Small changes. Big rewards. Work with a health coach.

Have you ever received good advice that you were unable to follow? Has your doctor ever recommended a lifestyle change that you found to be unsustainable? Have you ever wanted something in your life, but found you couldn’t achieve it alone?

Health Coaches are knowledgeable advisors who provide ongoing support and guidance as you set goals and make sustainable changes that improve your health and happiness. As

your Health Coach, I will listen carefully and help you to navigate the world of contradictory nutrition advice to determine what changes are necessary for you.

Your personalized program will radically improve your health and happiness. Together, we will explore concerns specific to you and your body and discover the tools you need for a lifetime of balance.

As a client of my health coaching program, you will…

Soft skin isn't made in the shower. Why you need to start dry brushing.

This summer, I took up the daily practice of dry brushing my skin before showering. This may sound like a weird thing to do, but the act of dry brushing has been around for centuries. I started dry brushing because of the many benefits to my body and I wanted to improve the texture of my much neglected skin. 

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WHAT IS DRY BRUSHING?

It's the little things that matter...

Like your nails.

A simple way you can keep your look fun and fresh is to change your nail polish color...often. I consider myself to be a "maid in waiting." 

What am I waiting for? 

The advice given to me by my BFF was to stay calm and keep my nails done in the meantime. 

Such simple advice but it really does make a difference! It takes the focus off my ringless finger and on to my beautiful manicured nails. 

After receiving that advice, I started to take time to get a weekly manicure. Yes, I spend money every week getting my nails done (which of course, is added to the budget). Not only do I enjoy the weekly  change to my look, I enjoy the time spent at my favorite nail salon, Top Art Nail Salon, in Cherry Hill, NJ. For $13, I sit in a heated seat, enjoy a luxurious hand and arm massage and their signature neck and shoulder massage while my nails dry. They usually have the Food Network on the big screen tv and I spend that time zoning out watching mindless tv and chatting with the nail techs who I all know by name. 

Ahh...the nail salon. 

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It's my weekly indulgence. My time to pamper myself and enjoy some downtime. I always leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and feeling like I need a nap. 

In my quest to find a healthier less toxic nail polish, I stumbled across a subscription company called Julep. Each month they will send you two complimentary colors based on your color profile style wrapped up in a pretty little box. Not only are the colors amazing, the polish is non-toxic. In addition to your polish, you get another beauty product freebie and a cute inspirational card. I like to post my favorites on my vision board at my desk. These are the two colors I received in my December box based on my Maven Style, Classic with a Twist. 

Cute, right?

One thing I love about this company is the C-level team are WOMEN. Jane Park,  is the owner and CEO and Kate MacDonald is the Chief Experience Officer and COO (I want that title one day!)

Besides having beautiful packaging and an awesome brand, I love the mission and the core values of the company. It's not just about nail polish. Check out some of their core values:

• We practice gratitude
• We find joy in being scrappy

Who wouldn't want to support a forward thinking company like this?

So yes, you can see, I'm a big fan of Julep and I think you should be as well. 

See what Julep has to offer!

It's important to take care of yourself and practice what we health coaches call "self care." If you're not taking care of yourself, it's hard to take care of all the other areas in your life. 

It doesn't take much. Find a nail salon or a product you love and enjoy it.

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I'm a Fiji Fanatic!

I recently posted about the benefits of drinking more water. A few days later, one of my favorite bloggers, Nadege, wrote a post about what happened when a woman began drinking 3 liters of water a day. 

Drinking three litres of water a day took TEN YEARS off my face

A picture is worth 1,000 words! After reading about and seeing her results in just four weeks, I immediately went out and purchased liter bottles of water. However, I didn't just purchase any water; I stocked up on bottles of Fiji water. Lucky for me, they were on sale at Target. I bought every bottle on the shelf. 

Why Fiji water? What's so special about it? Glad you asked!

Natural Artesian Bottled Water

Fiji water just tastes better than regular old water and it contains natural minerals - the most important being silica. This is the only brand of bottled water that contains these minerals naturally.

BENEFITS OF SILICA

As we get older, the source of silica in our bodies becomes exhausted, resulting in wrinkles, dry skin, dull lifeless hair, and brittle nails and bones. Research shows that silica is nature's building block and is our answer to healthier, younger looking, more radiant skin, hair and nails.

In short, silica is the bomb beauty solution!

After two days of drinking 3 liters of Fiji water a day, my skin appeared to improve drastically. Even my boyfriend said my skin had a glow. 

• The bags under my eyes seem less harsh (they are still there, but they seem less prominent)
• My skin texture improved
• My face doesn't turn into a grease ball 30 minutes after applying makeup

Seeing those results in just two days was enough to get me hooked. I promptly proceeded to raid the Fiji water section at two other Targets. 

My current Fiji water stash on my kitchen floor. This will last me 7 days.

I can't wait to see how this new addition to my life will benefit my overall body as well! I'll keep ya posted!

Cheers!

Water, water and more water!

The older I get, the more in tune I am with my body. There are few tell tale signs that tell me when my body is becoming dehydrated.

•  My lips begin to crack and peel
• The space under my eyes begin to look like big ole suitcases
• I wake up in the morning with pillow creases on my face
• My energy levels are low

Unfortunately for me, when the temperature begins to drop, I don't consciously drink enough water. Exposing my body to constant buzz of the heater can also be drying to my body. When any of the above symptoms appear, I realize I need to start chugging. 

My goal is to preempt these symptoms of dehydration and consciously drink more water through out the day...every day. It's pretty easy for me to drink water during the week while I'm sitting at my desk, but the weekends throw me off completely. To combat this issue, I will do the following:

• When I'm at home, I will set my egg timer to go off every 60 min. When it goes off, I must drink an 8 oz glass of water. 
• Every morning, I drink a warm mug of water with lemon. Going forward, I will use my biggest mug to make my morning concoction and fill it to the brim with water. 
• When I leave the house, I must have a bottle of water with me. I normally take one to the gym, but I need to have one with me at all time.
• When I'm out and about, I need to drink that bottle of water (not just sip it) and make sure it's empty when I return home.
• BONUS: Keep my humidifier on ALL day and move it next to my desk during the work week.

Counting ounces of water daily doesn't motivate me, but having baby smooth lips and glowing skin DOES motivate me. I will continue to drink until my dehydration symptoms disappear.

WebMD.com compiled a lovely list of 6 Reasons to Drink Water. You can read the details on their website, but the quick summary is as follows:

1. Drinking water helps maintain the balance of body fluids.
2. Water can help control calories.
3. Water helps energize muscles.
4. Water helps keep skin looking good.
5. Water helps maintain normal bowel function.

Drink up!