Hey there my CRAVE-able business lady!

OK, take a deep breath because this is what you’ve been waiting for! September is all about visual design and what not to wear for your business, but what about what not to put into your body? Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is just as important!

Last week while talking to one of my favorite entrepreneur clients, I said to her, “You know, it’s all about the food…until it isn’t.” We had just gone over what kind of fats and oils to buy, how to stock her pantry and how to avoid her office’s dangerous candy bowl. Very helpful stuff, I know. And while the “what to eat” part of eating well is huge, the HOW to eat question is really the big ticket item. Honestly, you can eat all the brown rice and broccoli you want but if you are over eating, emotionally eating or berating yourself with food, no amount of “healthy” eating is going to give you the desired food results.

Whether your food goals are more energy, eating less sugar, drinking less caffeine or simply knowing what to eat for your unique body, every single one is tied to how you treat yourself with food, how you engage with your food and the self-image “truths” you repeat to yourself everyday. Yup, we are getting deep here. The #1 mistake I see my business-owner clients make is thinking that if they just change what they eat, all will be well and perfect in their life. Well, yes and no. You will certainly have more energy, clearer skin, and reduced sugar cravings by devouring less junk and eating whole, real foods. However, if you still inhale your food, binge eat on “healthier” stuff and berate your body for not being perfect, what you put into your mouth can only do so much. Oh and P.S., it can be doubly hard to be nice to yourself as an entrepreneur because you are running around doing a million and half things, none of which are about self care. As business owners we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to lead by example and get everything perfect. The problem is that perfection is unbelievable draining, which in turn makes us tired and feel like we don’t have enough time for anything. Sound familiar? In fact, I recently had one client say, “I don’t have time for self care!” That my dear, is exactly why your fabulous business body still eludes you!

Both eating well and treating yourself well can be a tall order, gargantuan in fact, if you don’t know where to start. The negative loop we play in our head about not being thin enough, good enough, or hot enough, keeps us stuck in a compulsively munching, gnawing state (think deranged squirrel) where even when physically full, we continue to reach for food to stuff the emotions that bubble too close to the surface. Now don’t get me wrong, good food definitely helps get you on the path to clearing these unhelpful feelings. In fact, it is quite difficult to have a zen body image, I love myself moment when buzzing around on a Venti Mocha Frappuccino!

Here are my four simple steps to making the breakthrough you’ve been looking for in your food goals….get excited!

#1- Cut the crap. We’ve got to start somewhere and though it is not always all about the food, it is the easiest place to start. Remove all boxed foods from your diet and see how you feel. Do you feel lighter, cleaner, more grounded? Are you surprised to find yourself being nicer in what you say and how you treat yourself and others?

#2- Curb the caffeine. As over-booked, busy and sometimes burnt-out ladies, it is easy to use coffee as a reason to get up in the morning. I agree, it is a beautiful ritual but not so lovely if your latte is gifting you headaches, sugar cravings and low energy in the afternoon that requires another espresso shot. Yes, coffee does have antioxidants and has been shown to improve exercise however I find with most women, it does more harm than good. If you cannot live without caffeine, I say cut back 2 (small) cups a day. That can be coffee, green tea, yerba mate, whatever. From there, it’s time to get your herbal tea and water on!

#3- Breathe deep. Do you hold your breath while checking email, writing a memo, or on the internet? If you are on the computer all day like some people I know (yes, that’s me!) you may go 8 hours without taking a deep, lung expanding, cell rejuvenating breath. So, stop what you are doing right now and BREATHE. That’s right, breathe into the deepest part of your lungs and notice as your nervous system slows, the stress in your shoulders reduces and your need to chomp on almonds, cashews or the M&Ms in your desk drawer melts away.

#4- Get help. Seriously my dear, now is the time. I know you have been patiently waiting for the perfect time to invest in your food and wellness, hoping that the right place and time will appear and the whole body, eating, food thing will just magically come together and make sense. All you want is a healthy, fun and fabulous mind and soul to go with a matching body, right? I completely understand what you are feeling. I know you are a seriously stressed, high-achieving smartie who just can’t seem to find the time for yourself…until now. Whether you’ve hit a wall or simply can’t take it anymore, you are ready to make some serious shifts in your diet, your self-care and your life! Do not let this moment pass you by!

Now, after you cut the crap, curb your caffeine, take a deep breath and get some support, I want you to go to the Jamie Living Facebook fanpage (whoot whoot!) or send some tweeting love and let me know how you feel. Once we take clear and decisive action to change, the effects are immediate. Don’t you already feel lighter, clearer, and happier in your day? I know, magic right?

Jamie G. Dougherty is the owner and founder of Jamie Living, Health and Lifestyle Coaching. She is a certified Holistic Nutrition Coach with a private and corporate practice that offers assistance nationwide. She is the author of the wildly popular e-cookbook, Spring Forward to the New You: 30 Delicious and Cleansing Recipes for your Fabulous Figure and is the food guru for busy, frustrated women ready to let that s**t go and become healthy, fun and fabulous! Get your free 5-STEP GUIDE TO FABULOUS at JAMIELIVING.