Chasing the Sun: Your Path to Permanent Weight Loss Through Sustainable Fitness, Health and Wellness

This week, I am honored to speak with Mary Prevost! Mary and I have gotten to know each other over the last year and is just an amazing person in the industry. She’s a parent, runs her own business, a master networker and we had such a wonderful chat on how she lives her best life! We chat about: · Mary’s role at Prevost Partners, her background and what it’s like to run a business with her husband. · Mary’s experience working on the client side and agency side, and how it compares to running her own company. · How Mary works as a master networker. · How Mary ensures she makes herself a priority. Enjoy, and thank you, Mary, for your time! Links! Prevost Partners LinkedIn Twitter About Mary Prevost: Mary Prevost, MBA Founder, Prevost Partners PrevostPartners.com Empowering brands and inspiring people to think differently – this is how Mary Prevost has approached her 17 years of work in the public relations industry. Nurturing meaningful relationships is key to Prevost’s success – from internal executives and colleagues, to external target audiences and media. Prevost’s vast experience spans both agency and client-side work and she’s helped clients of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to startups and non-profits. Her specialties include both B2B and B2C strategic communication, content marketing, media relations, writing, social media planning and execution, crisis communication, brand development, event planning and internal communications/team building. Prevost previously worked as Director of Communications at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center in Cheyenne, WY, and then transitioned into agency work as an Account Supervisor at an agency in downtown Minneapolis. In 2014, Prevost founded MJP Strategic Communications to provide independent public relations consulting services. In 2019, she founded Prevost Partners with her husband to broaden their services. Prevost graduated with an M.B.A. from Augsburg College (Minneapolis, MN), a B.A. in Mass Communications with emphasis in Public Relations and News Editorial from Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, CO) and an A.A.S. in Radio/TV Broadcasting from Central Wyoming College (Riverton, WY).

Really excited to have Brandon Laws, director of marketing at Xenium HR and host of the "Transform Your Workplace" podcast, on the program. Today, we touch on: How Brandon evolved his role at Xenium HR to Director of Marketing How Brandon has built a personal brand at Xenium within his own company. How Brandon balances life at work with family. The books that have influenced Brandon the most (Brandon's Goodreads link!). Suggested reading: How to Win Friends and Influence People | Atomic Habits | What Got You There Won’t Get You There | Deep Work | Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook | Atlas Shrugged About Brandon Laws: Brandon is the Director of Marketing at Xenium HR. He joined the team in October 2008. In over nine years with Xenium, he has held the positions of Operations Administrator, Sales & Marketing Coordinator, Senior Marketing Specialist & Business Analyst, Marketing Manager, and Senior Marketing Manager. Taking on the role of Director of Marketing in July 2015, Brandon spearheads all marketing efforts with a focus on lead generation, contributing to new business growth. Brandon oversees all outbound marketing campaigns, product marketing efforts, the digital marketing strategy (e.g. website management & SEO, blogging, content creation, social media, pay-per-click advertising), events management, sponsorships, and public relations. Brandon is heavily involved in other company initiatives as well. He has contributed to the Xenium Culture Integration & Team Enhancement (XCITE) committee for six years and has sat on the Stoller Group wellness committee for three years. In February 2012, Brandon received The Stoller Group’s “Bright Idea” award for implementing and having success with local search engine optimization for the Xenium website and for contributing to the development of a client utilization tracking system. Additionally, Brandon volunteers on the board of the Portland Human Resources Management Association (PHRMA) as the Director of Marketing and PR. Brandon’s focus on personal growth is central to all he does and leads to his continual efforts to become a better person and a greater asset to the people around him. In his various roles, Brandon has led projects such as “Passport to Xenium,” (an internal marketing effort designed to encourage all Xenium employees to invest in marketing and sales efforts), a rebuild of the Xenium website, the Human Resource for Small Business Podcast, and other projects relating to search engine marketing and social media marketing.

This week we chat with Ashley DelBello!  No matter how much or how little support we get from our colleagues, we put SO much pressure on ourselves to succeed. And because of that, we sometimes feel guilty for taking extended vacation. Rarely do PR folks take more than 10 days off in a row. I know; I’ve done my own research on the topic! As professionals, we need to think about not only short vacations, but taking extended time away. It’s important for our mental health. Ashley is doing just that! She and I had a great chat about a number of topics. Ashley’s background. Her transition from agency to client-side. How Ashley determined this was the right time to take a break. How Ashley adjusted to life while starting on her break. The importance of self-care. Tips Ashley has to start her mornings off right. Thoughts people should have before making a decision to start a lengthy break. What Ashley is up to next. Thank you, Ashley, for your time! About Ashley: Ashley is an accomplished PR and communications professional with 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. She recently left her role as the Product Communications Lead at Neurocrine Biosciences to focus on personal development as well as to branch out on her own as a PR and communications consultant. Prior to this, Ashley served as a Director in the Corporate Affairs department at Amgen and was the U.S. Communications Lead for Amgen’s Cardiovascular and Bone franchises. In previous roles at Amgen, she worked on the Global Product Communications team where she managed communications for the Cardiovascular franchise, including pipeline products. Ashley has also held a variety of roles at several public relations agencies, including Weber Shandwick, Hill&Knowlton and Burson-Marsteller. Through her personal development work, Ashley has become passionate about mindfulness and the impact it can have on the world. She hopes to be able to bring mindfulness to the public school system one day. Ashley earned her bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Spanish at Texas A&M University. She maintains her focus and sanity by doing a daily morning routine that includes gratitude, journaling, and meditation. She lives with her husband in Los Angeles and can be found on Instagram at @abdelbello.

It’s so great to talk to Erin Merz, APR, and Tracey Lam, APR. This is the second of a two-part series. We talk about: Our respective pets and the role they play in keeping us sane! Challenges and tips for making career shifts. The impact of managers in our career. The impact of PRSA. Erin and Tracey’s role in advancing diversity and inclusion. Their exercise of choice. Enjoy! About Tracey Lam, APR: Tracey is an award-winning communications professional with more than 20 years of experience.  She currently works as a communications specialist at OHSU, specifically supporting the Center for Diversity and Inclusion in its efforts to enhance the climate at OHSU through diversity, equity and inclusion. Prior to this, Tracey served as the communications manager at Make-A-Wish Oregon and executive producer of special projects at KATU-TV. Tracey is also very involved in her community. She recently wrapped up a 3-year stint on the board of directors of the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter. She continues to support PRSA through her involvement in the chapter’s diversity and inclusion committee. One of her proudest achievements is co-founding API Forward, an education foundation dedicated to the advancement of Asians and Pacific Islanders. She maintains her sanity by practicing yoga almost daily, hiking, snowshoeing, playing tennis and curling up on the couch with her lap cat, Tilly. She also organizes a monthly book club. About Erin Merz, M.A., APR: Erin is a seasoned marketing and communications professional skilled at creating quality content that reaches the right audiences and inspires action. Her passion for storytelling, results-driven mindset, and commitment to building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders adds substantial value to the organizations she works with. Erin serves as director of marketing and communications for The School of Business at Portland State University where she’s responsible for developing and implementing strategies that support the institution’s recruitment and retention efforts. Erin has worked at PSU since 2015. Prior to, she held a variety of marketing and communications roles that span the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Erin has a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from Grand Valley State University, a master’s degree in communications from the New York Institute of Technology and holds the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). She’s also an active member and volunteer with the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter. Connect with her online at erinmerz.com.

It was SO great to talk to Erin Merz, APR, and Tracey Lam, APR recently. This is a two-part series. Part one is live now, and part two on December 5. We talk about: Our respective pets and the role they play in keeping us sane! Challenges and tips for making career shifts. The impact of managers in our career The impact of PRSA. Erin and Tracey’s role in advancing diversity and inclusion Their exercise of choice. Enjoy! About Tracey Lam, APR: Tracey is an award-winning communications professional with more than 20 years of experience. She currently works as a communications specialist at OHSU, specifically supporting the Center for Diversity and Inclusion in its efforts to enhance the climate at OHSU through diversity, equity and inclusion. Prior to this, Tracey served as the communications manager at Make-A-Wish Oregon and executive producer of special projects at KATU-TV. Tracey is also very involved in her community. She recently wrapped up a 3-year stint on the board of directors of the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter. She continues to support PRSA through her involvement in the chapter’s diversity and inclusion committee. One of her proudest achievements is co-founding API Forward, an education foundation dedicated to the advancement of Asians and Pacific Islanders. She maintains her sanity by practicing yoga almost daily, hiking, snowshoeing, playing tennis and curling up on the couch with her lap cat, Tilly. She also organizes a monthly book club. About Erin Merz, M.A., APR: Erin is a seasoned marketing and communications professional skilled at creating quality content that reaches the right audiences and inspires action. Her passion for storytelling, results-driven mindset, and commitment to building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders adds substantial value to the organizations she works with. Erin serves as director of marketing and communications for The School of Business at Portland State University where she’s responsible for developing and implementing strategies that support the institution’s recruitment and retention efforts. Erin has worked at PSU since 2015. Prior to, she held a variety of marketing and communications roles that span the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Erin has a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from Grand Valley State University, a master’s degree in communications from the New York Institute of Technology and holds the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). She’s also an active member and volunteer with the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter. Connect with her online at erinmerz.com.

I’m so happy to have Jaimee Mayfield Fox on this week. Jaimee is a new mother to Jamal Jr. and we chat about her time back from maternity leave, advice for new parents, and tips for those who manage and/or work with new parents. We had a great chat! This is part two of our two-part conversation. About Jaimee: Jaimee L. Fox, APR is the Communications Project Manager for the Office of Equity and Inclusion for Multnomah County Health Department. Fox’s professional experience ranges from video production and public speaking to government and the nonprofit sector. As a versatile PR professional, Fox has progressive experience developing strategies that drive objectives and align with company values. A PRSA member since 2015, Fox joined the board of PRSA Oregon in 2019 as the director of advancement. A native Oregonian, Fox received her bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in political science and global studies from Washington State University and a master’s degree in public relations from Michigan State University.

I’m so happy to have Jaimee Mayfield Fox on this week! Jaimee is a new mother to Jamal Jr. and we chat about her time back from maternity leave, advice for new parents, and tips for those who manage and/or work with new parents. We had a great chat! This is the first part of a two-part episode. Part two will go live next week! About Jaimee: Jaimee L. Fox, APR is the Communications Project Manager for the Office of Equity and Inclusion for Multnomah County Health Department. Fox’s professional experience ranges from video production and public speaking to government and the nonprofit sector. As a versatile PR professional, Fox has progressive experience developing strategies that drive objectives and align with company values. A PRSA member since 2015, Fox joined the board of PRSA Oregon in 2019 as the director of advancement. A native Oregonian, Fox received her bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in political science and global studies from Washington State University and a master’s degree in public relations from Michigan State University.

Let's get ready for the holidays! In today's episode, I briefly go through my four basic coaching concepts, as well as my recommendations for getting through those holiday roadblocks (including travel, holiday parties, and family). Also, starting November 10 I am running an eight-week Holiday Readiness group coaching program! I will be your accountability partner through the holidays so you can start 2020 on the right foot. For more details take a look below, visit https://chasingthesunpdx.com/holiday or email me: mark@chasingthesunpdx.com Check out these client testimonials! “Participating in a Chasing the Sun coaching session is helping me make small changes that are already paying off dividends for my wellness." “Mark and Chasing the Sun has been just what I needed, exactly when I needed it! Great tips to help decrease stress, eat healthier and improve overall well-being. The 1:1 and group calls keep me grounded and accountable. I’m changing my mindset and making small, foundational changes thanks to Mark and others in my group who are sharing wonderful insights during their journeys as well.” “It’s been such a privilege to participate in Mark Mohammadpour’s Chasing the Sun program. In an industry where self-care is fleeting, Mark reinforces the value of a positive mindset in such a genuine manner, you can’t help but glean value each step of the way.” “Mark is one of the most energetic, enthusiastic and inspiring people I’ve met. He has a true passion for helping people and that’s reflected in everything he does. He draws from his years of experience in the public relations field to explain how the fast-paced profession can lead to stress and weight gain – and how to overcome them. I can recommend his weight loss-stress reduction program because I know it works.” Let’s unwrap this Holiday Readiness program… Bi-weekly group coaching calls (1 every other week during the program). More than 100 pages of workbook content, and more than 2 hours of video content (all with closed captioning). We'll talk about getting in the right mindset, stress management, why diets don't work (and what does), battling cravings, how to incorporate exercise at work, and tips specifically for students, new professionals, managers, and executives. Constant follow-ups from me to ensure you’re making yourself a priority this holiday season. A private community to chat with, connect and build professional relationships with across the country. Happy Holidays!

This week, we speak with William Careri from Temple University. William is a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and we have gotten to know each other quite a bit over the last year. During this episode, we talk about: William's role with PRSSA How William's education and life experiences have led him to the path he's interested in pursuing William's key takeaways from the PRSSA conference The impact of mentorship What the semicolon means to William Thank you, William, for your time! About William: William Careri is a current senior at Temple University in Philadelphia where he is pursuing a degree in public relations. He currently holds an assistant firm director position at PRowl Public Relations, Temple's student-run public relations firm where he works with outside clients on marketing, branding and more. Outside of Temple, William is an active mental health advocate, often speaking on the topics of anxiety and depression. This past April, he gave his talk "The Importance of Sharing Your Story" at TEDxTempleU. After graduation, William plans to pursue a law degree specializing in intellectual property.

This week, we chat with Ashley Stanford Cone of Bloom Communications. Like me, Ashley has had a recent career update. She has also been very public about sharing how she lives with anxiety. I so appreciated her time to discuss her career and how she lives her best life. Today, we chat about: Ashley’s time at Bloom Communications Finding your niche and what you love. Our message to college students about the difference between agency and in-house Ashley’s advice for those heading into agency life. How Ashley balances self-care, work, and parenthood. The importance of building trust in your teams. How Ashley has learned how to live with anxiety. About Ashley: An accomplished communications professional with over 18 years of experience, Ashley is a natural storyteller and strategic thinker, always looking for a unique angle to share creative client stories. With a heart to help others, she has dedicated most of her career to the nonprofit sector, specifically focusing on healthcare and child welfare. She strives to produce outcomes for her clients that are meaningful, impactful, and exceed all expectations. Before joining Bloom Communications, Ashley served as a Public and Community Relations Consultant for Legacy Health, supporting Randall Children’s Hospital and CARES Northwest. During her tenure, she led the organization’s editorial and social media strategy, managing brand reputation through powerful storytelling across digital, social, and traditional media channels, consulted on crisis communications, and managed strategic relationships with stakeholders, media, and community partners. Prior to working in healthcare, she spent close to seven years working in agencies serving children through international and domestic adoption, orphan care, foster care, and youth homelessness. In the early part of her career, Ashley spent time working in entertainment PR, advertising, and Real Estate marketing. A true collaborator and client partner, Ashley values trust, accountability, and transparency in her work. By cultivating trusting client relationships, identifying relevant gaps and needs, and partnering with clients to find creative and sustainable solutions, she believes we can not only impact our communities, but also our world. Ashley holds a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Portland State University. She is a native-born Oregonian living in Portland with her husband and two sons, and serves on the ambassador board for Children’s Cancer Association.

I recently spoke with Lise Harwin, employee communications manager at the Port of Portland (Oregon). Lise is an expert in internal and employee communications and truly lives and breathes the Port of Portland brand. Recently, Lise and I realized that we share a similar weight loss journey. We chatted for almost an hour about her story so I broke it up into two parts! Today we talk about: The importance of being AWARE of what you’re eating. How much we overemphasize the body mass index (BMI). Tips to think about before you join a gym, head out to restaurants, or travel. How Lise makes her mental and physical health a priority. The ONE thing Lise has never regretted. About Lise: For 18 years, Lise Harwin made a career in media relations — pitching organizational stories ranging from life-saving at a Level 1 trauma hospital to life-affirming at the American Red Cross to life-changing in higher education. Now she’s turned her corporate raconteuring and social media savvy inward, transitioning to employee engagement and communication for the Port of Portland – owner and operator of PDX, America’s Best Airport. Lise has helped bring a modern perspective to the 125-year-old organization, embracing Portland’s quirky reputation at every turn. When she’s not proving that working for government isn’t what you’d expect, she’s picking the lineup for Portland’s only all-ages summer music festival and seeking out the city’s best cocktails. And while she doesn’t write for fun as much as she used to, you can still find her signature affinity for alliteration in the Apartment Therapy archives.

Hi! Thank you for listening to my podcast for 50 episodes now! I spend a few minutes chatting about what the podcast means to me, and what I've learned since launching my company, Chasing the Sun. Enjoy, and thank you!

I recently spoke with Lise Harwin, employee communications manager at the Port of Portland (Oregon). Lise is an expert in internal and employee communications and truly lives and breathes the Port of Portland brand. Recently, Lise and I realized that we share a similar weight loss journey. We chatted for almost an hour about her story so I broke it up into two parts! Today we talk about: Lise’s career, which started in journalism, then moved to external communications, and now in employee communications. Lise’s time as a public information officer. Our respective weight loss journeys. Tips for people coming into a job and how to make their health and wellness a priority. We had a great chat. Part one is up, and stay tuned for part two next week! About Lise: For 18 years, Lise Harwin made a career in media relations — pitching organizational stories ranging from life-saving at a Level 1 trauma hospital to life-affirming at the American Red Cross to life-changing in higher education. Now she’s turned her corporate raconteuring and social media savvy inward, transitioning to employee engagement and communication for the Port of Portland – owner and operator of PDX, America’s Best Airport. Lise has helped bring a modern perspective to the 125-year-old organization, embracing Portland’s quirky reputation at every turn. When she’s not proving that working for government isn’t what you’d expect, she’s picking the lineup for Portland’s only all-ages summer music festival and seeking out the city’s best cocktails. And while she doesn’t write for fun as much as she used to, you can still find her signature affinity for alliteration in the Apartment Therapy archives.

This week, I share part two of a two-part conversation with Vice President of Matter Communication's Portland, Ore. office, Meghan Gardner! As an agency office leader, business executive, busy traveler, and most importantly, parent, Meghan is my PR hero this week! This week, we chat through a number of topics, including Meghan’s team at Matter and advice that she has for new professionals. How she helps her team incorporate health and wellness. The difference between macro and micro culture when it comes to agency life. Building trust with your team. The talent here in Portland, Oregon. The transition from tactician to manager. The importance of mentorship. How to think multiple steps ahead for your team. Check out part one here! About Meghan Gardner, Vice President, Matter Communications: As head of Matter's Portland office, Meghan brings both an eye for detail and clarity of strategic vision to every client program. Her media relations, C-suite communications counsel, and messaging strategy skills have delivered exceptional results for brands from Netflix and Nordstrom to Avid Technologies, Acme Packets (now part of Oracle), Eli Lilly and Company, and the Business Roundtable. Meghan’s career spans two decades, two continents, and both U.S. coasts. Her yoga mat comes with her everywhere she goes. And at last count, Meghan owned five library cards. About Matter Communications: Website: https://www.matternow.com Twitter: @MatterComm Instagram: @MatterComm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattercommunications LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matter-communications/

This week, I share part one of a two-part conversation with Vice President of Matter Communication's Portland, Ore. office, Meghan Gardner! As an agency office leader, business executive, busy traveler, and most importantly, parent, Meghan is my PR hero this week! This week, we chat through a number of topics, including -What Meghan’s experience has been like moving to Portland -What brought Meghan to Matter, her role at the company and in Portland -What was it like moving a family across the country -Advice Meghan has for new professionals who make a life change like moving to another city -Working remotely -Business travel tips Stay tuned next week for part two! Check out part two here! About Meghan Gardner, Vice President As head of Matter's Portland office, Meghan brings both an eye for detail and clarity of strategic vision to every client program. Her media relations, C-suite communications counsel, and messaging strategy skills have delivered exceptional results for brands from Netflix and Nordstrom to Avid Technologies, Acme Packets (now part of Oracle), Eli Lilly and Company, and the Business Roundtable. Meghan’s career spans two decades, two continents, and both U.S. coasts. Her yoga mat comes with her everywhere she goes. And at last count, Meghan owned five library cards. About Matter Communications: Website: https://www.matternow.com Twitter: @MatterComm Instagram: @MatterComm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattercommunications LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matter-communications/

After 40+ episodes of me talking to myself, it was time to mix things up a bit. I want to thank all of my listeners for your support over the last year! I am focusing my attention on the communications, marketing and public relations professional. In these podcast episodes, I plan to highlight the individual and hear their perspective on how they live their life and incorporate health and wellness. I am starting with two incredibly brave professionals, Tatiana Skomski and Colby Reade. Tatiana and Colby live with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease respectively. We had a great chat about their career, how they live with their condition, and discuss advice for managers and those who live with or are working with those with similar conditions. I so appreciated their time. And so will you! About Tatiana: Tatiana has 3 years of both agency and in-house public relations and social media experience. Additionally, she is the founder of Simply Balanced with Tati, a simple girl’s guide to navigating life, health and fitness with chronic illness. She is a certified holistic health coach in training and is passionate about living life simply and balanced. She is an ulcerative colitis fighter and, although she is in remission, she still has daily struggles with her health. Her hopes for Simply Balanced with Tati is to give a voice to women everywhere living with chronic illnesses and to create a community of strong, fearless women who want to better their relationship with themselves, their diagnosis, food, their bodies and their overall wellness. You can follow along on her journey via instagram @simplybalancedwithtati and via her (soon to be launched) blog www.simplybalancedwithtati.com About Colby: Colby Reade, APR, is the Director of Communications for the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. A Portland native and graduate of the University of Oregon, Colby started his career as a journalist before transitioning to public relations full time. His background includes several years working for some of the region’s leading PR teams, including work on behalf of Microsoft, JELD-WEN, Alcatel-Lucent, The Portland Clinic, HEALTHWORKS, and Avangrid Renewables. In his free time, Colby serves on the board of PRSA Oregon and has volunteered his time to support the marketing and outreach efforts of numerous nonprofits, such as SMART, Boys and Girls Aid, Junior League of Portland and WVDO. But the most important role he fills is husband to an incredibly talented wife and father to a brilliant daughter. Twitter: https://twitter.com/colbyreade Podcast: Coffee with Colby

It's a really special day in the world of Chasing the Sun! We've become a fully-fledged company, focused on health coaching for communicators, marketers, and public relations professionals. This would not have come without the love and support of my hero, Christine! Christine and I talk about our own personal health and wellness journey. It's a really special chat, and I hope you enjoy it!

It's close to Labor Day here in the U.S. I have ONE quick tip to enjoy the weekend as you so deserve!

Sorry to say this, but fall is approaching fast! I share three tips on how to prepare for the fall season. Enjoy!

I played tennis for the first time in years, with a $20 tennis racket my parents bought back in the 1980s. I had a great time, and it helped cure my exercise boredom. What is YOUR new activity to mix up your exercise routine? Let's discuss!

It's summer party/cookout season! I share three tips to prepare yourself to be in control of your health and wellness. Enjoy, and have a great time!

How do we stay in shape during the dog days of summer (and what ARE the dog days of summer in the first place)? Listen to find out!

It's nearly August! We'll spend the month sharing short, actionable tips that will set you up for the fall. Here's a quick look at our calendar! August 1: Three tips for beating the summer heat August 8: Three tips for the summer cookout August 15: How to beat the cure for boredom August 22: Three tips on how to mentally brace for the fall change August 29: Labor Day and preparing for the long weekend

Some people swear by intermittent fasting; others have tried it but haven't seen the results. I share my own thoughts during today's episode!

I was having trouble falling back asleep the other night! I was tossing and turning around 2:00 a.m. Aargh! All was not lost, however. I did five things within 30 minutes to get me back asleep. What are they? Tune in to listen!

Today, I share one quick tip for those of you who are struggling with exercise and want to stay consistent. Tune in, and happy summer!

A happy Independence Day in the U.S.! Before you start your day: take 3-5 minutes and write out what you will eat and drink. This will give you a head start on enjoying your day and setting yourself up for a happy and healthy weekend. Enjoy, and be safe!

The last part of my four-part series on summer travel!

Hello! It’s part three of my summer travel series. Let’s chat about back up plans to ensure you’re staying on track while enjoying your well-deserved vacation. Enjoy!

A few minutes on getting tactical when traveling this summer!

Let's talk summer travel! In the first part of my series, I talk about the most important part: planning ahead!

Short trailer for my four-part series in June on how to survive summer travel! Check out episode one of this series on June 6!

Recently, I celebrated a personal milestone: my 300th Peloton ride! In today’s episode I speak for a few minutes about why I’m such an advocate for Peloton, but just as important what my experience the last several years has helped to firmly establish my approach to health and wellness. Enjoy!

No matter who's joining you at your conference or event -- clients, prospects, bosses, colleagues, strangers, new friends - you and ONLY you get to set your journey. I share why that's important in part four of my four-part episode!

It's part three of my four-part series on surviving conferences and events. My message today: if you're making a permanent change to weight loss and maintenance, stop treating these events like you're on vacation! There are NO cheat days or cheat meals, you can't "take the conference off" and eat and drink whatever you want. I get (slightly) fired up about this today's episode. Enjoy!

It’s the second episode of my four-part series on surviving conferences and events. Today I talk about setting the right health and wellness tactics to prepare for a full day of networking, panels and other sessions. Enjoy!

It's conference and event season! How do you prepare for a heavy season of attending conferences, events and trade shows while making a permanent change to weight loss? It's all about preparing in advance! I share more in today's episode. Enjoy!

This May, we will focus on how to survive conference and event season. It's a busy spring, but don't let that get in the way of staying healthy. I share a few brief thoughts on what to expect in my episodes this month. Hope you enjoy!

We make a lot of decisions! Sources tell us we make nearly 35,000 decisions per day! I'm sure I made 10,000 decisions alone just producing this episode. That must be taxing on our brains. I've been thinking about this throughout April, as I've been a part of several panels and presentations on the topic of health and wellness in the workplace. Conversations focused on time: the amount of time we allocate to exercise, cooking and incorporating wellness into our full lives. Wed talked about how much time we perceive we have, and just as important, how much time we perceive we do not have. I share a few thoughts on this and three tips on on how you can manage your time effectively! Thank you for listening; please share, rate, subscribe and give me feedback on Instagram or Twitter @markmoh!

I can’t believe this but I’m going to spend seven minutes on water today. I’m not going to recommend how you drink it, or what branded water bottle or if it’s carbonated or if you should add artificial flavoring to you drink. But I will share three reasons why it’s important to drink water in the first place. First, we ARE water. 60 percent of our body is water. This helps us digest food, keep our body circulated, sends our nutrients around and keeps our body temperature regulated. Second, you get fuller by drinking water. My advice, if you feel hungry, drink water first. You would be surprised how that can positively impact you. Third, all that walking and exercising and lifting weights makes you feel good, right? Well, water helps fight fatigue. Your muscles need water to keep going and without water you’re going to get frustrated because they won’t respond as you like. When you sweat, you lose water. You lose water you get dehydrated. You get dehydrated, you heart has to work more and you don’t want that. Here’s when you should drink it. All the time! First thing in the morning. Have a glass next to you. When you are busy. Set a reminder on your phone every hour to drink if you need to. Are you drinking alcohol. Drink water before, during and after. When you are hungry. Thanks for tuning in!

Last week I tried on a pair of pants that still had the tags on. It was the first time I was able to wear these pants since I bought them in…2011 (!). No one should have pants for eight years before they can fit into them. My advice: live in the now, wear what you can now, sit and enjoy your life where you can and feel comfortable NOW. Live in the NOW! I share a few thoughts on today’s episode!

It's National Walking Day today! I LOVE walking. I believe it's the simplest, most versatile and impactful form of exercise. I never took walking seriously until I started losing weight and figured out that, coupled with a more balanced eating regime, it helps achieve a lot of goals. It positively impacts my mental health, my physical health and is the simplest form of accomplishment. Over the years, I have looked at walking with a sense of purpose and intent. How do I look at my life and my schedule and make choices that can involve walking on a more consistent basis? I share my thoughts on today's episode! Happy #NationalWalkingDay!

Throughout college, my college internships and when I started my professional career, I spent a lot of time in my car. Crossing states, multiple traffic jams, parking, walking to school/the office, it takes its toll! Looking back, I spent around 5 hours per week commuting, which is about the American average. These are the states with the longest and shortest commutes — how does yours stack up? Whether you’re driving, a passenger in a car, or riding mass transit, there are a couple realities. First is simply the amount of perceived lost time you have spending that time commuting. Second, there's research that shows your commute can impact decision making at work USATODAY.com - Commuters drive stress into the workplace What are three things you can do? I'll share my thoughts in this week's episode!

It’s March and college basketball tourney season. Time for brackets, Cinderella stories and hours and hours and hours of time in front of a television, our tablet and phone to check out how our alma mater is doing. Sitting on chairs and couches for hours all day is NOT good for our bodies. But watching hoops is SO FUN. What do we do? Plan ahead. Know the schedule. These tournaments have HUGE television contracts with a lot of timeouts. One television timeout every four minutes of play, not to mention regular time outs. Then there’s halftime, breaks inbetween games, it doesn’t stop! I’ll share thoughts on how to incorporate exercise while still enjoying the tournaments this month. Right it down. Plan ahead. Drink your water, ENJOY the tournaments, but most of all, keep moving!

Let's talk about the relationship we have with our food. We have parties around food, we have national food days, we watch television shows about food, we read websites, we pin recipes, we post hundreds of millions of photos about food. When we are making permanent changes to weight loss, this can be a significant distraction. How can we enjoy food without letting it overwhelm us? Let's discuss!

Happy March! If you're like me, it's time for winter to wrap up soon! That said, and even though it's still freezing, the second the clock struck March 1 it was like everything was new. It's been a long but fun winter. Still managed to lose a few pounds and stick to my exercise routine. My wife and I walked nearly 50 times in the early mornings between November and February, and the rest of the time went bike riding and/or to exercise class. Our transformation over the last few minutes have been just as much FEELING different and FEELING happier when we know we had a great workout or made the right eating choices. I share a few thoughts on what that means to me in this latest episode!

I recently read a new study about the positive impact on blood pressure when you go walking in the morning. https://gizmodo.com/a-morning-walk-may-be-as-good-as-medication-for-lowerin-1832761252 Just last month, a study found that even 30 minutes of light regular exercise could lower the risk of an early death by 17 percent for the average middle-aged American. Now, I remember as a kid going to the pharmacy and getting to sit in those chairs with my arm stuck through a blood pressure machine. I thought it was cool because for a few seconds I felt my arm getting squeezed slightly, then some random numbers punched out. Fast forward to adulthood and I'll tell you, there was a time more than 10 years ago when I was 350 pounds that I NEVER EVER EVER wanted to know those numbers. I never wanted to know my weight, my cholesterol and certainly not my blood pressure. But you need to know those numbers. Why? The American Heart Association says that the increase of blood pressure related deaths is increased by 38 percent between 2005 and 2015, and 103 million American adults have high blood pressure. So, how do we fix this issue? I share a few thoughts on today's episode.

There's a REASON why the fable of The Tortoise and the Hare is so popular: it's TRUE! When it comes to losing and keep off a significant amount of weight, you must go slowly and surely. I share a few quick thoughts to keep in mind as you're progressing through your permanent change.

Happy Valentine's Day! It's the LOVE episode. GAH, right?? Love and exercise? Why on Earth are we talking about this today? Whether it's taking a specific class, playing a sport you love, embracing a fitness video game, or learning to run a 5K, my message today is that YOU define exercise however you want as long as you're moving. I share three quick tips to help fall in love with exercise, or at least like it a little more. :) Enjoy!

Emergency podcast! It's snowing here in the Pacific Northwest. But does that get in the way of you losing and keeping weight off permanently? No! In today's spur-of-the-moment podcast, I share three quick tips to mentally prepare you for weather-related challenges, stay on track and Chase YOUR Sun! Stay safe out there, friends!

We talk a lot about time, how we never seem to have enough of it to go around. Is that really true? American adults spend more than 11 hours a day listening to, watching, reading or generally interacting with media, according to a recent Nielsen study. https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2018/time-flies-us-adults-now-spend-nearly-half-a-day-interacting-with-media.print.html In today's episode, I share three tips to rethink the way you do about time so you can find those minutes per day to incorporate fitness and healthier eating habits.