“I want to be more creative,” I thought to myself last fall. “It’s time I develop my right brain a little more.” Since quite a few of my family members are pretty decent painters, I thought this was a great place for me to start. But because I know nothing about painting, I decided to start with something easy: Snoopy, using paint-by-number.
Read more
The fall is officially here, and as the days get shorter and the TV lineup gets stronger, many of us will find ourselves “couch potato-ing” more than we’d like to. In the spirit of keeping us all on a healthy track, I thought I’d give you more mental ammunition to stay in action.
Here are the top 5 reasons why being a couch potato makes anyone more tired over the long run (and why you should stay as active as you can despite the pull of the couch!):
Read more
I recently had an interesting conversation with a man who had just lost 30 pounds. Surprised to see him all thinned out and very curious about his strategy, I asked how he did it. In a very matter of fact tone, he said, “Simple. I stopped believing in all that small change nonsense. If all you take is small steps, all you’ll get is small results, and then you’ll get discouraged. To lose 30 pounds, you have to change your life in big ways.”
While his philosophy has merit, I’d like to differ for 2 main reasons.
Read more
As everybody is busy getting ready for back-to school, I’d like to make sure that wellness is on your radar this school year. So let’s do a quick activity together. Think of your favorite piece of music. In fact, why don’t you play it in your head. If you have more than one, chose something upbeat. Got it?
Read more
One of the biggest obstacles we are struggling with today is how to sustain a lifestyle of health, happiness and productivity. We know what to do in order to be healthy, but sustaining these behaviors is definitely a challenge. And when we realize that some of our life habits and attitudes need to change to create health and wellbeing, we often end up even more stressed, just because we don’t see how we can possibly do it all! That’s exactly what I’ll talk about next Tuesday, August 28th on Voice America.
Read more
A growing body of research shows that our food, mood, and exercise habits are strongly influenced by the behavior of other people in our networks. I bet that our sleep habits are too, although as far as I know, there is little research on that subject. Our weight is thus strongly influenced by the habits of those around us. So we’re quite right to say we’re having an obesity epidemic: obesity indeed spreads from one person to the next, just as other diseases do. But what can we do about it?
Read more
My friend Christa Smedile, RD, LDN had been telling me for a long time how much she loves her morning green smoothie. The idea seemed intriguing. I mean, starting your day with 2 servings of fruits and 1 serving of greens sounded very appealing to the health nut in me. But come on! A green smoothie? It just didn’t sound sexy.
After hearing a few testimonials from her clients, who raved about increased energy, nicer skin, reduced need for caffeine, and fewer cravings throughout the day, I just had to give it a try. I guess that’s one of the bitter-sweet things about being a health coach. I feel driven to try every plausible strategy to really know how it feels. Also keeping in the best possible shape is part of the job description. So I have a little extra motivation to do things that I might otherwise find excuses not to do. 
I am now totally hooked! If you’d like to learn how to seriously crave the been goodness, here’s how to get started.
Read more
It was my 30th birthday. Since I was born on August 30th, turning 30 had always been a big deal for me, and I was very much looking forward to it. To make sure the event lived up to expectations, my husband took me on a surprise vacation to Aruba. Not a bad pick, I’d say. He had organized all the details behind my back. All he told me was to pack my bathing suit, some sandals, and a pretty dress. Imagine!
Read more
The Medical Fitness Association will hold its Northeastern conference on May 30th in Mercerville, NJ. The agenda includes topics such as exercise as a healthcare component for cancer patients and evidence-based chronic disease tools and resources. I will present at 11AM. Here’s what I’ll discuss.
Read more
My dad’s best friend bugged me for 4 years to meet his son. Each time we’d meet or talk on the phone, Bob would tell me all about his son’s prowess, which impressed Bob much more than it impressed me. You see, Rob (yes, that’s Bob’s son) lived in the United States. Having lived all my life in a small French suburb of Montreal and now being a bank manager in the same area, I pretty much knew everybody around town. I had no intention of leaving my life behind, much less move to a different country. So why would I voluntarily put my future in a precarious position by agreeing to meet Rob?
Read more
Marie-Josée Shaar received her undergrad at McGill University in Organizational Behavior, followed by a Master of Applied Positive Psychology at University of Pennsylvania. She's certified as a Wellness Culture Coach, a Personal Trainer, and a Nutrition and Wellness Consultant. She has spent the last 13 years studying, testing, coaching and teaching smart health habits, both nationally and internationally.
