Power of the Plank - Day 9

Day 9 - Physical

Going back to the “less is more” theme, I present today’s physical fitness all-star: the plank. Trending in fitness blogs and magazines, the plank is all about taking it back to the basics. A fundamental with the strength to tighten and tone.

So why is this simple movement ranking as a favorite among the fit of the fit? Mainly for its powerful core strengthening abilities that bridge the gap between you and that ever elusive six-pack. But progressing towards your perfect physique doesn’t just stop there. Just because you’re not doing any active movement while completing this exercise doesn’t mean the muscle activation isn’t going full body. Stay propped up on those elbows there, Superman, because neck, shoulders, biceps, bottom, thighs, calf, chest and lower back are all engaged while simply holding your own body weight off the floor. You can also expect some super benefits, including the following, when tapping the power of the plank:

- A toned belly

- Reduced back pain

- Flexibility

- Improved mood

- Improved balance and posture

Not too shabby considering it’s something you can drop down and do right now. (Really, like right now... You know where this is going). No special equipment, clothing or cost needed! All while giving your body benefits far beyond those you’ll obtain doing countless crunches on the floor.

As in all fitness activities, appropriate form will either make or break your outcome (and possibly your body!). I know, I know. You’re thinking, “How hard could it be?” Humor me. Watch the follow 2 minute video explaining how to plank appropriately. Don’t spin your wheels by skipping this step. Two minutes is a small investment to make to get the traction you need to really take off.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucDYvYPcFQY[/embed]

Daily Challenge

Partner planking. It’s a new sport. I just invented it… and it’s about to bring “love” back into the same sentence as “exercise”.

Pick a spot on the floor with your partner where you can both plank, face-to-face, close enough to touch (yep, this is about to get good). Grab your phone or a timer and lay it face up between the two of you. Now get both those bods off the ground into your appropriate plank position (because you invested the 2 very important minutes to watch the video, right?). Start the timer.

Once the first 10 seconds roll by, you’ve earned your first reward. Keep that body up but plant a kiss on your sweetie. I’ll let you decide how many seconds you’d like to tick by engaged in this extra-curricular cardio exercise.  After another 10 seconds? Another smack-a-roo for the both of you. How many kisses can you get in before gravity wins out? It’s a companion competition, a body battle, partner planking… you two vs. the floor as you strengthen both your body and your relationship core!

Bonus Tip: Planks are easy peasy to incorporate into anyone’s day. My coworkers and I bust them out twice daily on breaks or sometimes as a pick-me-up after that afternoon slump. I like to get one done before hitting the hay after a busy day or even compete against those boring commercials to see who will end first. Get creative and share with us your favorite time and place to pull out the plank!

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Habit.[/jbox]

Sweet Exchange - Day 8

Day 8 - Physical/Social

Cravings. We all have them. You’re merrily typing away in the middle of your afternoon when one thought permeates your consciousness and comes barreling at you like a semi: Snickers. Must. Have. Now. Starburst. Chips. Coke. Whatever your specific craving may be… it often leads to a mad dash to the nearest vending machine or convenience store in an attempt to scratch that overwhelming itch.

So why the sudden onset of desire for specific foods? Studies suggest that mental imagery may be a key component of food cravings.

When you crave a specific food, a vivid image of it appears in your mind. One study even suggested the clearer the image, the stronger the craving.

The brain then zeroes in on this image and your mind-body connection is activated. Resulting in a forceful report of, “I want! I want!”. It's only been a matter of seconds, but now you can hardly move on with your day or think of anything else. It's a natural reaction that activates mental imagery and it requires a large part of your cognitive function. Meaning your brain has a very difficult time moving past this overwhelming illustration dominating your thoughts.

The good news? The same study also showed that this phenomenon can work in reverse.

Volunteers experiencing a craving for a specific food reported a reduction in that particular craving after they engaged in some mental imagery of their own accord.

Simply thinking of common sights such as a rainbow, smells like eucalyptus or patterns like those on a checkerboard were all shown to reduce food cravings in study subjects.

The mind is a powerful thing, they say. Well, saddle up, my friends cause today is your day to harness that power and direct your daily choices (and your taste buds) towards satiation of the healthier and happier variety.

Daily Challenge

Each time you crave something sweet today, close your eyes for a moment and imagine the face of someone most dear to you. Your partner, friend, family member or co-worker. Visualize their face. What color are their eyes? Hair color and style? What makes their face unique and endearing to you-- Dimples? Freckles? Don't hesitate to think about the details. Now visualize their mouth as it slowly forms into a long and lasting smile. You’re likely experiencing some very pleasing thoughts at this point: warmth, appreciation, love. All powerful replacers to fight off that sudden junk-food frenzy which was happening in your mind only moments ago.

Now take that energy you would have spent acquiring that sugar-laden confection and send a kind text to the person you’d visualized. It’ll be a “sweet exchange” that’ll last you a lot longer than a baked good, soda or piece of candy ever would!

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Habit.[/jbox]

Big Tease - Day 7

Day 7 - Intellectual

Brain fitness. Ever heard of it? Chances are you’ve likely engaged in some cognitive cross-fit recently without even being aware of the exercise. Math problems, puzzles, Rubik’s cube, sudoku, crosswords. Brain teasers, we call them, and they’re doing more than just mind-tickling pleasure passers.

Experts of brain games explain that doing these tasks can awaken dormant cells in our brain. When these brain cells are highly stimulated, unused genes are suddenly reactivated. This gene reactivation leads to a brain better able to fight off disease. Just two hours a week of these novel activities is suggested to slow down mental decay—or the decrease in cognitive ability that naturally comes with age.

Two hours. That's one movie a week, a few television episodes here and there. A seemingly more than fair trade when the payout is as impactful as better brain function.

Other reasons to put down the remote and engage in some stimulating child’s play:

• - Provides emotional satisfaction and sense of accomplishment
• - Enhances memory and processing speed
• - Helps reduce the risk of dementia
• - Improves concentration
• - Reduces boredom

The best part of this news? You don’t even need to solve the puzzle to reap the benefits of the exercise. So take heart if you're feeling amongst the not-so-smart in the brain teaser box. Go at that complicated math problem free of pressure knowing even if you get it wrong... your brain is doing something right! Just make sure to mix it up. A variety of puzzles is important to maximize the above health benefits.

Daily Challenge

Grab your cutie and your competitive spirit and take a crack at these 4 short, simple and stimulating brain teasers. If you like a challenge that includes a reward as much as my hubby and I do, then raise the stakes. Dish duty? Foot massage? Laundry folding? Pick your prize— or your poison… it’s a battle of the wits!

Can You Count? (it’s sometimes the simplest of tasks that can be the most interesting) 

http://sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/09/10/brain-exercise-brain-teaser/

Dupe the Stroop (the Stroop test of evaluates your ability to pay attention)

http://sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/05/brain-exercise-the-stroop-test/

Catch the Number (a test of peripheral vision, hand-eye coordination & short-term memory)

http://sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/03/27/brain-teaser-to-exercise-your-brainnow/

Bus Brain Buster (a test of visual logic)

http://sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/02/24/exercise-your-brains-visual-logic-brain-teaser/

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Habit.[/jbox]

Your Yoga Heart - Day 6

Day 6 - Physical/Emotional/Spiritual

Today we’re packing a one, two, three punch of powerful wellness benefits as we explore the ancient practice of yoga. A personal favorite of mine. Not just because its one of the few exercises you can do barefoot— but also because the improved physical fitness (Shaq and Lebron have my back on this one) comes hand in hand with a boost in spiritual and emotional wellness.

Although the exact origins of yoga are unknown, scholars estimate it likely rooted from India over 5,000 years ago (can’t say it hasn’t stood the test of time, right?). In Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, the word yoga means “spiritual discipline” and yogis (or yoga masters) often describe the peace and happiness that comes along with this art. Yet many a skeptic may roll their eyes at these descriptions and write yoga off as nothing more than “hippie practice”. It is for just such Left-Brainers out there that I present a small peek into the evidence supporting yoga’s ability to create change: both physically and physiologically.

This year Harvard scientists will complete a 5-year study evaluating yoga practice’s effect on our body at a cellular level. That’s right. Genes. Brain Activity. Heart function. John Denninger, a psychiatrist and director of research at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital is leading the study and stated, “There is a true biological effect. The kinds of things that happen when you meditate do have effects throughout the body, not just in the brain.”

Their results will join other similar findings like those released in 2012 from the University of California at Los Angeles that found that 12 minutes of daily yoga meditation over 2 months decreased activity within our body that caused stress-induced aging by forty-three percent!

An entire study, called neurocardiology, is dedicated to this mind-heart connection phenomenon. An article found on the American Heart Association website explains the details behind our inner, integrated communication system that sends messages from brain to heart and back again. The ability for our body to be such a meaningful messenger has a direct impact on both its functionality and even our mortality. The outcome being intimately linked to the type of messages exchanged— whether they be those of stress or serenity.

Some may describe this mind-heart connection as an “ongoing, two-way dialogue with each organ continuously influencing the other's function." Ever feel like you’re fighting the constant battle to get your head and your heart on the same page? Now you know there may be an actual physiological reason behind such an inward battle. Enter yoga.

The foundations of yoga practice center on positive intentions. What does this mean? An intention can be something deeply personal or something physical. It’s a continual aspiration to guide you toward balance in your life. When thought upon, it is believed that these intentions imprint on our mind, heart and bodies. This not only leads to an overall feeling of connection or oneness with ourselves but as we’ve now learned— supports a oneness within our body’s function.

So take heart in this: for every minute spent thinking of changes on the mat, you’re actually altering your body’s abilities to accomplish them off the mat. Now that’s exciting!

Daily Challenge

Your challenge today is to incorporate 20 minutes of this fantastic practice into your day. If you’re already a yogi and this means attending a class at your local studio, great! However, for the rest (a likely majority) of you that have never practiced or may be too intimidated to jump right into the studio scene, here is a free, 20-minute yoga practice for beginners. Do this first thing in the morning to ignite energy for a new day or close out the daily chaos by practicing at bedtime. Even better: grab your partner or a friend and make your home your very own personal (and free!) yoga studio. It’s only 20 minutes: less than an episode of your favorite television show… and I promise the benefits to both brain as well as body are infinitely greater!

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Habit.[/jbox]

Mindful Mouthful - Day 5

Day 5 - Emotional

Mindfulness. I’ve heard this term thrown around quite a bit over the last few years and if you asked me if I knew what it meant, I’d have said yes. Just like I did to my good friend who then asked me to explain it to her. “Err… Uhh.. Well it’s about being mindful.” Yeah. A tid bit vague on the description there, Meg. So allow me to assist you (and avoid any future embarrassment) regarding a fuzzy understanding of what mindfulness really means.

Mindfulness is described as “a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations”. Still fuzzy? That’s why I prefer this sweet and simplified explanation:

Paying attention. On purpose.

Four little words. But really think about them. How often are we really paying attention? You’ve been present in your particular moment for at least 30 seconds while finding and beginning to read this post. Are you paying attention? Who is around you? What’s the temperature of the air touching you? Check in with your body. How deep are your breaths? Feel the beats of your heart. If you’re sitting, what does the surface beneath you feel like against your person? Is this easy for you? Or are your daily tasks already infiltrating your thoughts at this exact moment, distracting and hijacking you from the present?

Exercising awareness to the present moment is what makes up a mindful practice and it is often used as a therapeutic technique. Regular practice of mindfulness has shown to affect both brain function and structure actually increasing both the activity and the area of our brain responsible for positive emotion. One study showed that mindful based cognitive therapy reduced the risk of relapse of depressed people by an impressive forty-three percent.

I have sincere admiration for this practice because I find it to be one of the most difficult to implement in my life. I experience a constant stream of messages, voices, thoughts and actions flashing through my subconscious minute to minute— like several movies competing on one screen simultaneously, while in fast forward. The chaos of this multi-tasking mentality can truly dull the mind and soul’s ability to fully appreciate and absorb life’s experiences… if you let it. One of those important experiences being when we eat food.

Food goes into your mouth several times a day but how often do you think beyond the bites?

Knowing that you’re eating is not the same as mindfully eating.

Even though we are aware of the physical action, our minds are often elsewhere thinking about a million different things: television, to-do’s, friends, work, etc. A very small part of our awareness is actually focused on eating and even less on the emotions or feelings occurring at the same time. This often leads to a variety of problems such as emotional eating and overeating.

Researchers are learning that teaching overweight people mindful eating skills such as paying closer attention to your bodies’ hunger cues and learning to savor food can help change unhealthy eating patterns and support weight loss. And, unlike other forms of treatment, mindfulness may address the actual underlying problem behind the tendency to overeat (cravings, stress, and emotional eating) which makes it so hard to overcome.

Daily Challenge

Ah, an eating challenge… my favorite kind! Let’s practice a little mindfulness with this short, meditative exercise. It only takes a few minutes so soak up the moment, the food and the chance to savor life’s little pleasures with the one you love.

Items needed:

• a piece of chocolate (try for dark chocolate with greater than 60% cacao for the best health benefits) or a blackberry (if you’re avoiding sugar),
• space to sit
• your significant other.

Begin by exploring this little piece of food, using as many of your senses as possible. First, look at the food. Notice its texture, color and weight in your hand.

Explore the food with your sense of touch. What does this food feel like? Is it hard or soft? Grainy or sticky? Moist or dry?

Notice that you’re not being asked to think, but just to notice different aspects of your experience, using one sense at a time. This is what it means to eat mindfully.

Before you eat, explore this food with your sense of smell. What do you notice?

Now, begin eating. No matter how small your piece of food, take at least two bites to finish it. Take your first bite. Before you chew, allow the food to sit on your tongue for a few moments. How does it feel? Hard or soft? Have your taste buds begun to dissect its sweetness?

Begin chewing very slowly, noticing the sensory experience of chewing and tasting. Remember, you don’t need to think about your food to experience it. Close your eyes for a moment to focus on these sensations.

Continue to notice the texture of the food; the way it feels in your mouth.

Notice if the intensity of its flavor changes, moment to moment.

Take about 20 more seconds to very slowly finish this first bite of food.

Now take your second and last bite. Chew slowly and continue paying attention to the sensory experience of eating this piece of food from the second it touches your tongue, caresses your taste buds and travels down your throat. Just pay attention — with purpose.

Swallow your last bite and open your eyes, if closed. Discuss with your partner what novelties you noticed about this piece of food, your eating experience and how you might implement a portion of mindful eating practice into your daily life.

This “Mouthful of Mindfulness” concept of creating a truly sensational experience can be implemented every minute of each meal. Note that it isn’t always necessary to eat as slowly as our exercise to eat with mindfulness but it is helpful at first to slow down to practice this art. Here’s a handy guide from Eating Mindfully to guide you while practicing this technique. Print it out and put it in your kitchen to help you evaluate your hunger, listen to your body and maximize your wellness at every meal.

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Habit.[/jbox]

Sweet Slumber - Day 4

DAY 4 - Physical

This is the day I’m branching from the less is more attitude. When it comes to sleep— I promise you less is most definitely not more.

We live in a go-go-go society where getting an adequate amount of sleep appears to be increasingly less important… and getting by on minimal sleep is sometimes even glorified. Ever heard someone brag that they only sleep “5 hours a night”? They might as well be boasting they willingly decline good usable brain function under some misplaced notion that this will somehow increase their productivity. Or perhaps you’ve heard the infamous: “you can sleep when you’re dead.” Well, how does signing the death certificate sooner rather than later sound to you?

A study completed by the National Institute on Neurological Disorders observed that rats, which typically live 2-3 years, were denied REM (the deepest level of sleep) only lived about 5 weeks. Rats deprived of all sleep stages? A mere 3 weeks.

Sleep is necessary for our nervous systems to work properly. Some experts suggest that during these snoozing hours certain neurons in our brain shut down and repair themselves. Without this, these neurons become depleted and malfunction. These often shortchanged hours between the sheets are intimately connected to both our brain and body’s function and survival.

I remember the first time I heard the word “sleep hygiene”. I laughed at my nutritionist, sarcastically quipping that I prefer to shower in the mornings. (Hardy har har, I know). He was kind enough to continue on and educate me regarding a variety of practices necessary to have a full-night’s worth of quality sleep:

• Eliminate screen time (T.V., phone, iPad, computer) at least 1 hour before going to bed
• Avoid stimulants such as coffee and alcohol at least 4 hours before bedtime
• Stay away from large meals close to bedtime. If you’re hungry and need a snack before hitting the sack, reach for fresh cherries (these contain natural melatonin) or a warm glass of milk. These foods were listed among the top 10 best foods to promote sleep by Health magazine.
• Block out distracting noise or light as much as possible
• Avoid napping during the day

Reserve your bed for two things only: sleep and sex. No working, T.V. watching or worrying should take place here. Make your bed a luxury to get cuddled up in: buy some satin sheets or spritz your pillow with relaxing lavender or stress-reducing eucalyptus before lying down

We dedicate about a third of our lives to this ritual we call sleep. If you’re going to spend that much of your time on Earth doing something which directly affects your brain and body’s daily performance, choose to do it well.

Daily Challenge

Tonight make the commitment. 8 hours. That’s how long you’ll spend having some true quality time with your pillow and sheets. Talk with your partner about the time you’ll both need to retire to obtain a minimum of 8 hours and promise to go to bed together. Going to bed at the same time was ranked as one of the top 10 characteristics of happy couples by Women’s Day. Prepare by giving yourselves a night of sleep hygiene luxury: turn off your electronics, take a warm bath in a dimmed room and play some soft instrumental music as you and your mate cuddle up for a night of oh-so-sweet slumber.

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Health Habit.[/jbox]

Social Media Sunlight - Day 3

DAY 3 - Social/Emotional

If you haven’t realized that we live in a negative world, then you my friend, are not paying attention. I don’t believe there is a person alive who could say they’ve completely eluded the ever-present rampages of negativity often seen on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Sickness, unpleasant jobs, financial woes, marriage difficulties— you’ve likely absorbed a portion of someone's negativity (and maybe your own) through the social media screen.

Words can be dangerous. In fact, if you were to sit inside an MRI scanner and have the word “NO” flashed in front of your face for less than a second, there would be an an immediate release of stress hormones and neurotransmitters that would light up that screen. These neurological messengers interrupt normal brain function— impairing logic, processing and reason. A depressed person who views a list of negative words for just a few seconds will feel worse. If they continue to ponder on these words, their appetite, sleep and ability to experience satisfaction will all be adversely affected.

What happens if you then vocalize the words you’ve seen? Or react with a frown? Not only will your brain continue to release damaging stress chemicals but this same phenomenon will also occur in any listener’s brain as well. Listeners of negativity experience anxiety and irritability, often causing mistrust and prejudice towards others. This is why you may notice that negative people tend to be with other… well, other negative people. There’s a mutual exchange of natural reactions occurring between the two bodies’ stress systems and it is controlling their ability to be positive.

So how do we stop this car of pessimism from careening out of control? Repetitive and conscious positive affirmations. In plain English: three positive thoughts. This is the minimum required to overcome one negative expression. It doesn’t matter whether these words of positivity are real or rational. So tell yourself you’d be one fantastic unicorn. they still activate the motivational centers of brain that lead to happiness and satisfaction.

The decision is yours- which words will you pick and project? You may choose the message but the resulting bodily reaction is out of your control. So follow the old adage and “choose your words wisely”— they may be the most powerful thing you put out into the world today.

Daily Challenge

As a wise man once told me, “Look for the beautiful and you will find it.” Find something beautiful about your day, job, partner or life and post it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. (Use the hashtag #loveumentary so we can see it!) Feel good knowing that not only are you increasing your own positivity but someone else’s brain is also instinctively turning towards the warmth that your small ray of social media sunlight put into the world today.

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Habit.[/jbox]

The Lovers Stroll - Day 2

Day 2 - Physical

If you thought these 30 days were going to be filled with cross-fit challenges or extreme eating recommendations, then you will be surprised (and hopefully pleased) to know that a common theme that will follow us throughout these 4 weeks will be one of a “less is more” attitude.

When talking about fitness, it is easy to be inundated by all the unlimited and often complex ways to move your body. Infomercials fill up television time with the “newest” and “greatest” way to bust belly fat while gyms spend thousands every year purchasing equipment that covers their floors. I’m not pooh-poohing all other aspects of physical fitness: I love myself a good gym session as much the next person. However, I am suggesting we take a step back and look at a simpler approach to fitness.

If you’re part of the vast majority that doesn’t hit the gym daily or even own a pass, don't lose sight of the big picture. Fitness is about moving your body and there is a very simplistic, free and effective way to do this: walking.

Now before you go dismissing this idea, look at the benefits of walking as described by the American Heart Association:

• Reduce risk of coronary heart disease
• Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels
• Improve blood lipid profile
• Maintain body weight and lower risk of obesity
• Enhance mental well being
• Reduce the risk of osteoporosis
• Reduced the risk of breast and colon cancer
• Reduce the risk of non-insulin dependent (type 2) diabetes

If I were to go into any gym, doctor’s office or health food store and ask people if they would be interested in doing something that was 100% cost-free and had all of the above benefits without disclosing the name of the exercise, I’d wager most- if not all- would answer in the affirmative. So let’s drop the prejudice against “just walking” and realize how easy to implement and advantageous this exercise truly is.

Did you know that a study in PsychologyToday, showed that couples who sweat together, stay together? This article describes that during these times of joint physical fitness, couples increased their emotional bond and happiness in their relationship while “making their partner fall more in love with them”. All this in addition to improved efficiency in their workouts and greater success in meeting their health goals.

Daily Challenge

Take your significant other by the hand today, offer them their walking shoes and lead them to the door. It’s time for a little lover’s stroll. This is exclusive time for you two to talk about your day, plan your dreams or even play the “Would You Rather” game (a personal ‘walk and talk’ favorite for my hubby and I). Whatever you discuss, it’s one step towards greater fulfillment in health, happiness and love.

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Habit.[/jbox]

Love Health Revolution - Day 1

Day 1

Welcome to the Love Health Revolution!

I am beyond ecstatic you’ve chosen to join us during  this 30-day reformation of self. To kick things off, let me provide a little foundation on which we will build our health, habits and happiness over the next month.

Two years ago if you’d asked me if I practiced “wellness”, I would have looked at you like you’d asked me to pull a rabbit from a black hat. At this time in my life, I was overweight, overstressed and overwhelmed with life’s trials and tasks. Now if you’d asked me the same question only 18 months months ago, I would have likely been able to conjure up a semi- intelligent response revolving around weight loss and healthy-eating habits. You see, 18 months ago, I changed. I had just lost 34 pounds by doing something very powerful: eating food. REAL food- not those boxed, bagged or otherwise packaged imitators. The effects were undeniably remarkable and absolutely propelled me down a path of passion for health. Yet, even still, at that time in my journey I’m not sure I would have recognized the essential transformation beyond my body.

See, we’ve been programmed to think that “health” is simply cracking the code of numbers. Lower weight. Smaller pant size. Less calories. That somehow when we unlock these and obtain the physical body we dream waits within the vault… we’ll hold utopia in our hands. 

Yes, the physical function and performance of our bodies is absolutely critical for good health. We all know this— so let’s leave that point on our horizon uncontested. However, let’s try something new. Put down the binoculars that have us hyper-focused on equivocating diet and doubled-up workouts to “being healthy”.  The horizon of health stretches wide and is as beautifully diverse as the colors in a sunset sinking behind the sea. And I challenge you to seek for something new in this masterpiece before you: wellness. What an absolutely refreshing word!

Let’s. Be. WELL.

Perhaps I find this so appealing because I have a testimony of its sustaining fulfillment. I’ve dropped below my goal weight, I’ve worn the dress size I only dreamed of… and I’ve not been well. I’ve been the opposite. I couldn’t understand why if I’d achieved what the world told me was “healthy"— how I could still feel so completely UN-healthy.  I hadn’t recognized true wellness as multi-dimensional and going much, much deeper.

Physical.

Spiritual.

Emotional.

Intellectual.

Social.

These are the five pillars upon which I invite you to rebuild your foundation of health and wellness. During this 30-Day Challenge, each of these dimensions will receive their due discussion and limelight; along with daily, easy-to-implement tips and challenges to infuse wellness into both life and love. Cause this, my friends, is the ultimate goal here: love of health AND love of self. A kind of love that encompasses not just you and me- but mankind and mate. Herein lies the power of the LOVE HEALTH revolution.

To the wonderful life of wellness,

Meg

Daily Challenge

Today’s invitation is simple but profound in preparing you for your own personal wellness journey. Find a place where you won’t be disturbed and lie down on the ground (yes, on the ground, not your bed). Lie face up with your arms and legs spread out—starfish style—and your body relaxed. In yoga, they call this shavasana. It is a time at the end of an exerting practice to reset and regroup.

Now commit to silence and close your eyes. While wrapped in this solace of self-awareness, begin illustrating your own vision of wellness. What does emotional wellness feel like? How does physical wellness look? How might spiritual wellness elevate your life? Which social circles in your life need a well boost? How does intellectual wellness dictate your day? As each of these dimensions permeate your consciousness, allow them to sink in and ponder their meaning to your life, health and love. This may take you 60 seconds or 6 minutes. Either way, when you rise from the ground, do so knowing that you just laid the first crucial bricks in building your foundation for lasting wellness.

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[jbox title="About the Author:" border="5" radius="15"] Megan is a Doctor of Audiology, Holistic Nutritionist, wife, yoga-lover and ever-evolving health aspirer. Having transformed her own health, she’s eager to help you transform yours. She believes in power in its purest form: FOOD. Whole foods, to be precise. So pick up a fork and join her in a revolution of habits, health and happiness. A WHOLE new life awaits! Read more about her reformation of health and wellness at My Whole Food Habit.[/jbox]

30 Day Wellness Challenge

It's That Time of Year...

About 2 weeks ago many of us ambitiously set aggressive new years resolutions with the intent to change our lives! Do you remember them?

You're going to eat healthier and exercise regularly.

You're going to start waking up earlier to meditate or finally try yoga.

You're going to stop working so much and start spending more time with the people you love.

You're going to reconnect with old friends, or finish reading that pile of books sitting on your nightstand.

Typically (at least for me) it's around this 2-week mark that my determination starts to fade and I start to slip back into old habits... but not this year!

This year I decided to ask for some inspiration and help from my good friend Megan over at My Whole Food Habit.

The Challenge

Megan has generously agreed to create a 30-day wellness challenge for The Loveumentary community.

Starting on the 15th of January I'm turning the blog over to her. Every day she's going to leave a post on the blog that will to show us how easy it is to take better care of ourselves.

This is important for many reasons:

1. Taking care of yourself (aka practicing self love) is essential to creating amazing relationships. When you are emotionally, physically, spiritually, intellectually, and socially healthy, you have SO much more to offer those you love. And who wants to be a mediocre lover?
2. Keeping your resolutions shows your level of commitment to keeping your promises to yourself and others. The level of intimacy and commitment you experience in your relationships is directly correlated to your ability to develop trust. And your ability to develop trust is 100% reliant on your ability to make and keep promises. In other words, awesome relationships = making and keeping promises with people. Prove to yourself that your word is good by making a promise to yourself (or a resolution) and keeping it!
3. Happiness comes from progress and growth. We are often scared of change, but change is what makes us strong, helps us learn, and makes us happy. If you're feeling unfulfilled, stuck, or depressed, it might be because you just need to shake things up a bit. There aren't many better ways to do that than to introduce some new and uncomfortable habits into your life.

The thing I love about Megan and the challenge she has put together is that she puts a strong focus on overall wellness. So, the next 30 days won't just be dedicated to doing exercise and eating healthy. She's also going to encourage us to nurture our most important relationships, show us easy ways to stimulate our minds, and guide us through a little spiritual growth.

If you want to receive these daily posts by email, you can sign up here:

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You can also follow the challenge on The Loveumentary Facebook and Instagram pages. And don't forget to follow My Whole Food Habit on Facebook and Instagram for more amazing wellness tips, recipes, and ideas.

If you REALLY want to take this challenge seriously, join the Loveumentary's 30 Day Challenge Facebook Group for daily encouragement and support from other people all over the world who will be doing the challenge with you!

Let's help each other stay committed to those resolutions! When we change ourselves, we change the world.

-Nate