Tag: health coaching

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How To Stay On Track For the Holidays

Complete this sentence: You know the holidays are here when …

You might give any of these as an answer:

There are not enough hours in your day

You have to put off exercising because of any number of reasons

You are attending too many parties and eating too much of what you should not be eating.

And on and on.

All of those answers may be true, yet you feel guilty because once the holidays are over, you are back to where you started. Well, I have some solutions for you:

  1. Eat. Yes, eat before you head out to one of those after-work parties. If you have been in the habit of having a healthy lunch, you won’t be that hungry by the time you get to the party and you will be less likely to eat the things you should not be eating.
  2. Go for 10. Use the rule of 10, which simply means exercise for 10 minutes instead of 30. Studies have shown that exercising consistently for 10 minutes each day can produce good results.  Or, you can always divide up your exercise routine into 10-minute blocks: 10 minutes before you leave for work, 10 minutes at lunch time and 10 minutes in the evening, if you have the time.
  3. Avoid stress. The holidays can be enjoyable but they can also be stressful. Trying to do too much to find the perfect gifts, cook enough food for a football team, and at the same time being the perfect hostess can leave you feeling like a wrung-out dish cloth. Don’t do it! Christmas is a time to be enjoyed; a time to reflect on the reason for the season, which is Jesus Christ. He doesn’t want you to wear yourself out. He only wants you to honor Him.

To help you with your 10-minute routine, here are some simple tools you can use. They don’t cost a lot and you can even take them to work with you.

Exercise Ball

This is great for working your entire body – abs, back, upper and lower body, or use it in place of your chair for greater stability.

Exercise Bands

I like these because they come with an instruction booklet, a bag to carry them in and workout videos.

Don’t let the holidays catch you napping. Continue your fitness routine with little effort, and feel proud of yourself in the New Year.

Another way you can feel proud of yourself in the New Year is to get started on my Diabetes Awareness challenge now. When you sign up, you will receive an informative and helpful article each day Monday to Friday, discussing some of the topics you have in your mind about diabetes. Topics such as, 

  • I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, what should I do now?
  • Can I control my diabetes without medication?
  • Important facts you need to know about diabetes, 
  • and much more. 

Don’t let 2022 catch you napping. Get on track now and it will be easier to stay on track when the holidays are over. Just sign up here.

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Can You See The Silver Lining?

During this stressful time, it might be difficult to see the proverbial silver lining in any situation. But clouds do have silver linings; dark nights give way to glorious sunrise, and sorrow gives way to joy. Psalm 30: 5 says, “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

Image by lmaresz from Pixabay

We are all impacted by the coronavirus pandemic now sweeping the world. In the US, which now has the highest number of cases, the death toll has already climbed to 40,000. If you have been infected with the virus or have lost a loved one to it, my heart goes out to you. There is nothing I can say that will bring your loved one back, but know this, there is a silver lining.

You may be out of work as a result of this and you don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but for the first time in months, you are at home with your kids. You play games, talk, laugh, bake cookies and connect on a level you were not able to do when things were normal. You now have time to exercise, indoors or outdoors, cook healthy meals instead of picking up some burgers from the drive thru. And even though you don’t realize it, this enforced stay-at-home is preparing you for the changes you can make in your life when the lockdown ends.

So, right now it’s okay to feel sad, hopeless, even angry, but don’t stay in that place too long. Try to look at the bigger picture. Try to visualize a life after COVID-19. A life of freedom, opportunity, and hope. Most of all, try to see God’s hand in all of this. The God who parted the Red Sea will get us out of this. Just trust Him.

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Why Does It Take So Long

Have you ever stood near your microwave gritting your teeth and wishing it would hurry up? I guess we all have, even though the microwave is going as fast as it possibly can. Maybe it’s the same with your health goals. A whole month has passed and the scale has not budged nor has your tape measure. Take heart. Achieving goals (worthwhile goals) is not a sprint. More often than not, it’s a marathon.

Abram and Sarai

In the Bible, there was a couple named Abram and Sarai who were advanced in age, but desperately wanted a child. I mentioned them in this post It’s Never Too Late. God appeared to the man one day and took him outside. God said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”  Abram believed God but he had to wait twenty-five years for the fulfillment of the promise.

Track the changes

Twenty-five years, you say. I can’t wait that long to lose this weight, buy that house or find the right husband or wife. You may not have to wait twenty-five years, but it might seem twice as long when you are waiting to achieve your goals. The solution is to exercise patience. Keep track of the changes taking place in you while you wait. You may not be able to get into that smaller pair of jeans, but meanwhile, you are eating healthier, your muscles are becoming firmer and stronger, and you are sleeping better.

Celebrate the changes

Celebrate those changes. Write them in your journal so that when you finally reach your goal, you can look back and see how far you have come. If you can draw a graph, your progress may sometimes look like a squiggly line rather than a straight, upward diagonal. You may have times when you fall off the wagon. Write that down too then pick yourself up and get back on. Abram and Sarai were close to God, yet they made mistakes. Serious mistakes.

Beware of getting tired

They got tired of waiting and Sarah decided to take matters into her own hands. She ordered her husband to sleep with her maid Hagar so they might have a child by her. Of course, Abraham (God later changed their names) readily agreed, and Hagar had the baby. But as so often happens when we don’t wait on God, problems arose when Sarah gave birth to the son God promised her. (Genesis 16; 20). However, God, in His mercy, forgave her and blessed both sons.

Be willing to take baby steps when trying to achieve your goals. Progress may be slow but if you hang in there you will eventually reach your goal. If you are trying to lose weight, experts recommend losing no more than one pound a week. This may seem minuscule if you are trying to lose a lot of weight, but if you keep losing steadily, you would have lost fifty-two pounds by the end of the year. That is quite an achievement.

Do you need help achieving your health goals? Would you like to be part of my Facebook Group? It’s coming soon. Meanwhile, sign up on the form below and download my free gift.

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monday motivation – do you want to be well?

Image by RD LH from Pixabay

Jesus asked this question of a disabled man who had been sitting poolside for thirty-eight years, “Do you want to be well?” It was believed that an angel came during a certain season and troubled the water and whoever got into the pool first after the angel had stirred it up would be cured. Jesus’ question was not a sarcastic one.

Rhetorical, but not sarcastic. Just as He is saying to you right now, “Do you want to be well? Do you want to be free of diabetes, high blood pressure, low energy, depression? Do you want to look and feel your best? Then follow Jesus’ advice to the disabled man: “Take up your bed and walk!” You have been sitting by the pool for too long waiting for someone to put you into the water. But no one will do it. Everyone is too busy looking after himself.

Today is the day. Take up your bed and walk! Get into that pool! Do what you should have done a long time ago. Your life depends on it.

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sexual awareness month – stay safe

#SAAPM

April is Sexual Awareness and Prevention Month, a time set aside to raise awareness of sexual assault and show ways you can get involved and take action against this terrible crime.

The graphic above says that college-age women are at great risk for sexual assault. However, they are not the only ones. Male college students, children and women in the workplace are also at risk.

You may be wondering why I’m writing about sexual assault on a health coaching blog. The reason is that sexual assault affects your health in the same way that any trauma can. It affects you mentally, physically and emotionally. The folks at RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) have organized a number of activities to make this year’s observation a success.

A shocking statistic

I will be sharing some of their ideas from their website in the coming weeks, but you can go ahead and share whatever you like with your friends, or take part in some of the activities. And please, if you know of any abuse victims, offer them your support, prayers and pass on this information to them. You can also call RAINN at 800.656.HOPE or visit online.rainn.org.

If you have suffered this kind of assault, you may need to speak to someone who has counseled a lot of women (and men) in similar circumstances. Fill in the form below, and I will get back to you.

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monday motivation – do you keep your word?

A handshake is no longer binding

Disobedient children

Our scripture reading in church yesterday included this verse: “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey” (Exodus 24: 7) NIV. But sadly, very little time had passed after the children of Israel said this than they began to disobey. God became so furious He would have destroyed them had Moses not pleaded for them.

Just a handshake

Have you vowed to do something only to change your mind soon after saying it? Long ago, all that was needed for a contract to be binding was for both parties to shake hands. Nowadays, contracts are multi-page documents with language only a legal expert can understand. Why is that? Because most of us do not keep our word, we have to have something in writing that no one can easily dispute.

Keeping your word

How about keeping your word to yourself? Have you ever said, “I’m going to exercise four times a week?” Or, “I’m going to cut down on my sugar intake?” Or, “I’m going to add some vegetables to my diet?” Whatever promise you have made yourself (or others) and have not kept, ask God to forgive you and help you keep that promise. Your body is as important to God as your soul is. He wants you healthy so you can fulfill His purpose in this world.

Have a contract

Write your contract and put it where you can see it everyday

Go one step further and write a contract to yourself. It does not have to be several pages. Just one paragraph will do. When you write it, put it up somewhere you can see it every day. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments written on tablets of stone. That’s how important they were to God. Write your contract down because it’s important to you.

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monday motivation – when life gets difficult

When things go wrong

Have you had one of those days when everything that can go wrong does go wrong? Or, it might be more than a day. It could weeks or even months when everything seems to go downhill. We all have them – even those of us who are living, what we call, good Christian lives.

God is with you

As you try to reach your goals for living a healthy lifestyle, you may come up against one obstacle after another. Maybe you catch a cold or the flu and you can’t go out to exercise. Or, maybe there’s a family crisis and you find yourself reaching for comfort foods . Those times can be frustrating. You may be tempted to give up, but know that God is with you. He has promised “never to leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13: 5).

Jesus said, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28: 20).

Trust Him

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you (Psalm 9 : 10).

Take comfort that God is with you in all things, and that whatever you’re going through right now will one day come to an end. Do you feel the need to have someone help you reach your health goals? If yes, just fill in the form below. 

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Getting Rid of Self-Limiting Beliefs

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  • Stop comparing yourself to others
  • Take control of your thoughts. If you failed in the past, it doesn’t mean you’ll fail again .
  • Acquire knowledge.  Maybe you didn’t know all you needed to know in order to succeed
  • Talk to people who would help boost your confidence.
  • Write  your limiting beliefs in your journal
  • Then write what your life would be like if you didn’t have those beliefs,
  • Don’t give up!
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How To Live After Breast Cancer

Your treatments are over and you are feeling a great sense of relief, as you should. You made it. Give yourself a high-five, but it’s not yet time to relax. You want to feel well and at the same time try to avoid that cancer returning. Some of the same guidelines you followed before your diagnosis still apply.

Here are some things you can do:


1. Keep all of your follow-up appointments. Now is not the time to slack off. It’s important to stay close to your doctors so they can monitor you and you can tell them about any concerns you may have. They may also want to order some tests.


2. Eat right. Proper nutrition will not only help to prevent your cancer returning, but it will prevent obesity which leads to heart disease and other conditions.

3. Exercise. Increasing your physical activity will help you reduce body fat and boost your energy level.

4. Quit smoking. This can’t be stressed enough. Smoking accounts for about 30% of all cancer deaths in the United States. If you need help kicking this habit, speak to your doctor.

5. Stay connected. Keeping up with your groups will give you the encouragement and support you need. Also, it helps when you reach out to others and share your story with them.

6. Live one day at a time. During your treatment, you may have put certain activities you once enjoyed on hold. Now you are anxious to get back to a normal routine, but nothing feels normal any more. What do you do? Take it one day at a time. Enjoy your family, your friends. Let them know you love and appreciate them. Take time to smell the roses – literally – read a book, listen to music and be thankful. You are still here.

If you need help in getting your life back on track following cancer, or if you are simply trying to meet your healthcare goals, why not fill in the form below for a free coaching session?

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Wednesday Wisdom – What Are You Doing Today?

So, what can you do today that will positively impact your tomorrow? Can you eat an orange – as seen in the picture – instead of having an ice-cream bar? Can you drink a cool glass of water instead of soda or juice? Can you add some green vegetables to your steak and potatoes? Can you take a walk?

Do something today that will help you move toward your healthcare goals and watch your life change tomorrow. When you do it, why don’t you record what you did in your journal? Writing it down will make it so much more meaningful and set you on the path to doing more. Here are some journals to get you started, if you don’t already have one. The motivational quotes are  just what you need to get you started.

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