Creekside Health Coaching

03/14/2026

Enjoying this beautiful weather by walking and trying to further reduce my cortisol levels. They didn't just disappear because I stepped in my house (although that helped). When your body is pedal to the metal for several days, it takes time to reduce your cortisol. I'm already feeling more energetic, actually slept for 9 hours last night, and am more alert.

Now imagine that you are constantly stressed and "on" for not just days, but months or even years! It will take not only time to recover, but putting specific systems in place to allow your nervous system to calm down and THEN recover. But I promise, once you implement those systems, you will see big changes.

Need help? Schedule a free consultation with me and let's talk about it.

03/13/2026

I just got back from our incredible seventh grade trip to Charleston, SC this week. We had an amazing time, but traveling with adolescents for several days is not for the faint of heart:

*Most meals are pre-planned for convenience: I was super lucky that our Trip Lead is very health conscious and planned balanced meals, including lots of choices for entrees. This allowed me to see what meals were protein heavy and I packed shakes accordingly for ones that weren't.

*Relaxing is not happening: As a chaperone said on the trip: "you are on vacation or on a trip. They are 2 very different things". This was definitely not a vacation. To make the most of our time, we had lots of amazing experiences planned and did a ton of walking. I averaged about 14,000 steps on 2 days and even on our travel day home, I managed to get 9,000 steps. Sometimes I was able to take a quick power nap on our bus when we were going to different locations, but that was a rare occurrence.

*Sleep is non-existent: Even though I slept in my own hotel room for 2 of the 3 nights, when you are responsible for students, you literally worry in your dreams.

*Dehydration was an issue: This was a concern for a couple of reasons. One, just like teaching, you have to carefully plan bathroom breaks, because, again, responsible for students 24/7. Two, Charleston had beautiful, 75-85 degree weather and I wasn't as conscientious about drinking water regularly.

*Overstimulation is real: Whether it's riding a bus with 40 students for 9 hours (one way) or sleeping aboard a battleship with teenaged girls in the next room over, the noise factor was exhausting. I purchased a set of Loops to decrease background noise and they were a LIFESAVER.

How did I handle this?
Aside from the tips above, I enjoyed myself. I didn't stress about my health goals, I was present in the moment.

BUT...What am I doing to recover?
Now that I'm home, I'm focusing on the following areas:

1) Drinking water like it's my job
2) Catching up on sleep
3) Returning to my regular diet, with focus on reducing sugar intake (I had so much over the trip!)
4) Giving myself time to readjust to my regular habits. I enjoyed a nice, slow, gradual start to my day this morning and that helped recalibrate from the rat race pace I used during the trip.

I used to get very anxious about traveling because of the disruption to my routine. Thanks to some small changes to my diet, I think this was my favorite trip in the last few years. How can you support your body so you can take those amazing trips?

03/07/2026

The dangerous part of stress is that often it affects your health habits and you are completely unaware of what is going on until it's too late. This month's blog post gives some practical tips on how to practice mindful eating-making meals more enjoyable and good for you!

When I got married almost 20 years ago, I was acutely aware of how common it was for women to gain weight in their adult years.  As a clinical exercise physiologist, I thought I had a bulletpr…

02/24/2026

Raiding the kitchen when you get home from school/work? I used to come home (after eating a snack at 2:30 no less) ABSOLUTELY STARVING, like I hadn't eaten anything all day. Then I couldn't understand why I was gaining weight.

The reality? I was actually not eating enough.

I ate breakfast, but not enough protein. Then I would be starving at lunch. And then starving again before dinner, setting myself up for storm eating, leaving me not even hungry for the dinner I just made. Then snacking would continue throughout the evening until bedtime.

Now I prioritize protein, early and regularly throughout the day. I am not super hungry mid morning and I can wait until I get home from work to have an appropriate snack before dinner. No snack needed after dinner!

The result: my body composition is changing quickly, I feel calmer, and I'm not frantically looking for a dopamine boost from simple carbs.

My March blog is going to talk more about this, so I recommend you read it if this is something that you experience. Look for it on March 1st!

02/15/2026

Adding more protein to my breakfast has improved my mental AND physical health! Comment "recipe" below if you want the recipe!

02/15/2026

I made a simple change to my diet a few weeks ago and it has had a significant impact on my mental health and weight loss.

When you wake up, your cortisol spikes. Our first thought is to drink caffeine, making this worse. As someone who already has anxiety, I can feel this effect in real time. Eating protein in the morning helps your cortisol level off, making you feel calmer. I had begun eating breakfast and incorporating protein first thing in the morning, but I was still feeling anxious throughout the day and over snacking in the afternoon. I realized a few weeks ago that I wasn't consuming enough protein, so I switched from my keto French toast muffins and half of a Core shake to a protein pancake bowl. The pancake bowl is about double the protein (around 30 grams) and I FEEL significantly better, I snack less throughout the day, AND I'm getting a serving of vegetables in! And because I'm snacking less, I'm losing more fat.

If you have anxiety or ADHD, starting your day with protein is huge to being able to concentrate. If you are interested in getting this customizable recipe, comment below and I'll send it to you!

02/07/2026

February: Being Your True Self Can Keep You Healthy

This blog post is running late because I picked up a temporary position for the month of January-interim Head Coach for the Indoor Track team at my school. The head coach had a beautiful baby on New Year’s Eve, and I volunteered to finish out the season for her back in August. After a relaxing Christmas break, I started second-guessing my choice. ...

This blog post is running late because I picked up a temporary position for the month of January-interim Head Coach for the Indoor Track team at my school. The head coach had a beautiful baby on N…

01/27/2026

It's 20 degrees outside and I'm making...ice cream! I received a Ninja Creami for Christmas and boy have we been putting it to use! High protein ice cream that is so filling I can't eat anymore? Yes please! This is my fudge peppermint brownie recipe. Want the recipe? Comment recipe below and I'll send it to you!

I've got big goals for 2026, but I'm not compromising on taste!

01/24/2026

Creekside is on a roll this month! Since January 1st:

*One client has lost 7-8 pounds, simply by making small, sustainable tweaks to her daily habits

*An executive function client has implemented an organization system that allows them to put things away and not forget where they are, instead of leaving them out. This made their home less stressful and easier to navigate! We also found a system that externalizes tasks and client schedules, decreasing anxiety of forgetting something

While you are home during this icy and snowy day, think about your New Year's resolutions-how are they going? Do you need support? I offer pay over time, so achieving your goals is within your reach! Sign up for a free consultation today!

01/03/2026

Time is running out to register for my Signature Group Coaching Program! Start 2026 off right and learn the cheat codes for taking care of yourself so you can take care of the ones you love!

01/01/2026

New Year: What’s Staying, What’s New, and What I’m Leaving Behind

January 1st is a funny date-people have a WIDE variety of opinions about New Year’s Day and New Year's Resolutions. I was on social media yesterday and someone posted in a group a generic question about resolutions and they got so much HATE back! Apparently, many people are at a point where they don’t set resolutions because they don’t want to fail, and that made my heart sad. ...

January 1st is a funny date-people have a WIDE variety of opinions about New Year’s Day and New Year’s Resolutions. I was on social media yesterday and someone posted in a group a generic qu…

12/29/2025

Stress is sneaky!