Denice Murray Health Coaching

While we may not have all the time in the world with back-to-school creeping in, last minute vacations before summer is officially gone, and dealing with the ridiculous end of summer heat (at least where we’re located), as Busy Moms we still have daily opportunities to get Quick Wins for our health and wellness that don’t require an entire rearranging of our lives to get them. So, here’s my list of five Quick Wins you can implement TODAY with little to no extra effort or going out of your way to make them happen. Eat a Piece of Dark Chocolate Every Day . I know it’s not everyone’s favorite, and to be honest it can be an acquired taste. I didn’t like it years ago, either. But if you get 70% or higher, you’re giving yourself a mini-health boost with vitamins and minerals like copper, manganese, zinc, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, and almost all the B vitamins. From CHOCOLATE! And an added bonus, your kids probably aren’t going to want it because it’s not a...

I don’t know how many of you have ever been to Las Vegas, but there’s a saying that, “The House always wins,” when referring to gambling. As I was taking a walk last night, the thought that we’re “playing” in a rigged system kept popping in my head. We’re constantly surrounded by nutrient-poor food options (fast food and ultra-processed foods); we have chaotic schedules that make it hard to cook nutrient-dense meals or find time for physical activity; we live in spaces that make it more difficult to have movement as a natural part of our days (more driving, long commutes, less walking on average, etc.); and we have financial, environmental, cultural, or social constraints that make it harder to focus on our health, wellness, or weight loss. As Busy Moms, it seems like we’re always trying to play by The House rules, but they always have the edge. The casinos are DESIGNED to give The House the edge. And I kept asking myself, “How do we win against that? As a Busy Mom myself, and as...

(THIS IS ALSO CROSS-POSTED ON SUBSTACK ) I don’t know about y’all, but I cannot BELIEVE summer is more than halfway over. In fact, where we live, school will be starting again in less than a month! Most of the moms I know tend to fall into three categories: The ones who LOVE the Summer with their kids. The fun, the craftiness, all the “adventures” they have, and dread school starting again in the Fall; The ones who LOVE when school starts back up for the stability and the regular routine it provides; And the ones who are a mixture of both – they enjoy certain parts of the summer (not having to wake up so early, some of the activities and vacations, etc.), but they also look forward to getting back into a regular routine and not having to hear, “Mom! I’m BORED!” 500 times a day! This warp-speed passing of summer also means you might have let time get away from YOU , and haven’t been able to put as much energy or focus on your own health goals as you would’ve liked. So, I...

MY FOOD IS FOR NOURISHING MY BODY , and even though I’m ALLOWED to eat whatever I want, if I want my body to be well and function for me, I’ve got to give it what it needs. I’ve seen way too many posts about how “toxic” it is to chase being skinny, and trying to lose weight means you don’t love yourself enough as you are, or accept yourself for who you are. Fair enough. If that’s how you feel, I understand. I’m not suggesting anyone turn themselves inside out or upside down to chase a number on the scale or a certain size jeans. But I AM suggesting that if you want your body to function optimally, you have to nourish it with the foods it needs. Your body needs protein, it needs fats, it needs carbs (yes, really), it needs vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and water. The ratios in which your body needs these nutrients will vary, but you still need them. And I’ve been gaining a lot of clarity in the last few years as I’ve gotten older, learned more about health, nutrition, and ...

Well, that’s not entirely correct. You probably KNOW you’re in it, you’re just not sure what to do about it or how to get OUT of it. Let me explain. In this article I talked about five top health issues we face as busy moms: weight loss, stress management, sleep deprivation, dealing with mom guilt, and struggling with life balance. And the truth is, all of these health issues can be interconnected in ways we aren’t even aware of. You’re a busy mom. You’re going to have a hectic schedule. That can lead to sleep deprivation, which can lead to stress or weight gain (or both), which can lead to more sleep deprivation, which circles back to mom guilt for being tired and cranky and stressed out, and you’re trying to find a way to balance it all…. Sound familiar? In the article , I mentioned that an easy first step is to just Start Small . Have one glass of water. Take a 5-minute walk. Do 5 squats while you’re waiting for the microwave. Eat one piece of fruit. Just one little thing...