I have shed 11 pounds now in 28 days. following our Best Ever You Ten Steps to a Healthier You Plan.

I made one very small change that created a bigger ripple effect. That change was to eliminate as much sugar from my life as possible.

By doing that, I basically had to redo nearly everything I ate, because upon inspection, much of what I was eating was, in fact, sugar in various forms - bad forms, like pasta, rice, white bread, chocolate chips, chocolate ice cream, etc...

Instead of eating those foods, I decided to eliminate them entirely now (versus decreasing their portions) and change to whole fruits and veggies, chicken and more clean eating. I'm a pretty clean eater already due to food allergies, but I decided to really eliminate anything with sugar.

I also decided to add a green smoothie each morning to my food choices for breakfast. (You can see in previous blogs how my family reacted to blending up spinach!) 28 days later, however, it is so interesting how popular green smoothies are becoming in our home!! Our oldest son, Connor dared take a sip and said, "That is so strange. It tastes like banana, but is green!"

My husband has purchased a green cup for me, but still won't drink one, which caused me to go back to Sara Sullivan, our nutritionist on Best Ever You and ask about different colors of smoothies for those with an aversion to drinking green.

Voila! Red Smoothies..... Sara and I went of Fox/Good Day Maine in a Green Smoothie vs. Red Smoothie way...http://www.myfoxmaine.com/story/16959862/red-vs-green-smoothies

I'm still on the green smoothie team!!

My next small change is going to start today now that I have my eating under control. I am going to be adding 40 minutes of exercise to my daily routine. I am not going to be particular about the exercise. I am just going to choose each day to do something. It might be a Planet Fitness Treadmill workout or it might be a wog up the block (that is my walk/jog). It could be a round of Hip Hop Abs or it might be Slim in Six. Heck, I may even throw in some Jane Fonda from the 80's. (Yes, I still have that in VHS!!)

Believe in Yourself. Everyone is different. Find what motivates you and inspires you and tweek it to work for you. Daily I am asked, "What/Whose plan are you following?" I answer, "MY OWN!" Don't compare yourself to others and look within for the answers.... and don't, please don't, if you are in your 30's, 40's, 50's say "I used to be...." Think about how you are now and what works for now. (I am not on the gymnastics mats 6 - 8 hours like IUSEDTOBE.!!)

Believe in Yourself. The Power of You. Be Your Best.

Love,
Elizabeth

About Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Elizabeth is the Founder and CEO of The Best Ever You Network and has finally decided to do something about those nagging 20 pounds.

ps- Elizabeth is the queen of typos. If you find one, just let her know. Our editor, "Liz" is busy trying to show people in the world that it is ok to drink green spinach for breakfast.





By Dr. Andy Abbottt

Love isn't just a Valentine Moment. As Dr. Andy Abbott discussed on Good Day Maine/Fox, here are Andy's Top Five tips for a lasting, successful relationship.

1) Effective communication: Making sure the couple maintains open communication and find the time to discuss not only serious topics, but fun topics as well. Using open, loving conversations rather than heavy sarcasm or hurtful language.

2) Time together: Not time with the kids and family, but alone time as a couple. This is what brought the couple together in the first place it needs to be a top of the list to spend time with one another. This creates the much needed time away from the stress of everyday life that pulls you back to the dating paradigm which brought the couple together in the first place!

3) Work together to resolve conflict: Be willing to sit and listen actively to your partners perspective and simply be present. This helps each individual feel more connected and thus more connected as a couple.

4) Develop hobbies: Create connecting routines together, paper in bed with coffee, hiking, cafes, etc. This creates a deeper friendship which creates a deeper connection with your partner.

5) Love yourself: It sounds like a cliche, but it is so true. We simply cannot love someone else unless we first accept and love ourselves.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About Dr. Andy Abbott

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor

Andy has a Ph. D in Psychology and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who has operated a private practice in Maine since 2004. He received his doctorate from Walden University, his masters from Northern Arizona University, and his B.A. from Arizona State University. Prior to opening his private practice, Andy worked for several mental health agencies in the area. Since 1995 he has worked with groups and individuals in a variety of settings including institutions of higher education, state and local mental health and juvenile/adult justice agencies, clinical settings and public school systems. Andy is also a national speaker on Existential Psychology. Andy is a member of the Maine Counseling Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Counseling Association.

Andy’s particular areas of specialization include existential psychology and the pursuit of individual self-actualization, and individual, couples, and family therapy.

Andy also enjoys existential philosophy, foreign films, playing tennis, music and spending time with his family. He also enjoys traveling, when his schedule permits, especially to Paris which for many years was the intellectual center of existentialism.





Gary will be on Best Ever You Radio on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 1pm EST for the full hour with us. To listen anytime visit: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/besteveryou/2012/02/14/gary-kobat--integrative-performance-coach

Name: Gary Kobat

Occupation: People call me Gary. I assist people in their awakening, hold space for their healing, and shine light on the path of transformation by asking them to step into real power; their true selves.

What do you want on your tombstone? The same thing I have on my auto license plate: Grateful.

How would you like to be remembered? Gary Kobat “the-name” or “the-body” doesn’t need to be remembered, but my essence is “love”, and love is eternal, expansive, infinite, and always remembered.

What is one essential thing you must have with you at all times? “No-thing” is essential.

What is your current state of mind? None of your business, but if you really want to know, in this moment, I am “out-of-my-mind” and “in my body”, feeling and coming from my heart Thanks for asking..

What is your favorite drink? You mean, what do I like to “drink-in”…the fuel source of life: air, water, and light.

What is your greatest fear? You mean, what is my greatest illusion? Because fear is the illusion of the future, and the future doesn’t exist; we only have the present moment, there is only “now”. When we're feeling human, and fear comes up, have the courage to approach this illusionary wall of fear, and it will turn into a doorway. When we come through that door, our true self will be waiting for us on the other side.

What is your hobby? Discovering, uncovering, and revealing the essence, beauty, and light of anything.

-Gary Kobat

Over the past 20 years, many of you have known Gary as the tough-love Coach, no-nonsense Trainer, and World-Class Athlete whose energy for life has inspired, educated, and empowered lasting personal and professional change for thousands. But did you know that under all of that, he relishes what drives us most: developing the quiet power of being a student of life; allowing peace, happiness, and spiritual alignment; learning the power of words and thought; mindfully revealing self-worth, self-esteem, and self-love; growing with a gentler, more heartfelt spirit.

As an Author, Speaker, and Life-Coach utilizing ancient wisdom and cutting-edge trends in human performance, Gary guides transformation and evolution for individuals and teams alike, dynamically creating legendary results.Gary's client list includes the who's who in film, business, and sport. For the past decade he has quietly mentored the spirituality, health, and longevity of Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell, Mariska Hargitay, and countless others.

(Photo by Gary Kobat.)





It's Valentine's Day and I love you, but, Do You Love You?

Do you love yourself?

I don't mean in any arrogant selfish way. I mean it in the sense of negative chatter, negative self-image or good solid cases of the "I'm not good-enough's/I can't do that/I'll never be's......"

Are you constantly seeking approval from others? Do you care what people think? Let's just take your car for example. Is it the $60,000 xyz car/suv that your neighbor just bought and you want? Does it matter what kind of car you drive? Does it matter what kind of car I drive?

Just so you know... I drive the French Fry Mobile. It is a 2004 Toyota Sienna minivan with a dent in it from me nearly wiping out the side of the garage. It has driven our family around since the boys were babies and had four car seats and now the oldest is driving it. Dead French Fries and all. (Yes, I mean stray hardened can't be killed french fries clearly with preservatives.)

This goes far beyond cars, vans, bikes and so forth and into the realm of just pure love. Are you laughing at yourself? Are you doing your best? Are you happy?

Let's go next to your bathroom mirror. When you look at yourself in the mirror, are you saying "Geez, I'm getting old. My body is out of shape. I look tired. and...Where did that wrinkle come from?" or does your mirror routine sound a little more like, "I'm amazing, deserving, thank goodness I am alive today and I'm going to do my best to have great moments ahead of me today."

Don't wait for the new car to feel better about yourself. It won't work. In fact, the bill booklet that comes with just might make you feel worse. You also aren't sitting with the owner writing their check out. You might be envious of their car and they might be regretting the added stress.

Love Yourself. Value Yourself. Trust Yourself. Understand Yourself.

When you start to love, value, trust and understand Yourself, cars, house size, mirrors, wrinkles, body image and all of whatever else is keeping you from living your best will start to change and evolve. But you have to get out of your own way and just be.



About Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Elizabeth is the CEO and Founder of The Best Ever You Network. Believe.

ps- Elizabeth is the queen of typos. If you see one, just let her know. Our editor "Liz" is picking up the fries, but not eating them, although it does look like she still could. (preservatives in motion)





I want to thank everyone who contributed to this issue of Best Ever You Magazine. You all inspire, motivate and inform others to be their best possible.

This issue features Shea Vaughn, the Founder of SheaNetics.

To download your copy click here

To view past issues of Best Ever You Magazine, click here .

To write for Best Ever You (website or magazine) click here.


Best,
Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino, Founder/CEO





I never ever ever thought I would say that I didn't want to eat chocolate ice cream, but you know what....???... ............. ah, who am I kidding. I LOVE CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM :) ..... But, not eating it or several other sources of sugar in my life for 14 days now has rendered me a whole 6-7 pounds lighter!!

So here I am on DAY 14. I knew this day would come (and go) but I expected to be around 2-3 pounds lighter, not 6-7, so you can imagine my thrill when I put on my LEVIS (that were barely buttoning) and they FIT!

<---------- SEE :)

Many of you know that I measure success in terms of my clothes fitting and in particular my jeans and yoga pants.

Well you know those yoga pants that I was talking to in my closet in January ----- THOSE FIT NOW TOO!!! (Click here to read that blog.)

But now, I also have a new measure of success that goes a little deeper than just clothes. It's called my HEALTH! So here's a much healthier lifestyle in 2012.

What am I doing?
I am not eating anything with obvious sources of sugar in it and am avoiding and paying attention to hidden sources also. I have changed my food choices to all fresh fruits and vegetables, chicken and do eat small amounts of red meat, but we'll see how that changes also. I am basically following Best Ever You's Get Healthy Forever Plan.

What have I removed from my food choices?
In my case, I removed, chocolate, chocolate ice cream, crackers, deli meat, cheese in quantity ( my prior snack of choice was reaching for string cheese.) white bread, white rice, pasta, pizza in quantity (1 slice, vs. 3-4). I also am not eating any low salt potato chips (thinking low salt was going me a favor.) I have also removed any vegetable oil, canola oil, and butter.

There are some food limitations for me due to food allergies, so my diet won't even contain nuts, fish, shellfish and I also don't really ever drink anything with caffeine or anything diet or regular soda/pop.

What have I added to my food choices?
Green smoothies (pears, spinach, cucumbers), tons of fresh veggies, lemon, olive oil, wheat bread, brown rice and more water and decaf green tea.

What am I going to change next?
Over the next 14 days, I will also be adding in more exercise. I have been stretching daily, walking and doing isometics. I've been basically doing the warm ups for gymnastics that I used to do when I was a gymnast. (Funny how muscles remember, lol, NOT - well, I don't think they go back that far....) Good thing I do :)

Ok, lots of hugs and happy Super Bowl today! I'll be the one with the green smoothie!

Love,
Elizabeth




About Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Elizabeth is the Founder and CEO of The Best Ever You Network. Her goal is to lose 20 pounds and get back toned.

ps- Elizabeth is the typo queen. If you see a typo, just let her know. Our editor Liz, is decked out in Patriots gear and is out on the internet misspelling "Gaints" intentionally for fun. Nice.





Day 10 of my sugar detox. I've lost 4 lbs now. Green Smoothies rock, but not everyone in the family thinks so. The dog isn't even so thrilled.

Some followers are asking what I am eating and how am I exercising. I'll answer that in the next few days. For these past 10 days, my focus has been on getting my food choices in order and nixing my sugar intake and any processed foods. It has not been an easy 10 days.

You can find more information in our ebook: Ten Steps to a Healthier You. Here is our segment yesterday on Fox Maine, Click to view video

Here's my own little homemade video on how green smoothies might go over in your own home. Stay fearless my friends :) :) :)

Love, Elizabeth



About Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Elizabeth is the Founder and CEO of The Best Ever You Network. She stared at the Frosted Flakes this morning for about 15 minutes off and on and decided to go for the smoothie. Green Smoothie 1, FF, 0.

ps- Elizabeth is the typo queen. If you see one, just let her know. Our editor, Liz is wandering the isles of the grocery store ignoring the processed food.







I am proud to award The Beauty Blueprint - 8 Steps to Building the Life and Look of Your Dreams, our Best Ever You Blue Ribbon Award.

Here at The Best Ever You Network, we believe that looking and feeling great both start within, and so it is with great pleasure that we introduce you to author Michelle Phillps, who shares that same philosophy.. Phillips, a celebrity make-up artist, life coach and motivational speaker has changed the lives of countless women through her approach to beauty.

Since this book arrived at my home for review, I've read and re-read it three times taking the various assessments and really thinking about things like core values and how that could relate to my foundation, in both me and my make-up :)

Michelle recently appeared on Best Ever You Radio.

I would encourage you to grab you journal, index cards, pen, some old magazines and a few other accessories and join Michelle on a new beauty journey. Discover more at www.michellephillips.com

Congratulations!

Love,
Elizabeth

About Michelle Phillips

From live TV to live events Michelle has inspired and entertained millions. By combining her knowledge as a Life Coach with her years of working as a celebrity makeup artist, Michelle has created formulas for authentic beauty and success. From appearance, attitude, personal goals, performance and relationships, Michelle provides a “blueprint” that empowers people and positively impacts them far beyond simple makeovers.

Michelle knows firsthand what it takes to succeed against the odds. Although she is from the Phillips family of music and TV, her entry into the entertainment industry was a humble one. She dreamed of working as a celebrity makeup artist at a time when it wasn’t a viable career choice. Through hard work and determination she eventually went on to work with major networks and stars of film, TV, and music such as: NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Katie Couric, Deborah Norville, Colbie Caillat, Jeff Foxworthy, Doris Roberts, and more.

Along the way Michelle was asked to move in front of the camera as the beauty and style correspondent on Tampa Bay’s 10, eventually being cast as the host of the station’s morning talk show, Studio 10. Since then she has made appearances on; The Daily Buzz, Gal Time, Head Drama, BetterTV, SheKnowsTV, HSN, TLC, HGTV, Best Ever You Radio and shows across the country.

While working behind the scenes, and eventually in front of the camera, Michelle made some very important discoveries, the biggest being the connection between inner strength and outer beauty. Making this connection led her to create a process to help others achieve and live their true beauty. Michelle can now show you the right foundation for your skin tone and provide the right foundation for your personal success, providing a strategy for ‘beautiful’ living inside and out.
The process Michelle created provides a strategy for living a ‘beautiful’ life by covering areas such as; enhancing self-image, overcoming obstacles, health and fitness, style and beauty, goal setting and empowerment, life balance and more. While women across the world spend millions every month searching for tips and inspiration to make their lives better, Michelle provides help that will take them beyond what they’ve been told is the meaning of success.

She has made it her mission to help others live their beauty by sharing her message in her speaking programs, TV appearances, weekly radio show on Hay House Radio, and in her best-selling beauty and self-esteem book, “The Beauty Blueprint- 8 Steps to Building the Life and Look of Your Dreams” (Hay House, 2011).



About Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Elizabeth is the Founder and CEO of The Best Ever You Network. shhhhh- she is on page 29 with scissors and old magazines, index cards and a journal and is releasing negative fat arm thoughts :)

ps- Elizabeth is the typo queen. If you see one, just let her know. Liz, our editor, has just discovered her love of trust, sincerity and vintage clothes all in one day.





Let's face it, or let me face it, the thought of drinking blended food is just not the same thing as downing a couple slices of pizza.

Over the past four years of being involved with The Best Ever You Network, I seriously have had so many diet books, diets, exercise plans, ways of thinking and so forth pitched to me as what is the best for our readers and followers.

Well, one thing that consistently rises to the top of my awareness and seems to be fitting in well with our lifestyle here at home is this notion of not eating processed foods and instead finding food that is minimally processed or not processed at all, for example, fresh fruit or vegetables. This means not eating things from boxes, cans, pre-packaged or foods that have many many ingredients.

I already do a pretty good job of that. But through my discovery, I found an ice cream that has all natural ingredients and well pizza is pretty clean too, so my brain did a work-around :)

I've been on an 8 day sugar and snacks detox.
This means, for 8 days I have been gradually, removing the "toxins" from my diet and adding in much better choices. I went into this before day 1 thinking, "Tomorrow, I'm doing to have that green smoothie." You know the one. The one green smoothie we, well I, even write about. It has fresh cucumbers, spinach, pears or apples and blended up nice and yummy for you to drink. Well Day 1, followed by days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and still no courage to blend that up and drink it down. I've even used "What if I am allergic to it?" as an excuse because it is so very green. I also wondered if I would be crazily running to the bathroom. I've seriously been afraid to eat it regularly or replace a meal with it.

Courage and fear conquered. (Debra Oakland and Gary Kobat would be proud.)
Yesterday and today are turn around days for me. I've had to modify our recipe from our book a little. My smoothie is just cucumbers, spinach, ice, water and a fresh pear all blended. Yesterday, I took a sip. Just a sip. To make sure it wasn't totally disgusting. I've tried these shakes before and they can be gross. This one was actually really good. My husband and kids steered clear and I was even a little scared to drink the whole thing, so I just drank about 1/2 and smiled in the success zone.

Even More Courage and Less Fear:
Today, Day 8, I blended it up and drank the whole thing. Now, just to paint the picture... There were two pizza boxes sitting on the counter. My husband ate a slice for breakfast and I said those magic words, "NO THANK YOU," whereas, normally, I would have joined him in the breakfast pizza feast. I, in turn, asked him if he would like a sip of my lucious green smoothie and he uttered those magic words, "NO THANK YOU." in return. :)

Week 2 Begins
So here's to all things green smoothie and day 8 of no sugar and to three pounds gone. For more info visit "Ten Steps to a Healthier You."

Love,
Elizabeth

About Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Elizabeth is the Founder and CEO of The Best Ever You Network. She really loves pizza, so today was a huge moment.

ps- Elizabeth is the typo queen. If you see one, just let her know. Liz is off today planning healthy dinners now that the sugar brain fog has cleared.





This morning a Best Ever You reader sent me an email. She asked "What are you doing? I also need to lose weight and keep sugar out of my diet."

(Well....since you (and others) are asking...)

I am on Day 7 of Best Ever You's Get Healthy Forever" plan. We tried it out last year and three of us had some amazing success. So this year, Sara Sullivan and I have written some thoughts down on how to get healthy and have shared them with you.

Women (and men too) are MASTERS at being so hard on themselves! We have so much internal chatter at the mirror, at the wedding, at the birth, after the birth(s), at reunions, while we are on dates, in the dressing rooms trying on jeans or swimsuits... you get the idea.... We beat ourselves up much too often.

I thought I'd take a moment with you to share some of my pregnancy photos and a photo of me now. Why? Well for one, I can't believe my kids are now 10-12-14-16, but also to show you how much we go through and how much our bodies go through and to remember to take time to love yourself, be proud of yourself and give it your best.

If you spend time beating yourself up, you are taking time away from being positive and living a productive, happy life.


Pregnancy 1 : 1995
Start weight: 125
End Weight: 240
Baby Induced due to Blood Pressure issues 4 weeks early. He was 7lbs 6oz.
Age: 26



Pregnancy 2: 1997
Start weight: 160
End Weight: 250
Baby induced due to Blood Pressure issues 2 weeks early. He was nearly 9 lbs. We both almost died in childbirth.
Age 28

Let me pause for a moment and tell you that in between these pregnancies I was Divorced, remarried, pregnant and had developed Anaphylaxis -( food allergies) and had been resuscitated in 1998 from Anaphylaxis.

Pregnancy 3: 1999
Starting weight: 125
Ending Weight 165
Baby induced and pregnancy watched very closely due to pregnancy complications in 1997. Baby induced 3 weeks early, 7lbs 1oz
Age 30

I was a lot skinnier during this pregnancy from sheer stress, I believe.

Pregnancy 4: 2001
Start Weight: 135
End Weight: 180
Baby induced 2 weeks early. Watched very closely again due to previous pregnancy complications.
Age 32


This is me NOW. 2012. I'm 42, still 5'3" :) and at a weight of 148 - 152 pounds. I bounce between that weight depending on what I eat.

So now for 7 days, I've been on what I've affectionately labelled as "sugar detox" for me, since that is my trouble area. I don't eat a lot of processed foods due to food allergies already, but when I find something I can eat and not be allergic to, such as chocolate chips, chocolate ice cream, etc... I EAT IT.

Well, I'm changing that.

My goal is to lose 20 pounds and change the way I eat forever. I feel like diabetes is just around the curve if I don't start being more mindful. I also feel like at age 42, menopause is starting to creep in and I don't want to add extra weight there also.

But, what I wanted to add that last year, following our diet, I took off and kept off 20 pounds, so this is that next 20.

There's no wedding, no pregnancy, no swimsuit buying, no jeans that don't fit, no "event" surrounding my need to do this. It's just ME and my intution telling me so.

Please send a comment or email to me, if you would like to follow or get some help! We're here for you! (and I need the support too!!)

About Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Elizabeth is the Founder and CEO of The Best Ever You Network and co-host of the Motivation Marathon. Well, that Marathon motivated Elizabeth to get a move on the next 20 pounds. :)

ps- If you see a typo, Elizabeth is indeed the typo queen, so please just let her know. Our editor Liz, is out walking, jogging and is chocolate free, which could make for some fuzzy thinking for a while.

pss-Green Smoothies rock. Try ours. It's in the ebook above.