Jennifer Brooks of GOLO On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In The Health and Wellness Industry

An Interview With Luke Kervin

Maintain a positive attitude — smile, laugh, and keep yourself motivated and mentally engaged. It’s much easier to stay focused when you’re happy. Sometimes it takes effort to be happy, but it’s just as easy to be happy as it is to be angry, the same amount of energy.

The global health and wellness market is worth more than 1.5 trillion dollars. So many people are looking to improve their physical, mental, and emotional wellness. At the same time, so many people are needed to help provide these services. What does it take to create a highly successful career in the health and wellness industry?

In this interview series called “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In The Health and Wellness Industry” we are talking to health and wellness professionals who can share insights and stories from their experiences.

In this particular interview, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Brooks.

As President of GOLO LLC, the pioneering wellness solutions company, Jennifer Brooks is involved in all facets of the company’s business, including product development, marketing, and customer experience. Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition; she also holds degrees in culinary arts and mind-body transformational psychology. Her unique perspective is at the center of the company’s mission of empowering people and communities to take control of their health and wellness.

What or who inspired you to pursue your career? We’d love to hear the story.

My love for food and cooking inspired me to continue to study nutrition after I got my culinary arts degree. This love, combined with learning technical cooking skills, really got me interested in the science side of food, how it affects the body, and what different combinations of food affect you. I ultimately got my degree in holistic nutrition because I wanted to help others, and I am incredibly grateful to bring all of my passion and knowledge together within my role at GOLO.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?

I have always found inspiration from cooking shows. I used to love watching Julia Child before I went to school, (which shows my age). Then when I was a young adult, the Food Network and other programs really brought food and cooking into the spotlight, which I found thrilling. I was engrossed in the stories of Emeril Lagasse and Anthony Bourdain. The whole thing intrigued me.

I also came from a household where my grandparents and mother cooked everything from scratch, which explains why I was so drawn to food. We never ate anything processed, and sometimes we would spend all day making just one dish. It was beneficial for me to be in that environment where a pot of soup is cooked for two days instead of opening it in a can and then heating it up. I was fortunate in that regard.

Were there particular family traditions? Any traditional foods?

Like many families, Sunday dinners were of paramount importance. My grandmother would go all out with a soup to nuts dinner. Even though it was just family and very casual, we would start with a soup, a salad, a main dish, and another dish, and fruits and nuts for dessert. It was a nice 5-hour meal where we sat around the table and talked. This approach was magnified over the holidays. My family loved celebrating with our friends of different backgrounds; they would come to our home to celebrate our traditions and vice versa. It was a culturally rich, well-rounded experience growing up. It was a great sense of community and being open to other cultures.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career? What lesson or take away did you learn from that?

When I was taking the Holistic Nutrition Board exam, my screen was malfunctioning, and there were some questions I ended up skipping because I couldn’t see them. I ended up clicking the wrong button, which wouldn’t let me go back to previous questions. I was so upset, and I was so concerned it was going to cost me the test. I emailed instructors, my contact at the exam, everyone because I was so nervous about it. It was torturous waiting those few weeks to get my results. It turns out I ended up passing with flying colors!

Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does that resonate with you so much?

I came across this great quote recently: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” I think it resonates with me because we live in such a reactive world where we don’t take the time to listen or absorb what’s being said and what’s happening. We want to put our stamp on it and respond, and we don’t take in what we should be hearing. I think it’s a great quote because it reminds us to listen to others and hear what they have to say. Even though you may not always agree with other perspectives, putting effort into listening rather than immediately thinking about how you’re going to respond is something that will always be of value.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

We always have a variety of exciting new projects going on at the company. We recently introduced our Go-Digest dietary supplement to the broader market. It’s a product that truly speaks to the importance of gut health on your immune system. It’s a unique product because it contains an enzyme blend, probiotic, and a botanical, so it’s slightly different from the other products out there that generally only focus on one thing.

From a corporate perspective, one of our main priorities is supporting local health and wellness initiatives by partnering with community-based organizations. Over the past year, we’ve had the privilege of working with local food banks, local chapters of the Special Olympics, as well and local Boys and Girls Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters groups.

For the benefit of our readers, can you briefly let us know why you are an authority in the fitness and wellness field?

Frankly, my whole life is nutrition. But to answer your question more specifically, I hold degrees in culinary arts and mind-body transformational psychology. As you might suspect, mind-body transformation shows the connection between the mind and body; it’s a holistic approach. What you eat affects your body not just physically but mentally, and vice versa. How you feel mentally affects you physically. I’m also board-certified in Holistic Nutrition and hold degrees in holistic wellness and nutrition. And I have certifications in behavior of change and fitness nutrition.

OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview about achieving a healthy body weight. Let’s begin with a basic definition of terms so that all of us are on the same page. How do you define a “Healthy Body Weight”?

I would define a healthy body weight as the body’s natural set point, which is uniquely different for everyone. It’s the way in which the metabolism works effectively and efficiently so a person feels good physically and their systems are working well, and their overall health is good. It might not follow that conventional BMI weight chart, and as I said, it’s different for everybody. We also sometimes go through various set points in different stages of our lives. Obviously, if you’re pregnant, it would be a different set-point than if you’re not or if you’re younger or older, so that set point is never truly set in stone for your whole life.

How can an individual learn what is a healthy body weight for them? How can we discern what is “too overweight” or what is “too underweight”?

There are standard guidelines that you could follow, such as a BMI calculator. You can use calipers to measure your body fat percentage. There’s a lot of different apps, charts, and grids you can use.

When looking through the lens of mind-body transformation, more holistic variables are taken into consideration. For instance, if you’re a larger frame or taller, those variables could skew your results, so you have to consider all of those different variables and factors. Numbers are really just guidelines. I think most people know when they’re uncomfortable and when they’re not at their ideal weight. You just don’t feel as energetic or good overall. For overweight and underweight people, there are other visible symptoms like fatigue. Your digestion might be off. There are so many physical symptoms that can come with not being at your ideal weight because that means there’s some imbalance somewhere.

There’s so much information available to people today I think it’s a person’s responsibility to look deeper. You have to look into why things happen, which goes back to the holistic approach. In addition to consulting with your doctor, seek out other people or social communities who might be going through a similar experience. Our GOLO for Life approach offers one-on-one coaching to members. We also have an amazing Facebook Group, which has become an invaluable community resource for our members.

This might be intuitive to you, but it will be instructive to expressly articulate this. Can you please share a few reasons why being over your healthy body weight, or under your healthy body weight, can be harmful to your health?

The body system is always trying to maintain homeostasis, which means balance. When the body is balanced, it’s easier to maintain optimal health because all of your systems are working correctly. You’re a well-oiled machine. When we experience being over or underweight, something is out of balance. Initially, we may only experience minor symptoms like my clothes don’t fit or feeling uncomfortable, but our physical state could sustain damage over time. Serious health issues or even diseases can occur if we don’t correct the imbalance. We need to maintain all of our systems.

In contrast, can you help articulate a few examples of how a person who achieves and maintains a healthy body weight will feel better and perform better in many areas of life?

Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight means the body is balanced, which means you probably feel pretty good. Other areas such as a positive mental attitude, physical stamina, digestion, sleep — all of these aspects may be better once achieving that healthy body weight. When you don’t feel good, you can get stressed, angry, and unmotivated, but everything else seems to fall into place when we’re happy with ourselves.

Ok, fantastic. Here is the main question of our discussion. Can you please share your “5 Things You Need To Do To Achieve a Healthy Body Weight And Keep It Permanently?”. If you can, please share a story or an example for each.

Stay consistent — because a healthy lifestyle is long-term, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Find people that have the same goals as you do, who want to find that healthy lifestyle and become a support system for one another.

Feed your body proper nutrition — eat whole foods and avoid processed foods. This approach is really the foundation of our GOLO for Life plan.

Maintain a positive attitude — smile, laugh, and keep yourself motivated and mentally engaged. It’s much easier to stay focused when you’re happy. Sometimes it takes effort to be happy, but it’s just as easy to be happy as it is to be angry, the same amount of energy.

Exercise, meditate, and sleep — We really discount the importance of sleep, and there is a huge connection between sleep and weight loss. We know that’s the time of day during the night when the body is restoring. Sleep plays a significant role in health, not just for weight loss but overall health.

Drink lots of water — so you can constantly flush out your system.

The emphasis of this series is how to maintain an ideal weight for the long term, and how to avoid yo-yo dieting. Specifically, how does a person who loses weight maintain that permanently and sustainably?

I believe, and this is the GOLO philosophy, that to maintain weight loss and sustain the loss, you have to lose weight slowly and steadily. You lose it by focusing on good nutrition, whole foods, exercise, and good sleep habits. When you lose weight quickly by cutting calories or cutting out carbs or fat, you’re really just depriving your body of the nutrition that it needs. You might lose weight, but you’re going to plateau quickly, and it’s going to be hard to maintain that loss. Another important part of it is exercise. It’s essential for weight loss and overall health, but it does influence the number on the scale. If you have more muscle than fat, you’ll be more toned, leading you to lose more inches. Also, your support system is very important to maintain or sustain a healthy lifestyle because you want to have others you can count on to help you stay engaged and motivated.

What are a few of the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they try to lose weight? What errors cause people to just snap back to their old unhealthy selves? What can they do to avoid those mistakes?

Ultimately, the biggest mistake anyone can make when they try to lose weight is falling back into old, unhealthy habits. It’s something that happens to everyone. When you’re in a moment of stress, it’s so much easier to go back to our old habits even if we know they aren’t healthy. One thing I feel people do which sabotages them is that they give up too soon. Weight gain doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a process that occurs over time, so we also have to give our bodies time to lose weight.

I also think we’re too hard on ourselves. If we have one bad day or we slip up or eat something we shouldn’t, we think we’re done, or we have to start over or wait till Monday. But we don’t. Every meal is a chance to do better, and even if you have two bad meals out of 21, your odds are still very good.

No ones’ weight loss journey is going to be perfect all the time. To avoid these mistakes of giving up too soon or being too hard on ourselves, we have to be forgiving. Everyone will experience that bump in the road because, again, change is really hard. Those bumps are a part of the process, not the end game.

How do we take all this information and integrate it into our actual lives? The truth is that we all know that it’s important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, etc. But while we know it intellectually, it’s difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

Well, we know we’re our own worst enemy. Take it slow. Focus on building one good habit at a time. We tend to set the bar too high — I do it myself. I’ll think, “I’m going to cut sugar completely, exercise more, wake up at 5am every day.” Conquering ten habits in a single day is very hard. If we take smaller strides, then we keep motivated to keep going. It helps to start with something small, like eating a healthy breakfast every day. Once you’ve done that every day for a week, shift the focus to lunch.

Consistency is key, and so is preparedness. We have to commit to finding time to prep in advance, so we don’t end up eating out or putting exercise off of the schedule. It’s also helpful to reach out for help if we’re struggling, and set a bedtime and stick to it. The key is committing to yourself and getting that schedule or checklist every day done, and then you’ll feel accomplished at the end of the day, and you’ll be ready to do it the next day.

On the flip side, how can we prevent these ideas from just being trapped in a rarified, theoretical ideal that never gets put into practice? What specific habits can we develop to take these intellectual ideas and integrate them into our normal routine?

There are so many resources available to help us succeed. There are apps for everything now. They can track steps, how much water you drink, sleep, really anything. There are also journals, books, online support, social groups; we have to use those available tools. Remember, we live in a time when we don’t have to do anything alone anymore.

When we embrace support, it’s easier to stay on track. This is one of the things we recognize at GOLO. Receiving support is just as important as eating correctly and exercising. Going back to the mind-body holistic approach, we believe that support is that third part that pulls it all together. It is one of the reasons that we provide free online support and tools. We also offer one-on-one coaching sessions with our GOLO coaches because not everyone has that support that they need in their daily lives. Our Facebook group for customers is important because they can bounce ideas off one another or talk about their struggles and get a lot of feedback. They know that they aren’t alone.

Ok, we are nearly done. You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

It is a continuation of my last answer: we’re all here to support one another. No one is alone in this world. If you see someone down, pick them up because you’d want someone to do the same for you. Going back to the mind-body holistic approach, we’re all connected by energy, and energy spreads whether it is good or bad. The idea of taking care of one another is fundamental.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)

Robin O’Brien. She’s a powerful influencer, and she’s working to change the food system. She used to be in finance, and she’s using her financial analyst background to help change our food system for the better. I believe her mission started with her having an allergic reaction to a food. Was she allergic to the food, or was she allergic to what was done to it? That question led her off on this path of looking into our food system.

Because I love cooking so much and I love my cooking shows, I would also love to meet Jamie Oliver, not just because he is a chef but because he leads a food revolution. He works to help reform school lunches which if we can start kids off early eating better, that’s huge. He is helping us fight obesity and teaching people how to change their eating habits to be healthier and live longer lives. That goes right along with our philosophy here at GOLO.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Visit www.golo.com and www.aerotrainer.com

Thank you for these really excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success.