It’s not just me, they’re everywhere, right? What a time to be alive! Now I can just take a pill and eat whatever I want! Wait… it’s not a pill? You have to inject yourself? Oh, but it’s like an insulin injection where a plastic gizmo does it for you with a little snap. Well, that’s still pretty easy, isn’t it?

So how do these drugs work? What’s it actually doing in my body? What even is a ‘GLP-1’?

Effectively, these drugs work by curbing your hunger, and / or slowing your digestion. What does that mean? In the case of drugs like semaglutide, it mimics the effects of hormones that signal your brain that you’re full. GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, and is an intestinal hormone that helps your body regulate blood sugar levels. The GLP-1 drugs, then, are classes of drugs that mimic natural GLP-1 in your system and stimulate the pancreas to release insulin, which slows digestion and reduces appetite.

Some of these drugs take it one step further and release chemicals that block the intestines from absorbing dietary fat. The fine print says something like, “a portion of the fat consumed is not absorbed and will be eliminated through bowel movement.” I don’t know about you, but ‘fat in my poop’ does not sound like a pleasant evening.

What is all of this really saying? Basically, these drugs are either tricking your brain into feeling full, or messing with your digestive processes, or a combination thereof.

Do we know the long-term results of taking these drugs? These drugs are all brand-new, and are an off-shoot from diabetes medications. In fact, the weight loss is a side-effect of the diabetes medication. And that’s the thing with drugs, they always have side-effects.

Don’t get me wrong. For some people these weight loss drugs are a Godsend.

For the first time, these weight loss drugs are allowing people who were looking at a future of insulin injections and diabetic amputation to instead lead a relatively ‘normal’ life. I recently stepped on a nail that impaled my foot. It got infected and I needed surgery. My Podiatrist told me had I been diabetic, I would have lost the foot and possibly my whole leg from the knee down!

Facing the possibility of losing limbs simply from poor circulation is not how anyone wants to live. If I was pre-diabetic I would absolutely jump on these weight loss drugs RIGHT NOW. But does that mean I’d have to be on them forever? What happens when someone is on one of these drugs for 5 years? What about 10 years later? We just don’t know yet.

Will you see advertisements in the 2040’s with the voiceover saying, “IF YOU TOOK GLP-1 MEDICATIONS IN THE 2020’s YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION”?

That remains to be seen. My gut feeling is that you probably don’t want to be on these drugs for the rest of your life.
Of course, I am not pre-diabetic so I’m not considering these weight loss drugs at the moment. I am not pre-diabetic because following the initial ‘panic eating’ phase of the covid lockdown, I decided to get serious about my health. Within around 6 months, I went from weighing about 230 to 168. Without weight loss drugs.

That’s how I know it’s possible. You see, during the pandemic, I learned the 9 Core Competencies that everyone needs to know in order to effectively manage their health. Portion control is one of those Core Competencies.

Unfortunately, it’s also the only one the weight loss drugs are helping you with. If you stop and think about it, that’s the bottom-line with these drugs: They help you to eat less.

Eating less is important. That’s why it’s one of the nine. But if all you’re ever doing is controlling your portion sizes, you could still be missing out in the other eight areas.

What are those other Core Competencies?

Learning to take care of yourself by setting goals and moving toward them. Getting in touch with your body and learning to recognize your hunger, fullness and thirst cues. Ensuring that you’re matching energy intake with energy output. Learning the difference between higher-quality foods and lesser-quality foods and choosing the former more often. Giving your body the nutrients it needs. Moving often and well. Resting and recovering. And learning to manage emotions without food.

And that’s where I come in. As a Health Coach, I help people to learn those 9 Core Competencies and engrain them into their lives. I help people who are on these weight loss drugs to master the other aspects of their health so that they won’t need to be on the drugs long-term. I help people to take charge of their health so they get the results they want.

Would you like me to help you? Get started by getting your Personal Comprehensive Eating guide delivered to your inbox by answering a few simple questions here: https://www.eclecticwellbeing.com/myeatingguidequestionaire

To your health,

Mark

The post Should I try Weight Loss Drugs? appeared first on Eclectic Well-Being.

It’s like as soon as we learn something health-related about food, something new comes along to contradict the thing we just learned. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? What gives?

Like most things, there’s usually a grain of truth to something, but then it gets taken to extreme absurdity.

Let’s take butter, for example. Is butter bad for you? No. Would it be bad for you to eat only butter, and nothing else? Absolutely, but who’s doing that?

The truth hides in the middle.

A little butter isn’t going to hurt you. Eating it a stick at a time? Probably not the best idea.

Now it is true that in my personal health journey from 240 pounds down to 168 pounds, I made a lot of changes to my eating and exercise choices. But when I tell people that most of that difference resulted from cutting out processed foods, it starts to sound like a Conspiracy Theory.

Look, it’s not that “Big Food” is trying to kill us. There’s no evil plan where all of the food manufacturers got together and said, “Mwha-ha-ha-ha! If we add these specific ingredients to our products, it will make our customers sick and fat so our friends, Big Pharma, can profit from them! [Maniacal Laughter ensues]”

The reality is more like, “hmm, these less-expensive ingredients and fillers make the product cheaper while still tasting good so I can sell more product and make more money!” (If you don’t know what “fillers” are, check out grated cheese: https://www.golomblegal.com/blog/2016/march/what-is-the-real-problem-with-having-wood-pulp-i/ )

And the problem there is that those less-expensive ingredients and fillers also have less or zero nutritive value to them: they’re empty calories.

You see, those “artificial flavors and fragrances” are chemicals that mimic the chemicals naturally present in our foods that give that food its taste and smell. But that’s all it is: the chemical that causes the flavor or scent. The rest of the food that has the nutritive value isn’t there, only the flavor molecules.

That’s what we mean when we say, “empty calories.”

There’s nothing there your body can use for fuel. Your body runs on glucose, not chemical flavor molecules (or wood pulp for that matter).

What’s the problem with empty calories? You think you’re eating food, but you’re not. You’re eating a food-like substance, which fills your stomach and makes you feel “full.”

But when your body breaks down that substance into molecular form that it can use to repair your body and make new tissues, there’s nothing there for it to actually use. There’s no building material amid the filler. It’s just junk. So, your body removes the moisture content and passes the rest on to the colon for elimination.

Now your body is exhausted. It’s performed an entire digestive cycle, and it hasn’t gotten what it needs. Resources are becoming depleted. What does it do?

“Release the Ghrelin!” decrees the brain.

Ghrelin, of course, is the “hunger hormone.” Once released, you start to feel hungry again.

If you’re like I was, munching away on empty calories all day long because you’re hungry all day long, you might now be starting to understand why that is.

Yes, you are going to continue to feel hunger until your body is satisfied, nutritionally. You need to give your body what it wants. And it doesn’t want those empty calories.

What does your body want? I’ll be happy to tell you, but first I need to ask you a few questions. Click the link below to register for a free Comprehensive Eating Guide.

Answer a few questions on the form, and when you’re done, I’ll email you a personalized guide telling you how and what you want to eat to meet your specific health goals.

It’s free! Click now 😊 https://www.eclecticwellbeing.com/myeatingguidequestionaire

Why would you want a personalized eating guide? It’s your roadmap to success! The guide takes all the guesswork out of eating. You will know that what you’re eating is what your body wants and needs, AND in the proper portion sizes for you!

Once you start giving your body what it’s looking for, wonderful things start to happen. You start to realize that those decades you’ve spent trying to get your health under control are over. You’ve done it!

Take control of your life, now.

Click to get your Free Comprehensive Eating Guide and start seeing that scale swing in your favor.

https://www.eclecticwellbeing.com/myeatingguidequestionaire

The post What am I Supposed to Eat?! appeared first on Eclectic Well-Being.

For me, this shift has been personal lately. Just five days ago, Mark had surgery on his foot after stepping on a nail. Suddenly our routine changed. He’s depending on me more than usual, and as much as I love caring for him, it’s a reminder of how easily life can become overwhelming when we forget to care for ourselves too.

These past few days have taught me the importance of self-love and compassion—not just for him, but for me too. And maybe this is the perfect message for today, as autumn begins to invite us to turn inward and nurture ourselves.

The beauty of fall is that it naturally slows us down and gives us time to embrace autumnal renewal. While spring and summer are filled with outward movement, activity, and connection, autumn offers us a much-needed pause. It’s a time to reconnect with our own inner world, to rediscover what ignites our passion, and to tend to our own needs. Whether that’s emotional, physical, or spiritual. Time to Embrace Autumnal Renewal.

Your Self

As we transition into fall (even if the weather isn’t quite there yet), it’s the perfect opportunity to pause and reflect on how we’ve been caring for our Self. For me, the last five days of being in caregiver mode reminded me that if I don’t also tend to my own needs, burnout is inevitable. This is why I always advocate for me time—something I’ve been trying to carve out, even if it’s just for a moment here or there.

What does this look like for you? Perhaps it’s taking a walk outside. Enjoying the changing leaves (or the lingering warmth!). Or maybe it’s restarting a yoga or meditation practice that got lost in the busy days of summer. Autumn is your invitation to slow down and find balance.

The earlier sunsets and longer nights also offer a natural rhythm for rest. This is the perfect time to sleep in, go to bed early, or simply enjoy the quiet moments that come with the change of seasons. And if you’ve been putting off those health check-ups or self-care routines, use this shift as a reminder to prioritize yourself.

When we care for our Self, we’re not just filling our own cup—we’re actually making space to care for those we love, without feeling depleted. Trust me, both Mark and I could use a little extra self-love and compassion right now!

Your Soul

While caring for your Self is essential, your Soul also needs attention. Your Soul is your deeper purpose, your reason for being. For me, these past few days of caregiving have been a reminder of the importance of finding meaning in both the big and small moments.

Sometimes, we get so caught up in the day-to-day that we forget to connect with what lights us up inside. What’s your “why”? Why are you here, and what meaningful contribution do you want to make in the world?

Autumn offers a beautiful time to reflect on your purpose. If you’ve written a mission statement or have a guiding vision, this is the perfect moment to revisit it, reflect on how it aligns with your current life, and make adjustments if needed. If you don’t have one yet, consider using this season to explore what makes your Soul feel alive.

Your Dreams

Unlike the fast pace of summer, filled with activities and fleeting whims, autumn creates a natural pause. A chance to reflect on what it is we really desire—not the fleeting, impulsive dreams, but those rooted in our hearts. These are the dreams that bring lasting fulfillment because they come from our core.

This slowing down is a gift. It gives us the time to sift through our desires, releasing the ones that no longer serve us and holding onto those that ignite a fire within. Take a moment to ask yourself:

• What has been calling to me lately, something I may have pushed aside in the rush of daily life?
• What do I long to create or experience that feels aligned with my soul’s purpose?
• How can I use this time of seasonal transition to clarify my vision for the future?

Dreams rooted in passion are like seeds—fall offers the perfect time to plant those seeds in the rich soil of our intentions, knowing that they will grow, slowly but surely. This isn’t about hurried action or quick results. It’s about honoring your process and allowing space for your dreams to unfold naturally, just as the trees release their leaves to make way for new growth.

It’s also a time to trust that the dreams born in this reflective space are not just whims—they are your inner guidance calling you toward your highest potential. As the leaves fall and nature turns inward, use this season to give your dreams the space they need to evolve.

Time to Embrace Autumnal Renewal

In this season of renewal and reflection, I encourage you to reconnect with these three essential parts of yourself: Your Self, Your Soul, and Your Dreams. If the unpredictable weather and the demands of life are pulling you in different directions, remember that autumn gives you permission to slow down, to reflect, and to prioritize what truly matters.

As for me, between the warmth of the sun today and the cool nights ahead, I’m taking this time to care for myself too. If these last few days have taught me anything, it’s that self-compassion is just as important as the care we give to others.

Looking for ideas to get you started?

Here are some activities to help you embrace autumnal renewal and realign with your Self, your Soul, and your Dreams during this transformative season:

1. Forest Bathing or Mindful Nature Walks

Take advantage of the cooler temperatures and the stunning fall colors. Find a quiet trail or forest path and allow yourself to walk slowly, using all your senses to connect with the environment. Notice the changing leaves. The crispness in the air. The sounds of rustling branches. Use this time to reflect on your current state of being and where you want to focus your energy moving forward. Maybe come to Eclectic Sanctuary and lets Forest Bathe together. https://www.eclecticwellbeing.com/ForestBathing2022

2. Journaling by Candlelight

As the days get shorter and darkness arrives earlier, carve out time in the evenings for journaling by the soft glow of a candle. Write about your desires, your passions, and what dreams are surfacing for you. What have you always wanted to do but never made time for? How can you align your actions with those deeper desires this season?

3. Create a Vision Board for Autumn

While vision boards are often seen as a New Year’s activity, fall is a great time to revisit or create a vision board. This time, focus not just on goals, but on how you want to feel as you move through this season. What emotional states are you striving for? What qualities do you want to embody as you work toward your dreams?

4. Evening Fireside Reflection

If you have access to an outdoor space, light a small bonfire or gather around a fire pit. Use this time to meditate or simply reflect on what you need to release to make space for your dreams. Just as we let go of limiting beliefs at our fall retreats, you can write down anything holding you back and toss it into the fire, watching it dissolve and create space for something new.

5. Autumn Recipe Creation with Fresh Herbs

Engage in the grounding practice of cooking with seasonal ingredients and fresh herbs. As you prepare meals, reflect on the ways nourishment fuels both your body and your dreams. Consider how slowing down to enjoy the simple pleasures of food can also mirror slowing down to savor the journey toward your goals.

6. Yoga Nidra for Dream Clarity

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation practice that helps access the subconscious mind. Try incorporating a Yoga Nidra session into your evening routine this fall to explore the dreams that are buried beneath the surface. This deeply relaxing practice can bring you clarity on your soul’s purpose and the next steps toward manifesting your dreams. You can schedule your own Yoga Nidra session with me simply by requesting a date and time. https://www.eclecticwellbeing.com/YogaNidraScheduler

7. Daily Gratitude Practice

Fall is a season of gratitude. Why not use this time to reflect daily on the blessings in your life? By practicing gratitude, you bring your focus to abundance rather than lack. This creates a fertile environment for your dreams to grow. Write down three things you’re grateful for every morning or evening, and watch how it shifts your mindset. And why not sign up for our annual Gratitude Challenge in November. This year we’ve culled it down to 10 days, but 10 days of deliberate action designed to embrace and embody living in gratitude.  https://www.eclecticwellbeing.com/GratitudeChallenge

8. Connecting with a Soul Community

Sometimes, the best way to nurture your dreams is to share them with others. Attend a fall retreat, join a mindful hike, or participate in a group meditation session. Being in a community of like-minded individuals can inspire new ideas and provide the support you need to stay connected to your passions.

Mind & Meditation: A Journey Within

As we embrace the slower rhythm of fall and the opportunity to align with our deepest desires, I invite you to take this journey further with our Mind & Meditation series this November. Over the course of four weeks, we will explore mindfulness and meditation. As well as, discover practices that help quiet the noise of the outside world. And reconnect you with your inner Self and your soul’s purpose.

Whether you are seeking clarity on your dreams, struggling with life’s transitions, or simply needing space to breathe, this series will offer you the tools to create inner peace, align with your passions, and manifest a life filled with joy.

To join me in person at Lake Michigan College, register through Eventbrite, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-mind-meditation-a-4-week-series-connecting-mindset-mindfulness-and-tickets-1004534017287

Or sign for our digital series and learn at your own pace at https://www.eclecticwellbeing.com/MindTraining2023

This fall, I encourage you to go inward. A time to Embrace Autumnal Renewal. Taking time to honor the aspects of your being that need attention—your Self, your Soul, and your Dreams. What will your autumn renewal look like?

The post Manifest Monday: Time to Embrace Autumnal Renewal appeared first on Eclectic Well-Being.

Love is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. When we choose to love someone unconditionally, we unlock the full potential of this universal energy. Yes, it’s a decision—a conscious choice to love without strings attached. And when we make that choice, we open our hearts, allowing them to expand, imagine, and create. An open heart is a fertile ground for dreams, creativity, and manifesting the life we truly desire.

Unconditional love is about embracing a deep, freeing kind of love that requires no reciprocation, no approval, and no conditions. When we fill our lives with love, we harness a universal energy that allows us to live more fully, more freely, and with more joy.

But this love starts with one person—you.

Before we can love others unconditionally, we must first love ourselves unconditionally. Self-love isn’t always easy. It’s not about blind acceptance of all our traits, but about recognizing and embracing who we are right now, flaws and all. Unconditional self-love acknowledges that while we are enough as we are, we can still strive to grow, improve, and evolve.

Think of self-love as a lifelong journey, one that each day starts anew. Each day involves accepting our mistakes, celebrating our victories, and constantly working toward becoming the best version of ourselves. This kind of love isn’t complacent; it is active. It pushes us to live in alignment with our values. To be the person we are meant to be.

When we love ourselves unconditionally, we allow space for self-compassion and personal growth. We realize that loving ourselves doesn’t mean we ignore areas in need of change—it means we accept where we are while being committed to continuous self-improvement. We don’t beat ourselves up, or allow negative self-talk to take over. Instead, we focus on who we want to be and what we can do today to become more of that person. And when we love ourselves in this way, we are better able to extend that love to others.

Loving Others Unconditionally Without Losing Yourself

When it comes to loving others—our children, partners, family, and friends—unconditional love requires acceptance of who they are, right where they are. Just like we accept ourselves, flaws and all. It means offering love freely, without expecting anything in return. However, loving someone unconditionally doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye to harmful behavior or tolerate actions that conflict with our values. It’s about holding space for them, supporting their growth, and encouraging positive change when necessary.

Take parenting as an example. We love our children unconditionally, but that doesn’t mean we don’t correct them when they do something wrong. We guide them, teach them, and sometimes enforce consequences to help them learn and grow into the best versions of themselves. The same goes for our relationships with family and friends. We don’t have to agree with their actions, and we certainly don’t have to accept hurtful behavior. But we can still love them for who they are, even with all their imperfections, while encouraging change when it’s needed.

Unconditional love doesn’t mean we become doormats. It’s not about losing ourselves or tolerating toxic behavior. It’s about setting boundaries while continuing to love and support the person as they grow and evolve. When we balance love with boundaries, we create healthier, stronger relationships rooted in mutual respect and compassion.

When Unconditional Love Requires Distance

But what happens when someone we love unconditionally repeatedly hurts us? Can we still claim to love them unconditionally if we distance ourselves or end the relationship? The answer is yes—unconditional love doesn’t require one to accept unconditionally. Unconditional love doesn’t require us to stand by and allow someone to hurt us. Sometimes, the best thing we can do for both ourselves and the other person is to love them from afar.

When our well-being is at risk, we must prioritize our own health and happiness. If someone’s actions are harmful to us or conflict with our core values, it’s okay to step away. But stepping away doesn’t mean we stop loving them. We can still hold love in our hearts while creating boundaries that protect our peace.

Letting go with love is a powerful practice. It involves setting clear boundaries. That we love them as a person, but we do not love their actions. Explaining that their actions are in conflict with our values, and that we choose to create space in the relationship. This space allows us to heal and protects us from further harm, but it doesn’t mean we stop caring. We can continue to love them, be there for them when they truly need us, and support them from a distance. The love remains, but we love in a way that prioritizes our well-being.

Shifting Your Mindset to Manifest a Life You Love

Loving unconditionally—whether it’s yourself or others—requires a mindset shift. It means moving beyond conditions, expectations, and attachment to specific outcomes. It means loving in a way that frees both you and the other person to grow, evolve, and manifest your deepest desires.

But this isn’t always easy. In one of my past blogs, Mindset – It’s Not All Love & Light, I talk about how mindset is not simply thinking positively. And unconditional love is not always positive. It can take time, patience, and practice to shift into a mindset of unconditional love, especially when faced with disappointment or conflict. This is where mindfulness and self-awareness come in. By training your mind to let go of expectations and embrace love without conditions, you open yourself up to manifesting a life filled with joy, peace, and fulfillment.

If you’re ready to shift your mindset and live from a place of unconditional love, you might want to start with the 7-Day MindShift program. This free, guided experience is designed to help you realign your thinking and break free from limiting beliefs, allowing you to cultivate more love, joy, and abundance in your life. Each day offers short, powerful exercises to train your mind, awaken your heart, and manifest the life you truly desire.

Join the 7-Day MindShift and begin the journey to loving yourself and others unconditionally, while manifesting the life you’ve always dreamed of. You can learn more and sign up for free here.

Love as the Pathway to Manifestation

Unconditional love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a decision. It’s a way of living that opens our hearts and minds, allowing us to dream, create, and manifest our desires. When we choose to love without conditions, we align ourselves with the energy of the universe, and from that space, we can manifest the life we truly want.

Remember, love starts within. When you love yourself unconditionally, you create a solid foundation for loving others and for manifesting a life that is authentic and fulfilling. And when you encounter challenges in your relationships, don’t be afraid to set boundaries or step away if necessary. Loving from afar is still loving. It’s about maintaining your own well-being while continuing to offer love and support.

Take the first step toward this mindshift today. Open your heart, embrace unconditional love, and watch how it transforms not only your relationships but your entire life.

The post Manifesting With Unconditional Love appeared first on Eclectic Well-Being.

For some of us, the Halloween season might as well be called Candy Season. At least, that’s how I used to look at it. Candy Season led up to Gluttony Season, otherwise known as Thanksgiving. Which then, of course, leads right to Charitable Season, or maybe, “Tons of Homemade Pies, Breads, & Cookies Season.” Our family called that Christmas Time, but families of all different traditions tend to be doing the same types of things right around the Winter Solstice.

Now I know, for me, candy snacking started before Halloween actually arrived. At first it was days before. Then half a month. Then it crept up to the point that October was official Candy Month, with a steady crescendo of candy consumption climaxing on Consume Mass Candy Day.

After Halloween there seem to be more and more backed goods showing up as we approach Thanksgiving. It’s almost like we just need pie in November. And then on the Big Day, OMG there’s SO MUCH FOOD! If you’re leaving Thanksgiving Dinner and you haven’t had to loosen your pants, you did it wrong.

I don’t know about your family, but it seems like in mine, once we got used to eating sugar, more sugar-containing foods started to hang around. Like between Halloween and Thanksgiving, if we weren’t baking pies or cookies, we were buying Oreos and Chips Ahoy.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we went through a lot of ice cream, pies, cakes, Entenmann’s-style coffee cakes and such.

And puddings! I can’t believe I almost forgot about pudding. My favorite was the stove-top kind where you had to cook it in a pot, then pour it into the “pudding glasses” then pop those into the fridge without spilling them.

I loved the chocolate flavor and that skin that would develop on top. 🤤Mmm… I might have to make some pudding now… Do you have pudding glasses? I honestly don’t know what the proper use for those glasses was. They were just perfect little single-serving size glasses that Mom always got out for pudding. 🤔Do I have pudding glasses?

After Christmas the sugar fest tended to continue through February, with Lesser Candy Day in the middle. Somehow the sugar train slowed itself down. By March, St Patrick’s Day was more about corned beef and cabbage and less about the sweets. From there sugary snacks started to wane.

But during that brief period of darkness, I would put on 10 to 15 pounds. And I know I’m not alone. That cycle, from late October through mid-March is when most of us tend to put on weight. It’s also, quite literally, the darkest part of the year.

It’s also the part of the year where nothing grows. We are biologically wired to want to put on some extra fat to get us through the darkness, so we’ll survive to see the next spring. The only problem with that is, we no longer live in a world that is season dependent.

Refrigeration is pretty new!

We can go to the supermarket and get fruit year-round. That’s a relatively new thing. Frigidaire released the first residential refrigerator in 1923! Before that, if you wanted to keep something cool, you needed ice.

Why do we have so many different traditions that all involve making fruit pies? Because our ancestors needed to do something with the harvest. Without refrigeration, fruits and vegetables don’t last very long. So, they canned what they could and cooked off the rest.

Perhaps uncoincidentally, we are also hard-wired to crave sugar. This is because in nature, sugary fruits tend to ripen in Fall, conveniently right before winter sets in. We crave the sugar because it’s a fleeting resource. We need to eat it to fatten ourselves up to prepare for the lean winter to come.

But again, we don’t live in a world where that cycle really matters any more. We have just as much access to food in winter as we do any other time of the year. Why then, do we continue to live as if we do?

More importantly, what can we do about it?

Are we destined to pack on 10-15 pounds each year just because we’re predisposed to it? No, of course not. Must we succumb to sugar’s siren call and eat it from Halloween through Valentines? No, but we absolutely will if we allow it.

Sugar is absolutely the hardest addiction to break. One reason being, it’s in everything.

Manufacturers can be sneaky!

Product makers know that people want to avoid sugar, so they often list it as other things. If you see dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, or galactose, in the ingredients list, those are all different types of sugar.

Sometimes they try to give it the Health Halo of friendly-sounding names like: beet sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, cane juice, (I love this next one) cane juice crystals (sugar!), coconut sugar, confectioner’s or powdered sugar, castor sugar, date sugar, grape sugar, golden sugar, demerara sugar, muscovado sugar, panela sugar, raw sugar, turbinado sugar, or yellow sugar. They might sound healthier, but they’re still sugar.

They might try to confuse you with names like: corn syrup solids, crystalline fructose, dextrin, ethyl maltol, diastatic malt, glucose syrup solids, icing sugar, Florida crystals, maltodextrin, or sucanat.

Or they might be using liquid sugars with names like: agave nectar or syrup, barley malt, blackstrap molasses, brown rice syrup, buttered sugar or buttercream, caramel, carob syrup, corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, golden syrup, high-fructose corn syrup or HFCS, invert sugar, malt syrup, maple syrup, molasses, rice syrup, refiner’s syrup, sorghum syrup, or treacle.

To your brain, all 54 of the things I just listed count as sugar and will make your brain prefer that product, because remember, we are hard-wired to seek sugar. As much as possible, avoid products with added sugar.

So how do you cut out sugar completely? You don’t. But, you do limit your intake of it.

For example, I love chocolate, but if I eat candy bars like I used to, I know what the result will be. I’ve seen that. I have evidence to support that. Instead then, I buy bags of little individually-wrapped dark chocolate pieces. Or, I buy a big dark chocolate bar. Not a candy bar, like a Mounds or Almond Joy Dark. I mean a solid bar of 60 – 92% cocoa. Dark and a bit bitter.

Dark chocolate is the way to go for two reasons. One, it’s actually a beneficial saturated fat is small quantities. And two, since it is a bit on the bitter side, we’re much less likely to mindlessly much away on it.

My other really big one was ice cream. I used to eat a huge bowl with at least four scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough or chocolate chip mint (sometimes two scoops of each), chocolate syrup, AND butterscotch syrup, topped with cool whip or Redi-whip spray.

Again, I know from experience what happens when I allow myself to do that regularly. I still have size 40 fat pants that I now use for yardwork with a belt cinched up so much it looks absurd. I keep them to remind me that at one point these were tight on me and I was contemplating moving up to 42’s.

So now my ice cream consumption is still daily. But I eat one or two little mini ice cream cones. Just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. I do that so that on the rare occasion that we’re hanging out on the Bluff, I can have that Sundae at the Chocolate Café without worrying about it.

What about Thanksgiving, I know you’re wondering?

We did a whole Thanksgiving-themed blog post here: https://eclecticwell-being.com/tips-and-tricks-for-a-deliciously-healthy-thanksgiving/

The short story with Turkey Day is go ahead and indulge; but maybe don’t take a weeks’ worth of leftovers home (or give yours away if you host!) I’m still going to bake my cheese bread this year. And I’m going to really enjoy eating it. Once it’s gone though, I’m not baking anything else until Christmas rolls around.

For Christmas, we’ll probably bake some chocolate chip cookies and some kifli. Or kolaczki for the Polish side of the family. Whatever you call it, they’re those little powdered sugar covered white cookies and are typically filled with fruit preserves or nut butter. They’re good, but not something I could eat year-round.

Which works out well for our plan of only indulging a little bit around the holidays. Yes, I have been known to eat one slice of all four pies in one sitting before and I’ll happily do it again. (My stomach might not be so happy with me afterwards, and that is something else you’ll want to learn to listen to, but not in this article today.)

And that’s the key, right there.

We need to understand that as humans, we are wired to seek sugar and consume it, but we can control how much we ingest. We must be aware that we’re prone to packing on the pounds in winter and take active steps to avoid it.

One of those active steps should be getting in some exercise. We’re much more active in the bright, warmer months than we are in the cold, dark months. There’s simply more to do outside in the nice weather. Once things cool off, we don’t want to take our activity level down to: couch potato.

So there’s something you can do: Join a local gym. Go there and do something. Literally anything is better than laying on the couch in front of the tv. If you don’t know what to do, find a gym that offers instructor-led classes.

Getting healthy starts in your mind. You need to make a decision that this is something you want to do, and then start taking action on that decision. Life will never change otherwise.

Are you ready?

The post Transitioning Smoothly into Autumn appeared first on Eclectic Well-Being.

I’ve been thinking about programming lately and realized that computer programming is a lot like baking. With regular cooking, there’s a pretty wide margin of error. There are a lot of mistakes you can make and still have your meal come out fairly decently. With baking, not so much.

Baking is more of applied chemistry. There are reactions that need to happen. For those reactions to happen in the way you want, you have to be very specific with your measurements. In order for your baked goods to come out consistently the same, you need to follow a recipe.

We could call that recipe an algorithm; a logical series of steps that must be performed exactly as laid out to get reproducible results every time. Well that sure sounds a lot like a computer program.

You could even compare a computer programmer to the chef who develops the recipe for others to follow. In both cases, a recipe or algorithm is being created that future people will use to replicate the results of the original. Pretty cool!

Ok, so how does that relate to health?

We’re almost there, I need to give you some more background information.

When developing a program, the first thing you encounter before you can run it is the debugging process. There are two kinds of errors you might find: syntax, and logical.

A syntax error means the computer can’t understand what you want it to do. These are usually spelling errors. Looking at it from a baking perspective, let’s say you’ve misread 4 Tbs for 4 C of water. You might immediately notice that your batter is entirely too loose.

Just like a computer syntax error, you will need to fix your batter before you can attempt to bake it. Of course with baking, that might mean you need to start over, whereas with a computer program, it means looking for the misspelling and correcting it.

A logic error might be harder to find. Logic errors mean that all of your code was spelled correctly, but what you told the computer to do was not actually what you wanted it to do. The way you know you have a logic error is to look at the output and realize it’s wrong.

With baking, maybe you used 2/3 cup of salt instead of sugar. Your muffins might come out looking ok, but they’ll probably be too salty to eat. Or, maybe you forgot to add the butter and now they’re super dry. We know we made a mistake, but we won’t know what mistake until we’ve tried the muffins.

Have we made the crossover to health yet?

That’s where we’re going now. The thing is, every single day, we’re programming our bodies, whether we realize it or not. We give ourselves input, in the form of food and drink, and we get the energy to power ourselves through the day as output, with a couple of waste products that we’re not going to discuss in this article.

With programming our bodies, the syntax errors are pretty obvious. If you’ve ever tried to siphon gasoline from one container to another with a hose that you primed with your mouth, you know that spitting out the gasoline is pretty intuitive.

As soon as you taste it, your body screams at you not to swallow it. Likewise, if you put hard objects like rocks in your mouth and try to chew them, you’ll experience quite a bit of pain from your teeth. These are analogous to syntax errors. You’re trying to get your body to do something and it’s rejecting your efforts.

Logic errors, though, are much more difficult to find. Most people deal with logic errors for decades before realizing that they are the cause of their own issues.

Your body is giving you feedback all the time.

The problem is, we ignore that feedback, or start taking a pill to make it go away. Case in point, my Uncle Bill. Here we have a man who suffered from chronic heart burn for years. The solution? Over-the-counter heartburn relief drugs. The result? He died of esophageal cancer.

That heartburn was feedback! But rather than listen to his body, he took a drug to numb the pain. That’s the thing with logic errors in health programming: they’re subtle. An odd pain here, stiff back there, trouble taking a full and deep breath, these are all little things that your body is telling you, something’s wrong.

But what would happen if we took a different approach? Instead of providing random input and stimulus, what if we got specific? What if we followed a recipe? What if someone else created an algorithm for us that we could follow to reproduce desired results?

Do you think getting healthy could be as easy as baking a cake?

Well you’re in luck because that’s just what we’ve combined with Cultivus Fitness to bring to you. Eight weeks of programming, in fact, including the nine core competencies that everyone must master to achieve great health, along with personal-trainer led classes that show you how to move in your workouts to get fit without injury. All without breaking the bank.

Is this the right program for you? Absolutely! Click here for more info: https://www.cultivusfitness.com/

The post Can we Program our Health? appeared first on Eclectic Well-Being.

The Science of Manifesting

So, how did I arrive at the idea of manifesting as a science experiment? Well, today I received my weekly email from Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, one of my favorite books. In it, he shared a quote that resonated with me deeply: “Beliefs are theories. Actions are experiments. Emotions are feedback. Life is a science and its objective is growth.” This quote reframed how I think about life—an ongoing process of discovery, where the objective is not to get everything right but to test, learn, and adjust.

Manifesting works the same way. It’s about taking consistent steps toward our goals, refining as we go, and allowing feedback from our emotions to guide us. By thinking of life as a science experiment, we gain clarity on how manifesting truly works—and how we can use it to create a life we love.

Beliefs: The Foundation for Manifestation

Everything starts with our beliefs, which are essentially decisions we make based on our perspectives. However, as Manson points out, beliefs are not set in stone; they are theories we hold at a given time. Even the strongest of beliefs can be tested, refined, or even replaced as we gather new experiences.

Think of it this way: when we make a decision—whether it’s about a career change, a new relationship, or even how we perceive ourselves—we are putting that belief to the test. Some decisions will align with what we want, while others may lead to outcomes we hadn’t anticipated.

But here’s the key: decisions are not final answers. Instead, they are hypotheses, just like in a scientific experiment. When you decide on something, you’re essentially saying, I think this will bring me closer to what I want, and then you move forward to test that theory. Many of us hesitate to make decisions out of fear of making the wrong one. However, every decision, whether successful or not, is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Actions: Testing Our Theories

Once you’ve made a decision, the next step is to take action. This is where the real experimentation begins. Every action you take is a test, a way to see how your decision plays out in the real world.

For instance, if you decide to start a new project or take up a long-desired hobby, that decision alone isn’t enough to manifest your desired outcome. You need to follow it with action. Manifesting isn’t about sitting and hoping for things to change; it’s about taking steps to bring that change into reality. Even small, incremental actions, like attending a workshop or setting aside time for your goal, are crucial. James Clear’s Atomic Habits emphasizes how small, consistent actions can lead to significant outcomes, and it’s a perfect reminder that manifesting requires momentum.

Through these actions, you are testing your decisions. Some actions will feel aligned, bringing you closer to your goal, while others might not feel right. That’s part of the experiment! The key is to take those missteps in stride, viewing them as valuable feedback rather than failures.

Emotions: The Ultimate Feedback Loop

So, how do we know if we’re on the right path? That’s where emotions come in. In this scientific approach to life, emotions act as feedback systems, signaling whether our actions are leading us toward or away from our desired outcome.

Positive emotions—such as joy, excitement, and peace—are signs that you’re on track. These emotions confirm that your actions align with your true desires and that your decisions are working in your favor.

On the other hand, negative emotions are not bad; they are simply feedback, telling you that something might be off. Whether it’s stress, frustration, or disappointment, these emotions highlight areas that need reevaluation. For example, if you’ve taken on a new job and feel constantly drained, that’s your emotions signaling a need for reassessment. Maybe it’s the job itself, the work culture, or even the commute that’s causing this reaction.

Instead of avoiding or fearing negative emotions, use them as signals to pause and reflect. Ask yourself, Why am I feeling this way? and What adjustments can I make? This emotional feedback is crucial to the process of creating a life that feels authentic and fulfilling.

Growth: The Objective of Life

At the heart of manifesting is growth. It’s about continuously moving toward a life that aligns more closely with who we are and what we want. The process isn’t linear—there will be setbacks, challenges, and moments of doubt—but that’s all part of the experiment.

When you experience positive emotions, celebrate them as confirmation that you’re moving in the right direction. When you encounter negative emotions, embrace them as learning opportunities. They provide the insight necessary for making adjustments and course corrections along the way.

Remember, you are the scientist of your own life, and growth is the ultimate objective. Each belief, each action, and each emotion provides valuable data, guiding you toward a more fulfilling existence.

The Simple Formula for Creating a Life You Love

Ultimately, manifesting a life you love boils down to this simple formula:

1. Decide – Make decisions based on what you believe will bring you happiness and fulfillment. Don’t worry about getting it “right.” There is no single correct answer, only decisions that either bring you closer to your desires or steer you away. Every decision is an opportunity to learn.
2. Take Action – Once you’ve made a decision, take action. Even small steps are necessary to test how that decision plays out. This is where you begin to see if your beliefs are aligned with your reality. No action means no feedback, so movement is key.
3. Listen to Your Emotions – As you take action, notice how you feel. Positive emotions tell you that you’re moving in the right direction. Negative emotions signal areas that need adjustment. Both are essential for guiding your path.

Manifesting a life you love isn’t about achieving perfection; it’s about engaging in a continuous process of growth. By testing your beliefs, taking action, and listening to your emotions, you refine your path and get closer to living the life of your dreams.

In the end, life is a science experiment, and its objective is growth. To create the life you love, all you need to do is decide, act, and listen to your emotions.

by Kathi Szabo

The post What is the Science of Manifesting? appeared first on Eclectic Well-Being.