Over fall break two of us (Robin and Lisa) went to meet Dr. John Principe of WellBeing, MD. The WellBeing Center for Life has been featured as an innovative force in Nutrition, Physical Activity and Mindful Living by the following like-minded organizations and businesses: American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health's Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives, Harvard's Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, Vital Choice, Oldways Mediterranean Month, and Technogym. He offers classes in healthy cooking, yoga, pilates, aerobic dance, functional physical training and behavioral modification. The RoadMap to Wellness course is sort of a culmination of all of these things, and when we heard about it we knew we wanted to learn more.
Upon arriving we were warmly received, despite being quite late due to unexpected suburban Chicago traffic. Before the class began, we helped prepare a meal of grilled cheese with sliced apples and caramelized onions and butternut squash soup. As the class began we found seats in the back of this large room that functions as a classroom, an exercise studio, and a modern demo kitchen. Dr. Principe was animated and motivational as he spoke. He got everyone involved, including us, by beginning with chair exercises. These were not your standard PBS "Sit and Be Fit" exercises by any means!
We were also joined by a reporter from the Chicago Tribune. You can read her story here. You can learn more about Dr. Principe at www.WellBeingMd.com and come hear him speak at the Integrate Chicago conference on January 14th, 2012.
