A health coach is an accountability partner who will support and encourage you even when you feel like you want to throw the towel in and call it quits. Recurring calls with a health coach can provide you with ongoing support and encouragement to continue making strides towards achieving your goals, even when there are obstacles in the way.

The role of a health coach is to walk you through how to overcome the specific challenges YOU are facing. A good health coach will motivate you, hold you accountable and support you every step of the way. Here are 4 reasons to work with a health coach to ensure you stay educated, on track and supported through your health journey!

ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Do you have trouble sticking to your wellness goals? Don’t fret, many people do! When you work with a health coach, you are encouraged and empowered to show up as the master of your own life. By working with a health coach, and maintaining accountability, you’ll learn to make t...

Before I get into the thick of it, let me explain what SMART goals means.

SMART goals are:

Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Realistic. Time Bound. 

To set SMART health goals for yourself, your plan should focus on more than just physical health. It should encompass your mental health and your general well-being as well, because focusing on just one aspect can leave you drained in other areas! Setting a SMART goal requires you to think about each factor involved in achieving your goal. Clearly defining each of the five characteristics can help to define a pathway to reaching the goal. The more well-defined that pathway becomes, the easier it is to follow!

Here are some examples of SMART goals you can adjust to suit your personal goals.

Goals for physical health:

S= I want to improve my fitness level, starting with walking.

M= walking 2 miles with ease, working up to 4-5 miles.

A= I will walk three days per week, varying duration and speed: Two 30 minute walks will be at a fa...

Many gyms across the country have reopened to regular operations since the initial shutdown from COVID-19. But, let's be honest; from work time to workout time, many of us have really gotten in the groove of at-home life.

You may not find yourself excited about the idea of using shared weight machines again or taking group exercises classes with strangers. Or you may be really enjoying your time close to home. Regardless, this doesn’t negate the fact that we have to keep our body active and moving! So here are some budget friendly tips to create an inexpensive gym, right in the comfort of your own home.

Resistance Bands

Cost: $10+

Exercises: Clamshells, leg lifts, almost any bodyweight exercise.

You can amp up nearly every classic exercise you can think of by adding extra resistance. Resistance bands help you build strength, improve mobility, help you focus your control, promote better form, and are a great alternative to machines. There is a lot more movement involved when usi...

Fitness and Mental Health

Warning: Exercise has been known to cause health and happiness.

A regular exercise routine doesn't just build strong muscles and bones and a healthy heart. The link between physical activity and positive mental health has been well documented for decades, and as a society living through a pandemic, self care and vigilant attention to our mental health has never been more important than it is now.

Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

A significant network of correlations exists surrounding exercise and positive mental health, including physiological, psychological, and even social benefits. The longer you stick with a regular schedule and the more often you exercise, the more benefits you'll see.

Physiological Benefits

You may have heard that physical activity encourages your body and brain to produce some really awesome feel-good chemicals including dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. These chemicals increase your mood and help you feel more pleasure, whi...

Master Your Morning Routine

The perfect morning routine looks different for everyone. No matter what time you start your “morning” here are a few tried and true ways to reduce stress and increase productivity from the moment you open your eyes.

1. Drink a full glass of water

Drinking a full glass of water will help to rehydrate your body and allows for better digestion when you do eat. Feeling like something’s missing? Adding lemon to your water will give you a shot of vitamin C, aid in digestive health, and act as a detoxifying agent. Additionally, lemon is also said to have antibacterial and immune-boosting properties.

You can read more about fitness and hydration here.

⠀
2. Practice gratitude

Living your life with gratitude is a complete game-changer. Write a list of 5-7 things that you are grateful for every morning by affirming the good things you’ve received and acknowledging the role that others have played in receiving that goodness. By regularly taking the time to refl...

Did you know that your body contains over sixty percent water?

It's true!

Water is what makes your blood flow, it fills your cells, cools your body when you sweat, and filters and eliminates toxins from your body.

Your body needs water for pretty much every bodily function and metabolic process.

Water Is Vital For Fitness

Whether you're taking a walk around the block or running a full marathon, drinking water and staying hydrated are extremely important to preventing the effects of dehydration and to maintaining optimum fitness.

If you become dehydrated during or after intense exercise the lack of fluid will increase your skin and body temperature, your heart will need to work harder to pump thicker blood, and your muscles (and brain) will not receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly.

Drink MORE Water During Exercise

Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink.

You should be hydrating before, during, and after exercise.  

The higher the air temperatu...

Recovery after your workout is vital to muscle and tissue repair and building strength, endurance, and flexibility.  💪

Muscle tissue normally requires a minimum of 24 to 48 hours to repair and rebuild, but I have some good news for you.

You can reduce this time and improve post exercise recovery using these five muscle recovery tips.

Eat More

Yup, you read that right. Eating more (of the right things) can quickly replace depleted energy stores (glycogen) and to refuel your body with the macro and micronutrients necessary for quick recovery and tissue repair.

Remember that you tear down muscle in the gym, but you build muscle in the kitchen!

If you fail to refuel your body you will definitely lack energy, your performance will suffer, and you'll fail to make gains in strength and lean muscle.

So be sure to take in protein and a few simple carbs within 30-60 minutes of your workout.

When it's time for a full meal, choose complex carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables) to replenish...

Many people believe that when you exercise or strength train with weights your body changes fat into muscle.

Spoiler alert: this is not true. Fat cells will always be fat cells and muscle is composed of muscle fibers.

What actually happens when you exercise, is you reduce the size and number of fat cells which are then displaced by muscle tissue as your body grows leaner. 💪

Resistance Training Should Be Part Of Your Fitness Program

You can speed up the process of weight loss and become lean by combining a healthy diet with regular exercise and “resistance training” - strength training with weights, kettlebells, resistance bands or your own bodyweight.

You can build lean muscle and lose more fat naturally and safely without drugs or crazy fad diets by picking up a pair of dumbbells.

As you begin adding more muscle, your metabolism will speed up and burn more calories and body fat.

As a bonus, once you reach your weight loss goal, you can then choose to maintain your desired wei...

So you took a little (or a big) break from your fitness and routine and you're feeling ready to get back into it?

First of all, good for you!  👏

Second of all, building ( or in this case rebuilding) habits can feel hard when you're first adopting a new lifestyle and habits.

But lucky you, I have some super helpful tips for you so you're pumped on your workouts and not dreading them. 

Start Small, Win Big

Kickoff your fitness routine with small, easy-to-tackle goals to help you gain some momentum. 

Every little bit counts. The goal here is to start taking consistent action and make it a part of your daily life.

Starting with an intense and extremely demanding fitness routine can be a recipe for disaster (and defeat). 😩

Find Your Why

This is a huge element of success when getting back into your fitness game. 

If you're not totally clear on what your "why" is, try asking yourself these questions:

• What happens if I go all-in with my health & fitness routine? How will my life c
...