Actress and author Sheila Kelley says it's time to reclaim your beauty.
"Girl, I can't tell you how many women come to my classes. They're 40, 45, 55 or 60. They say, 'I'm depressed. I'm ugly. I'm fat. I haven't felt sexy in 25 years.'"
"I want to shout to those women that life begins after 40," says Kelley, founder of the S Factor.
"I'm hotter now," she says with a laugh. "I've never been as happy with my own beauty."
How did she attain that kind of self-confidence post 40? How did she lose weight—and keep it off? What are the quickest ways to lose weight?
She says losing weight doesn't start in your kitchen or in the gym. It starts in your head.
"I'm happier with my body than I have ever been in my life," says Sheila. "And the way you can attain that is living in the full bloom of your feminine nature. You need to radiate your beauty and intelligence to the world."
Sheila is founder of the S Factor, author and a Hollywood actress. Her platform is female awakening and reclaiming your natural energy and sexy shape.
She recently launched a new campaign called "Redefining Sexy: Believe in Your Beauty" which aims to redefine the terms "sexy" and "beauty" through a series of videos about real women.
The first video is called "Cancer Warrior" and features Diana Schlobohm, a breast cancer survivor, who lost both breasts, but reclaimed her feelings of being a sexy and beautiful woman.
The video has just gone viral, with celebrities like Eva Longoria, Rita Wilson, and LeAnn Rimes asking their Twitter and Facebook followers to "Believe in your Beauty' and "Embrace your Beautiful, Powerful Self!"
QUICKEST WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT: YOUR BEST BODY EVER POST 40
Sheila says that it makes her sad when women come to her with little to no self-confidence about their bodies. "They feel as if their fire is dim. We all know that feeling of being bedraggled. In a way, they have given up."
She knows that the natural body changes we experience post 40 contribute to that feeling of giving up.
"It's true that as women something happens to our bodies after 40. I was 45 when I first noticed that I was putting on belly weight and I never had a weight problem.
"What happens to the female body as we get older is that our metabolism slows, but we don't adjust. We keep eating what we were eating at 20 and 30."
Tip #1:Re-evaluate your eating habits. "You have to change your eating habits after 40," Sheila says. "My body, for example, does not like carbs. It goes right to my belly, my hips and my butt. So I cut the carbs now. I have the body of a 23-year-old."
DIET PLANS THAT WORK:
Sheila says that she eats a 60 to 80 percent raw diet. I asked her for a detailed list of what she eats on an average day and she offered diet plans that work:
Breakfast:
Sheila says, "I might have a Chia fruit bowl. It's a cereal that you get at Whole Foods. Take half a cup of Chia, pour in almond milk. Dice up some pears, kiwi apples and toss in a few chopped Brazil nuts. I'll toss in a few cashews and then add a little agave for sweetness, which is like nectar. It's so delicious."
Tip #2: "You don't need to eat over the counter cereals for breakfast. That stuff clogs your system," Sheila says. "Chia is so good. It's like eating a thick porridge."
Lunch:
Sheila says, "At lunch, I'll do a salad with a miso dressing. I'll add nuts and golden berries to the salad or kelp noodles."
Tip #3: Check out kelp noodles. "A regular flour noodle is doughy and pasty," Sheila says. "Kelp noodles have a little crunch to them. They taste fresh and give you so much energy.
"It's all about eating clean foods," she says. "You don't want to clog your system."
Dinner:
Sheila says, "I'll do something like a sheet seaweed roll up with arugula leaves, sprouts and avocado. I eat avocado because it's so delicious. I'll put some miso or soy dressing on it."
Tip #4: Think about eating less meat. "I try to stay away from meat as much as possible, but I'm not a hard core anything. If I want an In and Out Burger occasionally, I'll have one. But in general, I don't eat meat because it clogs my system and takes so long to digest. I also know that plant grazers have more energy.
Tip #5: Listen to your body. "You should also be in tune with your body. What are you craving?" she says. "Perhaps you are craving more protein. You never want your body to feel as if it's not being fed because then you mess up your balance. True nutrition is about finding the right balance for you.
Snacks or Dessert:
Sheila loves smoothies. "I'll take some almond milk and add fruits and greens. It's delicious and healthy," she says.
Tip #6: Eating good is your skin care. "I chalk up my great skin to eating healthy and the movement I do each day," she says.
Follow Sheila @ TheSheilaKelley
TOMORROW: SHELIA TALKS ABOUT EXERCISE POST 40 PLUS OFFERS HER FAVORITE DE-STRESSING ROUTINE THAT SHE PRACTICES EACH MORNING.
