Going out for meals can be so much fun—but it can be a challenge for some. Many of my clients worry about dining out at restaurants when they’re trying to diet or struggle with weight issues. The concern is so understandable! But the good news is, there are strategies you can use to master the art of dining out without derailing your weight loss efforts.

1. Don’t Arrive Hungry

When you go to a restaurant, it can take some time to get seated, place your order and then wait for your entrée to arrive—hence, the bread and butter, tortilla chips and other diet spoilers they put on the table to tide us over. Instead of dipping into this well of fattening carbs and other calorie-laden food, have a healthy snack before you go. Pop a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit, or some Greek yogurt so that you’ll be able to hold out for your entrée.

2. Preview the Menu in Advance

An easy way to stay on track is by researching the restaurant’s menu ahead of time. Most restaurants post their menus onli...

Mindset is everything! As a nutrition and mindset coach, I love to help my clients develop and refine an incredible mindset to help them achieve their health and fitness goals. An excellent—and timely—source of inspiration is the Olympics! Adopting the mindset of an Olympic athlete will help you develop mental resilience and discipline that will transcend and benefit every area of life, from relationships and business to diet, fitness, and health.

Here are four ways to cultivate that mindset and unlock your full potential.

1. Set Clear & Ambitious Goals

Olympic athletes dedicate years to pursuing a single goal: winning a medal. This level of singular focus is transformative in any area of life. Even though you may not be trying to win a medal, having that kind of focus will benefit you tremendously.

Start by defining your vision and clearly articulate what you want to achieve. Whether it’s advancing in your career, learning a new skill, or improving your health, having clarity is t...

Practicing gratitude is more than saying thank you–it’s a powerful habit that can improve your mental, emotional, and physical health. Regularly focusing on and appreciating positive areas of your life changes your perspective, reduces stress, and has life-changing effects on your body and mind. As a transformational nutrition coach, it’s one of my favorite practices to recommend. Literally nothing but good comes from practicing gratitude!

A gratitude practice is a science-backed method for improving your overall well-being. It shifts your focus to the positives in your life, which helps develop feelings of abundance and happiness. 

Here are some of the amazing benefits of gratitude.

Stress Reduction

Stress causes a fight-or-flight response in your parasympathetic nervous system that raises blood pressure, makes your heart beat faster, and triggers surges in cortisol and adrenaline. Expressing gratitude helps calm the nervous system and lowers blood pressure, heart rate and breathin...

The heat is still on—and while many are heading back to school, the weather beckons lighter fare in line with the weather in many places, especially here in Southern California. Whether you’re on a diet, working with a nutrition and mindset coach like me, or just starting to eat healthier, it’s the perfect time to opt for some low carb options when planning your meals. An easy way to do that is to feature greens as the star of your entrée to ensure your meal is packed with fiber, nutrients and antioxidants.

Some excellent choices are spinach, arugula, kale, collard greens, broccoli and even iceberg lettuce, which is often overlooked as it is not as nutrient-rich as other greens, yet has an impressive water content and provides an awesome foundation for salads and wraps.

Here are some quick and easy ways to wrap more greens into your summer nights.

Wrap Your Veggies

Toss your favorite foods into a spinach or iceberg foundation with some balsamic vinegar or even an avocado dip for rich...

As a nutrition and mindset coach, many clients ask me which are the best exercises for optimizing diet efforts, especially this time of year. While eating right is your first priority, working out can significantly expedite your results and boost your overall health. The best types of physical activity combine both cardiovascular and resistance training, as you’ll burn calories while building the lean muscle you need to rev your metabolism and increase your daily burn.

Here are five different workouts that are excellent supplements to any diet or weight management program. NOTE: Make sure to check with your physician to make sure you are in good enough health before you begin any exercise program.

1. Bicycling 

Whether you take spin class or like to cycle outside, this sport is a serious calorie burner, torching up to 500 to 1000 calories per hour, depending on how fast you go. Cycling decreases fat levels and improves cardiovascular fitness, while increasing muscle strength and fle...

When you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, or are following a low carb diet, it’s important to consume lots of protein, preferably the lean kind. It’s essential for building lean muscle mass,  repairing muscles after exercise and promoting healthy digestion. The more lean muscle mass we build, the more calories we burn on a daily basis, as it is more metabolically active than fat. Lean muscle also improves bone density, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular health.

While lean chicken, pork, fish, and grass-fed beef are good mainstays, there are also plenty of other sources that are perfect for those following a low-carb, vegan or vegetarian diet. The following foods are packed with protein as well as some of the essential nutrients our bodies need to function properly.

1. Chia Seeds

One eight-ounce serving contains a whopping 4.4 grams of protein. More importantly, these tiny little seeds are considered a “complete protein,” which means they contain all of the nine essential...

Workout success isn't just about having the right trainer, going to the coolest gym or achieving minor gains–it’s about the right mindset. Our thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes can make or break our fitness routine and seriously impact our overall health. As a transformational nutrition coach, I work with clients to shift their mindset to uplevel their diets and workouts, and achieve optimal results. 

Here are five mindset shifts that can help you change your approach to exercise and uplevel your workouts. 

1. Positive Attitude

Approach every workout with a positive attitude. Know that you’re doing healthy things for your body and promoting longevity. Strive to do a little more each day with the understanding that you’re getting better at exercising with each workout and taking steps towards a healthier life. Even on the days you don’t feel your best, show up with what you have with the understanding that you’re still making progress towards your fitness goals.

2. Fall in Love With ...

Some people seem to be able to maintain their ideal weight without any effort. While this may be possible for a few, we know that getting fit and healthy has to do with focusing on nutrition and lifestyle. When you work with a nutrition and mindset coach, they will help you develop and implement a healthy lifestyle so you can achieve your goals—but you can also adopt some of the behaviors and habits of those who never need to diet.

Read on for a list of some of the best habits to adopt into your new, healthier lifestyle.

1. Consciously Decide to Eat Nutrient-Rich Food

If you eat whole, fresh foods with an emphasis on lean protein and complex carbs, you will look and feel better—and it will be easier to lose weight. While it’s impossible to eat perfectly healthy every meal, you can make good decisions the majority of the time and aim for moderation when you do have the occasional indulgence. Once you start to see results, you'll be inspired to keep making positive changes.

2. Don’t ...

Carbohydrates are always a hot topic in the nutrition world and a focus of trending diets. As a nutrition coach, I often have to explain the critical distinction between complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates. While complex carbs–found in whole grains, vegetables, and legumes–are celebrated for their health benefits, simple carbs have a less favorable reputation. Understanding the problems simple carbs cause will help inform your dietary choices.

What Are Simple Carbs?

Simple carbohydrates, also known as simple sugars, are composed of one or two sugar molecules. Common sources include:

Glucose: Found in fruits and vegetables.

Fructose: Found in fruits and honey.

Sucrose: Common table sugar, found in many sweets and processed foods.

Lactose: Found in milk and dairy products.

These sugars are quickly digested and absorbed by the body, leading to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. While they are naturally present in some healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, the primar...

Summer is literally around the corner, and if you’re like many Americans, you probably want to drop a few pounds or more so that you can enjoy all the activities and events that go along with the season. Whether you’re working with a transformational nutrition and fitness coach or on your own, it helps to have an arsenal of tips for making the entire process easier and more effective.

Read on for five stellar tips to help you overcome any weight loss hurdles standing in your way.

1. Start With a High Protein Meal

Whether you’re intermittent fasting or love having breakfast, that first meal is the most important one of the day since you’re ending that overnight fast and jumpstarting your body. Rev that metabolic engine with a high protein meal, such as a veggie omelet or a healthy shake to repair your muscles and give you energy.

2. Cut Out Problematic Foods

If you’re not certain which foods may be slowing down your weight loss results, try cutting back on or eliminating those that...