Embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, as we shatter the myth that self-care is a selfish act. In this episode, Shelly alongside Melissa, a certified holistic health and life coach, share how essential it is to be filling our own cups first in order to better serve others and how important it is to instill this concept in our young teenage girls. The passionate discussion shares the importance of self-acceptance, the empowerment of ditching the diet mentality, and how these revelations can profoundly impact the wellness of busy moms and most importantly, the confidence of young teen girls.
Join in as we tackle the critical issues of body positivity and the struggle against social media’s skewed beauty standards, especially for our younger generation. Melissa brings her unique expertise to the table, sharing transformative strategies from her "Freedom from the Food Struggle" program which helps teen girls and women craft a balanced lifestyle through focusing on food freedom and nourishment. Moreover, personal anecdotes and eye-opening experiences are discussed on the differences in food processing and the quality of food between the United States and Europe and the enormous link between the value of what we eat and the quality of our health. Listen in for heartening stories and crucial insights, all aimed at guiding our listeners, especially future young female generations, toward a life filled with happiness and vitality.
High quality, clean nutrition and beauty products: https://shellyjefferis.isagenix
Thank you for listening to the Words of Wellness podcast with Shelly Jefferis. I am honored and so grateful to have you here and it would mean the world to me if you could take a minute to follow, leave a 5-star review and share the podcast with anyone you love and anyone you feel could benefit from the message.
Thank you and God Bless! And remember to do something for yourself, for your wellness on this day!
Embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, as we shatter the myth that self-care is a selfish act. In this episode, Shelly alongside Melissa, a certified holistic health and life coach, share how essential it is to be filling our own cups first in order to better serve others and how important it is to instill this concept in our young teenage girls. The passionate discussion shares the importance of self-acceptance, the empowerment of ditching the diet mentality, and how these revelations can profoundly impact the wellness of busy moms and most importantly, the confidence of young teen girls.
Join in as we tackle the critical issues of body positivity and the struggle against social media’s skewed beauty standards, especially for our younger generation. Melissa brings her unique expertise to the table, sharing transformative strategies from her "Freedom from the Food Struggle" program which helps teen girls and women craft a balanced lifestyle through focusing on food freedom and nourishment. Moreover, personal anecdotes and eye-opening experiences are discussed on the differences in food processing and the quality of food between the United States and Europe and the enormous link between the value of what we eat and the quality of our health. Listen in for heartening stories and crucial insights, all aimed at guiding our listeners, especially future young female generations, toward a life filled with happiness and vitality.
High quality, clean nutrition and beauty products: https://shellyjefferis.isagenix
Thank you for listening to the Words of Wellness podcast with Shelly Jefferis. I am honored and so grateful to have you here and it would mean the world to me if you could take a minute to follow, leave a 5-star review and share the podcast with anyone you love and anyone you feel could benefit from the message.
Thank you and God Bless! And remember to do something for yourself, for your wellness on this day!
In Health, Shelly Jefferis
Speaker 1:
I just want people to know that they matter and they're worth taking care of. I think that there's this belief that you know if I do something for myself, it's selfish or there's maybe some guilt around that, but that's just not really serving anybody. So you can't pour from an empty cup, and if you are serving your family or people in business or your community, you need to be filled up yourself. So make sure you take care of yourself.
Speaker 2:
Do you get confused by all of the information that bombard us every day on ways to improve our overall health and our overall wellness? Do you often feel stuck, unmotivated or struggle to reach your wellness goals? Do you have questions as to what exercises you should be doing, what foods you should or should not be eating, how to improve your overall emotional and mental well-being? Hello everyone, I am so excited to welcome you to Words of Wellness. My name is Shelly Jeffries and I will be your host. My goal is to answer these questions and so much more to share tips, education and inspiration around all of the components of wellness through solo and guest episodes. With 35 plus years as a health and wellness professional, a retired college professor, a speaker and a multi-passionate entrepreneur, I certainly have lots to share. However, my biggest goal and inspiration in doing this podcast is to share the wellness stories of others with you, to bring in guests who can share their journey so that we can all learn together while making an impact on the health, the wellness and lives of all of you, our listeners. The ultimate hope is that you leave today with even just one nugget that can enhance the quality of your life, and that you will. We all will, now and into the future, live our best quality of lives, full of energy, happiness and joy. Now let's dive into our message for today. Hello everyone, and welcome back to Words of Wellness. My name is Shelly, I'll be your host today and I'm very excited to bring you our guest for today.
Speaker 2:
Host today and I'm very excited to bring you our guest for today. She is a certified holistic health and life coach, helping busy moms and teen girls find freedom from the struggle with food so they can be at peace with food, their bodies and their lives. She is committed to empowering women to break free from dieting, emotional eating and self-image issues so that they can ditch the diet mentality and feel empowered in their own skin. Welcome, melissa, today. This is so, so needed in our young girls of this. You know the current society that we're in. This is wonderful work that you're doing. I'm excited to have a conversation with you today. Welcome.
Speaker 1:
Thank you.
Speaker 2:
I'm excited to be here. How did you and when did you get started in that field?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I got certified. I have to always look at the wall for the certification 2018. And it was through my own journey and my own history and my experience and I'm like I know there are others who are aware I was and knew that the beach bodies and the weight watchers and all of those weight loss programs are out. There were not the answer, they weren't for me, and so I went to school to become a holistic health and life coach, and here I am paying it forward.
Speaker 2:
It's so wonderful because you hear that very, very often that you are serving the person that you once were and that's exactly what you're doing. It's such a needed area it reminds me of I was listening to a podcast a little bit ago, a while ago Shailene Johnson talking about the years that she did fitness videos and it came it.
Speaker 2:
She had kind of one of those light bulb moments going. Wait, this is not realistic. I am doing these videos and working out hours upon hours, not eating and nourishing my body. This is not the example I want to set for other people, and so it's like you're saying so much of what we see out there is really not the real story, right, and it's not realistic what we're trying to achieve. It's so important just to feel confident in what we are our skin, and be healthy. And I'm reading I don't know if you've read yet, I'm in the process of reading the book Worthy by JP Curren-Lima, and it's such an amazing book. And she she talks about this journey where she struggled with her weight and she put so much worth into that and it took so many years later realizing that was not what makes any of us worthy, right? So it's it's so important to to make that really well known with our young, with our young girls.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely, and I think even more so now with the social media. I mean, that wasn't a thing when I was growing up. I had like 17 magazine and maybe Vogue and Cosmo, but now it's like everywhere for them.
Speaker 2:
Yes, a hundred percent. That is definitely magnifying it for sure. So you work mostly with teenage girls, right or and or moms. It sounds like yeah, it's mainly.
Speaker 1:
It's so funny, Shelly, because it started off with moms and, as I would share my story, I'd have moms come to me or aunts and say I think my niece is struggling with this, Can you work with her? And I was like, well, I've never worked with teenagers before. I have a background in campus ministry, so I have some experience with teenagers, but in terms of coaching it was new. And so I was like, yeah, I'll give it a try and really, really liked it, and from there they've just kind of come along.
Speaker 2:
It seems like it'd be a wonderful thing for, like a mother-daughter to work with a mother-daughter combination or do some kind of event for mother-daughter. You know, that would be really cool, really neat. And you've been doing this for how long now?
Speaker 1:
Six years.
Speaker 2:
Okay and you? Is it a coaching program or do we do? Do you do one-on-one? Mostly probably, because it's a personal, it's kind of a personal topic.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, it absolutely is. My program is called finding freedom from the food struggle and it is one-on-one and really kind of getting to like why do we turn to food? What are we looking for, what do we need? And I think there's just so much misinformation out there, there's so much conflicting information, and really just helping them listen to themselves and what they need in their bodies is kind of the key.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, that's so wonderful and you're right, there's so much conflicting information out there. That's something that I've shared with my students through all the years is just to try and be that person that brings some clarity to what's out there, because I feel like even for those of us in the profession, it can be overwhelming and confusing. So for the average person, right, it's just. It's just. They're getting bombarded with so much information, more so than ever. So, kind of, take us through a little bit. How long do you generally work with someone? I'm sure it varies depending on the person and what they're experiencing.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, the baseline is 12 weeks and so the program is 12 weeks and from there people decide, oh, I need more support, I don't need more support. I have one woman now. I was with her a few years ago. She came back. She's like, okay, I was doing really well, and then life got lifey and now I'd like to start again. So it just kind of depends on what people need. Everybody has different seasons and stages and challenges, and so it's really meeting them where they're at and giving them what they need at that time.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, that's so great and share a little bit. I want to have you share a little bit about your family. So we were just talking before we started and you have two teenagers yourself, and one of which is a daughter. So what a wonderful gift you have to be able to share this with her through her journey and going through the teen years and and beyond, and even I mean even when they're little, you know giving them that confidence when they continue to grow.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and I think she really started our journey because she had food allergies and we weren't aware of it, and so she would wake up in the middle of the night vomiting, and so I think for her she had that connection, like okay, when I eat this, this makes me feel good or this makes me feel bad, and so I think she was like probably the foundational piece of why it's like hold on, there's a big disconnect here and we don't know how foods make us feel. We don't view things that way. We view it more as like I'm going to eat this food to lose weight, I'm going to eat this food to gain weight, and we don't really think about how food makes us feel.
Speaker 2:
And so I think from a young age she's been really connected with her body and how foods make her feel, and honoring hunger and fullness and she's amazing, that's amazing and that's a huge gift to have for her, like really such a huge gift, and especially to be in tune with how you're feeling and what's affecting your body, because it seems like there are so many people who aren't in touch with that. I mean, I feel like it's gotten better. I don't know if you've experienced that, but it just with our society and just the go, go, go and everybody's hustling and running from school to work, to games, to whatever it is they're doing, there's not a lot of time to just sit and be present and to really be in touch with how we are feeling, and so that's such a great, a great gift that she has. And you know, it's not something you can really. I guess you can, you can teach it, but you have to really has to be put into practice, I think Right.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely, and that's through trial and error, right, Like nobody teaches you like how to listen to your body. In fact, I think about you know, when kids are little and we're trying to feed them and we're like one more bite and their mouth is closed. They're like, no, I'm done. And we're like no, we kind of shut them down at a young age.
Speaker 2:
That's so true. That's such a good point. I didn't even think about that. We and we do, and we're feeding them, trying to feed them a variety of foods and many of which might not agree with them. Right, it's always something you think you're doing the right thing, but many times you're starting to instill that message that you've got to keep eating. I remember hearing that with my I think it was my grandparents with my dad. I remember him sharing years ago how that was a big thing with my grandmother and back in those, I think, generations they didn't know. And so it would be like that clear your plate, you know, before you can have dessert or what have you. And obviously we know that's not the right way to go nowadays.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, but I think so many people have come from that and so that's all I know, and so maybe they just keep doing it or they won't make their kids clean the plate. But then what the parents do is oh well, I'll eat the leftovers, I'll clean your plate, and it's like wait, are you even hungry?
Speaker 2:
Yes, seen that happen very, very often. So I was going to ask, kind of going back for a minute, about your daughter and allergies, because one thing that I've come across and I wonder if you have too and what your thoughts are is a lot of the products nowadays and with the increase in the usage of pesticides and chemicals and such and preservatives, I feel like and I've seen some research about this that's contributing to more and more allergies. Are you finding that?
Speaker 1:
100%. And I have heard story after story of people who can't tolerate gluten in the States but they go to Europe and they can have the baguettes and the croissants and the pasta and they're totally fine. And that leads me I think it has to be something with the way we're processing it with the pesticides. Whatever it is we're doing to process our wheat here is causing something that people are actually intolerant to that, and not the gluten itself.
Speaker 2:
It's such a it's such a good point. It's why is it so different here? I don't, I don't know. I mean, I kind of have an idea, but that's a whole other. That's a whole other episode. And it's interesting because that's something that I do share and I have a masterclass about that topic and I do share about such the huge discrepancy between Europe and the United States, like so many chemicals that are banned in Europe, yet we allow them here.
Speaker 2:
And it's interesting you bring that up too, because I had a friend recently go to Europe and when she came back and sharing about her experience, exactly like you're saying, she says I ate this and I drank this and I did that. And I came back feeling great, hadn't gained weight, like she thought you know, kind of when you're on vacation, enjoying yourself, and I thought what was really funny and I I actually talked about this briefly on an episode, but she talked about the artificial sweetener. She was looking for some of the packets to put into. I don't know if it was coffee or tea, but she was talking about how they looked at her Like she was crazy because they don't use that. That's all very telling.
Speaker 1:
It's very telling. I was talking to a woman listen to this, she'll appreciate this a United States citizen who was living over in Europe and she said when she goes to the store they have this aisle in the grocery store and it's like imported foods and they have a box of Lucky Charms and on the box of Lucky Charms says it's imported from the States. There is a sticker disclaiming all of the health concerns that could happen from ingesting the food. Now why do we not have that here?
Speaker 2:
Wow, that's so crazy. Why not? That's the big question. I hope that that eventually gets changed. It'll take a lot, but hopefully one step at a time that starts to get switched around to that, because that's so important. There's so much that goes on, as you know, on labeling and marketing of foods. It's just not, it's not accurate, they're not giving us the entire picture, unfortunately.
Speaker 1:
That's unethical. I mean, let's just be really honest. It's completely unethical. We're being lied to.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, right, and that's again there's. There's so many parts to this and we could go off on a tangent for sure, and we could also just do another episode about it. Frankly, frankly could be an entire other episode, and it is something you know I I really work on researching and staying up on all of that, but, as you know it's, you can really go down a rabbit hole because there's so much out there and the more that you discover, the more that you discover, right, it's almost like you, you find out about one thing and that leads you to something else that's not being done in an ethical manner. So, anyway, it just takes time and it takes effort, and I feel like it just is a matter of bringing about awareness with others about this very topic, because it's you know, let's face it, it'll never be perfect, right? It's just a matter of helping to bring awareness to it, attention to it, and and educating others about it is the best that we can do.
Speaker 2:
Well, I love the service that you do, melissa. I think it's such a wonderful, wonderful thing. Do you do, or do you have any plans to do, uh, any, uh, any a live event? Or because I just see this, I'm envisioning. You know this event with moms and daughters and have you done something like that?
Speaker 1:
yet I have not. It's in the back of my mind, but I I'm Shelly I'm kind of funny because I'm the type of person who I'm like, I've got to like I have the vision and then I have to have a step by step to make it happen and I have the vision. I just don't like. I have the vision and then I have to have a step-by-step to make it happen, and I have the vision, I just don't have the step-by-step yet.
Speaker 2:
And I totally get that. I totally get you on that, because I am much that way as well. I want, I know I want to do this, but I just need the. I have the ABC, I need the X, y, z. So much of the time. So well, I would love to you know brainstorm about that, because I think that could be something really wonderful for you to do and to offer at some point for sure.
Speaker 1:
Thank you, I mean, I can see it.
Speaker 2:
I just need to yeah, that's so wonderful, but that's just the first step, right, I love it. So anything else you want to share about us? I mean, you have your two children and teenagers and busy with their lives, and I'm sure that the other beauty of what you do is you can weave it into your day, how, how you want to write, make your own schedule, and that's always such a benefit, especially with family, having a family.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely, and I'm there to you know, be at the school and help with snacks for the sports and, yeah, I love making an impact on that generation.
Speaker 2:
So yeah, I agree, I do too. It's so needed, and you want to make that impact early on, the best that you can. And then you're being an example, for you know your own children, but so many others, so that's such a wonderful, a wonderful thing that you're doing.
Speaker 1:
I love it Well, thank you, and I think even the kids are an impact. I mean, I for our son's basketball team, we take them to their games. So I'm driving all over Phoenix but our um, I had another player in the car with me and he was like oh, I just see you, you know, sitting there eating her pepper and I'm like that's kind of cool that he's noticing that like these teenage boys are noticing like he's eating a pepper.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, that's huge. I mean, that's the thing we talk about too is being an example. They might not right away follow in line, but they're watching what we're doing Right. So and in here this you know, it's not just your own kids, but other kids are seeing, so that's, that's so great. I love it. Well, I'm so happy we got to chat today. I I love the service that you're providing and I will put all of your information in the show notes. But for anyone looking for your services and you know, perhaps it's a young teenager or a mom of a teenager what's the best way for people to reach out to you, melissa?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, probably my website free. It's free the number two, the letter B, coachingcom. So free to be coachingcom, okay.
Speaker 2:
And then you're on social media.
Speaker 1:
Facebook, instagram, linkedin, pinterest, all the places and that pops up on my website, so you can find me there.
Speaker 2:
Okay, perfect. Well then, I will add all of that information on the show notes. And again, thank you so much for your time and any last minute words of advice or tips you want to share.
Speaker 1:
I just want people to know that they matter and they're worth taking care of. I think that there's this belief that you know if I do something for myself, it's selfish or there's maybe some guilt around that, but that's just not really serving anybody. So you can't pour from an empty cup, and if you are serving your family or people in business or your community, you need to be filled up yourself. So make sure you take care of yourself.
Speaker 2:
That's beautiful and that's a perfect way to end so you all heard it here and I won't repeat it, because that sounds like something that I usually share at the end of every episode.
Speaker 2:
So taking care of you, taking care of yourself, filling up your cup first, is so important. So thank you again, melissa, so much for being here and thank you everyone for listening. And again, please reach out to Melissa. If this is a service that you feel that you need, or perhaps you know someone or you know someone with a teenage daughter who could benefit. This is really really critical, a critical service that Melissa provides. So, again, her information will be in the show notes and thank you all for listening and make it a great day and have a blessed rest of your week.
Speaker 2:
Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode. I hope you gained value and enjoyed our time together as much as I did, and if you know someone who could benefit from today's episode, I would love and appreciate it if you could share with a friend or rate and review Words of Wellness so that more can hear this message. I love and appreciate you all. Thank you for listening and if you have any questions or topics you would like me to share in future episodes, please don't hesitate to reach out to me through my contact information that is shared in the show notes below. Again, thank you for tuning in to Words of Wellness. My name is Shelly Jeffries and I encourage you to do something for you, for your wellness, on this day. Until next time, I hope you all have a healthy, happy and blessed week. Thank you.
