Here’s to a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving Holiday for you and your family! If you are traveling, safe travels and check out the travel workouts on my website, stellafit.com. If you are staying home, don’t forget to get out and move your body! This is a great time to include the whole family in your fitness endeavors! If you need some healthy options for Thanksgiving dishes, check out these options from the Chopra newsletter

Do you ever feel like you are falling down “Alice’s rabbit hole”? Lately, I have been hearing a lot about children, teens, and even adults struggling with anxiety and anxiety disorders. I am not an anxiety expert by any means and I need to stress that what I offer are “tips” and certainly should not be used in place of going to see a professional. But since we are entering the Holiday season which means additional stress and anxiety for many people, I thought it fitting to focus my next few newsletters on healthy habits as a way to help mitigate stress and manage anxiety.

Anxiety is a normal part of everyday life and it is certainly not always bad. There is functional and dysfunctional anxiety. Anxiety is our body’s response to perceived stressful situations. It is our fight-or-flight response that is meant to protect us from the proverbial saber tooth tiger. Sometimes it feels like the saber tooth tiger is lurking behind every bush in the form of social media, fear of not matching up, fear of failure, fear of natural disasters, fear of mass shootings, fear, fear, fear. Not to mention the fear/anxiety around teens and college, if you have one or more, I am sure you know what I mean. I recently read a statistic from the National Institute of Health that stated almost 1/3 of all US adults will experience some type of anxiety disorder in their lifetime. I am concerned that it will be much higher in the next generations. As I mentioned, anxiety is not bad, but when any condition starts to negatively impact your health and wellbeing or your daily living, it is time to ask for help.

I know through my own personal experience, maintaining some structure around healthy habits has given me a great foundation for dealing with whatever changes and challenges come my way. In particular, running has been a lifesaver for managing my own anxiety. If I am overwhelmed, then going for a run is just the balance I need. As a kinesthetic learner, when I am running, I can take things apart and work through them one by one. It is the time I can let go and tell myself, “you’ve got this”! If I cannot go out for a run, then my backup is a few rounds of meditative breathing. Both work really well for me. Sleep and a balanced diet are also essential to managing anxiety.

What are your personal tools for managing stress?  If life is always a combination of stress and balance, then how do we learn to apply the tools we have to be able to harness the energy we need to thrive in stressful situations and not crumble? A foundation of healthy habits is a great place to start! Do you need to evaluate your healthy habits and reassess your foundation? If so, then make sure and check out my top 5 tips for managing stress below.

NOTE: If you want more information, I found this article in GOOP very informative.

Have you heard a trainer or health professional say “being consistent will get you results”?

If you are my client or read my blogs, or listen to my podcast, you have definitely heard me say that. And guess what, it is true.

Your habits definitely contribute to if not determine your overall health. But being consistent is really about having the disciple to do whatever it is you need to do to get healthy, maintain your health, or reach your goals. Motivation will always come and go, you may want to look good for summer or for your high school or college reunion, but once that is over, then what? If you have not established the discipline to move every or most days, make some improvements to your diet, improve your quality of sleep, manage your stress, and connect with your loved ones, then you will go right back to where you were.

Here is what I recommend to my clients. First and foremost ask yourself, “what is in this for me?” Really answer that question as best you can and list all the positive health outcomes. Then come up with a plan and commit to making it a priority. You have to channel the same discipline you put towards other goals towards your health goals.

Motivation + Consistency is the same thing as Goals + Discipline. You must determine that you are really worthy of living your best life and you cannot live your best life without your most healthy self.

Each time I get back on the wagon so to speak, I try to take note of how I am feeling and why I am so ready to get back to a more structured way of living. This year, I have to admit that I have really noticed how much the arthritis in my hand (thumb joint) improves when I am gluten free. So I am back to eating a primarily gluten, dairy, and sugar free diet which includes lots of plants and good quality sources of proteins and fats, little alcohol, more movement, deep breathing, and getting outside as much as possible. 

If you choose to do a “reset” this January, whether you choose a “Whole 30” program, eliminating sugar for 21-30 days, or something else, just make sure you really pay attention to how you feel and what changes give you the best results. The goal is always to make 1-2 sustainable changes that really improve your health and quality of life. We always want to keep our eye on what is sustainable over time to help us feel and look our best for the long haul.

Post Holiday Reboot

Stella’s 5 easy tips to get you back on track

1. Have a plan to “reset” your diet.
2. Set a fitness goal.
3. Meditate/breathe if only for 5 min each day.
4. Try to set a “daily intention” each morning.
5. Get back to 7-8 hours each night.

Want to learn more? Check out Stella’s Podcast. Next week she will give examples and explain why each of these tips is important to your health and wellness.
Have you subscribed to the StellaFit Podcast yet? If not, you are missing out on the latest tips to help you live your best life in 2019! Sometimes it is the small changes over time that give you the most sustainable results! Check it out at http://3.147.225.14/podcast/

What’s New at StellaFit

1) StellaFit was busy in 2018! The MWF Small Group Class has been kicking butt (literally) for 8 years now and is going strong! Every year we celebrate with our annual holiday party to toast our success and celebrate the community we have built together.

2) This was my 4th year to coach x-country at Hillview Middle School. I will be back again for my winter conditioning class starting January 9th. The kids had a great season!

3) I have been meeting with the Menlo-Atherton baseball team to help them improve their mobility and stability and improve tensegrity with a little Animal Flow. These boys are so attentive and such hard workers!

STELLA TAYLOR BERGAN

This morning I ran the San Francisco Giant Race with my two younger kids and two dogs. We have done it as a family for the past 4 years, but today, my oldest had to work at her regular volunteer job and my 16 year old had baseball tryouts with my husband. I am becoming more aware of how my time is limited with my children. My oldest is a senior, so seeing so many of my friends’ kids that I have known since they were born or very little head off to college hits a little too close to home. There is always a large part of me that is just beyond thrilled for these young adults to spread their wings and head off to new adventures, but knowing that mine is heading there soon makes me want to put the brakes on for just a little bit, just long enough so I can tell her everything I need to tell her to prepare her for what is ahead, so I can make sure she knows just how much she is loved, to make sure she fully knows just how much I believe in her, to make sure she knows how to protect herself from harm, to make sure she knows that she is always welcome to come home, anytime and so much more. One thing is for certain, there is never enough time, so making the most of the present is all we really have. I hope you will join me this fall in the commitment to health, in the commitment to taking care of yourself so you can be your best self in the present moment, so you can put your best self forward everyday and make the most of all of the precious moments that lie ahead this fall.

My second interview is with my dear friend, Sandie. Sandie has a busy household with 3 active boys and husband. She regularly does the Whole30 Challenge with me (back to school and Jan) and has made many significant changes to her family’s nutrition plan over the past 10 years. Here is the interview:

Stella: Tell me a little bit about your family and their eating habits (i.e., do you eat together as a family, on the go, take out, make lunches, buy lunches, etc).

Sandie: I make a family dinner most days.  I try to get dinner on the table between 6:00 – 6:30.  If it gets much later than that, we all start snacking and making bad choices.  We probably do takeout once a week, usually either Chinese or pizza.

I detest packing lunches. Yet I do it every day.  I get a lot of flack about this from my friends.  I know my kids are old enough to pack their own, but I’m not willing to give up that control.  If they packed their own, it would be carrots and a cheese stick.  Not unhealthy but not enough to fuel them for the day.

My kids are generally on their own for breakfast.  I will offer to make them eggs once or twice a week but honestly it’s hard for me to get them and me out the door on time when I make them breakfast on top of lunches.

Stella; Change can be challenging, especially with children, what prompted you to make changes in your family’s nutrition?

Sandie: I don’t think we’ve made any big changes, just smaller changes over time.  I was never really one to buy processed or “big food” so I think that right there helps.

Stella:  What are the most significant changes you have made over the last 3-5 years?

Sandie: I used to buy organic only when it was comparable in price to conventional.  Now I buy it the great majority of the time.  My food budget has expanded considerably but I feel like it’s the right thing for our family and the environment.  I know I’m ridiculously lucky to be able to make that purchasing choice.  I’ve also switched to grass fed/pasture-raised meats, chicken, dairy, etc.  This is not food related, but I have also switched to all green cleaning and personal care products which I think makes a big difference in overall health.

Stella:  What were/are your biggest hurdles?

I have one kid who will spend every last dollar he has on candy.  And one who is obsessed with Safeway bakery cookies.  I get it.  I was the same way as a kid.  And I still have a major weakness for baked goods.  Which is why I always try to have really healthy, ready to go snacks available at all times.  I know for myself, when I get to the point of being hungry, I make unhealthy choices.  So I try to keep them from getting to that point.  It’s particularly hard with three growing boys who come home from school or sports starving.  I do my best to be sure what they eat in the house is healthy and try not to worry about the rest.

Stella:  How have the changes made a positive impact on your children and your family?

Sandie: My kids almost always reach for fruits and veggies for snacking since they are always available.  And not usually having processed snacks in the house makes a big difference.  When stuff isn’t available, it’s a lot easier to avoid it.

 Stella:  What advice would you give others who are looking to make some changes in their own families?

Sandie: I’d say start small, make changes over time, and try to find yummy, healthy replacements for whatever you’re trying to get rid of.  I also believe food can be a total source of joy, so other than my 2 hard and fast rules (below), I enjoy the splurges I have with my family.  Going out for ice cream or making cookies or eating a delicious pulled pork sandwich is not something to feel guilty about if you are doing it consciously.

Stella:  What are your “three truths” when it comes to your family’s nutrition?

Sandie: Hmmmm, I don’t know if I have three truths, but I do have 2 non-negotiable rules inside my house and on my dollar:

1)   No soda

2)   No artificial sweeteners

Stella: What changes would you like to make in the future?

Sandie: I am slowly building up to the idea that being vegan is the right choice for me – for animal cruelty and environmental reasons.  I am taking tiny steps in that direction.  I really think I could do it except for burgers and steak.  Is there a name for a vegan who eats red meat?

Stella: Yes, that would be a “Peagan” (Paleo/Vegan).

There are some fun things happening at StellaFit this week! I will be on a podcast tomorrow with my friends at Hatch Baby to talk about postpartum wellness. I am super excited! If you get the chance, check out my website, www.stellafit.com, we have made some exciting changes! Also, Hillview x-country signups are happening now! If your child is interested, you can sign up here: http://3.147.225.14/youth-programs-2/

Group classes start back after Labor Day. The MWF class will resume at Stanford Hills Park at 9am and the T/TH 6am Ladera class has been moved to Wednesday mornings at 6am. There will be NO STANFORD TRACK CLASS THIS FALL.

If you have been making changes to your family’s nutrition plan and would like to be interviewed for my blog, I would love to interview you! Please email me at stellbergan@comcast.net and let me know.

Have a wonderful week!

Cheers!

Stella

I hope you all have had a nice weekend! I know many of you have been on Spring Break and I hope your adventures were the kind that create lasting memories for years to come! I took three of my kids to Santa Cruz for a few days (the 4th was on his 8th grade trip to Washington, DC). The highlight for me was definitely taking surfing lessons with my kids. I have wanted to learn how to surf for so long, but always shrugged off my opportunities because the water was too cold, or the conditions were not right for me. But the truth is that I have always been a little scared. I am sure some it comes from the irrational scars left on my subconscious from watching way too many “Jaws” movies, but I have not taken any action to try and change the thoughts. But, this was my chance and I decided that I would not let any fear creep into my thoughts that day, I was going to seize the moment and go for it! I have to admit, it was one of the most fun days I have had in a long time and I cannot wait to go again!

Continuing to expand on the takeaways I started a few weeks ago from the Equinox High Performance Living Symposium in NYC, number three was, “your mindset or biology of beliefs controls your actions. Set your expectations according to what you want.” (Sound familiar with my surfing story??)

I have written about this many times before. Whether you are looking at your biology of beliefs about your appearance, your competencies, your abilities to make your dreams come true, your confidence in yourself and others, remember, the more you repeat it, the more it gets lodged in your subconscious. First you need to identify the beliefs that are holding you back, then make a conscious effort to change them. Offer yourself alternatives, the same alternatives you might give to a friend or family member. Remember, ALWAYS treat yourself like someone you love.

If you want to read more about mindset and how it impacts your life, two books I can recommend are Bruce Lipton’s “The Biology of Belief” which goes into how our beliefs impact our health on a cellular level (epigenetics), and Carol Dweck’s “Mindset” which is more on the fixed vs growth mindset paradigm and how to cultivate a growth mindset.

We are finally back to a FULL schedule this week – WOOT WOOT! All classes are a go and I sure hope to see you there!! The countdown to Summer is on and let’s all enter Summer looking and feeling our very best! You never know what adventures await, better be ready!

Don’t forget to sign your teen up for my summer conditioning camps! You can sign up at http://3.147.225.14/summer-skills-and-conditioning-program-for-teens/

Cheers!

Stella

Whether you are at the beginning or end of your Spring Break, I hope all of you are enjoying some time to recharge, connect with yourselves and loved ones, and hopefully get some exercise. I wanted to continue to expand on my takeaways from the Equinox High Performance Living Symposium I attended in NYC last month. So, here is number 2:

“Staying healthy is cheap, especially when compared to paying for sickness and the best investment you can make. What you put at the end of your fork is more powerful that any drug in a bottle. Quality matters. We should be focused on creating health instead of treating disease.To create health we need to remove toxins, allergens, microbes, stress, and poor diet. To thrive we need healthy foods, vitamins, light, water, air, movement, rhythm, love, connection,meaning and purpose.”

After I had graduated from college, I was interviewing for “management training” programs at a couple of local Nashville banks and teaching aerobics and doing corporate fitness assessments and training at several local Nashville businesses. This was in 1989, certainly before “corporate health and fitness programs” were even on the radar of most corporations. High energy and positivity were the hallmarks of my aerobics classes and I also was running a couple of weeks and for a 22 year old, ate a pretty healthy diet – I was a vegetarian at the time. However, my energy started to slowly decline over that year, I noticed an increase in the number of skin outbreaks (pimples) I had, an increase in digestive issues, and to be honest, by 2 or 3 pm each day I was so lethargic I just wanted to hang out on the couch. I was increasingly becoming frustrated and depressed as I did not feel like myself at all.

One day I happened to run into a friend and she started talking to me about good vs bad bacteria in our gut and how that impacts our overall health, she shared with me her story and I felt like I was listening to a carbon copy of my own. Yes, this was in 1989!!!! My ears perked up and I told her what had been happening to me. She asked if I had taken multiple rounds of antibiotics in the past and I realized that over the prior two or so years I had taken several rounds of very strong antibiotics for several pretty severe sinus infections. What she was telling me made sense with the symptoms I was experiencing. So, I made an appointment with her doctor, was put on what is now considered an “anti-inflammatory” diet, was given nystatin to kill off the bad bacteria in my gut, and started taking probiotic supplements. Within 3 weeks it felt like my health was almost completely restored. I often wonder what would have happened if I had not run into her that day. From that day forward, I started paying much more attention to what I was eating and how it impacted my health. I can assure you, I never wanted to fall back into that lethargic pit.

I know what it is like to experience symptoms of inflammation and poor gut health that can wreck havoc on our bodies. I cannot imagine how many doctors I would have gone to to try and figure out what was wrong with me. Most would have probably told me “nothing” and maybe I was experiencing hormonal fluctuations common in early 20’s. The cost of poor health is staggering. Until doctors are taught how to “create health” in medical school, we have to become our own health advocates. The more you can do to eat a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables, eliminate processed foods, reduce your stress, get plenty of sleep, move your bodies every day, get out and soak in some sunshine and fresh air, and just breathe  – learn how to breath properly, the more your bodies will thank you. Plus, you will have a new baseline for what good health should feel like, so when something is out of whack, you will know immediately. The gift of good health is one gift we should ALL be giving ourselves.

I am so grateful for running into my friend Grace that day in 1989. By sharing her own health story with me, she paid it forward oh so many times. If I can pay it forward to one or more of you, then you can pay it forward and on and on it will go. Let’s all try to give the gift of health to ourselves, our children, and our many friends and loved ones. It really is the gift of life.

The only Perfectly Fit group class we will have this week will be Friday, April 8th at 9am at Stanford Hills Park. The week of April 11th we will be back to a full schedule.

Please check out my summer camp schedule online. I would love to have your kids join me this summer for a week of learning, working out, and fun!

http://3.147.225.14/summer-skills-and-conditioning-program-for-teens/

Have a fantastic week!

Stella