This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.
Happy Holidays! These gift ideas will help you bring joy and peace to your loved ones. Below are some easy and thoughtful gifts to give your friends and family that will help them with their self-care goals. Click the images to see the full item description and then just shop!
Therabox Slumber Box with 8 Wellness and Self-Care Products
Active Deep Tissue Percussion Massage Gun with Carry CaseÂ
Foam Roller Set – High-Density Back Roller, Muscle Roller Stick, 2-foot Fasciitis Ball, Stretching Strap, Peanut Massage Ball
Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser Gift SetÂ
Thick Workout Resistance Bands with Door Anchor
24/7 Relief & Recovery Cream for quick and natural pain relief
Heated Fleece Blanket Throw with 6 Heating Levels
Shiatsu Compact Foot Massager with Heat
Homedics SoundSleep White Noise Sound Machine with 6 Relaxing Nature Sounds
 Reusable Hot & Cold Gel Pack for Pain Relief
Positive Mindset Workbook
Massage Therapy Gift Certificate
Wrap It Up
Keep it simple this year and choose a memorable gift of self-care for your loved ones. Gifts of self-care are always a favorite because many people don’t take the time to do it for themselves. Happy shopping!
xoxo
Jill Ciampi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
This is the first post in my Spotlight Series where I will be interviewing a variety of healthcare practitioners about their craft and how they make a difference in the community and people all over. Stay tuned for more interesting chats on the blog!
Think about your current FITNESS level. Do you know what it’s like to move at your fullest potential and operate at your highest energy level?
Your overall well-being is affected by many variables including your physical fitness, emotional capacity, environment, connections to others, and what you put into your body. All of these are extremely important to look at when you are trying to accomplish wellness and most of all avoid sickness and injuries.
My first spotlight chat is with a certified fitness trainer, Ali McRae, who is actually one of my massage therapy clients. We talked about her philosophy and discussed her training services that help people of all ages aspire to a different level of wellness.
About Fitness Professional, Ali McRae
Ali has an extensive background in dance, gymnastics, and diving. From a very young age, she realized the importance of movement and how it affects performance in sports and in life. She went through a yoga certification program and learned all about mindfulness and how movement affects the mind, body, and spirit.
Through the years, she met inspiring people who encouraged her to continue her education and become a trainer. Her journey led her to become a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She has studied under the top trainers in New York City.
Over time, Ali has added many other training techniques to her repertoire as well as mind/body practices to enhance the experience for her clients. Her holistic approach is backed by many certifications including being a Corrective Exercise Specialist. She offers a complimentary 30-minute session to discuss your fitness needs and to figure out if you are a match for her training program.
My favorite part of training clients is helping each of them to feel in touch with and in control of their bodies.
Types of Training Offered
Ali is trained to work with many fitness modalities and has extensive knowledge of a variety of exercises to meet your goals.
Yoga – Vinyasa, Bikram, and several healing movement therapies
I’ve worked with many different clients of all ages, body types, abilities, and setbacks – all of whom leave their sessions feeling better than they entered!
Benefits of Fitness Training
Reaching wellness goals and helping clients move to their fullest potential is the number 1 goal in Ali’s book. We discussed some of the hundreds of benefits exercise offers and here are the main benefits she thought were important to mention.
Increased range of motion in joints and flexibility
Improving sleep which is a top stress management tool
Developing body awareness
Regulating moods and powerful mental health support
Increasing strength, stability, stamina
Weight management
Through years of dance, gymnastics, springboard diving, and yoga, I learned how important movement is for the mind, body, and spirit.
Contraindications of Fitness Training
Ali conducts a comprehensive medical history with all of her clients and discusses any medical conditions and illnesses that may affect the client’s ability to participate in training. She is very knowledgeable about special populations and has the experience to help those clients who have injuries and suffer from chronic conditions.
Her training has prepared her to modify any exercise to suit the client’s needs. A huge benefit of working with certified professionals is that they are able to watch their clients and correct any improper form during training sessions.
Safety and pain-free movement are my main priorities, so I’m adamant about clearly demonstrating proper form and checking in with how my clients feel during an exercise.
Conditions Helped with Personal Training
Ali has worked with many types of injuries and has experience with rehabilitation from surgeries, cancer survivors, and even traumatic brain injuries. She works with physical therapists to ensure the client has the best possible care after experiencing an injury. Ali also loves to help beginners set up a workout program that is realistic and motivating.
Weight Management and Fat Loss
Problems with Balance
Cognitive issues
Musculoskeletal injuries
Spinal injuries
What To Expect
Ali is able to work with clients no matter where they live with virtual sessions on Zoom. She also is available to visit clients’ houses in the Southern Connecticut area as well and in some cases will come to your own gym.
I generally begin with Self Myofascial Rolling and active/dynamic stretching techniques before activating specific muscle groups.
Expect sessions with Ali to be fun but challenging. She is not the drill sergeant type but is very effective and patient if a client has special needs or an injury. She is more than competent to work with all levels of clients from beginners to high-level athletes. Her low-impact workouts don’t need to include jumping or high-impact exercises if that’s not what you are interested in.
Ali customizes each workout to meet your individual goals. You don’t even need to buy all of that expensive equipment if you don’t want to. She recommends using household items like soup cans and water bottles that work just as well as weights.
I’ve attended lots of different workshops in the past few years pertaining to myofascial release, bodywork, pilates, barre, meditation, stretching techniques, and the list goes on.
Who is Your Ideal Client?
Ali loves to work with all ages and mostly works with the female population but does also accept male clients as well. She has trained people from the ages of 20 to 80 years old. No matter what age you are, she can develop an effective workout plan to help reach your fitness goals.
Recommendations
How often you see a trainer depends on what your goals are. It also depends on your budget as well. For self-motivated clients, Ali suggests getting in 1 training session per week with a trainer. For those who need more support, she advises setting up at least 3 training sessions per week.
Cost & Length of Sessions
Depending on the type of training session, Ali’s 60-minute virtual session is $75/hour and the in-person session is $100/hour. She does also offer a 30-minute session for people who can’t work out too long or have special needs.  She offers multiple session packages for clients who like to save a bit of money per session upfront. This is advised to keep clients on track and motivate them, even more, to stick to their plan. Prices vary between the different lengths and styles of sessions and would be discussed in the initial complimentary assessment.
Reach out by email – alison362@gmail.com to book your complimentary fitness assessment today!
Takeaways
Having a personal trainer to support you on your wellness journey is highly recommended for so many reasons. Healthy movement and being connected to your physical body will help you reach your wellness goals that much faster.
If you would like your energy levels to improve, manage your weight and prevent injuries, consider hiring a personal trainer to help you move to the next level of fitness.
You are worth the investment!
xoxo
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
Virtual fitness training became even more popular over the last couple of years due to the pandemic. People have been working out at home for far longer but the demand is much higher now for so many reasons.
In the past, I enjoyed going to the gym, training with a coach, and taking classes. Times have changed. There still is so much value in going to a gym or fitness center and I am not knocking it. However, many people just aren’t comfortable doing that anymore and there are so many other fun options to consider.  It is all about preference!
For so long, I believed I couldn’t get a good workout without using the equipment at a gym. What I found is that working out at home was a much better option for me personally. I experienced a 40-pound weight loss by doing it! Here are some benefits I noticed from my fitness journey and the decision to not return to the gym.
5 Benefits of Virtual Fitness
Variety of Options
There are endless ways to use virtual fitness to your advantage. From online paid memberships like BeachBody to the thousands of options on YouTube, there is a workout to be found for everyone at every level. Discovering new coaches who I enjoy listening to is always a fun experiment.
Occasionally, I will try new ones, and if I don’t like the workout or the trainer I just turn it off and switch to someone different. That’s the best feeling when you are in control of who is training you at that moment.
I have been working out at home for a while so I have a long list of my favorites which I will share. Name one type of exercise and I promise you will be able to find it online. And the bonus is that most of the at-home options have free content so there are no extra bills to worry about!
My Go-to favorites when I am not on my stationary bike:
What is better than being in the comfort of your own home. The fact that you don’t have to drive to a gym or fitness center is a bonus in my eyes. In addition, being able to choose whenever you work out is a plus. No class times or trainer schedules to figure out.
Work around your schedule and be comfortable in your surroundings. Some people just are not comfortable working out with other people around. I get it. I do enjoy working out alone. Usually, I work out right in my living room and choose something from YouTube or work out with my coach on her private Facebook page. Move over the coffee table and get to it!
Clean Environment
In my opinion, nothing is worse than being in a filthy gym around all sweaty people who are using the same equipment as you. Especially in these times, people are super aware of germs and being in a clean environment. Being at home doing a virtual fitness workout will allow you to control what germs you are exposed to.
Wear Whatever You Want
When you work out at home, there’s no need to buy expensive leggings and a cute sports bra. To be honest, half the time I exercise at home I am still in my pajamas and not wearing a bra. Feel free, with no judgment, to wear whatever you please. You know you will be more comfortable!
Work Out with Your Partner & KidsÂ
If you battle with your family to be more active, then these at-home options may just do the trick to get them moving. Think of it as family bonding. Getting kids to exercise is hard enough. Coaxing them out of their rooms is possible if they don’t have to make the effort to leave the house. Try it. It works sometimes in my house so there is hope!
More Time With Your Pets
Staying at home to work out will give you the luxury of not leaving your pets by themselves. When I work out, my dog sits right beside me. However, sometimes he gets in my way, I don’t mind because he gives me so much joy. Even when he thinks it’s playtime when I go on the floor to foam roll or do ab exercises! I love being with him. It always makes me feel guilty when I leave the house so this way I don’t have to and that’s what I prefer.
Boomer
Enjoying Virtual Fitness at Home
So, tell me which benefit you would enjoy the most about working out at home. You never know until you try it. You may be surprised that you don’t miss getting into your car and traveling to a gym you have to pay for in order to be surrounded by a large crowd of people you don’t know. Save on gas too. This introvert loves the option of not having to leave the house for my workouts so I highly recommend it!
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.
Memorable Mental Health Gifts
When you think about the upcoming Holiday season how does it make you feel? Happy? Overwhelmed? Grateful? I always feel a combination of all the above! My favorite holiday is Christmas so I do enjoy finding gifts for my loved ones but I don’t always like the process of shopping. It stresses me out going to the mall or stores around the holidays. Sometimes this takes the joy out of gift-giving. So why not make it as easy as possible!
Here are some easy and thoughtful gifts to give your friends and family that will help them with their mental health too!
1. Meaningful Mental Health Gifts
CrateJoy Subscription Box– The perfect self-care gift for yourself or a loved one! Receiving a subscription box once per month is a special treat and makes you feel fabulous. Who wouldn’t want some extra self-care treats every month. A Self-Care Gift for all ages is available. Click here for the latest deals!
Click each box below to discover the thousands of cool options for everyone on your list.Â
MasterClass has hundreds of interesting classes given by experts in their field. Check out these self-care courses or choose from a variety of other classes including music, cooking, acting, photography, and many more! Any of these are sure to boost your spirits and improve mental health.
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3. Relaxing Gifts to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle
Homedicsis one of the top wellness companies offering a variety of products for sleep care, massage, spa, air quality, and lots of other useful healthcare merchandise. Browse through hundreds of gifts that focus on living a healthy lifestyle.
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4. Gift of Meditation
Meditation is well known as a reliable source of stress management. There are many apps out there to help calm the mind and body but I found Synctuition to be one of my favorites. This app uses binaural beats to enhance sounds that provide lasting mental health benefits. I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to these sound journeys which are extremely calming and help me sleep. This app is best listened to with headphones. Check it out!
Reading can transport you to another time and place. Books have the ability to help you escape and reading is a healthy way to reduce stress and get your mind off any problems you face. I love unwinding at the end of the day with a good book. See the amazing options this local online bookshop has to offer!
6. Powerful Pain Relief to Promote Healing
Suffering from chronic pain can really weigh heavily on your emotions and affect your mental health in a negative way. Here’s one natural way to conquer those aches and pains. I personally use this amazing topical cream and my massage therapy clients love it as well!
For people outside of Connecticut, check out SpaWish and choose from all sorts of self-care treatments including massage therapy, facials, manicures, and pedicures. I will take this gift over most anything else. Yes, please!
8. Coaching Program for Mental Health
My Stress Solution Programoffers 6 weeks of private Wellness Coaching to help cope with stress and build a self-care plan to become the best version of yourself. Much needed for all in our society today. Sometimes you just need a little extra help in life by hiring a coach. I am here for you and your loved ones!
9. A Simple Mindset Gift
The Positive Mindset Workbook is a handy guide that gives practical tips on how to improve mindset in 10 Simple Steps. This easy-to-use workbook includes action steps and a discovery journal and helps the most critical person stay on track with positive thinking.
10. Free 5 Day Self-Care Crash Course
My latest online course covers the basics of self-care and how to incorporate it easily into your life. Great for anyone who feels overwhelmed and is in need of a reset. There are modules on stress management, habits, sleep, organization, and mindset. Click here to sign up!
Mental Health Gift Wrap Up
Keep it simple this year and choose a memorable gift of self-care for your loved ones. They deserve it and will be grateful that you thought of their mental health. If you are like me, you enjoy giving a gift that will make a difference in someone’s life. Gifts of self-care are always a favorite because many people don’t take the time to do it for themselves. Happy shopping!
xoxo
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
It has been a while. I needed to take some time off from writing and focus on other things including myself. My lifestyle habits needed a good kick in the gut. Back in April, I hit a low and was extremely unhappy with myself. I had reached the highest weight I have ever been and can’t even say it was from all of the craziness of 2020 either. For years, I have not practiced much self-care and had some pretty bad habits with eating, mindset, and movement. It felt like I was trying but I really wasn’t. I was just playing the part and phoning it in. My lifestyle was not taking me down a good path both physically and mentally.
As a healthcare professional, I work hard to offer the best of myself and my expertise. Eventually, it took a toll and I spent less and less time caring about my own health and happiness. That was just one part. Although it is a blessing, being a stepmom is incredibly challenging and I allowed myself to be just a caregiver and forgot about myself. I intellectually knew what I had to do but I just didn’t have the energy to care enough to make lifestyle changes.
What Sparked My Lifestyle Changes
Besides the health risks of being overweight, I was delaying planning my wedding because I didn’t feel good about myself. It is hard to admit that. Last March, my bloodwork revealed high cholesterol, blood sugar, and high triglycerides. As a Wellness Coach, I knew that those numbers could be reduced by making lifestyle changes. I knew what to do but just struggled to make the necessary changes. I had tried several different diet programs with very little success including seeing a nutritionist, naturopath, and other healthcare practitioners.
Therefore, it was so frustrating because I felt like I was doing enough movement and eating a whole food diet. My so-called healthy lifestyle was not cutting it. But guess what I didn’t work on enough.. my MINDSET and changing my habits. I have spent years trying different programs that only really lowered my metabolism and made it that much harder to lose weight. Also, let’s factor in that I am a 48-year-old female-headed towards menopause.
I was ashamed to call myself a Wellness Coach because I felt like a phony. I did not have much energy to give in my massage therapy practice and started to resent the very job that I loved for so many years. In other words, I think I reached a breaking point and the thought of getting married looking that way made me sick to my stomach. I needed to make changes and find a new way to not only lose the weight but change my habits and mindset so that I could be happy again. Thriving in life instead of just surviving was my goal.
How I Started to Change My Habits
One day last March I reached out to my sister and shared that I was just beyond frustrated with weight loss plans and how nothing had worked for me. So tired of expressing that same feeling over and over again, I asked for help. She had been on a lifestyle program and lost over 50 pounds and kept it off for a year. She put me in touch with her amazing coach. Being an analytical and critical person, I looked at the program first and started to have my reservations. Once I talked to my coach, I still had concerns but it really was just fear. I jumped in with the support of both of them and began my journey. It was not easy. It was a struggle at first and honestly still is at times. That is part of the process of change.
Changing bad habits is not a walk in the park. If it’s not challenging, change usually doesn’t happen. There was a point where I just told myself to do this now otherwise you will continue to be unhappy and make everyone else around you unhappy. This woke me up. With the help of my coach, I have been able to make significant lifestyle changes and can report that I am much happier and lighter too!
Why I Love This Lifestyle Program
Here is a brief outline of the reasons why this lifestyle program has worked so well for me.
Food – I eat 6 times per day every 2 to 3 hours of convenient, nutritionally interchangeable, scientifically designed food. A significant change for me is to eat within 30 minutes of getting up. There are different phases. I am still in the weight loss phase so it is a little more restrictive. However, it is very easy to follow and actually makes it a lot less stressful because there are so many choices of what to eat. Takes the guesswork out! I will eventually reach the next phase which helps to transition you to the next level of a healthy lifestyle.
Mindset – I read personal developments books and write in this LifeBook journal regularly. A lot more work to do on my mindset but this is a great start. Progress, not perfection!
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Hydration – I drink at least 80 – 90 oz of water daily.
Coaching – I have an amazing and supportive Coach who is always there when I need her. There is a really cool app calledShe How You Eat (SHYE)that has been extremely helpful in planning and tracking what I eat. This one tool was a game-changer for me! Being accountable is essential in making sustainable lifestyle changes.
Physical Activity – My coach is a certified fitness trainer and bodybuilder who knows how to make lifestyle changes stick. She has a private Facebook page and offers live workouts. Bonus! I work out at least 1 hour per day 5 days per week and engage in a lot more physical activity when time permits.
Community – I am part of a caring and supportive community of people who have been through the program as well as those who are going through this lifestyle transformation with me.
Habits of Health – The habits that make transformative lifestyle changes.
Consistency and Effort –Â Being consistent with this program and not cheating for 4 months has been instrumental in my journey. Although in the beginning, it was a lot of effort but nothing worthwhile is easy. It actually is second nature at this point!
More Self-Care Changes
Skincare
As I get closer to another decade, I notice that my skin is starting to show signs of aging. Part of my regular skincare routine is a cleanser, moisturizer, and eye cream. In addition, I added in a daily toner, vitamin C serum, and an exfoliating mask once per week. I also decided that I am going for facials more often as finances permit. The schedule that I would like to stick to is every other month.
Bodywork
As you know, I already go for massages every month and that won’t change anytime in the future. This is the time for me to unwind and get my sore muscles and joints worked on so I can continue to feel great in my job as well as benefit my mental health. In addition, I committed to seeing my chiropractor every other week which is highly beneficial for my body especially to calm down my nervous system and keep my spine moving well.
Announcements
Free 5 Day Self-Care Course
The 5 Day Self-Care Crash course is available now! Learn how to create a realistic self-care routine to help lower stress and enjoy a healthy and positive lifestyle. Click this link or the image below to sign up today!
September Self-Care Success Challenge
Ready to make sustainable lifestyle changes? This will be a self-care and lifestyle habit transformation challenge.
Access to a Whole Health Educatorâ„¢ & Certified Wellness Coach
3 Awesome Prizes!
5 Bonuses to Support Your Journey Including Recipes & Mindset Help
Private Facebook Community For Extra Support
Focus on Good Things
I am happy to report that as of this post I have lost 32 pounds since the end of April! Stay tuned for more posts about my self-care journey. I do have the opportunity to become a coach for this lifestyle transformation program and I will at some point. For now, I am focused on my goals and reaching the next phase of my transformation.
The picture on the right was taken on vacation last week while I was in Hilton Head. I felt so much better in my body and mind!
Contact me if this sounds like something you would like to hear about! When I find something that works for me and thousands of other people I want to share it as much as I can!
In conclusion, know that you are very deserving to be the best version of yourself. Let me know if I can help in any way to meet your goals! Stay in touch and be on the lookout for more posts coming soon!
xoxo
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
         
       
