With the help of health and life coach Heather Shankel, of Healthy Attractions, you can change every aspect of your life and become your best self
By Patricia Nugent
Imagine yourself on a riverbank. Across the river lies the very best version of yourself, but the river between you is flowing fierce and is near-impossible to cross.
Health and life coach Heather Shankel, founder of Healthy Attractions, can give you the tools to cross over and transform into your best self.
Her coaching empowers people to tap into the motivation it takes to improve their overall health potential, to change their life from a nutritional, fitness and motivational level.
“I start clients out by getting them to take stock of their life, self-analyzing what’s working and what isn’t,” says Heather, who radiates positivity and confidence, and possesses an easy, merry laugh.
“We talk about all aspects of their life, from career to health, etc. Often when one portion of your life isn’t working, it affects other parts.”
Also, during the initial consultation, each client receives an evaluation on her Tanita Scale, a super-charged device that measures everything from the amount of fat a person is storing to how hydrated they are. It even calculates their metabolic age. And their progress is followed after that with further evaluations.
But First, a Little Back Story
After 25-plus years in the health and wellness industry as a regional director at several national weight loss organizations, Heather discovered she suffered from multiple sclerosis, then went through a bitter divorce and lost her father, in rapid succession.
“One of the physicians on my medical team suggested that I’d be a natural at health coaching,” she says. “I agreed that worked well with my degrees in biology and exercise science. And it felt right.”
As part of her own journey, Heather then became a yoga instructor as well as a certified life coach. Heather put up her shingle for Healthy Attractions in Fairlawn a few months ago.
Choose Your Path to Detox
For a total life transformation and weight loss journey, the 90-day program includes 12 one-on-one coaching sessions that range from How to Stop Sabotaging Yourself, to Finding the Parts of You that Need to be Nourished, and How to Mentally Rehearse for Success. She also offers a self-discovery program that lasts six weeks.
To reset your nutritional health, blast bloating, boost energy and clear your foggy brain, Heather offers the two-week detox. Through a step-by-step food plan, and four coaching sessions with her, people eat clean for 14 days and cleanse toxins from the body.
“When it’s over, every cell of your body, and especially your organs, are completely detoxified,” she says.
Making the Mind-Body Connection
While working with Heather, you are free to attend yoga classes, or even just make an appointment to chill in the beautiful yoga studio at Healthy Attractions and meditate, whether by yourself or through guided meditation with her.
The bottom line, she says, is there are hundreds of diet programs out there, but if any of them worked on a long-term basis we would all be thin.
“The body follows what the mindset tells it,” she says.
“I coach people to a place where they can achieve their optimum wellness on a sustainable basis for the rest of their lives.”
Healthy Attractions is located across the street from Summit Mall at 2747 Crawfis Boulevard, Suite 205, in Fairlawn. Hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Health coaching can be reimbursed by insurance if you have a doctor’s recommendation. For more information, call 234-231-1516 or visit HealthyAttractions.com. You’ll find an array of healthy and scrumptious recipes for every mealtime. Also check out her Facebook page for healthful Tips on Tuesdays, and Thoughts on Thursdays.