Tag healthy eating

A favorite all-weather beverage

As we’re breaking into spring I still can’t resit a dose of my gut healthy hot chocolate to get me through those chilly spring mornings here in the Midwest! As most of you know, I love hot healing beverages throughout the year, and I’m always up for chocolate. Today’s delicious recipe is spicy and delicious with packed with gut nourishing ingredients.

Why I like it

For centuries non-western cultures around the world have known about the benefits of incorporating hot beverages with their meals. From tisanes to coffee, these hot beverages are noted for aiding digestion, soothing upset stomachs, and promoting natural healing of the gut. I always try to add ingredients that promote a healthy gut and immune system to all of my recipes. When you take care of and support your gut health, you also improve your overall health and wellness.

These are anti-inflammatory ingredients and have nutrient dense properties. For my gut healthy hot chocolate, I’ve included coconut oil, turmeric, and other spices. Most folks know that turmeric is a powerful anti-Inflammatory, as well as black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, etc.

What’s in it?

For this recipe, I’m using organic cocoa powder (organic), cocoa nibs (optional), turmeric, black pepper, fresh grated nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, fennel seeds (powder), and cloves. I know it sounds like a lot, but when you combine them in the right proportions, the results are magical! Also, it’s important to use organic ingredients where possible in order to minimise your exposure to toxins and other chemicals.

If you’re someone who has had gut sensitivities or issues in the past like me, these ingredients are super soothing and can really make a difference. I also incorporate some of these ingredients in my gut and immunity boosting tea recipes. You can try one of my favourite ones right here by clicking on this link!

The benefits of cocoa (including the other ingredients in this recipe)

In case you don’t know it, cocoa comes in a lot of varieties and qualities. For this recipe I take care to buy only the highest and purest quality I can lay my hands on. Why? Because this is one of those instances where quality and purity really matter! Let’s face it, you can tell the difference between cheap cocoa and chocolate just from the taste alone. The cheap stuff might be okay for a random cup of cocoa or latte, but if you’re trying to get the health and nutritional benefits, you’ve got to level up on the good stuff.

More health benefits

Cocoa nibs are widely known for being loaded with antioxidants that support cardiovascular health, etc. They are also powerfully ant-inflammatory, boost the immune system and help to control blood sugar! You probably already know that turmeric is also a powerful anti-inflammatory and immune booster. It great for digestive health and has been used in ancient medicine for centuries.

As for cinnamon, you can’t lose with this ingredient. It too has been used as a digestive aide for centuries and contains similar gut health benefits. It’s also known to support healthy blood sugar and pressure. For a more comprehensive details on the benefits of these ingredients, check out another favourite post of mine when you click this link.

You can also check out healthline for more information on benefits and side effects of these ingredients. Remember, always consult your healthcare provider to make sure non of these ingredients will interact with your medication, allergies, etc. Keep in mind, you need to do your own research in partnership with your healthcare provider, and I do the same since I’m neither a physician nor dietician. What I do know is that, all of these ingredients are in general, super nutritious, protective and delicious!

What goes into a cup of my gut heathy hot chocolate

First of all, start with a non-dairy base of organic oat, almond, coconut, or soy milk. I prefer to use either oat or coconut milk for added complexity and creaminess. Never  substitute authentic ingredients like vanilla with synthetic imitations. They are not only bad for you but they also impact your gut biome as well. The same is true for the spices I use in this recipe as well. Once you invest in high quality spices you’ll never go back to mediocre generic options.

A side note about the soy “milk” controversy

While we’re on the topic of “milk”, I still advocate for soy milk so long as it is non GMO and organic. The reason for this is because for some it works well for their body chemistry, while for others it might not be a good alternative given their health situation. There is a lot of research on the topic of soy milk but nothing really conclusive one way or the other. Bottomline, your ingredients matter and this recipe is only as good as the ingredients you put into it. At the end of the day, this gut healthy hot chocolate is nutrient-dense and super delicious. You can even make it cold for the hot summer days and still take advantage of all the gut friendly benefits!

Bringing it together

First, take a sauce pan and fill it with enough “milk” for at least 3 servings and bring it to a medium high heat. Next, add your spices, vanilla extract, and collagen (optional) and simmer for 10mins. Make sure you gradually add your ingredients to your “milk” base so it doesn’t get clumpy. After all the ingredients are fully mixed in, you can take your hot chocolate off the fire and it’s ready to serve. You can chill it in the fridge or pour over ice for a delicious summer treat.

Staying fit and healthy through the holiday season

We all know how busy the holiday season can get especially when you’ve got multiple tasks to juggle. Let’s not even talk about trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle! This is why I’ve pulled together 5 women’s fitness and self-care tips to get you through the holidays!

The holidays can be super emotional around this time of year, given what we’re all dealing with globally. But we can’t allow our health and wellbeing to suffer because our bodies need all the support we can give them. This is true particularly for women, with multi-tasking and trying to stay on budget. A lot of us or our neighbors have lost jobs, fallen sick with, lost loved ones, etc.

What can we do to stay healthy (even during a pandemic)?

Even if we feel like we have no control over what’s happening locally and globally, there are a ton of things we can do to not just stay healthy, but make our lives more meaningful and infused with joy this holiday season. You don’t need a lot of money or complicated skills to do a lot of little things that will make a huge difference for the mind-body-soul connection.

With these 5 women’s fitness and self-care tips, you’ll be able to carve out time for yourself without getting overwhelmed. Part of being there for your family means being there for yourself when you give your needs the attention they deserve.

With that in mind here are a few powerful tips you can get and stay in “shape” this season

These are just a few tried and true solutions I’ve used over the years for myself as well as clients. The key takeaway is that you are the only one who can make these changes in your life. No one can or will do this for you so if you want to get healthy and stay that way even in tough times, do the work.

1. Start your day with a 5-10 minute “self-check” session. Lay in bed or sit in a quiet place and just take stock of how your body feels, your mood, and your general mindset. This will help ground you as well as keep you from stressing out at the start of your day.

2. Get your body moving (formal exercise or just a quiet walk). When you get your body in motion it triggers the release of those “feel-good” chemicals in your brain, releases tension, and increases focus. It’s good for your cardiovascular system as well as your mental health.

3.  Take 10-15 mins to meditate and set your intentions for the day. This allows you to focus on the activities that will give positive results rather than the negative. There is a lot of truth to the phrase “create your happy”. When you direct your thoughts and energy to those things that yield “good” outcomes, etc you’re less likely to get stressed out and overwhelmed. You feel more aligned, in control as well as focused on the things you want to achieve.

Now for the internal

4. Drink a cup of daily detox tea, water, or smoothie. If you need a few ideas, start with my super green smoothie right here!  Also, this recovery smoothie is awesome as both a  post-workout and a detox smoothie. The ingredients have anti-inflammatory as well as nutritional benefits. This helps to cleanse the body of harmful toxins, by-products of chemical processes in the body as well as support your body’s natural self-healing abilities.

5. Substitute healthy ingredients for “unhealthy” ingredients in your favorite fall and winter must-have meals. That also includes “detoxing” your fridge and pantry so that you have budget-friendly healthy meal options. If you’re  not sure where to begin, grab my FREE Pantry Detox Gude GUIDE HERE

Also, for a complete Introductory Produce, Shopping Guide grab a copy HERE!!

Final thoughts

Be grateful for those little things in our lives that create beauty in their simplicity.  Also, stop focusing on the things that are beyond your control and literally choose joy and positivity instead of the negative. This will also help you feel better physically and less drained energetically. Remember, you’ve got this and you are not alone!

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. She helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her belief is that “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies”. This means that she helps each woman in a way that is unique to each woman. By doing this, she’s better able to help them transform their lives from the inside out. Her ultimate goal is to help women become healthy and empowered through the transformative self-care journey!

If you haven’t heard about the proven benefits of homemade chicken noodle soup, you’ve probably been buried underneath a pile of rubble by now! Let me just start by saying, momma knew what she was talking about when she said that chicken soup is a cure-all staple!

Needless to say, the power is in the bone broth (i.e. chicken bones Y’all!), spices, and other healthy ingredients that make up this recipe. For me, I’m putting an African twist on this favorite recipe so make sure you head over to my Youtube site to see how the full recipe comes together in real color!

My inspiration for this Afro-fusion homemade chicken noodle recipe comes from childhood nostalgic moments living in Nigeria. When I was a little girl, my mom gave us all kinds of potions and tonics to keep illness and poor health at bay. To this day I can still taste that pungent flavor of Norwegian cod liver oil on my tongue! We also had all kinds of soups, and beverages that she and the elder women in our neighborhood swore by!

This is a lot different from the condensed canned stuff masquerading as “as good as” homemade chicken noodle soup! The only things you’ll find in those cans are some GMO chicken, lots of sodium, overcooked bleached flour noodles, preservatives, and more.

With that in mind here are the ingredients you will need for this Afro-fusion homemade chicken noodle soup:

1. 4 medium chicken drumsticks (organic, free-range chickens)

2. 1 small red onion

3. 1 small yellow onion

4. 1/4 cup of chopped green onions (organic)

5. 3 cloves of garlic (medium)

6. Organic gluten-free spaghetti pasta (follow directions for serving size)

7. 2 tablespoons curry powder

8. 1 teaspoon turmeric

9.  1/2 teaspoon of allspice

10. 1/4 teaspoon spicy paprika

11. 2 tablespoons of Himalayan pink salt

12. 3 tablespoons of Braggs Amino Acids

13. 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

To bring this recipe to life is really easy and there are no fancy steps involved. Simply fill a large soup pot with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil while tossing in all over your dry spices and the other ingredients. Next, add the onions, garlic, and chicken drumsticks to the pot and boil at medium heat for 25 minutes. Also, you can add other veggies to this mix as well (i.e. carrots, etc) in order to make this dish your own.

Next, turn the heat down to low and allow your homemade chicken noodle soup creation to simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes and add your noodles in the final 20 minutes. To see what this dish looks like check out the video!

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. She helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her belief is that “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies”. This means that she helps each woman in a way that is unique to each woman. By doing this, she’s better able to help them transform their lives from the inside out. Her ultimate goal is to help women become healthy and empowered through the transformative self-care journey!

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We all know how expensive groceries can become especially when you move between seasons or are making a huge shift in how you feed yourself and your family.

Making healthy nutritional choices doesn’t have to break the bank nor do they have to become an overwhelming experience. While you might think you’re saving money (i.e. buying processed foods instead of fresh produce, etc) by not buying organic and locally sourced produce (get my FREE quick and easy grocery guide for the EWG recommendations for produce in 2017), or stocking up on frozen meals, the truth is that the hidden health costs associated with these types of low quality “foods” are extremely high.

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I don’t know about you, but I hate drama in the kitchen. When it comes to my next meal I want it healthy, quick, uncomplicated and delicious! Given the plethora of techno kitchen devices and accessories, there really is no reason any of us should be stuck in the kitchen for hours on end.

With that in mind, I’ve come up with one dish that works for both vegans and non-vegans alike. It starts off with some skin-on salmon steaks (non-vegan option), string beans, arugula, romaine lettuce, artichoke hearts, cubed goat cheese (substitute vegan cheese in place of goat cheese), onions, garlic, dried chiles, EVOO and a medley of savory spices.

The vegan option for this dish simply requires eliminating the animal protein, which can be substituted with grilled or baked tempeh steaks. See? Simple!

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What you will need for this dish: (non-vegan  / vegetarian option)

1. Skin-on salmon steaks (one per serving).

2. Green beans (raw, 1/2 cup per serving).

3. Arugula (2 cups raw, shredded).

4. Romain lettuce (2 cups).

5. Artichoke hearts (1 cup chopped or cubed). For this quick version, you can use low-sodium organic canned artichokes in water.

6. 1 medium onion (yellow or red onions according to your preference).

7. 3 cloves of garlic (chopped).

8. Sea salt (1 tablespoon).

9.  Fresh ground black pepper (1 tablespoon)

10. Spicy paprika (1 teaspoon).

11.Curry powder (1 teaspoon).

12. Allspice (1/4 teaspoon).

13. EVOO (1/4 cup).

14. Apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons).

15. 1 medium lemon.

16. 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (sliced in half).

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Salmon steak: Season the salmon steaks with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of spicy paprika, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, 1/4 teaspoon of allspice, 1/2 clove of garlic, lemon juice (cut and squeeze the lemon juice over the salmon steaks) and allow it to marinate for a few minutes. Next, place the salmon steaks in a nonstick baking pan and lightly drizzle some EVOO over the entire dish, place in the oven and bake for 20 mins or until cooked through.

Green beans:

Snip off the tips of the green beans, wash, drain and place them in a nonstick baking pan. Lightly season the green beans with sea salt (1/4 teaspoon), black pepper and then add 1/2 clove of chopped garlic, 1/2 medium onion (sliced thin). Next, lightly drizzle a portion of the EVOO on the green beans making sure to fully incorporate it into the mixture. Place in the oven and back for 20 mins (bake until the beans are tender but still firm).

Salad:

Drain and rough cut the canned artichokes and then add the chopped romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes. This is a simple fresh salad that goes quite well with the baked salmon and green beans. Toss these three ingredients together in a bowl and then add the teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, drizzle in some EVOO, freshly squeezed lemon juice, the remaining sea salt, spicy paprika and curry powder. You have the option of creating your salad dressing separately but here I just kept it simple and incorporated all the ingredients in one sweep but, if you’re going to serve it later it’s best to keep your dressing separate and just add it in when you’re ready to serve.

If you’re new to the healthy lifestyle or just trying to clean up your eating habits, here’s my FREE 7 DAY FOOD JOURNAL to help you get on track!!

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.51″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_team_member admin_label=”Author Bio” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ name=”Tonye Tariah” position=”Freedom At The Crossroads Founder” facebook_url=”https://www.facebook.com/TonyeTariahHealthStrategist/” twitter_url=”https://twitter.com/fit_and_fab2″ image_url=”http://freedomatthecrossroads.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/16403040_732883533553339_4010103490960637755_o.jpg” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”off” saved_tabs=”all”]

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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It’s always fun to come with yummy healthy recipes that are quick and easy! Today, I spent a few minutes pondering my next creative foodie moment.Whenever I craft a recipe in my kitchen, my West African bohemian roots always come out in the mix of all my creations, often resulting in a spicy fusion of yummy-ness (* I know that’s not a word, but it works)!

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As a rule, I always try to combine healthy beneficial spices with organically (and or locally sourced) ingredients in a manner that reflects both my heritage and unique style.  For today, I’ve crafted a simple quick and healthy vegan stew using pre-cooked black beans (you can also use canned organic black beans) and crushed organic tomatoes with basil and Italian spices or you can add your own flavor profile.

Since I love spicy food, I’ve also blended in some Nigerian hot chili powder (you can use a different variety if you’re unable to find an ethnic food store that sells these type of hot chili powder) to this particular dish. Contrary to what you might think, this dish took a total of 15 mins to prepare from start to finish (once all the ingredients were assembled) and it was ready just in time for lunch! When I start to craft a dish, I always to draw on my favorite healthy spices (curry, turmeric, paprika, ginger, etc) and find creative ways to incorporate them into most if not all my dishes.

In this instance, I’ve used incorporated most of these spices into my vegan black bean stew for a quick and nutrient dense meal with enough servings to carry me through a hectic work week.

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What you’ll need to get started:

1. 1 can of (or cup of pre-cooked ) organic black beans.

2. 1/2 cup of organic quinoa (cook this separately).

3. 1 can of organic stewed crushed tomatoes (you can also buy the Italian spiced variety)

4. 1/4 of a cup of fresh basil leafs (set a few leaves to the side for garnish).

5. 3 table spoons of olive oil.

6. 1 tea spoon of curry powder

7. 1/2 tea spoon of turmeric powder

8. 2 small cloves of fresh fine chopped garlic (or 1/2 tea spoon of garlic powder).

9.  1/4 tea spoon of dried thyme ( I prefer to use a tea spoon of fresh chopped thyme).

10. 1/4 tea spoon of ginger powder

11. 1 tea spoon of hot Nigerian chili powder.

12. 1 tea spoon of allspice.

13. 1/4 cup of red onions (fine chopped).

14. 1 table spoon Braggs amino acid (or 1 table spoon of sea salt).

Cooking Instructions:

Once you’ve assembled all of your ingredients, place your pot on medium heat and add your olive oil once the pot is well heated. Next, begin to add your spices to the hot olive oil in order to release and fully mix your spices together. Once you’ve done this, add the chopped onions and garlic, allowing them to briefly simmer until translucent. You can then incorporate the crushed tomatoes and allow this to further simmer over medium heat. Next, add your black beans and stir as you add the chopped basil to the final mixture. Bon appetite!

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.51″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_team_member admin_label=”Author Bio” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ name=”Tonye Tariah” position=”Freedom At The Crossroads Founder” facebook_url=”https://www.facebook.com/TonyeTariahHealthStrategist/” twitter_url=”https://twitter.com/fit_and_fab2″ image_url=”http://freedomatthecrossroads.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/16403040_732883533553339_4010103490960637755_o.jpg” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”off” saved_tabs=”all”]

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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Okay, so everyone is talking about it; some even making huge claims about the near-miraculous benefits associated with taking copious amounts of “bone broth” and incorporating it into your daily nutrition plan. It’s time for some real talk about bone broth!

So what is it? What’s the big deal?

For those wanting a few more specifics,  the Mayo Clinic definition or term for bone broth is, that it is essentially stock derived from roasted bones (typically,  beef or chicken) which may or may not still have some meat attached. They are then cooked for 24 hours or more with the goal being to extract the gelatin from the bones as well as release the nutritious minerals contained within the bones. The final step in the preparation process is to strain the broth (and season to taste) from the bones and then season to taste.

I don’t know about you, but spicy chicken soup, pepper soup, and broths have been a mainstay in my family for years! Not only that, traditional Nigerian pepper soup (in all it’s regional iterations) has been a cure-all for years. We use it for everything from recovery from malaria to the common cold! Is the science to back it up? the jury is still out on that although there are a few studies out there that seem to suggest that there are “some” medicinal benefits to consuming bone broth.

My final thoughts

Will I be stepping out to my fave health food store to buy some bone broth or bone broth supplements? Nope! Especially when I have all the “traditional” ingredients, spices, and secret stashes (available at African food stores only, lol), in my own pantry-Boom! Any real “medicinal” properties, mostly lay in the spices themselves. These spices have everything from turmeric (a natural anti-inflammatory), curry (also contains turmeric), and nutmeg, to garlic, and so forth.

Before you go

If you really want to detox  YOUR body, start with detoxing your pantry!  After all, if your pantry is loaded with toxic crap, so will YOU! You can read more about making healthy food choices and detoxing your fridge and pantry right here.

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. She helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her belief is that “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies”. This means that she helps each woman in a way that is unique to each woman. By doing this, she’s better able to help them transform their lives from the inside out. Her ultimate goal is to help women become healthy and empowered through the transformative self-care journey!

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Every day there seems to be some new toxin that we’re being exposed to in the environment; an environment that our current government seems eager to pollute even more by relaxing regulations on the fossil fuel industry, big Agri-business, etc. So what’s the alternative? Do you trust regulatory agencies to do their due diligence for you, the consumer in terms of ensuring that our food sources are secure, safe to consume, and toxin free? Or, do you become your own advocate and educate yourself about where you food choices as well as put your money where your health is?

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Every day there seems to be some new toxin that we’re being exposed to in the environment; an environment that our current government seems eager to pollute even more by relaxing regulations on the fossil fuel industry, big Agri-business, etc. So what’s the alternative? Do you trust regulatory agencies to do their due diligence for you, the consumer in terms of ensuring that our food sources are secure, safe to consume, and toxin free? Or, do you become your own advocate and educate yourself about where you food choices as well as put your money where your health is?

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to making choices about what “foods” we will allow into our bodies and in the bodies of our loved ones. Key among them is, “is it safe to eat?”, “is it healthy?”, and the real kicker; “can I afford it?” Now I am sure you’re asking, “what does going vegan have to do with it?” For me, going vegan is simply a spectrum of food and nutritional choices based on one’s own personal decisions and calculations predicated on the issues I mentioned earlier. Given the current state of affairs both nationally and globally (i.e. obesity, climate and environmental crisis) we owe it to ourselves, families and communities, to be proactive about our health and that of the world we live in. We no longer have the luxury of blindly buying foods based on marketing gimmicks and misinformation!

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From a healthcare standpoint alone, diets high in fruits, veggies, nuts, (i.e. Mediterranean diet, etc) or largely plant-based diets, are associated with significantly reduced occurrences of chronic disease, obesity, cancer, and so forth. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that you need to shift your diets (nutritional sources) away from processed and packaged stuff that masquerades as food.

Will it take work? Yes, but no more than usual (if you prep your meals ahead of time,  plan your meals for the week while you watch tv, etc) and your wallet will thank you! In the end, consuming fewer animal products will save you a lot of money as well as lower your chances of having to pay a visit to the both the cardiologist and oncologist sometime in the future.

I’ll let you ruminate on that info for a bit and in the meantime, ask yourself what’s holding you back from taking the right steps to bring your fitness and life in balance. Better yet, if you really want to gain back your power and get off that hamster wheel going nowhere, book a clarity call below and get up and GO!

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.51″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_team_member admin_label=”Author Bio” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ name=”Tonye Tariah” position=”Freedom At The Crossroads Founder” facebook_url=”https://www.facebook.com/TonyeTariahHealthStrategist/” twitter_url=”https://twitter.com/fit_and_fab2″ image_url=”http://freedomatthecrossroads.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/16403040_732883533553339_4010103490960637755_o.jpg” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”off” saved_tabs=”all”]

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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Season’s Greetings and on with getting your holiday hustle on, Y’all! Now that we’ve got most of the year’s holidays done, I refuse to forget the effort I used to power through this journey and,  the vision that led me to this point. I love the holidays and most of the seasons (still working on “loving” winter) but I certainly don’t want to fall victim to the “holiday blues”, a.k.a “woulda, coulda, shoulda, regret, *sigh*. I’ve finally learned that all of “that” just locks you into a negative mindset and an inability to move forward with the action (a.k.a . being stuck in the crossroads) necessary to make change and progress in your life.

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Season’s Greetings and on with getting your holiday hustle on, Y’all! Now that we’ve got most of the year’s holidays done, I refuse to forget the effort I used to power through this journey and,  the vision that led me to this point. I love the holidays and most of the seasons (still working on “loving” winter, hahaha) but I certainly don’t want to fall victim to the “holiday blues”, a.k.a “woulda, coulda, shoulda, regret, *sigh*. I’ve finally learned that all of “that” just locks you into a negative mindset and an inability to move forward with the action (a.k.a . being stuck in the crossroads) necessary to make change and progress in your life. Whether you started this year with a goal of trying to lose a few pounds (or a lot) or something more life changing (i.e. committing  to a healthy lifestyle, improving your health and fitness, changing your diet, regaining balance in your life, etc), the fact remains that you’re only a loser, if  YOU give up!The holidays are usually stressful and quite emotional because this is a time when most of us reflect on the past (and yes, sometimes, dwell ) a tad too much and can’t see the forest for the trees (i.e. blinded by our perception of our own “failures” or inadequacies). I don’t claim to have a magic pill for this, only a few words of advice based on my own personal experience and observations: life is about G.R.O.W.T.H. and it will stretch you whether you’re ready for it to do so or not. Bottom line? Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and your life will be filled with more fulfillment, passion and balanced!

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I often say three things to all my potential clients: 1.make a decision, 2. get a plan, and 3. take action! If YOU want to take back control of your life and by extension, your own personal wellspring of power and passion, YOU must get passed all those “negative thoughts” and “things” that have been telling you that you’re a failure or you’re not strong enough to make it to the finish line. I always remind my tribe that good health and fitness is a reflection of an empowered and fulfilled individual. In other words, just as fatigue, stress, insomnia, obesity etc arere indicators of an unhealthy and unbalanced life, the reverse is also true! Good health, fitness (i.e. mind-body and soul) point to a life that is in balance.

Rather than dwell on the failings of the past year, renew your determination to push through to your own personal victory and accept the challenge to “get uncomfortable” and enjoy this journey to true fitness and health and leave behind the gimmicks, tricks and lies we often tell ourselves in order to avoid  real C.H.A.N.G.E. Now, having said all that, I’m gonna keep on with my holiday hustle to end 2016 with a bang and not a whimper of defeat and regret! What about YOU? Are YOU up for it?…

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Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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