Q & A with Julie Asbach by Patricia Monacelli

Hello everyone! Recently I was asked to participate in an interview for a school assignment for Patricia Monacelli of Virginia. After writing down all the answers to the questions I realized the information might be helpful to some of you who are considering starting a healthier lifestyle. I may not have all the answers and am forever learning what works best - everybody is truly unique in what they may require. I have done some things right to get to this point in my life and would like to share with you! And thanks to all of you who have worked with me to better your lives and who have shown so much support for my health page!

If you have any health topics, health success stories or a family recipe for a health cure, please email me at juls11@peoplepc.com or drop it off at Hometown Focus. Thanks for your support!

P: What made you want to become a Healthy for Life Advocate? How long have you been working in the field of nutrition and exercise?

J: On becoming a healthy for life advocate: I am extremely passionate about the well being of people and our earth. Seeing so many people struggling with health issues every day, including myself, has made me realize how important it is to try to keep perspective and maintain balance to live a contented life. The first time I started an exercise program about 30 years ago in California, I realized it was something I would do for the rest of my life! It was tough at first, but the benefits of feeling good mentally and physically, plus living in a place that truly radiated health and fitness, gave me great inspiration and the willpower to continue. I’m compelled to share the knowledge I’ve obtained through the years about healthy living, the good and bad mistakes! I have been working in the field of nutrition and exercise for over seven years.

P: Were you always interested in health and nutrition?

J: My interest in health and nutrition came pretty naturally to me. I think a lot of influence was through my dad and his grandparents, who had an apple orchard, raised turkeys and were beekeepers. Growing up I loved swimming, bicycle riding and attended dance lessons for many years - which then evolved into aerobics, stretching and weight training. And I learned that all that hard work exercising didn’t pay off as well if I wasn’t eating better. My body is extremely sensitive to what I eat. I was born with food allergies, which went away but came back as an adult. So it is crucial to pay attention to what you are doing on the inside of your body as well as the outside!

P: What advice would you give a person who wants to start to live a healthier lifestyle? What types of things should they include in their daily life?

J: The advice I would give is to listen to your body. Make sure you don’t have something physically or mentally that may hold you back. Find out what is good for your body nutritionally or what activities you can do or enjoy doing. Speak to a health practitioner, nutritionist or a fitness consultant to get started. Other things included in your life should be spirituality, love yourself and other people, being thankful for what you have, spending time with family and friends, helping out someone in need, having hobbies, reading and forever learning, stay positive, praying and laughing a lot!

P: What types of family activities would you recommend for healthier living?

J: Family activities for healthier living would be to listen and talk to each other, pray together, make fun and healthy meals, read to each other, playing games, taking walks, hiking, bicycling, swimming, and any snow activities.

P: What has been the biggest change in the way people think about health and fitness since you started working in this field?

J: The biggest change in the way people think about health and fitness these days is that it is more affordable. Many health insurances are covering costs for all or part of health membership dues.

P: What are the overall benefits of living a healthy lifestyle?

J: Overall benefits of living a healthy lifestyle is feeling better and feeling good about yourself, relieving stress, and helping to focus on what is important. Taking care of yourself is all about helping each other out in this sometimes unpredictable, crazy and beautiful life we’ve been given!

P: Where should a person begin if they are thinking about starting to exercise? What should they be careful to avoid?

J: When starting to exercise it is always good to speak to your doctor to make sure you are good to go or if you have any limitations with certain physical activities. Talking to a personal trainer is also a great way to set up an exercise program designed especially for you. You should avoid over doing exercising; it can cause injury and burnout, which will prohibit you from maintaining a consistent physical activity lifestyle. Also, eating a lot of processed foods can break down the body’s wellness. We only get one body in this lifetime and hopefully most of us have a long way to go, so we need to respect it so we can all live peacefully and contentedly together!

This was an assignment for a class Patricia is taking at Mesabi Range College called Health, Safety and Nutrition.