Hey ,
If you've ever made breakfast for a child,
you know that the biggest rookie mistake is
asking them what they want to eat.
When he was younger, my son would at least say fully
formed words of "I don't know" or "Not sure."
But today at 11 (!!) it's usually more of a series of
grunts without eye contact. So the other day,
when my son uttered the words "funnel cake" 🥞
– you know, the carnival kind, fried to
perfection with powdered sugar - I decided to go with it.
I remembered we had some small funnels
in the cupboard and, more importantly,
some nutrient-dense, protein-rich pancake mix.
I went to town building a funnel cake of my own design,
frying it in coconut oil and topping
it with powdered sugar. Five minutes after
putting the plate down, it was gone.
He said it was "different," but really cool that
he got a funnel cake for breakfast. Yes, he got a
little more sugar than I intended, but he also got
a truckload of other nutrients – a win in my book!
What's more, he was excited to eat breakfast,
and that's a double win, trophy-worthy, in fact. 🏆
While this isn't a post encouraging you to eat funnel cake
for breakfast (unless you want to, I mean, it
was pretty good!) It is a metaphor to
remind you that sometimes dressing things up
differently can make them feel meaningful, novel, and fun.
This is pretty much the crux of my work as a health coach.
My clients often know exactly what they need to do;
my job is to help them figure out a way
that feels interesting enough to start doing it.
This brings me to a few fun announcements:
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Where to Find Coach JZ
1️⃣ First, I'm stretching my skills with a new consulting contract. I'll be conducting wellness events for employees of Bank of America, McDonald's (yes, that McDonald's), Sears Tower (no - I won't say Willis IYKYK,) Salesforce, Columbia College, and more over the next year. I'm working with Kinema Fitness to create original wellness programming for various sites across Chicagoland. If you work in or around these sites and want to learn more or host one of your own events, drop me a line! I'll let you know what we have going on.
2️⃣ Secondly, next week I start a contract working with seniors living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Those of you who've worked with me probably know that the senior population is one of my favorites. My grandmother was one of my best friends, and I truly loved our long talks. Plus, I always had a full roster of senior clients at my Pilates studios – something about me and seniors just clicks. When my supervisor asked me how I felt about working with senior citizens, I said, "What an honor." Senior citizens are often forgotten, discarded, and invisible in our society, and the opportunity to support them in this stage of their life through disease management is one I don't take lightly. In this role, I'll be working with RNs, RDs, and MDs to support their diabetes management. It's a fantastic opportunity, and I'm especially grateful.
Coaching with JZ Wellness
Following these exciting developments, things are about to get a little busier, which simply means I'll working seasonally with my coaching through JZ Wellness. I have two client spaces becoming available in September, with the possibility of one more in October. If you've been thinking about making a move in your own health and well-being – be it supporting your diet, exercise, or habit change – please reach out to me, and I'll keep you posted on the next openings.
Beyond "Optimization" 🏆
In the past, health coaching has found its way into the category of "optimization," often pigeonholed into helping people live their "best life" and "most authentic self." These words have become jumbled in a zeitgeist of wellness fads and schemes that unfortunately often take advantage of chronically ill people.
The coaching and teaching I offer has never been about asking you to change, or promising something unattainable. I've always believed in creating spaces where people feel safe enough to share their messy lives - because that is what life actually is.
This means supporting people through grief and new beginnings, disappointment and celebrations. My goal is always to help you build your resources so your wins are truly your own, integrated into your life in a way that works for you. I'm celebrating you, even when you don't know it.
I began this work in my 20s in fitness. While there was a time I thought getting you the arms or abs you wanted was the most important thing, life has shown me otherwise. Through miracles and heartbreaks, I've learned it's possible to live well despite our limits and to support each other through both challenging and easy times.
As your coach and friend, that's my hope for you as we head into the warmer seasons. Remember to embrace and show up as yourself today – not the self you'll be after five pounds, or once you get what you're striving for, or if everything were just different. The self you are today, navigating this beautiful mess we call life, is the self that will keep showing up for you no matter what.
Thanks for keeping up to date with my life and I'd love to know what's happening in yours! Hit reply and let me know how it's going!
Living Well With You, Not At You.
Coach JZ
Save The Dates:
Breakfast Club Reformer Class - 6/21/25
Join me for the June installment of Breakfast Club Reformer Class. Designed for the over 40 crew, in June we tackle the MAGIC CIRCLE + reformer for a fantastic partnership your legs won't soon forget! Join for a single class or for the year at a premium!
Group Pilates & Fitness Classes at It's Lit Studio:
Special Memorial Day Class: 5/26/25 11am - Sweat and Shine (strength training circuits for all levels)
June Schedule:
Mondays - 12pm: Pilates Matwork - all levels
6pm: Sweat and Shine
Wednesdays - 6pm: Step and Stretch (step aerobics)
Thursdays - 6pm: Pilates For Real People ( a mobility-based, inclusive class with lots of variations)
Millennium Park Workouts 
Join me for Pilates on the Great Lawn at Millennium Park in Chicago on June 14th, 2025. Class starts at 8am. Bring your own mat and water. Stay for yoga. I'll be accompanied by live music and sunshine ☀️. Please come up and say hi - I love seeing your faces!
NEW DATE - FREE Special Event: Gathering Glimmers, How To Stay Connected To Joy Through Challenging Times.
Save the date: June 18th, 2pm CST (LIVE & REPLAY Available)
During times of intense stress, seeking joy can feel like betraying the cause or a futile move altogether. But the act of gathering these moments of reprieve each day is as important to our mental health as the values and causes we support. Join me for a timely and powerful session on how we can simply play an active role in procuring joy in our day to day lives. Register Below
Weighted Vest Walk - Register Interest!
So many people have been asking me about getting started with their weighted vests that I wanted to check in with you to see if you'd be interested in doing a lakefront walk to get acclimated? We'd go early in the morning to avoid the heat in July. Hit reply to share your interest and let me know if you'd be down to walk - vest is always optional.
Get A Quick Win!
I know that sometimes you just need a little boost in the right direction. visit the link below to get a quick win in the area of nutrition, exercise, sleep or joy from me and set your holiday weekend off on the right foot! Have a great one and thanks for being here!
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