Easy Ways to Get Started…

Hello there!

Glad you’re here. It’s Julie Smith. I’m a Certified Health Coach, Life Coach, marketing consultant, mom, blogger, entrepreneur, leader and real food foodie.

You can learn about business, marketing and leadership coaching over at JulieSmithCoaching.com. But this site feeds my lifelong passion to help busy people, like you, achieve total wellness in their lives. In my world, there are 7 Pillars of Wellness: how we live, eat, move, think, serve, work, and connect with others.

I believe that as leaders we’re called to do big things. If we’re going to achieve those things, make an impact and live our life fully, we must do it from a place of optimal wellness. We need to be “fit to serve.” We can’t be a leader, executive or business owner today without being intentional in how we address our health and wellness. If we don’t, we burn out. We get sick. We’ll be crappy leaders, spouses and parents. If we live well we lead well.

My intention for this site is to take a broader perspective on leadership from a Wellness 360 perspective. We’ll focus on the 7 Pillars of Wellness, above. We’ll talk about leadership, goals, and the Success Factor, but there will also be posts and programs on mindfulness, emotional intelligence, stress and overwhelm, eating clean, and taking charge of your health so you can bring your best in all you do. But sometimes change is hard. We’ll find meaning in your health/wellness journey.

You’ll find a variety of resources to help you get started on the Wellness 360 path with small, easy steps that you can take at your own pace. I truly believe that living a healthy lifestyle should be simple, not hard or filled with deprivation. You’ll find resources to grow in awareness, self-leadership, relationships, and as a leader in your family, work, and community.

Community is important. Watch the site for more information on a Wellness 360 community. We’re better together.

To get started, here are some ways I approach healthy eating and wellness in my own life:

• No dieting, counting calories and weighing or measuring food. Eating should be enjoyable.
• Eat healthy, whole REAL Food — lots of fresh veggies, fruits, grains and lean protein.
• Choose organic if possible — but if I can’t, I keep eating real food, organic or not.
• Avoid processed, packaged foods.
• Choose “Right” Carbs not low carb.
• Avoid white versions of rice, bread, and pasta — stick with brown rice and whole grains.
• Due to food intolerances I don’t eat gluten, dairy, corn, soy, tree nuts and numerous other ‘healthy’ foods. My body won’t tolerate them.
• Choose low sugar foods and use natural sweeteners like stevia, raw honey, and pure maple syrup.
• Choose lean, non-processed meat and wild-caught fish
• Choose treats made with natural ingredients (high-fructose corn syrup, food coloring, and artificial flavors are NOT natural or healthy).
• Eat protein with every meal and snack.
• My body needs healthy fats — low fat diets are not my friend.
• Drink water. Drink water. Drink water.
• Just move already. I don’t need a gym and special equipment.
• Shoot for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
• Find regular quiet time to reflect and regroup.
• Always grow in my spiritual practice.
• Pursue a cause or activity I’m passionate about.
• Practice continual learning and growth in self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and leadership.
• Work toward my own vision of success and fulfillment (not someone else’s).
• Give freely.
• Laugh a lot.
• Love deeply.

Here’s a list of things you can do to get started on this site:

1) First, join my email list and grab your free copy of my report “10 Health Habits That Will Help You Get Trim, FEEL FABULOUS & Support Optimal Health” –- it’s filled with practical healthy eating advice and some tasty, quick recipes. Get it by subscribing in the box on the top right corner of this page. You can download it immediately once you confirm your email address. I appreciate everyone on my email list and only send valuable information you can use.

2) Check out the content in each of the 7 Pillars of Wellness. You can find these at the top of the page. They’re listed out below the header: Live  |  Think  |  Eat  |  Move  |  Connect  |  Work  |  Serve. There’s more to come.

2) Next, browse my healthy recipe archive for quick, easy and TASTY dishes. I have always loved and collected cookbooks and creating healthy versions of family favorites (and finding new favorites) is a passion of mine. I will regularly post healthy snack, salad, sides, main course and dessert recipes for you to enjoy. There will be lots of allergy-friendly dishes too (gluten, dairy, egg, corn and soy free) because that’s how we roll at our house. My goal is to keep each family-tested recipe relatively easy to make with easy-to-find ingredients. Because we’re busy, right? Be sure to check back often!

3) If you’re ready to take healthy eating to the next level within a supportive community, register for my 21-Day L.E.A.N. Challenge (coming soon!). I’ll notify you when the doors are open. This is my un-diet program that will teach you all about eating well to properly nourish your body, including my “simple swaps” and “plus-ones” to add into your current diet. You’ll also learn simple actions that make a healthy impact on how you live, think and move. Be warned: participation in this program may produce increased energy, positive thoughts, better sleep, a happy gut, and getting rid of some extra weight that just stays with you. Sign up to be notified as soon as the program launches!

4) If you’re on social media, join me on Facebook, and Pinterest for more tips and inspiration.

And if you want to know more about me, get the full story about my professional path and my own health/wellness journey and struggles and how that led me to where I’m at today.

To your health & wellness!