January 01, 2022

What is Pure Joy Wellness? My Philosophy On Living Well Your Whole Life

January 01, 2022/ Renata Joy

Welcome to 2022, everyone! I’m so happy to kick off this new year with you and take this Pure Joy Wellness Community to a whole new level! There are so many exciting launches, surprises, and initiatives I have planned for this year, so in light of that, I wanted to do a kind of “reintroduction” slash “here’s what we stand for” blog post to get everyone in our community in alignment. I’ve done so much reflecting on 2021 and there is a lot I want to get across to both the long-time and new members of the PJW crew. This is sort of a thought-dump, but I promise it’s worth the read!!

Here’s what Pure Joy Wellness is all about…

December 22, 2021

The Best of Pure Joy Wellness 2021 - Part 2

December 22, 2021/ Renata Joy

There are only a few days left of 2021, which means it’s time to finish out the year with PART TWO of the Best Of Pure Joy Wellness Blog posts. (Here’s Part 1 and the PJW Approved Version in case you missed them.) But first, I want to acknowledge our current predicament. I know things are uncertain right now—the coronavirus pandemic is still prevalent, people are getting sick, and it’s unclear what lies ahead for us.

In an effort to take your mind off it, even for a few minutes, here is the second batch of blog post highlights from this year. I hope you’ll find some solace in them, learn something new, and use them to help set your health goals for 2022.

December 17, 2021

5 Ways to Stay Healthy This Holiday Season

December 17, 2021/ Renata Joy

The holidays are a fun time filled with family and FOOD! As great as this time of year is, it can also be super hard on our efforts to stay healthy.

While I am ALL for enjoying yourself and not depriving yourself from your favorite foods and activities, if you have multiple parties and dinners to attend, then you may end up feeling less than great by the end!

December 11, 2021

The Best of 2021 Pure Joy Wellness Approved Products

December 11, 2021/ Renata Joy

We are SO close to the end of the year… It’s surreal to think about. Like I mentioned in my last blog post, I’m using December as an opportunity to reflect and take it all in. It’s been a life-changing year in a lot of ways, and I’m so proud of how far we’ve come as a PJW community.

Last week, I showed you the best blog posts of 2021. This week, we’re doing the best of Pure Joy Wellness Approved products!

December 05, 2021

The Best of Pure Joy Wellness 2021 - Part 1

December 05, 2021/ Renata Joy

Oh 2021.. what a year it’s been! Coming out of 2020, I wasn’t sure what kind of year we were going to have, but I have to say, overall it’s been amazing. As a PJW community, we’ve grown stronger, connected deeply, and brought new people into the fold.

I couldn’t be prouder of all the badass women who are part of this community, including you! To celebrate, I’m using December to highlight the Best of Pure Joy Wellness from 2021.

November 12, 2021

65! Yikes! Isn’t That When You’re OLD?

November 12, 2021/ Renata Joy

Last November, I turned 65 years old. It’s surreal to think about. When I look in the mirror, I don’t see an old person, which makes me think: “Maybe being seen as old is just a myth. Maybe people don’t actually perceive 65 that way.”

But then a few weeks ago, I spoke to a group of students at Pace University about Pure Joy Wellness. When I mentioned my age, someone asked me if I feel 65 (implying that was old).

October 10, 2021

Pure Joy Wellness Approved - Oura Ring

October 10, 2021/ Renata Joy

As you probably know, the Pure Joy Wellness Walking Challenge is in full swing—we’re almost halfway through! So, in honor of making it this far, this month’s Pure Joy Wellness Approved product is on theme.

Whether you joined the Walking Challenge with the intention of losing weight, getting more movement in your day, or decreasing your stress and anxiety levels, this product can help you do that, and give you tons of cool info about your body along the way.

Ladies, meet the Oura ring.

September 25, 2021

How To Make Walking More Enjoyable

September 25, 2021/ Renata Joy

If you follow me on social media, you know that the third Pure Joy Wellness Walking Challenge is about to begin! Starting on Saturday, October 2, myself and the rest of the PJW community will be walking for 30 minutes a day for the next 30 days.

The Walking Challenge is about making a commitment to ourselves and one another and sticking to it—and we have a ton of fun motivating and supporting each other along the way!

September 16, 2021

Why We Get Lower Back Pain & How To Fix Yours

September 16, 2021/ Renata Joy

A few weeks ago, I woke up with a severe pain in my hip (or at least, I thought it was my hip at the time). My hip was so tight and felt like it was totally locked up. Having dealt with hip pain before. I tried every tool in my arsenal to heal it—I stretched, I slept on a wooden ball (no, I’m not kidding), iced it, took baths, everything. But nothing got better until I went to my chiropractor… and it turns out, I was treating the wrong area. My back was the issue, not my hip.

This experience got me thinking about back pain—specifically lower back pain—and how incredibly common it is, especially as we age.

September 05, 2021

What Every Woman Should Know About Heart Disease

September 05, 2021/ Renata Joy

Generally speaking, women have lower rates of heart disease than men. This is especially true for men and women in the first half of their lives. As we age, though, and after women go through menopause, their risk of heart disease goes up. Believe it or not, heart disease is actually the leading cause of death for both women and men… about 1 in 4 people die from it, and 1 in 5 women die from it.

And speaking of women, the heart disease statistics for us are even more startling. Heart disease kills more women than all types of cancer combined, including breast cancer. Not to mention, women are less likely to be correctly diagnosed and treated than men. So why don’t we hear more about it? Why aren’t we talking more about what we can do to prevent it?

July 30, 2021

How Healthy People Eat - Tips & Tricks from Kristen Coffield

July 30, 2021/ Renata Joy

Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of hosting Kristen Coffield on my Expert Instagram Lives! In case you missed it, Kristen is the author of “How Healthy People Eat” and the founder and owner of The Culinary Cure.

She’s a culinary wellness coach who is dedicated to helping people live younger, longer, and better—needless to say, we have a lot in common!

May 08, 2021

Bad Posture? Here Are 3 Steps For Improving Yours

May 08, 2021/ Renata Joy

It’s a known fact that as we age, our posture tends to get worse. Why, you ask? Well, our muscle and bone density begin to decline, which means we’re more likely to slump and hunch over. Not only is poor posture a stressor on our bodies, but it can also impact your feelings of self-worth and confidence. And as badass women, we deserve to feel confident and feel good about ourselves all day, every day.

Here’s why you should care about your posture, and a few tips for how to fix yours!

February 12, 2021

10 Products That Will Help Soothe Your Aches & Pains

February 12, 2021/ Renata Joy

When I was mulling over topics for this week’s blog post, I remembered something a woman at the gym asked me. “What can I do about my aches and pains?” I loved this question, because I know lots of women who deal with this, and I myself experience it! Her question got me thinking: What products have actually made a difference for my aches and pains?

You see, as I have gotten older, my body has developed more aches and pains, especially in my back and hips. To cope with them, I devote a lot of time to recovery and carve out time to do mobility work. It’s so important to work your joints and muscles at any age, otherwise your body can develop serious stiffness and pain. That’s why I am constantly looking for devices and products that can help loosen up those areas and keep my body feeling strong.

January 30, 2021

How To Shed Your Menopausal Middle

January 30, 2021/ Renata Joy

When we enter the season of menopause, our bodies change...sometimes slowly, and other times quite suddenly. You may wake up one day feeling like you’re in a different body—one that has less energy, a lower metabolism, and a worse mood. Naturally, these changes can be deeply distressing, and the negative feeling we experience during menopause are very real.

January 22, 2021

Why Everyone (Yes, Everyone) Should Lift Heavy Weights

January 22, 2021/ Renata Joy

When I look back on my fitness journey, It’s hard to believe there was a time when I didn’t lift weights. Believe it or not, I actually didn’t start strength training until my thirties!

At the time, I was working in television and I was the queen of aerobics. My cardiovascular health was outstanding, and sure, I was thin, but I had no muscle mass or tone to speak of. I was skinny, but I wasn’t what I consider now to be fit. It wasn’t until one of my colleagues at the station said, “You know, you would be great at lifting weights,” that I decided to give it a try.

January 16, 2021

The Importance of Sleep & Tips For Getting Enough Of It

January 16, 2021/ Renata Joy

If there’s one aspect of our health that we should be devoting more attention to, it’s our sleep! The benefits of sleep are extremely well-studied and proven out, so it still surprises me when my clients and friends say they settle for four or five hours a night. (Not that I’m perfect—I also find it hard to get a consistent eight hours, even though I know how important it is!)

December 23, 2020

Why I Don't Believe In New Year's Resolutions

December 23, 2020/ Renata Joy

Every January, without fail, numerous people jump on the New Year’s resolutions train. They make resolutions to lose weight, get more sleep, improve their nutrition, and much more. And while making those New Year’s resolutions may be well-intentioned, data has proven time and time again that this is an ineffective approach to goal-setting.

December 04, 2020

Why Having A Strong Core Is So Important For Women

December 04, 2020/ Renata Joy

When you think of the word “core,” you might envision six-pack abs or a washboard stomach, but having a strong, healthy core is about much more than that. Your core consists of all the muscles in your trunk—they surround your abdomen on all sides, which allows your body to twist, bend, and rotate, support your spine, and aid in posture. In other words, it’s at the center of everything you do.

October 16, 2020

In Honor Of Breast Cancer Awareness Month: An Inspiring Story & Lessons For Us All

October 16, 2020/ Renata Joy

You may or may not know this, but October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Given that the Pure Joy Wellness community is composed of strong, badass women, I wanted to use this week’s blog post to spotlight one of my long-time clients, Jessica Moser, a breast cancer survivor, and share some breast cancer resources that every woman should know about.

October 10, 2020

3 Ways To Track Your Step Count

October 10, 2020/ Renata Joy

As a society, we’ve grown increasingly sedentary over the years. We sit at our desks, sit down for meals, sit while scrolling through social media, sit while we watch TV, etc. It’s actually astounding how much time we spend sitting, and how many of our daily activities require being seated. It’s no wonder that many of us struggle to hit our daily step count, or even get outside once a day.