willing to pay the price?” You absolutely must make health and wellness a priority. If you don’t then you will always find an excuse. You will always have a reason for not having the body you want. It will always be someone else’s fault. There will always be a reason that you can’t achieve what you want.

Once you have decided and made that commitment to yourself that you have had enough feeling and looking lousy, then the hard work begins and you will be ready and willing to do whatever it takes. No one or no thing will stand in your way. There will be no holding you back!

The healthy, strong body is waiting for you. Each one of us is capable of attaining it. What’s holding you back? What are waiting for? Don’t put off what you can start right now. There is absolutely no reason why you can’t start right now. If there is, I would love to hear it!

Get up, get going and get committed to making a difference – to you and for you!

Till next time,
Narina

Uncategorized exercise, motivation, weight loss

I’ve been telling you forever that there are NO shortcuts.

Now, I can’t say for certain, but there’s a good, good chance you’ve been down the “magic pill and potion” road before.

Hey, don’t feel bad, most people have.

And with all the deceptive marketing and lies those companies tell you, well, it can be easy to believe them.

Look, you know as well as I do that exercise and proper nutrition are the way to go.

But as my partners over at Prograde Nutrition show you in this article, there are ways to supplement that can really make a difference with your results.

Bottom line: If you’re serious about that dream body you need to devour this article ASAP:

http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/bcaas-and-dieting.html

Till next time,
Narina

PS – Again, there are NO shortcuts, but there is SCIENCE behind the worthwhile supplements. Be sure to read this article to see for yourself:

http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/bcaas-and-dieting.html

Uncategorized branch chain amino acids, fat loss, Prograde Nutrition, supplements, weight loss

Quick update for you today:

First, if you’re feeling the heat this summer you definitely want to try this cool dessert from my partners at Prograde Nutrition.

It’s just what the fitness pro ordered! http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/protein-packed-freedom-cups.html

Second, Prograde has ALL of their killer powder products – Meal replacement, Protein and Post-Workout – on sale at 10% off until this Friday, so hurry on over to this one for the coupon code! http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/specials.html

Enjoy!
Narina

Uncategorized nutrition, Prograde Lean, Prograde Nutrition, recipes, weight loss

By Melonie Dodaro

The body is the physical form and machine that’s instructed daily by our dominant thoughts and actions. The body carries out actions based on directions from the conscious and subconscious mind. It’s the evidence of what’s held in the mind.

For example, let’s say you decide you want to be a public speaker. If you’re nervous and worry about saying something inappropriate, or are concerned that someone will make fun of you, those thoughts will manifest in the body as sweaty palms, embarrassment, and stumbling over words. However, if you spend time imagining how positively your audience will respond, how articulate you’ll sound, and how energized you’ll feel, that will manifest in the body as well. You’ll be confident and filled with energy and your audience can’t help but respond positively to you.

When we intentionally change the thoughts to which we give the most focus and energy, and repeat these thoughts until they become desires, they are impressed on our sub-conscious mind and become emotions. Our bodies put those emotions into action and our actions become our results.

A paradigm, which can be a habit, belief, attitude, pattern, work practice or expectation, gives you the guidance to interpret and approach the world around you. When you examine your paradigms around weight, you may find your current results aren’t what you want. Your objective of reaching your “ideal weight” is to move your conditioned results into alignment with what you want. For instance, let’s say you used to drink one glass of red wine every evening, but to reach your ideal weight you have to change that to a glass of water with a lemon slice instead. This is a paradigm shift.

We all know only too well what we have to do to be at our ideal weight; the problem is that we aren’t doing it! The secret to success is to gain an understanding of why we’re not doing it-what the primary cause of the problem is-and then correct it. Remember when you were growing up and your teacher or parent would say, “Why do you do that?” and you probably said, “I don’t know” and then your mom would say, “What do you mean you don’t know? You know you weren’t supposed to do that.” At that point, you dropped your head and would say “Yup, I know.” The crazy thing is that we still carry this silly, “I don’t know” concept into our adult life!

We all do things we know we shouldn’t do-things we don’t want to do-and we do them anyway. We’re conditioned to believe that it’s our behavior that’s causing the unwanted results in our life. That’s really not true; we’re forever attempting to change those behavior patterns: eat less, eliminate junk foods, and exercise more often-all without success.

There are millions of people in every country in the world going on different diets all the time to lose weight. These people aren’t trying to reach their “ideal weight”; their whole obsession is with “losing weight.” There’s a dual problem with this. First, they believe that food-eating the wrong food or eating too much food-is the primary cause of their problem, which isn’t true. Their eating habits are a secondary cause of their problem; it’s the primary cause that needs to be corrected if the results are going to permanently change. Second, when you lose anything-it doesn’t matter what it is, from your car keys to those 20 pounds-you’re subconsciously programmed to immediately begin to look for it. Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, you find it.

To experience any kind of lasting success with weight loss, you must address the primary cause of your problem, which stems from your thoughts and beliefs. Once you deal with the primary cause, you’ll find releasing excess weight and keeping it off will be easier than ever.

About the Author

Melonie Dodaro is a weight loss expert, author and speaker. Her approach to weight loss incorporates showing people how to master their mind-body connection for lasting results. To learn more tips and techniques like the ones included in this article please click here: www.MindBodyFX.com

Uncategorized diet, fat loss, goals, Melonie Dodaro, motivation, nutrition, Victoria Wellness Professionals, weight loss

My partners over at Prograde just put an awesome new article up on their site.

It’s all about the correlation between sleep and quick weight loss.

I really think you’re going to love this one. It’s possible this may be a big problem for you or someone you know.

http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/lack-of-sleep-stops-quick-weight-loss.html

Till next time,
Narina

Uncategorized nutrition, Prograde Nutrition, sleep patterns, weight loss

By Melonie Dodaro

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow isn’t here…so all we have is today and that is why it’s called the present!

How grateful are you for your present…for today and everyday of your life?

For centuries, there’ve been many, many quotes and writings about gratitude and living in gratitude.

Melodie Beattiewrote: Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity… It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Wikipedia explains gratitude: Grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships. A large body of recent work has suggested that people who are more grateful have higher levels of well-being. Grateful people also have higher levels of control of their environments, personal growth, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. This was said in wikipedia about gratitude: Grateful people have more positive ways of coping with the difficulties they experience in life, being more likely to seek support from other people, reinterpret and grow from the experience, and spend more time planning how to deal with the problem. Grateful people also have less negative coping strategies, being less likely to try and avoid the problem, deny there is a problem, blame themselves, or cope through substance use. Grateful people sleep better, and this seems to be because they think less negative and more positive thoughts just before going to sleep.

By the sounds of that definition, being grateful—having an attitude of gratitude and acknowledging all the blessings we have—is a healthy way to live life!

How do you go about expressing gratitude in your daily life?

Being grateful for what you already have in your life is an excellent place to start. Gratitude isn’t about waiting for a big event like winning the lottery, nor is it about the new car or new whatever. It can be something that may seem insignificant at first. For example, perhaps you went to get a coffee this morning and the person who served you was so pleasant and helpful that you felt good and left smiling. We know that could have been a different experience if the server had been grumpy…so that counts as something for which to be grateful.

The desire to have more in your life isn’t a bad thing; it’s what keeps us moving forward to accomplish our desires and goals. When trying to get more becomes your focus, however, you can run intro trouble…since more doesn’t always mean happiness or a full life. Being grateful for all the things you already have in life is the key to living in gratitude.

Some people like to begin the morning by making a list of the things for which they are grateful. It may be their health and wellness, it may be the love they share or abundance of finances, or perhaps it’s their grand home or the motor home that takes them on many adventures! By seeking to find all the positive pieces in your life, you begin the day with a positive attitude. What a wonderful way to get started!

There are some who prefer to give thanks for their blessings at the end of the day, just before drifting off to sleep, by reflecting on a wonderful day and the many things for which to be grateful. It could be the nice person who served the coffee, not running out of gas, being acknowledged for a job well done, having the finances to pay for a car repair, or simply being grateful for their comfortable bed. Gratitude comes in many shapes and sizes, but it always makes you feel good.

A “Gratitude Journal” is an awesome way to keep track of the things you are grateful for in your life. There are different journals on the market, some very elaborate and others simple, but the important thing is to start one! Like anything in your life that you wish to change, it takes practice and repetition. It’s said that it takes 21 days to change a habit or create a new one. Gratitude journaling is definitely a good habit to start!

To develop a gratitude list, simply write down all the events, things and people for which you are thankful. Expressing gratitude and appreciation for people in your life brings joy to both of you. A great practice is to find new things everyday for one week to be grateful for and then continue with new things the next week and so on. Living in gratitude will soon become a habit, a part of your daily routine; you may even find yourself expressing gratitude for getting all the green lights as you drive down a street!

Gratitude can be expressed in many ways: giving a gift or flowers, sending an email, making a phone call, being available to help a friend, or simply by showing up and being present when listening, being in the moment…in the “present.” One of the best and easiest ways to express gratitude is by saying thank you and giving a hug!

Meditation is a wonderful way to relax your mind and body and it can bring you to a wonderful place of gratitude. For a free mini-meditation for achieving your ideal weight, visit www.MindBodyFX.com to listen to it. The meditation focuses on being grateful for the body you have and supports you on your journey of losing weight and letting go of old beliefs that no longer serve you or the new idea of you.

About the Author

Melonie Dodaro is a weight loss expert, author and speaker. Her approach to weight loss incorporates showing people how to master their mind-body connection for lasting results. To learn more tips and techniques like the ones included in this article please click here: www.MindBodyFX.com.

Uncategorized graditude, meditation, Melonie Dodaro, weight loss

Looking for a cool salad to fill you up this summer? Here’s a delicious recipe from my partners over at Prograde Nutrition for you.

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Avocado Salad

• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
  1 tsp. lemon juice
  1 bag (10 oz.) torn romaine lettuce (about 10 cups)
  2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
  1 small cucumber, sliced
  1/4 of a medium Vidalia or Walla Walla onion, chopped
  ½ cup Red Pepper
  1/2 cup Light or Fat-free Italian Dressing
  ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1) Toss avocados with lemon juice in large salad bowl.
2) Add lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions; mix lightly.
3) Add dressing; toss to coat.
4) Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately.

Hey, if you like that one they’ve got 196 more! Seriously, Prograde has a really cool 197 Healthy and Delicious Fat Burning Recipes ebook for just $4.95!

Check it out here: http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/prograderecipebook.html

Yours in health,

NAME

PS – If you’ve been on the lookout for simple and nutritious meals then look no further than http://victoriawellness.getprograde.com/prograderecipebook.html

Uncategorized nutrition, Prograde Nutrition, recipes, weight loss

By Melonie Dodaro

A diet victim excuse is the line you tell others, and yourself, about why you haven’t been successful with your health goals in the past. By and large, this is a conglomeration of misconceptions, assumptions, and denial all rolled up into one. All of us have heard or used the following excuses at one time or another:

“I’M JUST BIG BONED.”

Hmm…large bones make us tall, not round. The difference in skeletal structure in relation to weight is a function of height. You can think of it like a corn dog. If one corn dog is twice as big as the next, does that mean the stick weighs more? Probably not.

“MY FAMILY IS BIG – IT MUST BE HEREDITARY.”

Yes, some families do tend to put pounds on easier, but most families that are overweight stay that way due to the way they’ve been raised to think about food. These habits are generally passed on to the succeeding generation, so they cause the weight gain, not a specific family gene.

“MY METABOLISM IS SLOW.”

Although a slow metabolism does make it harder to lose weight, often our metabolism slows because we’ve chosen not to live a healthy lifestyle. If your metabolism is slow, get up and get moving to speed it up; take responsibility for your health.

“HEALTHY FOOD COSTS TOO MUCH AND TASTES BAD.”

How much do your doctor bills or your blood pressure medication cost? How expensive will it be to have Type II diabetes due to weight? Total up the money spent on fast food, lattes and bad habits like tobacco or alcohol. Eating well doesn’t cost nearly as much as you think. You can actually SAVE money and increase your life expectancy.

Healthier foods can be delicious! Within weeks of eating wholesome healthy food, your body will want to be healthy and you may develop an aversion to fast food. You need to take time to let your taste buds adjust to good wholesome foods.

“I HAVE TOO MUCH TO LOSE AND IT WILL TAKE TOO LONG.”

Who says there is a timeline to meet your goal? Eating right and exercising is a lifestyle, not a one-shot marathon! It’s unrealistic to impose an artificial deadline. Commit to the lifestyle, and the goals will be met along the way.

“I JUST CAN’T DO IT. I’VE TRIED AND I’M AFRAID TO FAIL AGAIN.”

This is such a sad excuse, because it means you’ve given up; you’ve convinced yourself that you don’t deserve to look or feel any better than you do right now. This mindset keeps more people moving toward a life of obesity and ill health. If you don’t have things straight in the mind, no plan will ever work. You must convince yourself that you’re worth it—you deserve to look and feel as good as you possibly can. Your very life depends on it!

You have a powerful capacity for healing your body and transforming your mind. To accomplish this, you have to free yourself from the past. When you release old hurts, you grow and learn to recognize happiness, which will help you stick to your goals and realize your dreams. Every time you relive a memory, especially a past diet disappointment or an old hurt, it keeps it alive in your spirit and body. Break the cycle by shedding the past story and creating a present one…and in the new version you can be determined not just to muddle through, but thrive.

Visit our site for more information on living a healthy and happy life at your ideal weight www.MindBodyFX.com.

Uncategorized diet, Melonie Dodaro, metabolism, nutrition, Victoria Wellness, weight loss