Friday, May 17, 2013

How I Lost Over 20 Pounds Without a "Diet"

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My experience with dieting and weight loss has been a seemingly never-ending roller coaster ride. Up 10 pounds, down 15. Up 10 again. I lived in a world of extremes. It has always felt like I was either starving myself, in what felt like "diet jail," or in party mode eating everything I could get my hands on because I was finally "allowed" after I decided the diet was over. 

Sound familiar?

About 6 years ago, I lose 30 pounds just by changing my attitude toward food and life. I learned how to truly eat for my health, by incorporating whole, real, foods into my diet with an emphasis on organic wherever possible. I stopped eating anything processed, which included all those frozen diet meals I was previously living off (hello Weight Watchers pizzas!). I also decided I wasn't going to give up my favorite things, which included wine and champagne (and that occasional plate of salty french fries). Out of that experience, The Champagne Diet was born.

I kept that weight off for years -- until I got married, was juggling a full-time job, going to school at night, and building my business, all at the same time. Stress got the best of me and before I knew it, almost all of that weight came right back on. I remember looking at a photo of myself one day thinking, "Who is that girl?"

I knew something had to be done, and I also knew I was done with diets forever. I sure as hell wasn't calling Jenny this time. I immediately decided to truly start living "The Champagne Diet" again because I knew it worked. I figured, if I can do this again by doing what I did last time, then I truly had something here. 

The first thing I had to do was change my mindset. I couldn't panic, and I couldn't set time lines. I just had to make the decision to manage my stress and fill my world with healthy, delicious foods again. There was no time for laziness. It became my job to retrain myself how to eat for my health and overall wellness. And you know what? It was so much easier than I thought. Whole Foods became my playground again, and before I knew it, the weight was coming off. But more importantly, I was becoming happier and calmer than ever before. This time around, I experimented with eating a vegan diet, which I followed for about 2 months. I didn't stay with it for various reasons, but I don't consider myself a failure at all. Eating vegan helped me to incorporate some really healthy habits into my life, and I am forever grateful for that.

I've lost 22 pounds so far, and I am still working on about another 10 to get to my "happy place" where I look and feel best, but there's no rush for me. It's not about a size jeans or a number on the scale. It's about feeling healthy, hot, and happy. And I want to teach you to do the same.

My "Healthy is the New Skinny" 8 week phone workshop kicks off on Tuesday. I am assembling an amazing group of empowered, motivated women who want to learn to break the diet chain and start eating for their health. We're going to learn to celebrate ourselves and our bodies NOW, not 10 pounds from now. We're going to vow to buy ourselves cute clothes no matter what size we are, because if we don't look good, we won't feel good, and you've got to feel good to treat your body well.

If you want to learn more about the workshop, click here or email me.

Invest in yourself. You deserve nothing less.

xo
Cara

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Pre-Order Your Signed Copy of "The Champagne Diet" Book and Enter to Win BIG!

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Guess what dahhhlings? I have decided to do an exclusive pre-order for personalized, signed copies of my new book The Champagne Diet: Eat, Drink, and Celebrate Your Way to a Healthy Mind and Body. This will be the only time you can get your hands on a signed copy for a while! 

Each book will be $25 which includes US shipping and everyone who pre-orders will be entered into a grand prize drawing to win a massive gift basket packed with delicious goodies including:

- A $100 gift certificate to Bloomingdales
- A Chris Freytag fitness DVD (I love her!)
 - Free coaching sessions from some of the best health & fitness coaches that I have hand-picked
- A pair of champagne flutes

and SO MUCH  MORE!

The pre-orders start today so if you're interested, email me at Info@TheChampagneDiet.com!


*Pre-orders will be taken through June 15, 2013 Winner will be drawn at random on June 20, 2013.

*List price of the book will be $12.99 on Amazon and through independent retailers. Signed copies will be $25 which includes shipping & handling fees.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

How to Design Your Dream Life and Why You Have No Other Choice

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Yesterday I worked from home. I got up without an alarm around 8 am, and slowly made my way to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. I calmly and leisurely allowed myself to wake up, listening to music and playing with my dog. By 10 am I was starting my workout, followed by a refreshing shower with my new lavender bath gel. Next, I checked emails, did some work, and at around 1 pm, I went to a local bistro to pick up a piece of freshly prepared lemon caper salmon (my secret to preparing amazing meals is letting the restaurant do half the work!) I came home and made my own sauteed organic spinach with garlic and extra virgin olive oil and had a delicious lunch.


I mean, how delicious does that look?

Why am I telling you all of this? Because while it was all going down, it occurred to me that I am able to live my healthiest, happiest life when I work from home. I eliminate my commute and I get to work in a space that I designed with so much care and personality that it inspires me every day. I have time to exercise and take breaks and stay relatively active throughout the whole day.

Knowing this empowers me to make all the necessary changes to ensure that those days happen as often as possible for me. Can it be my every day? Not right now, but I'm working on it. Rather than sitting around bitching that I still have to commute some days, I focus on all of the energy and inspiration I get from the days where I'm working and living in my perfect space. I don't dwell on the days where it feels like drudgery. I know they are few and far between. I plan all of my vacation time to create shorter work weeks for myself so I can be at home, doing what I love. I work harder and harder to design the life and work I want to do in this world.

See where I'm going with this? It's on you to design the life that serves you best. The life where you shine, where you feel healthy and balanced, and fulfilled. It's going to look different for each one of us, so only you know how to get there. But you've got to get there. There's really no other choice.

So start today. Make one move. Write one plan. Dream one dream.

And if you need a buddy to dream and plan with you, I'm here.

With love,
Cara

PS - Maybe your dream life involves giving up dieting forever and living a life of health and happiness (for real this time)? If so, you do NOT want to miss my next phone workshop. I only have 6 spots left. Get the scoop here.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Announcing the "Healthy is the New Skinny" Workshop!

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Summer is coming and if you're like 99% of the population you've stared at your ass in the mirror and thought, "How the f*ck did this happen?" You're probably cringing at the thought of putting on a swimsuit, and you're kicking yourself for eating one too many bowls of pasta this winter. You feel fat, so you've stopped buying cute clothes. You have so many things you want to do, but you keep putting them off until you "lose the weight."

Well you know what? It's time to stop the madness.

What if I promised you that you could look and feel fabulous, just by vowing to never diet again? What if I taught you how to eat for your health, and start going after all the things that make you sparkle NOW -- not 10 pounds from now.

My "Healthy is the New Skinny" workshop kicks off on Tuesday, May 21st and I have a few spots open. We'll meet every other Tuesday evening, via phone, for 8 weeks. We'll have open and honest discussions around yo-yo dieting, why we beat ourselves up over our weight, and why we need to stop, immediately. We'll have group coaching where we'll set personal goals to be our healthiest, hottest, happiest selves. There will be a private Facebook group for support and motivation.

Total investment for this 8 week program: $149

Workshop schedule can be found here. 

Interested? Email me at Info@LiveCreateSparkle.com to reserve your space! Seating is very limited so please get in touch ASAP to claim your seat!

xo
Cara


Monday, May 6, 2013

Sneak Peek at the Cover of "The Champagne Diet" Book!

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Okay, I thought I couldn't possibly be more in love with a book cover than I was with "Sparkle," but I am so OBSESSED with the cover for book 2!

What do you think??


The book will be out next month! Stay tuned for updates!

xo
Cara

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Give Mom the Gift of SPARKLE!

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Thinking about giving that special woman in your life something sassy, sparkly, and totally unique this year? What about a personalized, signed copy of my book SPARKLE? Books are $29 which includes ground shipping anywhere in the Continental US. Gift-wrap is available too!

Order by TODAY to guarantee arrival by Mother's Day! Email Info@LiveCreateSparkle.com to place your order!


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Champagne Diet Book Coming this June!

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I am so excited to announce that my second book, titled The Champagne Diet: Eat, Drink, and Celebrate Your Way to a Healthy Mind and Body will be out this June from Passionista Publishing!

Based on this blog which I've been writing for the past 5 years, The Champagne Diet will be a lifestyle and wellness guide for women who are done with dieting and ready to start focusing on their health and happiness.

Here's the official summary:

This book is for the woman who wants to feel good about herself and her body, and learn how to start incorporating healthy habits into her life. It's for the woman who doesn't want to trade in her champagne for skinny jeans. It's for the woman who is done with dieting, and ready to start paying attention to her health before that number on the scale. It's for the woman who is ready to stop letting her weight define her, and is ready to understand why it always did.

This is not a diet book. This is a lifestyle guide.

This book will change the way you view your weight and yourself forever. You will walk away feeling empowered, inspired, and downright sexy (and probably craving a glass of bubbly). You will learn how to celebrate yourself and your body. You will learn to make your health a priority, always. And most importantly – you will learn to love yourself, exactly as you are. So get ready to embark on a complete dieting and lifestyle overhaul, sister. You are now on The Champagne Diet!

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Of course there will be plenty of events around New York City, book signings, and giveaways to celebrate the book's release. Stay tuned for more updates!

xo
Cara