A question I get often is, “Sarah, if you could tell me to do ONE thing that would make the biggest impact on my health, what would it be?”
If YOU’VE ever known “what to do”, but just can’t seem to DO it when it comes to your health, or if you’ve ever told yourself you were going to change something but then you just couldn’t stick with it, then read on, because I’m going to share something that could change everything for you!
If you’ve been with me for a time, you’ll know that I became a certified health coach in order to help people uncomplicate their relationship with food, weight and their body and UNLEASH their ANIMAL in order to experience more joy and freedom in their lives.
This concept – of seeing my body as an animal with very simple and specific physiological needs – has helped me cultivate a deeper relationship of love and trust and respect and reverence for my incredible body that houses ME.
On Day 1 of my 5 Day UNLEASH YOUR ANIMAL Challenge, we begin to think about our animals, and our first task is to draw our animals as a way to connect with them more deeply.
When I first decided to create the Challenge, I struggled to draw my animal. It kept morphing and changing in my mind. I threw out several ideas for symbolic animals like an eagle (for my desire for freedom) and a phoenix (to represent my experience of rising from the ashes) and I finally found the animal that feels like mine.
A wolf.
Wolves are incredibly misunderstood creatures. Lone wolves, in particular, are seen as dangerous predators looking to kill when really, they’re highly intelligent, empathetic animals who are looking for love. They are the brave among the pack that leave to find a mate, start a new family and continue the species.
As a woman who made the choice not to have children, I’m not continuing the species, of course, but I have felt like a lone wolf in a lot of ways throughout my life, and I can relate to that animal.
I’ve left unhealthy relationships in order to improve my mental and emotional health.
I’ve left careers in order to find a better life for myself.
I’ve left unhealthy habits in order to cultivate healthier ones.
I’ve left romantic relationships that weren’t fulfilling in order to find real love.
I’ve gone within to learn who I am and what I REALLY want in my life.
My animal is a wolf.
A lone wolf.
And it’s such a gift to get to care for it.
It trusts me, and I trust it.
I respect and appreciate it every day of my life.
Naming and claiming my animal has truly changed the way I see my body, and while I’ve been prioritizing my health for a long time, this takes my desire to keep up my lifestyle habits to another level.
I highly, highly recommend giving it a try if you struggle with the ever-so-common issue of, “I know what to do, I just don’t do it”!
**Artwork by Adam Love
I’d been seeing this print among several other pieces by the same artist in a local boutique window and I loved the feeling of it, but I’d never looked closely.
As soon as I wrapped the first Unleash Your Animal Challenge, Roger and I went for a walk and we passed the store with this print in the window.
I stopped.
I looked and said “I’d really love to have that print”.... and then I looked CLOSER and saw that right there, beside the woman surfing in one of our favourite places on this island (Long Beach in Tofino) was her WOLF.
And immediately I knew this piece would be coming home with us. I see so much in this piece! I know the artist likely created it with the simple intention of having some fun! A woman surfing next to a wolf who is also surfing is fun, for sure!
But what I see is a woman in her element, enjoying this moment SO much because her animal is enabling her to PLAY!!! Wolves are strong and capable and the woman looks strong and capable. And it’s almost like the wolf is on guard, making sure all is well for its human so she can unleash and have a blast!
I love it, and every time I see it, I’m reminded that my animal is with me everywhere I go.
I need it and it needs me.
It supports me every step of the way, and vice versa.
If you didn’t do the FREE 5 Day Unleash Your Animal Challenge, it's not too late! ALL the magic happened inside my private Facebook group and the trainings (marked as announcements) with all the downloads (found in the Files Section) will be there until tomorrow (Sunday, November 15th) at 8 pm ET. After that, you'll have to wait until I run another one!
It's a pretty awesome Challenge if I do say so myself! It's even upleveled me on my journey and, as you know, I've been doing this kind of work for a very long time. It reminds me that no matter where we are on the path, we can always, always grow and evolve.
This Challenge is also a wonderful way to engage children, as the tasks are really fun and interactive, so it can become an easy way to open the dialogue and incorporate healthy habits into your home.
I love you.
And I love your animal. 💗
Because I want you to love your life one bite at a time.
P.S. And if you're looking to work more closely with me, it's not too late to join me for the next round of OBAAT coaching, either! We start Monday and the program runs for 12 weeks. If YOU want to take your health into your own hands and work with a coach who will gently guide you while keeping you accountable, then let's chat! All the details can be found by heading to OBAATCoaching.com.
P.P.S. Join ONCE, stay FOREVVVER! That’s right! Once you join OBAAT ONE time, you get lifetime access to ALL future rounds of coaching. FOR FREE. Some of my students have been with me since the very first round as a way to go deeper, learn more, connect with others and continue to stay on the path. I love that. 🙂
P.P.P.S. Here are a bunch of the Frequently Asked Questions I get about my 12 week group program. Let me know if you have any others by emailing me at Sarah@SarahTalksFood.com.
FAQs
Do you only coach women? Nope! I coach people with a human body and my programs are applicable to everyone. We are an inclusive group and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind in our spaces.
Do you only coach people in recovery or those who are overweight? No. I coach all people who are seeking a healthier lifestyle and who want to live with more freedom around food, sugar, weight and their body. Often, people who do my program have either quit drinking or want to quit drinking/cut down and/or lose weight, and I work with anyone who is contemplating making a health change, no matter how that looks for them.
Is your program offered in person or online? Online. You can live anywhere and access it!
What is your program about? My program is essentially MY personal recovery program; the one I patchworked together for myself 18+ years ago and all the way up to today! I share the best of what I’ve learned from the many teachers, coaches, experts and healers who have lit my path as well as the countless books I’ve read, documentaries I’ve watched, and research I’ve conducted (both primary and secondary) that’s all complimented my education to become a health coach.
I believe in a holistic approach, so we don’t isolate the physical from the mental and emotional; we work through exercises designed to help us integrate all aspects of ourselves and to heal in a way that allows us to move out of our past & future, and into the present; the only thing we ever have. You can see the entire curriculum at OBAATCoaching.com by clicking “Learn More” and if you have any questions, feel free to email me at Sarah@SarahTalksFood.com.
Who are you and what do you teach? I’m Sarah! And I’m a woman in long-term recovery from alcohol addiction. I went from being a pack-a-day smoker, nightly drinker, and late-night junk food eater to a woman who cares for–and about–herself in ways I truly never thought possible. I became a certified health coach to share my best practices–everything that really moved the needle for me in my life around mindset, fitness and food after I got sober 18+ years ago. Along with teaching my students the basics of nutrition, how to navigate the world of sugar, meal-planning 101, and cooking easy recipes together, we learn how to soothe our emotions without food and we go below the surface to understand ourselves and our behaviors better. We learn healthier ways to communicate, we learn to be more purposeful with our time, we learn to let things go, and we learn how to never, ever, ever go “on” or “off” a diet again. Ever. (Hint: because they work in the exact opposite way than we think they do!)
I’ve tried everything to lose weight. How is your program different? The biggest difference with my program is that it’s got nothing to do with dieting, restricting or sacrificing. It’s all about learning to cultivate a relationship with our bodies. I’ve cultivated a relationship of deep love and trust with my body and I teach others how to do the same with theirs. Caring for and nurturing our incredible, resilient, forgiving, capable, powerful bodies (and BRAINS!) is the most loving thing we can do.
While it’s not really about the food, but rather our mindset and behaviors around food, we certainly talk food all the way along because we still need to make sure we fully understand food and the way it works in the body (and brain!). Doing so makes creating a healthy lifestyle so much easier! It allows us to start wherever we are and know that every single decision we make to nourish and nurture our bodies, counts. The opposite is also true. In my program, we work to arrive at a place where we feel a sense of love and reverence for our body.
How long does your program run and does it run year round? OBAAT runs for 12 weeks and is held 4 times a year, seasonally. The next session starts on Monday, November 16th and runs until February 7th, 2020. Once you enroll ONE time, you get unlimited FREE access to ALL future group rounds of OBAAT that I run. Some of my students have been with me since the very beginning as a way for them to stay inspired, motivated, accountable as well as being able to dig deeper into the emotional work of the program.
How much does your program cost? My program costs $497 USD which works out to about $6 per day over 12 weeks. Remember, you get FREE access if you choose to go through any future rounds of OBAAT, so that price could end up being much, much lower. 🙂
What does the program entail/What comes with it? The program consists of 12 weekly lessons, or “trainings” delivered via video inside your Private Member Portal. Each training is between 30 minutes and an hour in length. Each week, you’ll be assigned homework and mid-week, you’ll have a live coaching call with me, via Zoom; You’ll receive a digital copy of my Recipe Guide; a private Facebook group for your group alone–a great place to find community and accountability partners; a digital copy of my book upon completion; and access to me inside the private Facebook group, or via email or text, if needed between weekly live calls.
How much time each week should I set aside for this program? Plan for 30-60 mins to watch the training. As for the assignments, you’ll find they vary widely from person to person and based on how deep you want to go/how much time you want to spend cooking, etc. So, it’s completely up to each student how much time they spend.
When are the weekly trainings available?The first one in the September 2020 round goes up on September 8th. After that, tranings become available every Monday at 5 am ET. They are located inside your private member portal.
When are the live calls? For the September 2020 group, they run on Wednesday nights at 7 pm ET.
How do I access the live calls? We use Zoom. There will be a link that we’ll use every week that I will email you and also share in our private Facebook group.
What if I can’t make it to a Wednesday class? You are encouraged to block it off in your schedule as it’s your opportunity to ask questions and receive coaching, but if you can’t make it to a live class, not to worry! You can always catch the replay (and ask me questions ahead of time in the Facebook group, if you like).
Does everyone see and hear me on their computers? Only if you want us to. You can turn your camera and your microphone off, if you like, but you’re welcome to share and we create safe spaces.
Do you only coach people of a certain age? No. I coach adults from age 18 to 118 (no offence to 119 year olds) 😉
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