Denice Murray Health Coaching

We all have them. We’re busy moms, holding life together by a thread. You’ve had a series of THINGS happen. And by the way, it’s a BIG misconception, that it just came out of nowhere. No, it didn’t. This meltdown has been building up over time, like lava beneath the earth’s surface. The “things” can be big or small, it really doesn’t matter. It’s just a bunch of issues over time that build and build. You may have had moments where you thought you had dealt with them. But in reality, you were probably just dealing with PIECES of the issue, and the rest was getting shoved aside to be handled another time. Only, you’re a BUSY MOM! “Another Time” rarely comes. You’re pushing ahead through the next thing and the next. I’m just going to use my example really quickly because I know EVERYONE’S situation is different. Perimenopause is causing a plethora of physical issues including night sweats, fatigue, sleep disruption, mood swings, weight gain, and others. Big Issue . Crazy sc...

I'm going on about adjusting your flavor profile to fit your likes and dislikes.  This is a topic I’ve touched on before, but I wanted to go a little more in-depth about it. The conversation got started in our house when Dearest Step-Daughter sent her dad (my husband) a Mediterranean Cookbook to help with his health and weight loss efforts. Hubs is NOT a fan of the Mediterranean flavor profile. I, on the other hand, am a HUGE fan of a lot of the flavors involved in Mediterranean cooking. Some of them I’m still not 100% on board with, but I’m learning little by little. This sparked a debate in our house. I told Hubs that we don’t have to cook exactly like the cookbook says and that we can adjust things to fit his flavor preferences. He asked, “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of it being Mediterranean ?” Well....he has a valid point. The long and short answer is – Yes and No. Perfectly clear, right? Insert eye-roll here . To make it Mediterranean, it has more to do wi...

Okay, so I think it’s been pretty well established that I’m a HUGE nerd! If I find something fascinating, I will research it to death! You can ask my husband or my daughter (or my sons when they’re visiting from college) that I basically study ALL THE TIME . So when I got on this idea of a capsule wardrobe, I have been studying the heck out of the concept. It is very safe to say that fashion is NOT my forte. At all. I suck. But I still LOVE this concept. I’ve been discussing it with friends (shout out to my friend Annie for listening to me and giving some solid advice!), and spending FAR too much time on Pinterest and YouTube checking out options.  I've been posting about it on social media .  And I’m not going to lie – with the plethora of information out there, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. That’s a lot of information to take in about a subject that, frankly, I find rather intimidating. But I love it so much for a few reasons. The first one being – I ...

REAL TALK…. So, today is Mini-Me’s 16 th Birthday! My sons came home from college for part of the weekend, but are going back to school today. I ended up with a migraine to begin the weekend and it’s been trying to creep back in. Yesterday Mini-Me ran in a cross-country meet (extreme heat and humidity) and almost passed out at the end of the race. Thank goodness “Mr. T” was there and caught her as she fell. And she is completely recovered, just so you know. 😊 I have been having an EMOTIONAL few days!!! Then, to top it all off, I was looking through Facebook pictures and saw a picture of myself that was NOT very flattering. Like, AT ALL ! And I dang near lost it. I wanted to cry my eyes out. I’ve been working really hard for months on my health and wellness journey. I’ve had major accomplishments, and I’ve also had frustrating setbacks. I’ve seen some pictures that I thought, “wow, I can really tell I’m getting in better shape” . I can feel it in how my clothes are fit...

"Title said in my best annoyed teenager voice" When it comes to weight loss, Consistency is BORING . But it’s true , it’s necessary , and it’s the best way to improve your health, lose weight, and get LASTING results. There is always “another” diet. South Beach. Atkins. Keto. Paleo. I’m old enough to remember the Grapefruit Diet! There’s always “another” fitness craze. CrossFit. P90X. V-Shred. TaeBo. I’m also old enough to remember Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda’s workout videos! There are always weight loss programs. Weight Watchers. Jenny Craig. Noom. Nutri-System. But. The only way these things work is if you do them CONSISTENTLY. If you don’t stick with it, not only will you stop losing weight, but most likely you will gain it back. This is why it’s MORE important to develop Healthy HABITS than to jump on another diet, fitness, or weight loss program .  I said what I said. One of the reasons that health coaching is not only growing in popularity, but also...

Had lunch today with some friends after Mini-Me’s cross-country meet. We arrived a little late and we were all joking with each other. “Mr. T” laughed and said, “Yeah, now that the health coach is here, we’re all going to have to eat healthy.” And I just smiled and laughed because I thought it was funny. It sparked a short conversation about following the 80/20 rule – which is to try to eat healthy 80% of the time and give yourself the freedom to enjoy “junk food” 20% of the time. We also talked about moderation and not going to extremes with your food choices. Overall, it was a great lunch and great conversations and we had a great time. The “weird” thing to me is that after I had joked about eating what I wanted because today was part of my 20%, when it came time to order, I didn’t go CRAZY and eat a bunch of junk. I had grilled chicken, baked beans, fried okra, and Texas toast.  I only ate until 80% full. I left food on my plate and didn’t feel “guilty” f...

Why is it so hard to improve our healthy habits? To make better choices? To take the necessary steps to live healthier, happier lives? Maybe it's because you don't know what to do. You've never been taught the true fundamentals of nutrition and physical activity. There's a TON of information out there - some of it accurate and some of it not so much. Maybe you're confused. With the plethora of diets and fitness programs out there, maybe you don't even know where to begin. Is Keto right for you? What about Weight Watchers? Fitness class, yoga, or just walking in your neighborhood? Strength training, or no? If so, how much should you be lifting? Most of us have at least an IDEA of what we should be doing. We know we probably eat too much processed food, too much sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. We know we're not getting enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein with each meal. We also know we're not moving our bodies enough - we are more sed...

There are a lot of questions – and conflicting answers – when it comes to stress. Does it really cause weight gain? Is it actually TOXIC to your body? Could stress be causing your digestive issues? And unfortunately, the correct answer is: It Depends . Take the question of, Is Stress Really BAD for You? Well, yes and no.  Constant, chronic stress can lead to all kinds of health issues. However, in order to push and get your attention that something needs to change/be done, a little bit of stress can be a good thing. Or what about, Is Stress Making Me Gain or Lose Weight? Maybe. Again, it depends .  It can cause you to LOSE weight by releasing extra glucose into your blood stream and you’re not going to feel as hungry. It can also disrupt your digestion in such a way that food feels like it’s just sitting in your stomach, it’s rushing straight through you, and because of these two possibilities food isn’t being adequately absorbed. It can also take the form of weight...

As you’re working on your health, wellness, or nutrition journey, you’re going to face daily challenges. It happens. Obstacles. Setbacks. Faltering Motivation. Resistance. It’s frustrating to hit a roadblock. But hopefully some of the tips compiled here will help you navigate around these challenges and continue on your way to a healthier you. Focus on Your Behaviors, Not Your Outcomes .  I know I’ve talked about this before, but it’s actually a critical step of creating healthy habits. Outcomes vary. If you’re trying to lose 10 pounds, but the scale hasn’t moved past 5 pounds, it’s easy to get caught up in the number on the scale and fail to give yourself credit for the habits you’re creating like riding your bike 4 times per week, cooking healthier meals at home, and losing inches from around your waist. It’s important to praise and celebrate each habit you do, rather than only giving yourself credit when you hit a certain milestone, like the number on the scale. Take a...

We all do it.  I know I’m guilty.  Go for a 2-mile walk in the evening, come home feeling great, and then see a post on FB of someone training for a 5k Run and think, “Gah! They are so much better than me! I should be running more/exercising more/working harder/etc.” Well, newsflash to me – I have knee problems and I'm not supposed to be doing ANY running (unless being chased by something!). So, why would I do that to myself? Compare myself to a person who DOESN’T have knee issues and actually LIKES to run, whereas I’ve NEVER liked running, even when I was perfectly capable of doing it?! Everyone working on their health and wellness, at some point, has thought other people were doing better than them, that their efforts weren’t enough, or they can’t quite seem to get where they want to be like so-and-so does. So, if comparing ourselves to others is a normal part of human nature, how do we stop doing that and focus on feeling good about ourselves? Here are a few ways to...

When you have health and wellness goals, your expectations can determine whether you reach those goals or not. Everyone wants wow-worthy results, be it weight loss, body re-composition (toning and tightening), better sleep, or managing your stress, but having unrealistic expectations can lead to giving up entirely. Meeting your health, nutrition and wellness goals comes with trade-offs. That’s simply the reality of changing your behaviors and habits. And unless you are able to understand the trade-offs and set your expectations accordingly, you are setting yourself up to be disappointed. Let’s use stress management and yoga as an example. It’s been proven that a regular yoga practice helps reduce stress, reduces anxiety, improves mental health, and can improve your quality of life – along with numerous physical benefits like increased flexibility, strength, balance, boosted immunity, and better sleep . But what does it take to achieve the FULL benefits of doing yoga? Five minu...

You REALLY want to lose 20 pounds. You’re exhausted all the time and pounding Red Bull or coffee to make it through your day. You can’t walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to catch your breath. Any of this sound familiar? You’ve tried to make changes to your health in the past, but nothing seems to stick. The motivation is there. The desire is there. All the logical reasons for WHY working on your health is a GREAT idea are there! But you still can’t make it stick. You’re not getting your 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day. You’re not getting enough (or ANY) physical activity. You’re not sleeping well at night. Now might be the time to look a little deeper into WHY your efforts are falling short. It could be any of these possible reasons.  T here is something Specific that is a problem behavior.   Ex. Mindless snacking throughout the day or late at night; binge eating on the weekends; dropping onto the couch at night and not getting up again or bi...