![]() My friend Lisa Howell has partnered with me to put on a "March Mindfulness Paint Class!" The other week I attended one of her paint classes for her business, Paint Me Pretty. That one was themed specifically around self-care. I left the boys at home, learned some watercolor techniques, enjoyed some great company, and didn't think of laundry or work or what to make for dinner once! It was a beautiful reminder for me that sometimes doing something that I might consider out-of-the box for me (like going to an art class) can provide a healthy reset button in my go-go-go get-stuff-done heart. I came home with some really cute projects and a fresh attitude of calm for my family. This one will be an abstract paint class. The image to the right is not our specific painting but is an example of a painting that develops from this type of class. No experience (or even interest!) in art to attend! Yep, you don't even have to be interested in painting to enjoy this night! I've worked with ladies where this was their first artwork as an adult and they raved about the experience! We will combine the practice of self-care and mindfulness with the experience of create a unique piece of art. Lisa has been cooking up some inspirational paint classes to fulfill a passion that has been welling up within her. There has always been a stigma attached to mental health but she thinks we are all becoming more comfortable with the idea that we can all use a little help pertaining to internal wellness and mindset. This will be a safe space where we can freely, yet privately, work through the negative thoughts that are absorbed subconsciously throughout the busyness of life and no fault of our own. You will take home this abstract work of art to be your daily reminder that you are more than your failures/mistakes. My aim is not to just make you "feel-good" but to discuss ways to embrace all the highs and lows of our being. We just have to be brave enough to show up, accept who we are, and learn healthy ways to respond to all circumstances that come our way. Join us to see what these are all about and join this new community of friends! Friday, March 10th, 6pm 303 Dairy Lane, Morgantown WV 26508 Admission: $35 per person - Medium-sized Canvas Register here: SIgnup Page
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![]() While it would be preferable if that photo had all white and zero brown in it, I am thankful that east coast ski places work so hard to keep enough decent snow on the ground to make skiing possible ... even in the 60 degree weather we had last week! For me and my family, the fact that I was able to get out there, feeling that rush and having that quiet time alone with my thoughts on the lift ... I was a better wife and mom and person for the next few days because of it. I love to help moms come up with strategies that allow them to be the best version of the mom and person they can be. Taking time to do the things that "fill your cup" matter! Are you a busy woman who finds the energy to do all.the.things but feels betrayed by your body. Are you tired of feeling "used up" at 3pm ... right when the kids are coming home from school and the littles are waking up from their naps? Are you ready to have capacity to enjoy your people and to pursue the things you are truly passionate about? Message me and we can put together a plan that includes self-care that will work for you! ![]() As a health coach, I am often asked about nutritional supplements. Often, when people decide to get serious about their health, one of the first things that comes to mind is getting on a good supplement regimen. Truthfully, I think it is less complicated than that. I believe supplements should be just that … a supplement to an already good diet where you are getting most of your nutrients from the actual foods that you are eating. With the exception of those who are dealing with a specific medical condition, most people are capable of getting all the nutrients they need from their food. I would even suggest that if people are depending on nutritional supplements for their nutrition rather than food, they are most certainly going to come up short. Don’t you just love how God feeds our curiosity by continuing to provide deeper and deeper levels of discovery about how perfectly he has designed our world for us? Nutritional science is a wonderful example of this. In the early 1900s, we discovered that foods contain vitamins. These vitamins are the ones you find on general nutrition labels. Vitamins C, B, D etc. We learned that some diseases like rickets and scurvy were a result of not having enough of some of these vitamins that are found naturally in abundance in fruits and vegetables. But because not everyone had access to fruits and vegetables (think sailors on a Navy vessel), it seemed like a good idea to extract these vitamins from their natural source and provide them in a pill form. And that probably was a good idea for those populations … but the discoveries continued. Fast forward a few decades and we discovered antioxidants. Lo and behold, they are found in colorful fruits and veggies … but we also did our best to extract them and sell them in pill form as well. Next were phytochemicals and phytonutrients … guess where you can find them naturally?! We’ve also learned that in many cases what different nutrients are packaged with affects how they are absorbed and used in our bodies. A certain vitamin might not mix well with another unless a third is present in the correct ratio, for example. When we manufactured them and put them together in a lab sometimes they actually had detrimental effects because of what we put together or left out. Thankfully God got it right when he made the foods that we are supposed to be eating. And all of that is probably just the beginning! What will we discover in the next few decades that will continue to build on what we already know? The bottom line for me is that God packaged our nutrients in amazing ways that we don’t even fully understand yet. And the best way to get them is … surprise, surprise … eating a variety of whole fruits and veggies. How do you ensure that you are getting your “vitamins” (whole fruits and veggies!) each day? ![]() It’s that time again. The energy of the excitement and holidays has passed. The temperatures have dropped, the world has turned brown, and the sunlight is rare. Motivation and energy levels seem to follow suit. Cue: The 7 Day Energy Reboot! Spend 7 days practicing a sampling of skills that have been proven to increase energy levels. And, do it with a group of new friends guided by, yours truly, Katie the Certified Health and Well-being Coach. At the end of the 7 Days, you will have an entire toolkit of strategies to choose from as you build new energy-boosting habits. I love hearing the feedback from people who have participated in the past. They share how the changes they started during the group are now just a part of what they do … and they have the energy they need for all the things they want to do after completing their daily have-tos! Our next group starts on February 6th. After your $15 payment is received, an invite will be sent to join a private Facebook group. The nice thing about that format is if you miss a day, you can always go back and complete the challenge at a later date! We look forward to having you join us! You can use the button below or this link to register. ![]() Hello, Friends! It has been almost a year since my first blog post. I thought it would be a good time to re-introduce myself. I’m Katie. Well, technically on official documents I’m Kathleen … but no one ever calls me that. Every first day of the year in my little elementary school, when the teacher ran down her list of names, my classmates would look around for the new kid when she said “Kathleen.” Everyone has always known me as Katie. The phrase “Jack of all Trades, Master of None” fits me in so many ways. I am a runner and have been since high school. I was even the Captain of my college cross-country team. But, it was a D3 school and I never won a single race. Middle of the pack … consistently. Solid emotional and spiritual leader of the team … absolutely. But winner? That only happens occasionally now if you count the fact that I may be the only female in my age group in smaller events! I am re-learning Spanish after having taken several years in high school and several semesters in college. Can I pick up on a lot of words and phrases? Yep. Could you drop me off in Barcelona and expect me to manage. Not a chance! Skiing, playing guitar, drawing, cooking, rock climbing, raising our biological son, keeping my house clean, white-water kayaking, training our dog, foster parenting, sewing, singing, gardening … all things I am competent in, but certainly not winning any awards. The one thing that I can confidently call myself an expert in is health coaching. But I’ll save that topic for next time! I’d love to hear from you. What do you consider yourself an expert in? What do you do exceptionally well? ![]() In the next week or so, a lot of us will be reflecting on the past year, and dreaming a little bit about what the new year will look like. I love this seasonal reminder that “Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it … yet.” ~ Anne of Green Gables. And, quite honestly, January is generally a great time to set some new routines. There are no big holidays or disruptions on the horizon for most of us. And while it is tempting to “jump start” your new health-self with a strict diet, do your December 2023-self a big favor and at least consider what sustained habits you think you can continue throughout the year. Maybe consider the 80/20 version of whatever you are doing. Is your church doing the Daniel Plan together? Instead of super-strict, make it sustainable by sticking to it 80% of the time and allowing for 20% leeway. I’m not talking completely off-the-rails leeway, just bending the rules a bit leeway! Have one extra-special looking desert at that baby shower … but you don’t need to sample all of them. Or, while you are doing your new diet in January, be thinking about what parts of this diet you think you would like to continue after the diet has finished. Is there a new recipe you tried that was really delicious? Add that to your normal repertoire. Do you think eliminating dairy helped some gut issues you were having? Keep that going! And just a quick note on exercise … start small and simple. You probably won’t feel the full effects of your workout until about 2 or 3 days later. If you still feel great then, do just a little bit more the next workout. You literally have the rest of your life to build up your fitness, unless you injure yourself by jumping in too quickly! I would love to hear what your first steps for January are by commenting below! Interested in having support in moving toward your new health-self? Click the button below to get started! ![]() Ahhh, the Christmas season is now solidly upon us. Full of excitement, joy, anticipation … and reasons to throw your health goals out the window. Who has the time to exercise when there are presents to buy and wrap and travel to plan? Why bother eating healthy at all when you know you are going to “blow it” at your family’s traditional fudge-making day? The actual stats about holiday weight gain, gets a little complicated. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Americans on average gain a little less than a pound over the holiday season. That’s within most people’s typical weight fluctuations and is hard to measure. And although it doesn’t seem like much, numerous studies that have shown that most of us don’t lose that weight in the following few months. Keep adding that pound each year … it adds up! My encouragement to clients this time of year, like any other time of year honestly, is that perfection isn’t the goal. There are always going to be things here and there that aren’t normal for your life. I don’t eat the same way on vacation that I do at home. But because I am home much more than I am on vacation (unfortunately!), it is my normal habits and routines that really make the difference in the long run. So there is no need to throw your health goals out the window. You are establishing new thought patterns. Those new thought patterns can include weighing the pros and cons of some of those favorite holiday treats. Is there a particular treat that you love to make? Make it! Enjoy some of it. Give it to friends. You probably don’t want to eat so much that you regret it, though. And do continue your new health habits most of the time. Will that choice set you back a little bit? Maybe. But you thought it though, decided it was worth it, and it didn’t derail you. Just think of how good it will feel come January when you can look back and say truthfully, “Given the circumstances, I’m pretty proud of the decisions that I made.” Curious to learn more about what working with a health coach would mean for you?
![]() Happy Thanksgiving! The holiday today is a wonderful reminder to find things to be grateful for. There have been many times in my life where this has come pretty easy. But, there have also been times when I have really only been able to look for the “silver lining” in what were in some pretty hard circumstances. Abundant research indicates that people who practice gratitude regularly are more happy. Turns out, it isn’t necessarily our circumstances that make us happy, but how we view them! I read a book years ago, and I am re-reading it now, that addresses the topic of being grateful when things aren’t fluffy and easy. If you are a reader, I highly recommend Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. A lot of my training as a health coach stems from the field of Positive Psychology. Often with clients we will discuss what "silver linings" can be gleaned from hard circumstances that got in the way of fully meeting a goal that was set. Today, I am thankful for rock climbing with family and friends (and my dog!). I am thankful for the gifts God gave us in the mountains here in West Virginia. I am thankful for you all. So, take a minute today and practice some gratitude yourself. I invite you to comment below with what you are thankful for: ![]() As a Health Coach, I love that I get to participate in helping people thrive in their health. This applies not only to physical health, but also to mental health. And let me state too before we get too far into this topic that just as I am not a doctor, I am also not a psychologist. Both of those professions are very important, especially for those who’s physical or mental health concerns are infringing on their ability to participate in normal functions of life. Health coaching services are useful before the concerns reach the level where medical intervention is necessary. Health coaching can also be useful after medical interventions have stabilized the concerns, but there is still progress to be made to reach an optimal state of health. And the fun thing about lifestyle health interventions, is that many of the same things that lead to physical thriving also lead to mental thriving! Exercise, healthy sleep patterns, nutrition … they each have been proven through many scientific studies to lead to greater physical health and greater emotional health. For example, according to the American Psychological Association, while more studies are needed in this area, preliminary findings indicate nutritional counseling is an effective treatment for depression and ADHD. So, what healthy habits do you have in place to take you from surviving to thriving in both your physical and emotional health? Comment below with your ideas! ![]() Hello friends! I just completed a new workbook that I want to share with you. This workbook walks you through establishing new habits to fill your cup. Do you feel like you have just barely enough energy to complete all of your have-to-do’s in a day? Do you want to have energy reserves to give to your want-to-dos? If so, this is the workbook for you! Simply send an email to me at [email protected] with the subject line “My Overflowing Cup” and I’ll reply with the 22 page PDF at no charge ($10 value). And, if you want to step through the workbook with others who are on a similar journey, let me know in the email that you want to join our guided support group starting October 23rd. I’m so excited to hear the stories of energy transformation! |
AuthorKatie Kolb - Health Coach Archives
November 2024
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