It Started With Pop-Tarts Author Tour Update

Tina Meyer, Lori Hanson, Anne Rojo

Wellness Brunch Presentation Team

With the start of the New Year we kicked off a new publicity tour for It Started With Pop-Tarts...An Alternative Approach to Winning the Battle of Bulimia, I've just returned from events in Denver, CO, Prescott and Phoenix, AZ.

Thursday morning (Jan 22nd) I was a guest on Colorado & Company with Denise Plante and Mark MacIntosch on KUSA-TV, 9News in Denver. (The video of this segment should be available very soon.) I'm pictured here with the hosts Denise and Mark.

Then it was off to tape a one hour radio show Tune Into Love with Margaret McCraw. (This show will air on April 1st on http://www.HealthyLife.net/) Dr McCraw trains individuals to be Law of Attraction Coaches. Her book, Tune Into Love is about finding love though the Law of Attraction. This was a great show because the Law of Attraction was a key factor in my recovery from bulimia. A positive mindset, embracing the power of the subconscious, and reprogramming our negative thoughts and behaviors can make a huge difference in the outcomes we get in life.

On Thursday I was notified that It Started With Pop-Tarts was awarded the 2009 Silver - Mind, Body & Spirit award by Mom's Choice Awards! (http://www.momschoiceawards.com/)

Friday after pulling together all the donated gift certificates for the wellness brunches and picking up last minute goodies for the gift bags it was off to my book signing at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference at the Denver Convention Center. This was the first night the exhibit hall was open and I was the only one signing and giving away books. We had a great turnout and I was able to share my books with 42 conference attendees.

Saturday morning was my first Wellness Brunch at the Consulate Healing Center in Denver. We had $5 raffle tickets which attendees purchased to win all kinds of wellness giveaways. These included massage, acupuncture and neuro-emotional technique sessions from Dr. Keppel's Natural Family Health Care; Energy sessions with Michele Miller and Tina Meyer of Inbodyment, and a gift certificate toward any services offered by the Healing Light Center.

The brunch menu included my home made raspberry and spinach/tofu vegan pop-tarts! (A huge hit.) Tofu scramble and potatoes from Watercourse, Denver's premier vegetarian restaurant, fresh fruit, hummus and pita chips, tea and chocolate balls donated by raw food chef Loreal Hannon of the Healing Light Center for desert.

Our program included three speeches, an auction to benefit P.H.A.M.A.L.Y. (Physically Handicapped Actors and Musicians League), and raffle prizes. After I spoke briefly about eating disorders, my road to recovery and why I wrote my book, Anne Rojo, my Hellerwork practitioner spoke and led the group in a few breathing awareness and body movement exercises. Tina Meyer whom I worked with to restore energy movement followed and shared interesting concepts about how we respond to energy in our day to day lives (push, pull, stop and allowing energy movement).

Donna Smith filled the group in on the work of P.H.A.M.A.L.Y and we held our auction. A package deal that included a soft copy of It Started With Pop-Tarts, an audio Pop-Tarts book and a one hour Yoga of the Mind session with David Stevens. The proceeds from the auction will be donated to PHAMALY. Guests purchased books, audio books and loved my newly designed Personal Power necklaces. (See them on http://www.lori-hanson.com/)

After brunch, I headed over to For Heaven's Sake where I was a guest speaker and shared information about how to get a quantum jump on your health and fitness goals for '09. We had a great discussion and shared a jolt of inspiration.

Sunday I held a second Wellness Brunch at my parents home in Castle Rock. The group was primarily friends, previous clients and co-workers and some new faces who attended after seeing me on Colorado & Company.

The brunch program was the same, but included healing sessions and readings donated by Rev. Chris Lemmon along with energy sessions from the team at Inbodyment, sessions from the Healing Light Center and the auction package included a massage from Debbie Milkes of Creekside Massage with the Pop-Tarts book and audio book. Anne Rojo offered a free 30 minute consultation to all attendees.

Following brunch Sunday I flew to Phoenix and drove up to Prescott, AZ for a guest appearance on AM Arizona KAZT-TV 13 with Tonya Mock and Lew Rees Monday morning. Then on to my book signing at The Worm bookstore on Whiskey Row in Prescott. When it started snowing in Prescott I was happy to head south again to Phoenix! Tuesday morning I was a guest on Good Morning Arizona KTVK-TV 3 with Tara Hitchcock. View video of this short segment Click here: http://www.azfamily.com/video/byowebcast-index.html?nvid=325804&shu=1

Wednesday afternoon was the final book signing on this leg of the tour at A Peace of the Universe bookstore in Scottsdale. Following this book signing I hopped a plane back to LA for a few days before the San Francisco leg of the tour starting on the 5th. We're off to a great start and looking for continued momentum heading into National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, February 22-28. Stay tuned for more updates and information!

Visit http://www.lori-hanson.com/ for more pictures and information on It Started with Pop-Tarts books, audio books, MP3's Personal Power necklaces, consultations and upcoming workshops and events.

In peace, balance and health!

Lori Hanson

7 Easy to Implement Steps to Improve Your Health & Attitude in '09

It's January 6th. How are you doing with your New Year's resolution to finally lose weight this year and feel better about yourself? Do you ever watch The Biggest Loser and get inspired? Or have you convinced yourself that the only reason they do so well is because the contestants get to check out of daily life for awhile? And of course they have access to Jillian and Bob who push them much harder then they ever thought possible! So that makes it something you can't possibly do on your own.

Although it's reality TV and I'm really not into reality TV for some reason this show is something I've taken an interest in because it is changing lives. Many people on the show lose more weight than they ever thought possible. They regain confidence, take up new careers as personal trainers or speakers to inspire and encourage others. In spite of the "game playing" on the show, you watch people transform, get their lives back and as a result want to help others. Something I identify with.

Different day, a little different drama. Mine was an eating disorder. But there's something about finally figuring it out after years of struggling with an addiction or compulsive behavior that gives you a level of confidence you never before thought possible. Something you want to scream from the mountain tops. Something you want to let everyone else know they too can have.

Whether you have a full-fledged eating disorder or are like the 75% of women who admit to having some type of "disordered eating" (that is excessive or constant focus on weight, body image, dieting, etc.) you can change. 2009 can be your year. The year you finally figure it out.

It takes a combination of getting your body chemistry back in balance by providing top-grade fuel in the form of nutrition rich foods with reprogramming your subconscious to believe in yourself and your goals.

Start by taking a few minutes to identify your goals. What specifically do you want to change about your health? Why do you want to change? Is your reason enough to help you adjust your lifesyle for good? This isn't a diet. Diet's are a waste of time. Resolve to change the way you eat, what you eat and how you exercise. What end result do you want? Be specific. Is it being able to run and play with your kids? Lower your blood pressure? Stop taking medication? Compete in a marathon? Feel like a million bucks in a bikini by June? Be specific.

Creating and repeating positive affirmations will help keep you focused on your target and plug it into your subconscious. Take time every morning when you wake and before bedtime to visualize and feel what it's like to be in that place--where you have already achieved your goal. How is your life different? What does it feel like to run the marathon, walk the beach in your new swim suit, walk the stairs without gasping for breath?

Here are a few simple steps to improve your diet and eating habits.

1. Plan Ahead:

• You've heard it many times. Failure to plan is like planning to fail. It's the same with food. If you want to feel better tomorrow than you do today and greet next month a few pounds lighter than you are today, you have to plan. Create a map to get from the poor habits you have now to enjoying better habits.
• Create a shopping list. Go back to basics. Wherever possible purchase fresh produce instead of frozen. And if that's not possible buy frozen before canned. The goal is to reduce the amount of processed food from your diet. Bring home the fresh broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, red potatoes, squash, garlic, fresh spices, apples, bananas, strawberries, whatever fruit is in season. For salad skip the iceberg and bring home fresh romaine, red leaf, or butter lettuce. Red and green kale and mustard greens are full of nutrients and are a great addition to your diet as are root vegetables (turnips, parsnips, rutabagas). If you eat meat purchase chicken and turkey breast, stick to lean cuts of beef or incorporate buffalo in your diet. Prepare turkey burgers instead of beef. Eat more fish.
• Prep food in advance. Take one day a week and prepare food for the week. Take 30 minutes and wash and cut up the fresh produce you've purchased. In the winter I like to prepare a crockpot of soup and cook squash (butternut, acorn, etc.) or brown rice ahead so it's ready for any meal. Wash and store fresh fruits. With food prepared you have no excuse for not fixing a healthy, nutritious meal. Steam or roast some veggies with lunch and dinner.
• Prep raw veggie snacks. Cut up red cabbage, turnips, raw sweet potatoes, celery (it's ready for almond butter!) carrots or your favorite veggies.

2. Portions:

• Make it easy to eat only what you need. A portion is equal to the size of your fist or the palm of your hand.
• Use a small plate and dish up a serving of carbs, protein and vegetables.
• If you're eating at a restaurant and your order is a full bowl or plate of food, section or mark off the equivalent of a fist size that you should eat. Take the rest home. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks! They'll be jealous when you look great from controlling your food intake and improving your health. Take a minute and feel that experience, savor the feeling of looking and being at your best. That should far outweigh any thoughts you have of being embarrased about proactively portioning out your food. Besides what other people think isn't any of your business!

3. Eat balanced meals that include one serving of carbs and protein at every meal.

• Add vegetables to at least two meals.
• Make sure at least once a day you eat green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, kale, green beans, etc.)

4. Eat a minimum of every 3-4 hours.

• Keep your blood sugar happy. By eating 5-6 smaller meals a day, or 3 meals a day with healthy snacks your metabolism will thank you. Skipping meals lowers your blood sugar which leads to cravings and bingeing.

5. Have plenty of healthy snacks available:

• Skip the grease, sugar and fatty junk. Stock up on raw or dry roasted (no salt) almonds, walnuts, raisins, raw veggies, celery and almond butter.

6. Lose the sodas and caffeine!

• Replace sugar filled sodas and diet sodas with water. You'll have more energy and lose easy pounds without even trying. If you drink a lot of coffee, eat chocolate daily, or use another form of caffeine to survive, map out a plan to cut back your intake over the course of a week or two. You will be pleasantly surprised to see how much better you feel without it!

7. Alcohol - Empty Calories

• Yeah, by now you think I don't want you to have any fun. Truth is alcohol is nothing but empty calories that are quickly absorbed into your system as straight sugar. The biggest issue if you're trying to drop a few pounds and improve your health is that alcohol lowers your resolve. After a drink or two there is little resistance to chowing on junk food. Calories that could easily have been avoided if you weren't drinking. You don't have to quit forever, but this is one easy way to jump start your way to improved health.

Remember, it's not about perfection. It's about persistance. This isn't a diet it's a change in lifestyle that will bring you more energy, confidence, health and happiness. So vow today to "lose" that unhappy attitude in'09. What you thinkk about and focus on is what you get. Focus, visualize and feel what it's like to be the new improved, healthier you!

For more details on putting together a plan that is specific to your needs. Visit my website: www.Lori-Hanson.com

In peace, balance and happiness,

Five Steps for Guaranteed Success to Achieve Your Dreams in 2009

As 2008 draws to a close, the promise of a New Year is in the air. A fresh slate, a time for reflection, time for planning, time to set your sites on accomplishments for the New Year. What is it you want in 2009? What would bring you happiness, peace and harmony in life?

Forget about New Year's resolutions. Many people set New Year's resolutions and treat them like a wish list. That is, something they would like to do if they were only strong enough to stick with it. There are other much more effective ways to help you reach your goal, attain the success you desire, find that perfect relationship, and free yourself from the grip of addiction be it drugs, alcohol, nicotine, eating disorders or any other type of destructive path you might currently be on.

• First create a list of what you DON'T want.
• Then make a list of what you DO want.
• Take some time and get into the feeling of what it would be like to have what you want right now! What would it feel like to be free of your addiction and live life "normally"? What would it feel like to have that special someone in your life? What things would you do, where would you go, what characteristics does this person have?
• Spend 5-10 minutes a day creating a new script about what you want. Visualize it and feel the feeling of having it right now! You get what you focus on whether your time is spent stressing about the lack of what you want, or having what you want. Two good times to do this are when you first wake up and right before you go to sleep at night.
• To help you with your visualization and feeling exercise create a goal or vision board. The local discount store has poster board which works great for this. Pull pictures from magazines or print them from the internet and paste the pictures on your board. Keep it simple and not overcrowded. Symbols work well too. Use a picture of a watch to represent spending more time with your lover, significant other or friend. If your wish is to remodel your kitchen or bathroom collect pictures of the granite, tile and cupboards you will use. How does it feel to cook in your new kitchen? Put a picture of that sports car you always wanted and when you look at it feel what it feels like to sit in the seat, touch the steering wheel, feel the wind in your hair as you drive. Make it real! If your goal is to lose weight or recover from an addiction find a picture of yourself at a better time, or paste your head on on a picture of what you want to look like - make it realistic! What does it feel like to live life without being a slave to food, alcohol or nicotine. How do you feel when you wake up in the morning, how has your energy changed? How is your outlook on life different? Be in that place and feel every little detail you can. Bask in the new you.

If you follow these simple steps and keep your focus on what you want instead of obsessing and worrying about the things you don't want or want to change you will succeed. Focus on what you want with the same intensity of emotion that is evoked by the fear and worry of what you don't want. Instead of worry about money and the "downturn" in the economy, keep in the feeling of having the money you need to pay your bills and having some left over.

By reprogramming your subconscious mind you will attract what you want in life. Whatever input your subconscious gets it takes as a command. The trick is not to let your conscious mind take over and cause conflict by doubting. You have to believe, what you believe gets plugged into the subconscious and it will bring it to pass. It's the Universal Law of Attraction.

If you have ever played golf you witness live examples of this. A golfer hits a shot into the water or sand and says "I knew I was going to do that." It happens all the time. If that is the last thought before the shot, the subconscious mind makes it so.

On the flip side, during the NFL playoffs it's the teams that have the most belief in themselves that win. By watching the sidelines you can tell who believe and who is losing the faith in their abilities. Why is home field advantage such a big deal? Because of the energy of all the people in the stadium that believe! Our thoughts and our mindset are very powerful on the outcomes we get in life.

So as you head into the New Year take the time to think about those changes in life that would mean the most to you. Then decide to bring it into your reality and follow the steps above to make it happen. When doubts creep into your mind, immediately shift your thoughts to something positive, something that makes you feel good. Think about a favorite place, person or event that makes you smile.

For more information, please visit http://www.lori-hanson.com/.

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Happy New Year! In peace, balance and harmony,

Four Easy Steps to Help You Reduce Sugar Cravings

Do you fight food cravings? Are you constantly hungry and nibbling? What do you nibble on? Or do you even know?

Many people are caught up in unhealthy habits that are compelled by their daily diet. Yes, sometimes you eat because of emotional reasons (nervous, anxious, stressed, depressed, etc.). But what many people don't realize is that the combination of a diet filled with fast food, pizza, pasta, breakfast pastries, and other "white" flour foods with sweets (candy, cookies, chocolate, pies, ice cream, etc.) on a regular basis can contribute to your body actually craving sugar. So before you know it, you're reaching for second or third cookie at work, or having a candy bar for a snack without even thinking about it. By the time evening rolls around, you may be mindlessly eating a bag of potato chips or cookies in front of the TV after you finished diner because you still feeling the "need" for something.

Even though fruit is "healthy" for you, fruit that has a high concentration of sugar (fructose) will also contribute to these cravings. This includes fruit like honeydew, cantelope, banannas, apples, pineapple and nectarines to name a few. Concentrated fruit juices (e.g. orange juice), most pre-packaged juices you buy at the store, even "juicing" have a high amount of sugar and will can also contribute to cravings. And here you thought it was healthy!

Here are four easy steps to help you reduce your cravings and constant need to nibble.

1. Awareness
The first step to changing your behavior is understanding it by being aware of what it is. Keep a food journal for a week. Don't change anything about your eating habits, just keep track of what you eat, how much you eat and when you eat. It can also be helpful to note your emotions at the time. Are you feeling happy, sad, depressed, lonely, excited, anxious? The point of this is NOT to beat yourself up, only to take note of what your eating habits are.

2. Analyze Your Journal
After keeping a food journal for a week take some time and evalute it. Do you skip meals?, are you taking in some form of sugar and coffee first thing in the morning? (Note many Starbucks-type coffees are filled with sugar!) How much coffee do you drink? Are you eating any vegetables or any brown flour foods (wheat bread vs. white, brown rice vs. white)?

3. Create a Meal Plan
After analyzing your food journal take some time to create a new meal plan for the next week. Create a plan that includes:

• A balance of carbohydrates and protein at every meal
• Make healthier choices and limit the amount of fast food in your diet
• Substitute lean meats for hamburgers and fatty beef
• Include vegetables with at least two meals everyday. Be sure to include one green leafy vegetable a day
• Substitue wheat flour choices for white flour (bread, pasta, etc.)
• Don't go more than 3-4 hours without a meal. Eat a healthy snack between meals. (Avoid low blood sugar which can contribute to cravings
• Reduce your coffee intake, or try substituting decaf for a few cups of java. Caffeine (including decaf and chocolate) contributes to cravings.
• Increase your water intake. Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. This will make it easier to avoid constant snacking.

4. Reduce Simple Sugars From Your Diet

• Exchange high sugar fruits for berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries)
• Reduce your alcohol intake. Limit wine and beer to one drink a day. Better yet, drink white liquor (vodka, gin) instead of wine.
• Reduce the number of sweets, candy and desserts. If you're used to having three or four a day, try limiting yourself to one a day, then continue to reduce your intake to a one or two times a week.

These four steps will help to reduce the amount of concentrated sugars in your diet and curb the sugar cravings. The result? You'll feel better, have more energy and probably lose a few pounds! For more detailed information please visit my website, http://www.lori-hanson.com/ and contact me directly.

In peace, balance and health,

Do You Have a Healthy Relationship With Food?

Do you eat only when you’re hungry? Is food simply fuel for your body? Is it easy for you to ignore that cookie, beer or piece of cheesecake? Do you give your body premium high-grade fuel to run on or do you exist on low-octane fuel that leaves you sluggish and in need of maintenance?

I’ve heard recently that as many as 75% of women admit to having an unhealthy relationship with food! (I’ll bet the percentage of men with issues is around 50%). Not everyone that has an issue with food has an eating disorder, but many people have dis-ordered eating. I know many people who fantasize about food or use “comfort food” when they’ve had a bad day. Disordered eating includes any type of issues with food, many people go from one diet to the next or have other rituals they use to control their intake or weight gain in an effort to feel better about their bodies. Do you know any woman that loves everything about herself? I didn’t think so…

Society casts a shadow on those of us who suffer(ed) from eating disorders, yet most people I know have some way of numbing out. Too much food, alcohol, drugs, sex, TV, exercise, internet and self-harm all achieve the same result. Are you even aware of what you do to avoid dealing with a situation when life gets stressful? The point is, life has gotten so busy and we don’t take time to slow down and tune in to what we need. Cell phones, iPods, laptops…in our society we’re being trained to be “on” and reachable 24x7. If we don’t stop to listen and feed our soul, we often respond to the hunger with unhealthy habits. What happens when you can’t handle what life’s throwing at you?

The typical American diet is hugely lacking in what our bodies need and deserve. I am appalled by the amount of soda and fast food most people consume. This feeds into the issues America has with weight as the quality of food is so poor. And the food consumed causes chemical imbalances which make people want more junk instead of food with good nutritional value.

As a vegan and someone who recovered from bulimia I get lots of comments about my diet. People are “so impressed” with my eating habits and think they couldn’t possibly give up their soda, meat or chocolate. After spending many years abusing my body by inhaling vast quantities of “white foods” (pizza, pasta, ice cream, and candy) I now choose to treat my body with respect and give it what it needs. When you eat to provide fuel to your body vs. rewarding yourself with an oversized portion of a high-fat, high sodium meal it isn’t difficult to make good choices. My body rewards me with the energy and vitality I need...and my weight isn’t an issue.

In peace and health!

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For more information, please visit my website, http://www.lori-hanson.com/.