Healing Your Whole SELF

“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need” – Ayurvedic proverb

                         

I am excited to announce that I am officially a Certified Holistic Nutritionist! Many of my clients come to me for emotional support and advice, however during our sessions there is often a missing piece that I needed. Many clients struggle with health issues and I felt that I needed to have more training and information on how to offer solutions and guidance to support your goals.

I have always recognized that there is no “one size fits all” diet which is going to cure all illnesses. Through my insight and coaching with you, I focus on having a thorough understanding of your personal goals, needs, and lifestyle to create a food and life style that is tailored for YOU.

Let me help you get things back on track not only emotionally but physically as well so you can start thriving, rather than just surviving!

Food STYLE

Food has the power to nourish, heal and energize our bodies. As a society, we are no longer truly nourishing ourselves with food, usually because we are too busy to take the time to do so. Instead we opt for pre-packaged and processed “fake foods”, which cause us more harm than we could have ever imagined. To truly heal ourselves, we need to reconnect with real, whole, nutrient-dense foods and eat the way nature intended. 

Four simple food rules:

1. If you can grow it, pick it, hunt it; if it will rot; if it was once alive (plants as well) – eat it. If it is packaged and processed, don’t eat it

2. Food should always be enjoyed – “healthy” does not have to mean “tasteless”

3. Create an awareness and appreciation of how you eat and where the food you eat comes from

4. Choose quality over quantity


Active Life STYLE

Exercise is a form of stress on the body, which means a little can be of huge benefit to your wellbeing, but too much is just as detrimental as none at all. My key exercise principles:

1. Train smarter, not longer, doing a variety of exercises and movements that you enjoy and have fun!

2. Never view exercise as “punishment” for something else

3. Always allow adequate time for rest, recovery and regeneration and incorporate mindfulness in your routine to help with stress and decompression

My Life STYLE Approach

My philosophy is simple: Eat real food! Holistic nutrition addresses the whole person by determining and addressing the underlying causes of your health conditions rather than simply addressing the symptoms.Stress, negativity, lack of sleep and lack of play can undo all of the benefits we obtain from eating well and training smart. It’s true. 

So start being kind to yourSELF (and others) NOW by:
1. Try to get 7-8hrs of sleep each night to allow your body to adequately rejuvenate
2. Incorporate stress management into each and every day, such as meditation, deep breathing or simply going for a 10 minute walk (or sit) outside
3. Play! Do something fun with friends or family on a regular basis that is unrelated to work or exercise

Remember –

• 
Optimal wellness is so much more than simply eating good food, but food is an excellent starting point
• You can’t out-train a bad diet
•  Have fun with your new life style approach to wellness

Styling Your Personal Program:

I design personalized nutrition & wellness programs for my clients, who come to me with a variety of concerns such as stress, fatigue, aches and pains, weight gain and weight loss, digestive issues, hormonal balance, infertility, PMS, anxiety & mood swings, or direction with cleansing/detoxing.

My approach focuses on three main areas: nutrition, lifestyle/emotional wellness, and exercise/stress relief. I will design a meal plan, help you uncover hidden food allergies that may be causing some health problems, and aside from what I uncover during the consultation process, I use my insight and training to uncover areas of imbalance, and I’ll recommend various methods to help you achieve optimal health.

You deserve to be SELFishly Styled from the inside out and to live a life that is healthy and vibrant!

If you are interested in a FREE Holistic Nutrition Assessment, Contact Me Today or visit my website, www.ginaclapprood.com

xo

Gina

Oh Hey There 40...I'm Ready for Ya!

So this is it…(dramatic pause here)…the last day of my 30s.  I know that sounds dramatic but I feel like I have learned so much just in this year alone that it’s important to me to document it somehow.  Forty is coming at me fast and furious, part of me is ready, part of me is in denial, and part of me has a half pint left of Ben and Jerry’s Urban Bourbon sitting in my freezer on standby when I’m ready to eat my feelings.  

Anywho, so now I guess it’s time for me to become an adult, a legit, forty-something. I guess now I am supposed to be wiser and more seasoned on certain topics, right?  However, somehow I still feel like I am a twenty-something which makes no sense because I have no interest in going back to my twenties. I must be getting older because I never thought I would say that. Like EVER. I am at the stage in my life where I am looking back and can say that I am so different than who I was at this point ten years ago entering my 30s, and I am actually proud of the person I’m becoming.  

I do feel that as I look back I am trying hard to remember what I have learned over the last 39 years and 364 days.  The ah-ha! Moments, the ups, the downs, and hard life lessons.  At the end of the day, the biggest lesson is: It shouldn’t really matter-just live your life to the fullest and be happy.  I am pretty sure everyone has these moments at some point or another. What matters is what you do about them, take from them and learn from them.

So here is a list of 40 things I have learned along the way about life and/or myself. Maybe you already know all of the things on my list or maybe I can help you to pick up a few new facts before your next birthday.

1. There are not going to be 40 things on this list.  Who has time to read through 40 things?! Not this girl. I don’t even know if I would have 40 things to list here. And 10 years ago, that would have been what I would do, I would have listed 30 things and it would have been all cute and completely predictable of me. 

This almost 40-something has learned that I would much rather not go with the status quo lately.  Do what may be a little unexpected, break the mold, try to be full of surprises.  So maybe I’ll end up listing 8, 19, 34 or 20 things—doesn’t matter. Learn that you don’t need a plan, and wing it sometimes.  I have always had a Plan A, and then a Plan B, and a Plan C on standby.  Now, I am trying to just go with the flow as much as I can.  This has been a hard one for me, especially being a Virgo—but it has been an important one and if you read no further I’m ok with that because I feel that strongly about this one.  

2. Just as important, (and thank you for continuing to read on) your eyebrows really shape your face.  I learned that the hard way when I “accidentally” removed the inner halves of mine when I was like 12.  It wasn’t a good look on me.  Take care of those arches ladies (and gents). It’s one of the first things I notice and I can’t help it.  Guilty as charged. 

3. Growing up my grandmother would always say, “Little girls should be seen and not heard”.  So that’s pretty much how I grew up, kept to myself, observed and listened…until something clicked and I realized that wasn’t me—I should be SEEN and HEARD.  I mean there is a way to do this appropriately, so I suggest when you are seen and heard you do so with class.  Class is important.

4. Speaking of class…you either have it or you don’t. There is no in between.

5. Smile when you feel sad and know that it’s ok to ask for a hug. Try it right now, if you make the biggest smile you can, you will automatically feel happier.  If you are lucky enough to have someone to hug you—really hug you tight and hang there for a few moments—that feeling alone can melt the sadness away.  I can always go for a hug like that. (tomorrow would be a REALLY good day for a hug)

6. I need a lot of different shampoos. NEED not want. That’s just the way it is.  Bad hair day…blame the shampoo of the day.   Switching it up is a good thing…on the daily. My husband doesn’t call me Medusa for nothing, sometimes I put extra bottles in there just to mess with him.

7. I am not a good cook.  I tried. I can try harder. I need to make the time to cook and when I actually do I can be semi-good at it.  But it’s not my forte and I will accept it.

8. This brings me to meal prep.  It’s impossible in my house.  Can’t happen, my savages eat all my food, healthy or not.  So, spending time prepping for the week here just translates to how much can I prepare so that these little animals can eat it all in less than 4 hours.  Not for me.  

9. Hairspray.  I can’t live without it.  Not in a Teresa Caputo way, but if I am going to have any style to my hair—it needs to be held with the spray.  Don’t judge. 

10. Lipstick.  Need I say more? You can never have too many. Don’t leave the house without any on.  Even if it’s a clear gloss, I always have something on.  OK? OK.

11. Amazon Prime Membership is totally worth it.  It can be dangerous, but totally worth it and saves a bunch of time.  

12. You will reevaluate relationships every so often.  There are people that we cross paths with for a reason, a season and for a lifetime.  They will enter your life at different times and you may be surprised just who your absolute true friends are.  When you do, let them know how much you love them and care about them.  If it’s consistently not reciprocated, you will know it’s time to place your energies elsewhere. 

13. Just say the real reason, if you can, that you may need to cancel plans with someone.  Don’t give a lame excuse.  I would rather hear you are broke, don’t feel like it because you had a long day, don’t want to see me, don’t like me anymore, whatever, than get some reason that is obviously not the reason you are canceling.  

14. Read as much as you can. Whatever you want to read, just keep your brain sharp, escape in a book, and learn something new.  I’ve recently started reading again and it’s become my escape and it’s a feeling of accomplishment when you finish a book and can feel the impact it has made on you.  

15. I am not a politically charged person.  I may pay attention, but I will respect your choices no matter what side you are on. Everyone has a right to their opinion. I’ll leave that one there.

16. Whiskey.  Who knew? I used to drink Midori Sours! Ten years ago I never would have thought I would be drinking whiskey when I loved my sugary drinks. And now I love me a good whiskey.  I love the warmth of it and the benefits. Don’t know what they are? Google them…stat! You. Are. Welcome.

17. If you want something, ask for it.  Don’t think that you can’t, don’t hint because people usually don’t pick up on the hints.  Just put it out there. Straight. 

 18. Get a bra fitting. If your bra fits you right, you will see and feel the difference.  After three kids….you can trust me on this one. 

19. Don’t think every new trend and style is for you. If you don’t love the way you look in something and feel you just look “ok” don’t buy it.  Also ask yourself if something is too trendy or if the piece is something classic enough where you will get your wear out of it for many seasons.  Trust me on this. I decluttered and was sick to my stomach when I saw all the trendy clothes that I put in the donation pile. It feels good to donate though but think about your purchases first and ten years from now. 

20. Learn how to say no, let go and let it flow.  Ditch the whole idea of being perfect.  You will disappoint others, yourself included.  It’s normal and part of life. It’s how we learn.  But it’s important to stay true to yourself and do what is right for you-so if saying no to something is what fits best with your desires-by all means do it.  

21. Do not over commit and under deliver. Just don’t. It’s so much better to just say no and leave it at that.

22. If you are thinking of doing something nice for someone-do it.  Don’t OVERDO it. So many times I used to see something that would remind me of someone and want to buy it or mention it, and didn’t because I didn’t want to seem like I was being “too nice” or whatever it may be seen as. These days, if you cross my mind and I see something I will let you know, because life is just too short to not show you I care.

23. Let your kids splash in the puddles after the rain.  (My sister will just love this one) Live vicariously through them with a little bit of reckless abandon.  That kind of happiness is so good for the soul, for them and for you.  

24. Don’t compare your life to anyone else’s.  I can assure you that what you think isn’t always the case about someone almost 100% of the time. Trust me on this. I am the keeper of a lot of secrets and I can attest to this for many of my clients. Life isn’t always what you think it’s like for someone on the outside as it is for them on the inside.

25. Don’t assume. Don’t.  What we create in our heads will destroy us.  Ask questions, communicate with each other and get the FACTS.  Much conflict in relationships can be avoided and resolved if we can eliminate our assumptions about what the other is thinking, doing, why they are not responding back, etc. It’s too vicious of a cycle.

26. Don’t rely on all these popular inspirational books.  I read them myself but I feel it is important to listen to your own inner voice.  Learn what it is that inspires you. Your OWN story.  What is your story? Write that versus reading someone else’s.  

27. Life is hard.  It will challenge you, break you, build you back up.  It’s a roller coaster ride for sure.  It’s up to you to figure out what makes you happy. Live your own moments and relish in the small moments. Someday you may look back and realize they were the big moments. This is the hardest part for me about turning 40, it’s not the whole aging thing or any of that, despite my references to lipstick and shampoo above.  For me, it is that I don’t want to miss those moments that are yet to come. Life IS short, every day isn’t guaranteed and each day we wake up we should remind ourselves of that. (Put the lipstick on though just to be safe)

So, we will leave it there at 27 things. Deep breath, I am smiling because I feel a little sad, I need a hug but I’ve got this. Oh and one more thing…

28. I have learned that you can have TONS of class and drop and F bomb every now and then and it feels really good when you do. (You know you want to drop one right now just because)

And so with that… I’ll accept this and say Eff it…Hey 40! I'm Ready for Ya! Let's do this! (Let me just finish my Urban Bourbon first)

Xo, Gina

"I Got You"

"I Got You"

I've always been, and still am very much a "good girl" but...no longer at the
sacrifice of mySELF. This year, my 39th (gulp!) year, I declared I would own it. Well, that hasn't gone exactly as I had planned and that’s OK. I am growing and learning and I can absolutely feel myself transitioning from a “good girl” into the “free woman” I need to be to take on the next chapter of my life.

I started putting out this term on my page "SELFish B" (I mean, I don’t know if I started it…but I’ve been using it A LOT as it resonates with me. I am even launching a workshop around the concept so…there you go) The whole premise is to love yourSELF (with SELF being strongly emphasized). The premise of this is to not feel guilt for putting your needs, wants, and dreams first for a change. For not being “such a good girl” all the time and doing what is expected of you, following all the rules, explaining yourself, saying “I’m sorry” when seriously?! What the hell are you even sorry for? How many times do I say that when it’s just a filler and I am NOT sorry at all. I am not afraid to appropriately (note that I use the word appropriately because I am not saying here that I am going to go off and become a complete rebel or anything) question the status quo if I don’t agree with it. So as I am quickly approaching the next frontier of my life, I am really trying to get myself in a good place about it. I guess you could say, I am growing up… I kind of feel like I am going through some kind of weird second puberty or something for mid-adulthood. Adulting is so freaking hard! It’s confusing as all hell. Lately it seems like everything I once liked or didn’t like has changed. I am so ready to stop the madness and start putting myself first. To not answer to everyone else’s expectations of me that don’t fit with who I am. 

So yeah....I'm ready to be a SELFish B...No guilt. And none needed. Who I want to be…I am becoming…so the question is…now what?

Which brings me to this.  I couldn’t sleep last night and started thinking, I really want my forties to be f*cking amazing. As I sat in bed awake last night I got really sad thinking about my thirties, I felt myself just crack wide open and let my emotions flow.  I didn't feel sad because my thirties are coming to an end, but because I spent so much of them stressed out and worrying. Wishing I was thinner, richer, smarter, etc. Anything to feel that sense of validation—guess what? It never came. I spent much of those years hoping to be liked by others, trying to please others-and now I realize that for some of them, that was just a waste of my time. I mostly overextended myself at my own expense.  Not that what we do is always because we want something back, that isn't what I am saying here at all--but when you are obviously not getting a reciprocal of any sort back in whatever relationship or exchange that is taking place, you have to at some point take a step back and say--yeah, eff this I think I am all set.  I now realize that I was going to be liked whether I tried or not by the right people in my life, regardless. That is precisely how relationships should work--with ease.


So you know what, I realize that the only person I am truly sorry to is me....I apologize to myself, my 30-something year old worried-stressed out-people-pleasing-overachieving-self-criticizing self. And I assured myself this: for the rest of my days..."I Got You"...


As I gear up for the next chapter, I have made some promises to myself:

*I will not deprive myself from genuine love, food, feeling what I want to feel, or bad mindless TV (don't judge)

*I will stick up for myself and I will not be underestimated.

*I will declutter my space and my mind of toxicity.

*I will not compare myself to the illusions posted on my Facebook feed.

*I will take pictures with my kids because they don't nearly have enough.

*I will not over give of myself and set myself up for thankless disappointment.

*I will enjoy time in the present moment and cherish the little intangibles.

*I will love myself. It may not always be a cake walk, but I will unconditionally love me.


Listen, before I know it, I will be writing a post about how (God willing) I will be lying wide awake some night and approaching 50…and I’ll be damned if I am not writing about all the crazy amazing shit I did in my forties! I will have NO regrets and will be overflowing that page if I have anything to say about it.


This SELFish B has bigger and better things to do….and so should YOU.



~Just Keep Clapping

Xo

Gina

Are you GROWING? Tips for Living Up to YOUR Potential

Are you GROWING? I'm not talking about the new heels you bought, I'm asking are you really growing? Like are you mentally growing in your way of thinking, in your friendships, in your work, in your capacity? Are you living up to your full potential every day?  Honestly, I would love to meet someone that can say they do.  I think we can all aim to, but we definitely can strive to, and I believe that is more than half the battle. My goal for this year is to not waste time, clog my mind on pointless flicking of social media and be absolutely intentional about my days-as much as possible.  This is what I plan to do and what I believe will help us grow and live up to our potential (well at least half way) 1: INTENTION Wake up each morning and BE intentional on WHO you spend your time with. Friendships need to serve you both. You need to be happy around your friends and importantly both offer positivity, a little give and take, plenty of trust and mutual support. This is the making of a solid and long lasting friendship. Not only is our time precious and full but we must take a moment to sit, stop and see if the friendships we have around us are best for us now and moving forward. If you are intentional of who you spend time with, your days will be more positive, productive and efficient. 2: PLAN It may sound like a cliché, daunting and boring word, but it really shouldn’t be. Planning ahead whether it is for setting aside time for yourself to exercise, read a book, a date night with your partner, ensures that you are more likely to actually stick to it.  Planning produces consistency and consistency produces results. 3: CHALLENGE What’s the biggest challenge you have this year and how do you go about dealing with it? Don't wait for it to come around, start thinking how it can shape your year. Are you ready to ask for a promotion in your job; would you like to write, time to date more, meet new friends, run a 5K?  Each year we hear of all these new resolutions but what will be your changing gear this year? Let your mind start the process; write it down and get to it! Challenge yourself for the win! 4: EXPANSION Whether we like it or not every year we WILL change. We will grow, it will either be forwards, backwards or sideways. It’s OK if your path looks different than those around you-do not compare the direction they are going in to your own. You are on your own journey in life. You need to go through your own lessons and expansion. 5: NEVER COMPARE Don't allow yourself to scroll social media comparing the life you have with another person. Remember we all put up our show of the best moments of our lives and your time is valuable; its priceless. We all have our own purpose, our course and our own unique names. As the year rolls on promise that you won't let your imagination take over and think of being someone else. Who you are is more than enough and the level of influence you have on others will grow stronger as you keep on the bright road you're meant to travel. I promise you, if you can follow these steps, you will more than reach your potential and inspire others to persevere when attempting to achieve theirs. And as always, remember to #justkeepclapping Xo Gina

Perseverance = Inspiration

Inspiration is something I value and something that I sometimes struggle with. Not only to be an inspiration, especially to my boys and to others when I can, but to be inspired myself. I find myself challenged everyday with trying to achieve my goals; pushing myself, and always looking for ways to improve, versus just being in the moment and being inspired by it. 


Often, we create goals with the best of intentions. At first, we’re super motivated, then unfortunately, somewhere along the way, our shiny inspiration and tasks to achieve our goals become a little overwhelming or difficult to manage. We may falter, stall, fall flat or completely give up.


Sound familiar?

What I am learning is that inspiration can’t be something that we plan. Why? Because when we set goals it may become hard to achieve them, no matter how much we plan for them, what the execution is and especially if those goals rely on the help of others. We need to rely on our own healthy dose of perseverance. Goals can seem daunting and even unattainable without it.


It is our perseverance that becomes the inspiration.


So, if as adults we have difficulty persevering, how do we inspire our kids to stick through it when the going gets tough? How can I make sure I do my part to teach my boys not to give up during trying times?


First we need to make sure we have their full attention. We need to teach our children to persevere when it comes to their goals. Teach them what perseverance means.

This is what I believe it means:

Persevering means we don’t give up even when it’s hard.

We do not let obstacles get in the way of our goal.

We enjoy the journey and do not get discouraged even if it does not go the way we hoped it would.

We need to lead by example. If they see us working hard towards our goals, it will be easier for them to model it themselves one day, or even take our motivating advice when they need it most. As long as they can see that we are learning something new while persevering in a positive way, modeling is a great way to reinforce our message.


We also need to sit back and let ourselves be inspired by our kids.


The young and inspirational minds of our children can spark something inside our adult minds that reminds us to be a little more creative, (just like when we were kids) and take life a little lighter. Parenthood can be tricky but as much as we’re here to teach them, they’re also here to teach us. As parents, we could even say that we persevere through parenthood. Let’s face it, it’s not always easy and it can be really trying at times, but at the end of the day we all have the same goal of raising our children to be the best they can be.


Let’s hope that they keep the cycle going, crush their goals, adapt and adjust where they need to, persevere and inspire others along the way. Applaud themselves and their accomplishments and as always...#justkeepclapping

xo

Gina

Thank YOU for Another Year of Friendship-My Pledge

If you are fortunate enough to have the type of friend that I like to describe as low maintenance, silent, always there for you even though you don’t see one another often, talk on the phone or even text often, but that when you see them, you can feel their love for you. That friend that no matter if you feel like you’re having the worst hair day, feel bloated and like shit, will always tell you how fabulous you look. Go the extra step and even point out and compliment your how your blush lights up your face (you know who you are) or how you are slaying that lip gloss.  Yep-that friend. That genuine I-get-you friendship.  The one you feel that somehow you just don’t deserve. 

Why? Because they are the ones that are there for YOU. The ones that go out of their way to make YOU feel good. To light YOU up, effortlessly, no matter what shit they are constantly dealing with in their own lives, they are wanting to hear about YOUR shit.  They are worried about YOU, not themselves.  They love YOU.  They put YOU before THEM.  Wait…. these friends exist?!  They most certainly do and I am blessed to have some in my inner circle. 

What prompted this post is actually a Christmas card I received in the mail yesterday.  From one of these special friends in my life.  It was what she wrote in the last sentence that struck me and made me shed a few tears and think for a bit about our friendship.  She wrote, “Thank you for another year of your friendship.”  She writes this pretty much on every card she has sent me and for some reason this year it struck me differently.  Maybe because I am getting older and looking at life from a different perspective? Or maybe because I have been having some stressful and shitty days lately that reading that really struck a chord with me. 

Someone is thanking me for being their friend?  When does that ever happen? I feel like I do not deserve her friendship, but I am so blessed and honored to call her my friend.  When is the last time I have thanked my inner circle for being there for me and for another year of their friendship?  After all, we choose our friends, they can drop us like hot potatoes at any time, yet real friends choose not to.  They stick by you through it all.

So I am writing this because I want to make sure that I let my friends know that I am thankful for their friendship.  I also pledge today to try to be a better friend no matter what else I may be wrapped up in at the moment.  

My Pledge: The Friend I Want To Be

I want to be that friend that when I see you, you feel welcomed, accepted and greeted in my presence. That means when I see you, I start with love.  

I want you to feel that you are enough.  More than enough. In fact when you are with me, talking to me, confiding in me, I don’t want you to ever feel insecure or judged in my presence.  I want you to see the best in me and I will always see the best in you.  

I want you to feel celebrated as my friend.  I want to be the friend that shows you gratitude for being in my life.  I want to applaud you and help you see your beauty, talent, power and strength.  

I want us to both see one another how we should see ourselves, realize our own worth, welcome it, own it and KICK ASS together.  I promise that the best in me will be here for all the best in you.  

Thank you for another year of your friendship. 

Xo

~Gina

#justkeepclapping

www.ginaclapprood.com