Mary Ellen Zung

The Gift of A Walking Buddy

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Years ago I learned that I exercise best when I am with others. I get bored doing an exercise tape at home alone, and get fidgety and distracted when I do yoga at home. When I walk alone, I don’t go as far, or as fast as I do when I am with a walking buddy.
Just having this awareness of my “exercise personality” was enough to keep my exercise routine in check. So, I make sure that I take classes at my local YMCA including spin, yoga, boot camp, or whatever is happening in a group. Putting these classes on my calendar each week is essential for keeping up a good exercise routine. Exercise helps me feel great, and maintain my body weight. I’ve also met some great “regulars” in the classes I attend each week and we’ve become friends and a support network for business and personal life.

A few years ago a good friend of mine and I started to schedule a weekly walk together. It was a different time and date each week depending on our work and children’s schedules, but we were both equally as dedicated to making it happen. Each week we have an hour to catch up on each other’s lives and it always seems that we each have enough time to get our story out and listen and support the other.

Recognizing that I had this wonderful perfect gift of a walking buddy, I wanted to offer this to others in the local area by being a walking partner. I recently started a walking group every Saturday morning at 8:00 am. It is just a placeholder in the calendar for those in the community. They know they will have someone to walk with, and I get another walk in and get to meet new people too. I never know who will show up or what they will talk about, so it is a bit of an adventure for everyone.

Now, I have met many people who just want time to themselves on their walks. They want to clear their head, or listen to music as they walk alone. This too is healing, and healthy. I too used to love being alone walking or hiking with nature as my companion. But over time, and with my walking buddy relationship, I have gained a greater respect for the power of positive relationships, and support.

As a Health Coach, I witness the healing power of having someone listen to you for an hour in this fast paced, multitasking, sound bite world. If you need someone to listen to you and help you with your health and happiness, contact me for a complimentary consultation.

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Mary Ellen Zung

What is a Health Coach and What is it Not?

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What is a Health Coach, and what is it not? I wouldn’t know what a Health Coach is all about if I was not a health coach, myself. My job as a health coach is to transform the way my clients see food and health, and to guide my clients to make better choices. Health coaching is not about having all the answers, but it is about asking the right questions and listening. If a client does not want to change, it will be difficult to have change happen.

I stick to a few core principles. I recognize that everyone is different, and one persons’ passion is another persons’ poison. I’m not going to turn you into a Vegan if you love meat and if it supports you. I encourage clients to eat real foods, and I reinforce all aspects of health including a client’s relationships, home life, physical health, career, spirituality, and joy.

When I work with a client, I learn about all aspects of their health and what might be blocking better health. Then we get to work by meeting every two weeks. I develop suggestions based on the clients’ goals. For example, a goal is not “I want to lose weight”. I goal might be “I want to feel happier and I want to be able to keep pace with my family and friends.” Losing weight is just one thing that will help the client reach their goals. There are a number of things to consider for good health and I take a step-by-step approach.

I make sure the client:
  • stabilizes blood sugar levels, by regulating hunger and satisfaction, by eating a balanced diet including fiber and protein, throughout the day.
  • calms inflammation by balancing good and bad fats and eliminating sugar and refined carbohydrates.
  • adds volume to crowd out unhelpful “food-like” products adding in lots of greens and non-starchy vegetables, and uses oil based salad dressings for fullness.
  • adds fulfilling, nourishing habits to crowd out unhelpful habits.
  • satisfies cravings by being in touch with cravings and learns how to satisfy them healthfully
  • adds physical activity and create a mind-body connection, encourage more “movement” vs. “exercise”, and encourage you to work your muscles for to help increase metabolism.
  • keeps track of what, when and how they eat, which leads to greater awareness of their relationship with food.
  • gets cooking to support eating real food, not something processed.

I aim to be authentic, truly listen, be flexible, and meet my clients where they are without judgment. I am ready and willing to refer my clients to other health practitioners when necessary. This is about them and their goals, not me.



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Mary Ellen Zung

What A Year It Has Been

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After thinking about taking the health coaching class from IIN for about two years, last March I finally committed and what a year it has been! I was able to maintain my regular job, plus manage other family and volunteer responsibilities, but life got much busier!

Managing my time over this past year was a challenge, but my first priority as a health coach is to walk the talk and take care of myself. Even though I was busier than ever, I still made time to exercise, practice yoga, get at least seven hours of sleep, make time for friends and family, and eat healthy, nourishing, home cooked meals and snacks. If I didn’t do this, I know I would have felt unhappy, overwhelmed, stressed and tired.

By keeping a healthy routine, I was able to not only keep up with the school course work, (lectures, reading, assignments, quizzes, tests, coaching circle calls, peer coach calls, practicing Health Histories, and events) but I also would not have had the clarity or energy to launch my business (I still can’t believe I am saying this)! I’ve launched a business! I have a website and a blog, a Facebook page, a following on twitter, a pay pal account, a newsletter with subscribers, business cards, and referral partners. But most importantly, I have achieved my intention to use my background and experience to help people with their health concerns through diet and lifestyle changes.

I’ve met some great new friends in the May 2013 class and know that we will be staying in touch to support each other. Even though I am not officially graduating until April 22, I have several individual clients and am planning workshops so I can reach more people. My goals for the upcoming year are to conduct corporate wellness workshops and group programs as well as continue with individual health coaching.

I owe a great thanks to my family and friends for giving me such amazing support and encouragement. I could truly not have done this without you!
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Mary Ellen Zung

Family Feud Over Food

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A friend of mine confided in me that she has been frustrated for almost 25 years about her husband’s unhealthy food and lifestyle decisions. She told me that she knows what he should be doing and makes suggestions, but he does not listen or change. Now his health is suffering. He is overweight, stressed, and has no energy to enjoy life. She has almost given up. She has stopped trying new healthy foods for family dinners because she knows her husband is not adventurous. This is not only affecting him, but their relationship, and her happiness too.

Here are a few things perhaps she can do.

Stop the criticism, eyeball rolling and looks when he makes a (in your eyes) poor choice.

Don’t tell him what to do, just stop buying the junk and don’t bring it into the house. If he wants it, he can get it while he is away from the house, at work or running errands on the weekend. This way, he’ll be cutting down, and have an opportunity to only have healthy choices around.

Know that you can be a role model with your actions.
Buy and cook healthy food at home. Start with a lean protein you and he like, and cook it in an interesting and tasty way, perhaps with a dry rub of spices in the oven (baked or broiled). If he likes sauce, try a crockpot recipe with vegetables and spices he likes. Start to mix brown rice with white rice and slowly transition to brown. Do the same for pasta. Offer salad and a variety of colorful vegetables at meals. Pour water at the table for the family. Be consistent with your actions.

Have a loving talk.
He’ll be annoyed that his favorite things aren’t around. Tell him you love him but can’t be a part of him putting junk in his body and watching him suffer. If he wants to continue doing it, she can’t stop him, but will not help him. It should be a two-minute firm message with a hug, not an argument. End of story - and move on. Hopefully over time, he will see he needs to take responsibility for his own health and vitality.

Is there a loved-one in your life who you are worried about due to their food and lifestyle choices? Perhaps you have made suggestions but they are resistant to change. It might be a tension between you or maybe even negatively affecting your relationship. What should you do? And what if that friend of family member does not live with you? What can you do or have you done?

Would love to hear from you!
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Mary Ellen Zung

The Skinny On Fats

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I’ve been getting a lot of questions about fats these days, so here’s the skinny. There are four main types of fats; saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans-fatty acids, or Trans Fats. Let’s take them one by one.

Saturated fats can be found in beef, poultry, cow’s milk, coconut, palm oil, and full-fat dairy products like cheese, butter, and yogurt. They are solid at room temperature. Studies have shown that saturated fats can potentially increase the rate of heart disease. While opinions are mixed, it is generally recommended to limit consumption of red meats and butter.

Monounsaturated fats can be found in avocados, olives, safflower oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, nuts, seeds, halibut, sablefish, mackerel, and vegetables high in oleic acid like eggplant, peppers, corn, and pumpkin. Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature but become solid when chilled. Monounsaturated fats have been shown to raise HDL levels and lower LDL blood cholesterol levels. Generally considered heart-healthy, these foods should be eaten daily.

Polyunsaturated fats, known as the “omega fats” can be found in salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout, fresh tuna, flax seed, walnuts, flax seed oil, and soybean oil. They are liquid at room temperature and even when chilled. Polyunsaturated fats have been shown to raise good HDL and lower LDL. Omega-3 fatty acids are considered anti-inflammatory and are associated with a lower risk of death. Generally considered heart-healthy, strive to eat cold-water fish 3 times per week and plant-based polyunsaturated fats often.

Trans-fatty acids may be found in margarine, processed foods, candy, chips, soda, flaky pastries, and some peanut butters. Most are created industrially by adding hydrogen bonds to liquid oils to make a more shelf-stable product. However, some trans-fats occur naturally in beef, lamb, butterfat, and dairy. Trans-fats raise LDL and lower HDL, which leads to plaque buildup in arteries and increased risk of heart disease. Entirely avoid products with partially hydrogenated oils listed on the ingredients.
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Mary Ellen Zung

A Health Coach Is Affordable

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A Health Coach charges a fee to help people make step-by-step changes to reach their health goals. But health is not the goal. Realizing your dreams is the goal; the health just helps you reach that goal. What dreams are you not realizing, or have you given up on?

There are many reasons to hire a Health Coach. Clients have told me they want to have more energy to play with their children, or they want to be a good example so that their children are proud of them, or they want to be able to feel good when they look in a mirror.

There are different fee structures for Health Coaches. An individual program, or an individual executive program will be the most expensive. With a group program, you are not getting 1:1 laser attention, but it costs less, and you might have better results with more of a group support. For example, if you pay $195 per month for an individual program, that’s about $6.50 per day. Whoa, $6.50 per day!

I can show you how to save $6.50 per day in our first meeting, so now you are at break even, and we haven’t even gotten into it!

If you are picking up breakfast on the way to work each morning, you might be spending $6.50 for a coffee and muffin or egg sandwich. If you buy lunch at work each day; how much do you spend? Make your own breakfast at home for $1 per day and save $5.50 per day.

Do you and your family order out once per week? Right there you can save $15 a week for a pizza, or up to $20-$30 for Chinese food. Are you trying to do the right thing by buying fruits and vegetables, but they sit in the refrigerator and are wasted because they are not prepped and ready for you and the family when you are hungry? What is that costing you a week? By planning your weekly meals, shopping for just what you need, and doing some prep ahead of time, you can avoid the need to call for take-out, or avoid wasting from over-buying due to lack of a plan.

Do you drive to work? Perhaps you can commute with a colleague, maybe one who leaves he office on time? That would save you half in gas, and would help you set boundaries. If you take the subway, consider walking, or riding a bike to work. Do you pay someone to clean your house? You could be getting great activity by reducing the cleaning from every week to every other week, or once a month.

Then there are health costs of prescription drugs and doctors visits to manage blood pressure, overweight, heart disease, diabetes, etc. Even if you have insurance, you are paying co-pay each time you refill a prescription or visit the doctor. Diet and lifestyle changes can reverse these illnesses and the need for medication. Are you losing time at work from being sick? When you eat right, are hydrated, exercise, and get enough sleep, you will have fewer sick days by being able to defend against common cold and flu. Are you working too much and not getting enough rest? Stress and tension also cause illness, and cause us to make the wrong lifestyle choices. A health coach can help you set boundaries, reach your goals, and make time for your own needs.

And what about accidents from slips, trips, and falls? If you are unsteady on your feet and don’t have strong muscles, bones, and practice balance, you could end up in the hospital, the second top accident after motor vehicle accidents for hospital admittance. As we get older, we lose muscle mass and the risk becomes even greater. A Health Coach can help you with bone health and balance. Did you know that eating processed foods with their high sodium levels leaches the calcium from our bones? Here again, a health coach can help you change your lifestyle choices to avoid expensive hospital stays, surgeries, prescription drugs, etc.

You can feel abundant when re-evaluating your expenses. Contact me today and start to save money by investing in your health now, and make your dreams come true.



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Mary Ellen Zung

Losing Weight Intuitively

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Weight loss is not about numbers and timelines. Once I figured that out and started to discover how my relationship with food was more about how I felt about myself, my situations, my past, present, and future direction, and my relationships, I was able to make small steps toward controlling my own life and making choices for myself, the weight slowly came off.

I am writing this because maybe this insight will help you too. How did I do it you may ask? The food was one thing, but everything else was as, if not, more essential. I had to listen to the girl inside; my intuition. I did this over many years with the help of a journal, some yoga, supportive friends and family, and taking action.

Here are the things I do on a regular basis that have made it possible for me to lose weight and keep it off for the past ten years.

  • Know what you are eating for the next meal or snack.
  • Eat every 3-4 hours, but pay attention to hunger and satisfaction signals.
  • Always have vegetables, and or fruits with every meal or snack.
  • Plan the meals for the week, make a shopping list, and buy those items as you shop the perimeter of the store.
  • Every once in a while, try a new fruit or vegetable that you’ve never had.
  • Set a bedtime 7-8 hours before you have to rise in the morning and stick to it no matter what is going on (well almost). Don’t worry; most things can wait until tomorrow. Sometimes others in our household might even pick up the slack.
  • Get some activity in every day and make it something you enjoy.
  • Practice yoga not just for the flexibility, strength and toning, but for the chance each day for some reflection.
  • Make time for self-care including massage, manicure/ pedicure, getting together with friends, whatever it is.
  • Do what you love, who cares what they say. Some of my hobbies have been basket-making, painting, and scrap booking. I joined the choir three years ago. I sang in a choir in elementary school and it felt good.
  • Keep a journal next to your bed. You don’t have to write in it every day, or week, or month, but it can be your best friend in challenging times.
No, of course I am not perfect, but I am happy.
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Mary Ellen Zung

Want To Buy Organic But Are Short On Cash?

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I love a good sale and don’t like buying anything if it is not on sale. Like many people, I used to buy sale produce at the grocery store and create my weekly meals from what I bought. Then, I started learning about the harmful pesticides food producers use when growing the food that is sold in our grocery stores. During the summer, I visit the Farmers Market first for local fruits and vegetables, but they too might use pesticides to keep pests from harming the crops (just ask next time). I wanted to buy organic, but realized that unfortunately due to the economics of farming in the US, organic is more expensive. What is a concerned Mom and family cook to do?

Then I learned about the Clean Fifteen and the Dirty Dozen, and my dilemma was solved. Now I buy only organic fruits and vegetables that are on the Dirty Dozen list. I don’t have to worry about choosing organic fruits and vegetables that are on the Clean Fifteen list, because they are grown without pesticides.


I hope you use this list and find it easier to shop smart and organic where it counts.    Here is the 2013 list.  The list above is a picture of a 2011 list, as the is updated annually.


Dirty Dozen Plus TM
  • Apples
  • Celery
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Grapes
  • Hot Peppers
  • Imported nectarines
  • Peaches
  • Potatoes
  • Spinach
  • Strawberries
  • Sweet bell peppers
  • Kale/Collard Greens
  • Summer squash

Clean Fifteen TM
  • Asparagus
  • Avocados
  • Cabbage
  • Cantaloupe
  • Sweet corn
  • Eggplant
  • Grapefruit
  • Kiwi
  • Mangos
  • Mushrooms
  • Onion
  • Papaya
  • Pineapples
  • Sweet peas (frozen)
  • Sweet potatoes

You can also get a pdf of this list to put on your refrigerator, and a mobile phone app from the Environmental Working Group website at ewg.org. The app is a great reference when shopping.

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Mary Ellen Zung

No Gluten Grains

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Have you noticed all of the marketing these days around gluten? Gluten-free does not mean "health food". It is just another way for food manufacturers to ride the coat tails of the diet trends. Even products that have always been gluten-free are now adding this to the front of their packaging.

Instead of buying processed items such as gluten free bread, crackers, cookies, pies and cakes, turn to the gluten-free ancient grains that have supported our health and nutrition for thousands of years.

  • Amaranth
  • Rice
  • Kasha
  • Quinoa
  • Cornmeal
  • Oats (look for Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats)

and if your digestion or body doesn't do well with gluten, then avoid:

  • Barley
  • Couscous
  • Wheat berries
  • Bulgar
  • Spelt
  • Kamut

otherwise, these are nutritious grains that provide energy and are not processed.

Look for these grains in your grocery store and health food store. Check the ingredient label to be sure it is just the grain in the box or bag. Recently, with the popularity of quinoa (keen-wha), I've seen boxes packaged with spices, sodium, and other filler ingredients, like a Rice-A-Roni. Avoid these. Cook the plain grain and add it to salads, soups, or mix it with fruit and nuts for breakfast.

Be healthy!





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Mary Ellen Zung

The Price of Pretty Fruit

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This is the best time of year to eat apples, right after the harvest. Maybe you, like I, have had the pleasure of picking apples right from the tree. One memorable year my family joined my brother John at work at an orchard in New York State. We picked apples along with the workers and filled up our trunk with fresh picked Granny Smiths and Gala’s. John has been at this for a while and still is. Over the years John and I have talked about all things apple; the growing season, pruning, replanting, bees, fungus, and pesticides. He told me about the locals who use the “drops” (apples that fall to the ground) for applesauce. I learned that apples are kept in cold storage through the winter, spring, and summer so we can have apples year round.


Recently I learned about the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen. The Clean 15 are those fruits and vegetables that we don’t necessarily need to buy organic since they are not grown with pesticides. The Dirty Dozen is where you want to put your extra pennies for organic. And the #1 at the top of the Dirty Dozen list? You got it, apples! I know John’s orchard uses pesticides, so I asked him to tell me more.


In his home orchard in the North Country of NY State they grow Macintosh. There is a fungus that without the fungicide causes a round black scab to appear on the skin of the apple. It doesn’t look good, so farmers use the fungicide to prevent these black scabs, so the apples look nice. ”It’s a cosmetic thing”, John told me. “The meat of an apple with the scab is still good”. John then told me about the chemicals they use in the orchard. There are three levels of pesticide labels, Danger, Warning, and Caution, with Caution being the most hazardous level as far as potential damage to living things. The product he uses at his orchard, Captan, has a Caution label. “When you read through the label where it says Caution, it says ‘Will cause immediate, permanent blindness’”. Of course they dilute the chemical with water, but that is pretty scary. He then told me that not too many farmers grow organic apples, but many that do sell them for apple juice. But not all apple juice is organic.


We talked a bit more about the Dirty Dozen. Brother John loves potatoes, #9 on the Dirty Dozen list. He mentioned that all of the potato farmers on Long Island where we grew up use Temic, which has been linked to the increase in breast cancer on Long Island. The pesticide gets into soil, is absorbed by the potatoes when they are in the soil. Over the years, the pesticide leaches through the soil and gets into the aquifer. Now the pesticide is in the drinking water. I never thought about potatoes being susceptible to pesticides since they grow underground, but there you have it! We’ll talk more about potatoes at another time!


My local farmers market supplies me with black dotted apples and my local grocery store is now carrying them too. I try to pick the ugly ones.
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