[50 ROCKS: HONEST] Be HONEST…What is your WHY?

Never in a MILLION years would I have thought I’d share a “before and after picture.” Until the day I realized I could perhaps save a life by being honest with myself, and with the world.

I come from a HUGE family. My dad was one of 12 kids, and we have about 3 DOZEN cousins in each generation (I lost count). We’re the Italian version of the movie “my Big Fat Greek Wedding” (minus the Windex). There’s always love, laughter and lots of food. Now obesity, heart disease and some other scary health issues have surfaced across the branches of our wonderful family tree.

My dad died at age 70 of heart disease stemming from obesity. He missed seeing his four grandkids grow into accomplished young adults. My brother and cousin each had open-heart surgery in their early 50s. Again, they scared me into ACTION.

So my WHY is HUGE: I’m dedicated to ensuring that my family and yours can enjoy longer, healthier and abundant lives. My new health colum in the CITY POST celebrates that mission. I had to be honest with myself, admit that I had a huge problem and then set out to turn that around.

If you’re someone who values better health, or struggles with it, let’s get real and explore answers to your important questions. My column offers tips for healthy aging, weight management, stress reduction, improving athletic performance and more. We will help you find more energy, gain focus, become more productive and really ENJOY each God-given day.

“BETTER HEALTH IS A LIFESTYLE, NOT SOMETHING YOU NEED A VACATION FROM.”

Did you notice that the word diet starts with DIE? Oddly, it makes improving your nutrition sound so painful. I believe this journey is a marathon, not a sprint. We must incorporate celebrations and vacations into our wellness plan vs labeling them as guilty “cheating.” After all, you have to live.

Keeping in mind your specific goals, remember these SIX STEPS to better health:

REESTABLISH your relationship with food
ENJOY the process
Use SYSTEMS and SUPPORT tools
Embrace COACHING in a nurturing environment
Demand ACCOUNTABILITY
Celebrate SUCCESS and small WINS

Better health and wellness are LIFELONG choices, with occasional bumps in the road. Take that FIRST step. Make the decision to honor your “why” and let us know what one thing you can do differently TODAY. As my mentor Charlie Tao says,