by Heather | Mar 19, 2020 | challenges, general health, self help, Uncategorized
I love this week’s challenge because it puts everything into perspective … and I think you’ll love it for that reason, too.
Each night before bed – or each morning when you wake up – take a few minutes and write down 5 things you’re grateful for.
It doesn’t have to be a fancy or “profound” list. Just the simple act of thinking about the people, events, and things that you appreciate in your life can be a very powerful exercise.
Love your Egyptian cotton sheets because they make you feel like you’re sleeping on a cloud? Write that down. Love the way your dog looks at you when he gets up from a nap? Journal it! Had a great conversation with a family member today? You know the drill….
Gratitude brings a LOT of benefits into your life, including improved mental and physical health, self-esteem, better sleep, and mental strength.
A while back, I went to an amazing restaurant in San Diego called the Cafe Gratitude (100% vegan & organic) If you find yourself in California, look them up ~ I so wish we had one near here!! The picture above is my breakfast burrito ~ don’t you just love the plate!! All of the menu items are given a name (ex. coffee is referred to as “couragous”, the burrito I had was called “nurtured”). When ordering, they prefer that you say “I Am” followed by the name ~ what a great concept, instead of “I want”, my order was “I Am Nurtured”. My clients will tell you that at the begining of any program they come up with an “I Am” statement for themselves. This is specific to each person, so it can be whatever they like ~ my suggestions are to keep it relatively short and to the point and of course POSITIVE.
Do you regularly keep a gratitude journal? Are you on board with this gratitude practice this week? Let me know in a comment below! 🙂
by Heather | Jun 10, 2019 | challenges, general health, self help, Tips, Uncategorized, wellness
Mindfulness Challenge How to cut stress while doing chores!
Did you know that a study at Florida State University showed that washing dishes actually can help REDUCE stress? Believe it… it’s true!
Even though we often associate chores with causing stress, the study found that one key element turned a boring household chore into something that actually made people feel BETTER!
It all boiled down to mindfulness: being FULLY PRESENT while doing regular, everyday things. This week our challenge is to tackle one simple household chore each day… and do it while being “fully present” to see if it not only helps you beat stress, but helps you feel better, too.
Student researchers found that people who incorporated mindfulness into dishwashing cut their feelings of nervousness by 27 percent and felt 25 percent more “mentally inspired.”
How to incorporate mindfulness into any task: 🌞 Be fully present. Avoid listening to music, podcasts, TV. 👐🏼 Notice your sensory input: the feeling of water on your hands, the scent of soap, or the water beads up on your hands. Feel, Smell, Taste, See, and Hear everything going on around you… and experience it as if it’s the first time you’ve ever done the dishes before. (if you’re rolling your eyes right now- then this is even more reason for you to give this a try this week 😂) 🧘🏻When you notice your attention wandering, bring it back to the task. Are you in? Let us know in the comments! REFERENCE: https://news.fsu.edu/news/health-medicine/2015/09/30/chore-stress-reliever-study-suggests-washing-dishes-decreases-stress
by Heather | Feb 25, 2019 | challenges, general health, self help, wellness
Get It Done!!
Do you have a growing to-do list? Are there a couple items on there that never seem to get checked off!? They stare at you every day…. but still you’re not able to get them done?
This week we are going to change that!
Doesn’t it feel SO GOOD to cross things off your list!? ✅
Maybe you’ve been meaning to drop off a bag of clothes at Goodwill, or sweep off the porch, clean out the fridge, take the car in for an oil change (!!!), sort through that pile of papers on your desk, organize a drawer or schedule a doctor’s appointment.
Or maybe it’s simply to put away some luggage that’s been kicking around since your last vacation.
All of those little things can add up to a whole pile of stress that you don’t even notice any more! But trust me: once that stress is gone, you’ll feel a whole lot better.
Your assignment this week is to GET IT DONE.
Just ONE thing!
This is a GREAT gift to give yourself.
Are you in for the challenge!? What tasks have been looming around on your list?!
If you’re in, share ONE thing you’re committing to getting knocked off your to-do list this week!!
by Heather | Jan 29, 2019 | challenges, self help, Tips, wellness
Insight Challenge: The 5 “Whys”
This week we have one of my favorite goal-setting and problem-solving challenges. It’s fun, thought-provoking, and the results can help keep you on-track in a BIG way.
It’s all about asking yourself “why!”
This little exercise is a powerful way to help you uncover solutions to problems – both practical AND motivational! 
Plus your answers might surprise you.
This week, all you need is a notebook and pen (or empty doc on your computer) and a few uninterrupted minutes.
⭐First, write down what you want to achieve.
Maybe it’s to fit into an old pair of jeans, get back in shape (or just plain into shape), lose 15 pounds, cut sugar out of your diet, etc.
Now comes the fun part….Just ask why. Why do you want to do that? (Write it down!) Then, ask why AGAIN. Continue for a total of 5 times.
Example: I want to lose 15 pounds.
– Why do I want to lose 15 pounds? Because I want to fit back into my jeans.
– Why do I want to fit back into my jeans? Because I feel self-conscious and my clothes aren’t fitting the way they used to, and I’ll feel more confident if I’m comfortable in my clothes
– Why do I want to feel more confident? Because right now, I hold myself back from being more social. If I feel more confident, I’ll be more outgoing, and would go out with friends more often.
– Why do I want to be more social? It’s scary but I want to feel good about myself when I’m out with friends. I want to have more FUN in my life and develop deeper relationships
– Why do I want to have more fun and develop deeper relationships? Because I’ve been feeling isolated and a little lonely, and I need a sense of adventure in my life!
When you dig a little deeper- you eventually get to the REAL underlying motivation for wanting to lose that 15 pounds – which actually isn’t about weight loss at all.
It’s about wanting to feel more connected to others and have more fun. Are you IN for the challenge this week? Let me know in a comment below… and if you’re feeling brave, let us know what your main goal is
by Heather | Jan 7, 2019 | challenges, exercise, general health, self help, wellness
WAIST MANAGEMENT!!
Our 8-week nutrition, exercise, and accountability program brought to you by The Core Connection and FitEffex Fitness & Nutrition will help you make a healthy change in your life, In these eight weeks and beyond!
Whether you want to lose a few pounds, rid yourself of the muffin top, get stronger and more toned, or all of the above, this program is for you!
Personal Trainer & Health Coach Heather Vroman will provide you with full nutritional support to help you eat real healthy with meal plans, grocery lists, and more! From a personal training perspective, she will teach you how to lift weights for strength and incorporate cardiovascular activity for ultimate calorie burn in order to maximize your efficiency and achieve your highest potential.
In addition to the weekly group exercise class, she will include proven weight loss tools: A baseline weigh in and measurements will be done at the first class, food accountability logs and exercise logs to be sure you are staying on track throughout the program, and recipes and grocery list so that you know exactly what to buy.
Finally, we will determine progress at the end of the program with final measurements and weigh in. This class is for beginners but is also appropriate for those who feel their workouts have become stale, feeling the effects of PLATEAU.
This 60-minute class is broken into 30- minutes lecture and a 30-minute workout. In addition to the class which includes a workout and discussion, the program will include:
• Weekly Meal Plan
• Recipe Book
• Food Swap List
• Food Journal
• Weekly Grocery Lists
• Weekly Educational Handout
• Accountability, Motivation, and Support
Program fee: $249 / $199 for Core Connection Monthly Pass Holders
by Heather | Nov 27, 2018 | challenges, general health, self help, Tips, wellness
The Happy Feet Challenge!!
This week we’re going to show our feet some love … and chances are, they’ll pay you back by helping you feel better all the way from the tips of your toes to the top of your head!
All you have to do is roll a tennis ball (or lacrosse ball if you have one) under each foot for 2 minutes.
It’s like giving yourself a mini-massage, with benefits that radiate throughout your entire body.
Our feet do a LOT of work for us every single day, and often they don’t get the care they need. Over time, this can cause many issues, from back pain to tight hamstrings and even plantar fasciitis.
By devoting just a couple minutes each day to your feet, you’ll be surprised at the difference it can make in stiffness and even pain.
Here’s all you have to do:
– Sit in a chair (with good posture!)… and place a tennis ball under your foot. Apply a little pressure- enough to where you can definitely feel it- but aren’t experiencing any pain.
– Slowly roll from side to side so that the ball crosses the arch of your foot. Spend about 30-60 seconds or so on this back-and-forth movement.
– If you notice tightness in a particular area, take a few moments on that spot and try to relax. Breathe into it to let the ball work its magic on easing the tension. If you feel actual pain, back off and concentrate on other areas of your foot.
– Next, roll the ball along the length of your foot from your heel to the toe, before repeating on the other foot.
Within just MINUTES… you’ll notice a change in how your feet feel as you walk! You might even notice a marked decrease in tightness in your hips and the back of your thighs 🙂
Here’s to happy feet! Are you in for this challenge!? Let me know below and what ball you’ll be using!
