What Can I Get at Cafe Well? Hint... It's not coffee.

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Nicole Mundt, Client Relations & Implementation Director at Cafe Well. She also happens to be a cool, smart and funny chick. Contrary to the title, Cafe Well, is not a place to get a caffeine jolt or a sugar spike. It is in fact, a cyber meeting space where you can connect with others, learn more about your health care plan, get information on various health issues and share stories of success and failure. They are a social networking site providing a community of support to it's members. Anyone can join, it's free to you, and you can remain anonymous if you prefer. Even better, no ad's on the side of the pages.

It's also a place where health insurance companies can connect with their members. Cafe Well does not represent the insurance companies, but does offer the space to connect companies to members, thus bridging the gap between us. The health insurance companies who are affiliated with Cafe Well are showing their commitment to customer service and connecting in a positive way. Let's face it, we don't always have the greatest relationship with our health insurance companies, but this really could help rebuild it and as a result positively impact our care.

Another great feature of the site allows you to create challenges. You can do these with people you know, or people you don't. Make your own challenge, or join another's. How much water can you drink, servings of vegetables, days a week of exercising, and even how many books you can read in a year. This makes putting your health first fun and exciting. As a health coach I know tracking, and little wins are the benchmarks to making a larger phenomenal change. This is EXCELLENT!

You will also find blogs, and discussions for almost any health topic you want to read about or discuss. You can start private groups to discuss anything that's on your mind without everyone and their Mama seeing your thoughts and struggles.

This is my new favorite site and I am so happy to share with my clients, and all of you. Please check out Cafe Well and sign up for an account today and connect with me, wpcoach! What will you get from Cafe Well?

May Champion: Ruth Cornish

I knew right away when I decided to start this piece who would be the perfect spotlight for the first installment. She is one of my absolute hero's and truly one of the most beautiful people I know, inside and out.

Ruth is a dedicated wife to Ken and mother to 3 beautiful girls Abbey, Lindsey, and Kelsey. She is an amazing nurse, and pretty much is headed for canonization I'm quite sure. Ruth came into my life in the disguise of a neighbor to my parents. I say disguise because I truly believe she was an angel sent to help my family through the most difficult period of our lives. As my Mom lived with cancer, and all that comes with that, Ruth and her generous family were there every step of the way. She did things that you could never ask a friend or neighbor to do, and she did them without us asking. She has this uncanny ability to know exactly what you need at the exact time you need it. She is constantly thinking of others, and how she can serve. The picture above is Ruth and my Mama, shortly before she passed on.

Ruth is an avid runner, having completed 11 marathons. Just last month she flew to Texas to run a half marathon with Abbey, where she finished in 1:41:32, first in her division. Have I mentioned she is over 50! The very next weekend traveling to Tennessee completing another half marathon with Kelsey,who was running her first. Kelsey was so grateful for her Mom, and said to me "she stayed with me the whole time, even though I run much slower than her".

It wasn't always like this for Ruth, she tells me she was a heavy child, and that physical activity wasn't part of their family's lifestyle. It was only later in her teens and into young adulthood where she began to run and incorporate fitness. These days she works out for at least an hour, EVERY day, mixing it up between running, yoga, bike riding, and the elliptical machine. She combines fitness with a low fat diet and watches portion control. Her motivation is two fold; she doesn't ever want to go back to that overweight teen, and her goal is to always be able to run a half marathon without training, or notice.

I feel very strongly one the most important parts of being well is our connection to our spirit. Ruth is a Catholic, and attends mass each day, a habit she picked up from her Dad. She comments to me, "you know, there are 9 kids in my family, 8 of us are girls, with 23 grand-kids between us. There is not one instance of cancer, no serious illness at all, what are the chances of that?" She attributes this to their strong faith. Running she says keeps her very connected to her spirit. It's in those early morning runs when she is saying her prayers and feeling enormous gratitude.

She is reluctant to give advice but contends when it comes to nutrition and fitness you gotta do what works for you. You will hear a lot of experts give all kinds of tips and tricks. She admits in the past her weight has yo-yo'd a bit, but what she knows now, is that ultimately, it's a balance, and what works for you, and your body is the best advice you can follow.

She doesn't use a mantra when she runs, through laughter she explains though when her and Ken are coming up on a big hill they say, "it's not a hill, it's scenic". I think that pretty much sums up her outlook on life. It's all about how you view the path that impacts how WELL you live.

Thank you so much, Ruth, for being such a great role model and mentor to me, inspiring me to run, and to be a better person.
If you are interested in running a half marathon this year, the Rock and Roll Series is a terrific option, they have races all over the country!

Do you have a champion in your life that embodies great wellness? Let me know about them and maybe they will be Whole Pieces Champion next month. julie@wholepieces.com

Are you like Paddington the Poodle? A Midnight Snacker?

We all have that time of the day when a craving hits. Sometimes we are hungry and sometimes we just have a need for something. If we can agree that many times we are really craving something more than food, that it's an emotional response, then I think we can move on to how to curb it.

For me it's between 4-5pm, lunch is long past, and dinner is not quite ready yet. I have to be conscious of how I handle this time of day. If I have eaten too much in a particular day, I can almost always pinpoint it to that specific time. I have to keep in mind that I need a small snack around this time, somewhere in the neighborhood of 100-200 calories, and hopefully those are meaningful calories. An example of this might be a cup of Greek yogurt. The sugar keeps my mind satisfied, while the protein keeps me full. If I skip my snack generally I tend to overeat at dinner.

I know lots of you struggle with late night snacking. The biggest offender of this habit lives in my house, no, not my husband, Andrew. It's my poodle Paddington, he's what we call "the midnight snacker". He will often eat the majority of his dinner right before he goes to sleep. I have some theories on why he does this, but it's probably not helpful to the rest of us human beings.

Let me paint the picture for you. You are sitting in front of the TV, dinner has been over for a few hours, and the ice cream commercial comes on. Let's assume you are truly hungry and the stomach is growling a little. In this case you won't be committed to ice cream or some other sugary or salty snack. You will be satisfied with some carrot sticks or some air popped popcorn (hold the butter PLEASE). These would be examples of a good snack, while we still have some sugar in there, it's low on calories, and generally filling for the portion size. Also, let's remember, you are not starting your day or leaving for a workout, you are going to sleep. Not a lot of fat burning activity going on there.

Now, for those of us who aren't actually hungry, but just feel like we need a snack. This is when you want to stop and really decide if it's worth it. Let's face it, some days it just is. How do you determine if it's worth it? Honestly, if you really stop and think the answer will be obvious. For many people, it's just a habit, and they have a late night snack because it's part of a nightly ritual, it's mindless and unnecessary.

If you need a little help overcoming this hurdle and making the choice not to snack, these are my tips. First off, drink a glass of water, even if you do end up eating, it will make you feel a little fuller,thus curbing the amount you will eat. Second tip, hit up a stick of gum. This sounds stupid, but it tricks us into thinking we are getting that sugar we are craving as well as the chewing sensation. The next tip is brush your teeth. You are going to do it before you go to bed anyway. It is not appetizing to eat right after you brush. Try these tips out next time you are about to be a "midnight snacker". On our best days we can and do talk ourselves out of the snack, because we know ultimately, it's not worth it. You were on point all day with your exercise and food choices, you are close to finishing the day. You don't want to compromise your great choices. You are worth it, finish strong and healthy!!!!

Whole Pieces Champions

One of the most exciting things about life is that we have the capability to constantly grow and evolve as human beings. Often times, we are motivated to change by seeing someone else succeed. We can see ourselves in their successes and even their struggles. Surrounding yourself with healthy and well people who are continually raising their game motivates you to do the same. This is why I decided to do a monthly post that spotlights one person who exemplifies true wellness.

These individuals are doing it right, and by more than just eating well and staying active. They are also honoring their spirit, as well as serving others. The foundation of Whole Pieces is ensuring you are taking care of mind, body, and spirit. Through these stories of everyday folks, I think you will see yourself, learn how you can become better and raise your game. No celebrities or famous people here, just the real deal. I hope their stories will provide you with great inspiration. As my good friend, Bill Delisio, says, we are all in the process of "becoming it".

Stay tuned, the May spotlight is coming up....