GOAL SETTING Guide

(Use this guide to reflect and journal out your goals and desires for the New Year—seriously, get your journal out and start writing)

• 1) Set reasonable, do-able goals for yourself.

LESS is often MORE. If your goal is something BIG, break it down into small, clearly achievable steps. Be very clear how you’re going to get from where you’re currently at, to where you want to go (example: “I want to eat healthier in 2026”. That is a BIG, vague goal. A smaller, clearly achievable step could be “I am going to drink 1 smoothie every day” OR “I am going to drink 50oz of water daily”.). Be CLEAR. Be DO-ABLE.

• 2) Be certain your goals are YOURS.

Often times people fail at achieving their goals because they don’t even love their goals to begin with. Don’t set a goal to go to the gym if you don’t like the gym. Set a goal that is YOU. There are as many paths to achieving any goal as there are people. If you want to lose weight/get fit you can do that without ever s...

It's that time of year! 

May I start by saying there is a part of me that will always be a minimalist (I lived out of a small backpack while traveling through South America for several months years ago). I enjoy not having a lot of stuff, and sometimes I hesitate to share "stuff" because I wonder if any of us really needs more sometimes....

I also am very much not for excessive consumerism--which--let's be honest, can get really out of control this time of year.

With all that being said.....

I AM for conscious consumerism. I AM for buying things that genuinely add value, improve a sense of health and happiness, and contribute to the world in a positive way. Below are a list of products and brands I personally love, own, and believe in--things that positively contribute to my health and wellness. And companies who are doing something good in the world. 

If anything here would enhance your life, I hope you'll choose it. Because your health and happiness is more than well deserved...a...

I was asked on a group coaching call recently what the best way is to move lymph/support the lympathic system. 

There's a lot of info out there that can make it seem complicated, but truly...it's not. Here are my simple methods:

The best way to move lymph is to MOVE and sweat.

That can be as simple as going for a brisk walk in the hot son, playing pickleball, hiking, swimming—anything that moves the body and causes you to sweat is going to be amazing for your lymphatic system.

I was saying on the call that I notice my body and nervous system seems to much prefer gentler movement, as opposed to high intensity cardio. Because of that I don’t often break a good sweat while exercising. So I reallyyyy love to sauna. I have an outdoor cabin sauna from this company:

Outdoor Sauna Link 

I don’t think they make my exact model anymore, but that’s where I got mine from.

I also have a sauna blanket from this company:

Sauna Blanket Link

Coupon: OLIVIA15 will save you $105 off the blanket

Another form...

       Since becoming a mom I have become quite passionate about hunting down healthy prepared snack options....not only for my own children but for yours, because I know how busy life can get. And I totally understand wanting to have easy-to-grab items for your kid that they will actually eat and enjoy AND that you'll feel good about giving them. I have personally tested and eaten all of these products myself, and happily offer them to my toddler whenever he asks. I say YES to supporting these brands who are changing the food scene for the better! Check them out! 

FoodNerd! How much can I rave about one product?! One bag of foodnerd puffs contains 100% of the fruits and vegetables your little one needs in a day: 100%! They are truly far superior to any other puffs on the market. I give a bag to my toddler every day. Truly feel every child should be eating these.  

You can order yours here: FoodNerd Puffs with Coupon Olivia10 to save 20% off your order.

                       ...

JANUARY 7 Day Meal Plan

Please note! This meal plan is a general guide. I encourage you to follow it, but to stay open to tweaking things to fit your desires and goals. There are recommendations throughout to add more protein, a cooked side, etc. Please adjust things for YOU. The ultimate goal of this meal plan is not to see how “perfectly” you can follow it, but to act as a guide for you to know yourself and your needs more deeply. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND: The purpose of this challenge is deeper self trust, deeper connection to YOU and your needs. So practice noticing how YOU feel, and eating what feels good for YOU. We are all at different stages of life, different locations around the world, in different seasons, etc. Please honor those differences and eat accordingly!

You’ll notice I repeat meals throughout the week. This is something I regularly do. It makes shopping and prep much easier. I don’t mind eating the same meal 2-3 times a week. If this is something you don’t like, you ca...

Starter: Pumpkin Soup

Recipe:

You’re going to start off with 6 cups baked pumpkin (you can just chop your pumpkin into quarters, scoop out the seeds, and bake at 425 for 30 minutes or so until it’s tender).

Then in a pot toss:

1 chopped onion

3 finely chopped big cloves of garlic

2 TBSP water (or olive oil if you prefer)

Sauté that on medium heat for 7 minutes until tender.

Then add:

1/2 tsp salt (or salt to taste)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Fresh ground black pepper

2 TBSP maple syrup

2 cups water or vegetable broth

2 cups plant milk (I’d recommend almond or soy)

Add the baked pumpkin

Let those flavors mingle together for 5 minutes. Then toss it all either in a blender or use an immersion blender to blend (I prefer the consistency my vitamix gives it).

Pour it back into the pot and it’s ready! 

Salad: Fall harvest salad!

In a big bowl toss:

4 cups chopped green leaf lettuce

1/3 cup chopped sweet onion

2 stalks ...

If you're like most people you likely feel overwhelmed trying to wade through like....the entire internet....trying to find answers to your health problems or the health concerns of your children or loved ones. 

I hear you. I've been there. While this list is by no means exhaustive, I have linked books, documentaries, and products here that could be the "missing link" in your healing, or, at the very least, a tool to get you going in a more healthful direction. 

If you are struggling with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, a stress related condition, or something else then read through this list and click on whatever resource resonates with your condition. 

I trust one (or more) of these resources will land in the hands of the person who needs it, and because of it will find the healing and health we all desire and deserve. 

Books:

When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection: This book by Dr. Gabor Mate explores modern research that confirms the inseparable connec...

Ok; dressings--such an important topic! The dressing can absolutely MAKE or BREAK a salad. Am I right? 

And as much as I wish this wasn't true, it's truly so difficult to find good, clean, oil free bottled dressings. I've looked far and wide, they hardly exist. I have recently found some good dressings at Trader Joe's (their brand), so that's encouraging to see! But if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, and you're not wanting to spend quite a bit of money on pre-made bottled dressings let me help you out. 

Here are my top 3 favorite raw vegan dressings I've been making nearly every night of the week for years. I never get tired of them! *Note: of course you do not need to be raw or even vegan to enjoy these dressings. Pour them over whatever salad, noodle dish, wrap, sandwich, etc and it will totally elevate your dish!

Ok, the dressings: 

All 3 of these dressings require nothing more than a bowl and fork to whisk them up. In fact, if I'm really in a rush sometimes I just drizz...

I often get asked where I shop and how I find good deals on quality fruits and vegetables. Where I shop and what I buy depends on where I’m living or visiting at any given time. Availability, variety and cost varies depending on location. But here are a few of the methods and tips I use: ⁣
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1) Discount grocery stores. These don’t exist everywhere, but here in central PA there’s a whole bunch of them—basically stores that sell the overflow or abundance they receive from chain grocers. Think a second hand clothing store--but for food. 

2) If you don't have a discount grocery store near you, the next best option is somewhere like Aldi, or a Grocery outlet--even somewhere like Walmart--these are places where you can get cheaper-than-Whole Foods-options. If I'm on a budget (which I always am to one degree or another) I never buy all my produce at Whole Foods. I use Whole Foods to supplement--to get those items I can't get at other, more affordable stores. If I do shop at Whole Foods, its al...

Transitioning. ⁣

Let’s talk about it. ⁣How do you move from eating one diet—any diet—to eating a raw vegan diet? ⁣The answer? ⁣
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There is no singular answer for everyone. ⁣
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You see, transitioning to our natural human diet isn’t like going on any other diet—because it isn’t just a diet. When we start eating our proper diet we don’t just lose weight, clear up our skin, or improve our blood pressure. ⁣
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Everything changes. Emotions come to the surface. Our minds open up. Our hearts expand. ⁣
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It’s so. much. more. than a diet. ⁣
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And it can be heavy. And scary. ⁣Most of us have no idea how much we use food to cope and suppress our emotions. We all do it. Every one of us at one point or another have used food to numb ourselves. ⁣
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And let me tell you—it’s a lot harder to numb out or to escape eating watermelon than it is when eating burgers and fries. ⁣
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Many people aren’t ready for the MASSIVE change that occurs when you start eating an abundance of living foods. They’ve never experienced anythin...