Tag Archives: #health

Revitalize Your Routine With These Techniques for Long-Term Wellness Goals

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Special thanks to Camille Johnson (info@bereaver.com) for her excellent article about wellness for this week’s blog. This time of year, it can feel overwhelming to focus on our wellness goals, but Camille shares some great tips below to make your wellness goals achievable, enjoyable and easy to integrate into your busy life! Thanks, Camille for all the great tips!

Embarking on your wellness and self-care journey requires more than desire; it demands a deliberate and strategic approach for lasting improvement. This guide, courtesy of Jessica’s Fitness, equips you with actionable strategies to effectively pursue your wellness goals. By adopting these strategies, you ensure a solid foundation for your journey towards personal well-being.

Clarify Your Personal Wellness Definitions

Start by explicitly defining what wellness and self-care mean specifically to you. This personal definition will guide your journey and help tailor your objectives to be more meaningful and achievable. Break these broad goals down into specific, actionable tasks such as scheduling daily mindfulness sessions or setting a weekly meal planning routine. This approach not only simplifies your goals but also integrates them seamlessly into your daily life, making them more manageable and less overwhelming.

Make Walking a Priority

Walk more often to optimize your mental and physical health. Seek out areas with a high Walk Score of 70 or above to easily achieve your daily step goals. This practice boosts both your cardiovascular fitness and mental well-being. Regular walking in pedestrian-friendly areas can enhance your overall health. Making walking a daily habit helps you maintain consistency in your physical activity routine.

Integrate Self-Care Into Your Routine

Embed self-care practices into your daily routine to make them feel less like chores and more like a natural part of your day. Whether it’s reading a book, taking a long bath, or practicing yoga, finding activities that relax and rejuvenate you can make self-care an anticipated part of your schedule. This integration helps to prevent burnout and ensures that self-care remains a priority, not an afterthought.

Explore Diverse Activities

Experiment with a range of activities to discover what genuinely brings you joy and relaxation. Whether it’s physical exercise, arts and crafts, or learning a new skill, diversifying your activities keeps your self-care regimen engaging and exciting. This variety ensures that your wellness plan remains fresh and appealing, increasing the likelihood that you will stick with it over the long term.

Recognize and Celebrate Achievements

Take time to recognize and celebrate each achievement, no matter how small. These celebrations act as milestones of progress and are essential for sustaining motivation. Whether you’ve stuck to your wellness plan for a week, or have successfully managed stress through learned techniques, acknowledging these victories provides encouragement and builds confidence in your ability to meet your goals.

Engage a Support Network

Share your self-care and wellness goals with friends and family who can offer support and motivation. Having a supportive community provides external accountability and encouragement, which can be incredibly valuable on days when your motivation wanes. This network also serves as a sounding board for sharing successes and challenges, making your journey a shared experience.

Utilize these strategies diligently to enhance your wellness and self-care efforts. The foundation of success in personal growth lies in your consistent efforts and unwavering dedication. Keep your goals in clear focus, and rely on your support network for encouragement and accountability. Make it a habit to acknowledge and celebrate each accomplishment, no matter its size, as this will help you stay motivated.

Jessica’s Fitness offers both individual and group personal training and health coaching sessions for those who want to make healthy changes to their lifestyle. Get in touch today to talk about your needs!

Flinstones Vitamins and Pop Tarts

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We’ve Come a Long Way Since the Flinstone Days

Raise your hand if you grew up on Flinstones vitamins too?? 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️


Maybe had some Lucky Charms or Pop Tarts for breakfast growing up? 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️


Guys, you’re not alone! I was a child in the 90s, and back then, we didn’t know what we didn’t know. Vitamins were vitamins, right? As long as we were eating something for breakfast, we were well nourished and ready to learn, right?!? 🤷🏻‍♀️


Thankfully, we’ve come along way and so has the nutrition and supplement space. Now, you still have to sift through rows and rows of sugar laden or artificially sweetened vitamins, and we still need to REALLY look at nutrition labels when deciding what to feed our families, but we have knowledge – and options- now, and that’s a beautiful thing!!


One thing that I’ve learned more and more about is the difference between naturally sourced and synthetic vitamins. I won’t bore everyone here, but here’s a few cool points to know:


✨if your vitamins are listed in the nutrition or ingredient label with parenthesis around them, they are synthetically made!

✨synthetic vitamins offer only a portion of the whole food vitamin, so synthetic vitamin B is not the same as getting your vitamin B from a whole food.

✨whole food vitamins, on the other hand, allow for a slow release of nutrients, making them easier to digest

✨there are now whole food vitamins that offer diverse and bio active vitamins and minerals 🙌🏼🙌🏼


Supplementing with a good vitamin and filling in the nutritional gaps in our food supply is more important than it’s ever been. I’m excited to try these innovative new whole food vitamins and would love to offer you a discounted price on them as well!! Follow this link to read more about these cool Pura Plant vitamins and to try your own pack, risk free: https://jessicatreadwell1.isagenix.com/en-us/shop/daily-nutrition/pura-plant?pid=14362b1208ab4bbb98d7a92657b105bc

Here’s to a new season of focusing on our health, boosting immunity and finding joy in the everyday moments 🍁🍁 To your health, friends!

~Jess

Summer Vibes ☀️☀️☀️

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Hey friends!! Please welcome my friend Lior to this week’s blog! Lior is a functional herbalist who I’ve had the pleasure of learning from over the past year. I invite you to read this blog and share one tip you’re gonna try this summer!

From my kitchen window, I look at my garden. It is summer, and the garden is filled with an abundance of vegetables and herbs. Bees are zooming between the tulsi and lavender; birds are chipping on the trees, and butterflies hover over the Mexican sunflower.

Staying connected with the season is not just about the physical changes but also about tuning in to nature’s energy or vibe. It’s about stopping, observing, and feeling the rhythm of the natural world.

What are the energetics?

Ancient cultures all over the world observed the ebb and flow of the seasons. They paid attention to details and looked for patterns. The Western tradition, descended from the alchemists and herbalists of Europe, identified six foundational states called the energetic.

The six energetics were used to describe the patterns in plants, people, health conditions, and the seasons.

The energetic/vibe of summer

Summer is associated with the fire element. While in some places, the heat of summer is dry, like in Africa, in others, it is hot and humid, like in India. But all over the world, summer is a time to relax and have fun.

The Taste of Summer

Drinking cold lemonade can give you a clue to how sour food and herbs can counter the relaxing effect of heat on the body. The sour taste is astringent, meaning it tightens tissue and reduces fluid leakage. Some cooling foods and drinks you might want to consider in the summer are berries, citrus, kombucha, and vinegar.

Food tips:

What to do in the summer?

Like the sunflower, people chase the sun. Not literally, but because sunlight is essential for many bodily functions, from regulating appetite and sleep to balancing our mood, people celebrated the sun and nature, especially in the summer.

 Be it in the garden or on a camping trip, summer is when you spend time outdoors, stock up on vitamin D, and enjoy the abundance of vitality and growth. Like a butterfly, I am attracted to the garden’s colors, forms, and sounds. My heart is filled with joy and reverence for the creative forces of nature.

Summer is a good time to build an altar in the garden using sticks, stones, and dried plants. You might want to plant a special plant next to your altar, like tulsi, burn incense, and offer prayers of gratitude to the forces of nature that sustain us. 

This is the time to follow your passion, manifest your inner fire, and follow your dreams. The organ associated with the energy of summer is the heart and the circulatory system. It calls upon you to leave the comfortable safety of your home and step into an adventure. Explore new possibilities and create from the heart. 

Don’t be afraid of being messy playing with finger colors or making a lot of noise while drumming. Summer is for letting your soul soar. 

Being in tune with nature means stopping and noticing the changes in light, temperature, moisture and tune in the ecosystem around you. As you slow down, you will observe how different seasons resonate differently with your body. 

Lior Sadeh

Clinical functional herbalist

@threefoldherbalhealing

When the Trainer Needs a Trainer…

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Guys, I turned 40 last week and it would have all been fine and what not if I hadn’t JUST thrown my back out. Like, really thrown my back out…


I’ve been training clients with back pain since day one of my career and I’ve learned alot about what to do, what to avoid, etc…But this experience was truly humbling…after barely being able to move for the first three days post injury, I really had to scale back with workouts for a bit. Which, for someone with a bit of a hardcore/type A personality, was a *bit* HARD.


But alas, I’m writing to you pain free and feeling strong. I came out on the other side of a back injury and you can too. Along the way, I really relied on my twenty years of experience as both a trainer and Occupational Therapist- let’s just say this experience offered a good “refresher” course…let’s discuss ⬇️⬇️


🛏 When dealing with an acute injury, it’s so key to rely on good body mechanics and energy conservation. Log roll out of bed, bend with your knees and use your core for, like, everything. Position items you use daily at torso level, avoid excessive bending/twisting/rotation and plan your activities to eliminate excessive movement with your pain is at its worst.
🚶‍♂️🚶🏻‍♀️That being said, MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE. A sedentary day rarely does more good than harm- our bodies NEED to move! Blood flows circulation improves, pain decreases…and so much more happens when we move. I started with walking, gradually increasing my distance over the week post injury. And I walked several times a day…it really got easier with each subsequent walk.
💊 Manage pain. Now, you guys know that I am not a fan of most pharmaceuticals in the long term, but I know there’s a time and place for using them. I personally decided to manage my back pain without any over the counter meds or prescriptions, but everyone has to make that decision for themselves. Regardless of whether you decide to use meds or not, DO NOT forget about other pain management modalities. For muscular pain like mine, I find heating pads, gentle stretching, hot showers, cbd and adaptogens to be powerful tools. That, and remembering that pain is, in this case, temporary. Ooh- and let’s not forget about the power of breath work and meditation 🧘🏻‍♀️🧘
🏋🏻‍♀️🏋️‍♂️ When ready, progress workouts carefully. Post back injury, I have found it’s very helpful to start with the core- pelvic floor work, then adding in yoga, followed by Pilates. We’ll often need to modify some moves (and which ones to modify can vary friending on the injury), but it doesn’t mean an entire workout is off limits. Next, I started to add in bodyweight resistance training, light cardio and, finally, strength training with weights. I reminded myself often that I was not going to lose all of my strength gains in a few weeks and that building back slowly was wise. In other words, I had to listen to trainer Jess, not my inner dialogue. 🤷🏻‍♀️If you’re not sure how to return to exercise post injury, it’s very wise to find a trainer with experience in rehabilitation to guide you.
💦Hydrate. Then hydrate more! Hydration is critical for reducing pain and increasing joint mobility. Once a day, I added my fave watermelon electrolyte powder to my water bottle and I drank atleast half my bodyweight in ounces per day. It helped 🙌🏼
Now, could I have done without this injury? Yeah, that would have been nice. BUT, I am one of those people who believes things do truly happen for a reason and I came out of this injury with renewed perspective and empathy for all of my clients with pain conditions and with a good refresher of stretches and exercises that are both protective and productive for the back 💪
If you have tips for post injury training, I’d love to hear your thoughts as well ⬇️⬇️
Stay strong and healthy, friends!!
~Jess

Revitalize Your Routine With These Techniques for Long-Term Wellness Goals

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Photo via Pexels

Special thanks to Camille Johnson for yet another great article about self-care!! Here’s a little info about Camille and her mission: Camille and her friend experienced grief at the same time, but the processes looked completely different. She asked her friend about her experience, and she was kind enough to share her grief story with her. She pointed her to a bereavement counselor, who gave Camille the tools she needed to heal. And now Camille wants to pay it forward through her site, Bereaver.

Embarking on your wellness and self-care journey requires more than desire; it demands a deliberate and strategic approach for lasting improvement. This guide, courtesy of Jessica’s Fitness, equips you with actionable strategies to effectively pursue your wellness goals. By adopting these strategies, you ensure a solid foundation for your journey towards personal well-being.

Clarify Your Personal Wellness Definitions

Start by explicitly defining what wellness and self-care mean specifically to you. This personal definition will guide your journey and help tailor your objectives to be more meaningful and achievable. Break these broad goals down into specific, actionable tasks such as scheduling daily mindfulness sessions or setting a weekly meal planning routine. This approach not only simplifies your goals but also integrates them seamlessly into your daily life, making them more manageable and less overwhelming.

Make Walking a Priority

Walk more often to optimize your mental and physical health. Seek out areas with a high Walk Score of 70 or above to easily achieve your daily step goals. This practice boosts both your cardiovascular fitness and mental well-being. Regular walking in pedestrian-friendly areas can enhance your overall health. Making walking a daily habit helps you maintain consistency in your physical activity routine.

Integrate Self-Care Into Your Routine

Embed self-care practices into your daily routine to make them feel less like chores and more like a natural part of your day. Whether it’s reading a book, taking a long bath, or practicing yoga, finding activities that relax and rejuvenate you can make self-care an anticipated part of your schedule. This integration helps to prevent burnout and ensures that self-care remains a priority, not an afterthought.

Explore Diverse Activities

Experiment with a range of activities to discover what genuinely brings you joy and relaxation. Whether it’s physical exercise, arts and crafts, or learning a new skill, diversifying your activities keeps your self-care regimen engaging and exciting. This variety ensures that your wellness plan remains fresh and appealing, increasing the likelihood that you will stick with it over the long term.

Recognize and Celebrate Achievements

Take time to recognize and celebrate each achievement, no matter how small. These celebrations act as milestones of progress and are essential for sustaining motivation. Whether you’ve stuck to your wellness plan for a week, or have successfully managed stress through learned techniques, acknowledging these victories provides encouragement and builds confidence in your ability to meet your goals.

Engage a Support Network

Share your self-care and wellness goals with friends and family who can offer support and motivation. Having a supportive community provides external accountability and encouragement, which can be incredibly valuable on days when your motivation wanes. This network also serves as a sounding board for sharing successes and challenges, making your journey a shared experience.

Utilize these strategies diligently to enhance your wellness and self-care efforts. The foundation of success in personal growth lies in your consistent efforts and unwavering dedication. Keep your goals in clear focus, and rely on your support network for encouragement and accountability. Make it a habit to acknowledge and celebrate each accomplishment, no matter its size, as this will help you stay motivated.

Jessica’s Fitness offers both individual and group personal training and health coaching sessions for those who want to make healthy changes to their lifestyle. Get in touch today to talk about your needs!

Healthy Hydration…

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Yes

Ok, so yesterday felt like Spring in Boston and I am here for it! 🌸🌼☀️

With the warmer weather on its way, I can’t help but noticing so many more people out and about running, biking, playing sports. The trainer in me loves this season- when we all crawl out from under the winter hibernation and start reaching for our health goals again, start spending more time outdoors, start MOVING as our bodies have been craving for months.

Simultaneously, I am noticing the marketing for “sports drinks” more and more these days. I see kids and adults walking around with many very popular electrolyte brands. Having concerns about some of the ingredients in these drinks, I decided to do some investigating at the grocery stores this week.

I’ll leave out names, because I’m not a fan of putting any company down, but there’s a very popular “sports drink” that came out recently (in the last few years) that has some benefits. Some forms of this super popular drink include branch chain amino acids- GREAT for muscle repair after workouts. This brand also has less sugar than the other popular sports drink that’s been around for decades. So that’s good 👌

However, this brand also carries some beverages that have a high amount of caffeine- so kids and teenagers should be very careful. Adults too- especially if they already drink other forms of caffeine or are drinking these later in the day.
Also, I have some definite concerns about artificial sweeteners and the reason many of these drinks are lower in sugar is because they contain artificial sweeteners. You can do your own research on these, but I’m personally concerned between the relationship between these ingredients and very significant chronic health conditions and dis-eases. Just an automatic no for my family- especially when there are better options out there!!

I have equally concerning thoughts about artificial colors. There are ways to color foods and drinks naturally, so if you see Red #40 or something similar in a product, you’d be doing your body a huge favor by putting it back on the shelf!!

Almost every other brand I found on store selves included some form of artificial sweeteners or TONS of sugar. One brand lists sugar as the first ingredient and had 12 grams of added sugar. Like, what?!!?

Sooooo…what do I hydrate with instead and give to my kids???

First- water is great! Some people don’t need electrolytes with every workout, but our cells do absorb water better with them, so…
AMPED HYDRATE is what we use- here’s why:

Didn’t wanna name any names- leading store brand on the left/ my hydration choice on the right

💫Adults’ bodies are 60% water, and kids’ are 70%, so it’s important to hydrate and replenish with beverages that don’t have excess calories and sugar. 💦
💫It provides FUNCTIONAL ingredients that contribute to the daily intake of important vitamins and minerals
💫It also contains Antioxidant vitamin C, vitamin B complex, zinc and super fruits.
Amped hydrate contains: * 10-15 calories.* 0 g sugar.* Superfruit electrolyte blend.* Vitamin C.* Vitamin B complex.* Zinc.* natural ingredients. No artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners!! Can I just emphasize this one again, friends?!!
For us, it’s a huge win!!!

Share what clean energy you’re fueling yourself with these days. And, if you’re ready to switch to a cleaner brand, message me for a 25% discount off resale pricing 🤗🤗

Cheers to Spring, movement and healthy hydration for our bodies!!

To your health,

~Jess