Energy Vampires that YOU create!

A long time ago I learned to let go of toxic people who blatantly put me down, made me sad or lowered my energy. Once I established I was worth more than being treated that way it was easy to let go - and I found that almost immediately new fabulous people who made me feel great about being exactly who I am showed up  in my life.

Lately though, I have been receiving the same lesson - with a twist. 

Again and again from a multitude of sources: (boy)friends, acquaintances, (ex)coworkers... the list goes on.

All different relationships, all the same outcome: they are lowering my energy and cause upset in my life.

The problem: I truly loved them all.

These aren't the blatant jerks who tell you that you aren't good enough, or that your ideas are stupid, and let their big-fat-egos put you down. Nope, I'm way past those people...

These are actually people that love you too. These are people who tell you that you're wonderful and why they love having you in their lives. But for one reason or another you feel like your energy is sucked out of you by them. Energy Vampires, who love you? It's an actual thing, I swear! I have had enough show up in my life in the last few months to know. 

Work, love life, personal goals even my taking my own health first were all slightly altered by these key people. But they were my people, so I didn't recognize it.

(Or actual in truth, I ignored my gut.)

As always when you ignore that inner voice, repercussions follow suit. So, heartbreak, betrayal and anxiety followed each instance in different ways at different times. Each with it's own unique lesson.

...but in hindsight I realized there was one common denominator:
and it was ME!!

Yup, I was the one getting in my own way. I was using these people who did not serve me to hold myself back. To operate on an energy level I know I am greater than. 

I made it easy for the unavailable boy to put me on the back burner because I wasn't seeing that even though he may be wonderful in many ways, I am worth more than someone who is not ready for me.

I made it easy for the employee to betray me and play on my weaknesses, because I wasn't recognizing my own issues in business.

I made it easy for the person who has no self love to replace that with my love, because I needed it at the time.

This isn't them. It is me. My own fear took over and I unconsciously created these relationships to serve it.

The tough emotions I experienced from the people I truly love was not caused by them at all. It was the universe, and my inner guide saying "Wake up girl! You are worth more and you can do better!" 

and after I realized all of this - they are no longer vampires of my energy. I release them with love.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." 

Recently, this saying has been showing up in my life again and again. And I'm starting to realize that the only person who can stand in my way of love, success and all the things my heart and mind desire, is me. 

We have all the tools to be and have everything we desire. Don't let your fear and ego create relationships and circumstances that get in the way of that. 

Someone doesn't have to be abusive or deceiving to be standing in your way. Let go with love and watch as incredible things happen.

When you let go and still recognize why you love the person, you create room for new relationships and opportunities that will serve you and propel you forward. You get that high that life should deliver to you daily, instead of anxiety. 

Most of all, you become who you are meant to be. 

Every girl has a little Regina George inside them...

One of the biggest lessons I have learned in the past month is how I am my own worst critic. I put so much pressure on myself to be, do and have it all - that 'it all' became too much.
The overwhelming feelings smothered my excitement and put me in a place of fear and defeat. After a lot of self reflection I am good with admitting this, learning from it...
and of course, using it as inspiration for my next blog and seminar series! ;)

I realized that the only person holding me back from being what I wanted to be was me. I cut out all the negative people who didn't believe in me a long time ago - so truly, the only negative chatter happening was in my own mind.
I would achieve something, and tell myself it wasn't good enough. I would sleep with my blackberry and laptop. I would focus on achievements above taking myself first. I would never be satisfied with the things I had accomplished.
"I'll be happy once I do this, too"
"I will make time once this is done"
"I am unworthy of (love, money, health - you name it) until I achieve _____"
"She has that. I won't ever be good enough unless I have that too"

What? Who am I?
The worst part is, I didn't even realize I was doing that to myself.
I was the star of the movie Mean Girls, Regina George. I was the meanest person in my life....
But only to myself!

Quite simply, becoming aware of this manifested into my latest Seminar Series theme.
Want to heat about it? Read on:

Mean Girls - We've all met them. Maybe we've even been them at times.
No matter how they influenced your life, we have all been knocked down, had our confidence shot and felt completely less than those girls who felt that putting you down was the one way ticket to popularity.
Now that we are older, we realize that those girls were just as insecure as you - channeling it in the wrong way to feel better about themselves. We become adults, we sympathize with what hardships must have happened in their lives to make them that way, and we move on.

But there is one Mean Girl that we never really quite kick....
it's that bullying babe that lives inside of YOU!

Yes, the Regina George of your high school lives in your mind whether you realize it or not.
She's that voice that's always telling you:
"Your too fat"
"You'll never afford it"
"No one will ever love you"
"You aren't good enough"
"You can never trust anyone"

I really never swear, but.... what a bitch!

It's true. That little voice inside of you that puts you down, makes you self conscious and scared of taking risk - is just like those Mean Girls who belittled you to hold you back in childhood. Now the voice lives in your head.... and we all have it ladies!

Inspired by the Pretty Book of the month, Louise L.Hay's You Can Heal Your Life, and my own personal journey comes the next series of Living Pretty Motivational Seminars where like minded women can come together to out that Inner Bullying Babe and teach her to Live Pretty!!

In my seminar series you will meet your own inner Regina George and her posse, which are the multiple personalities of the Mean Girls that live inside of you.
Regina (The Queen of Comparison) rolls with Libby Loveless, Patty Perfectionist, Negative Nance, Angela Accomplishment, and Scared Sally ....just to name a few!
In a 4-week journey we will work together to stop letting the mean girl inside of you dictate your happiness and what you are capable of.
We will stop the negative internal chatter and transform it into thoughts of everything Living Pretty - health, wealth, love, happiness and more!


Please email eatingpretty@live.ca to find out how to join us!

EatingPretty.com is getting a makeover!

"You have to love it more than anything else. It's so many little stepping stones. Very rarely is it that one thing leads to another, that leads to another followed by the end result. It's so many dead ends, and switching directions and going back and re-thinking. And, so many interviews, strategy meetings, management meetings and  PR meetings. It's so many things that are outside of what you love, that you have to love what you do SO much that your hour and half to two hours a day of actually doing just that, makes everything else worth it." - Taylor Swift

Above was an answer that Taylor Swift gave in an interview I recently watched responding to the question "What advice do you have to other aspiring musicians?" Her answer really resonated with me, as I think it can apply to anyone who chooses to follow their dreams. It was certainly a perspective I needed at the time of hearing it.

Starting your own business is one of the most exciting and fulfilling projects to undertake in the beginning. It's full of excitement, realizing an inner potential you have never tapped into and the universe delivers new amazing people who support you, offer guidance and become new friends.
That was certainly my blessed life for the past 4 years as I put myself through school and built Eating Pretty Nutrition starting from a small promotion I ran on facebook which has now led me to working with thousands women of nationwide.

Recently I have been struggling though, with my beliefs changing as far as women's health and nutrition stand. I originally wrote the program under the influence of the fitness world, as I was still competing at the time. Many of my mentors, coaches and people who influenced my views were of the same belief I portray in my diet plans. I certainly saw great results from what I was doing, so why wouldn't I share that with others who were inspired by my transformation?

Now though, retired from competing and with a lot more life lessons under my belt - my inner voice has been screaming at me to listen to my new views and follow a new path, and as I spoke about in my last blog... not listening to my gut got me stuck in a rut.

I have had the privilege of spending a lot of time alone with my thoughts, reflecting, reading and just listening to my inner voice over the past few weeks. For me, mediation and alone time are simply magical and that was something I really needed right now. Over this time I began to reflect on the moments of business that have made me the happiest over the past year. Without a doubt my year highlight was my 8 week Women's Motivational Seminar Series that I called 'Living Pretty'. Motivating women to be the best they can be, to love themselves and go after their dreams has been a passion of mine for years, beginning back in 2008 when a group of my girlfriends and I started a women's 'Goal Club'.

What I have come to realize about food and dieting is the same thing I feel about drugs, alcohol, spending and sexual addictions - they are all VICES.
I believe from the bottom of my heart if you love yourself first and change your self-deprecating inner voice to one of love and self-encouragement, that miracles truly appear in your life.
You don't need that blackout to escape, that numbing high or new designer purse to validate you. When you love yourself first the vices just fall away because you choose Love over Fear.
I truly believe that in my own life, and as someone who has used all the vices - I'm a veteran in knowing that loving yourself first, channeling your energy to positivity and following your dreams will let those vices fall away and be replaced with amazing little surprises in your daily life.
The exact same idea goes for food addiction and being overweight.

I wanted Eating Pretty Nutrition to be referred to as a 'Lifestyle' not a diet. I wanted women to learn the basics of Eating Pretty, and find happiness in loving themselves and supporting each other.
The principles of Eating Pretty Nutrition do get you results, but unless you love and respect yourself you will always have the chance of re-bounding back, as our demons have a way of not letting our bad habits go when we continue to focus on life's negatives.
This is where the importance of maintenance comes in, once you have reached your goal. I truly believe in the Eating Pretty Principles. I believe in eating whole, fresh foods that the universe provides. I believe in lots of water and exercise, and teaching women the power of properly fueling their body the way earth intended. However, I also believe that to keep your goal weight you must love yourself, channel your energy to doing things you are passionate about and most importantly NEVER become diet obsessive. Life is all about balance and what goes up must come down!
(... or what goes down must come up, if we are talking scale!)

So what do I plan to do to make a change? You will be seeing BIG changes on EatingPretty.com over the next few months. More information accessible to anyone, memberships geared towards weight you need to lose specific to your own case and a whole lot more self-love and Living Pretty!

Stay tuned for my video blogs and keep checking back to this blogspot as I listen to my inner guide and make incredible changes on eatingpretty.com, as well as launching LivingPretty.ca soon!

Thank you to everyone who has been along for this whole journey with me, I truly love you guys so much.

Missing-In-Action-McNally...

It's true. I have been under the radar and not keeping up my end of this blog bargain. Truthfully, I never meant for this much time to pass, but all of the sudden I sit here in a cozy blanket, drinking piping hot green tea and taking in the beautiful fall air. Yes, fall. Seeing how my last blog entry dates back to May, somehow, I have let an entire season pass me by.  

So, where have I been? The absolute truth of the matter is, I'm not really sure. Somehow between blooms blossoming and leaves turning colours 'Missing-In-Action-McNally' is really more a case of missing inspiration. Every time I opened up a blank page to start writing the words wouldn't flow, that buzz I get when I know I am writing something that will make a difference in someone else's life never appeared and I was longing for one of the little lessons I always like to base my messages around to overcome me, with no such luck.

Last night while I discussed with my best girls my recent general angst feelings with my life I admitted feeling like I have been ignoring my gut. My dear friend Lisa piped up and said "Excuse me Miss-your-gut-never-lies blogger! You know what you're doing wrong then!!" She was referring to a blog entry I posted back in February. 

(read that blog here)

Lisa then proceeded to tell me how she had read that blog repetitively while trying to make changes in her own life, and how much it helped her. 

Ladies and gentleman, that moment in time is why I am inspired to write this blog today. Truthfully, that feeling of knowing I contributed in making someone else's life a more positive experience by inspiring them to be better is why I do this. And that goes for everything I do, not just blogging. It's also the exact reason why I have felt uninspired this summer. It's a simple equation really, not listening to your gut = rut. And rut is exactly where I have found myself these past few months.

Don't get me wrong, I truly always have a great time with my life. There have been many magical and memorable moments since I haven't been blowing up your facebook newsfeed. But in terms of my 4 majors: Love, Business/Money, Health, Spirituality - I have not been making the progress that I know I should be. Fear, not listening to my inner voice, big changes and some poor decisions all can safely be named as contributing factors.
So why? The girl who makes a living of preaching love over fear, risk over complacency, taking your health and self first and connecting with your inner voice... why-oh-why have I been doing the opposite? To be honest people, I am still working that out. 

The reason I haven't been blogging, vlogging, expanding my businesses and doing all the other things that truly get me high in life, is because my ego said to me "How can you inspire, if you feel so low and confused?"

... and truthfully until Lisa said that to me last night it never occurred to me to just be honest! It never occurred to me to realize the reason people follow my blogs is because of my candidness and how I am always telling the truth. I thought that if I had no good or happy truth to share, I had nothing to say.

Writing this blog right now leaves me feeling the best I have in months. Because starting with something small that makes you smile is always the first step in an amazing direction. And I know that. I am so glad the message I once sent made a difference in someones life, and was re-taught to me on my dark day. How cool is that?

There are some big things going on in my life right now. I always say I think 23 was the most difficult age because you are done college or university and too young to be taken seriously to get the 'Dream Job' you have imagined and too old and educated to keep on working at your highschool retail gig forever and stay satisfied, or many just don't know what to do next. The initial decsions on career, city to live in, first home your parents aren't paying for, and everything else that comes with growing up are so scary and consuming.

Little did I know once you got that all down pat, you grow up and decide your path - you only need to make more decisions!

With huge changes happening in my business and new opportunities in love, I have found myself consumed with fear and doubt. That in turn leaves me not taking my own health and wellness first and clouds my connection to my inner guide. See how that snowball effect just knocked my top 4 most important life categories right out of the park? It happened without me even realizing it - and the domino effect took my inspiration with it!

For my respect for those involved in business and loves sake, I will have to spare you the details (for now... ;) 

I will say though, admitting to myself I have been ignoring my inner guidance has helped me make some big decisions, inspired me to be moving forward with the things I know I should be doing without letting fear get in the way, and letting go of others by special instruction of my tiny inner voice that seems to be speaking louder than usual today.

I promise you all this though: Doing amazingly or in a rut, you will be hearing much more from me and my gut.

:)

I want to instigate your happiness!

Happy Monday Pretty Eaters!

Many of you know from being on Team Pretty or following my Blogs, Vlogs and Facebook page that I'm a strong believer in mastering your mind in order to master your goals. Although Eating Pretty Nutrition could be categorized in the 'Vanity' department, we try and stay true to these beliefs in our coaching and teaching. In my opinion, the work you do on your interior is more important than the work you do on your exterior.

The inspiration for this weeks blog comes from many different areas. Personal beliefs, a new seminar series I'm launching next Wednesday, May 18th and the final force was a conversation that look place last night over green juice and vegetarian food between one of my best friends, a new friend, and myself.

The new friend was talking about one of his passions, and then asked me what my passion in life was. For someone who preaches following your dreams and desires for a living I surprised myself with hesitating on how to answer. "I'm a nutritionist and love it. But my real passion lies within my nutrition business, trying to improve the lives of others." It rolled off my tongue with some unsurety, not quite knowing how to put into words what I love to do. My best friend quickly added "You know what Angela is... she's a happiness instigator"
I had never really thought of it like that. But there it was. It made me smile to be thought of that way.

The conversation led into the topic of internal versus external happiness. My new friend said something that really struck a cord with me. He said that when you look for validation through exterior happiness such as youthful looks and material things that you are fighting a losing battle. Time and age are against you. You age, your material things outdate and you are constantly wanting more. But when you choose to work on your inside, you can only go up. The more work you do, the more you learn, discover and get rewarded. Abundance, love and health come to you for the right reasons and there is infinite amount to gain.

Hearing something I so deeply believe in put into these words was such an inspiration. I began writing my first seminar and it is just pouring out on to the paper. I truly can't wait to share it with you all.
New Living Pretty Seminar series will include:

• Positive mindset to achieve anything
• Goal Setting
• Meditation
• Authentic tools for Abundance, Happiness and Manifestation
• Opportunity for open dialogue and questions
• Pretty Exercise and Nutrition Tips
• Guidance on Career, Relationships, Addiction, Weight Loss and more

I'd love to take this opportunity to invite you ladies to join me for my first ever 'Living Pretty' motivational seminar series starting Wednesday, May 18th at 7pm EST.
The month of May will be absolutely free so you can see for yourself if Living in a Pretty mindset is for you!
You can attend in person at the Eating Pretty Nutrition Studios or tune in LIVE from the comfort of your own home on our Ustream Channel. If you are interested in attending at the studio or tuning in on our Ustream Channel please email angela@eatingpretty.com today to reserve your spot!

Looking forward to working towards an internally positive mindset and Living a Pretty Lifestyle with you all. Please don't hesitate to post comments or questions below this blog or on the facebook fan page.

So much love & prettiness,
Angela McNally

www.eatingpretty.com

just another chapter in my storybook of life...

So, I start this blog with very little direction and convinced I won't end up posting it. But, we'll see.

Oddly, my favourite compliment to receive these days on a regular basis is from my closest friends praising this quality I have developed to only speak the very blunt truth about myself.

I've actually never liked blunt people. I used to think they were mean and offensive (and obviously wrong if they were pointing out one of my faults!)

With life experience though, I have realized life is so much easier if you always speak and hear the truth. There is no faking who I am. If you are a blog follower already, I am sure you have gathered I don't hold much back about myself and that I am a pretty open book.

Publicly though, one thing I hold back personal information on is my love life.

I was in this really toxic and unhealthy relationship for many years. The kind that you need to write every single day on his facebook wall:

"I love you booboo poopoo soooo much! You are the best boyfriend everrrr xoxoxox"

And not because you want to tell him that he's the best, or that you love him. It's to claim your territory over all the girls he's sneaky inbox messaging behind your back.

Ya, that kind of relationship. It makes for a very public and embarrassing break up. Don't do it girls.

Anyway, because of this I have kept my love life on a serious down low. So low I usually don't even tell my family. (with the exception of my loving siblings, of course.)

It's just easier that way. I'm 28. My mom, her mom, and her mom's mom all had 3 or more kids at my age. So when I mention I'm dating, they start planning a wedding. It makes my heart get palpitations thinking about it. 

In my storybook life, the next line would definitely be:

'Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Babies and husbands and houses, aahhhh!!!!' 

... I kid ;)

I do want to love someone so much that I want to spend my life and have children with them. One day.

Am I anywhere near ready for that? Nowhere.

Since my break up I've been in what my friends refer to as an 'emotional shut-out' for a few years now. I will like a guy for five minutes and then pick out all the reasons why he definitely sucks and end it. Or pick someone that it would never work with and is the worst match in the world for me so it ends naturally.

To be honest, until recently I wan't sure if I was capable of having those crazy butterfly feelings ever again. Turns out, I can. What's worse? The first guy I felt those crazy feelings for, just dumped me.

Yup. Taste of my own medicine? Coming from the girl who preaches positive Karma for a living, I guess I should have known!

Why-oh-why am I sharing this brutally honest truth with you all? I swear there is a point to this blog I am reluctantly writing. So, here it is.

Last Monday, I started the 'Feel Great in 8' challenge with all of my clients on www.eatingpretty.com. It is an awesome program where we all tighten up our diets and eat perfectly pretty and discuss our progress in the forum, just on time to rock our summer wardrobes.

Turns out last Monday, I was also invited to Dumpsville. Awesome.

So, I wrote in the forum on www.eatingpretty.com that evening at about midnight to tell my Pretty-Eaters what had happened. I was proud to announce I had come home from a tear-filled girl hangout and headed straight to my kitchen to make tilapia and spinach salad for my last meal, and prepare all sorts of prettiness for my next day. And to be honest, it felt good.

In the past, I would have demanded my girls come over every single night for at least the next 2 weeks. Admittance to my apartment would have been one bottle of wine and pizza pizza on the speed dial. Alcohol to numb the feelings and food for comfort. It's the automatic go-to break up remedy. Isn't it?

Normally, I would eat carelessly, cocktail hour would be a staple in the schedule and I would wake up a few weeks later - still sad and a lot unhealthier.

My best friends (oddly both male and female) have been pushing me to write this in a blog to share with more than just my team. Obviously, you can see why I am reluctant to post this - but it's the truth.

Don't get me wrong, I think a night of fun with the people you love the most is good for the soul. A planned party is the best kind of party and everyone needs to blow off some steam once in a while.

But what I have learned is that day-to-day life needs to be valued more. Eating Pretty is a lifestyle. It's not always easy when your heart hurts, you've had a stressful week or you are busy - but it is worth it!

Your life is important. Your body is the vessel that carries you through this life and it deserves respect.

Don't give up your power to live a Pretty lifestyle to anyone or anything.

Replace your bad habits with good ones so when you are in a situation of stress, you can turn to things that make you happy instead of things that give you a temporary fix of numbness.

My favourite things to do are;

Read extremely girly novels with pink covers, soak in a bubble bath with candles lit, cuddle up with my best girls and gossip or watch reality TV, take a hot yoga class, get a manicure, do something to make someone else's day better like call a client personally or make a video blog with a positive message and above all I love to write out my feelings. 

The elephant on my chest always seems to walk away after a good rant onto my laptop!

Sad parties will end. Love yourself first and only live your life the way that feels good inside. Yes, there will still be tough times. Yes, they still hurt a lot. Even though it hurts at the time, I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason. The tough times are just the chapters to make the good endings feel even better later. If it doesn't make sense now, it will one day. Always does.

If you focus on the good, things always have a way of working themselves out. And there is always a bunch of loving ladies ready to offer their support on the eating pretty nutrition members forum, so be a part of it today!

Pictured: Team of Pretty Eaters always here to support!

www.facebook.com/eatingpretty

www.eatingpretty.com

girls with goals are just hotter....

Welcome to Spring Pretty Eaters and Blog Followers!

The inspiration for my blog today comes from the feedback I got from so many of you ladies on my entry back in late January on 'a little passion goes a long way'. I couldn't believe the number of ladies that came up to me saying that it really inspired or resonated with them - and let me tell you, nothing makes me happier to hear.

'Passionate' has always been on the list of characteristics someone close would use to describe me. Although as I live out my life lessons, I have learned to channel my passion in different ways. I used to be fiery with emotion when I was a little less sure of myself and what I wanted to do with my life, or even just my time. If I felt something, everyone around me knew it. Life's dramatics of boys, friends and family just seemed so much more important when I had nothing else to occupy my mind.

Now though, I have a very small number of people that ever really see my full range of emotion, and even that is pretty rare. I am generally a very happy person.
Why? Because I spend my energy making my life look like my dreams do. I am such a strong believer that working towards new goals is the key to my own happiness.

When a client or friend comes to me venting about what her husband is doing wrong or the 'totally justified' fight she just picked with her sister I always listen - but my advice is almost never to do with the issue itself.
"Set a new goal for yourself" is usually the suggestion I make to anyone in my life who seems to be consumed with life's dramatics.
What I really mean is; "Of course your boyfriend wants to go on a boys night instead of spending time with you. You are so bored that you are picking fights and nagging him for no reason. Would you want to spend time with you? Because I wouldn't"
Trust me girls, I know in the moment he seems like the biggest jerk alive. We have all been there!
But why waste your energy on what he is doing? Why not do something to make YOU happy!

Taking yourself first and working towards something you are proud of will occupy the mind and make sweating the small things fade away. Plus, girls with goals are just so much hotter. When you are working towards something that makes you happy, you become the best version of yourself. Not to mention, when you aren't completely available with a side of crazy - all areas of all your relationships and friendships improve.

Everyone who knows me is aware of my obsession for goal setting. Constantly working towards new goals has made me realize that you are honestly capable of achieving anything. The main issue is that most people just don't even try. We were conditioned in a society where the phrase 'I can't' and fear have been engrained into us. My newest goal is to help open the eyes of every woman I have the blessing of coming in contact with and tell them 'You Can!' and it's exciting, not scary!

So, if you are reading this blog right now I challenge you to start today! Any goal I have ever set for myself whether it be a national level fitness competition, Eating Pretty Nutrition, running a charitable event, or even starting this blog all came from my 'Dream List'
A Dream List is when you write down everything you've ever dreamed you could achieve. No goal is to big, no dream is too crazy. You want to climb Mt. Everest - put it down! You want to be a billionaire so fricken bad? -  put it down! You want to write a book - put it down! You want to lose 10lbs and rock a bikini this summer? - put it down! (and then go to www.eatingpretty.com ;)

Putting dreams on paper is the first step to them becoming a reality. If you think about it everything in this world began with a thought. Take the chair you are sitting on reading this blog for example; someone thought to start a furniture store, someone thought to design that chair, and you thought to buy it. All of those clearly happened.
Or what about something more far fetched like the thought of building a metal spaceship that could defy gravity, fly into outerspace, and man could then get out and walk on the moon? Now that is a thought others said was too big and too crazy - but it happened!

So do it right now!
Love to hear about your top three - or maybe just one you are ready to work towards today, no matter how big, either on blog comments or on the eating pretty fan page.
Stay tuned for the next step on what to do with your 'Dream List' and thank you so much for reading today.
I love you guys.

ps - have you checked out www.eatingpretty.com yet? Blog followers are welcome to use the Coupon Code: Angela for a discount on the one time enrolment fee!