Celebrate Independence Day without the Guilt

It can be so frustrating going into a fun holiday, like the 4th, when you are concerned about what you will be eating. After all, we should be thinking about the history of our country, and celebrating our rockin' nation with friends and family.

Unfortunately, if our friends and family aren't as committed to a healthy lifestyle as we are, it can be excruciatingly frustrating. The solution to this dilemma, is to simply have a plan.

While this resolution is important each day of our lives, it is particularly useful when up against a wall of temptation and peer pressure. This upcoming holiday I encourage you to create a do-able and realistic plan setting yourself up for success.

Ideally, you will have the day off of work, giving you a little extra time to accomplish your goals. Here is a realistic angle propelling you to a successful and guilt free holiday while still having a blast.

-Start off the day with a workout. There are lots of fun 5k's and walk/runs to enter. If not, maybe grab a yoga, or kickboxing class at your gym. This will automatically put you in a good frame of mind. Even if it's a walk around your neighborhood, get your blood flowing and DO something.

-Next, hit the grocery and and bring your own healthy options to your grill out. Some phenomenal grill options are Portabella Mushroom burgers, sweet corn, pre-made grilled chicken, buffalo, or shrimp skewers, you can even do potatoes on the grill.

You can easily do this with a little preparation. You will feel so good about yourself and it's a great opportunity to prove to yourself that you can be successful! I can't wait to hear about your success story! Happy Independence Day!

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

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....

Book Review : Fitness Beyond 50

Recently I was introduced to a fascinating author and fellow wellness enthusiast, Harry Gaines. He has penned a book called, 'Fitness Beyond 50. Turn Back the Clock'. After reading the book in a matter of a few short days I knew I had to get this into the hands of some of my coaching clients. One of the biggest struggles we all face at one point in our lives or another is motivation. "I want to lose weight, but I just can't, I have no motivation". I have heard that time and time again. I deal with motivation, or the lack thereof on a daily basis in my coaching business. We all want to live our lives more fully, have more energy, and have a greater sense of purpose. However, finding and keeping the motivation to change and evolve is our biggest hurdle.

As a general rule, I am looking for a client that has intrinsic motivation. That's the motivation that comes from within. Wanting to lose weight because you want to feel better, live longer. External or extrinsic motivation is the one we get from the outside, generally these are fueled by winning a reward, or based in fear. Extrinsic motivation can be good, but generally only works in the short term. This book provides great motivation and is illustrated by ordinary people going out of their comfort zone to change their lives. It shows you how you can change your life by making small lifestyle changes.

Gaines uses lots of anecdotes to show what is possible when you just make the effort. These are everyday people in his community making lifestyle changes to not only prolong their lives, but feel better on a daily basis, for as long as possible. Gaines is not an MD, or a personal trainer, or a nutritionist. He is a 70 year old man who looks incredible, feels great, and shows what each and every one of us is capable of doing. What is more motivating than that? It should also be noted there is a ton of complex and interesting science based material in the book. It is well researched and cross checked with experts, but written in an easy to understand fashion.

If you are looking to start taking control of your health for the first time, or just need a nudge to get back in the game I highly recommend this book. Who knows, maybe this is the day you stop putting off feeling great? You can get your copy now at Fitness Beyond Fifty Website, as well as Amazon