What is a TERRAfit Challenge?

April 27, 2017April 27, 2017ClareWilliamson Leave a comment

Want to lose weight, get fit or both? Through doTERRA I discovered an amazing health challenge called TERRAfit. It was such a game changer for my health that I decided to become a coach!

This was me in 2014…

A muay thai LOVING mum at the peak of fitness, about to try my first amateur bout in the ring after a few novice fights. Then I unexpectedly fell pregnant! I lived off cheese sandwiches and marmite on toast for 9 months whilst battling debilitating morning sickness and basically felt YUCK. In total I gained 17 kilos.

I started TERRAfit because I needed HELP to get back to reasonable eating and workout habits. I was daunted by the idea of kickboxing again and unmotivated about the idea of eating clean. I don’t like fad diets or extreme exercise programmes and I don’t believe they work in the long-term. I need to be motivated and I like achieving as part of a team. The fact I could have both these things to help me lose weight and get fit again was what attracted me to TERRAfit!

TERRAfit provides support across 12 weeks to eat less and better and exercise more, as part of a team supported by a certified TERRA coach. You eat from a healthy food list, exercise 5 days a week and there are daily challenges to educate and inspire/motivate. An added bonus is the potential to win cash prizes at the end of the 90 days!

TERRAfit works on a point system that tracks your nutrition, hydration and exercise. You have to try and hit 100 points every day. Points are taken away for skipping exercise, meals and eating unhealthy foods. You get bonus points for supporting your progress with essential oils and supplements.

The motivation this challenge has given me is almost indescribable. It couldn’t have come at a better time either. I was a new mum, struggling the juggle of having 2 children instead of one. I guess my diet and exercise should have been the last thing on my mind, but as a mum need to be fit and healthy, just as much as you need exercise for the self care that protects mental health! Going to a gym is a lot more difficult though, when you have an entourage of small people! The GREAT thing about TERRAfit is that the workouts are streamed through your laptop/PC/tablet/phone; I do mine whenever I get my hands free and the support the first team I took part with gave me helped me in many more ways than just losing a few pounds of baby weight. The fact that TERRAfit focuses on nutrition and exercise and the support system provided is definitely its point of difference to all the other diet and exercise programmes out there on the market. It has also helped me improve my family’s health, as we are all eating better and enjoying real food!

If you’re thinking about joining or wanting to join a Terrafit team here’s what you’ll need:

1. A desire to form healthy lifestyle habits. Show your commitment with a $38.50 registration fee and clear your pantry of unhealthy foods!

2. Be committed to working out 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes a day (with rest days on Wednesdays and Sundays). Think of a time when you can slot these workouts in before you start.

You can stream the TERRAfit workouts for an additional monthly fee (this is called TERRAfit Advantage and costs $16.50 with your first week free).

You don’t have to do the TERRAfit workouts if you are happy with your existing exercise programme, but I really recommend them for their structure and effectiveness. Exercises are targeted to lean muscle development and weight loss. Workouts employ 4×4 high intensity interval training and believe me, it works! I couldn’t believe the difference in me across just 4 weeks and the essential oils and supplements I used in addition to eating really good, clean food really made me feel great and even improved other things, like my skin!

3. So a willingness to investigate the doTERRA products that can help you in your weightloss/fitness journey is preferable, but there is no obligation! I can help you discover the products that are right for you and introduce you to a way to purchase them economically across the 12-weeks. You get 10 extra points a day for using doTERRA products such as Deep Blue for muscle recovery, Slim and Sassy to support your metabolism and curb cravings, Lemon oil to detoxify, and the Life Long Vitality Pack of supplements to provide you with potent levels of essential nutrients and powerful metabolic factors for optimal health, energy, and longevity.

The registration fee, plus TERRAfit Advantage and an Athlete + Starter Kit costs jst $37.50 for the 12 weeks.

So, have I whet your appetite for change? Are you keen to realise your own transformation?

Check out the progress I made in just 3 weeks of my first challenge at the start of 2016!

Using the TERRAfit nutrition and fitness system I lost 15kgs, learnt how to eat clean and feed my family to boost their health as well and I got back in the ring as a Muay Thai Fighter.

Experience this amazing transformation yourself over 12 weeks with me and TERRAfit.

Gain access to workouts, products to support your weightloss, health and training, weekly progress calls, a Facebook support group, meal plans, recipes and discounts on coaching.

Carrie Harman, TERRAfit Participant, after 1 month in her first 12-week Challenge:

“I have two ‘exciting’ milestones as such…. 1. I am coping so much better with the exercise regime than I did my previous two sprint challenges… and
2. I am getting fuller easier. I am not finishing a whole plate of when my hubby dishes (bigger than I do), and not feeling that I should either. I am avoiding unwise food choices, and often not even tempted by them a lot of the time. I still have a wee way to go, as if I am not organised I find myself struggling on decent snacks – not ‘bad’ ones just not as energy boosting as they could be. I’m so excited to keep pushing myself as we head into month two! I still have things I want to improve and work on (mummy tummy, energy levels, fitness for my 10km run) and am glad to be doing this challenge with the three of you!!”

If you are ready to register for the next 12-week challenge to become the best version of you, email me now at nzessentialmum@gmail.com.

Here are my before and after pictures!

The Truth About #Beingmum

April 24, 2017August 30, 2017ClareWilliamson 3 Comments

Today I want to drill down deep. This is a blog I have wanted to write for a while, but just couldn’t find the right words.

You see, the truth about #beingmum, for me and maybe you too, is confronting. It is everything that I expect of myself and cannot be: successful and mindful.

What do I mean by this?

Let’s start with “success”. What I mean by this is the constant expectations we set and have for ourselves and what we achieve #beingmum and how in this way we often set the bar too high and end up feeling like we’re failing.

Here’s some examples:

There has to be a healthy dinner on the table every night
We have to think of a creative, educational, stimulating activity for our children to do every day
Our house has to be spotless
We are never going to yell or lose our temper
We are going to respond positively to our children’s every need

Because your mum. Because that’s your job. Because that is what is expected of you. And ultimately it’s what you expect of yourself.

But is it always realistic?

I’m glad you asked.

My belief is no. What I am finding as I coach different mums is this common factor of expecting way too much of ourselves in the time that is available to us, in the reality of the chaos that is #beingmum.

This inevitably leads to punishing feelings of guilt and failure and adds to the pressure we put on ourselves to do better. It makes us stressed and feel overwhelmed. It pushes our life out of balance, limits our happiness and can ultimately make us ill.

Now let’s talk about mindfulness. The truth about #beingmum is that it is terribly hard to be mindful when you are a mum. We are pulled in so many different directions that I reckon our brains actually rewire to always thinking about the next thing we have to get done, instead of enjoying being in the moment.

And the worrying thing is that a lack of mindfulness and constant pressure causes stress and mums are just as prone to stress related burnout as any other woman. The 4 walls of our homes and the arms of our loving families do not protect us from the mental health issues that are now prolific in our society. The difference is that mum can’t “fall” and so the burnout manifests in different ways – a functioning exterior that covers a depression, low self-esteem, disconnection from partner and friends, or just a daily living hell as you fail to cope and feel constant guilt and anxiety, but you maintain a smile for those around you.

Why am I writing about this?

Because I want to help you. I’ve been stressed, I’ve been anxious and I’ve definitely been overwhelmed more times than I’d like to admit, but through these experiences I found a way out to the other side…

And here’s the thing: Everything that pulls our attention in many directions, many of the things that challenge us and the even some of the things that cause us stress are normal parts of daily life #beingmum.

So we need to find a way for the pressures of #beingmum to exist in non-harmful ways and work on being more mindful.

How can we do this?

1. Notice More

When you have a moment, instead of thinking or scrolling your phone, notice what’s around you. Enjoy the soft fluffiness of the clouds, study the smile in your child’s eyes, see the colour in the trees around you. Take the Zen Mum Challenge to learn an easy, useful mindfulness activity that you can practice every day

2. Commit Less

Can you really do all the things you’ve said you’ll do in one day (without ending up exhausted?) A good test is to see if you’ll have at least one 2-hour block somewhere between 9 and 5 without doing something. If you haven’t, you’ve over-committed. (There’s method in my madness – check out one of my Time Management workshops if you don’t believe me).

3. Look Within

When we manifest our deepest intentions, we stop falling out of the moment because we’re not ruminating over the next decision/action. The result is a satisfying and fulfilling life that we want to be present in and self-insight that helps us get clarity of what our expectations of ourself should be and focus on how to achieve them.

4. Just Be

Say you did get that 2 hour block with nothing in it; the housework is done, the children’s cups are filled with touch, love and attention and you don’t need to check your emails because you’re on top of the work to do list, could you just be?

Try it. Turn the phone off, have no agenda and just go with the flow. Say yes to the children, sit and play/read/cuddle. Be fully present in whatever you do for that 2 hour block. Each time you feel obligated to do something else, put it out of your mind, breathe and smile. Be proud of being in the moment.

To support these actions, try my Roll Easy Rollerball System. As you know, I recommend essential oils to support the work we do in coaching.

These rollerballs are a natural way to support mindfulness, calm and peace. Check out how they work here.

They are formulated with doTERRA’s certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils, so contain no fillers, preservatives or other synthetic chemicals that are often used in essential oils used for flavoring and perfume. They have a strong therapeutic response and are even tested to be free of heavy metals, herbicides and insecticides. So you can be confident that what you roll onto your skin is completely natural.

(To see my Roll Easy System on Facebook, click here.)

I am about to launch my signature coaching experience, Design Your Life, if you’d like more information, please give me your details here.

I know you are thinking of a heap of reasons now why you don’t need to design your life, but I want you to ask yourself the question, if this blog has resonated with you, how close are you going to get to burn out or real unhappiness before you start making changes in your life?

I’m one of the unfortunate who has fallen over the edge and boy have I paid the price in the long-term. The damage that chronic stress does to your body runs deep. For example, I’m now the not so proud owner of adrenal fatigue, which has challenged many areas of my health. Thank goodness for my essential oils that are supporting my recovery in a big way!

So, I’ll leave it here and hope to hear from you soon…

Much love X X

Essential Mum

5 Easy Ways to Take a Breath from Life this Weekend

April 14, 2017April 15, 2017ClareWilliamson Leave a comment

We’ve all done it. Overcommitted ourselves, said yes to everything, tried to please everyone and got to Friday feeling drained, grumpy, anxious and ready for the floor to open up and swallow us!

Here are 5 easy ways you can take a breath and enjoy your weekend with your family, greeting Monday feeling refreshed and energised!

1). Don’t be afraid to say “no”

Gift yourself this weekend for you. Don’t feel afraid to say no to those who want to encroach upon it, even if they are family or friends! Say something like, “I would love to (do so & so/help you), but let’s organise it for when I can devote my full attention to you, OK?” Then, when you feel rested and ready you can set a date moving forward.

2). Identify your needs, and fulfill them!

We all have basic needs that need to be fulfilled for us to be content. I am actually an introvert. I require time by myself, on my own, otherwise I feel a little crazy. I don’t get that much anymore now I have 2 children, so I end up feeling a little crazy a lot!

You might need to be surrounded by others.

You might be an introvert like me who has a close friend who needs to be constantly surrounded by others… you see where I am going with this right?

When our fundamental needs aren’t being met we start to feel frustrated, bitter and burnt out.

Take a moment this weekend and identify the top thing you need to feel happy, fulfilled and unstressed:

More downtime
More ‘friend time’
More sleep
Something else?

Now figure out how you can get it!

3). Disconnect after baby goes to bed

As a business owner, the minute my children go to bed I start working because I feel overwhelmed by what I have missed during the day. This leads to late nights, an overactive brain and a grumpy mum the next day!

You might not have a business, but feel all those unfinished tasks from during the day (folding washing, a phone call, the dishes, food prep, etc) need to be done now you have time. What if I told you that time could be taken for you to wind down (or connect with your partner) and there is a way to support tasks not going unfinished during the day?

Make sure you hit me up on that question because I will answer it for you! For now, just take one night this weekend to switch off and focus on you and what you want to do.

4) Set aside time for breaks in your day

This is a big one, especially on a holiday weekend like this one when the kids want to do the Easter Egg Hunt, your partner wants time to do some DIY, you need to make sure the cupboards aren’t bare because the supermarkets are shut and the Mother-in-Law has to have family dinner this weekend.

Stop.

Breathe.

When can you set aside some time to go for a small walk or do your favorite stretches/yoga poses/exercises ALONE?

Fresh air, some meditation and some exercise are the most re-energising things I know. The challenge is to commit to doing them, so start the good habit this weekend of taking some time out for you.

5) Identify what you love & who you love and do & be with only that

This is another big one. In my Design Your Life Coaching Programme we look really hard at these things so you spend more quality time doing what you love and being with the people you love, rather than feeling obligated to do stuff you don’t like and waste quality time with people you don’t care that much for, but your kids love them, or you work with them etc. I know it sounds a bit harsh, but our days (and lives) are so very short! And we spread ourselves so thinly and feel obligated in so many different directions.

Spend some time this weekend thinking about your ideal life. Who is in it, what are you doing? I made a guided meditation as part of my Find Your Flame Series which is all about being the architect of your dreams and building your ideal life. If you’d like to listen to it, email me nzessentialmum@gmail.com. Click here to talk to me about the Design Your Life Programme.

If you feel like these steps might be a little hard for you to take right now, you might be interested in my Free e-book, Zen Mum Challenge, which gives you 14 easy daily steps to be more zen!

«« Click here to access »»

Much love X X

My High Needs Baby

April 8, 2017ClareWilliamson 1 Comment

I’ve had some dark days with Eden recently. She has pushed me to the limits of my patience (and sanity). This is hard to write because I love her to bits, but I feel like I have been challenged by her since the day she was born and this week as things have been really hard again I have thought, “when is this ever going to end?”

You might have already read Eden’s Story and her journey as a baby born with major gut issues. It took us a while to realise what was going on with Eden and see a Specialist who knew what Eden was suffering. A long time before this I read an article by Attachment Parenting guru Dr. William Sears, which really struck a chord. It was about the “high need baby“. Eden ticked every box!

Dr. Sears and his wife, Martha, coined the term “high need baby” when their fourth baby, Hayden, was born. While their first 3 children had been generally easy babies, Hayden was only happy when being held or fed. It was then that they realized that some babies are just truly high need.

While I totally agree, what I have also observed through my personal journey with Eden and through meeting other mums with babies/toddlers/young children that also tick the boxes of “high need” is that there’s definitely a connection to problems in the gut.

We know there is a dynamic interaction between the gut, the brain, and the immune system, starting from birth. For example, immune cells reside within the gut and that was one of Eden’s big issues as a baby; her immune system was really compromised!

It feels like a bad dream now thinking about what we did go through with Eden. In the grand scheme of things she is so much better, for which I am grateful! I didn’t realise how bad it was with her (and how abnormal her constant cries and needs were) until I had my second girl Jade. Case in point; no milestone, change, challenge, illness has ever got her like Eden got daily! Eden’s physical and emotional being was so fragile, still is, and while her physical needs have reduced greatly thanks to the gut healing we have done, her emotional needs are still great. Admittedly I forget this as we go about our daily life and so fall quite regularly into overwhelm when she overreacts or she gets overwhelmed. Thankfully essential oils come to our rescue to restore our equilibrium. I would recommend them to anyone dealing with a high needs baby/toddler/child!

So what do we use?

There are 4 essential oils that I use regularly with Eden:

doTERRA’s Console, Serenity, Balance & Peace

To read about why I chose doTERRA, click here,

Read on for the benefits of each wonderful oil!

1. CONSOLE

One of the primary essential oils in the doTERRA Console Blend is Ylang Ylang, which is calming and balancing for the body and mind. It also contains Frankincense Resin, Patchouli Leaf, Labdanum Leaf/Stalk, Amyris Bark, Sandalwood Wood, Rose Flower and Osmanthus Flower which are comforting and grounding.

I use Console in those moments when we’ve all ‘lost the plot’. The tears are flowing, the tempers have boiled over, emotions are high… I put it in the diffuser or rub it within a carrier oil into our necks. It is instantly comforting (and you guessed it, consoling!)

2. SERENITY

The first thing to go out of the window for Eden when she is challenged emotionally is sleep. Serenity is a beautifully calming blend of essential oils like Lavender and Roman Chamomile. I diffuse Serenity aromatically in the bedroom to create a calming and peaceful environment before bed, use a Serenity soap or bath melt in the bath, or massage as a balm I make myself.

Serenity is also great in those “lacking calm”moments! Just one drop to the back of the neck is instantly calming, wherever we are and whatever we’re doing! I also apply Serenity to my brow when I need perspective on my situation with Eden in order to be more gentle with myself or seek answers about how to move forward in whatever challenge we are facing.

3. BALANCE

Balance has been a key oil in the Emotional Toolbox that has got me through severe anxiety problems. It is extremely grounding and so is great to use every day to the bottoms of the feet when the high needs bubs/toddler/child is going through change or challenging emotions. It contains Frankincense like Console, but also contains Blue Tansy, which ignites feelings of self-control, focus, and balance, and Blue Chamomile, which is quite sedative.

4. PEACE

Peace fuses floral and mint essential oils. It is known as a Reassuring Blend, to promote feelings of contentment, composure, and reassurance when anxious feelings overwhelm your emotions. I find Peace really good when Eden is anxious. This actually happens a lot, but presents in different guises. Eden is affected by loud noises, new environments, too much stimulation or situations she lacks control in. She presents as overwhelmed or even afraid. Peace composes her. I have started using Peace for my younger girl, Jade too, whose big milestones (she’s 1) are leaving her anxious when she’s away from me.

I guess the final part of this blog is honesty around having to remind myself what I like about Eden when she does push me to the limits of my sanity. Because maybe that might help you too. Because maybe you’re feeling quite alone right now and utterly horrible for finding your own high need bubs/toddler/child horrible.

A beautiful friend once explained to me that what often happens with kids who are higher needs is that they have an appearance of calm, but actually aren’t. She shared a thermometer diagram with me to explain what she meant and this has always stayed with me! Basically, our children sit higher up the thermometer and so constantly sit at a tipping point, and this is why it takes only “little things” to tip them over:

So, one of the things I have promised myself I will do more of is project myself into her mind when we are in a situation that is escalating or at risk of triggering a chain of unwanted events… I ask myself:

What would she want me to say and do in this situation?
What can I change about the situation I am considering to ensure it meets her needs as well as mine and/or involves her?

It isn’t easy parenting these “high needs”, but it is possible to adopt more empathetic and appropriate responses. I am still learning!

And the things I love about Eden?

She is resilient, with a warm heart, an inquiring mind and the strength of an ox. She is independent and unique and beautiful. I use Forgive essential oil to help myself move on from the soul destroying guilt I feel each time I lose my composure and feel overcome by her more challenging traits instead of these beautiful traits I love.

If you’d like to explore those questions above, as they relate to your situation and whatever brought you to my blog, request a free discovery call here.

If you’re curious now about the positive changes essential oils could make to your life, get my free eBook here.

Much Love x x

	Why I can’t wa… on Gestational Diabetes – U…
	Why I can’t wa… on What it’s like to live a…
	Why I can’t wa… on How to Save $ on Essential…
	Why I can’t wa… on How I kicked bladder infection…
	Why I can’t wa… on Eden’s Story