Product of the Product

I have mentioned before that I use a line of products by a company called Herbalife.  I mention the company only because I am very passionate about health and wellness.  I have seen the results of these amazing products in my own life and in the lives of those around me.  I know they work and I know I will never stop taking the products.  As a Personal Wellness Coach for the company, my greatest reward is making an impact by sharing what I know with others.  One of the 'others' I shared the products with was my mom.  Five years ago she had a hypertension crisis, was hospitalized, and nearly died.  She was put on several medications for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and restless leg syndrome.  She was even put on more medications to combat the side effects of the first set of medications.  My mom struggled while on the medications and had trouble keeping weight off.  She started using the Herbalife products and immediately saw a difference!  She has lost 42 pounds, is off all her medications, and went from a size 16 to a size 6/8.  My mom turned 60 two weeks ago and she said she hasn't been a size 6/8 in about 30 years.  I am amazed every day at the difference Herbalife has made!  I am so grateful that I got my mom back and that she got her life back!  Truly, truly remarkable company!

Opinions & Truths

I heard once that opinions are like belly buttons: everybody has one.  It stuck with me because it is absolutely true.  Here are some of my opinions: Celery is disgusting.  Apricot preserves make the best J-side for a PB&J sandwich.  The orange at the bottom of the Christmas stocking is the best part of the stocking.  The best way to eat a tomato is to pull it from the vine and eat it like an apple.  The best breakfast food ever is biscuits with sausage gravy.  Waffle House has the most amazing grits and hash browns, especially at two in the morning.  Deep Fried Okra and Catfish is perfect lunch for a Friday afternoon.

I know plenty of people would disagree with me on every single one of these opinions.  The flip-side of all this is that there are absolute truths in life, too: Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death all over the world.  This is the first generation of four and five year olds that are not expected to outlive their parents.  Eating fast food has serious health consequences.  Obesity is preventable.

Funny how we live in a world that fights over opinions, but rarely wants to hear the truth, especially when hearing the truth means doing something about it.

Kitchen Tools

I started cooking and baking when I was a little kid.  By the time I was eight, I was making dinner for my family with minimal supervision.  By the time I was twelve I was making yeast breads from scratch.  When I was sixteen I was making cakes from scratch and revising recipes to accommodate food allergies.  Being in the kitchen has really always been my first love.  As you can probably imagine, I have tested and tried as many products as possible trying to find things that I like.  About a year ago, I came across the coolest tool I have ever used!   It is made by Wilton.  It's called a Batter Blender.  When I bought it, the package said it was great for making brownies, but I have used it for everything!  I use it when I make cake batter, buttercream, literally everything.  I love mixers, but sometimes, I just want to put a little extra love into what I'm making.  This is where the batter blender comes in!  My professional knife set from culinary school has some of the most amazing tools in it, but I seriously LOVE this little tool.  Wilton, I bow down to your awesomeness!

My Story

Before I went to Culinary School, I ate pretty much whatever I wanted. I was always on a sugar high and suffered from terrible allergies that were, at times, rather debilitating. Then I went to Culinary School. As a broke, starving college student, my nutrition went down even further. I learned traditional French cooking, including all the heavy cream, butter, and eggs that go with it. I ate every bite at school that I could because I was unable to find a job and had very little money to spend on groceries. At home, I ate Ramen noodles and sometimes potatoes and eggs. I made a lot of peasant bread and would eat that with canned tomato soup, just to fill my belly so I didn’t go to bed hungry. I was so extremely unhealthy. I was also grouchy, irritable, and not the happiest person to be around. Since Culinary School, I have made some serious changes. I no longer eat refined sugar or simple carbohydrates. I no longer eat white breads or pastas, butter, heavy cream, etc. I eat egg whites and discard the yolks. I eat 100-125 grams of protein each day and drink at least sixty-four fluid ounces of water each day. I consume far more fruits and vegetables than I ever used to and I am amazed at the difference! I have bounds of energy and no longer feel grumpy or irritated. All the amazing pastries I learned to make no longer tempt me. I simply do not crave the sugar. The other big change I have made is that I have started using a line of nutritional food and supplements from a company called Herbalife. My first week on the products I lost six pounds and a pants size. I'm now down fifteen pounds and feel incredible! Life is fantastic and getting better each day!