Putting Happy Back in the Holidays – Part 1 Holy cow! (that’s Wisconsin speak for Yikes!) Do you know what’s right around the corner? The HoLiDAyS!! This can be a time of great joy and a source of great (or not so great) stress. This is part of 1 of our series on how to put the HAPPY back in your holidays this year. The effects of stress on our health are so far reaching that entire books have been written on it. Have you ever wondered why some people seem to manage stressful situations so effortlessly? You sit back and think to yourself, how are they doing that?? One of the best ways to relieve stress is to MOVE your body. Physical activity is one of the greatest remedies to help moderate stress. Experts in the mental health and medical fields profess that any form of physical activity can...Read more

We are often asked, “What is the best program to help me meet my goals?” Easy answer. The BEST fitness program in the world is the one that works for YOU. Plain and simple. That will look different for everyone because everyone is motivated by a different goal. Some people have outcome related goals (ie. lose 20 pounds), some will have process related goals (maintain current mobility and activity level), others will have time sensitive goals (class reunion or THE wedding dress)… everyone is different. Do you belong to a gym where the coaches know YOUR goals? If not, how can they help you achieve them? It is time to expect more from your gym membership. Have you made the commitment to better your health and well-being? If so, congratulations! It an important step. If you want a no-pressure (like literally – zero pressure) consultation on where to get started,...Read more

Small changes in your nutrition can yield big results. Let’s talk about sugar for a minute. Excessive consumption of added sugar is linked to heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, and tooth decay. Added sugar is found in obvious places like soda, cookies, and candy, but it also lurks in processed foods like bread, sauces, and condiments. If you want to cut added sugar from your diet, start by eating less processed foods that contain it. There are over 50 words for sugar on ingredient lists: high fructose corn syrup, dried cane sugar, sucrose, evaporated cane juice, brown rice syrup, and malt syrup, to name a few. You need to read labels carefully. Using less sugar in your own cooking and baking can also help. You shouldn’t notice a change in taste by cutting the sugar by up to one-half in your recipes. Spices and extracts are also an excellent way...Read more

The gym is a great place to be for an hour but what about that time outside of the gym? Want to live a happier life? Practice gratitude. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what we receive, tangible and intangible. It helps us connect to what is happening in our lives and allows us to be happier. Leaders in the medical and mental health fields are continuing to discover benefits for practicing gratitude. The simple act of taking time to give thanks is linked to greater self-esteem, better relationships, increased levels of happiness, decreased levels of depression and anxiety, increased quality of sleep, reduced levels of pain, better stress management, and greater ability to handle adversity. There are many ways to give thanks but one of the easiest ways is to just grab a piece of paper and a pen. Write for 5 minutes. It may be difficult at first...Read more

Many small employers are struggling to find cost-effective health insurance coverage for their employees. The costs continue to rise with no end game in sight. The good news is that there are a few solutions that have recently become available. Level funded programs and partially self-funded programs allow small employers to be medically underwritten. This means that the healthier your employees are, the less you’ll pay in health insurance costs. The insurance carriers are allowed to cherry pick desirable groups. The carriers are looking for employers who are committed to lowering costs, place a high value in wellness, and encourage consumerism.   According to the Centers of Disease Control (www.cdc.gov), 6 out of 10 Americans have a chronic health condition.  4 out of 10 Americans are managing two or more chronic conditions. By the year 2030, a mere 10 years from now, 80 million people in this country will be...Read more