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Client Highlight; Meet Stephanie

My clients are my biggest source of inspiration. I hope this gorgeous young gal’s story inspires you.

Meet Stephanie,

Stephanie is a 26 year old veterinary technician. Her warm smile and bubbly personality never fails to light up the room. She works full time, has several fur babies as well as a boyfriend and family that she’s devoted to.

Stephanie came to me for help with bloating, cramping and fatigue. She also struggled with cravings and continued weight gain.

She noticed that certain foods, particularly cow dairy, would trigger painful cramping and affect her bowels.

We decided to get her a Metabolic Balance plan.

Her personalized meal plan was put together based 30 of her blood values, her measurements as well as her health history.

11 days into her plan, she was down 9 lbs. Her bloating and cramping were significantly reduced although she was still feeling somewhat tired. She struggled with occasional headaches during the first (strict) part of her plan.

8 weeks into her plan, she was down 17 lbs. Her bloating and cramping were gone and she was awakening feeling more rested (when her fur babies behaved and let her sleep)

5 months after starting her plan she was down a total of 22 lbs and was within about 3 lbs of her target weight.

During that time, she integrated all kinds of new foods and habits and most importantly, learned how to make her new healthy food delicious.

She no longer experiences any pain after eating, even when she has cow dairy.

Cravings are no longer a thing and she’s continuing to prioritize sleep.

Stephanie’s journey is a perfect example of the case for real food. So many foods are demonized and removed from diets when often, the problem isn’t the whole food at all but rather the sufferer’s digestion and gut.

In Stephanie’s case; cleaning up the diet, supporting the gut and digestion along with the science behind Metabolic Balance, resulted in her tolerating ALL foods.

It was such a pleasure working with Stephanie. She is self-responsible and she was enthusiastic and open to all of the changes.

Currently, she’s working at consciously maintaining her new healthy weight and deepening the important connections and red flag symptoms that her body gives her.

Here are a few words from her:

Since I was a young teen I was ALWAYS experiencing cramping and bloating after every meal.

I consulted my family doctor and their response was always ‘’you need to cut this out of your diet’’ or ‘’maybe you are lactose intolerant, try this supplement and see’’.

As a teen that was hard, especially since I am someone who LOVES to eat, especially cheese, and I thought that it was honestly not worth it for me because I would NEVER want to eliminate dairy from my diet.

So at this point I was just dealing with the pain because there was no way I was going to cut out the foods that I love.

It was only recently, after hearing about Kim and Metabolic Balance from a friend, that I finally decided that I needed to do this, that I was done dealing with this discomfort and I wanted to find the root of the problem.

Since my first appointment with Kim I could tell how caring and dedicated she is to nutrition and showing everyone that ‘’food is not the problem’’.

We got started right away and I was amazed to see how my blood could tell me what foods are best for me and that dairy was something I COULD eat.

The first two weeks were rough but Kim was there to guide me through every step of the journey and my boyfriend, family and friends were there to help and support me as well.

Once I was able to experiment with more foods I was amazed about how great I was feeling, and how I was able to eat and not suffer any consequences later on.

Throughout this journey Kim helped me understand that good food is never the problem and how important it is to feed your gut!

Ever since I have been putting my gut first and always providing it with some gut friendly foods.

I am extremely happy that I finally decided to start this journey and I can’t imagine doing it with anyone else but Kim. She is a real GUT saver 🙂

 

I want to congratulate Stephanie on achieving her goals and for allowing me to share her story.

Stephanie has gained tools that will support her for a lifetime and most importantly the conviction that eating should not hurt.

Reach out to book a discovery call.

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The Case For Real Food

I find myself constantly arguing the case for real food.

Moving away from preparing our own nourishment hasn’t been good for us.

We’re a culture that pride ourselves on being hyper busy.

So why should you waste your time cooking your own food when there are so many convenient and tasty options?

Because food manufacturers don’t care about your health.

Read a label someday. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, there’s a good chance your body doesn’t know what to do with it either.

Processed foods are linked to several metabolic diseases as well as anxiety, depression and mood swings. They’re inflammatory, disrupt the gut bacteria and contribute to fatigue.

Yet they’re still staples in our pantries, on our breakfast tables, they’re in every vending machine, drive through and part of most celebrations.

Let’s be clear. I’m not expecting anyone to get rid of all convenience foods all the time. But recognize that when the ingredient list is as long as your arm and may just as well be a foreign language, it may not be a gift to your body.

The 80:20 rule is a good rule of thumb. Try to aim for 80% natural foods that don’t have labels or very short, simple ingredient lists, 20% is all the other stuff

Processed foods are engineered to override our homeostatic mechanisms that normally tell us when to stop. They cause cravings and bingeing which lead to shame, hateful self-talk and then the weight roller coaster.

Real food nourishes you and lifts you up. Engineered foods are designed to keep you coming back for more.

So how do you begin to shift and change those patterns?

They key is to tune in.

Simply noticing what’s going on in your mind and in your body when you crave and eat this kind of food will be your best way through it.

This isn’t just about willpower. These foods are powerful in a bad way. They’re engineered to mess with your hormones and your brain and they are addictive.

If any of this is resonating with you, here’s something you can play around with:

Allow yourself to have whatever it is you crave without labelling it as bad or naughty.

BUT, you must eat it in a fully present way, without distractions and you must continuously come back to your body.

That means; eat consciously, chew thoroughly… make a friggin’ meditation out of eating your favourite treat and get really curious about it.

What’s the texture, the temperature, the flavour? How many chews until it dissolves in your mouth? Are you still feeling hunger? How do you feel afterwards? How do you feel the next day…?

You can’t do this in front of the T.V., scrolling on your device or driving your car. And again, guilt can’t come in to the equation.

My weakness is wine and pasta. Not that these foods are overly processed but I NEVER want to have to give them up, so it’s especially important for me to bring in mindfulness around these foods.

What we resist persists. Ending an obsession with food or anything, is all about the ability to come back to your body and the present moment.

Life’s about choices and it’s all the small choices we make that add up to big change. You’re worth it.

Reach out if you’re ready to try something different 😉

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Tapioca Meditation

When we owned the retirement home, we used to do something we called the tapioca meditation.

Making tapioca for 30 people took at least 45 minutes of almost constant attention and very boring stirring.

There was just no way around it, not making tapioca was out of the question, it was one of our resident’s favourite desserts. So we learned to just accept it and eventually, make the most of it.

The tapioca meditation.

I probably spend a little more time preparing food and make more dishes than most people. I’m conscious of that and it’s something that I find myself constantly negotiating with clients.

Taking the time for YOU.

The thing is, I wouldn’t do all this stuff and invest the time if I didn’t feel like there was a SOLID payoff.

Payoff as in; less inflammation, nice stable energy, clear skin, a looong run of no sick days. I even think that my outlook and mood is better when I take the time and do the stuff…

It’s been almost 10 years since I cracked open my first textbook on holistic nutrition and really started diving into this stuff.

I am more convinced than ever that IT IS WORTH THE TIME!

Getting sick will suck up a lot of time without the payoff.

It’s up to you.

If this holds a glimmer of truth for you, you may want to check this out.

If I made you cranky it’s probably not the right time 😉

Cheers to great health,

oxo

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DIY Liver Detox

My utopian world has commercials on TV touting the benefits of wholesome natural foods the same way we now hear endless drug commercials.

Only the vegetable and whole food commercials won’t have the laundry list of side effects where the announcer has to speak at warp speed to fit them all in.

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and kale, contain a phytochemical called sulforaphane

Sulforaphane is a ROCK STAR. It should be a household word. Here’s why.

Sulforaphane:

neutralizes toxins which means it’s good for the liver
has anti cancer and anti-tumor properties
is an antioxidant which means it protects the heart
has anti-inflammatory properties
helps with diabetes by stabilizing insulin

So along with a regular intake of cruciferous vegetables, I’ve been getting my sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts.

It turns out that that broccoli sprouts can contain up to 100 X more sulforaphane than broccoli.

Translation. That means that eating 1 ounce of sprouts gets you the same amount of sulforaphane as eating 6 lbs of broccoli.

Broccoli sprouts have a slight peppery flavour that’s more similar to radishes than mature broccoli. Use them as a garnish, throw them into salads, sandwiches or smoothies.

Sprouts are easy to grow at home, check out the easy sprouting procedure HERE.

Sulforaphane is just one tiny example of the power of real food.

ALL whole foods contain their own signature blend of nutrients that has their own role to play in a healthy balanced diet.

Metabolic Balance relies exclusively on regular food that can be found in your grocery store.

Over 20 years of ongoing research has resulted in an extensive databank of what each specific food brings to the table in terms of nutrients.

Your meal plans is tailored to your individual needs based on your blood values, measurements, health conditions… even what you do for a living is factored in.

This type of advanced preventative nutrition has been used in agricultural animal nutrition for decades because prevention is cost effective, calling the vet and treating is not. I think it’s time for a little more prevention don’t you?

 

Join me for a free info session to see if Metabolic Balance is the right fit for you.

Cheers,
Kim

References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9294217/
https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/sulforaphane-benefits–how-leafy-veggies-like-broccoli-and-bruss.h13-1593780.html
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09637486.2012.665043
https://www.verywellhealth.com/sulforaphane-5083128
https://blog.metagenics.com/post/2021/01/22/tips-for-daily-detoxing/

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Client Highlight; Meet Anne

A few years ago, when I was going through a bit of a rough patch, I remember wishing for some positive role models; people that would inspire me, not make me dread each new birthday.

Running a retirement home and my dad’s long, drawn-out illness were taking a toll. I knew I needed to change the lens through which I viewed aging.

Clients like the one you’re about to meet are my wish come true.

Meet Anne;

Anne was referred to me by her family doctor. At age 75, her blood sugar, blood pressure and weight had all been gradually creeping up. This was especially worrisome since she has a family history of coronary artery disease and went through a quintuple bypass at the age of 55.

Saddled with new diabetes diagnosis, increasing cravings and dwindling energy, she decided it was time to give her diet a serious overhaul.

She started her Metabolic Balance plan in May.

By early June, she was down 17 lbs. Her blood pressure and blood sugar responded quickly to her new diet and she only needed to take her sleeping meds occasionally.

By mid June she was reporting significant improvements in her energy levels. More movement and longer walks came about organically as she began to feel better.

We worked hard on digestion and she was able to reduce her need for antacid medication.

Acid reflux is a sign of weak digestion that is often made worse by sugar, processed food and stress. Antacids and other acid-blocking medications come with a slew of dangerous side-effects if used long term . When you block natural stomach acid that is REQUIRED to digest food, you are only putting a band-aid on symptoms as well as setting yourself up for a whole list of other problems down the road.

By August, most of Anne’s lab values had improved, (including blood sugar and blood pressure) and she was able to reduce her cholesterol medication. Her doctor was impressed with her new results.

She lost a total of 30 lbs. on the program. She has since regained a few pounds because she feels better at her current weight. Tuning in, listening to her body and adjusting is something Anne does very well.

She’s currently maintaining her new weight and is conscious of not falling back into old habits. She is also playing around with finding her balance between eating well, feeling good and enjoying life.

Anne is authentic, brave and funny…she kept me in stitches the whole time we worked together.

I admire her determination to take responsibility for her health and her refusal to sit in the victim seat. She symbolizes what living on purpose looks like.

I hope she inspires you as much as she’s inspired me ❤

Here are a few words from Anne:

”Metabolic Balance. These are the words that caught my attention in a local newspaper when I was at a desperate low. By early 2021, I was extremely fatigued and depressed and unable to stay awake for more than 3 or 4 hours.

With a recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes on top of many other health issues I felt ready to die. I could not seem to stop gaining weight and started having angina for the first time in 20 years since my coronary artery bypass surgery.

I did not just need a weight-loss plan, I needed someone to walk the journey with me. I thank God for Kim. She made this awesome recovery possible through her daily coaching and and continuous support.

It is now December 2021 and I honestly feel healthier than I have in 30 years. I have energy and I can walk without stopping to catch my breath. I no longer have cravings for sugar and carbs and even though I have gained back a little weight I feel very balanced.

My body is working in wonderful ways that I did not think possible. With my doctor’s permission and encouragement I have decreased my statin drugs for cholesterol and halved my proton pump inhibitor for acid reflux. I have been on these medicines for years.

Thank you Kim!!”

Reach out if you feel ready to take the first steps on your health journey.

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Frittata Recipe

Switching to a healthier diet and changing habits has to be a win – win.

By that I mean it has to be delicious and it has to be easy, doable and sustainable.

I hear the same story a lot… ‘’I got busy and the wheels fell off the bus’’ or ‘’the stress level went up and all the new habits went out’’

Stressful times are when our bodies crave good nutrition the most. Having a plan in place and a couple of easy go-tos is a game-changer and crucial to staying the course. Because…

LIFE WILL HAPPEN.

I’m sharing one of my old favourites with you.

It’s loaded with greens that supply a ton of nutrients (and don’t interfere with the flavour).

Nutritional yeast has a delicious cheesy flavour and it provides a ton of B vitamins (we burn through the B’s with stress). If you can’t find any, just add a bit more cheese.

For my clients that are following their plan and don’t want to mix proteins, you can omit the cheese and increase the amount of nutritional yeast.

This is a recipe I make ahead when I know the week will be extra busy.

I enjoy it best at room temperature or just slightly warmed but I have to confess it gets eaten straight out of the fridge sometimes.

It’s great for breakfast with a nice fruit platter or pair it with a tossed salad or some fermented vegetables for lunch or supper.

I also like to have some in the freezer as a quick, decadent breakfast when I have guests, especially around the holidays.

Get the recipe HERE

picture of frittata ingredients; eggs, vegetables, milk, flour and seasonings.

picture of frittata ingredients; eggs, vegetables, milk, flour and seasonings.

(I often stock up on eggs and greens and make a double or triple batch to have some on hand in the freezer.)

When I make a single recipe, I bake the frittata in the same cast iron pan that I used to sauté the veggies. I’m a fan of parchment to make cleaning up easier.

picture of frittata about to go into oven

picture of frittata about to go into oven

I hope you have fun with this and make it your own by switching up some of the veggies and adjusting the seasonings.

Once you get it right, scale it and make that precious kitchen time count.

Here’s to making healthy delicious.

Cheers!
oxo

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Client Highlight; Meet Phil

I love my work and I’m always inspired by my clients.

Here is a client journey I’d like to share with you.

Meet Phil;

An avid world traveler and active retired business man, at 71 Philip manages his hobby farm and has many interests and hobbies.

Phil is a no nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy. During our first meeting, he put his cards on the table and warned me about his low tolerance for what he referred to as ‘’cutsy sh*t’’.

He decided to join Metabolic Balance to address weigh issues and joint pain. With the support of his wife, they prepared for strict phase 1 and 2.

2 weeks in, he was down 20 lbs. Although he didn’t enjoy the strict phase he stuck to it.

9 weeks in he was down 39 lbs., the swelling in his legs went down, he was feeling better and had more energy overall. His pharmacist gave him the green light to cut one of his blood pressure medications in half.

Interesting fact; during the process, a long-standing and (in his words) extreme toenail fungus problem completely cleared up. Toenail fungus can be a sign that there is dysbiosis (an imbalance of the gut bacteria).

The fact that this long-standing issue cleared up is a sign that he was doing important work to heal his gut and rebalance his gut microflora. Gut health has huge repercussions on the immune system and overall health.

The real test was during a month-long trip to Germany to reunite with family where he knew he would be wining and dining in top-rated restaurants and lunching in decadent European bakeries.

He got back on his plan upon arrival and was quickly able to get back to his pre-holiday weight. He is now 4 months into his program (including his month in Europe) and is settling in to maintain for awhile until he decides on his next steps.

I would like to thank Phil for allowing me to share his process up until now.

Here are a few words from Phil;

Q. Talk a little about your experience so far.
A. The strict phase was grueling and challenging for 2 weeks, however, I never felt hungry. The food quantities were sufficient. As time went on the program became easier to cook, administer and eat.

Q. What surprised you the most about the Metabolic Balance program?

A. I think the ”Balance” is key and the water is crucial. I feel as if something in my body has reset. My wife, as the cook also lost weight and feels as if she has had a reset.

Q. Can you share a few words about working with Kim?

A. Kim is a great coach, listening to concerns and always suggesting alternatives.

I’m always honored to stroll, jog or sprint alongside clients on their health journey. Phil made me sprint!

I’m especially inspired when folks are courageous enough to step up and take responsibility for their health.

Congratulations.

Contact me to book a free chat to talk about your next steps.

Kim,

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Client Highlight; Meet Phil

I love my work and I’m always inspired by my clients.

Here is a client journey I’d like to share with you.

Meet Phil;

An avid world traveler and active retired business man, at 71 Philip manages his hobby farm and has many interests and hobbies.

Phil is a no nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy. During our first meeting, he put his cards on the table and warned me about his low tolerance for what he referred to as ‘’cutsy sh*t’’.

He decided to join Metabolic Balance to address weigh issues and joint pain. With the support of his wife, they prepared for strict phase 1 and 2.

2 weeks in, he was down 20 lbs. Although he didn’t enjoy the strict phase he stuck to it.

9 weeks in he was down 39 lbs., the swelling in his legs went down, he was feeling better and had more energy overall. His pharmacist gave him the green light to cut one of his blood pressure medications in half.

Interesting fact; during the process, a long-standing and (in his words) extreme toenail fungus problem completely cleared up. Toenail fungus can be a sign that there is dysbiosis (an imbalance of the gut bacteria).

The fact that this long-standing issue cleared up is a sign that he was doing important work to heal his gut and rebalance his gut microflora. Gut health has huge repercussions on the immune system and overall health.

The real test was during a month-long trip to Germany to reunite with family where he knew he would be wining and dining in top-rated restaurants and lunching in decadent European bakeries.

He got back on his plan upon arrival and was quickly able to get back to his pre-holiday weight. He is now 4 months into his program (including his month in Europe) and is settling in to maintain for awhile until he decides on his next steps.

I would like to thank Phil for allowing me to share his process up until now.

Here are a few words from Phil;

Q. Talk a little about your experience so far.
A. The strict phase was grueling and challenging for 2 weeks, however, I never felt hungry. The food quantities were sufficient. As time went on the program became easier to cook, administer and eat.

Q. What surprised you the most about the Metabolic Balance program?
A. I think the ”Balance” is key and the water is crucial. I feel as if something in my body has reset. My wife, as the cook also lost weight and feels as if she has had a reset.

Q. Can you share a few words about working with Kim?
A. Kim is a great coach, listening to concerns and always suggesting alternatives.

I’m always honored to stroll, jog or sprint alongside clients on their health journey. Phil made me sprint!

I’m especially inspired when folks are courageous enough to step up and take responsibility for their health.

Congratulations.

Contact me to book a free chat to talk about your next steps.

Kim,

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Blood Sugar Crash

I recently got a little reminder about why I do what I do.

I was running errands the other day and since I still a few stops to make and was a while from home, I figured I’d grab something to eat.

I was in the grocery store and decided to pick up some spring rolls.

It wasn’t a horrible choice; they were the kind made with rice paper, quite a lot of white rice, lettuce, avocado and a teeny bit of shrimp. They also came with a delicious sweet wafu mayo for dipping.

While I was standing at the cash I caved and bought a small bag of Miss Vicky chips (Damn Miss Vicky for making such delicious potato chips!!)

So I gobbled up the spring rolls, thoroughly enjoyed the chips and went about my errands.

About an hour later, driving home I had a little scare.

I was so tired, I could barely keep my eyes open . I think I nodded off for a split second because I ended up swerving onto the gravel shoulder.

Yikes, this isn’t like me. I should have been pretty rested and it was the middle of the afternoon.

I got home and immediately grabbed and apple, then rummaged in the pantry for some crackers… I considered making myself a coffee until I realized what was going on.

Since working with Metabolic Balance and doing my own plan years ago, I’m pretty conscious about what my proportion of starch to protein is supposed to look like.

My spring roll lunch was definitely higher in refined carbs and lower in protein than what I’m used to. Combined with the sweet sauce and Miss Vicky’s very refined starch, this was a perfect storm for an energy crash followed by intense cravings.

Blood Sugar Roller Coaster

So the spike in blood sugar levels from the white rice, sweet sauce and chips caused my body to secrete a ton of insulin which then resulted in a mega sugar crash (almost literally).

That’s why I felt so unusually sleepy and was grabbing for anything I could find to raise my sugar levels as soon as I got home.

These kinds of cravings are the result of physiological triggers that cannot be ignored. They invariably result in extra pounds followed by the self-punishing loop.

It had been a long time since I’d felt that way and this little episode brought it all back.

Before I knew about this stuff, mid afternoon lows followed by carb hunting used to be my normal.

I used to weigh about 10 lbs. more than I do now despite jogging 3 or 4 times a week to maintain my weight.

Fast forward to today; I’m in peri-menopause and easily maintaining at a lower weight WITHOUT the jogging. Aside from this incident, cravings and energy lows are pretty rare, thank goodness.

And it isn’t just me, 99% of clients report significantly less or zero cravings when they follow the whole foods and the proportions on their plans.

Aging and menopause doesn’t have to mean weight gain. Cravings are totally about what and how you’re eating… and resisting that *%$# Miss Vicky.

Reach out to book a free discovery call to see if we’re a good fit.

Kim

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Processed Food is Addictive

Have you ever felt like you’re fighting a losing battle when it comes to your weight?

I want to talk a little about what you’re up against.

Processed food

The following stats blew my socks off:

  • There is actually a whole business model built around getting people addicted to processed foods thereby guaranteeing return customers and big revenue.

  • When smoking finally started losing popularity, tobacco companies purchased processed food companies and used the same methods and advertising that they originally used to addict millions of people to cigarettes.
  • Processed foods are actually ENGINEERED to be addictive. There are trained experts that specialize in just that.
  • Sugar is more addictive and destructive than cocaine and is much less taboo. Processed food manufacturers are allowed to market (heavily) to tiny children during cartoons.
  • 60% of what people eat is some kind of processed food (according to U.S. stats)
  • 70% of Americans are overweight or obese.
  • There are at least 140 diseases that research has linked to processed foods.
  • Diet related disease is the leading cause of preventable death – ahead of smoking.
  • Science has demonstrated similarities between chronic overeating and drug addiction.

If you find any of this is as outrageous as I did, you’ll want to tune into this podcast for the whole scoop.

The traditional answers for obesity: eat less, exercise more, calories in versus calories out, cut fat… Are not working.

The science is showing that it’s more complicated than that.

So if processed foods were ever a part of your undoing?

There is hope.

I can help you fine tune your diet, switch up old favorites and install a strong foundation for a happy healthy future.

Understanding what you’re up against as well as the WHY behind your new choices and lifestyle changes is crucial to compliance and long term success.

It is possible to lose weight without cravings. I’m not talking about miracle foods, quick fixes or silver bullet solutions.

I’m talking about delicious, nourishing, wholesome food that WON’T set you up for cravings and make you a statistic.

Share this with someone you love.

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