Do you ever feel like life is so busy, that even though we had great intentions to eat well, we often miss meals, eat total "crap" food on the go, and at the end of the day feel exhausted, moody and bloated? Pretty picture isn't it?! I know this is not a positive opening statement, but after years of working with busy and exhausted people its become the norm for so many!! 

I want to give you my Top Tips to helping you eat better all while reducing the time and money investment. If you have read previous blog posts on here you may be familiar with some of these already. I will post links to other articles that cover many of these tips in greater detail.

1. Plan your meals and snacks.  Yes I am totally saying it again. If you fail to plan, it is really very hard to stay on track!  Check out this article on how to plan and download my free menu planning worksheets!
2. Make Freezer Bag Smoothies.  Having a smoothie ready to be emptied into your blender when running out the door will help you get great nutrition while on the go!! Make 5-7 bags every week. Check out more info here!
3. Grocery Shop Online.  If you have the option to order your groceries online, do it!! You can update your cart all week and choose a pick up time. This will save you hours each week and allow you to purchase ONLY the food you want to have in your home! You can earn a $10 grocery coupon by clicking this link! 
4. Plan for a RESET every month! Purposely planning for a 10 Day RESET each month will allow you to focus on healthy habits that will carry over into the rest of your month.  We offer group RESETS every month!! Learn more here!

These are simple and incredibly effective strategies for Improving your Nutrition Conveniently!! All four will have a positive impact on your healthy habits. My suggestion? Start with one, become routine with it, and then add another one!

There are so many great topics we can offer education and guidance one!! I would love for you to share what you want to learn more on.  Send me a email here!

Do you ever feel totally overwhelmed with all of the health information and advice out there? I know I sure do!! Every time a new fad comes out I am in a position to look at it objectively, and ask myself a few questions that will also come in handy for yourself when trying to decide if the next health trend is really for you or not.

1. Is there any actual scientific evidence it works? 
2. Will this fit within a long-term lifestyle?

 
Lets look at these two things more closely........
 
Is there scientific evidence this works? This question will help you rule out the testimonial based marketing that so many companies and programs use.  “Just Look at Sally’s results, in just 4 weeks!!”  Well my question to that is, why did it work for Sally? What EXACTLY did Sally follow? How did this work in Sally’s Body?  Is there is actual human research on it? (trust me you don't need to be a research geek to ask these qualifying questions!)
 
If what you are considering is backed by some real human evidence, and there is something clinically to support it, or even statistical evidence to support it, then GO for it!! If they can prove it works outside of a bunch of testimonies, then you know you are looking at something legitimate.
(Let me give you an example of statistical proof: We know statistically that people who follow a plant based, whole food diet, have much lower risks for some diseases including certain types of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The China Study written by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell, is a statistical study on the role of plant based nutrition backed by actual science!!) 
 
Second will this fit your lifestyle long-term? Let me tell you something, heart to heart, as a Nutritionist there is NOTHING and I mean NOTHING that drives me more insane than “Quick Fix Programs”, that offer zero long term stability in results! Restrictions are temporary, and perpetual weight gains and losses is problematic over time, as the muscle loss which is associated with restrictive diets is damaging to your metabolism, and your muscles are what burn calories when you are at rest!  More muscles, more calories you burn! Feed your muscles and throw in some daily exercise, and you will have incredible and lasting results!
 
Now I often get asked “Alisa if we shouldn't do restrictive programs, why do you run short 10-21 Day programs?” and my answer to that, is these are not restrictive programs. These 10-21 Day Jump Starts help my clients focus on eliminating unhealthy habits, like processed foods, and eating late at night.  They are never calorie or carbohydrate restrictive, but instead focus on incorporating healthy lifestyle habits you can live with long after the initial timeline has been met.  
 
Bottom line if you want long-term results, you need to create a long-term lifestyle.  Sometimes the best changes are the small ones you learn to live with daily.  For example eating oatmeal for Breakfast on the weekdays helps stabilize blood sugar during the workweek and curve cravings due to blood sugar instability.  Also drinking a plant-based smoothie every day increases your daily nutrition intake, feeds healthy gut bacteria and helps keep your body feeling nourished for hours!!  I personally use Complete at my house, since is a Vegan, Gluten Free and Non GMO Shake mix that is safe for my entire family!
 
If you want Great Results you can keep, you want to follow protocols that are PROVEN to work, and incorporate strategies you can live with. 
 
Now don't forget I have an Educational Workshop Happening at the end of this month!! July 31st, 6pm EST
I am running a FREE Online Workshop on how to create your own health program!!!
You will learn:

• How to set goals you will achieve
• How to menu plan for the week
• What diet myths you MUST avoid
• What foundational supplements you should take

I will also be offering live question and answer period too!!
Now you need to Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-create-your-own-health-program-tickets-48065136116
 
Once you are Registered you will get a email later this week to join my mailing list.  The Access Codes are ONLY going out through my mailing list so be sure to Register and CONFIRM your subscription for access to this free online workshop!

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​Want to know how to create your own Health Program?
 Do you have health goals but are not sure where to start? If you are like most people who want to make changes and up your game when it comes to your diet and lifestyle, But feel totally overwhelmed by all of the information and options out there, then I hear you!!
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Even as a nutritionist it takes me a great deal of time to weed through all of the information and I truly understand how you are feeling!
 
My goal as a practitioner is to help you weed through it all, and find solutions that work for your unique body and your unique lifestyle.  That is exactly why I teach programs like The Women’s Natural Health Program workshop, where women attend and create their own hormone balancing program based on the information we discuss.  
 
I have ONLY done my job if I am leaving you more capable then when we met.  My job is to decipher the information, and put it together in a way that allows you to take what works for you and apply it to your life. Information is powerful when its laid out in a way that works for us as individuals.
 
That's why I have decided to offer a FREE Online Workshop for anyone who wants to take charge of their own health and create their own health programs.
 
July 31st At 6pm EST I will be running a totally Complimentary online workshop for you showing you how to create your own health program.
 
In this workshop we will cover

• How to set Health Goals that you will actually achieve
• How to Write your own healthy meal plans
• What Food and Diet Myths you need to avoid
• Foundational supplements

 
Space is super limited for the live event and the only access is through my mailing list.  On …… I will email out the link to Register. If you are not on my list you wont have access!! 

Weight Loss is a HOT Topic as a Nutritionist.  Over the past 14 years I have ran thousands of weight loss programs.  Weight Loss is definitely the #1 Reason most people want the support of a Nutritionist. Now that being said, clients come looking for weight loss, and we end up correcting poor digestion, determining food intolerances, clearing up skin conditions, stabilizing blood sugar levels and improving immune function, Because the right diet doesn't just promote a healthier weight, it promotes a healthier body!
 
So since summer is officially upon us, and as Canucks we tend to eat a whole bunch of the wrong foods, and drink way too much of the wrong beverages, while we enjoy the precious few months of nice weather we do get, I thought I would share some tips to not only help you prevent weight gains. 
 
If you are hoping to shed a few pounds, Let me share my 5 Tips to Summer Weight Loss.
 
#1 - Avoid Restrictions.  Yep, I’m totally serious.  See the problem I have with low calorie, low carbohydrate, and low fat, is for one thing, none of these focus on eating the right foods, and second, Protein (muscle) is a faster source of fuel than fatty tissue.  If you follow a restrictive program you WILL burn muscle. Your Muscle also happens to be your metabolism, and what is burning calories when you are at rest! Restrictive programs result in a couple things…...  
One you wont be able to maintain the weight loss once you stop your restrictive program (many gain more back than they lost!) and ….... Two it will be harder to lose weight in the future. If you are a chronic dieter who has hit a point where you are not able to lose weight, then the above may have already happened to you!
 
Watch this video I did for an event where over 600 people joined us to learn “why they couldn't lose weight”

Do you ever feel like there is simply not enough time in the day? OR that you WOULD eat healthier if only you had a plan to follow?  Well there are definitely some strategies I use in my practice to help my clients simplify healthy eating!
 
Here are my TOP 4 Time Savers For Healthy Eating....

1.  Menu Plan!! If you have been following this blog, or watched my recent video on Facebook, Menu Planning is the #1 way to get the right foods into your household and body!! Click here for my Menu Planning Strategies and Free Menu Planning Worksheets! 
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2.  Weekly Prep Time.  Now if this one makes your roll your eyes, then I am definitely speaking to you!!! Seriously I know prep time, takes time, and your likely thinking its time you don't have, BUT I am here to tell you, you DO have the time, because prep time SAVES YOU TIME! (Totally just mom rhymed there!!)

Let me explain……. Aim to find one day and time, each week you can be committed to 30-60 minutes of meal prep.  During this time you can: Cut veggies, cook chicken, cook rice, cook oats and make up some freezer bag Smoothies (see #3).  If you are feeling really adventurous you can even make a few salads in mason Jars.​ (see image below)

​We all want our children to be strong willed, we just sometimes don't want to have them raise them when they are!! And when they have made up their minds around what they will and wont eat, goodness me!! Negotiations are tough and often leave parents feeling frustrated. Hang Tight I have a simple solution!!
 
So what can we do? Well my advice? Keep it simple! There are two tricks we use at home that truly help me sleep better when it comes to my children’s nutrition.

1.  I let them participate in the planning of meals and snacks. I even encourage them to add their favourite fruits and veggies to our family grocery list.  You can check out my last article on menu planning here. 

​2. I make them a smoothie daily.  

Do you find meal planning tough? If you do you are in the same boat as many other parents who want to eat healthy, but with a lack of planning and Busy Schedules, healthy eating simply becomes, just another unchecked chore on a long list of family desires.
 
I think the biggest misconception about menu planning is how much time it actually takes to do it.  What if I told you that planning a healthy menu each week, would not only save you time, but also save your family money?!!  I’m serious!! Learning the skill of menu planning can help de-stress your busy lifestyle, help your family eat healthier, AND save your family money. (Read to bottom I have a free worksheet for you!)
 
Let me share my personal journey with menu planning.  I am a busy working mom of four children, and even though my profession of being a Nutritionist means I know how to do better, it doesn't mean I always follow, what I knew I should be doing.  Our biggest challenge as a family is being super busy, and not feeling like we have enough time to do all the healthy habits I know we should be doing!
 
I have always aimed to be a Nutritionist for REAL families. I don't expect perfection, but I do know that with the right knowledge, we can make better choices, and if we make better choices, we can feel better and if we feel better, we can live better.
 
Sounds simple right? Well for most busy families it’s actually really tough! That is why teaching my clients how to menu plan is one of my most favourite things to do!  I know what its like to not follow a plan, and frankly its pretty scary!! If I fail to plan, my family like most, will be stuck with fast and convenient options, which we all know is junk calories.  These junk calories when over consumed, are harmful long-term to our health!  We only need to take a quick peek at the national cancer rates, to gauge just how harmful this convenient and fast paced lifestyle has become!
 
So as promised here is how you can Eat Healthier, Save Time and Save Money with Menu Planning.
 
Need a Menu Planning Worksheet? Finish reading for yours!
 
1) Start With Dinner. Dinnertime for most families is where it really falls apart! Especially if you are busy with extracurricular activities.  Eating a healthy evening meal is a great way to prevent evening snacking, and is also one of the most important meals to be mindful about the type of calories you are putting in your body.  Lets face it, Pizza three nights a week is going to show up somewhere on your body!
 
Every Sunday at our house is menu planning and shopping day. I sit with my coffee in the morning and poll my family by asking, “what dinners do you guys want to eat this week?” This gives everyone a say into what meals we eat. 
If they choose a Dinner idea that is less than healthy I look for the healthy alternative, for Example:

​As a Nutritionist I see so many people who are in dire need of a RESET.  Imagine if we had an Easy Button in our homes like Staples and we could just push it and Reset our diet and lifestyle!! The bad news is, in order to feel and look different we have to make different choices.  The Good news is it doesn't have to turn your life completely upside down.
 
I know you are likely already busy enough and most of your poor dietary choices are the result of your busy lifestyle.  Trust me I get it!! I am a mom of 4 busy children and I run a full time business from home, and I homeschool (yes I am totally crazy!!)
 
I understand Busy, and I have always strived to be the Nutritionist for real moms and dads.  I know you wont likely become a vegan by the end of the weekend, and I know there are things in your diet that you know are bad for you, but that you are maybe not willing to sacrifice (no matter how tight that bathing suit is!). The good news is a RESET can be super simple and you can adjust it to meet your individual needs!
 
Before I show you what a RESET is, I want you to check off from the list below the ones that apply to you:

• Gassy and bloated (especially by evening)
• Constipated (less than 1 poop a day)
• Always Hungry (cravings falls into this one too!)
• Mood Swings
• Fatigue (If you are counting the hours until you are back in bed we need to chat!)
• Skin issues (acne, eczema, psoriasis, flaky)
• Brain Fog
• Not happy with body shape

 
Now if you are checking off more than a couple of these (2-3 its time to reset. 4 or more Im moving in!!) then you definitely need to consider hitting the RESET button!
 
So how do you RESET? 
Easy! First you make a decision (yes, right now is good) that it is indeed time to make some changes.  
 
Second look at your current week and think about where you struggle the most with your habits.  Are you crashing in the afternoon? Are you using caffeine and sugar to power through the day? Are you not planning your meals and snacks and eating on the fly (honestly the worst of all the habits!!). 
What is your worst habit right now that you know needs to go?
 
Ok so now that you have figured out what you need to fix, write it down (yes seriously!! Writing it down shows your brain you are acknowledging the issue). Then create a solution.  Need help? Send me your challenge I will personally send you a solution!

Now here is where the RESET comes in!  10 Days!! I need 10 days to get you organized.  
 
Days 1-3 – Focus on Eating The Right Foods!!
I personally use a whole food based health line with my clients, as it's the easiest way to get more nutrients into the blood stream.  You can also Juice your own fruits and veggies or just focus more on plants at every single meal.  Increasing natural nutrition, starts to support your body’s natural ability to clean out toxicity.  You should also notice you are starting to eliminate more. If you are not eliminating well  (pooping at least 1-2 times a day), will want to stay on this step until you do!  
Need help pooping? Message me and I will send you some solutions!
Ps, this step also includes drinking lots and lots of water!! You want clear pee!
 
Days 4-6 – Focus on Eliminating the Processed Foods, Sugar and Sweeteners.  This is a doosie of a step and if you are regularly consuming these foods, you may be pooping better, but I can assure you, you this step can make you feel like poop!! This is actually a good sign!! Nutritionists do a little happy dance when you cut out the garbage food and start to detox. This is a tough step, but one of the most important if you want to feel good and look good. If you need help, message me!!
 
Days 7-10 – Eliminate Dairy and Gluten. Now I know this seems like another fad, but in fact, most people do not tolerate dairy or gluten very well, and the easiest way to determine if your body is better off without it, is to eliminate it! Many of my clients have found immediate results with the elimination of wheat and dairy including reduced digestive stress, reduced brain fog and even weight loss!! If you need some alternatives I can help you there too!!
 
Now if all of this seems amazing, but you are unsure of how to do it, I get it. These guidelines are an amazing RESET and if you make it through all 10 days on your own you might have super powers and I am Impressed!! If you feel like you need help to get started or support to keep you going, that is what I am here for! I have a great 10 Day Program, with guide and recipes, webinars and more to help you RESET your Body and start to feel and look amazing!

Be sure to follow me on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/livingwellwithAlisaHerriman/

​Caution!! This is a no filtered message from a slightly disgruntled, but incredibly passionate Nutritionist. There are a few truth bombs here, and some colourful language. Enjoy!
 
Alright so it’s the beginning of another New Year, and the possibilities for this New Year are endless.  If you are like many others at the start of a fresh year, and after likely over indulging for the past month, you may have set a weight loss or “get healthy” type goal, and if that is you, then this information is totally for you!
 
Lets start with focusing on the stuff, many of us know we are doing wrong. If any of the following apply to you, then you have Definitely made the Right decision to read this letter from me to you, for the start of 2018!

• If you have referred to your holiday day drinking (or the shear amount of alcohol you have consumed) as making you more like a pirate than an alcoholic, Then you Definitely need to finish reading this article


• If you have consumed more pastries and hors d'oeuvres in December than the other 11 months of 2017 combined, then you Definitely need to keep reading!


• If your pants have started to fit more like jeggings (men, you too!) then you Definitely need to continue reading


• Lastly if you feel bloated, tired, and lethargic.  Then take a quick nap, take a probiotic, grab some JP and start memorizing the following, because this is DEFINITELY for you!

 
Now if you have been on a healthy journey before I am sure you are assuming you are going to see the same advice that you have seen before, and frankly you probably will, because well, there are some just non- negotiable basics.  (Stop rolling your eyes, master the basics and I guarantee you get results!)
 
So what are these Non-Negotiable Healthy Living Basics? Well smarty pants here they are (.......again)

1.  Stop skipping meals and snacks!! Unless you want the metabolism of a sloth (which for many is an actual problem) and if you really don’t like feeling energized all day, then by all means skip them!! But if you want your body to function like it actually has a decent metabolic rate, then schedule your daily meals and snacks!  Look at your daily routine and aim for something nutritious every 2-3 hours.

Eating Consistently: stabilizes your blood sugar, prevents fatty tissue gains, and reduces cravings.  Stabilized blood sugar means you have will power (it really is a super power) and your brain will be in a better position to make healthier choices.  Lets face it cucumber slices suck, when your blood sugar is on a roller coaster ride.

2.  Throw the processed garbage to the curve!! Our modern world has become a society that consumes more canned, boxed, frozen and fast foods than natural unprocessed foods.  It only takes a quick peek at our top National causes of death (Cancer and Cardiovascular disease) to know this sh*t is a problem!!!  

Eating most of our calories from packaged foods floods our body's with incredible amounts of preservatives, flavour enhancers and other chemicals that become what we of the Nutrition field gently refer to as “Toxic Burden”.  AND......... if you are not eating enough of the natural unprocessed foods, that support your body’s natural pathways to break down and eliminate these toxins, then you become a wonderful storage container for them! 
 
North American Humans have become addicted to the chemical reaction we get when we consume, the over processed, and highly flavoured foods vs. having a “nutritional” reaction to our foods as we get when we eat unprocessed natural foods.  The problem is we choose more of he highly flavoured, over processed foods than the natural foods and we end up completely nutrient deficient, toxic, fatigued, unmotivated, bloated….. Do I need to go on?
 
Eliminating processed foods is tough!! That’s why Step 3 is SOOOOO important!

3.  Plan your meals and snacks!! If I had a magic wand that helped my clients get great results, it would be a meal-planning wand!! (however I do have the next best thing customized meal plans) If you want to eat well, you need a plan to eat well.  Seriously if you want to do ANYTHING well, you need a plan!  

Meal Planning is definitely tough at first, it’s a skill, and I look at it as an underused muscle.  You need to strengthen your weeny little meal planning muscle!.  Now you may be starting with the weeny meal planning muscle of a eight year old girl, but if you keep working your weeny meal planning muscle, it get stronger, you will feel stronger, you will have more control, you will start eating less of the processed garbage that is polluting your body and mind, AND you will start to enjoy the healthy unprocessed foods mother nature has prepared for you. You will start to feel vibrant, healthy, clean, and full of energy and guess what  also happens? YOU WILL GET RESULTS, and they will be permanent!

4. Avoid Ridiculous Restrictions.  If you want to be tortured as you get results, and if you don’t want to keep your results, by all means follow a super low calorie, low fat, or low carb diet.   

I wont deny significant restrictions get results, but I will promise the moment you step outside your restrictions, you will have a very (and I mean very) hard time maintaining your results!  These types of programs kill your metabolism because protein (muscle) is a faster source of fuel than fat.  Unless you are doing crazy amounts of weight training with a expert in muscle building, following a restrictive program will burn your muscle and destroy your metabolism. (PS your muscles are kinda important, they are what burn calories when you are at rest!)

5.  Take a Good Quality Whole Food Based Supplement as an insurance policy.  Now I wont ever pretend that my diet is perfect! I plan for all our family’s meals and snack in about 20 minutes on a Sunday EVERY week. I make a healthy grocery-shopping list to match the meals and snacks we have collectively chosen as a family, but life happens and some weeks are “life-ier” than others. It’s NOT about perfection! It’s about setting standards and working on them until they become your “normal habits’ and then you can slip up occasionally and still get results!   AND having a good daily back up plan for quality nutrients is important for those moments when life shows up, because we all know it will!  

My TOP Recommended whole food brand is Juice Plus+. Its what I use with my family, and it’s the only brand I recommend to my clients! How did I come to the conclusion that this was the product for my family and myself? Well for one, there is actual third party studies done on the Juice Plus products, and over 35+ clinical publications (this is nerd proof, and it matters). Its NSF certified, meaning my children are not getting a product full of chemicals, its tested by Health Canada (many products on the market are not!) and it’s a totally ALL WHOLE FOOD based product and non GMO!! It checks a lot of boxes that matter to experts in the Nutrition field.  I also love that the company focuses on helping the entire family get healthy, with the Children’s Health Study!

6.  Join a group of like-minded people or get professional help! If you think you will do well on your own you may, but you may not, and I am a big believer that you are, what you hang out with.  If you have 9 unhealthy friends I guarantee you will be the 10th!!!  

There are lots of great groups to join. If you are new to healthy living lifestyle, then find a group that focuses on the basics.  If you have a significant health or weight loss goal work with a professional!! Working with a Nutritionist will help you with meal planning, accountability and help you find the right group to be a part of!  If you need help with number 6 email me at nutrinityhealth@hotmail.com I will set you up, or point you in the right direction with meal plans and healthy living groups.
 
Ok so realistically, I could add about 10 more to this, but I will end it here as I am worried your undernourished December brain is starting to slow down on me.  Do me one more favour before you conk out on me, take a moment to identify what habits you know are your biggest culprit.  Start there. Make them your New Years Resolution. 

Long term results are found in creating solutions for our worst habits.  Start with one at a time or jump in with both feet. If you plan well, eat on schedule, avoid the processed garbage, avoid crazy restrictions, take a good quality whole food based supplement and find support, I promise you will be successful and by the end of 2018 a healthier version of you!