Eat Well, Think Well, Live Well – Details, episodes & analysis

What’s for dinner? The perpetual question that has to get answered day in and day out. And for many of my clients, solving this question ends up on their plates.

We know that cooking from home is actually a health habit that can  improve diet quality, help with weight loss, and prevent diabetes. Harvard Health notes that teaching people to cook from home can even be considered a medical intervention. (see this article)

I brought Mel Gunnell from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe on the podcast to help us figure out how to get dinner on the table every night. We chat about some easy semi-homemade shortcuts and the real key for both of us to being able to cook more often than not. 

More from Well with Lisa:

• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Schedule your free strategy/coaching session: wellwithlisa.as.me
• Want YOUR weight loss question answered on the podcast?  Fill out this google form HERE
• Let's be friends! Follow me on instagram:  @well_with_lisa
• Join the waitlist for group coaching HERE

Get your Fullscript account HERE

10% discount! (pssst: my clients get 25% for life!)

You’ll find the probiotic mentioned under my favorites and a basic supplement plan under Ready-made community plans →Basics for Women

More from Mel Gunnell:

• Website: melskitchencafe.com
• Instagram: @melskitchencafe
• Grab her Cookbook! HERE

About Mel:

Mel Gunnell is the owner and creator of Mel's Kitchen Cafe, an online recipe and food website. For over 15 years, Mel has been a trusted recipe resource for home cooks, food enthusiasts, and busy families. She loves sharing her favorite recipes with the world, and strives to publish recipes that make cooking and baking fun (and help anyone feel like a rock star in the kitchen). Mel resides on 25 acres in southwest Idaho with her husband, five kids, and a whole host of quirky farm animals.

“So many options, how do I know what will work for me-I have tried everything!

This week’s episode is a detailed response to this question. I did a content survey in January (missed that but have a question–tap HERE to participate) and this was one response I got.

If you feel like you’ve tried it all and just can’t quite figure out why nothing works, this is the episode for you. I’m going to help you figure out why diets in the past didn’t work and I’ll give you an exercise to think through what could work better in the future. 

Remember that weight loss is not a lifelong pursuit. But maintaining that weight loss is. That will be the key to figuring out what works. 

Ready for your free coaching session? 

SCHEDULE HERE!

Recently I mentioned my listeners are entitled to 10% discount on a fullscript account. I’ll include the link again . . . 

Get your Fullscript account HERE

10% discount! (pssst: my clients get 25% for life!)

You’ll find the probiotic mentioned (in episode 108) under my favorites and a basic supplement plan under Ready-made community plans →Basics for Women

More from Well with Lisa:

• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Let's be friends! Follow me on instagram:  @well_with_lisa
• Join the waitlist for group coaching HERE

Today we're diving into a transformative conversation with fellow health and weight loss coach, Esther Avant. We explore the pervasive "all or nothing" mentality that often plagues our health journeys. Do you ever feel like you're either fully committed or not trying at all? You're not alone. Esther and I discuss how this mindset can hinder long-term success and offer strategies to break free from it.

In this episode, we go beyond the typical advice of starting small (although that's there too!). We introduce concepts like "compassionate ownership" and "the very next bite," emphasizing the importance of self-love and understanding in your weight loss journey. We discuss the importance of setting realistic goals, recognizing the value of incremental progress, and the crucial practice of treating yourself with kindness through the process. Whether you're on the road to losing weight or simply looking to build healthier habits, this conversation is packed with insights to help you approach your journey with a balanced, sustainable mindset. Join us as we delve into the keys to overcoming the all-or-nothing trap and embracing a healthier, more compassionate way to achieve your goals.

More from Well with Lisa:

• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Schedule your free strategy/coaching session: wellwithlisa.as.me
• Want YOUR weight loss question answered on the podcast?  Fill out this google form HERE
• Let's be friends! Follow me on instagram:  @well_with_lisa
• Join the waitlist for group coaching HERE

More from Esther Avant:

• Listen to Live Diet Free HERE
• Website: estheravant.com
• Instagram: @esther.avant

About Esther:

Esther Avant is a health industry veteran with over 18 years of experience in fitness, nutrition, and wellness related roles. She is known for making exercise and nutrition simple and helping her clients address the root issues that have been standing between them and results that last.

Her Gone For Good framework has helped hundreds of women lose weight for the last time and start living their healthiest, happiest, most confident lives.

Her business, EA Coaching, provides full spectrum health & lifestyle coaching through a combination of exercise, nutrition, lifestyle, and mindset strategies.

Esther is also a boy mom and Navy wife who has lived and traveled all over the world while running her EA Coaching.

Do you want to cook more from home but wonder how to get it done faster and have it taste better? Amy has got some great tips for you! It's fun having guests that have completely different insights than what I do in my own kitchen! 

Amy is the photographer and recipe developer behind the popular food blog House of Nash Eats. She is a former lawyer and adoptive mom who loves sharing family friendly dinner recipes, decadent desserts, and a modern, from-scratch approach to comfort food cooking to help more than 1 million people each month gain confidence in the kitchen! Many of her recipes are inspired by having lived in many parts of the country and her travels to other places.

Key takeaways:

• Amy's #1 tool for great tasting food (it's cheap and easy!!)
• Must have small kitchen appliances
• Amy's favorite go-to meals for lunch for busy moms
• Ideas for trying new foods
• How to enjoy all this good food and continue with your weight loss or health goals
• Find Amy at houseofnasheats.com

More from Well with Lisa:

• Schedule a free session: wellwithlisa.as.me
• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Instagram:  @well_with_lisa
• Subscribe: podcast.wellwithlisa.com

If you've ever felt like you're the only one having these feelings--you're not! Listen in to hear my story and what brought me to how I eat today. I share with you how I first "learned" my body was not ok and what I attempted to do to "fix" it. I tell you about the varied diets I tried, not so you will try those, (please don't) but so you will see if you are still in the throes of dieting, there is a way out. You don't have to diet forever. 

Check out the episode cover to see the picture from the 5th grade production and from Senior Homecoming! 

Don't forget to SHARE this episode for an entry into my giveaway! Details in this episode!

More from Well with Lisa:

• Schedule a free session: wellwithlisa.as.me
• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Instagram:  @well_with_lisa
• Subscribe: podcast.wellwithlisa.com

Do you have a weight loss goal? And then do you do things that don't move you toward that goals? Why does this happen? Most people call it self sabotage.  I call it eating against our goal. You are eating things that are not moving you toward your ultimate goal. What should you do about it? Listen in for some strategies you can implement today.

Don't forget to SHARE this episode for an entry into my giveaway! Details in this episode!

Key takeaways:

• What parts of our brain contribute to self sabotage
• The Motivational Triad--how our brain tries to keep us alive and why it's not working for us anymore
• Strategies on engaging your higher brain in moving you toward your goals

More from Well with Lisa:

• Schedule a free session: wellwithlisa.as.me
• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Instagram:  @well_with_lisa
• Subscribe: podcast.wellwithlisa.com

Go-to meals are always on plan! Such good news when you are running late, didn't make a plan for the day or simply can't think of anything to put on your plan. Even if you've already downloaded the free e-book, I give you way more information and ideas in this episode! And if you haven't, grab it HERE!

Key takeaways:

• How to know when you're ready to make a go to melas list
• 4 types of meals that should go on your list
• The Breakfast Experiment! Try it this week--HERE is the blog post I referenced with the instructions.  
• Ideas for take out

More from Well with Lisa:

• Schedule a free session: wellwithlisa.as.me
• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Instagram:  @well_with_lisa
• Subscribe: podcast.wellwithlisa.com

Do you wonder if you should keep up your weight loss efforts while traveling? I recently returned from an 11 day trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland and I'm excited to share my best tips with you. I didn't mention it in the podcast itself, but I came home 2 lbs. lighter than when I left. I'm not in an active weight loss period myself. It was a natural fluctuation from the way I was eating and following these exact tips I give in the podcast.  

Key takeaways:

• How to think about regional food
• Don't miss tip for avoiding travel constipation
• A controversial tip about snacks
• Shout out to my favorite far away listener--Hi Fatima! 

More from Well with Lisa:

• Schedule a free session: wellwithlisa.as.me
• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Instagram:  @well_with_lisa
• Subscribe: podcast.wellwithlisa.com

Listen in for a fun discussion on sleep with Lisa and Janet Whalen.  

Janet is a sleep & stress management coach for midlife women. A former insomniac (40+ years!) turned great sleeper, Janet is passionate about helping women give themselves permission to sleep, rest and care for themselves after years of giving everything to family and others. Janet's program, "Permission To Sleep", helps her clients sleep better without pills, potions or needing anyone else’s permission. Janet is a Certified life coach with The Life Coach School, and was formerly trained at CTI as a Co-Active coach. She is also trained in CBT-I (cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia). Before she found her own sleep solution, she spent years as a marketer, family photographer and mom to her two sons, who are now young adults. Now she's empty-nesting in Southern Ontario with her husband of almost 25 years, and can be found reading, kayaking, hiking and working in her garden when she's not talking about sleep.

Key takeaways:

• What is the real cause of your insomnia
• Do you have acute or chronic insomnia?
• What to do when you can't fall asleep 
• What to do when you wake up in the night

More from Janet Whalen:

• FREE tool mentioned on the show--download here: Calm Your Racing Mind at Bedtime 
• Website: janetwhalen.com
• Instagram: @janetwhalencoaching
• Facebook: @janetwhalencoaching

More from Well with Lisa:

• Schedule a free session: wellwithlisa.as.me
• Subscribe: podcast.wellwithlisa.com
• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Instagram:  @well_with_lisa
• Share the podcast for a chance to win $100 Amazon gift card--details on my Instagram page! 

What should you do when you don't know what's for dinner? My clients always tell me they can't make a plan when they aren't in charge of the food at the event or they don't know what restaurant they are going to. This tool is the solution!

Key takeaways:

• Why making decisions comes from your higher brain
• What kinds of decisions can be made ahead--lots of examples here!
• Why this tool will build your relationship with yourself

More from Well with Lisa:

• Schedule a free session: wellwithlisa.as.me
• Subscribe: podcast.wellwithlisa.com
• Your Go-To Meal Guide: grab it HERE
• Instagram:  @well_with_lisa