24Nov/090
Does Weight Loss Without Exercise Make Sense
Of all the articles and ads about weight loss and weight loss products, you will notice that many of them seem to be saying that weight loss without exercise is what they have to offer. They will tell you about some diet pill, or perhaps a diet, which is going to take the weight off without you lifting a finger...other than to unscrew the cap.
So here's the question: Can somone really lose weight simply by adjusting their diet? So many people feel that they do not have the time to exercise, or feel they lack the energy to exercise, or just plain don't want to. It would be great if all they had to do was take some pill or eat some specific diet and the weight would go away, right?
27Jul/090
How to Become a Wellness Coach
Since switching careers in 2005 I've found it absolutely astonishing the amount of questions I continually get from people interested in becoming a wellness coach. Back when I was in the environmental software industry I can't remember one time that a person had asked me to provide an informational interview! Now it seems that I get a request for this at least monthly - and I love sharing what I do.
With all these requests in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to share my experience with wellness coaching, provide some background on what exactly coaching is, and give those of you with interest in learning more a foundation for making decisions as to how you might want to move forward.
What is a Wellness Coach?
This is an excellent question and a good starting point for these discussions. 'Wellness' has become a popular word as of late - and it carries with it a vast array of meanings based on who you talk to. Wellness coaches support their clients in creating lifestyle change such that they get more of their definition of wellness into their lives. You notice that I emphasize a key element of coaching is to listen to and understand how the client defines wellness as that is really what is important to improve their life.
How does a Wellness Coach differ from a Nutritionist or Trainer?
There are many Wellness Coaches that are nutritionists and personal trainers, however not all trainers and nutritionists are Wellness Coaches (and vice versa). The biggest difference is the approach that is taken towards achieving goals. A personal trainer is typically hired to provide guidance, motivation, education, hands on support and to tell you how to achieve your goals. This support is very appropriate in many cases. A nutritionist has a similar function, they are trained to provide information, guidance and design a recipe for success when someone has very specific dietary needs and goals. Again, they serve a fantastic role in supporting their clients through the questions they have.
A Wellness Coach takes a much different approach when working with clients. Fundamentally a coach assumes that you have your own answers. Certainly there are opportunities for education and sharing information when appropriate (and this information should be shared only in the coaches areas of expertise), however the focus of a wellness coach is one of empowering the client to clearly see for themselves the most appropriate path forward such that they can make sustainable, long term lifestyle changes. This is much different than telling them what they need to do today. It involves discussing goals, a vision, and designing a plan together.
A wellness coach will ask empowering questions to the client that re-enforce their compelling reasons to make healthy lifestyle decisions rather than telling them the reason why they should make change. A coach will provide tools for motivation, goal setting, self discovery and embrace the fact that no two clients will need to have the same approach in making lifestyle change. As you can see the quality and depth of conversation that a wellness coach and a trainer will be very different.
Corporate and Private opportunities for Wellness Coaching?
10 years ago, there were very few people operating under the title of 'Wellness Coach'. For that matter the term 'Life Coach' was extremely rare to come by as well - both are careers that have been recognized in the mainstream today. Many Wellness Coaches operate their own business. They draw from their background, market themselves, and present a coaching offering to clients that benefit from their services. Typically a wellness coach will work with clients in the area of nutrition, exercise, weight control, stress management, and some coach on areas of relationships, sleep quality, disease management, and life balance. If you are interested in knowing the specific areas that a coach focuses on - refer to his/her biography, as the topics can vary. Generally speaking, unless the coach is branching out into other talents/markets, they tend to focus on these primary areas.
With the growing trends towards increased longevity and increased waist size - it seems that the market for these talents would be huge. The truth is that there is a huge need - however as a new occupation just gaining recognition in the mainstream society you still see relatively few wellness coaches in relation to conventional healthcare practitioners, nutritionists, trainers etc. This is often why you see many coaches wear multiple hats.
Many more opportunities are beginning to arise in the corporate environment. A number of progressive companies (including Sutter Health in Northern California) are recognizing the value of designing healthy lifestyle's as a preventative measure such to curb escalating health care costs. A handful of employers are offering wellness coaching programs as an employee incentive. Its simply good business to show this commitment to their employees. Implementing Wellness Coaching programs creates a corporate culture of health and wellness, it facilitates learning, and most importantly is welcomed by employees looking for the key to making sustainable lifestyle changes.
For those wondering if they can get a job with a company offering these services, you may find that these corporate jobs at the moment are few and far between (but there are always opportunities if you create them). I personally expect a number of new wellness initiatives to explode in corporate America within the next decade. A large part of this will be varieties of wellness coaching programs.
What kind of training do you need to be a Wellness Coach?
A good question to ask is what differentiates a wellness coach from a nutritionist or trainer. The fact of the matter is that there are no 'requirements' for an individual to label their business as 'coaching'. We see this trend in executive coaching, life coaching, business coaching, and real estate coaching. There are no laws that require a certain certification to call yourself a coach in any field! So go ahead and call yourself a coach - but be ready to explain why you are a coach and not a trainer etc. when someone asks (obviously this is not my recommendation).
So that is interesting - then what kind of training do I typically need. Well a strong foundation in nutrition, exercise physiology, stress management, or combination of these will be a great starting point. To truly master coaching, I would recommend going through an accredited coach training program to learn the keys to communicating as a coach and supporting people in finding their own answers. Typically one of these courses takes 12 months to 3 years as they require a number of practical application hours as well. There are a variety of programs with different emphasis, so my suggestion is to find one that fits well with you.
There are programs specifically tailored for wellness coaches to learn the fundamentals of coaching in relation to health and wellness. These tend to be shorter courses (on the range of 3-6 months) and are not accredited by the major credentialing organizations. The most popular example is wellcoaches - an online/on phone training program that gives you the basics and foundation of becoming a coach. This is a great start - my personal preference is a full life coach training program as it goes into great depth for developing listening schools and understanding client perspectives and I found the program I attended to be absolutely fantastic.
As a side note - I strongly believe that within the next 10 years we will also see a change in the coaching industry. The International Coach Federation and other credentialing agencies are pushing strongly to honor and recognize the title of 'Coach' or- similar to that of RDA, MFT etc. The current credentials available through the ICF are ACC (associate certified coach), PCC (professional certified coach) and MCC (master certified coach).
The Future of Wellness Coaching
Having a private business and working in the corporate environment I've seen huge changes in the past couple years alone. I have no reason to believe that wellness coaching will slow its pace of growth. As I introduced this article, I mentioned how often I am asked the question of what it is that I do and how can I get involved. This is exciting to me as it shows me how much interest and concern there is in changing our countries wellness perspective. This is exciting to me and seeing the shift in our mentality and lifestyle to one of prevention rather than treatment is a huge step in the right direction.
For those of you interested in knowing more about coaching, there are numerous articles posted throughout this website on coaching models, how to create lifestyle change and personal development. I hope you find these resources useful in your journey in wellness.
"If you've found this site useful, please link to it so that others can benefit!"
Be Well
24Jul/090
Your Wellness
Wellness is a concept which has been around since the 50's and is linked to Dr H.L Dunn (1896-1975). It has been defined as "an integrated method of functioning which is oriented toward maximizing the potential of which the individual is capable. It requires that the individual maintain a continuum of balance and purposeful direction within the environment where he is functioning."The concept was not popular then, not until the 70's and has been associated with alternative medicine. Generally wellness has been used to describe the healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit triad; a state that combines health and happiness. It can be viewed as the way in which we balance and cater for our mental/emotional, physical and spiritual health state and how we make choices daily to attend to our wellbeing. Approaches to wellness do vary and usually depends on who is using it or talking about it; I suppose the most important aspect is to promote the generally wellbeing of individual/s where they subsequently live a healthier and happier life.
However for some of us our emotional and mental wellness may be determined by our physical state where we may struggle especially if challenged by either body abnormalities, genetic problems or illness.The beauty here is that for those affected by ailments beyond their control, skills as well as psychological tools can be utilized to help maximise the potential to live and get the best out of life.
Research have indicated that people who have a happy and optimistic disposition and laugh more in their day to day life , live far happier and have a longer life span.
Moreover, Research has also studied how positive attitude coupled with spiritual practices such as regular church attendance promotes health, wellness and healing.
The road to wellness and happiness can be paved by the small decisions we make daily toward our health. "Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh! Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is" By M.A Radmacher. Good luck...... and God bless you all...
15Jul/090
Health Care Reforms – Who Needs Them?
The short answer is ALL OF US. It's time for the "political hacks as usual" to stop talking and debating and dancing around the issue and get their tails ends on task to work finding answers that benefit Americans. As a public school teacher, I've seen how the lack of basic health care impacts education - and my future tax dollars when these students don't graduate.
Parents who are "too poor to be rich and too rich to be poor" have extreme difficulty affording eyeglasses, antibiotic treatment for simple infections, preventative care such as flu shots and immunizations. Somewhere in the private sector, most of these can be covered, but those solutions are not easily found and often have intolerable waiting lines. So, those of us with health care foot the bill because most "public hospitals" have a mandate to treat indigent people, primarily in overloaded Emergency Rooms not designed to handle basic medical care. As a result, the insured are already paying for the uninsured! What's new with the reform? A solution is just been sought which provides care with less red tape and obstacles for all and that finds ways to cut the fat from health costs - and the health care system in morbidly obese.
As a personal example, I chose the wrong coverage from my employer one year. We changed carriers and I thought I was signing up for coverage equal to the coverage I had under the previous carrier, but I wasn't. What a shock to discover that one of my medications was going to cost me $182 each month due to that mistake. (More than $500 was already being deducted for my health insurance!) I went to my private care physician and told him I could no longer afford medication, although I knew I needed it. He and I put our heads together and came up with a list of generic options which offered the same benefits at much less cost.
The bottom line is that all of my medications now cost a total of about $35 a month, and neither my doctor or I notice any difference in their effectiveness; I take advantage of the programs offered by most pharmacies to order off their list for $5.00 a month. These prescriptions are not even billed to my insurance carrier now! Without my mistake, my insurance company would be billed for hundreds of dollars of prescriptions each month for which there are much less expensive generics available. Both my doctor and I were overcharging my health insurance because we had no reason to search for a less expensive option. I shudder to think of the thousands of other options out there that are simply not being explored which could cut health care costs without cutting back on care.
Instead of screaming at town hall meetings and believing all the hype coming out of the pocketbooks of health insurance companies, examine the proposals and make rational decisions! Realize that some of your personal healthcare costs and probably be slashed without any loss of quality of care - and produce a savings of thousands each year. Multiply that savings by the millions of people in this country who are insured and already picking up the bills for the uninsured. I'm astounded! Are you?
13Jun/090
Intuitive Intelligence For Health and Wellness
Times are tough, money is tight, uncertainty reigns and here's the kicker. Things can get worse. Not because the economy tanks, or the 401K seems to be circling the drain, or we won't see the inside of a shopping mall until housing prices level out. When the news is bad, what makes things worse is allowing the world around us to dominate the world within us. When our sense of well-being goes up and down with the Dow Jones. We may not have control over the success of the latest stimulus package or the fate of our brothers and sisters in the military facing multiple deployments, but we do have choices about how to think about these and any other sources of psychological stress. This is important not only because stress-resilient thinking and practices energize and strengthen us to successfully deal with out struggles, but because attitudes and mental habits create real-time, long-term changes in our physical health.
"Stress is the major predictor of illness because it stimulates the production of cortisol and epinephrine from the adrenal glands," states Beth Moran, ARNP, Nurse Practitioner and author of Intuitive Healing: A Woman's Guide To Finding The Healer Within (currently under revision). Both cortisol and adrenaline are life-saving in the short bursts of intensity for which nature installed them. Cortisol triggers the "fight-or-flight" survival response when we sense a physical threat. It boosts muscle strength, heightens perceptions and memory, and lowers sensitivity to pain, while adrenaline keeps us hyper aware and alert as we engage in whatever response is necessary to get away from danger. But they must be followed by the body's natural relaxation response once the danger has passed because what makes us stronger and better survivors also exacts a price. Prolonged exposure to this same heady rush of brain chemicals has serious health effects such as significantly lowered immunity, a heightened inflammatory response, slower wound healing, high blood pressure, thyroid problems, and blood sugar imbalances.
And here's the thing. Our brains and bodies experience a psychological threat as a physical one, with the same rush of cortisol and adrenaline. That is how the angry thoughts that never get resolved, the oppressive relationship that saps self-confidence, relentless self-criticism, fearful projections about the future or any other persistent negative attitudes playing over and over in our consciousness have a direct effect on our health.
In her book, her teaching and her practice - Integrated Wellness in East Hampton - Beth Moran encourages forging a connection with the inner voice we all possess that knows what we need to change about our thinking or our lives, and finding the strength and resources to respond. "When I had a melanoma," she reveals, "I was very frightened. But my inner voice, my intuition, told me that I needed to change my life and leave my marriage or I would die. Now that I understand psychoneuroimmunology - the science behind the mind/body connection - I see that I was 'jumping out of my skin.' I knew it was a spiritual awakening to get me to look at my life."
A pioneer in the field of holistic health and co-founder of the Guild of Holistic Practitioners, Beth practices and teaches nation-wide from a philosophy that views a person's entire life and being as related to one's health.
"I used to work for a cancer specialist who treated patients with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation," she relates. "Although he was able to cure some, I became interested in the bigger picture of why some people got sick and some got better and began to read books on nutrition and psychology to understand the relationship to illness and wellness. From that I went to school at the Margaret Sanger center to study Holistic Women's health care, and for the past 25 years have continued to study natural medicine. My practice emphasizes women taking responsibility for themselves after receiving a lot of information. I endeavor to empower women to make decisions based on facts and their own inner truth and philosophy." She works extensively with BioIdentical Hormones, Thyroid imbalance, Adrenal fatigue and the mind/body relationship, combining appropriate medical treatment, testing and tools with information and a range of resources relevant to an individual's needs.
"The world today has a great many stressors," Beth states, "and humans are ingesting many toxic substances as a coping mechanism, e.g. alcohol, sugar, caffeine, refined flours flours, cigarettes, pot, drugs, all of which weaken the vital force." A study published in the journal Neurology and reported in Discover magazine showed that chronic psychological stress causes memory loss and other serious cognitive impairments that interfere with quality of life in older people. But the good news is that we can protect ourselves against this kind of decline through the kind of awareness Beth supports for overall health.
Nutrition, meditation, exercise, self-knowledge, changing the negative situations we can control and learning to think differently about the ones we cannot, are some essential tools for integrated health. In a world with so many stresses coming at us 24/7 from so many directions, intuitive intelligence is a vital renewable resource that strengthens resilience to the stresses and pressures of ever-changing 21st century life.
11Jun/090
Health Wellness Fitness With Stroke and Depression
After suffering a stroke not only does your self esteem take a bashing but also your general health wellness fitness. Unfortunately your family suffers right along with you. They are faced with the process of trying to care for you throughout your rehabilitation. As a stroke survivor you are now confronted with two major challenges, regaining your former physical capabilities, and defeating depression which is likely to follow.
Health wellness fitness research shows that it is likely that 10 to 27 per cent of victims who have survived a stroke will suffer a major depression. Additionally within two months a further 15 to 40% are likely to experience symptoms of the onset of a major depression. Unfortunately it is likely to take up to one year for the depression to be satisfactorily treated.
There seems to be a link directly between the severity of the depression and the amount of functionality that the patient loses. When a lengthy treatment period lies ahead is quite easy to become depressed because there is no guarantee that the victim will completely reclaim their functionality. Depending on the severity and the location of the stroke, behavioural and personality changes may be a possibility. These changes can hinder recovery.
There is a chance that the changes may be put down to being caused by the stroke when in fact the changes are caused by depression which may go unnoticed. Not every stroke survivor takes depression, but there are a large number who do. If you know of, or are caring for someone who has just suffered a stroke, be aware that they may not have been diagnosed with depression, and that the onset of depression may occur, or already have occurred unnoticed. A person recovering from a stroke stands a better chance of a quicker recovery if any depression is treated quickly.
Several different symptoms of depression have been identified in the aftermath of a stroke, and anyone who does experience five or more of these symptoms for more than two weeks is advised to seek medical help from their general practitioner as soon as possible.
* An ongoing mood of sadness which may be persistent
* Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or guilt
* Loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities
* A loss of interest in sex
* less energy, feelings of fatigue and being "slowed down"
* disturbances in sleeping (insomnia, early-morning waking or oversleeping)
* Eating difficulties (loss of appetite, loss or gain of weight)
* Difficulty with concentration, remembering, and making decisions
* Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
* Easily irritated
* Crying excessively
* Consistent Chronic aches or pains that don't seem to respond to treatment
Many patients suffering from a major depression following a stroke have found that being treated with antidepressants for their depression has helped improve their general health wellness fitness This improvement in their ability to function has helped them towards a quicker rehabilitation. Naturally it is important that family members up-date doctors and therapists who are involved in the caring process of any medical changes, or any behavioral changes that take place. A medical interaction might be responsible for these changes, or it could be something changing with the patient's condition, and the cause needs to be identified.
Being aware of all these possibilities and the fact that depression is likely following a stroke, can ensure that a stroke victim receives the best possible care giving them the best chance of recovery.
30Apr/090
Weight Loss Decisions – Get Help – Review A List Of Weight Loss Programs
There are many fad diet experts that say losing weight is simple. That is just not true. So many weight loss programs have you making changes in your lifestyle, your diet, exercise, and supplements that it can leave your head in a spin. We all know that if we burn more calories then we consume we will obviously lose weight. That in itself sounds simple but if you are like me it is way to easy to give in to high calorie temptations.
One way to find options to help your individual needs is to review a list of weight loss programs and find one with the options that will best suit you. Many weight loss programs can be personalized to fit your individual tastes and lifestyle. If you can find a program that appeals to you it is much more likely that you will stick with it. If you are like me and want to get started with small changes right away here are a few options for you.
Get smaller plates! Using a smaller plate will help you cut down on portion size without having to think too much about it. Subconsciously if you place a smaller amount of food on a large plate you think that you aren't getting enough. But if you put that same amount of food on a smaller plate your eyes see more food even if it is not there. Take smaller bites and then eat your food slowly taking a few sips of water between every few bites or so.
The object is to first trick your brain into thinking that you are eating more and second to allow your body time to feel full. This may seem small and silly but it can really make a difference and don't underestimate the power of small steps, sometimes small steps can make the biggest differences.
Another thing you can do for yourself right away is to improve the quality of the food you eat. Eating foods like the ones from fast food restaurants will have the exact opposite affect of your weight loss goals. And that also goes for processed and packaged foods; they will pack in more calories and this will be detrimental to your weight loss goals.
You need to be very careful even with processed foods that claim to be low fat; often times when they take out the fat they add calories in other ways to improve the flavor. This way they can still advertise low fat, sneaky huh! Whenever you buy food items that are packaged and processed read the labels carefully.
By doing these simple things you can start on your way to your weight loss goals and keep searching for list of weight loss programs that might be helpful to you. When you find weight loss program that you are interested find out if there is a support group or forum that you can join. It is proven that when people have the support of others they are much more likely to lose the weight and keep it off.
Video of the Day
Categories
- Anti Aging (50)
- Beauty Care (178)
- Diet (258)
- Featured Product (208)
- Fitness Videos (164)
- Health and Wellness (132)
- Skin Care (157)
Recent Posts
- A Day At LA Fitness
- Fitness America Pageant
- Evis MD Platinum Red Light Therapy Anti-Aging Device
- US Air Force Basic Training – Boot Camp
- Ocean Potion Anti Aging Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 3 fl oz
Archives
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
Tag Cloud
aging
Beauty Care
Benefit
Bod
Body
Calo
Calories
Care
Cl
Cream
Diet
Era
Exercise
Extra
Face
Faci
Fit
Fitness
Fruit
Grea
Healt
Health
Hey
HIGH
Ing
Ins
Ions
Like
Loo
Lose Weight
Loss
Lot
Lt
People
Product Description
Real
Rough
Skin
Skin Care
Take
Time
Tin
Weight
Weight Loss
Wrinkles
Translator
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 | ||||||
| By N2H | ||||||