Beauty of Creating, Inc.: Are you committed to total wellness?

Monday, May 19, 2008

Are you committed to total wellness?

Wellness is generally used to mean a healthy balance of the mind-body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being; from an alternative medicine perspective where wellness means being much more than just disease free to the state of being healthy.

According to wellness.com, one can achieve or strive to achieve wellness by seeking to live "a higher quality of life and experiencing a peace that goes beyond what material welath and external situations can offer." In a nutshell, wellness is a tool of preventive medicine.

The state of wellness is priceless, yet available to rich and poor alike. Wellness cannot be purchased or received externally. Achieving wellness is achieving real wealth. Wellness allows you to leave anxiety, drama and disease behind you. Wellness connects you with the wealth of inner-peace, physical health and also connects you with positive like-minded people who will help encourage and support your personal wellness objectives (www.wellness.com, 2005).

Melaleuca, an online wellness company boasts to be "one of the world’s largest online and catalog retailers offering exclusive, scientifically based wellness products to its customers". By the way it also affords consumers the "benefits of community membership".

I have been a preferred customer of Melaleuca for over four years now. Every month I am anxious to place my online order, receiving bonus points for future orders and gifts. I love all of the products, having tried them all. Nicole Miller New York beauty products and the Attain/Access weight and sports management supplements are frequent purchases for me, in addition to 'daily for life' vitamins and mineral supplements. Here is a summary of the products used in my home...

toothpaste, mouth wash, soap, cleaning products, laundry detergent, fitness/nutrition supplements, topical solutions, homeopathic medicines, skin and facial, aroma therapy, foot and nail care...

When I began as a preferred customer I had very high aspirations to convert all of my family and friends to becoming 'wellness' participants. I labored in vain, buying two product sampe packs and distributing the samples to all friends and family alike. Melaleuca is a product line that has made millionaires of a few tenacious singles, couples, and families, and yet people all around me continue to struggle with chronic health issues, lean towards extreme weight loss options, and live life in a virtual state of captivity.

Now four years later, I glow with the results of better living, better health, and the mission to continue doing so for life. To say the least friends and family that ignored numerous invitations to wellness consultations have either passed away, or obtained gastric bypass to manage their weight. Similarly some have received a diagnosis of cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, lupus, and/or have continued to tote mini-drug stores on their person.

But inspite of all, I continue sharing my life experiences since adopting 'total wellness' with everyone that I encounter.

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OPERATION: Get Jalin Fit, continued.

So Jalin has now been working out for three consecutive weeks. Now you must remember that Jalin is taking a non-conservative approach to his weight loss. We are not going to train Jalin into becoming obsessive with weighing himself and feeling depressed when the numbers don't impress. Jalin will measure his success by growth, a starting point and a stopping point that deals mainly with making changes in his approach to food and exercise.

The first week was three consecutive days of rough cardio and an all body bootcamp. The second week he began a formula of 2 days cardio rotated with 2 days (one each of upper and lower) of resistance training.

Jalin food plan follows:

Snack - 1 pc of fruit or exchange
Breakfast - 1 cup of raisin bran/1/2 cup milk or exchange
Snack - 1 pc of fruit or exchange
Lunch - 3 oz protein, 1 cup of vegetables, 1/2 cup starch ( all can be exchanged)
Snack - Snack Bar
Energy Booster - Trail Mix 1/4 cup
Dinner - Protein Shake or Exchange
Snack - 3 cups of popcorn or equivalent

He seemed to have a decent start, keeping track of his workouts and his food choices as well as recording his exchanges, deletions, and substitutions.

For the first two weeks!

This past week, his WEEK 3, Jalin was in rare form. He tried many tricks to sabotage his workout. He threw tantrums, he forgot his lunch, he hid his scale, etc.

But inspite of that he suffered the consequences. Jalin has forgot that since he was born I was a teacher. Now he may be able to fool me sometimes, but what he fails to see is that it comes out in the wash. This is no beginner he is dealing with. I am used to the excuses, the tricks, the attitudes, the tantrums.

So until it returns or is replaced, his lunch is on a portion plate, or goes to basic counting by the Nutrition Label. His dinner will be a protein shake. In short it will be measured based on the fact that he is allegedly participating in deeds to undo his workout.

Whe he doesn't realize is that I have a plan for the plan. And he will actually find that his calories will be reduced a few, that he will have to eat lunch meat instead of those wonderful dinners his mom prepares, or the nice Healthy Choices in my refridgerator.

Jalin will at some point realize that nothing he does will undo this plan. He will get leaner, inspite of himself. I am no quitter when it comes to challenges. Jalin will learn from those around him to quit when faced with adversity. This entire wellness is about more than adopting wellness.

WEEK 4 - Jalin started his week very sluggish. Seems he is having the 'die off'. A term coined to mean the release of toxins from the joints...and your body's way of fighting the jumping around of those toxins. A cold insues. From this point forward Jalin will be kicking up the vitamin C.

He has the remainder of the week off. Will start fresh next week. He's drinking plenty of liquids, getting lots of rest, following the diet, and also reading up on fitness and nutrition.

WEEK 5 - Jalin was a little stubborn with his mom and didn't eat his pre-workout snack in a timely fashion. At the onset of his workout he threw up. He asked if this was normal. "Of course it is...it's what happens when you don't eat at an appropriate time that allows food to begin digestion, prior to activity."

I also bought him an issue of MUSCLE AND FITNESS. It's his homework. He is to read the articles, and report to me what he has learned. I am considering a subscription for him. I wish OXYGEN made a men's mag. This book is fabu. M&F is no sag at all...but OXYGEN is top flight.

WooHoo! Jalin read his M&F in the can. He enjoyed the read. Today he was fierce. Pushed himself and enjoyed the results. His library is building slowly. I was happy with him today. He is making a break through. He even commented that his 'hump' in his neck is getting smaller...his face is slimming, and he thinks his 'man-boobs' are shrinking!

It was a good day of cardio, tae-bo, and upper body.

Jalin's 12th birthday is on the 15th and he is going to get his Birthday gift early!

I met Jalin at the track with his brand new pair of Nike Air Max's. He was excited and pumped! He concluded with a 2 mile run/walk. He emphatically stated that he couldn't run 20 feet without getting winded. This kid is such an inspiration!

He closed out the week with cardio, tae-bo, and lower body.

Juanita's Beautiful You...continued.

Juanita's...

WEEK I - Orientation. I typically provide the client with a free orientation, assessment of their need, signing of waivers/contracts, and introductory exercise that is approx 15 minutes.Juanita decided at best, that the group should take a week to review if they were going to sign up for 6weeks, be prepared to pursue a contract, and go grocery shopping.This was an excellent idea.

WEEK II - Instead of 6, 7 were prepared to contract. I did allow one child to drop out because she wasn't old enough in my opinion to assume some responsibility for her diet and exercise. I typically don't sign up children under 15. But I made the exception because it was Juanita's niece, and she was the original 6.I haven't nailed this group down with specific language holding them to a 6 week contract. However, in good favor, they have agreed to carry out the financial agreement weekly. We spent this week working with nutrition.

By Wednesday meeting we were enroute to measuring our meals, snacks, and consuming enough clear liquid to remain hydrated throughout the day.

Cinco de Mayo was next Monday which is why I prepared the class for using 7 inch plates for dining. I anticipated someone would be absent.

WEEK III - Cinco de Mayo today. Big changes. One of my juvy's dropped out. She is actually the youngest of the bunch. And literally her mother doesn't quite have a handle yet on the 'clean eating' diet yet. So I welcomed the drop. It's in the best interest. I am a trainer and a fitness consultant, not a psychologist. IMO this child has an eating disorder. She is very physical as a junior high student, but her mantra is 'don't eat to lose weight' which is the antithesis of my program.

One of my favorite personalities was absent too, all week long! She decided to spend the holiday with her friends on Monday...inspite of my discussion last class on following the eating protocol amidst holiday celebrations. Although she didn't call me, I worried about her still. She is a client who definitely needs to be there. She has subscribed to the belief that diuretics, fat burners, diet-restrictive colon cleanings, and laxatives are her ticket to a perfect weight. I wish it was that simple. Her digestive health is not satisfactory IMO, and restrictive diets only exacerbates a sluggish colon and metabolism.

Having colitis is no picnic. It took me years to manage it. And the only long term medication is a life style change mainly consisting of regular exercise and a high fiber diet.

K is cute, and didn't want Aunt NiNi to tell me of her extreme dieting to lose 15 lbs. The trouble with quick weight loss programs is that many of these budget busters promise big and return very little. And to add insult to injury, they frequently return the weight as fast as you lose it and often cause you to gain more. Aunt NiNi also reported that K slipped and ate on Wednesday...see how can you think that you can survive on a diet that restricts eating???

It's not an impossible feat when you have to do it. The trouble is this is a diet that should be carefully monitored, meaning you must take supplements, drink plenty of water, and never do these fasts for no more than 48 hours...that is plenty enough time to get results of activating your immune system with freshly prepared vegetable/fruit juices.

Total Membership to date: 6, including K who's sort of on the wall...must encourage this one to ditch the quick fixer diets!

WEEK IV - OMG...what a week. Just when I thought we were on our way, another absence. This one was family related, but it wasn't messaged to me. I received it minutes before start of class. Things happen, we can't always be there. But if you know you aren't going to be there, call. It's courteous, and it gets you a credit!

I also realized that the family isn't working well with eachother and their frustrations about it are being passed on to me, instead of them addressing their issues with eachother. I hope they work it out. Classes end next week. And I don't think they want group anymore. Group is challenging. It's the reason I didn't bargain out and do a group rate with my own personal training. I paid Bally's for a 1-1. I take my workouts seriously, and my nutrition is my job! LOL.

I think the group understood what they signed up for...but I think they expected a 1-1, to say the least. A group session is you move at your own pace, but you must be independent enough to fall in line without your hand being held. Sure a caring instructor like myself will follow you, and step out watching your form and keeping you on target, but in group you are like a student in any class. You must be willing to take advanced placement if you are bored and need to move on as well as be willing to get the reinforcement if you aren't pacesetting.

In short, if you can't walk a mile, what makes you think you can run a mile. Exercise is tough. No pain, no gain. But you have to understand that if you have exhausted your ideas and have decided to join a class, or get outside help, be willing to take instruction to get you on your road to success.

Beauty of Creating, Inc.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Are you committed to total wellness?

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OPERATION: Get Jalin Fit, continued.

Juanita's Beautiful You...continued.

Carnival Cruise March 24-28, 2008

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