Bodyworks Integrative Health, LLC

Maybe you’ve heard that physicians typically take less than one nutrition class in their entire pre-med and medical school curriculum. But did you know that the typical family physician expects their patients to learn all necessary nutrition from advice on a Post-It Note?

This is an actual test result mailed from an actual physician’s office to an actual patient – my darling husband. He’s lucky to have a Health Coach living in his house, because we can work together on a realistic, achievable plan to address this important health matter.

If you aren’t lucky enough to be living with a Health Coach, what would you do with this advice? How would you know what steps to take to put it successfully into practice? Do you have any idea about the “low-fat” marketing ploys used by food manufacturers to prey upon your fears after receiving a test like this?

I know that my certification in Holistic Health Coaching has benefitted my clients. Now I have a chance to help the most important client in my life … so I can keep him around to see our grandchildren grow up and get married.

What can I do to help the most important client in YOUR life?

Here's a photo board to give you an idea of how many people attended HLS '11. Can you find me over on the left?

I’ve just been to my first blogger conference, the Healthy Living Summit, which was held in Philadelphia this year. Truthfully, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision made easier by the conference’s proximity to my hometown. And I don’t regret a darn thing about the decision!

I’ve been to gazillions of conferences in my career – mostly pretty heavy on boring content and business suits. What fun it was to see conference attendees in yoga pants and ponytails! And never have I received such fantastic swag (that’s giveaways for the uninitiated). Many thanks to the event’s sponsors for their generosity!

I will be enjoying (and reviewing!) these goodies for DAYS!!

But don’t let the casual dress and goodies fool you – the conference content and connections have been terrific as well! I learned how to write a better recipe from Stepfanie of SparkPeople.com and the upcoming SparkPeople Cookbook – including my favorite part, the “anatomy” of a recipe. Guess why I loved that part? Maybe my massage and bodywork training? ;->

Here's Stepfanie telling us there is "nothing proper about chicken breasts!"

I also learned about “action mantras” from Dawn Jackson Blatner who wrote The Flexitarian Diet, which you will be hearing more about soon! These are fantastic 3-4 word sayings that motivate us from a standpoint of positivity. They are so catchy that you’ll find yourself saying them over and over … and committing to healthier habits with hardly any effort.

Dawn says, "25-25-50!"

And I now have some lovely new friends and bloggers-in-crime … Uhh, I meant bloggers-in-health … Boy is my Twitter feed full of great ideas and healthy fun, not to mention my Google Reader! Here’s Lynda from Healthy Hoboken Girl and Toni from Running, Loving, Living.

Say Cheeeeezzzeee ...

Have you ever been to a business meeting or conference where all the food seemed to be designed for picky children? You know – turkey on white with a side of chips? Well, this conference featured some of the most truly healthy food I’ve ever seen. Choices included gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan. Plus some more standard all-purpose pleasing healthy options. Wow!!

We had so many choices ... including lots of whole foods like fruits and veggies!

The other amazing thing I noticed … an entire ingredient list was printed and posted for our lunchtime salad dressing. This kind of information should be available at every event, not just one focused on healthy living. So many of us have both requirements and preferences regarding food that event planners and venues can’t afford not to be accommodating.

I can’t say for sure if I’ll attend Healthy Living Summit ’12, but I would sure love to experience the inspiring energy again. The organizing team will have a lot of work to top this year’s Summit, but since they are so passionate about both healthy living and this event, I’m sure it will be fanTAStic!

It’s official … later today I’ll be on my way into Philadelphia (just 60 miles away) to spend the weekend at the Healthy Living Summit. It’s my first blogger conference … and there will be over 200 folks at HLS. Every one of them blogs about some aspect of health and wellness. Sounds like a perfect fit for an event that’s only a short train ride away from home.

I’m also looking forward to being in Center City Philly for a brief visit. Many years ago, I worked in the city not so far from where we will be staying. In fact, one of my dearest friends from that time is now a Holistic Health Coach just like me. She and I are meeting up tomorrow night for dinner with our husbands. So excited to catch up and hear all the good things in her life!

On a funny note … I am pretty sure I’ll be one of the oldest attendees at HLS. And easy to spot with my silvery gray hair! But what the heck, I don’t feel old so maybe some of the attendees will say, ” … when I’m 46 I want to healthy and happy just like you!” LOL

I’m traveling with my camera too … so I’m expecting to be inspired to shoot some great photos to share with you all.

What are you doing on this beautiful summer weekend?

My buddy who joined me in 24 hours of technology free life (see Digital Sabbatical below) has coined the term “Techno-Fast.” And it’s a good way to describe my 24 hours from Saturday midnight to Sunday midnight. But how was the day? Torture or bliss?

I’d say it was some combination of both. I think the funniest part is that I was heavily using my technology right up until midnight Saturday. And that I began again at 12:02 a.m. just following Sunday midnight! So it was not easy for me to separate myself from all this. Once I got about 15 hours into the sabbatical, it did get a lot easier though. I thought a whole lot less about email and Facebook … really I promise!

One thing I did notice is just how focused I was able to be. Normally I have a touch of ADD … or what some people would call mastering multi-tasking. Frankly, I find this exhausting sometimes. During the digital sabbatical I didn’t feel like I had to check Facebook, Twitter or email. It was freeing to only think about one task at a a time!

I’d love to say that I spent the day in the woods reflecting on nature. But by now you may realize that’s not entirely my style. My day was pretty much a normal Sunday, just narrowed down to non-technology activities. I spent the majority of my day in the kitchen cooking and canning. And spent time with family – completely focused on them instead of “time-sharing” with my iPhone or iPad. And took a terrific yoga class.

Next time I’m going to the woods … I’m exhausted from 9 hours standing in the kitchen.

Ever thought about taking a one-day-a-week digital sabbatical? I have – because a month or so ago I read this great article from Elephant Journal. Now I like my technology as much as the next girl … or maybe more. But sometimes it’s a lot of responsibility, and can be distracting from real people and tasks to complete. Or it can keep me from fulling enjoying the FUN things in life!

So starting tonight at midnight, I am taking my own 24-hour digital sabbatical. Or as my friend Heather (who is going to join me) calls it … a Techno-Fast!

Care to come along with us on this journey?

True confession: I drink an awful lot of water every day, and I have for the last 20 years. In the process, I have discovered that drinking from reusable bottles is easier and more convenient. I hardly ever drink water from a glass.

However, when I make a smoothie I tend to use some pretty un-lovely glasses from the cabinet. They are the biggest glasses I have and just the perfect size for a hearty, healthy smoothie. But they are ugly …

Yesterday a friend and fellow health coach inspired me to hunt down my long-time favorite glasses. I didn’t have to go far … just over to the dining room cabinet. But sometimes the simple choices just add so much to our day.

Here’s my lovely afternoon break … a rare soda in my favorite Mexican glasses. They bring back wonderful memories and feel so great in my hands!

(I also love this brand of soda because they flavor with stevia instead of sugar or chemicals.)

Why not consider your next glass of water, smoothie or other healthy beverage in your favorite beautiful glass?

Lots of us use routine and discipline as key elements in our effort to stay healthy. But when we start a trip, all of our usual routines can go out the window. Discipline is easy when you have control of your environment, but travel generally puts us out of control and into unknown territory.

What can you do to stay as healthy as possible given these factors? Here are seven simple tips to incorporate into your trips:

1. Try not to use the trip as one giant “treat meal.”

I remember when a weekend trip was my opportunity to “cheat” for 2-3 days. I also remember when it was easy to recover from that trip … it’s not so easy now.  There’s a lot to be said for keeping a degree of discipline while you travel. How much discipline is up to you, but it can make you feel more “at home” in unfamiliar places.

2. In airports, find a quiet(er) place to eat. Make the experience as much like a regular meal as possible.

Airports are so full of busyness and constant noise and movement. Eating in this type of environment can often make us eat extremely quickly, which results in overeating or digestive issues. Since neither of those things are comfortable during a trip, try to find a quiet (or at least quieter) spot for your meal. Get your food to go, and walk all the way to the end of the concourse. You’ll get some space plus a few extra steps of exercise. Find the least busy restaurant (which sometimes is the one with healthier choices!) and eat there. Sit at a table as far away from the edge of foot traffic as possible. Remember to breathe and to chew your food.

3. Make water your main beverage for air / car / train travel.

Plain bottled water has so many benefits for our bodies. No calories, no sodium and just pure hydration. It supports healthy digestion and fills us up so we snack less. Stick to water during your travel days instead of soda, alcohol or juice.

4. Look for fruit & vegetables

A lot of fast food stops are offering fruits and vegetables as a part of their menu selection. Pick up a banana or an apple in the airport terminal to replace the snacks on the plane. Or choose a salad with limited cheese, fried toppings, and dressing – focus on the vegetables in the salad instead.

5. Think about and plan ahead for the entire day’s meals.

Whether you’re traveling or have reached your destination, make your meal and snack choices mindfully. If breakfast is the only meal where you’ll be able to choose the source, then choose the healthier options for breakfast. If every meal choice is up to you, then enjoy some new and healthy options in your travel location. (see tip number 6)

6. Use available online and smart phone apps to get review & suggestions that lead you to healthier choices.

When I was a kid, we always took a guidebook from AAA on our vacations. We used the book to find things to do, but also restaurant choices. It’s pretty wonderful when you imagine how far we’ve come from that static information! There are so many fantastic resources to find healthy quality food choices on the road. In airports, I like GateGuru. In a new city, I use Yelp almost exclusively when choosing restaurants. The reviews from real people are an incredibly helpful resource.

7. Pack one small bar of decadent delicious dark chocolate and use it as you sweet treats – for the entire trip!

For me, sweets are the ongoing temptation. Now before I travel, I pack a bar of fantastic dark chocolate in my bag. After choosing to skip all the overly indulgent sweets during the day, I will often treat myself to just one square of that dark chocolate at the end of the day. I find it helps me when I aim for “healthier” instead of “perfect” while traveling.

What are your favorite tips for healthier food choices when you travel?