Wellness Experts on the best wellness advice they've ever gotten
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Eric Helms
Founder of Juice Generation and author of The Juice Generation: 100 Recipes for Fresh Juices and Superfood Smoothies
"By eating one raw meal a day, it's amazing how fantastic you feel. The live vitamins and nutrients enter your system so quickly and boost your energy levels. The idea of 'eating raw' sounds overwhelming, but one meal or snack a day consisting of only fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds is totally accessible!"
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Kristin Jones
Senior merchandise manager for running apparel at Adidas
"The reality is that living healthy is not just about doing one specific thing, but about balancing your lifestyle with a variety of good things that allow you to enjoy and get the most out of this life. There are a few factors that I believe contribute a great deal to feeling your best every day. I know just by listening to my body, which has taken me years to hear clearly, but these few things have made a big impact and those are eat, sleep, move. You are what you EAT. Sleep is critical for overall performance, I know I need eight hours. Everyone is different, but I would imagine we could all benefit from being more disciplined with the amount of sleep we get each night. And sweat everyday — you will sleep better, eat better and just plain feel better."
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Olga Kuzenkov
Co-founder of DeliverLean
"'Let food be thy medicine and the medicine be thy food' — Hippocrates."
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Denise Mari
Founder of Organic Avenue
“The best wellness advice I ever got was ’an 11-minute meditation first thing in the morning and last thing before bed can shift one from a negative conscious experience to a positive one.’ Oh, that and ‘green smoothies can save lives.’”
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Loren Bassett
Founder of Bassett's Bootcamp
"Feed your body good, nutritious food. Fuel your mind with positive, inspiring mantras."
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Kiley Holliday
Tea sommelier at Bosie Tea Parlor and yoga instructor at Pure Yoga
“’You should try yoga’ and the Michael Pollan quote: ‘Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.’”
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Dr. Daniel Hsu
Specialist in complimentary and alternative medicine, acupuncture and noted herbalist
"The best wellness advice I've ever gotten was from an old teacher. It's sort of philosophical. He told me that life is about change and doctors should help their patients embrace that change. When one resists change or denies its presence, one will experience fear and anger. Although one should always do whatever one can to be healthy, one should always understand the inevitabilities of life. Yeah, it took me a few years to digest that one."
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Marcus Antebi
Founder of Juice Press
"The best wellness advice that I ever got was to eliminate all processed foods from my diet and add in plenty of raw, organic green and fruit juices. I was taught to have faith in my body’s miraculous self-healing powers — providing simply I stay out of its way to recovery. This especially means avoiding the common litany of dietary mistakes commonly made. Eating processed foods being the biggest of all of them."
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Marion Roaman
Co-founder of Peloton
“My nana used to tell me to follow my passions and fulfill my dreams. She used to tell me to never stop believing in myself. My nana taught me from such an early age, to be true to myself. She knew me better than anyone. So when I wasn’t being true to myself, she called me out on it. It is not easy to follow your passions and fulfill your dreams. It can take a lot of work and be difficult to manage while raising a family or building a relationship. But if you are always dreaming and never fulfilling, you never feel complete."
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Anna Kaiser
CEO of AKT In Motion
"Someone once told me that the most important exercise you will ever do is to 'put down the fork.' Exercise only works if you are mindful with your diet as well. Balance — the two work in tandem!”
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Amanda Murdock
Instructor at SLT and Pure Yoga
“The best advice I received was a single statement that worked on multiple fronts. My mentor, Alanna Kaivalya, said ‘look forward when walking down the street, not down at the ground.’ First, when you look up, you have the opportunity to make eye contact with others. Studies have shown that making eye contact leads to the perception and personal feelings of confidence and power. The second most important reason is from an anatomical view, looking forward lengthens and balances the spine by pulling the shoulders back and down, bringing them over the hips and taking pressure off the cervical and thoracic spine, this puts the whole body in proper alignment. Third most important is a mental improvement. When you look forward you are actually taking in the world via sights and sounds, you will be physically, mentally and emotionally present in the world you are literally in. You have the opportunity to smile at someone and have them smile back, see a friend that you may have otherwise passed by. You sacrifice all the beauty that surrounds you when you look down at the ground or at your phone. I promise you it is a whole new ball game when you look up."
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Fred DeVito
Co-founder of Core Fusion at Exhale
"Exercise and healthy eating are not enough! When you practice letting go of drama and stress, your body will produce less cortisol and you will shed body fat more efficiently."
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Natalie Raitano
Instructor at Barry's Bootcamp
"What you do at night shows up in the light."
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Tracy Carlinsky
Founder of Brooklyn Bodyburn
"’Your metabolism is like a fire.’ The fuel you put into your body will determine how you feel and operate. Protein and healthy fats are essential slow-burning fuels, which will help prevent the roller coaster ride of rising and crashing blood sugars.”
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Jessica Lloyd
Co-founder of
PANATEA"'Sip up and Zen out.' Within this modern world of distraction, we all need a moment to reflect and recharge. The morning ritual of prepping our PANATEA matcha gives us that moment. It's not only healthy for the body (antioxidants, amino acids and chlorophyll), but for the mind and soul, too."
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Emily Turner
Instructor at SoulCycle
"My favorite yoga teacher, Alison Cramer from Laughing Lotus in NYC, told me once that you must exercise your body, but never forget to take the time to exercise your soul. Yoga and meditation keep me balanced and inspired, so that I can be my absolute best for all of my classes and clients."
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Lorna Borenstein
CEO and founder of wellness video network Grokker.com
“Happiness is not a reward at the end of a life well-played, but something to be savored all along the way. Live joyfully. Also, an 80-year-old skier I met in Vail, Colo. asked me to promise him that when I turn 40, I would take up yoga. As I recall, he said, ‘All that cardio stuff is for the birds. Flexibility and core stability are what really keep you free from injury at my age.’ I listened to him!”
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Jeanette Simon
Owner of FLEX Studios
"I was once told that the key to making your workout enjoyable is to constantly switch it up and make sure you're always having fun. If you vary your workouts and try new things until you find a fitness discipline that you love, it doesn't feel like work!"
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Cassie Coulas
Instructor at Physique 57 and lead in Physique Mat online workout
"If you notice your lips are chapped, drink more water. Chapped lips can be caused by a number of things, but dehydration is one of them. Not only will you be hydrated for your next sweat session, but your lip gloss will look that much more flawless! It's a win-win!"
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Neda Talebian Funk and Caroline Limpert
Co-founders of FITiST
Caroline: “Incorporate the wild-card workout. Try one new workout or activity a week. Make it fun. Routines get results, but you want to keep your body (and mind) guessing.”
Neda: “Eat like a kid. Take small bites, chew and taste. Simple, but golden advice.”
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Noa Ries
Founder of Vie Active
“It’s a quote from Roald Dahl: ‘If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.’ Nothing is more impactful than the power of positive thinking in every aspect of your life.“
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Maddy D’Amato
Co-founder and chief love officer at Love Grown Foods
"The best health advice I have ever received is to live by the 80:20 rule and to never skip breakfast. The 80:20 rule can be applied to everything — from eating healthy to working out. 80 percent of your time you should make healthy choices and 20 percent of the time you can indulge. The breakfast rule is one of the underlying inspirations behind Love Grown Foods."
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Kevin Kavanaugh
President of David Barton Gym
“If you are putting in a lot of work to achieve your fitness goal in the gym, make sure you put the same effort in deciding what you eat. Eat nothing processed, or fast food. Make sure you are eating well!”
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Ary Nunez
Instructor at Peloton
“The best wellness advice I ever received was from my father at a very young age. My father advised that wellness in life was about learning and sharing our knowledge with others. ‘When we train our mind, our body follows and we succeed…share your success.’ My dad was referring to the study of karate, dance, arts and letters. Today I know nine martial arts, I choreograph movement, I design clothing, I write and I coach. My father’s wellness advice is why I succeed and inspire others to do the same.”
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Greg Vetter
CEO of Tessemae’s All Natural
"Growing up, my brothers and I were wild as hell, and my mom had to figure out how to get us to eat our vegetables. She made us this lemon garlic dressing and suddenly we were just crushing salad at dinner. After college, a friend of mine stole the dressing from my refrigerator and I figured if it was so good that someone wanted to steal it, she may have just given me the best idea for a company. I bet her I could bottle the dressing and sell it at Whole Foods. She thought I was crazy, but fast forward five years, it's breaking national sales records. What started as a simple wager is now the foundation for the no excuses, hustle hard, no compromises mentality we all take into every challenge.”
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Sindy Leibbrand
Wellness warrior at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
"The best piece of fitness advice I can give is to be very, very selfish! Pick a time in your schedule that works the best for you and be fierce with your commitment. Your fitness time slot is your gift to yourself and should be honored! Be selfish and pick fitness activities you enjoy! Be selfish and pick music that you enjoy! Be selfish and pick an instructor or personal trainer who you mesh with! However the most selfish fitness act of all is to remain totally focused on you. Stay present and mindful in all fitness endeavors, keep your mind on the purpose of the movement, mind to muscle and mind on meditation. Your physical and mental self will congratulate your selfishness!"
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Jennifer Keirstead
Nutritionist at Mountain Trek
“There's nothing like feeling bloating before a night out. Your clothes don't fit the same and it can really kill the mood of an anticipated evening. One way to avoid the bloated belly is to avoid common food sensitivities, such as wheat, dairy, sugar, corn and soy. This might sound like a long list, but you'll be amazed at all the other wonderful whole foods you can consume. Enjoy a wide spectrum of foods, such as fresh fruits and veggies, plant-based proteins (think chickpeas, almonds and Brazil nuts), gluten-free whole grains and healthy fats (avocado and seeds like hemp and chia in particular)."
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Nancie Tripodi
Founder and president of 15love
“It’s so inspirational to see a woman rock a look that is truly her own, which could only have come from her own creative mind. Play with a look, try different things on, until you look in the mirror and feel great. Shop with an honest friend if that helps [you] make better decisions. To be creatively stylish, one must have confidence, pride and charisma. This is where wellness comes in! When you eat well, meditate in some form that works for you and exercise, your confidence, pride and charisma levels go WAY WAY up. It’s all connected…feel good…look good…look good…feel good…”
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Peggy Kotsopoulos
Registered holistic nutritionist and culinary consultant
"The best wellness advice I ever received was on a health retreat eight years ago. The presenter made a comment stating, 'When we eat clean, we quiet our stomach (because much of our energy is spent on digestion) and when we have a quiet stomach, we learn to quiet our mind (which is why we emotional eat). And once we learn to quiet our mind, at that time we can listen to our heart. And it is our heart that speaks out truth.' Until we are finally genuinely happy and at peace with who we are, where we are are going and living our authentic self, it doesn't really matter what we do or what we eat. Genuine happiness IS the foundation of optimal health."
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Jennifer Halliday
Chief business development officer at Wakaya Perfection & The Wakaya Club & Spa
“I was taught at an incredibly young age to understand how the body works. At every single meal, my mother ALWAYS served protein, vegetables and starch. She never wavered from these three simple but critical elements to help give the right 'fuel' for my body. On top of that, at the age of 12, she would charge me with running around the neighborhood for 30 minutes every night before dinner. This not only helped me burn up restless energy, but it gave me a great appetite and kept me focused for homework. Lastly, she pounded home to me that being 'skinny' is not the right goal. Being strong and fueling your body properly will keep you healthy and living longer. “
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Vanessa Severiano
Founder of Anatomy at 1220
"The best wellness advice I ever got is: Invest in yourself. Spend the extra money on a gym membership or personal training sessions that will motivate you to work out consistently and get results. It's better to put your money toward your health and well-being because without that, you cannot enjoy the other luxuries life has to offer."
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Erin T.
Instructor at SoulCycle
“When it comes to living a healthy and happy life, I always remind myself of a quote by Albert Einstein: ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’ When we feel like our lives are going a bit off-track, it is helpful to focus on what new and different choices we can make to get the results we want.”
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Christianne Phillips
Fitness expert and former creative director at Revolve Fitness
“My dad always stressed the importance of getting enough sleep. Go to bed and wake up at the same time. I don’t function well on little sleep, so I do my best to make this happen.”
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Josh Holland
Celebrity personal trainer and Technogym ambassador
"We are all truly unique. Therefore, what works for one person may not work for another person. Caring for the mind and body is the best thing we can do for ourselves. My mantra in life is 'sleep well, consume well and move well will allow one to BE well!'"
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Sylwia Wiesenberg
Creator of Tonique Method
“Never diet — food is your best friend, not your enemy. The proper amount is what you need.”
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Violet Zaki
Zen Combat, Power Trip and Asset Management instructor at Equinox
"'A boat is always safe in the harbor, but that's not what boats are built for.' This reminds me of getting out of my comfort zone when I am training my mind and body. It also helps me take risks in life and in the face of fear, doing it anyway."
