Diana Fletcher

Go Back and Take the Right Path

Posted on 28. Jan, 2010 by Diana in Coaching, Health, Life Choices

How has January gone for you?

Did you make any new changes in your life?

Did you make resolutions? Did you keep them?

I would like you to take a few minutes to review your month.

Think about what you wanted to accomplish and
review how you did.

If you had some problems, experienced set backs, or are feeling worn out and tired, I would like you to think about something….

Maybe you chose the more difficult path.And maybe you did that because you truly wanted to make changes, and you wanted them FAST!

I think this is the mistake we often make. We want the quick fix, the immediate result, the change to come…painlessly.

It doesn’t work that way, but that isn’t all bad. When you take your time and build new habits, slowly and surely, those are the habits that will stay with you, and that’s how you can change your life.

Choose the path where you make changes gradually and build those changes into your life.

Think about this: If you made one healthy change a week, in one year, you will have made 52 changes.

52 Changes!!! Think about that.

And they don’t even have to be huge! Here are some examples….

1st week, drink a big glass of water every morning.
2nd week, a ten minute walk every day.
3rd week, go to bed 15 minutes earlier.
4th week, one piece of fruit, no matter what, every day.
5th week, add vegetables, each and every day.

Do you get the idea?

Gradually, the extra weight comes off, and stays off.

Little by little, you get used to drinking water and realize that you feel better.

Step by step, you start getting more sleep and get more done in the morning.

All of sudden you notice, you are looking forward to your ten minute walk, and you add 5 more minutes a day.

It starts with little changes and they lead to bigger and bigger changes, and then…Presto! You are where you want to be.

The days, the weeks, and the months will pass anyway.

Each day, do something good for yourself. Stop making it a big deal and start noticing the little things.

If you have been on the harder path, go back, and take the other path.
The one that will truly get you where you want to go.

I have something exciting coming up in February that will help you with this. Taking the right path for you, learning how to take care of yourself…I have many wonderful things to share with you.
Hint: Check out the FREE teleclasses.

Meanwhile, be good to yourself.

If you need to start over, start over.

But do not, I repeat, do not beat yourself up about this.

Gently take yourself by the hand, and start down the right path for you.
It’s not too late to change paths. Really.

Free Teleclass: Too Stressed to Think?

Posted on 25. Jan, 2010 by Diana in Events

“Too Stressed to Think?: Effective Parenting Even When Your Kids Make You Crazy”

Join Stress Reducing Expert Diana Fletcher and her guest, award-winning author, Annie Fox, as they discuss stress, parents and teens.

Date: Wednesday, Feburary 17,2010

Time: 1:00 – 1:45 pm EST

The coaches will discuss:

• How to become more aware of your own stress triggers in regard to your kids
• How to model healthy stress management skills for the rest of the family
• Teens and choices
• The four stressors that teens need to know about
• What stress traps are, and what to do about them
• Needing and Getting Support
• How to guide your teen through an Emotional Time

As an educator, author and online advisor, Annie’s work is all about empowering young people through increased self-awareness, emotional intelligence skills and stress-reduction strategies. Annie’s wonderful books can be found on her website www.anniefox.com

Free Teleclass: It doesn’t have to be a BIG Deal!

Posted on 25. Jan, 2010 by Diana in Events

* UPDATE *: Missed Diana’s February 11th Call? Don’t worry! It was fantastic and you can listen to it here!

“It doesn’t have to be a BIG Deal!”

Free Teleclass with Diana Fletcher, Stress Reducing Expert Coach

• Are you tired of wasting time?
• Are you tired of wasting money?
• Are you tired of feeling unhealthy?
• Are you tired of being tired?

Wouldn’t you love to know how to take care of yourself, live in a healthier way, stop running around like a nut…..without making it such a big deal?

You are wasting time and money trying to get healthy and organized.

STOP. It doesn’t have to be such a big deal

Getting your life, your time, and your health in good shape, does NOT have to be a big deal. Find out how to finally feel in control of your life during this valuable teleclass.

Join Diana Fletcher as she shares solid, workable strategies to get your life in order without wasting time and effort. Diana will inspire you and ignite your passion for a healthier, happier life!

Date: Thursday, February 11th
Time: 7:00 EST

I am so excited about the book signing this week!

Posted on 18. Jan, 2010 by Diana in Coaching, Events, Health, Life Choices

It is so exciting to be a part of the opening of a new bookstore/coffeeshop! I am happy for owner Rosemarie Dicola and her business partner and excited to be invited to share in this.
2010 will be a powerful year, and I want to share strategies with the guests about all the ways to harness the power that they already have.
Here is the information for the event from a recent press release:

Books & Beans, Leechburg’s new Coffee and Book Store located at 156 Market St in Leechburg will host our first book signing and lecture. Books & Beans features fresh brewed fine coffee, espresso drinks, custom teas, and our signature hot chocolate, along with hundreds of gently used books in a warm comfortable setting made to allow you to enjoy time with great drinks, great reads and of course great friends.

Come to meet and learn from local author and Life Coach Diana Fletcher on how to take control of your life, reduce the stress, and feel good at the end of each day! Learn why resolutions don’t always work, and what you can do about that. Diana will discuss her latest book, Reduce Your Stress: Month by Month Stress Reducing Strategies in the comfortable setting of Leechburg’s cozy and relaxing, Books & Beans on Thursday, January 21st, 2010, from 6:00 – 6:30 pm. The presentation will be followed by a Q & A session and Diana will be available to sign books.

Free Teleclass: What are you waiting for? 2010 is Your Year!

Posted on 04. Jan, 2010 by Diana in Events

What are you waiting for? 2010 Is Your Year!
Find out what you truly need to make this your best year ever. It’s so simple, it may surprise you -  with Diana Fletcher

Date:   January 20, 2009
Time:  1:00 – 1:45 p.m. ET

Are you tired of making resolutions that you don’t keep? Are you tired of feeling like you don’t even know where to start? Are you tired of being tired? Join Diana Fletcher, as she takes you through some very simple and powerful strategies to truly align yourself with your spirit and figure out how to get where you want to go.

Reading Product Labels:Information from Laura Crooks, Wellness Coach

Posted on 01. Jan, 2010 by Diana in Uncategorized

I want to share this article because Laura makes some fantastic points about misleading food labels and gives great information about how to read them properly.

There will be many people trying to get their eating and weight under control right now–that is probably the most popular New Year’s Resolution…right?

This information could help you and make you a little more aware of what you are eating. Pay attention! That’s what is it truly about!

Misleading and Confusing Food Labels by Laura Crooks

In our quest to eat healthier foods and take care of our bodies we might rely on food packaging labels. This can be dangerous to our health and undermine our efforts thanks to unregulated and misleading food labels. The labels can be misleading, confusing, and pose as healthy food imposters.

Food packaging labels are created by companies whose sole purpose is to entice us to buy their product. Their misleading information implies we are getting health benefits that may not exist. They may print unsubstantiated health claims, or use pictures of desirable foods to make us think that is what is in the box, or they use cleverly crafted phrases which are not lies, but are also not as honest as they seem at face value. We are led to believe that fruit snacks are real fruit; they may have a bit of real fruit juice in them, but they are candy. Frozen dinners with real vegetables may have a bit of powdered vegetable in the sauce, generally not what we think of from the packaging.

Each company can create their own seal of approval or they may purchase the right to use one.

Here are some common food labels and what they mean (or don’t mean!):

100% organic is a USDA regulated term. The farmer must pay to have the government inspect and certify their farm. These foods are grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, without hormones or antibiotics, are not cloned or genetically modified.(Remember that smaller farms may follow sustainable, 100% organic procedures but not pay the large assessment fees to be able to label as 100% organic.) Organic means that 95% of the ingredients are 100% organic.

Made with organic ingredients means that at least 70% of the ingredients are 100% organic. all natural – This label means that the product is free of preservatives and additives. It does not mean that the product is good for you or healthy. Arsenic and lead are all natural, but we try not to eat much of them! low fat – This label means there is less fat than in the regular version. It does not specify how much less fat, nor does it necessarily mean lower calorie. Low fat products often have more sugar, added to boost the flavor removed with the fat.

good source of calcium – This means there is at least 10% of your suggested amount of calcium present. Is 10% enough for you to consider it “good”?

carb free – This means the product has no carbohydrates present. I have seen this label on fresh meat; the meat is protein, it never was a carbohydrate product, but the label catches our eye.

made with – This label is often followed by something healthy such as real fruit or whole grains, such as “made with real fruit”. The label itself only means there is at least a drop of the named product present.

0 trans fats – This label is tricky, it does not mean there are NO trans fat in the product. It can be legally used provided there is less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. The company only has to adjust their serving size to one with less than 0.5 grams to meet this labeling requirement. If you eat more than one serving you are adding up your amount of trans fats. If fully or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil are in the ingredient list the product has trans fats present.

cage free (usually referring to eggs or chickens) – This means the chickens were raised indoors but not in cages. Forced molting and beak cutting are allowed.

free range – This term makes you think the chickens get to roam outside all day in green pastures. It means the chickens are allowed access to the outside but there is not regulation on the duration of outdoor time nor the quality of their outdoor space. They could have spent a total of 5 minutes outside in dust. Beak cutting and forced molting are allowed.

humanely raised – This is a totally unregulated term and can mean whatever the manufacturer wants it to mean. They would like you to picture a clean, healthy living environment!

100% wheat – Your squishy white bread is 100% wheat…it is totally refined wheat flour. Look for 100% whole wheat for the more nutritious type. If the ingredient label does not say 100% whole wheat as 1 of the first ingredients consider it to be refined white flour with some caramel coloring added to make it look brown.

less sodium – This means the product now has less sodium than it once did. It does not mean it is low in sodium or good for you.

wholesome, nutritious, selected, and country fresh – These claims have no regulated meaning and can almost anything the manufacturer wants.

So how should we make informed choices?

Check the product’s serving size. Is that small bag of microwave popcorn a single serving or intended to serve 3? The calories and fats need to be tripled when you eat the whole bag intended for 3. How many servings are in that 24 ounce soda?

Check the nutrient labels. Each serving should provide less than 5% of sodium and saturated fats, regardless of the label saying it is reduced fat or has less sodium. Aim for more fiber per serving and less sugars.

Read the ingredient labels. Ingredients are listed in descending order; the first item listed is the most prevalent. Ingredient lists may not use the most common term for each item. For example, sugar can be found as: agave nectar, beet sugar, brown sugar, cane juice crystals, corn syrup, corn sweetener, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, sugar (sucrose), sorghum syrup, turbinado sugar.

Reading product labels with our eyes open to the fact that manufacturers are more concerned with us spending our money than with our health may help you see some of their labeling for what it is. Look for these labels in the store and read the fine print on the package. Reading ingredient lists and nutrient information may help you make better nutrition decisions as well.

Some of the most nutritious and healthiest foods do not come with labels. Have you ever noticed how fresh, whole fruits, vegetables, and meats do not have pictures or labels? Make the wisest, healthiest decisions you can.

About Laura Crooks: I am an RN, speaker, and certified wellness coach living in Pittsburgh, PA with my husband and children (plus the bunnies, leopard gecko, and hamster!). I help busy women create solutions so they can enjoy reduced stress, losing weight, balancing personal-professional-family time, and making time to exercise. My services include individual and group coaching, speaking, and wellness programs. For more information please visit www.YouBloomWellness.com .