http://www.erinwathenwellness.com/

Erin Wathen Wellness Solutions, LLC, PO box 503, Greenwich, CT (2025)

03/05/2025

Day 4 of my comeback.

A friend DMed me and I am keeping her identity on the DL, but the issue experienced is universal.

“Hopefully I will start feeling better if I can stay consistent.”

This is where so many of us get lost. We are waiting to feel better to do the big thing. Clean the garage, lose 20 lbs, stop hosting Christmas…whatever it is.

I have a friend who has been talking about leaving a toxic marriage since the honeymoon, meanwhile their kids are all launched, what is keeping the horrible state of things? Waiting to feel ready, meanwhile decades have passed.

We do not feel better, until AFTER. That is the truth. Waiting for motivation to strike first is an exercise in futility.

My reply:
Instead of hopefully, I will feel better IF I can stay consistent. Instead, try on “I will feel better from being consistent” Often times we wait to feel better before we do the hard stuff.

Whether it be leaving the bad relationship, starting to work out, have the tough conversation, but what makes us feel better is doing the tough stuff.

Just try this on in your head for ten minutes, it is just a thought reframe. Trying on a positive through is FREE. What do you have to lose if things worked out? Imagine if you got what you wanted?

What are you waiting to feel better about before you do it?

On that note, I am off to the gym!!

Xo,

Erin

I am using AI pics, as I don’t have anything current, where I don’t look like I have been sick for weeks.

02/28/2025

I haven’t been posting much lately as I have been sick a great deal since Thanksgiving.

You name it, I have had it. Covid, both types of flu, RSV, my asthma has been awful.

The weather has been super depressing in the New York Area, as well.

I ended a relationship that was hurting my health, my confidence and peace of mind.

I’m currently on a mission to rebuild my immune system and life like never before.
- good habits
- good people
- good outlook

I’m going to be sharing my journey, I hate that term but it applies here.

I haven’t been able to work out hard in way too long.

My diet has been fine, but I’ve committed to being accountable for the next 90 days.

I will be posting every day, working out and getting healthier.

I am turning rhymes with nifty in August and I have an epic trip planned. So I must look as good as I feel.

Please follow me and chime in with support, jokes or even your own stories.

This picture was one of the one few I had taken as I’ve not exactly been in a photographic mood lately.

Anyone interested in coming with me?

90 days, focus on ourselves, good habits, good people, good times…

Time will pass whether or not we are getting our groove back or not!

DM me to get a head start on getting your groove back!!

02/18/2025

Happy 16th birthday .wathen.

I love you so much and could not imagine a better son. I am so thrilled you have become such a great human.

Xo,
Your best Mom

I obeyed the no recent rules on this but not so much on the reels!

01/29/2025

“Owning your own story and loving yourself through the process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.” – Brené Brown

Should I stay or should I go?

That is the question I had asked myself for years leading up to 2019. I knew we weren’t going to make it. I won’t get into why, out to respect for my children, but if you know, you know.

The man that what was once the center of my universe, I began to dread being around. Family vacations, were always interesting, as all of that forced togetherness made us be polite at best.

I went to a workshop in August of 2018 that was supposed to be for my wellness business, but I couldn’t keep it together after a particularly stressful stretch, and I decided to give my now ex some binary conditions.

In retrospect, I knew he wasn’t going to quit smoking, a habit he had since he was a teen, and he had been promising me to quit for close twenty years, but it was easily measured.

I didn’t trust myself without a deadline, as I could have stayed in that purgatory like stage forever. Not really living, sure as heck not thriving, barely surviving. My children knew something was up, as they admit now.

This picture is from the last “family” Thanksgiving in the Bahamas. I went ahead with the kids, as he had to stay back for some reason. I didn’t really inquire, as me being alone with my two kids was my preferred state, truth be told. Even though customs was a drag.

He showed up late, as was now expected. I tried to find a picture of the four of us, not that I would have posted it, but just because I was curious if it any existed. Sadly, none from that trip.

Tomorrow, why am I getting into all of this?

01/27/2025

“Money is like fire, an element as little troubled by moralising as earth, air, and water. Men can employ it as a tool or they can dance around it as if it were the incarnation of a god . . . It acquires its meaning from the uses to which it is put.”
― Lewis Lapham

In 2019 I was starting the hellscape that is a divorce, I was first asked if I had a financial advisor.

I am technically not stupid, or so I have been told since I was a small child, but boy did I feel like it! While sitting in the the tiniest office in my very expensive lawyers office rattling off all the things I did not know at 43 years old to one of his paralegals
- Our latest tax return number
- Our PIN codes
- My IRA total

For years when my now ex and I would get into one of our rinse and repeat fights, unhappily married people know what I mean. The fight you have in some form of another than always ends up at the same place: control. It could have started with what we were doing about the upcoming holidays, which segued into expenses, then control.

It could be anything really if a couple dislikes each other enough. The dishwasher, had we paid the gutter guy, thoughts on going to dinner with a couple on Saturday night…

I had repeatedly asked for more information, to know what was going on. My ex was a very accomplished professional in the financial field, a golden resume one might call it, but he refused to ever let anyone else glance at the family books, even me.
Every so often he would give me a peek, but I had to get a court order to get the PIN codes and the taxes. So much for our talk of an amicable separation.

The picture is of me on Spring Break in 2019, blissfully going on vacation with the children, so he could move out. Not knowing my entire world was about to be a dumpster fire. I know I didn’t start the fire, or did I?

I know everyone reading likely sees the repeating red flags, but stay tuned for the parade.

01/23/2025

“Money is, in some respects, like fire. It is a very excellent servant, but a terrible master.”
― P. T. Barnum.

I sit in this picture in the middle of 2020 outside at my friends the summer of COVID.

I had just gotten divorced, my life has been thrown upside down, financially everything I had been told was happening wasn’t. I couldn’t even take my ex to court, unless to quote my then attorney “he hits you with a crowbar”.

That was the weird thing about COVID, the world stopped, but bills still needed to get paid, courts were closed, but banks were open, but court orders could not be enforced.

It is moments like these that I learned the most about money, and that is, I wasn’t paying enough attention when I was married and wishful thinking isn’t a financial strategy.

I did not know that all the years I was at home, I could have been saving for my retirement, instead of assuming everything would work out. I didn’t know that my state didn’t put as much financial value as me staying at home and pausing my career for the well being of ny children as they should have.

To be continued…

01/21/2025

“Money can’t buy happiness, but it will certainly get you a better class of memories.”
– Ronald Reagan

Please forgive the political quote but given the sheer pageantry of the yesterday’s inauguration screamed money. This isn’t about political parties but the amount of over the top displays of money being shown didn’t qualify as “stealth wealth”.

Friends seldom know the real story about one’s financial standing. They might think they know, based on the new flashy cars they drive or the fancy house or the exorbitant vacations. However, they could be living completely on their in laws handouts.

Another family drives used cars into the ground, lives in the same house for decades, only buys things on sale, repairs appliances until they fall apart and it turns out the family lives on the interest of their investments, and could have retired years ago.

My grandmother always told me to never discuss religion, politics or money in mixed company. She also grew up in the South in the 1920s, so go figure.

Why is money the last taboo?
Why do I know all about my friend’s colonoscopy but she talks in vague terms about her fiancées finances, and how it is stalling their wedding planning.
I did not ask detailed questions about her colonoscopy, truth be told. Does any one want to know about anyone’s really?

Just that things are AOK, and let’s talk about the crummy January weather or celebrity gossip or how I can never remember where I put my cell phone, but my entire life is on it.

The picture is of me a long time ago all decked out to see Britney Spears in Las Vegas. I had just purchased my first pair of Louboutins, and boy did my feet hurt. Good memories
Fun weekend with

Tomorrow
How most of us learn about money, the hard way…

02/17/2023

I remember the first time I had ever head of Rachel Hollis, it was her debut novel Girl, Wash Your Face. It was recommended by a friend who just had a life changing loss.
I was hanging on for dear life in a marriage that was over, but no one was going to call it quits but me. I read her book and it was one of the many self help book I devoured in 2018.

Somehow I learned the basics about Rachel Hollis, married to a big deal Disney executive, he was quitting to support her self help business and they were moving from LA to Texas for a better family life. Sounded great to me.

In mid 2019, I saw her then husband, Dave Hollis on a LIVE Instagram and thought they were cute and helpful, but something was off. I couldn’t put my finger on wasn’t real, they were trying like hell and I wondered if I was projecting? I decided likely not, but when we put OUR lives out there for the world to see as an example of how we figured it out, it can be a slippery slope.

Early in the pandemic, I read they split up. I read her next book, Didn’t See That Coming where she refers to their marriage failing briefly and it turned me off. I realized later, I wanted her to open up about the bad along with the good, as isn’t that what she agreed to?

Turns out, Dave Hollis started showing up on my social media feed, as he was dating a fitness influencer I followed, Heidi Powell. She was from Extreme Makeover. I thought she was helpful and I became aware of her own struggles with body image.

Then my own life hit a giant pothole in December of 2020, as my ex husband passed away over Christmas. I don’t remember much of that first year, but it was rough. Right when I think I have a handle of the situation, I get reminded of the horror of it all.

A few days ago, I was scrolling through Instagram, and Mel Robbins had a shout out to Dave Hollis and it threw me. He had passed away over the weekend. Younger than my ex had been and my heart broke for his four kids. It also broke to Rachel Hollis, who doesn’t know me, but I have some inkling as a to what she might be feeling.

I have no idea what happened to Dave Hollis, Reddit is full of ideas, but that isn’t why I am writing this. I have my own theory, but that isn’t helpful at all.

I am writing this to highlight

- We NEVER know what is really going on behind the scenes. I felt much safer writing about kale then my next court date. The pictures of me smiling were from photo shoots, as who wants to see me killing time at a Starbucks until I can face heading home?

-Everyone wants authenticity and relatability but our loved ones do not sign up for it. If your family is like most, there are likely some prickly situations somewhere.

Being online as a coach or anything in that genre doesn’t ensure happiness or peace of mind. I often wonder when a couple, any couple is selling how great they have it, why are they doing so? If they are normal people, then why not just tell your partner? If it is part of your brand, it can turn on a dime, as many of us have seen it happen again and again.

-Some losses are tricky.
People ask me all the time why did you get divorced? Depending on the person, and my mood, I can give anything from “it didn’t work out” to “why does anyone, really”
Do you consider yourself a widow or divorcee? Yes and No, more importantly why does it matter?

I am sure we will learn more over time about the Hollis family, however there is a lesson in the meantime:

Can we ask real questions of our friends?
Can we please take care of each other?
Can we use the last couple of years to be better people?

Being a coach doesn’t mean I have all the answers, but I am comfortable being reminded of the questions and can have empathy for all parties.

01/13/2023

Moderation Is An Urban Legend

There are certain things in life that just are:
-Death and taxes
-You can’t bet against the house
-The worse you look when you leave the house, the greater the likelihood of running into someone you know. Most likely, the last person you would want to.

Moderation is not one of these absolutes.

Moderation with food, is a great idea, a great thing to wish for, and a great marketing ploy but not how our bodies and minds are set up to function best. So how great can it be?

Some of us, are more sensitive to certain foods than others. Personally, I can’t ingest sugar as it screws with my head and eventually my body for days if not weeks, heck years…

Why do we all search of this magical, mythical unicorn of Moderation?

Due to marketing and a lot of magical thinking.

It could be so great to eat whatever we feel like, be in the body we want, sleep like a champ, get a handle on our emotions, find true love, have deep and meaningful friendships and have zero worries.

That isn’t how it works, and I won’t ruin another magical things for you today.

To simplify:

All food and most drinks cause a reaction in our bodies. Some are stronger than other, and all bodies are different, so odds are you have an idea of what I am mean.

Some feel super bloated and gross after movie theater popcorn, others are wide awake if they have caffeine after lunch, and there is always the food coma after Thanksgiving.

To be constantly throwing our bodies into overload with chemicals, reactive food that block our hunger hormones from effectively working and messing with our blood sugar, does not end well.

Moderation and other myths tomorrow

🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄

To learn more about me, moderation or to book a consult DM me.

01/12/2023

We don’t talk about Thin Fight Club

In all seriousness, this was how I pretty much sized up the naturally skinny from the rest of us in the weight trenches.

Those who were skinny but starving themselves, or technically healthy but tortured by food all day. I am deliberately not going to address overweight and how they might be feeling as I don’t want to generalize.

It seemed like there was a secret society where the effortlessly thin hung out, most likely eating carbs laughing at us chumps. Not my fairest assessment but it is how it appeared years ago.

Back before I realized I was sabotaging myself with sugar, and thinking my uncomfortable feelings should be postponed with Phish Food Ice Cream, I weighed a lot more.
I also exercised a ton.
Doesn’t make much sense now does it?

Wouldn’t or Shouldn’t I have been able to eat whatever I wanted given I worked out 2 hours a day 6 days a week, sometimes more given my teaching schedule?

Not at all.

It wasn’t until I understood the science behind food that things started coming together.

🍀 🍀 🍀 🍀 🍀

More tomorrow
Moderation is an urban legend

01/10/2023

Lose weight

I apologize for the delay, COVID hit my house, and it hasn’t been pretty.

This post is a conclusion to last week’s series on the three biggest New Years Resolutions and how to make them stick.

Thankfully, you don’t need a mask to keep reading.

As the author of “Why Can’t I Stick To My Diet?” I am asked all the time about weight loss. Yes, it can still be found on Amazon or your nearest book store.

🙋🏽‍♀️how can I finally lose weight?
🙋🏽‍♀️ I need to lose 10 lbs by next Friday! What can I do?
🙋🏽‍♀️ What do you think of bone broth/keto/intermittent fasting?

They are all asking the wrong questions

❌losing weight is easy, keeping it off with diet alone is challenging.
❌ see above. Also, what is so special about next Friday? A high school reunion, a bathing suit event or needn’t to fit into a certain dress are not worth crash dieting over. NOTHING IS
❌ most fad diets will work for a while.

I have seen bone broth used in a helpful way, and I have seen it use to sustain disordered eating. I use it when I am sick, or need to make a soup!

I know many who have great success on keto and just as many who became violently ill. I tried keto and I found it next to impossible to sustain.

Intermittent fasting is great, if you understand the science behind it, most importantly sugar and quick acting carbs will make it next to impossible to sustain. Also, the 8 hour eating window, isn’t a free for all.

Now losing weight is one of those things most people want to do, many do it, but that is the easy stuff.

The challenging part is making it a lifestyle not a frenetic anxiety filled endeavor where one obsesses over every bite and a missed exercise day is a crisis.

Weight loss then maintenance is where the magic is.

Not worrying about food all the time, as you know there will always be something you can eat. Most of these changes are mindset based, and are reflected in food.

That is a big change from the variety of things I have done over the years

- Slim Fast
- Lean Cuisines
- Fat free
- Shakeology
- Paleo
- Weight watchers
- Cabbage soup
- Jenny Craig

I am sure I am missing a few, but you get the idea.

All are short term and we are glossing over
☘️ WHY you were not eating properly before
☘️ WHY you were eating past full and
☘️ WHY you are looking for a quick fix for a long term problem

I will address the actual steps one should take for weight loss and maintenance. You can’t have one without the other, or else you are back on the diet roller coaster.

I used to hear or read people all the time saying super annoying things such as

“once I stopped dieting, the scale worked itself out”
or
“when I began to focus on health, I lost weight”

and be super frustrated as I had no idea what in the heck they were talking about.

It was as if they were in on a secret I didn’t and wouldn’t tell me, and I asked a lot!

Was there a Thin Fight Club where all the effortless skinny hung out and ate cake?
Could we not talk about Thin Fight Club but hint at it?
If so, how much and where is it?

I needed to figure this one out!

What is stopping dieting to lose weight?
What does health have to do with any of this?
How can I get my body to figure itself out by Spring Break?

I will explain this in bite sized pieces, (ha!) as to not overwhelm or confuse you.

There is not a Thin Fight Club, or is there? Come back tomorrow to find out!

Xo,

Erin
🍀 🍀 🍀 🍀 🍀
If you have any questions or want to book a COMPLIMENTARY session with me, DM me this week and we can get your 2023 off to a good start.

01/06/2023

Eat healthier

This one is nice and wishy washy.
What is healthier?
What is most healthiest?
What if it is simply better than a week ago?

Here is the thing about “eat healthier” it is airy and non specific.

I am asked all the time
- What do I eat?
- What do I recommend others eat?
- What do my kids eat?

The answer isn’t the same for all three, for a variety of reasons.
- I have food intolerances, am rather picky and happily with little to no variety. I try to not eat out of emotion and keep my food choices to rather simple things such as a piece of protein, a low carb starch and a green vegetable. This can be found all through out the land with determination and knowledge. It might always be perfect, but over time, I have become less and less particular over where I eat, as I know I can always find something.

- I recommend others eat the majority of their food, the best quality they can afford, eating intentionally and stick to actual meals. Grazing or snacking is entertainment. Do not eat food you hate or discernible food as in freeze dried stuff. Try to NOT eat in the trendiest way, which I lose track of as like most trends they change all the time. I am not sure what the hottest diet is this week, I can tell you which food plan or philosophy is proven year after year to be the best, but that is a post for another day.

- My kids eat pretty well, as I have seen them compared to their peers. Even as little kids, they didn’t exist on chicken nuggets and juicy juice.

They drink a lot of water, eat reasonable portions and don’t graze. Granted, both are teenagers so neither one wants a sit down breakfast on school mornings or are interested in having chia seed pudding with me. However, I threw out all the Christmas candy and junk snacks as no one was eating it. On vacation or a holiday, I have always let up on the day to day guidelines, but I don’t monitor them and I don’t worry about either ones health, weight or relationship with food.

Suggestions on ways to eat in a more health minded way which won’t make you miserable and are not difficult to implement
- Cut out snacking and work towards limiting eating to meals. When you sit down, without a screen, maybe with a fellow human or not and pay attention to what is in front of you. Stop half way through to assess if you are still hungry or simply turning into a goldfish and eating until the food is gone.

- Eliminate as much processed everything from your regular life. So chips, candy, soda, bread with 15 ingredients, cereal…anything from the center of the grocery store try and cut back if not eliminate over time.

- Have the three macros, so fat, ideally slow acting carbs and protein at every meal. Not only is this better for food satiety, but cutting out an entire macro group is next to impossible to sustain. Throw in fiber first. So a salad before dinner it will slow down the absorption rate of your food AND make you connect with your actual hunger.

As a bonus
- Be aware of hunger vs. emotions. This is a large topic to summarize in a suggestion, but a good way to ascertain if you are hungry or simply wanting to eat for a variety of reasons such as, but not limited to boredom, frustration, the food is being served, the food is free, the food is given to you…

Would you eat an apple and poached chicken breast? Neither one are foods most people overdo it with, and both will cure hunger, but not emotion or environmental influences. This is something I will do a deeper dive on next week, but this is an attempt to keep it simple in the time being.

Tomorrow:
Lose weight

🍀 🍀 🍀 🍀 🍀
If you have any questions or want to book a COMPLIMENTARY session with me, DM me this week and we can get your 2023 off to a good start.

Thank you for your patience with the Avatar!

Erin Wathen Wellness Solutions, LLC

03/05/2025

02/28/2025

02/18/2025

01/29/2025

01/27/2025

01/23/2025

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