Every time I turn the key in the lock and open the door of my new building, it feels like a dream come true. It’s exactly the sort of place I’ve always wanted for my Wellness Center, and I can’t wait to see it all finished.
We’ve been working with Royal Palm Beach officials, architects, builders and suppliers. It’s not my cup of tea, but it has to be done.
It’s not going to be a typical doctor’s office, and that’s why it’s harder to get everything set up just the way I want to have it. I’m designing this to be a truly holistic natural health center, bringing together the best of fitness, anti-aging, and total body wellness.
I never wanted a clinic that felt impersonal or institutional. And I want a center that does more than help you when you’re sick. That’s why I’ll also have a P.A.C.E. fitness studio, a supplement boutique, a skin care division, and a full health spa with organic cuisine.
I want it to be a place where you feel inspired to take control of your health, to stay young and vibrant.
One of the things we’re going to be able to do for you is give you more personalized, VIP service in between appointments. I’m helping my medical office manager, Melissa, roll out the new program this month. Think of it as a chance to get more one-on-one attention from my staff, and better access to my medical advice – like a personal health coaching program.
And it’s going to be free to all of my patients.
When you come to an appointment at my clinic, we spend time to make sure we’re getting to the root of your health concerns. The causes might be more complex than what you’re eating or what medicines you’re taking. Your relationships, your job, your hobbies, your daily stress, your busy schedule, your spirituality – all of those have a lot to do with your health, even if you don’t realize it.
With this new service, you won’t have to navigate all of that alone once you leave your appointment. After I put together my personal plan for you, I’ll work with Melissa to show her how to turn my recommendations into simple, manageable steps.
Melissa has more time available than I do to show you how these recommendations can fit into your real life. She’ll be there to support you every step of the way.
For instance, Melissa might go grocery shopping with you. She can show you how you can eat well without having it feel like a chore. She’ll even show you how to cook something new if you want.
Last week, I had a patient who told me she hated going to the gym. She asked if Melissa would go with her for their first health coaching session. Beforehand, I told Melissa about the three “don’ts” I always keep in mind when I send someone to a gym…
- Don’t fall for the fitness industry’s nonsense. You’ll see treadmills in every gym, and every trainer there will tell you they’re great exercise. But that’s terrible advice. The treadmill forces your body into a completely unnatural movement. With the machine moving under you, you use different muscles than you would if you actually ran. You stabilize your body differently, and that puts unnatural stress on your joints, back and muscles. If you want to use a machine, try the elliptical instead. The movement of your feet, knees and hips is more natural.
- Don’t use those resistance machines. Free weights are more natural, but even better, you don’t need any special equipment. Your body weight is all you need. I’m talking about doing things like push-ups, lunges and squats. They used to call this calisthenics, before people thought this kind of exercise was old-fashioned. But it turns out this is the kind of exercise you’re built for. It gives you stronger muscles and stronger bones – and you can’t get that from weight machines. There are more examples of exercises you can do with your own body weight on my P.A.C.E. website.http://www.paceliving.com/exercise/sample-exercises
- Don’t make the mistake that most people do. Most people at the gym stay with the same routine for weeks, months or years. Patients will come to me and say “I don’t think exercise works because I’ve done the same thing for five years and nothing happens.” I tell them that exercise will only work when you challenge your capacity a little bit each time. Think of it like the interest on your bank account. Even though it’s a small change, it has a dramatic effect over time as the interest compounds.
At the gym, don’t worry so much about how much time you’re spending. What matters more is that you’re progressively increasing the intensity with each set. Instead of long repetitive sets, try short but intense sets with a recovery period in between.
After I’ve started patients on my P.A.C.E. program, I also ask Melissa to follow up and make sure they’re using this concept of progressive intensity. It’s much easier when we give them my new PACE Express video because the progressivity is built in. If you want to try this yourself, you can find out more here.
If you’ve ever thought about coming in to see us, now is a great time. You’ll be able to join our new personalized coaching program, if you want to. It’s free.
I’m doing this because I want you to have every opportunity to reach your health goals, and find balance and happiness in all areas of your life.
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