Words of Wellness with Shelly

Buillding a Legacy of Wellness: Raising Active Kids Through Play, Travel, And Everyday Movement

• Shelly Jefferis • Season 2 • Episode 134

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Ever feel buried under wellness advice that changes by the hour? We cut through the noise with a clear idea: consistency over time wins. I sit down with coach Brian Parana, joining us live from a sunlit Ohio park, to talk about building a family culture of movement, raising active kids, and keeping health simple enough to do on your busiest day. From after-dinner walks with a 130-pound Newfoundland to playground tag that turns into core memories, Brian shares how small rituals shape identity, confidence, and joy.

With practical advice, we share how to anchor habits to daily life, why positive experiences around movement matter more than perfect plans, and how nutrition basics—whole foods, balanced plates, hydration—deliver more than any trend. Brian opens up about parenting teens, juggling practices and work, and modeling the behavior he wants to see. That example pays forward: kids choose sports or arts, set their own goals, and later on in life invite parents to join in. Along the way, ultimately we hope to leave a legacy of fitness, health and most importantly; fun!

We also spotlight men’s health over 40, where time is tight and stress runs high. Brian explains how ten-minute workouts, walk-and-talks, and family-centered activity can sustain momentum without all-or-nothing thinking. The theme running through it all is legacy: be remembered as the parent who took care of themselves and showed up. If you’re ready to trade hacks for habits and make wellness feel doable again, this conversation offers a roadmap you can start today.

If this resonated, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review. Tell us: what’s the one small habit you’ll commit to this week?

CONNECT WITH BRIAN:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachbrianparana
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrianParana

thecalltorise.com

CONNECT WITH SHELLY:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswithshellyj https://www.instagram.com/momswhoflourish
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShellyJefferis

A few of Shelly's favorite clean products:

High quality, clean nutrition and beauty products: https://shellyjefferis.isagenix

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https://scoutandcellar.com/?u=healthyhappyhours

Cayla Gray- Non-toxic cologne & perfume: https://caylagray.com/wellnesswithshellyj (10% discount)

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Coupon code for 10% off: ShellyJefferis

Thank you for listening to the Words of Wellness podcast with Shelly Jefferis. I am honored and so grateful to have you here and it would mean the world to me if you could take a minute to follow, leave a 5-star review and share the podcast with anyone you love and anyone you feel could benefit from the message.

Thank you and God Bless! And remember to do something for yourself, for your wellness on this day!
In Health,

Shelly

SPEAKER_02:

Important thing that I hear on a regular basis that I have to remind myself even is that consistency over time wins every time. If you are moving yourself toward a healthier direction, then you will get healthier.

SPEAKER_00:

Do you get confused by all of the information that bombards us every day on ways to improve our overall health and our overall wellness? Do you often feel stuck, unmotivated, or struggle to reach your wellness goals? Do you have questions as to what exercises you should be doing? What foods you should or shouldn't be eating? How to improve your overall emotional and mental well-being? Hello, everyone. I am so excited to welcome you to Words of Wellness. My name is Shelly Jeffries, and I will be your host. My goal is to answer these questions and so much more. To share tips, education, and inspiration around all of the components of wellness through solo and guest episodes. With 35 plus years as a health and wellness professional, a retired college professor, a speaker, and a multi-passionate entrepreneur, I certainly have lots to share. However, my biggest goal and inspiration in doing this podcast is to share the wellness stories of others with you. To bring in guests who can share their journeys so that we can all learn together while making an impact on the health, the wellness, and lives of all of you, our listeners. The ultimate hope is that you leave today with even just one nugget that can enhance the quality of your life and that you will, we all will, now and into the future, live our best quality of lives full of energy, happiness, and joy. Now let's dive into our message for today. And that is a huge uh priority and mission of mine too. So Brian Piranha, welcome back to Words and Yay!

SPEAKER_02:

Shelly, thanks for having me yet again.

SPEAKER_00:

I love it. And for those of our listeners, you might not see where Brian is, but right now he is outside and it's beautiful and green. And you are in Ohio.

SPEAKER_02:

Akron, Ohio. A little setup here is to just go with the family thing, right? My kids are in a school about Yay Way. They're letting out about now. I don't know if you can hear all the the ruckus of the kids coming out, but they're over there, they're leaving, and I'm over here doing this because this is important too, trying to juggle family life and business. There's they're they're doing an art gallery after school, and my wife is helping out, and one of our kids is showcasing it, and they're gonna be in there for another two hours. So I'm over here doing this and looking forward to it. I love it.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I love that idea. It gets my wheels turning. Like the idea of being outdoors and and doing episodes outdoors and recordings outdoors. It's a it's a great, great place to be. And I know we were gonna focus today. Last time we talked a little bit about this topic, but I know a big part of what you do is help families be healthy, exercise together like you do for your own family, and you set that example for your own children. And that's always been a really huge priority for myself and my husband with our kids. So give us a little bit of an idea of how do you incorporate your children into your fitness and what kind of examples are you setting for them in that area?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, definitely. All right. From the top down, uh, we are an active family. We do walks together. We take our giant Newfoundland, Hooga is his name. He's three, he's 130 pounds, six feet on his rear, rear, rear feet. So we walk him and we spend time together. We usually go to a typical park, we do a loop that we just always do, and then the kids will sometimes bring scooters. Think of the razor scooters. Sometimes I too I have my own razor scooter as well to go around with them. Other times we find our way to playgrounds. We've been at playgrounds so much. Actually, there's a playground right over there that looks fun. It'd be great to play tag on. My kids and I, we play tag, and I hope that is a fun memory that they take into their adulthood with their kids and my grandkids because my dad did it and it was really, really enjoyable and exciting uh memory that I had from my youth as well. Then, as far as I work out most days of the week, uh say at least three, four for sure, probably five. And they see me and they've seen me do that for years. I've been active in local races, I've done triathlons, marathons, 5K's, all sorts of different activities. I did a dragon boat race a couple times. So there's a lot of always this influence of activity there as well. And my kids are in sports. We're actively trying to keep them active, whether it is sports or in the school over here that's a visual arts and performance. We keep them busy and involved there as well. So they're active, they're in theater, they're doing things. We tried to stay very busy, and a lot of our time spent is in activities, experiences, trying to do things. So we've even traveled. My wife's a travel advisor, and we've gone to all 50 states with them. We're we're going on all seven continents and multiple countries, and just uh zip lining in Costa Rica, whale watching, and trying to get away from bears or something up in Alaska. We're over in London going through the Harry Potter Studio Universal Studios setup that they do and exploring there, and just uh running amok in Yellowstone and trying to not let the kids fall off the Grand Canyon and swimming with sea turtles in North Shore Omaha. So, in a nutshell, we just try to be active, stay busy.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, you you set such an example for them, and it's so much more than the exercise and the fitness, but it's the experience that they're getting with all of that what they scared. I mean, that's just incredible. And I really think, like you're saying, it's gonna be something that they take with them the rest of their lives. And I love going back to when you're talking about playing tag and running around and having fun, and that, especially when they're young, all about and kind of I don't want to say tricking them, but almost like guys, but having fun. I know that was a really big, a really big goal and mission for for mine, not just with our children, but I also taught elementary school PE. And I was oh yeah, I really really remember play, focusing on fun. Like with your children, we want them to be active throughout the years of their lives as they get older. And if they approach it like an experience it in a positive way, like you're doing, then it makes me want to be active later on in life.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, exactly. The connecting positive experience with activity is so important. Even you and I both probably do that with our clients. How can I get this person to move more in a fun, enjoyable way so that they move more?

SPEAKER_00:

Right, right. And tell tell us again. I know your your your kids are younger. What are the ages again, Brian?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, we have 16, 14, 12, and 10. We're on the even year split right now.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, you really are. Okay, so they're not little anymore.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, they are not little. My oldest drives now. You probably remember that. Uh he Levi thinks that he owns a car now and he can just leave the house whenever he wants for however long he wants to.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, those are interesting times.

SPEAKER_02:

Honestly, that's why I am here right now is because he has the car and he has to go to swim practice, and then our second son will be staying home while he goes, and then I'm here because I had to help my wife with the art gallery stuff and setting up.

SPEAKER_00:

You make it work one way or another. And that that's the other thing about you, you being active, you're healthy, and you all can do these activities and feel good. And that's yes, I think that's such another important point, is that we can have these full schedules and be taking our kids here, having them go to their practices, doing the different activities that they do, and we can feel good through that process. And that's so important.

SPEAKER_02:

The the kids see it. If you're enjoying activity and exercise and they want to be like mom and dad, you're modeling behave future behaviors for them every single day, whether you want to or not, whether it's with your how you hold your physical body, the thought processes and patterns of behavior that come up here, they get displayed physical, mental, emotional, verbal, all of this stuff matters, and they're absorbing this for eight, 18 years. So you you you definitely want to take care of yourself and lead because Shelly, you're a little ahead of me with your kids, but uh my oldest is 16, so let's fast forward, say 10 years. That would give me a 26-year-old through a 20-year-old. I want, I absolutely know this. I want my conversations with my wife to be full of wow, how good the kids are doing, how joy in their life, how bold, how great careers, how wonderful relationships that they are in. I want that to be the conversations, not they can't get a job, they're living in our basement, they're they keep finding needy people, they never have any money, they don't go anywhere, they're actually really boring people to be around. I don't want those to be the conversations. So, by even just being selfish right now, if I can bestow taking care of yourself to my children, that will then hopefully come back on me to being a better enriching experience 10 years from now. Hey, we're gonna go to this exotic destination and go do this one wild, crazy thing. Are you in? And they'll be like, Yes, because they're physically capable of and they're not on the sidelines in a sense.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, no, that's so great. And I love how this just ties into just complete wellness, which is what I love about doing the podcast on wellness and all the different areas, because what you're saying ties into every single part of wellness, even like the money part, you know, who we choose to spend our time with. This is this all comes back to our complete wellness and how it affects us, whether negatively or positively. And I can just tell you, at least from my experience, what you're doing now will pay off later. I know. Too good. You know, for our kids.

SPEAKER_02:

Too good. Will it get better? That's what parents always ask, the ones that are a little out of the way.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh share that, you know, as an setting the example for our kids, they've all been active, they've all played sports, and um and it is a beautiful thing to see what they do with their journey later on as they start into the adulting years. And our daughter just was visiting for a couple for a couple of days, she's in driving distance, so she'll come up when she has some days off. And she and I went and took a yoga class together. So you'll still be able to do late on, and it it really is a beautiful thing to watch.

SPEAKER_02:

My oldest, he's 16. Apparently, he's taken after me. He's already raced his first Olympic distance rather on September. He ran a marathon last about three weeks ago as well. The the kid nearly beat one of my times, like only at age 16. And we we ended up riding a metric sentry on the bicycle. I I can run, but I'm I'm way better on the bicycle, especially trying to keep up with him these days. And and so that's something that will probably happen the further out if he pursues more of that. What I did in my late teens, 20s was really athletic endeavors of trying to perform my physical best. I'm gonna join him, I'm gonna jump in and do that stuff with him. So I do look forward to those future experiences.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, and that's gonna make an impression on them later on, too. Hey, dad's dad's gonna do this alongside me like that, right?

SPEAKER_02:

That's yeah, definitely, definitely.

SPEAKER_00:

I just think you can't emphasize enough being that setting that example. And honestly, I I feel like for our listeners to know also, it's not always going to be that they're going to follow in your footsteps, they might stray a little bit and then come back at it. I know, you know, for my daughter, and she never strayed, she's always taking care of herself, but she used to. I I I chuckle about it now because she used to not understand running, like she just thought it was boring, and I've always run her.

SPEAKER_01:

Right.

SPEAKER_00:

Now she's running. She has a roommate who started running last year and is really into it, and it's kind of gotten my daughter motivated, and now she has picked up running as well. And so, you know, you just never know at what point it's gonna kind of click, and it doesn't have to necessarily be running, but I love right.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, and maybe they do something that strikes my interest. Who knows? Maybe my third son Maxwell just becomes a curling expert, and uh, okay, let's do it. I'm gonna get out there and get the brush going, right? And and and and roll the stone down the ice, and that could be a really fun experience. Uh, he actually fenced, uh, not this in about the last two years, he fenced for many, many months. So it's just a cool, unique thing that he exposed himself to to try something different. And even more importantly, that we're talking about this is the again, you're seeing it, and I see it too. But when they pursue taking care of themselves, they are that much more competent in launching themselves into bigger, better trajectory in life of better career, better mate, better money opportunities, better social economic environments because they uh can get themselves out of their comfort zone, they can push. There's this delayed gratification, like, hey, I'm gonna go run 10 miles, satisfaction that comes along with it as well. And I think we see that quite a bit when people push themselves to be better, especially healthier, and they can take care of themselves. They don't have to worry about their health being an issue to hold them back, they can just live and then focus on these other areas that are are important in uh in life.

SPEAKER_00:

It's so true, and it just makes me think of I did a an episode, a recording with my guest, my friend, recently, and she and her daughter just recently started a YouTube channel.

SPEAKER_02:

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00:

It's really great, and they're doing like 10-minute segments of you can get a workout in in a short amount of time. Right, and it's really cool. But we talked about a key point being consistent, and then when you're talking, it also makes me think of what what the wellness and the exercise and the sports also um develops that discipline muscle, right? So I I'm just thinking as you're speaking, like how important those two qualities are, even like later on in life in anything we pursue.

SPEAKER_02:

Another thing that comes to mind is legacy. How do you want to be remembered? Right. I actually started a podcast since we spoke. I've had 10 episodes out on Driven for Health podcast. It's it's focused on men's health uh over 40. I'm 42, so might as well talk about that, right? And so they'll be able to hear my voice. My grandchildren, great-grandchildren will be able to see the things I've done on my socials and and YouTube channel and the podcast and all this. So they will remember me in some manner and whatnot, but you know, my relevance is not gonna be a lot in their life, right? But to my kids at least, that I will be identified as a healthy, fit father that took care of himself. To me, that's important. To me, I think that is way better than being a father that they have to take care of because of a chronic illness. Now, I might still get a chronic illness and they might have to take care of me then, but I still will be remembered for taking care of myself until X happened or something, right? Right. So for me, I think that's important and instilling that type of legacy into the conversation is is really important to think about for people now that are listening in.

SPEAKER_00:

I I agree wholeheartedly. I know that's one of my big motivations. And I've always been, we've always been into health and such, but I even more so as I as I get older, I want to be able to be healthy and have that longevity for my children. And also I don't want them to see me go through what I saw my parents go through. But like I said, it's not a guarantee, but we do what we can to avoid. And I also know there's a a wonderful quote that I have shared about one of the best things that we can do is is as parents is take care of our health for our children, for our families, and be that example, but also be there for them, right? In the later years.

SPEAKER_02:

Uh totally. My grandmother was there for me. I have very fond memories of my grandfather, especially on my mom's side, and my grandfather, he would take us everywhere. They called him Papa. I actually took Papa instead of dad because he just had that much of an impact. But we would go golfing and we would go to the metro parks and go to the creek and look for a crawfish and just just be outdoors and play on the playground, all these things. I remember them and the time that that I had with them, and it it's encouraging.

SPEAKER_00:

It's wonderful that you have that those memories too. Tell us a little bit, switch, we're gonna switch gears just a minute, Brian, and share with us about your podcast, especially if dads are listening. Because you, like you said, you specialize in coaching um dads over 40.

SPEAKER_02:

Yep.

SPEAKER_00:

And so you started a podcast, which is awesome. What is it called?

SPEAKER_02:

Driven for Health. Just looking for more opportunities to speak my truth, get out there. I've been on, I don't know, 60 podcasts in the last couple of months, and just getting out there. The podcast was an easy way for people to start identifying with who I am, what I'm about, hear my voice. I try to be witty and sarcastic and funny and and make and you know, health, fitness enjoyable, covering really simple things that people get mixed up in because of the influencers, all the information, this diet, that diet, or should I do the Ozempic thing or whatever? And just speaking truth from literally talking to thousands of people over the last 20 years. I have a little bit of experience, and it's about time that I'm uh say coming out of the trenches, so to speak, of working just one-on-one, but getting my voice, message, and understanding of how I've been able to say explain simple, easy things for people to implement on into their everyday, which is most important because everyone's busy, everyone's juggling, like I'm out here trying to fight the wind. The sound is great. Wonderful, wonderful. So that's so that's what it's about. And and if women watch it, guess what? It's really it just talks about humans behaving better around food, behaving better around activity, taking care of themselves, figuring out how to live life in this ever-expanding uh speed ramp of a life that we're in, right? I life is accelerating so much, right? Even you said, hey, I got this this software, Opus Clip, so I can chop up my thing, and which is just more technology getting into the mix to create faster, better, easier, more implementable content. And we want to just make sure that it's the right content. And I think we're we're definitely covering our bases today with everything we're talking about.

SPEAKER_00:

For sure.

SPEAKER_02:

But life's fast, it is so fast.

SPEAKER_00:

It's so fast, and you're so right too, like what you're sharing. And and congrats to you on your on your podcast. It is it is, I know for me personally, it I I have enjoyed it immensely, and you I'm sure will as well. And that is so important to get accurate information out to our listeners right in a simplistic way, because you're so right. Things there's so much noise, right? So much noise when especially when it comes to fitness and nutrition. So getting that information out and and simplifying it because it really can be simple, but we have complicated it, right?

SPEAKER_02:

I like saying it's simple, not easy.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. Yep, that's exactly a perfect way to put it. Well, I love that. And that comes out. What when does that come out?

SPEAKER_02:

It's been out. I have seven launch episodes, three are scheduled to go out here in the next two weeks. I'm putting on a workshop on how to survive the holidays on next Wednesday. My attention has been focused to creating and producing and doing the landing page and all the tech stuff for that. And then I will be back to getting to at least one to two podcasts and out in a week. It's actually a lot easier than I initially thought. You know, getting onto your show is just another example of, oh, I could probably do this too. And and so just the opportunity to be on here is great. And I I thank you for being able to connect and talk about things that I'm passionate about and express myself in this way so that other people can be encouraged. And ultimately at the end of the day, if even just one person takes away, hey, they really hit me with the legacy thing, or they really hit me with this piece or with that piece, or the oh shoot, that's right. My kids are modeling me. If any one person takes any of that away and they move themselves into a better position with their health and their overall life, then great, we've won.

SPEAKER_00:

A hundred percent. I always say the same exact thing. If just one person's life has been affected, then we've we've done what we've set out to accomplish. So totally agree. I love this, Brian. Tell us, and well, the listeners too, and I will put all of your contact information in the show notes. But what is the best place to contact you for any of our listeners who want to?

SPEAKER_02:

I'm all over the socials as you are too, right? These days, but at Coach Brian Piranha, you can find me on the socials. Driven for Health is my podcast, it's on all the podcast providers. And then for my men's group, the calltoRise.com, where I'm helping men the idea is drop 20 plus pounds in the next hundred days through simple and uh easy ways to get nutrition and fitness and get their life going in the right direction. And uh, let's avoid a midlife crisis, gentlemen, and let's have some of the best years ahead of us and live those out.

SPEAKER_00:

That's so fantastic. Well, this has been great. I mean, you're always so fun to talk about.

unknown:

Really?

SPEAKER_01:

I try to be.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. What would be that was a great way to last way to finish off, but what would be something else you'd like to leave the listeners with? Any like last minute words of inspiration or words of wellness you'd like to?

SPEAKER_02:

Ah, yes, yes. Uh, off the top of my head, the most important thing that I hear on a regular basis that I have to remind myself even is that consistency over time wins every time. If you are moving yourself toward a healthier direction, then you will get healthier. You can't let things get get in the way. Life's gonna throw curveballs and all sorts of different things in away, but you have to keep going back to the basics of eating whole foods and balanced meals and eating an appropriate amount of calories. Move your body, drink your water, try to get sleep, manage stress. And if you're doing that, then you will get healthier. I promise you. I've seen it for decades and thousands and thousands of examples through just taking consistent action forward. And honestly, that's even why I'm here yet again on your show is just taking consistent effort to put myself out there and to make myself present and hold myself accountable to educating people the best that I can so that one person or many people will improve their health.

SPEAKER_00:

That's so fantastic. Well, this has been so much fun. Thank you for sharing that. That's perfect, a perfect way to finish today.

SPEAKER_01:

Yay.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh, we will have to uh this is kind of fun. We'll have to jump back on again in a few months. Yeah, check in. And yeah, I'm excited about the workshop you are going to be sharing about staying healthy through the holidays. That's an important topic for sure.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, very much so.

SPEAKER_00:

Very much so. And uh, well, thank you, Brian, so much. And uh to all of our listeners, I will have Brian's information in the show notes. And be sure to reach out, even if you're a female. I mean, he focuses on women.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I uh the even kids, grandmas, grandpas, uh, I've I've worked with a lot. My skill set is uh feel like a Swiss Army knife. It's just I'm ready for whatever we need. I hear you on that.

SPEAKER_00:

Like I love working with moms, but I'm like I've worked with uh every age imaginable like you through all the decades of this. So it's uh it's just uh we're just on the mission to help people.

SPEAKER_02:

Exactly. DNO be all that is it.

SPEAKER_00:

That's ultimately it. Well, thank you, my friend. Have a great rest of your day and all of our listeners take some for your wellness today. Get outside, maybe go for a walk, get some fresh air, and until next time, have a beautiful, blessed rest of your week. Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode. I hope you gained value and enjoyed our time together as much as I did. And if you know someone who could benefit from today's episode, I would love and appreciate it if you could share with a friend or rate and review Words of Wellness so that more can hear this message. I love and appreciate you all. Thank you for listening. And if you have any questions or topics you would like me to share in future episodes, please don't hesitate to reach out to me through my contact information that is shared in the show notes below. Again, thank you for tuning in to Words of Wellness. My name is Shelley Jeffries, and I encourage you to do something for you, for your wellness on this day. Until next time, I hope you all have a healthy, happy, and blessed week.