3 Easy Tips to Make Wellness a Way of…YoPoweR! for Life!
If you’ve been following us for the past several weeks, you know we are making our way through our day and making Wellness a Way of YoPoweR! for Life! In the course of our day, we are now at late afternoon. This can be a challenging time for adults and kids. We all experience that slump in energy, so follow these 3 easy tips and YoPoweR! your way through your day!
3 Easy Tips to Make Wellness a Way of….YoPoweR! for Life!
Here’s a HINT: Get up and MOVE!! Take a break from whatever you are doing and get up and move.
It’s easy as …..1, 2, 3 Stretch, flex and release…EVERYTHING!
1. Start at the top and work your way down. Breathe deeply and release any tension or tightnes you feel. Carefully and slowly, roll your head all the way around and then reverse it. Easily drop your chin to your chest and then carefully lower your head back, lift up and turn your face to the left and then the right.
2. Tighten up your shoulders and then release them while exhaling. Remember to connect with your breath. Squeeze your hands tightly and then release. Shake out your arms and hands…let them go.
3. Easily swing your arms from side to side, across your front and back, gently twisting at the waist. Let the weight of your swinging arms twist your body to your comfort level. Slowly, bring them back to your sides. Take a big breath in and blow it out while folding forward at the waist. Release your breath and your lower back as you bend forward. Let your arms, shoulders and head hang without any tension. Keep your knees soft, do not lock them. Now take another deep breath and roll your body up, like a rag doll. Lift shoulders up, back and down, as you deeply exhale.
Whew….that felt good!! Now, take a moment to be grateful….. and SMILE!!! 
Be sure to drink plenty of water, get a piece of fruit and you are ready to continue your day by Making Wellness a Way of…YoPoweR! for Life!
Be sure to let us know how these suggestions are working for you. Please join us on YoMedics Face Book page, follow us on Twitter and let us know what you’re thinking. We’re all in this together!
TGIFF – Thank Goodness it’s Fun Friday! Let’s Dance!
It’s been a terrific week and we have arrived at Fun Friday! Keep it simple, get the whole family involved and make it fun. Make a quick, easy and healthy meal, how about tacos! Healthy tacos are a good option. Use lean ground beef or maybe try the “non-meat” hamburger crumbles. Use low fat cheese, add lots of lettuce, chopped tomatoes, stuff your shells and then your mouths!!!
You could even do something fun, like playing salsa music and dance!! If you follow my Friday blog, you will see a recurring theme of dancing…..I like dancing! Dancing with your family and friends is fun, creates connections, laughter and maybe even a little sweat!!
It’s about keeping things light and receptive, the atmosphere and energy at home. Use this time on Fridays to reconnect with your kids. Start this healthy habit of planning every week with you family for TGIFF. Take turns in deciding the healthy, yummy meal and the music to go with it. Take a trip around the world without ever leaving your neighborhood!! It’s fun, adventurous and affordable – BONUS!!
You could try foods from different cultures and add music from that culture. Just be sure your food preparation stays healthy and light. Try to use foods that are locally grown and produced, you support your local economy and reduce your “carbon footprint” – BONUS!! You know I love bonuses!!
Let us know where you have “traveled” with your family by following these suggestions. It creates a fun theme night and something to discuss and look forward to, during the week. Hey, you could even invite friends and neighbors…..Let’s Dance!
Making Positive Decisions, the YoPoweR! Way!
Hey it’s a party and your invited, get to know us better…the YoPoweR! Way! With great care and passion, we developed this philosophy and formula to empower and inspire kids to live confidently, boldly and brilliantly!!! Try this with your kids……see them become, YoPoweR-ful! And by the way, all of us can do this too!!
YoPoweR! for Life Philosophy (YPR)
Create personal confidence, empowerment and fortitude through thoughtful decision making; resulting in sustainable whole health balance, wellness and the joy of life at our personal and collective best. YoPoweR! for Life!
Making positive decisions can be as easy as 1, 2, 3….REALLY! The YPR Formula can be applied to any situation and helps kids make positive, safe, YoPoweR-ful decisions!! It gives our kids an easy to remember formula and quick scoring system to use at home, in school and when we’re not there to give them direction.
Be sure to check out the YPR example below to help you understand how it can be applied to everyday situations.
YoPoweR! for Life (YPR) Formula
Applying YPR to any decision gives children, and ourselves, the formula to make sound, responsible choices.
Y
Is this YOUR decisions? Are you being influenced by others or have you made this decision yourself?
P
What is the PURPOSE of your decision — Is it for fun? Does it benefit someone or you? Could it hurt someone’s feelings or does it make you feel good in your heart?
R
What will be the RESULT of your decision — Will it be something you are proud of and feel good about? Would your parents be proud of your choice?
YPR Scoring System – How many did you get for your decision?
3 out of 3 Very good choice. Keep it up. Be a role model for your friends. Tiggily Wiggily, Way to GO!
2 out of 3 May need to rethink your choice – You can do better! Okily Doekily, Go SLOW!
1 out of 3 Not a good choice. How can you turn it into a positive experience? Oogily Boogily,Oh NO!
Role play with your kids!!
YPR Example: See how your decision-making scores for this real life situation. You are at a party. Everyone has had pizza and soda. After running and playing, everyone is offered soda, juice or water to drink. You see most of the other kids are taking soda and juice.
You decide to take water. Tiggily Wiggily – Let’s GO!!
You choose to take juice. Okily Doekily – Go Slow
You decide to take soda. Oogiliy Boogily – Oh NO!!
**You choose to take the water. You are positively committed to your health, a real leader! YoPoweR-ful!
Y-Your decision, P – Positive purpose, R – Result/decision you can be proud of
3 out of 3 – Tiggily Wiggily Let’s GO!
As I said, it’s easy as 1,2,3…YOU Can do this with your kids! As you go through your day, help them to understand how they can use this formula to be confident of their choices and proud of themselves. Next Thursday, we’ll have another example of applying the YPR Formula to every day life. Thanks for checking in with us and choosing to make positive decision making a part of YoPoweR! for Life!
Send in a suggestion/situation you would like us to apply to the YPR Formula. We may use it in the blog as our example for the week. Let us know how the YPR Formula works for you and your family. We’re all in this together!! Join us on Face Book and follow us on Twitter, see you next time!
Make Wellness a Way of…YoPoweR! for Life! It’s easy and fun!
Ok, dear friends, let’s continue to Make Wellness a Way of…YoPoweR! for Life! We are currently up to our afternoon, so let’s ease into it. Be sure to refer to my previous Wednesday blogs for easy, fun wellness suggestions to make mornings through lunch, YoPoweR-ful!
We are up to the afternoon now, in our journey to invite wellness into our day. If you can get up and go outside, great, if not, just do it where you are. Let’s take a breath! You’re really starting to get the hang of it, I can tell! Is that a smile on your face? Yes, no, either way….take another breath…. 
Follow these simple suggestions:
Make your breath deep, feel your breath as it moves in and out
Quiet your mind, notice if you feel tense or tight anywhere
As you breathe in, let your belly and chest expand (stop holding in your tummy)
When you breath out, release any tightness in your body
Relax and Smile! REPEAT!!!!
The simple act of pausing and connecting to your breath can work wonders!! It’s easy, may seem a bit goofy, but who cares…and the benefits can be felt immediately! Best of all, it’s free – BONUS!! You will feel better, more relaxed and reconnected to You!
Guess what friends, you’re making Wellness a Way of…. YoPoweR! for Life! You can do this, it’s easy, fun and you can do it anytime, anywhere!! Share this practice with your kids too! It’s a great way to calm down and connect in a meaningful way! What a gift to share, that’s YoPoweR-ful!
As always, we want to hear from you…let us know how these suggestions are working for you and your family. Join us on our Face Book page, follow us on Twitter and share your stories! We’re all in this together!
TGIFF – Thank Goodness it’s Fun Friday, make it YoPoweR-ful!
Congratulations, you made it through another week! TGIFF, Thank Goodness it’s Fun Friday!! Hopefully, you’ve been trying to incorporate some healthy lifestyle practices into the regular routine for yourself and family!! Remember, you can make small changes that have big health benefits!!!
So let’s make the start of this weekend fun and healthy, YoPoweR-ful!! For this fun Friday activity suggestion, how about family game night?! We always want to begin with a yummy, light dinner. Everyone feels better after a nutritious, light meal. You don’t want to get “stuffed” and plop down on the couch, feeling Oogily Boogily, right?
If you are not, yet, familiar with the Oogily Boogilies, be sure to check out our YoPoweR! Programs storyline for details of our characters. Click on the curriculum button of our home page to locate the storyline, share with your kids. Quickly, though, Oogily Boogilies are grouchy, grumpy uncomfortable feelings and the foods that make us feel that way!
SO, let’s leave them out of the plan and eat Tiggily Wiggily foods that make us feel how?…..That’s right, Tiggily Wiggily all over!! Making that very simple, yet powerful connection for yourself and family is tremendously important. When you eat fresh, healthy foods you really do feel nourished, positive and replenished! The opposite choices result in the exact opposite outcome – heavy, unhealthy foods make us feel weighed down and sluggish.
You know it’s true…help your kids to recognize this correlation between what we eat and how we feel, PLEASE!!! Making this simple connection can change the direction of their choices and health for a lifetime, it’s that important!!!
OK, so we are clear on the type of food choices for dinner. Let the games begin!! One of my kids’ favorite games to play is the Animal Game. We do this while all sitting down to dinner together. You may have heard of it, it’s lots of fun. Someone begins by thinking of a type of animal and then tells the group what is the first letter in the name of the animal. So for example, if you are thinking of the animal, camel, you would say the letter C. Then everyone starts guessing what the animal could be that starts with the letter C.
They can ask certain questions, like, does it have four legs, does it live on land, what does it eat…..you get the idea. Whoever guesses correctly, gets the next turn. If no one guess the answer, you get to go again or can pass your turn, It’s a great way to interact with your family, get everyone involved, have fun and even make it educational, BONUS! A great way to make this even more fun and healthy is to play this game while you are all taking a family walk or bike ride.
This is just one game suggestion, there are lots of really fun games to play together….How about hide and seek or freeze tag!! It will get everyone moving, laughing and playing together. Whatever game you decide to play, get outside, move and have fun with your family!!! You all will feel Tiggily Wiggily, all over!!! That’s YoPoweR-ful!!!
Send us your thoughts about these suggestions and share with us some games your family likes to play. Be sure to join our Face Book group and follow us on Twitter. Continue to check out our blogs for more suggestions of easy, fun and creative ways to make healthy choices for a life time of wellness!! Remember, we’re all in this together. Have a wonderful, fun, healthy weekend with your family, YoPoweR-ful!!
Make Wellness a way of…YoPoweR! for Life!
Welcome back for, Make Wellness a way of…YoPoweR! for Life! If you have been following us recently, and I hope you have, you know we are now up to lunch time in our day. For those who have not been following or who need a refresher, read the previous Wednesday blogs on our website, www.yomedics.com. This will bring you up to date on our journey to Make Wellness a Way of…YoPoweR! for Life!
Ok, so we are heading into lunchtime. Remember, it is super important that you take time for yourself. It is a time to renew, refuel and energize yourself. If possible, remove yourself from your “work” environment and find a place to reconnect with yourself, your breath. Take a few deep breaths, quiet your mind, follow your breath in and out. Think of at least three things or more that you are grateful for in your life. When you are grateful for what you have, you will find more things in your life to be grateful for, promise!! Are you smiling yet?
If you can, try to get some exercise. Bring your walking shoes to work and get out and move for a bit. If going for a walk is not possible, then do some stretches and think about releasing tension in your body and mind!! Just taking this time for yourself will improve your mental attitude and you’ll feel more relaxed and rejuvinated.
Be sure to save enough time to enjoy some healthy food, preferably brought from home. It is so much easier to eat nutritious, yummy food when you bring it yourself. When we try to do things “on the fly” it usually does not work out well. Planning your own meal gives you the control and balance you need to stay healthy and well!!
As we have discussed previously, these are things we have all thought of doing for ourselves before, so why now? Because you are worth it, because doing these things will result in big benefits for you and those around you!! Start by trying these suggestions a couple of days a week and notice the difference from the days you do not. It will make you a believer, you will Make Wellness a way of…YoPoweR! for Life!
Be sure to check in next Wednesday, as we continue through our day of wellness practices. We will be up to afternoon break time! Please let us know how these suggestions are working for you and your family. Check out our Face Book page and the group, follow us on Twitter. We’re all in this together!!
Family Friday, make it fun and healthy the YoPoweR! way.
Everybody looks forward to Fridays, right? Sure we do, it’s the end of a long week and we are ready to relax, have fun and treat ourselves!! Guess what, you can have fun, treats and enjoy your family while still keeping it healthy! YoMedics’ fundamental approach to living a healthy lifestyle with your family is all about what we CAN DO!
So, put a smile on your face and know this Friday is going to be the start of a healthy, fun weekend for you and your family! You can do it the YoPoweR! way. Think about your decisions before making them and have a plan for success. You can make healthy, good decisions for you and your family, even on Fridays!
Pizza, anyone? I vote yes! Fridays are always pizza and movie night at our house. It’s important to be mindful of your serving size/portion of pizza and what’s on top!! Thin crust pizza with veggies rocks! You can even add a little extra low fat cheese and Canadian bacon for more taste without adding huge amounts of calories and fat.
Make a beautiful, big salad with veggies and fruits that are in season. Mix it up, literally, and have fun with it!! Get your kids to help. Try putting on some music instead of the TV, dance with your kids. Feel the tension of the week leave your bodies and notice the big smiles on your faces….giggle like the Tiggily Wiggilies!
Do you and your kids know about the Tiggily Wiggilies and their mother? She is the rainbow over the Island of Yomagination in our YoPoweR! for Life! programs. Mother Rainbow covers the Island with her colors of love, making her little ones, the Tiggily Wiggilies, sparkle and shine. You can make your little ones sparkle and shine by making your salad as colorful as a rainbow.
Check out our YoPoweR! program storyline and meet the exciting characters who live on the Island of YoMagination. Just click the curriculum button on our website home page, www.yomedics.com. Have fun and share them with your family. Discuss the importance of making healthy choices and how it can be yummy too! Use tonight’s meal as an example of what we CAN DO to make healthy choices that taste great while having fun! That’s YoPoweR-ful!!
Remember to get out with your family and exercise on your fun Friday, as well as throughout the weekend. You’ve all loosened up and connected with dancing and sharing a yummy, healthy meal. Now go for a family walk, take the dog, she could use the exercise too.
This is a great opportunity to really talk with your kids after a hectic week. Most kids just started back to school or will be soon. Ask if they have any questions or concerns and let them know they can count on you to “have their back”. Ask them what they enjoyed most about their week and what they enjoyed the least. What challenges are coming up for the following week.
Discuss ways they can make positive decisions and good choices to successfully handle upcoming events. To review our YoPoweR! (YPR) Formula for positive decision making, click on the curriculum tab on the website. It can really help with your discussions!
See, you can have fun on Fridays, strengthen your family bonds and keep it healthy! Way to go, now make it a YoPoweR-ful Weekend!! Please let us know your thoughts and comments. It matters to us what you think and how these suggestions work with your families, we’re all in this together!! Be sure to join our Face Book group, follow us on Twitter and stop by often to visit with us at www.yomedics.com.
Kids are back to school- make it healthy, YoPoweR-ful!
As our kids head back to school, there’s much to consider and organize. As was noted by our Face Book friend, Beth Laufer Dieter, cafeteria food is generally full of fat, sugar and salt. Not what we want pumping through our little angels’ bodies. After a long summer of late nights and less structured schedules, kids are going to have enough difficulty staying awake, focused and “on task”. As parents and teachers, assure your kids you understand the change of shifting gears from summer time to school time. Healthy, nutritious food is an extremely important part of successfully making that shift.
So, let’s fuel them with food that will nourish their bodies and brains! First off, breakfast is non-negotiable. You’ve heard it and it’s true, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, for many reasons. So, that’s a must! Be mindful of the quality of food, keep it healthy and easy. Talk to your kids about the importance of breakfast to supercharge their morning to make it a good day! For example, there are lots of good, healthy cereals, not the sugary, fake fruity tooty kind. Add low fat dairy milk or unsweetened soy or almond milk to a healthy cereal choice, with a serving of fruit and they’re off. As educators, you may not have the option to feed them their breakfast, but make sure your kids and parents know the importance of starting the day with a healthy breakfast. In the classroom, you could share with kids what you had for your healthy breakfast!
Some thoughts about lunch are as follows, send lunch from home!! It may not be the most convenient way to provide lunch, but it is probably THE most healthy. Our kids are worth it! Additionally, it saves money, we can cut down on waste by using recycleable containers and we get to add a big pinch of love to their lunch! You can do this for yourself too, for all the same reasons! Be a role model, our kids are watching what we do!!
Some quick ideas for a healthy lunch include veggie or chicken chili. You can find varieties of this in your local store, probably in the health food section. They really are tasty and can be a nice change from a sandwich. Add a low fat string cheese stick and an apple or carrots and you’re on you’re way to a healthy lunch. Another really yummy, different lunch option is hummus. This can be served with pita chips, veggies or even pretzels.
Initially, kids may not be very excited about these new food items, however, it is so beneficial for them to try different foods and seasonal fruits and veggies. Great opportunity to work it into discussions in the classroom and home. So, start integrating some of these food options, as well as regional and cultural favorites. You can do this at home or even in the classroom with current curriculum topics. Develop their knowledge, interests and palate….variety/diversity is the spice of life!
Let us know if you tried any of these ideas and how it’s working with your kids. Also, share any good suggestions for healthy snacks and lunches..we’re all in this together!!
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Make Wellness a Way of….YoPoweR! for Life!
Last week we covered some really simple ideas to invite and integrate wellness into your life; in particular, how to start your day the YoPoweR! Way. Although you may think you don’t have the time or discipline for these simple and healthy lifestyle practices, they take very little time, are cost effective and yield real wellness benefits. Although these may be things you have heard before, committing to them and practicing them throughout your day will make you a believer. Just try it and see!
Remember, when you start your day the YoPoweR-ful! Way, it sets the tone for your entire day. We know when we start with a positive, grateful attitude and eat a healthy balanced breakfast, we are better prepared for the challenges of the day and how we interact with others. Clearly, these practices have real benefits for your family, co-workers and friends too, BONUS! Check the blog from last Wednesday for specifics on morning suggestions. So, let’s continue with some of these easy to integrate, YoPoweR-ful! ideas.
Now that your morning is humming along, you feel more relaxed, energized and positive, be sure to keep yourself hydrated with water. Make a mental note to keep water with you and continue drinking it, even if you don’t feel thirsty. This will keep your energy flowing, mind and body. And yes, also make a mental note where bathrooms are located! As an additional BONUS, which I clearly like BONUSES, bring your own water container and keep refilling it. This cuts down on waste, saves money and is good for the environment – BONUS!
Be sure to bring with you some healthy, easy to eat snacks from home. It really is important that you get a high quality charge during your mid-morning. Variety is the spice of life, to be sure, however, knowing what you like, what works for you and having it readily available sets you up for success! I vote yes! Plus, it will save you money and keep you out of the vending machines or conveneince stores, BONUS!
As you are taking this mid-morning “moment”, be sure to connect with your breath. Just breathe and follow the flow of your breath in and out. Remember what you were thankful for this morning and see if you can add even more gratitude to your attitude. If you can, stand up and take some big cleansing breaths, release tension in your neck and back. Pay attention to any tightness in your body and breathe into it to release the tension.
Be sure to send in your comments on integrating these wellness practices into your life and let us know how it’s working for you and your family. Also send in your suggestions for healthy, easy to eat snacks. We’re all in this together, so share what’s working for you! Read next Wednesday’s blog, I’ll be sharing ideas for lunch, we’ll be half way through our day, the YoPoweR! Way!
Congratulations….YOU are Making Wellness a Way of…..YoPoweR! for Life! BONUS!
By example, we teach important lessons at home and in school!
On a recent vacation flight with my young daughter, we met a couple returning from an ashram in India, as well as visiting Brazil. They had been away for many months and were returning home after a long sojourn. Interestingly enough, they are both educators. The man is a high school drama teacher in the states and the woman is a director of a school in Brazil.
Throughout the flight, they were both very kind to us and open to conversation. We chatted easily about their experiences in India and Brazil, as well as their work with children. They both work with children dealing with behavioral and/or socio-economical challenges. Although culturally very different, the two educators and the children they teach, there were undeniable common qualities about them. They both exuded patience, compassion and kindness.
Now obviously, you say…… hey, if I had just come from months at an ashram in India, meditating and practicing yoga, I might exude the same qualities. Fair enough! However, it is important to note that as parents and/or educators, we are the role models for our kids.
They look to us to set the example at home and in school. Children are finely tuned in to the words we use speaking to others and about ourselves. Framing things from a positive prospective and with positive words is tremendously important.
By focusing on the behavior we want from our kids, including healthy lifestyle choices and attitudes, kids will follow our example and model these positive behaviors. As the kind drama teacher shared from his stay at the ashram,….. leading by example is not a good teacher, it’s the only teacher!
