Two statements: True or False. Traveling = Eating healthy. Traveling = Not Eating healthy. Which of these statements has occupied your reality? For most of us it has been the latter. Eating on the go, in airports, away from the creature comforts of our home kitchens or favorite restaurants, dining in the company of new faces poses challenges with eating in alignment with what makes us feel our best. Poor habits snowball, we promise to get back on track upon our return but then we get home and put it off, after all, we are leaving town again in a few days. Sound familiar?

Bring a satchel of protein snacks and teas. You will want 2-3 hearty size portions of snacks each day. One of these will comprise a late morning snack and another one an afternoon snack. Having an extra on hand is helpful in case you find yourself in a bind. I traveled with Livin’ Spoonfuls Coconut Curry Crackers and Kaia Kale Chips Sea Salt and Tahini. Please be sure that the snacks you bring meet our snack standards with no processing, minimal to no sugars and a healthy amount of protein. The protein curbs cravings. Click here for great snack options.

TIP #3:

We love when a client makes the most out of a situation and love it even more when the results are tasty bowls of soup! “I started out making a lentil recipe and must have put too much curry in it. I really didn’t want to toss the food so I morphed it into the following recipe and ended up really liking it!” – Dorothy. We whipped up a batch in our test kitchen and the aroma while it was simmering was so comforting – perfect for a rainy afternoon.  


INGREDIENTS:

• 3 TBS olive oil, divided
• 1 med onion, chopped
• 1 med carrot, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
• 2 tablespoons (or more) curry powder
• 1 cup French green lentils
• 4 ½ cups (or more) of water…I used vegetable broth I made from left over vegetable green drink … Took green remains and simmered with onion, carrot, garlic
• 1.5 cups chickpeas (soaked overnight and cooked)
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2 TBS coconut oil
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges 

INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat  1 tablespoon coconut oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 min. add half of chopped garlic; stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 4 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons curry powder; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. add lentils and 4 cups of water ( I used vegetable broth). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until lentils are tender; about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree chickpeas, lemon juice, ¼ cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining garlic in processor.

Add chickpea puree and butter to lentil soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional curry powder if desired.  Add water by ¼ cupfuls to tin to desired consistency.

Serves 6; sprinkle soup once in bowls with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.

Image: Suat Eman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

REBECCA’S PERSONAL DISCOVERIES:

• CITRUS: Impacts Psoriasis, Runny nose, Irritability
  
• CORN: Impacts weight gain
• WEIGHT: Dropped 5.5 pounds

FROM REBECCA:

“I’m amazed at the energy level I have and my psoriasis are completely under control! I always thought I was eating well until I met Kim and learned more about the LoveLife Method. Two great things I gained through this process was learning when to eat my food so that it worked best for my body and what foods hurt my body. Proof is in the pudding – I lost 5.5 pounds and I’m sleeping better than before I had my children. “

 - Rebecca Murphy


RANDY’S PERSONAL DISCOVERIES:

• SOY: Slows weight loss
  
• RED MEAT: Creates Fatigues
• GLUTEN: Creates Fatigue
• WEIGHT: Dropped 23 pounds.5 pounds

FROM RANDY: 

“I have had many friends do the Love Life Method prior to me and based on their feedback I knew it was only a matter of time before my wife and I did the program. We already had a healthy life style and eating habits, although I was concerned about caffeine use, energy fluctuations, and not as easily being able to get down to my target weight like I used to be able to 10 years ago.

So we decided to take the plunge with full commitment and after our first week we started to see some significant differences with weight loss, energy levels, and overall excitement about learning to eat the right food at the right time of day, specifically for your body. In addition to the LLM, I also increased my work out routine and really energized the weight loss component which worked very well for me.

A structured reintegration diet combined with tracking your daily changes is quite an enlightening process to what is working and what is causing issues that you may have been missing in the past. Overall, the biggest take aways for me were learning which foods cause issues with my daily lifestyle, including new flavors in my diet that are not butter or oil based, rather veggies, proteins and new spices, and most importantly, how to eat the right foods at specific times of day to maximize my personal energy.”
- Randy Murphy

MATT’S PERSONAL DISCOVERIES:

• WEIGHT: 212 to 195 = 17 pounds lost
• RED MEAT & PORK: Impact Weight Holding and Energy Decrease
• SOY: Impacts Weight Holding

FROM MATT:

“I decided to work with Kim as part of a group challenge to improve our general health, weight and overall fitness. I have always considered myself reasonably healthy but I was truly amazed by the impact of the program.  The speed and ease of how the program helped me lose nearly 20 pounds and raised my energy and general health was remarkable and far easier than I ever expected.

Kim’s program clearly identified specific foods that do and don’t work for me but it also hammered home the need to consistently eat multiple complete meals throughout the day. Frankly it’s a bit embarrassing that I needed to go through this exercise to realize I can’t eat like I did in my 20s. The good news is that I am down to my college weight and feel terrific without really having to work very hard now that I know how my body responds to different intakes.

During our LoveLife programs, as clients experiment with varying types, timings and quantities of carbs and proteins, many discover starting the day with beans speaks to their optimal carb-to-protein ratio. But beans for breakfast? Not typical American fair by far. Taking inspiration from Caribbean flavor combinations, we created a black bean breakfast dish utilizing spices to amp up the breakfast feel. Warm and satisfying with a decidedly island flair we think you’ll find these beans a welcome way to approach plant protein at breakfast.
 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 teaspoons olive or coconut oil
• 2 cups black beans (soaked overnight and cooked)
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice*
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground all-spice
• Himalayan Salt to taste
• If a sweeter final result is desired, 1-2 teaspoons of agave or a pinch of Stevia can be used

We can’t get enough of our greens! One of the most alkalizing foods on the planet, they nourish our body and detox our organs. They also make a zesty snack. Here is one of our new favorite kale chips from Lydia’s Organics. Not that we are advocating skipping meals, but if you’re in a rare pinch….this is a great lunch in a bag. On our LLM Reintegration program? Integrate these after nuts and nightshades have been cleared.

Stay tuned for LoveLife GLOW, a new community that offers tips and suggestions for how to age naturally, reflecting how good we feel internally and externally. 

Ok women, I confess. A combination of a healthy dose of vanity paired with curiosity has inspired me to study the effects of food on my skin. And I’m inspired by what I’ve discovered is possible over the years.

I had a memorable moment 15 years ago, one romantic afternoon sitting on the deck with a boyfriend at Au Berg Du Soleil in Napa. He asked a question that scratched the record, inquisitively inquiring with concern for my well-being, how I acquired the scars between my eyebrows.  His question took a moment to sink in, as my brow undoubtedly further furrowed, creating deeper “scars.”

My health was a mess! I had a double whammy: A life-time of chronic inflammation and health challenges paired with a decade long tanning obsession from 15-25, that was catching up. Despite eating what I thought was a healthy vegetarian diet since age 12, I was unwittingly eating foods that were making me sick and aging me prematurely. At 25 I had laugh lines and wrinkle creases in my furrow of a 45 – 50 year old. Ahemmmm, an unaltered one.

As my journey unfolded and I changed my diet, eliminating sources of inflammation, my health issues disappeared and I was amazed by how fantastic I could feel. An added bonus, I slowly began experiencing a receding of these wrinkles and an improvement in a lifetime of poor skin quality, that was directly correlated to foods. Now, ladies I want to be careful to say that I’m not a wrinkle hater and I understand their inevitability and I choose to embrace rather than erase them. But if there are self-care options that allow us to naturally feel better AND look better…..who amongst us can say no to that proposition?

How is it even possible for food to impact our skin?

Inflammation. It is at the root of everything, including aging. Food is one of the most profound sources of inflammation. Whether eating processed foods, sugar or our intolerant foods, these are one of the quickest youth zappers. They zap our energy, vitality and our youth.

When I drink wine, a former passion in my 20s that included a 140-bottle collection personally hand-picked from the wine countries, I look ten years older the next day. On special occasions, I choose it anyway, but the difference is I know why I don’t feel my best; I know why I’m not reflecting my best and most importantly I know how to get back on track.

Other foods that furrow my brow? Dairy is one of the biggest ones. In Chinese medicine they say dairy is one of the most aging foods. Whether due to dairy for the sake of dairy or dairy’s inflammatory effects in my body, it is not my friend.

What foods are wreaking havoc on your skin, aging you prematurely? While there are some common ones, we also each have our own specific triggers. How can you use food to not only feel your best, but also offer a long term built in natural botox alternative?

All LoveLife Method programs will now include tracking skin health, specifically youthfulness with foods. Some of the effects are immediate while others provide a boost for years to come.

Stay tuned for LoveLife GLOW, a new community that offers tips and suggestions for how to age naturally, reflecting how good we feel internally and externally.
Click below to sign up for the GLOW newsletter. 

WHITE BEAN CASSOULET
Modified from The Enlightened Cook, Everyday Vegetarian.
Use GF bread and you’ll have a GF dish too or skip altogether – it’s delicious without!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups (2”) asparagus…about one pound
• 2 tablespoons EVOO, divided
• 3 cups sliced chanterelle or oyster mushrooms (about 10 oz)… I added in a whole variety of mushrooms to make it flavorful and interesting.
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
• 6 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 ½ cups organic vegetable broth
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram or dried oregano
• 2 (15 oz) cans no salt added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Topping: Stop here if you need to be dairy/GF free or make sure to use GF bread.

• 2 oz French bread (or you could use a GF bread) cut into small pieces
• ½ cup (2 oz) grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook asparagus, rinse with cold water; drain well….set aside
2. Using a large stainless-steel skillet heat pan to med high. Add 1 tablesoon oil, swirling to coat. Add mushrooms, shallots, and garlic; sauté 8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add wine; cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Stir in broth, marjoram, and beans; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 12 min or until thick and beans are very tender. Stir in black pepper
3. Preheat broiler.
4. Place French GF bread and butter in a food processor, and pulse until course cumbs form. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cheese to course breadcrumbs; pulse until combined. Stir asparagus into bean mixture; sprinkle course breadcrumb mixture evenly over bean mixture. Broil 3 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown. Serves 4.

CLIENTS: Lucy & Billy Reagan
LUCY’S PERSONAL DISCOVERIES:

• CHICKEN: Causes Stomachaches and Bloating
• NUTS: Cause Headaches
• DAIRY: Causes Weight Holding
• 11 Pounds lost!

FAVORITE NEW FOODS:

Quinoa and avocado for breakfast. “And I never new how much I liked cheese and steak till I gave it up!” 

FROM LUCY:
“I joined LoveLife Method a little hesitantly at first. I had a six Diet-Coke-a-day habit and felt I was at a good weight..not great but having birthed two kids I thought these last five pounds weren’t going anywhere since I ate pretty healthy and worked out 6 days a week.

After my husband had been bugging me to do this cleanse with him for over a year, I finally thought I was mentally ready to give up my beloved diet coke’s and give it a try. We talked to Kim and I went cold turkey on the Diet Cokes for a month and really had no problem giving them up…though my husband may tell a different story about my mood those first few days!

Then we started the cleanse and I became a believer! I drank the kool-aid or in the cleanses case the dreaded Green Juice…and I liked it! The first day went smoothly, the second day was not good, but the third day the clouds parted and I saw the light. I felt better, I slept better, my skin was glowing and I was dropping weight, fast. I still had my high energy levels from day one and was able to keep up my crazy workout regime..I had become someone who like to do two a day workouts. But I quickly realized I could drop a workout, to one a day, and still get great results while on this cleanse. 


I dropped those last five pounds in about four days, and then I got greedy…how much more could I lose? I got eleven pounds down very quickly and found my happy weight. We started integrating all the foods and the weight maintained…hmmm you mean my husband had been right about this cleanse? We continued on for a few weeks and I made a few shocking discoveries. Who knew but plain old grilled chicken, what I had always eaten when I was trying slim down, actually made me bloat and gain a pound or so over night?

Nuts gave me horrible headaches, perhaps why I always got a headache when we traveled, maybe it wasn’t my toddlers but the nuts on the plane! I found that my good friend, Wine, gave me insomnia and weight gain….well then I quickly got reacquainted with vodka! I am through the cleanse now and still am maintaining my weight loss, my glowing skin, my wonderful sleep and am feeling like a new person! I still follow most of the nutrition guidelines I learned from this cleanse, with an occasional cheat here and there. But if I get off track I know how to get right back on thanks to Kim! I am even now a regular at the Whole Foods juice bar ordering my Green Juice a few times a week…something my pre-Diet Coke self would never have envisioned. It’s truly been a wonderful experience and I would encourage everyone to do it!”

BILLY’S PERSONAL DISCOVERIES:

• GLUTEN: Increases Cravings and impacts Energy
• FISH: Increases Irritability and causes Low Energy
• SOY: Increases Cravings
• 23 Pounds lost!