Tag: health

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A Model’s Unfiltered Thoughts on Agencies

Photo by Annika Forslund

I’ve been quarreling with myself on this topic for months now. I have provided you with plenty of info on modeling agencies in the past. However, I feel there is a missing element. Bias. Today I will impart my bias in regards to the topic of agencies. Today I will open up.

While I have not had a horrendous experience with agencies, like some, it has not been particularly pleasant either. Often, agencies have felt very intimidating, even bully-like.

A model is hardly ever allowed to be herself. She is scrutinized in detail. She is never good enough, always expected to fill in this role of the unattainable. As a society, our beauty standards are warped. They are unrealistic. Yet, young girls are expected to conform. This is what it feels like to be a model. Moldable.

At age 15, I was told I had too much baby fat. My legs have been called doughy. Some people have told me I can’t “make it” due to my size. That I have to conform. I have been pressured and harassed about my skin, urged to see a dermatologist I couldn’t afford, for a problem that was occurring because of my genes, and because I was unhealthy. Being with an agency has always been a stressful experience for me. I was always pressured one way or another, bullied strategically, bossed around, and strung along waiting for my paychecks.

This is my bias. And the experience is not too different from those girls around me.

Girls. We are women, young women. Yet, why do I keep calling all models girls? It is because even I feel diminished as a model sometimes. We are girls. Young. To be manipulated. Some never grow up. Some never learn. Some girls grow up learning from this industry and are left wondering what is wrong.

Agencies not paying their models has become a norm. Clients paying months after a job. Sexual harassment on jobs, and bullying. How can they get away with this?

For one, the industry remains wildly unregulated. On the other hand: we let them. A year ago, I decided I no longer wanted to be taken advantage of by a shady company with only their own interests in mind.

Unfortunately, a model can’t advance her career much without an agency.

To be fair, I have had a lot of exciting moments with my agencies. I have been in Mercedes-Benz fashion week. I have booked huge, lucrative photo shoots. I have been given the chance to book career-changing campaigns. I have been in Anna Wintour’s office building. There are always the plus sides. I often found myself in exciting jobs and opportunities I wouldn’t have gotten without an agency.

Without having been with the agencies I have been with, I wouldn’t be where I am as a model today. My portfolio is strong. My experience is strong. From the platform of being signed with an agency, I have been given the opportunity to expand and grow, not only as a model, but as a woman.

Here’s the thing. We can change this. Together. The fashion industry doesn’t have to be a harsh reality, but a positive environment.

My experiences in the fashion industry have pushed me to create a revolution. I want to promote positive change and health. Poor, low quality living is generally secretly applauded by many industry peers. Young girls loosing too much weight is celebrated! This helps perpetuate and encourage eating disorders among young girls across the globe.

So I need your help. Soon, I will be launching a crowd-funding campaign for We Speak, the agency of the future. I’m creating a healthy branding system for retail and fashion brands to use to encourage healthy living, and healthy women.

If you help fund and promote this mission, you are contributing your piece of a huge undertaking and fashion revolution. The industry has made small movements to a more positive industry, yet the experiences detailed above are still very much alive. Are you ready to roar?

www.facebook.com/wespeakny

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:
Founder of We Speak
(917) 274-7324

P.S. We are on the lookout for experienced, healthy models in NYC! Email briaunamariah@gmail.com for submissions (our email system and site is currently undergoing construction!)

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8 Tips for a Consistently Healthy Diet

For the past three years or so, I’ve been relatively healthy in diet and exercise. I’ve learned a lot. And each time I experience something new and learn, I become better. Better in general. I begin to understand more and more about my own body and nutrition and what feels good and what doesn’t feel so good.

At the beginning of 2014, I made a commitment to myself, my well-being. I was going to consistently eat right and exercise for the entire year. Measurements and weight aside, I wanted to be strong and energized and healthy. Until this commitment, I would have months of regression before going back to diet and exercise. While it’s only been two months, I want to share with you what are, and what will continue to be, my secrets to success.

8 Tips for a Consistently Healthy Diet

  1. Exercise often.
    Personally, the more I exercise, the less food I feel the need to consume. If I weigh myself down with food too much, I can’t exercise. So when I exercise, I eat lightly and feel great and know that my calories are going towards rebuilding muscles, and replenishing energy, not towards undesirable areas! They have to be good calories, though!Also, I find that the more I exercise, the more I am consistently motivated to get out to the gym and be active. So if it’s hard now, or even a month or three from now, if you stick with it, it will become easier and more enjoyable. I’m experiencing this process of enjoyment myself, slowly but surely. On the days I feel more lethargic, I motivate myself with my favorite running music. Try not to give in to those days.
  2. Drink LOTS of Water.
    Like regular exercise, this also helps with keeping you from eating too much. Drink a lot of water throughout the day and before every meal, and you will have less need (and less room) to fill yourself up with empty calories. It should be a no-brainer. Water is cleansing and drinking your daily dose can do great things for your body. I have to train my mind to drink more water. It’s harder than it sounds.Oh, and drink tea, also! Tea is good. I’ve officially eliminated the need to add sugar to my tea. Chia seeds are surprisingly good in tea, too! It is slightly more filling than water, if you need something with a little flavor, texture, and protein.
  3. Mix up your routines.
    Don’t eat the same thing every day; and don’t do the same workout routine every day, either, for that matter. Your body needs variety. Without variety, you could regress, become bored, and have cravings. Your body needs a plethora of different vitamins, minerals, protein, and carbs.By changing up your food intake (at least every week. I food-budget a couple types of meals per week), you’re less likely to become bored with the food, you discover more delicious ways to eat healthy, and you will begin to enjoy the food you’re eating more and more for it’s healthful values.
  4. Don’t weigh yourself obsessively.
    Let the results come naturally, along with the feeling of being invigorated with energy and quality foods. People don’t understand that the scale is only one small factor of what it means to be healthy. If you obsess over the numbers too much, it could become a big problem. Weight fluctuates and takes time. Instead, I like to focus on mirror-based results. As long as I’m feeling good, and eating right, the results will come naturally.Use weight as a reference point. Weigh yourself no more than once per week. Results are good, but what we really want to achieve here is long term health and fitness. Therefore:
  5. Think long term.
    Don’t give up. Keep yourself motivated.On the bad days, remind yourself that, even if results are slow to come (or even if you lost progress!), know that they will come, and know that a full year, two years, five years, will yield only good things for your body.
  6. Don’t overdo it.
    Some people restrict too much from their diet, too quick, in order to achieve faster results. What’s more important than fast results is how strong you feel, how much energy you have, and how healthy you feel.Don’t be too hard on yourself and listen to your body, in both diet and exercise.
  7. Know and understand your body.
    Learning about your body comes with time. You and only you know what it needs or what it doesn’t need. If a certain food is hard for you to eat in moderation, try to stay away. Unless you know you’ll have cravings and binge eat. In which case, I recommend saving the sugar cravings for your cheat days.Which brings me to my next point:
  8. Cheat days!
    Accept your cheat days. Let them be, whether it’s scheduled or they happen on their own. Even if you happen to overeat a few days in a row, let the snack attack happen, and continue on your way.My body knows what it needs and always tells me that I need to pull back, and then I’m back on track for another week until the next snack attack happens. Yes, I’m calling them snack attacks. They are quite savage and unforgiving. But I feel that these cheat days are very important for your sanity!

Who else will be joining me on my year long (and beyond) adventure to a hearty, healthy, fit lifestyle? What tips would you like to share? Successes/failures? Comment below. Also, check out my new interview with holistic health coach Jaison Greene!

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

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Holistic Health Questions and Answers with Jaison Greene

Holistic health Q&A
with Jaison Greene (click for my pre-interview insights)!

Q: What is a common misconception about how many calories you should be eating?
A: Well, this is usually the place where people go first to lose weight.

What calories and calorie counting don’t take into consideration is what foods are related to those calories. You could have all very high calorie foods and only eat a few things and use up all your calories. That high calorie food you’re eating may or may not be unhealthy. It may just be a high calorie food like a healthy fat like an avocado. Or, it could be a Big Mac. The real question is how you discern the types of calories you’re getting.

Each type of food, whether its a fat, a carb, or a protein has a different caloric value. So when people say ‘I’m not eating carbs’, in their minds they’re talking about white carbs and fattening, starchy foods like potatoes, pasta and white rice. Kale, carrots, broccoli, and many healthy, ‘colorful,’  vegetables are all carbs as well. Caloric intake can provide a basic understanding of what a person is consuming. Numbers can be helpful to a point, but it only goes so far. Calories are best used as a guide to help understand what you are eating. Knowing caloric values can help assist in this understanding. Calories need to be personalized and specific to you, your lifestyle, and your metabolism.

Q: How important is balancing different types of carbs in your diet?
A: I think it’s important. Everything is a carb unless it’s a fat or protein. We all need carbohydrates to convert into glucose, which is the fuel that our body runs on. In fact, vegans and vegetarians are pretty much eating mostly carbs, with a little vegetable protein.

Carbohydrates are a very important building block of our bodies.  The types of carbs you are eating really do make a difference. I’ve worked with people who are vegetarians and they eat french fries and candy. The bottom line, when it comes to health, it’s all about balance. That is the goal. It is the destination. It’s a moving target, however, meaning it’s going to change as you get older. As your lifestyle changes, your body is going to want to find a new definition of balance.

Q: Along the lines of being vegetarian, what are the most important elements in a balanced vegetarian diet and do you recommend meat substitutes as a source of protein?
A:  If you seriously want to approach a healthy vegetarian diet, the first things for you to find out would be to understand your family history, a little bit about your metabolism, about your blood type, and do a couple of food elimination exercises. Food elimination is where you restrict your diet away from one particular food for one week and on the 8th day you overload on the food you’ve been restricting to see what kind of reaction your body has.

Once you get clear on what foods work for you and don’t work for you, there are a few building blocks of a healthy vegetarian diet you should focus on. Lean toward the colorful vegetables, the leafy greens, the oranges, the beets, the peppers, the melons, the squashes, the sweet potatoes, etc. Fruits and vegetables are going to be at the forefront.

Then, throw in legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds. If you don’t feel like you’re getting enough, supplement your diet with the grains, eggs, vitamins, etc. If you have to drink milk, coconut, almond, rice, etc. have been a great substitutes and a healthier options than cows milk has been a great substitute and a healthier option than cows milk.

Now, soy is a hot topic. There are people who believe soy is good for you in small amounts and is a great meat substitute. There are other people who believe that, because of the phytoestrogens in soy, it can adversely affect thyroid function or other important functions, such as hormone regulation. An unnatural disruption in your hormones can cause overgrowth of cells and tumors. There is some research that has been done on cancer linked to soy.

If you look at it in perspective, once soy became widely marketed as an alternative to meat, we started seeing more products with soy. Just like people who develop a gluten intolerance; if you’ve been eating soy your whole life, if it’s not right for your body, eventually your body is going to react. Your body might just take all this stuff you can’t process and put it somewhere for safekeeping. You don’t want to be storing bad stuff in your body for years to come.

Q:  What is the most commonly abused food that should be eliminated from diets?
A: Wheat. Whole wheat, white wheat, pasta, barley–all different names for wheat-based foods –you name it. The kind of modern, “franken-wheat” that is produced in this country (banned everywhere else) has got an addictive gene put in it on purpose. It digests super fast, your body has to store it quickly because it spikes your insulin, and because of the way it’s grown here, there’s no real nutrition. It’s a completely processed food.

Wheat these days is extremely irritating to the lining of your small intestine, where everything is absorbed into your body. Even when you don’t experience any adverse affects such as a gluten intolerance, it can be weighing you down in other ways. Wheat will give you the muffin-top and the pot belly, and it’s in beer and many other products. Gluten free is a great place to begin experimenting as a way to get away from wheat products, because gluten is a key culprit.

Right next to wheat, I would say comes dairy, as well. If we’re not drinking mother’s milk, then cow’s milk is the substitute. But adult cows don’t drink milk. Why are we drinking milk as humans, well into adulthood? If it’s for the calcium, you can get more calcium from broccoli. The kind of calcium you get from leafy greens is also more readily assimilated by your body when accompanied by citrus (lemons/limes/oranges). Dairy  can create a lot of excess mucus in your system, which slows down all other systems. It creates sinus infections, and it’s a huge contributor to allergies, and so on….

Q: So that seems like a very wide range of foods…

Well, yes, wheat and dairy. They speak to a wide range of foods, but here’s the thing, it’s all in moderation. If you ask me that question, that’s what I’ll say. It may not be the answer you want to hear, because then it compromises your lifestyle. Because then you have to choose between what you like to eat, what you want to eat, what’s easy to make, and self care. Addressing your health. Making changes that are going to be everlasting.

As a health coach, I’m not interested in trying to convince anybody that they need to have a health coach. That’s just too much work, plus they wouldn’t be a good client if they’re not ready anyway. Every time I meet with a client, I keep a record and we find what works, what they like, what they don’t like, what they say they want, and I just find the most interesting, enjoyable, impactful way to get them there.

Something I learned that was a big surprise to me was that it’s mostly not all about the food, either. It was a big revelation to understand that the thing that’s in the way between this person getting a level of balance in their lives usually starts off with food, but it doesn’t usually stay there.

Q: What are some key ways to recover and boost a metabolism that has slowed down?
A: I would say to first see if it’s food related or emotional. Depression will slow you down. Having children and becoming more sedentary slow you down. Food-wise, I would start off with a detox to clear anything that would be hindering your system. Then we would rebuild the hydrochloric acid in your stomach to speed up the metabolism. Another factor would be to look at your physical activity. Exercise is a huge component. Eating too many calories plus not exercising: that will slow you down. These are some of the things you would need to look at.

Q: How do you know if you are at your natural weight?
A: I don’t think it’s a matter of weight and what you’re looking at in the mirror, I think it’s a matter of feeling a sense of satisfaction. You’re implying that ‘natural,’ or normal is somehow determined by somebody else besides you. Natural is what you say is natural.

That’s not to get out of answering your question, but when you say natural, are you saying what the American Health Association deems an appropriate weight, or your gym teacher? Look at the people you come from. Genetics is huge. Some people just can’t be a certain size, they just won’t be. They’re spending so much time being frustrated that they’re adding another layer of imbalance to them. It’s a vicious cycle.

Q: Any tips for saving money while shopping healthy?
A: That’s easy. Learn how to cook and how to enjoy it a little bit. That’ll save you tons of money. Don’t buy prepared foods because they’re going to cost more than if you were to make it yourself. Stick to the produce section and buy whole foods. Stay away from all the processed foods, which are essentially all the middle aisles in the supermarket..

Q: I read somewhere that weight loss is about an 80 to 20 ratio. 80% being diet and then 20% being exercise. Do you have anything to say about this?
A: I think that’s close… I would agree. A lot of people think that if you just work out, then you can eat whatever you want. I would say that if you find the right diet for you you will achieve your natural weight, whether your natural weight is heavier or lighter than your current weight.

Q: Okay, last one. What are you thoughts on fat free and sugar free items.
A: Very simply? Hell no *laughs*.

First of all, I do believe in a whole foods approach. For example, the egg yolk and the white… go together. Some people try to avoid the cholesterol. Well, your body makes more cholesterol than an egg is going to give you. When you separate the yolk from the white, you body knows it’s not a whole food.

Your body knows what to do with whole foods. Fat free foods have been loaded up with sugar to taste good. Sugar free is all mostly artificial manmade chemicals that have no business being in your body. If you’re going sugar free, it doesn’t mean your sugar cravings are going to go down. They may actually spike because you’re not getting real sugar. If you’re going to switch out dessert, switch it to fresh fruit, not ‘sugar free’. Get real sugar, a whole foods sugar. Your body will appreciate it a lot more than the dessert.

—

Most people just don’t have a conscious idea of why they’re eating what they’re eating. They’re just eating the way they did when they were kids. And when they grew up and left home, they’ll tend to gravitate to what’s familiar to them. Even if our subconscious mind knows it’s not good for us, familiar is better than new and unknown. This is why it’s so hard to break certain habits. They’ve been deeply ingrained over the course your lifetime.

An effective health coach can help you begin to understand what those habits are and what they’re made of so you can do the work of dismantling them piece by piece. As the coach, I don’t do the work for you. I encourage you and hold you accountable for what you say you want and I keep track of everything you’ve done.

It’s all about self-awareness, self care, and maturity. The ability to  take responsibility for your own health a basic foundation of freedom.

To learn more from Jaison, check out his youtube videos, read about our first encounter, or, even better, contact him at  jaison@cleanfunliving.com and schedule a free consultation!

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

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10 Reasons to Hire a Holistic Health Coach

In a world of diets and dietitians full of different opinions and solutions–that may or may not be giving conflicting messages–Jaison Greene, CHC, AADP, certified holistic coach, and member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, takes what I believe to be a unique approach to nutrition.

I came up with the idea to find and interview a dietician through the desire to spread knowledge of health to my peers as I travel my own path to healthful knowledge. I found a true gem in Jaison and would recommend him to anyone, after only just one meeting. One piece of news is that he actually prefers virtual consultation due to ease, as well as the comfort his clients find there. So, you don’t need to be in New York if you’re seeking someone of Jaison’s level of expertise!

Jaison and I chatted for a good hour and I learned about many topics from orthorexia to detox cleanses to how blood type can present health challenges. I had no idea blood type played a role in diet! I didn’t even know my blood type.

I learned about these things and the one thing that stood out the most was how put together Jaison seemed. Jaison started his journey to healthy living in his early thirties, driven by his mother and sister, who had both been diagnosed with breast cancer. After realizing the power of healthy eating and biannual detox cleanses, he read up, studied, and earned his credentials. Now he is a certified holistic health coach.

The other notable thing that stood out to me was the way Jaison approaches his profession. He focuses on healthy LIVING. Not diets. Not fads. He focuses on YOU and your uniqueness, all the way down to your particular work environment.

My journey to healthful living has been rough, as my career relies on a slim body, and I’ve seen the damage it does firsthand. Continually striving for a skinnier and skinnier body is not a way of living for anyone. But developing a healthy lifestyle can be very rewarding and can give you just what you need, for anyone, no matter what your lifestyle demands.


What is a holistic health coach?

As a holistic health coach, Jaison Greene doesn’t not focus merely on diet. He analyzes many lifestyle factors into your overall health. So the term “dietician” is not really fair, because he is more that just a dietician. He focuses on two food sources: Primary foods and Secondary foods. Secondary is what you eat. Primary is what nourishes you. This includes in terms of relationships, spirituality, and physical activity.

So, if you’re looking to drop a quick few pounds (which I’ve been there, I do not suggest this route at all!), you’re in the wrong place. If you are looking for balance and healthiness, but you need a little nudging and encouragement along the way, you’re in the right place!


10 Reasons to Hire a Holistic Health Coach

  1. They are more encompassing than regular dietitians. 
    As mentioned before, a holistic health coach is more than a dietitian. One realization I would love everyone to consider is your health is not just diet and food, it is your lifestyle and all the factors that surround you. Everything you do and feel, every one of your interactions, make a play on your health.
  2. The approach is unique and modern.
    This is a much more innovative way to tackle your health and lifestyle, by looking at primary and secondary “foods.” In hiring a holistic health coach, you are conveying your commitment to yourself and your desire to attain the next level of health.
  3. They help you attain your goals.
    Through helping you discover the root of your issues, a coach will help you accomplish your goals and more.
  4. You will have more insight on how your relationships play into your health.
    Are you in a bad relationship with those around you? Is your work depleting your energy? These are some things you may not be thinking about fixing. You may not realize how interconnected everything is.
  5. Even “healthy” people may still be unhappy and may not fully understand how their actions affect their bodies.
    Are you orthorexic (too strict with what foods you eat and critical of everyone else’s food, too)? Too lenient? Are you making healthy changes for what is right for you? Do you even know what foods are right for you? Maybe, maybe not. But one or more of these unanswered questions might be keeping you stuck and unhappy where you are now.
  6. You will have support to keep you on track.
    Don’t get me wrong, you have to do the work. You will discover things about yourself. However, you’ll have support, positive reinforcement, and guidance along the way.
  7. No one knows everything.
    Even just one consultation will be a beneficial learning experience. I learned much more than I thought I would. And some of the knowledge was completely unexpected.
  8. Your questions and concerns will be answered.
    It’s a different approach to health, but concerns such as weight loss, what to be eating, etc, will be addressed.
  9. The help you are getting is personalized.
    Each session is completely different than the next. While dietitians can advocate for one diet or another, this will be customized to fit your needs and match to the lifestyle you already have in place.
  10. Avoid cancerous habits.
    As you address the root of your problems, overall health, and different habits, there are ways to incorporate ways of prevent cancerous cells from growing. Merely diet and exercise may not be enough.

Jaison Green may be contacted for a free consultation at jaison@cleanfunliving.com
I recently met with him a second time, and got some answers to some good health-related questions. If you’re not convinced now, you might be after a little Q&A!

Be Fierce!!
Briauna Mariah (:

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Finding Inspiration

This Bold Life and I have this on again, off again relationship. I had set a goal of 2 blog posts per week for you guys months back. Consistent information, updates, and experiences shared with you. However, the really good stuff only comes sporadically. That’s what it’s like to be a writer. I must write when the words start flowing.

Like writing, sometimes inspiration is hard to find.

But when you find it, it’s quite magical.

Inspiration isn’t, ‘oh, what a pretty dress,’ or ‘this is beautiful, I love this.’ Inspiration is moving. Literally. Really good inspiration gets your gears working, clicking into place, and suddenly, you’re up and replying, feeding off that inspiration.

Inspiration comes from another human’s boldness, courage, determination, hard work, and beautiful results and realizations. Inspiration is when you are a photographer who instills confidence in your subjects every day and, upon braving out the commitment to being the one in front of the camera, realize something deep, realizing, “That’s me, that’s beautiful, I’m beautiful!” (Read about Dana Kae’s profound, beautiful experience here). Inspiration is health and joy, like a woman staying fit for 22 years, not in it for the results, but for the wonderful feeling of being healthy. (This is Laura’s lifestyle, who shares her journey here).

These days, my main form of inspiration is through social media. There are so many stories to be shared and heard. If you know where to look, the options are endless. In my search for inspiration, here are just a few of my finds. Continue reading “Finding Inspiration”