Wellness Insights

It’s been 10 years since I’ve been in the health and wellness industry helping people live healthier lives. I started helping others where I started with myself; fitness. Then I earned my certificate in Health Coaching and focused on diet. In the midst of all this, I was having a quarter life crisis and what I call spiritual awakening and this brought me to integrate my emotional and spiritual self with the physical and mental.

What to Do When You Are Stressed, Exhausted or Overwhelmed at Work?

You know when you are stressed at work, uninspired, frustrated or mentally blocked and you push through because… well it’s work. Only to find that maybe you are not performing your best work, or you feel resentful or completely depleted? Yeah, why do we do that?

What’s the Best Form of Cardio?

Last year my movement blogs focused on strength training and I shared a move for each part of the body every month. A well rounded fitness routine has not just strength but cardio as well.
In this week’s blog I’ll answer these questions. What’s the best form of cardio? How long should a person do it for? How does cardio benefit a person?

Nutrient Packed Broccoli

Emotional & Spiritual Growth, Nutrition

In a single stalk, you get 3g of protein. Eat a cup and you’re giving your body a hearty dose of calcium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron, plus vitamin A, C and K! Whoa! That is a power packed food!

How I Mastered Sustaining Healthier Eating Habits and How You Can Too

The art of mastering healthier eating habits is a process and takes time but I can help get you started with just this article.

What is Self Mastery & Why it is an Important Path

As I evolve in my career as a coach/fitness trainer, I’ve identified with many “titles” to call myself. None of which are as true as a Self Mastery Coach. I have gotten questions about what self mastery is. Let’s explore what self mastery is and why it is important.

3 Ways to Start an Exercise Routine (or any healthy habit) & Stick to It

A month into the New Year and you may be struggling with keeping up on your fitness goals. Don’t give up! I am here to help.

Oh Gee, Ginger!

Nutrition

Some say it’s a stem, some say it’s a root, regardless, it’s fresh, sweet tasting and an anti inflammatory that aids in digestion. It contains 6-gingerol and that has been shown to stop the growth of colon cancer cells!

Meeting Your Inner Child

If you’ve been following my work for a while now, you know that Synergy Wellness is about aligning mind, body and spirit. Through coaching and my membership program, I provide more than just fitness routines.

Why Walking is Key to Improve Your Health and Weight Loss

Many underestimate the positive effects a regular walking routine can have on the mind, body and spirit. There are even positive effects for those who want to lose weight. First let’s start with five ways walking is a great place to start when wanting to enhance your health routine.

The First Steps to Make Change

The First Steps to Make Change. I’ve been in the health and wellness industry for a decade this Fall and I can tell you this fact, behavior change is hard. It takes conscious effort. There are also setbacks that test your resilience and tenacity.

Sober Curiosity During 2020

Well, the time has come for me to share my sober-curious experience, not to mention during the most emotionally traumatic, mentally over stimulating year of my 36 years. This year was loud on a macro-level and for me, a micro-level as well.

6 Ways to Achieve Your Goals in 2021

In a few weeks we will be entering a new year, a time where it’s common to hit reset on life and start again. Regardless of what you’re desiring for next year, I am sharing 6 ways you can achieve your goals.

The Spicy Little Radish

Radishes hold a little surprise. They have this heat or spice to them that when I had my first radish (in my 20’s), I was not expecting it.

The Deeper Muscles of the Core

Transverse Abdominus (TA) & Quadratus Lumborum (QL). These muscles are not talked about often, but they are essential for establishing a strong core, good posture, and alleviating back pain.

3 Myths of Meditation Busted

Are you someone who is curious about meditation and how it can help you but you believe one or all of these myths?

The Physical & Mental Benefits of Breathwork and How to Start

How often do you pay attention to your breath daily? During times of stress, when my cortisol and adrenaline raise, I am aware that my breath is short, shallow and my shoulders and upper back experience tension.

Mushrooms

The fungus-among-us is actually good for us! If you’re lucky enough that your grocery store sells wild mushrooms, definitely pick some up the next time you’re there.

Abs & Obliques

Did you know that sit-ups are not the best, most effective way to get a stronger core or achieve the look of abs?

Creating Our Reality

My coaching clients want to deeply understand how creating our reality works. So I’ve got a little free gift for you at the end of this blog but first, let’s break some ideas down.

How to Get Back into Your Body

You may have heard the term “grounding” or “get back into your body.” You may also have no idea what that means, how to do it, or why it’s important. Let’s take 5 minutes right now, to do it, and learn why it’s beneficial to your wellbeing.

Green Beans

At only 34 calories per cup, green beans are packed with 4 grams of fiber and are a great source of vitamin K and C. You can buy them frozen, but if you prefer fresh, look for beans with vibrant, velvety, smooth surfaces, thin and snap when you gently bend them.

Erector Spinae

These last few months of the year, we are going to get into torso and core exercises. This month we are going to start with the muscles along our spine, called erector spinae. *Please note: This particular exercise is NOT for everyone. I will share modifications. If the modifications hurt, do not do the exercise.

The F Word

There is an art in forgiving and it is not easy at times. It takes time, which means you need to be patient. It takes desire, which means you need to put in effort despite how it might feel, and it’s not weak, it’s actually an act of strength, courage and maturity.

The Difference Between Sympathy, Empathy and Compassion

With great challenges comes a great opportunity to expand our consciousness. So I thought it fitting to dissect three commonly misunderstood words. Sympathy, empathy and compassion are often misused.

Olives

Do you like olives? They have the good fats, so they make great additions to healthy meals. Most of the fat in olives is the monounsaturated fat, which helps reduce inflammation.

Medial Deltoids

Sculpted shoulders are desired by most of my clients. As with last month’s tricep exercise and being an important muscle group to sculpt the arms, sculpted shoulders add to the arm definition.

4 Steps to Build Your Spiritual Practice

To make real change in our life we need to look at our daily routines and practices. Over the years, I’ve slowly incorporated a workout/movement routine, self care routine, AM & PM routine and a spiritual practice.

How To Find Joy During Challenging Times

Joy is our birthright and there is an endless amount of joy and love that exists within us. During challenging times, it can be extremely hard to access and feel that joy. Our logical problem solving brain wants to fix the challenge, find a way out, and we often get sucked into this way of being.

Celery

Summer is a great time to increase veggies. It’s hot and veggies hold water that has a cooling effect for our body. This month’s nutrition facts focus on celery.

Kickback and Relax: The Triceps

Who doesn’t love the look of toned arms!? I know I do, and the triceps is a major contributor to this sleek yet strong look. And the cool thing is there are so many exercises to strengthen them; Tricep kickbacks, French Press, using cables there is the Tricep Pull Down, Dips on a bench, or the TRX Tricep Extension.

3 Way to Increase Our Resilience

2020 is bringing about some serious emotional challenges. And while I am optimistic about life and my growth through these challenges, it is not alway easy to step into certainty.

Choosing Certainty in Times of Uncertainty

Is your well-being and joy a priority? I find that many living on auto-pilot answer this question, “Yes, of course.” But then when life circumstances challenge that, the response is the typical auto-pilot, unconscious reaction based in fear. And it’s normal because most of society models this.

Like 2 Peas in a Pod

Are you a fan of peas? I have to say that this is probably the vegetable that I eat the least of but it is jam packed with protein with 8 grams in a cup! Plus it’s a great source of fiber, manganese, vitamin C and Vitamin K. Combining these little guys with some quinoa would be a great way to bulk up your protein and go meatless for a meal.

Bicep Curl with Plie Squats

Today, we are going to combine a bicep curl with a plie squat. The biceps are the two muscles in the front of our arms responsible for elbow flexion. When we perform a plie squat, we are focusing on our inner thighs, or our adductor muscles.

How To Access & Listen to Your Emotional Guidance System

How often in your life do you do something because you want to? When was the last time you replied when asked why you are doing something with “Because I want to?”

8 Important Things to Know When Going Through Any & All Transformations

I have learned a lot of things about all different types of transformations (physical, emotional and spiritual) we may experience throughout our life and I want to share 8 important things to know when going through any & all of them.⁠

Corn on the Cob

Corn is a great addition to summer BBQs. It’s high in vitamin C, folate and believe it or not, protein with 5g in 1 cup. It’s also loaded with lutein, which can help slow macular degeneration. Let’s get cooking!

Chest with a bit of Back Exercise

The rhomboids are located in the upper back, they attach to the spine and the shoulder blade and are responsible for shoulder retraction. While I wanted to acknowledge the rhomboids, today I am sharing about the opposing muscles, serratus anterior and the pec minor.

How Will You Live Your Post-Interrupted Life?

Having your life interrupted can be really challenging, but it can also be a powerful opportunity. It gives us an opportunity to think and reconsider our priorities and to live our post interrupted life accordingly. Just having a break from “normal” life or your “normal” routine can have you asking yourself, are you interested in this job or what you do day to day?

How to Establish Your Values & Why It’s So Important

How often would you say you make decisions based on your values? When you look around at your life, does your life, or the things that make up your life align with what you value?

You Say Tomato

This little salad topper is a prostate protector and helps eliminate skin aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. Like avocados, they are technically a fruit. Cooking these guys helps concentrate their lycopene levels, packing on their protection.

The Pectoralis Major: Chest Press on a Stability Ball

Working the chest muscles, though important, are not something I equate to the back muscles. The general public has become more hunched over with a rounded back and closed chest than open chest and upright. When looking at a clients posture or even looking at yourself in the mirror, you may notice a slight to dramatic roundness in your shoulders.

Why Our Spiritual Practices Are Important During Crisis & How You Can Stay Connected

It is during our most challenging times that our healing/grounding/spiritual practices we’ve invested our time and energy into are most important to implement. Our practices keep us well when life is relatively normal, however, it’s easy and very human of us to get caught up in the fear and chaos of what’s happening around us, be it a global emergency or private family turmoil.

The Science Behind Affirmations & How to Use Them

Everyday knowingly or unknowingly, in the form of affirmations, we give our subconscious mind instruction about who we are, what we can do or be, and what our life means. Affirmations confirm our beliefs. It is a way in which we create our own reality. It is a statement that asserts that something is true.

Avocados

This deliciously creamy superfood fruit is an awesome way to add a healthy monounsaturated fat to your meal or snack – we’ve all heard of avocado toast. Avocados improve your cholesterol and decrease the amount of triglycerides in your blood. They also make a great topper to buddha bowls or a yummy salmon dish. Here is a light, healthy, no-cook required summer salad idea.

Posterior Deltoids

Anytime we pull, we work the posterior chain (the back part of our body). The difference is to focus on the angle of the shoulder so we can effectively engage the rear delt.

4 Ways to Get Back to Yourself After Life Gets Messy

Life can get messy. If you’ve been following my blogs for a bit, you know I talk about grounding practices, as well as different ways to connect deeper to yourself. However, when life is messy, it’s easy to get away from these practices that are so healing for us.

How to Befriend Your Ego

Our Ego is often misunderstood. Many think our Ego is being full of yourself or overly confident. But the Ego is so much more. The Ego is an undeniable part of each of us formed in our childhood to help us make sense of who we are and the world around us.

Artichokes

ArtichokesI remember when I was growing up my mom would add the ones that came from a jar in our salads and it was delicious! My Dad would steam in...

The Delts

The opposing muscle group from the lats are the anterior and medial deltoids. What we do to one side, we want to do to the other to help prevent muscle imbalances.

3 Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice

Over the last several decades, scientific research has shown a wealth of profound benefits from incorporating meditation into your life. Meditation is a form of mindfulness that positively impacts your mind, body, emotions, relationships and spirit.

However, like many, you may get overwhelmed at the thought of starting. Afterall, some of the visions of how it looks for “the pros” can make it feel unrealistic for us new-bies to even fathom getting started.

Benefits of Reflection & How to Do It

How much time do you spend in reflection? With our busy lives and overstimulated minds, it’s challenging to get a moment to ourselves to reflect on any given situation. Allowing time or using alone time effectively for reflection can enhance our lives in many ways. What is reflection? Objectively viewing an experience to obtain a better understanding into why things resulted in a situation, examining your role in each situation without judgement.

Butternut Squash Soup

A winter favorite. Squash is high in Beta-carotene – though not as much as carrots – research shows it delays cognitive aging. It’s a good source of fiber and potassium. Here is a comfy cozy Butternut Squash soup recipe.

The Latissimus Dorsi

The Latissimus dorsi or the Lats as I will refer to them here, are the broadest muscles in our back. Therefore, you can imagine, very important to work. It is important to work all of the muscles in our back because they support us in our posture. The lats, additionally and specifically play a large roll in shoulder movement as they attach to our arm bone (humorus) and to the low back. Their function is to pull the arm down or inward, closer to the body.

How To Create Your Own In-Home Altar to Strengthen Your Spiritual Practices

An altar is a sacred space or place that is used for ritual. Your altar is an outer representation of your inner attunement. It’s a way of honoring yourself by having a place that is solely yours and represents your ideals. Over time, simply entering this space will have an effect on your energy and mood.
Creating this space is an important practice but until you use it, it is simply just décor. With intention, your altar becomes a special space at which your experience, special rituals, prayer, meditation, grounding, journaling, manifesting will feed the items on your altar with powerful energy which will in turn feed you each time you return. Creating this space in your home means you have an ever-present part of your experience, and every time you walk by it you can receive some of it’s energy. It may also call you to drop in throughout moments of your day. It will help you stay connected to the intentions you set for your day or your life, enjoy the process and receive more peace, calm and love in every area of your life.

How Not Valuing Your Worth Can Hold You Back in Life & What You Can Do About It

A lack of self-worth can hold us back in every area of our life; job, income, relationships, joy, health, relationship to self. You may be experiencing a lack of self-worth when you continuously do not show up for yourself; meaning that you say you are going to do something and then talk yourself out of it or place other tasks above your commitment to yourself (working out, eating healthier, starting your own self-care practices). You may think that you are not worthy of fill in the blank (earning more money, the job promotion, a healthy relationship, loving yourself, treating yourself, or taking a break, etc.). You play or stay small in certain areas of your life, or you cannot accept compliments. Not healing our low self-worth can keep us from having our dream life and from feeling our best.

Turn Up the BEETS!

Here are a few ways beets help keep us healthy; The natural pigments that give them their color, betacyanins, have been potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice. Beets are one of the best sources of both folate and betaine, two nutrients that work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine (an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease). Beet juice can also help lower blood pressure because of the nitrate beets contain.

Loving That Lower Body

Working out your lower body through lunges and squats can do wonders for lower back pain.

3 Levels to Stress Management

Stress is a part of life. But, it's less about getting rid of stress, and more about how to manage and decrease it. The secret to stress is in our...

Part 2: 4 MORE Ways to Stay Grounded During the Chaos of the Season

Ways to Stay Grounded During Chaos

A Healthy, Easy Side Dish – Roasted Carrots Recipe

Recipes

A healthy and easy side dish – roasted carrot recipe.

How to Perform a Wall Sit

The wall sit is similar to the plank, in it’s an isometric exercise but different as you’re going to really feel this baby in your lower body.

How Do You Know If the Relationship You Have With Yourself is Strong?

How do I feel when I am with myself? Am I comfortable being my true authentic self when by myself?
Can I trust myself to show up for myself?
Can I rely on myself to take me through really trying times?

Overall you can currently tell this by;
How you show up for yourself.
How you treat yourself.
How you feel about yourself.

There are four areas I want to focus on when helping you evaluate your relationship with yourself and how to enhance it.

4 Ways to Stay Grounded During the Chaos of the Season (Part 1)

The holiday season is upon us and you may be one of the many who are trying to stay sane running from gathering to gathering all while trying to balance “regular” life. It’s just that time of the year. I have found grounding work to be really important during times of chaos or busy times of life. During these times it’s easy to get caught up in everything that is happening around us and put our well-being on the back burner (“I’ll do that later.”). However, when we take even just a little bit of time for ourselves we can feel more refreshed, aligned, grounded and happy.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Before we dive into this deliciousness, I’d like to warn you that this recipe is on the indulgent side. While it makes a great side dish for Thanksgiving (my favorite thing to contribute to the big feast), I do not recommend consuming this recipe on a regular basis. Simply roasting sweet potatoes in the oven with a few seasonings will do, but for this holiday season, give this a try.

4 Reasons Why Planks Should Be a Thing You Do This Holiday Season (and beyond)!

Emotional & Spiritual Growth, Nutrition

It can be hard to get movement in during this busy time of the year, plus with much of the country dealing with inclement weather, you may not get to the gym as often as you’d like. There are an array of bodyweight exercises that can be done in the warmth and comfort or your own home. The one I want to emphasize today is the plank.

Are You an Emotional Eater?

Emotional eating can really get the best of us. It puts us out of alignment with our well-being due to the physical and mental side effects. If you think you might be an emotional eater, answer these questions to find out and continue reading for tips on managing your habits.

5 Ways to Mindfully Move Though Sugar Season

Emotional & Spiritual Growth, Nutrition

t’s no secret that sugar can cause weight gain, feelings of bloat, and sluggishness. We often don’t notice these negative effects until it’s built up in our systems and our pants are super tight. And we all know the January 1st, New Year’s resolution declaring weight loss. Have you ever considered that that doesn’t have to be you?

Processed-free, Sugar-free Homemade Ice Cream

There are a few variations to this and I'll share those at the end. For now, this is the basic recipe ½ C of milk (plant-based is what I use) 1...

Ditch Expectations

It is not our job to change someone else. It is not someone else’s job to meet our expectations of them. As humans, we tend to place our lack on other people. However, when lack shows up in our life, it is showing us where we need to do the Inner Work.

Foam Rolling pt 2: An Underrated Recovery Method

Emotional & Spiritual Growth, Movement

As a Personal Trainer in Las Vegas, I chat with all of my clients about recovery work, and though I throw in a bit at the end of each session, I strongly encourage everyone to practice recovery work between training.

All the Woman Who Independent, Throw Your Hands Up At Me

I became aware of a new level of growth for myself that aligns with deepening the relationship with myself. I’ve been with Jake since I was 21, and I found that the next layer that I wanted to peel back was around different ways that I depend on him that enable me to be codependent.

Oats in a Jar

Oats in a Jar Recipe

Roasted Asparagus

The belly flattener. Asparagus is rich in a diuretic amino acid (asparagine) that releases trapped toxins and fluid from cells and eliminates them from the body. Flushing this excess water weight reduces belly bloat and facial puffiness overnight. Ta-da!

4 Wonderful Ways to Move Your Body in the Fabulous Las Vegas