What the Health Have I Done? 2

 

Ok, so I’ve already taken the first most important step in the transformation process. I’ve set an intention and a goal – lose 30 pounds in 90 days by March 31^st.

I have also done the very important second step too – I’ve vocalized my intention and goal on video and then released it to the world. I’m now accountable to anyone who may question my progress or see me after March 31^st.

I pride myself on always doing what I say I’m going to do – I follow through and I HATE to fail!

Had I kept my intention and goal secret, it may have been easy for me to cheat on myself or postpone my progress to my goal. Now I have forced myself into accountability.

Maybe you aren’t comfortable sharing your physique or goals with the world – that’s ok. Find an accountability partner that you would trust with your life (because this is YOUR  LIFE we’re talking about here – right?). Tell your partner your intention, goal and plan of action. This accountability partner should be someone who cares about you, knows how to motivate you, and keep you on track. This person should be someone you would never want to disappoint.

If you don’t have anyone in your life who is up for the task, I recommend hiring a personal trainer or professional life coach. The financial investment in professional help will be added incentive and accountability.

Oh yeah, one more important point that I already covered in my previous video – I set a visualization for my goal. Remember those pictures of me in great shape – those will be my visual reminders, motivation, inspiration and resistance to temptation as I strive to look my best again.

If you feel you’ve never ‘looked your best’ or you desire ‘better than your best’ – then go online and find a photo of your favorite athlete or celebrity – save it to your computer desktop background or cell phone wallpaper. That should do the trick for now!

Your Level or Mine?

I have discovered one limiting factor that keeps people from engaging with a life coach or health advocate like me is the misconception and fear that I am going to beat them over the head and tell them that everything they are doing is wrong. Sorry to disappoint, but that notion is simply wrong.

First, allow me to explain that an effective life coach meets you where you are - your current level of thinking and state of being. Then through strategic questioning and discussion, a life coach is able to help you identify your own challenges and their underlying causes. Some of these challenges may be obvious to you and others may be right in front of your face, yet unrecognizable due to your pre-programming or belief system. While working with a life coach many simple shifts and small changes are revealed that can make profound changes in your present and future life. The greatest successes of a life coaching program are when you have your own “Ah-ha!” moments. When YOU create the change you want to see in your life and your world – the results are much more profound.

On the health advocate side, I would never insult the intelligence of my clients by telling them that smoking is bad for their health. Anyone smart enough to pick up the phone and call me already knows that. And I know from experience that until someone is truly ready to quit smoking, it is a futile effort for me to engage in such a battle with them. The route I choose to take is to introduce positive practices to counteract the negative effects of a bad habit. What I’ve found is that the good feelings from the positives quickly begin to outweigh the interest in the negatives, thus leading to voluntary cessation of the bad habit. My philosophy is that if you are going to do something bad, then do several REALLY good things to counteract it. Simple breathing exercises, hydration, nutrition and movement can help counteract the negative effects of the 10¹⁶ amount of free radicals inhaled in one cigarette.

Vegetarianism – Often we ridicule, deny or question that which we do not understand. I’ve found that people are extremely defensive when it comes to their eating habits. The first comment I often hear when people discover that I’m a vegetarian is “I can’t do that…” First of all, there is no place for the word ‘can’t’ in anyone’s language. Secondly, what people don’t know is that I spent the first 21 years of my life as a staunch “meat-and-potatoes” guy who refused to eat anything green! It took some drastic signs (both positive and negative) to shift my mindset and make me commit to a lifetime of vegetarianism. I’m here to tell you that if I CAN do it, you CAN too! But once again, I refuse to enter into a ‘battle’ with a client who is not ready to make the change.

If eating meat is where you’re at and you’re not ready to change, then I implore you to focus on the quality of meat you consume. Is it healthy? Is it organic? Is it free range? Is it free from toxins, drugs, steroids and un-natural feed? If you followed it from the plate back to the farm would you feel good about the process? The first objection and limitation for many is simply the price of buying organic, healthy foods. Do you know why organic costs more? Because it’s worth it!!! Quality costs more – plain and simple. Focus on quality and not quantity - for it’s the quantity that also gets many of us in trouble! When you eat healthy foods, they contain more nutrients per serving unit – therefore, you don’t have to eat (or buy) as much, thus equaling out the price! It’s an interesting concept – try it on for ‘size’ (no pun intended)!

Another misconception about life coaches is that they are counselors who want to re-hash the past and delve into the source of previous problems. While history and experience are often the best educators and predictors of the future, it is not usually productive to live in the past. We are all products of our past, but the future will be a product of what we do right now. A good life coach will help you understand where you are right now and where you want to be in the future - and then help you pave the road to success, your goals and your dreams.

If you want a better life, then understand you may have to make changes – some may be simple shifts, other may be massive mindset adjustments. I cite Einstein’s definition of insanity: “To continue doing the same things the same way, but expect different results.” I say, don’t be insane – make change! I’m here to help you.

What the Health?! Part 1

An interview with myself - based on many previous questions I’ve been asked.

Q: What does a ‘health advocate’ or a life coach really do anyway?

A: Quite simply, as a life coach and health advocate, I help people live better lives. I believe that everyone should be happy and healthy and it is my mission and passion to help them discover happiness or improve their current state of health. I believe that the greatest source of happiness should be from a healthy mind and body. A health advocate promotes healthy lifestyles and educates people on what a healthy lifestyle REALLY is. A life coach empowers and motivates people to take control of their health, vitality, energy, concentration, focus, stress level, time, priorities and other areas in their life through the daily choices and decisions they make. If you don’t think health is a source of happiness, try losing it! A life coach helps people understand where they are now, but focuses them on the future and the achievement of their goals. Grassroots reform is my method of helping people "GRO".

Q: A lot of the information you give is not new and is not rocket science – in fact, I remember my grandmother telling me the same things when I was a kid. Also, there is a great deal of information out on the internet for free. So why should someone hire you to tell them what they can get for free?

A: All good points. Here are a few more to add to your list: We all know that eating broccoli and drinking water is good for us, but most of us don't. The sunshine and fresh air are free, yet many of us never get outside to enjoy it. Most of us have a perfectly good pair of legs that work well, yet we never walk or exercise and use them to their full capability. I bought and paid for a one year gym membership as a gift for a friend of mine who was constantly complaining about being out of shape – only to learn that she did not grace the doorstep of the gym even once – because she felt “too out of shape to go to the gym.” I learned that what is “free” often lacks value. I also learned that most people need a higher level of accountability than what they (or even their loved ones) can summon for themselves. In working with people of all shapes, sizes, ages and types – I’ve learned to meet people on their current level and then develop a plan for them that works within their own parameters while continually expanding their limits and belief systems by implementing positive, measurable change and constant improvement. I’ve also tried to meet people on their current financial levels too by offering some simple, free advice on my blog to get them started. My book Health and Happiness: an owner's manual for the mind and body is packed full of great advice and ranges in price from $11.95 to $20 depending on the version, format and binding they choose. I try to make my events, seminars and workshops affordable and beneficial for everyone too. For those who need extra attention or one-on-one interaction, I have developed coaching programs that can be delivered face to face, by phone or by email. The goal is to have something for everyone in my program. What some may consider common-sense, obvious advice, others may find to be profound, life-changing enlightenment. Some of my information may be universal and some of it may be very specific for the particular person I'm working with. The impact of my delivery and the follow-up and accountability is what really makes my coaching effective and information most valuable.

To be continued...

WOW Me Now

"WOW Me Now" Campaign

Frantic, frustrated, stressed or depressed?

Dealing with unemployment or financial challenges?

Enduring divorce or loss of a loved one?

Feeling sick, tired or even suffering a health crisis?

Do you want to make changes to become healthier, happier and more successful?

Is this person you or do know someone else who would like to GRO?

 

Sean Donovan—Local author, speaker, life coach, health advocate and founder of Grassroots Reform Organization (GRO) is offering his Words of Wisdom “WOW” series events to individuals looking to bring more heath, happiness and success into their lives.

Experience life-changing enlightenment at a Words of Wisdom - “WOW” series event. Topics include: Healthy Happy Hour, Health = Wealth, Weight a Minute, Have a Heart, Stress Less, Attitude and Gratitude, Willpower Will Empower, Go Green and Make Green.

These informative and entertaining “WOW” sessions help people live better lives.

Support your own success or someone else’s by submitting a compelling letter of up to 500 words as to why you or that person deserves to be “WOW’d”.

Five people will GRO with one free Words of Wisdom “WOW” Summer Series event of their choice at MG on the Halifax.

The person with the most compelling letter will GRO with SeanDon’s entire eight part Words of Wisdom “WOW” Summer Series at MG on the Halifax (Valued at $150).

Criteria

· Individuals must be a resident of Volusia or Flagler counties.

· Individuals must be at least 18 years of age or older.

Instructions

· Individuals may submit letters on behalf of themselves or other individuals

· Please do not exceed 500 words in your letter

· All entries must be submitted by midnight Friday, July 1, 2011

· Email entries to Lea@Seandon.com

Building Blocks

A Chapter excerpt from "Health and Happiness: an owner's manual for the mind and body" - now available in new, unique, custom personalized print.

I like analogies because they allow us to think things through logically when they are approached from a different view point. That is why I am going to compare eating food to building a house.

Imagine you are a building contractor and I have just hired you to build a house. Better yet, let’s say the house is already built and it just needs maintenance and renovation. There are no complicated plans to read or foundations to dig. The hard part is done… Everything is already built. The house just has some squeaks and creaks and a few leaks. Much like your body could have some strains, sprains, bruises, cancers, arthritis or poor vision. Let’s say you have to repair a leaking roof. What materials would you need? It depends on the type of roof, but overall you may need some flashing, caulk, shingles, tar paper, coatings etc… Now let’s imagine that the only material available to you is concrete. Besides being extremely heavy, concrete is also porous and absorbs water – making it a poor choice for a roofing material. You could keep pouring concrete on the roof until the weight collapses the structure – or find a new material to properly fix the problem.

Your body is much more complex than any building on earth and needs a wide variety of materials to keep it operating properly. The problem is that most of us are not operating properly, but don’t realize it until damage has been done. If your body needs roofing materials (salad) and all you give it to work with is concrete (fast food), then repairs and maintenance cannot be carried out. Your body just stockpiles the concrete (maybe around the waist or hips). Not only does your body not get what it needs, but it gets an excess of what it doesn’t need. When materials are obviously stockpiling in the body and other problems still persist, take it as your body warning you that you need to put something else in it!

My second analogy is a termite infested wall (or cancer ridden cells that must be repaired). The wall is made out of wood and is badly deteriorated. We need new wood and nails to rebuild it. Let’s compare the new wood to fresh, raw fruits and vegetables and the nails to fresh spring water. Then let’s burn the new wood (much like what cooking does to the nutrients in fruits and veggies) and then rust the nails (much like carbonating the water and adding sugar). How strong will our new wall be when made of burnt wood and rusted nails? How many nutrients are we cooking out of our food? How polluted, carbonated, colored and artificially flavored is your water?

Your kidneys and liver are like an air filter in you homes’ heating and A/C system. If you don’t regularly change the filter, it becomes clogged and the system has to work harder to force air through the dirt, thus increasing your electric bill. If the filter becomes too clogged, it may not let any air pass and may burn up the motor and system. You can’t naturally change your body parts, but you can keep them clean and hydrated and assist them in the detoxification process with sweat, activity and stretching. Think about this: your body is your permanent home that you live in every day of your life - 24/7. Keep it clean and well maintained and it will provide you many years of comfortable, trouble free living.

Let’s be clear on something – food doesn’t heal the body or cure disease. The body heals the body and defeats disease. Eating the right foods and eliminating the wrong foods gives the body the necessary ingredients to carry out its inherent functions. Give your body the materials it needs and it can rebuild itself and keep itself well maintained.  Keep it cleansed and detoxified and it will operate more efficiently and stress-free for years to come.

"Fast Food" - Blueberry

 I’m SeanDon and I’m a health advocate who loves fast food. My favorite color is blue and my favorite berry is blue too - not only are blueberries fast and delicious, but they contain anthocyanins which are powerful phytonutrients that are capable of neutralizing cancer-causing free radicals. Blueberries enhance the health of all body tissues and protect the cardiovascular system. This berry is also known for improving brain function and memory. “What was I just talking about?” (eats a blueberry) “Oh, yeah – I remember now – I was singing the praises of this wonderful “fast” food.