Summer is almost here - and it can't come too soon, right?

Unless ... you're not feeling good about squeezing into your shorts, or wearing that bathing suit while catching some vitamin D on the beach.

There is still time! It's not too late to lose a few pounds - or best of all - to positively impact your health beyond the summer months.

The 4Real, 4Summer, Half-Price for Half-Dozen, is a sweet deal at $165/person (includes valuable resource e-book). AND the deal is even sweeter: you gather a group of five - (to make up the half dozen), you get the program for free.

Sweet options to consider:

Are you short on time and can't work 4Real into four weeks? The 4Summer program can be designed for a one-day 4-hour session OR a two-day 2-hour session. Online and in person.

Do you have friends scattered across the country? IB online can include these far afield friends. 

If you can't get six people together, contact me anyway and maybe I can match you up with an online group.

What's the catch? One week to register.

Are you thinking "Yikes - one week to decide and round up my friends"?

That's right - but not that you haven't aready thought of helping out your health, right?

How to register.

Contact me as per information on the poster.

Do it now - summer will soon be in full swing!

I am back in school. Well, not really. But I have been back in training mode - which has led me to my new affiliation.

I am a consultant with In Balance - which means I now offer wellness and weight loss programs that can help participants:

- get off the weight loss merry-go-round

- renew energy

- gain better overall health. 

What are some of the wellness solutions presented by In Balance? 

DOES NOT Focus on:

- calories in/calories out

- exercise more and eat less

- if you just work hard enough you'll look like the images on fashion magazines

DOES Focus on:

- the physical and emotional relationships we have with food

- discovering food foundations to eat for health

- our personal body type

- laughter and play

- rest and quality sleep

- clean, good water

The above factors influenced my partnering with In Balance. But when I read their motto, I was convinced.

REAL FOOD.  REAL BODIES.  REAL HEALTH.       This has been my gig all along!

This program works! Comments from satisfied participants:

"I didn't want to be like so many others who simply accept that they are overweight and live their life out that way. But I needed direction, some kind of path to follow. In Balance provided this. It's unbelievable how much better I felt in only 4 weeks." Ian.M. (Four months later, the weight is still coming off - now at the 16-pound mark.)

"I've lost 20 pounds, I love how this program works. It's not about being hungry, it's about eating the right, real foods for me." O.P.

"Karen has been so encouraging and a wealth of information to get me on the right track with In Balance. She's helped me put into practical application, that which I so needed." Rita F.

I offer this program both for "in-person" sessions or online.

Please feel free to share the word - and contact me if you have any questions about In Balance, real food nutrition, or other related topics.

When what you're doing isn't working, it's time to try something real, unique and effective. 

Going gluten free - it's mainstream health news.

Bookshelves, magazine racks, the media, our friends and co-workers - all broadcast their opinion and understanding on the why and how to eat GF. 

This workshop will help you navigate this journey for yourself by providing nutritional information, instruction and tasty GF alternatives. 

Even if you're not planning - or needing - to follow this diet route yourself, the recipes and handouts will help you serve healthy and tasty GF dishes to your family and guests who are eating that way.

If you're skeptical that {healthy, tasty and easy=gluten free}  here's one of  several recipes we'll be tasting.

Fudgy Black Bean Brownies - gluten-free

1 ounce dark chocolate (70% cocoa or greater)

1 1/2 cups soft-cooked black beans, rinsed and drained

3 eggs

2 Tbsp. coconut oil (or substitute with olive oil)

1/4 heaped cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. GF baking powder

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (or substitute almond extract)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 - 1/2 cup maple syrup or raw organic honey

1/2 cup unsalted walnuts, chopped (optional)

How to:

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease or mist 8 or 9-inch square baking dish.

Melt dark chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat with 1 Tbsp. water mixed in. Combine melted chocolate, beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, baking powder, flavoring, applesauce and sweetener in a food processor (or powerful blender); process well until smooth. Stir in walnuts and pour mixture into prepared baking dish. 

Opt: sprinkle a few more chopped walnuts on the top.

Bake in preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides, about 35 minutes.

recipe source: Clean Eating Magazine

Cleanse, re-junevate, re-energize - these can be the rewards when you want to:

-- allow your body to get back on track after periods of high stress or indulgent eating (been away for a vacation, on a cruise?!)

-- jump start a weight loss effort

-- prepare for a seasonal transition

-- are ready to get back on balance with a healthy life style

This workshop focuses on a food-based cleanse: an informal evening of information in the form of handouts, recipes and tasting.

There's still room - but space is limited so don't delay if you're interested. 

If you live too far away to attend, workshop material is available online.