Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Unlocking Your Awesomeness: My Interview with Erica House

My first interview is with the lovely Erica House. She’s a Psychology professor, Eating Counselor, Writer, and all around cool lady! I relate to Erica’s story about having health issues and zero energy and turning it around. I was so excited to send her some questions about health, life, and keeping motivated. Enjoy!


Do you remember the moment you decided to make a real change in your life; was there an exact turning point for you?

I vividly remember my turning point! I stepped on the scale and saw that I was just about to go over 170 for the first time in my life. At 5'2" that put my BMI into the obese category. I decided enough was enough and took some 'before' photos in my undies. The moment I uploaded them to the computer I started crying. I had avoided looking at myself since gaining 50 pounds after high school and seeing the photos was the catalyst I needed to get my butt in gear!

What made you decide to become a vegetarian?

I was never a huge meat eater so it wasn't a hard transition for me. I did some research into how animals are raised/handled before slaughter and decided I could no longer eat meat. I love animals too much to eat them! I also read numerous books and articles on the health benefits of a vegetarian diet and knew it was right for me.

For someone who wants to become a vegetarian, would you give some pointers on making the transition from meat-eater to vegetarian a bit smoother?

Do your homework first! I see many people decide to become vegetarians and think they can just give up meat and be okay. Vegetarians have to be sure they are getting the nutrients they need and some may be difficult (but not impossible!) for non-meat eaters.

In the past you had issues with your diet and weight and you made a lot of changes, are there any tips you can give to someone who wants to start eating better today?

My nutrition tips are so simple they usually frustrate people when they ask me for advice on how to lose weight. Eat colors, don't eat fast food/sugar and don't drink calories. That alone would be enough for most people to start seeing a huge difference!

I also wanted to know if you have any suggestions for ways to get started exercising and if there are more low-impact exercises someone could start with?

One of my favorite exercises is walking. If you keep up a brisk pace it can be a great calorie burner and still very low-impact. Plus, it gets you outside which can help improve your mood as you work on your body!

I love your ‘Happiness Concept Map’ idea it is brilliant! Do you have any other suggestions for getting into a state of happiness & gratitude?

Research has found that keeping a gratitude journal can permanently change your brain so that you start looking for the positives in every situation. At the end, or start, of each day just take a few minutes to think about what your grateful for and what makes you happy in life. Also, try to think of yourself less and others more. That always helps to give me a better perspective.

How do you keep yourself motivated and committed to having a healthier life and a healthier you?

For me, it's remembering what life was like before. I notice such a huge improvement on my mental and physical well-being when I eat right and exercise. I 100% use exercise as therapy! When I'm unable to work out for a few days I notice my anxiety and irritability increasing significantly. When I let my healthy eating habits slide I can start to see how eating poorly makes me feel crummy. I get tired, moody and just feel 'blah.' When you start to notice how incredible you really feel after working out and eating right it becomes a no-brainer!

Wow! I already feel more empowered and committed to a healthier me. Thanks so much for sharing a bit of your wisdom, Erica! Check out Erica’s awesome website here.

Next Step

Notice the things that you want to have, “I want to lose weight,” "I want to practice more gratitude," or “I want to be healthier.” In life, when we come to the universe with a sense of lack, I'm not enough, or any fear-based thinking we’re creating more things to fear and possibly beat ourselves up about! Make a choice to forgive yourself for poor eating, unhealthy thoughts, and unhealthy actions. With forgiveness you automatically relax a bit and allow yourself to open to new possibilities. This includes eating better, feeling better, and loving yourself right now!

Emotional Freedom Technique has helped me begin to create a healthier lifestyle & mindset. It’s also helping me create the kind of life I’ve always wanted.

Please join me on my website & YouTube chanel for more loving and useful EFT videos!

Thanks for reading! Have a beautiful week~

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