Author: Change environment to promote health

Sparta resident Marcello Pedalino says people have to change their environment to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

In his second book, “Onwards and Upwards: How to Prioritize Your Health and Live Your Best Life,” he accentuates the importance of a person’s environment.

“ ‘Onwards and Upwards’ focuses on deliberately creating the best possible environment so you can stack the odds of living a healthy lifestyle in your favor,” he said.

“The ultimate goal is for your lifestyle to be an organic outcome of your natural habitat vs. the result of relying on sheer willpower to create a forced temporary habit that will most likely flame out after a few weeks.”

Through his books and presentations, Pedalino, a certified fitness trainer and nutrition consultant, aims to empower people to find work-life integration, prioritize their health and experience the joy they deserve.

“Onwards and Upwards” is a continuation of his first book, “Celebrate Life: How to Live It Up, Discover Fulfillment, and Experience the Joy You Deserve.”

“I wrote my first book, ‘Celebrate Life,’ so my daughter, Isabella, would be able to learn all of the life lessons that I’d ever want to teach her,” he said.

“I covered things like taking care of yourself, keeping good company, doing what you love, the importance of traveling, making a difference, evolving and letting things go.”

Pedalino and his wife, Jill, a pediatrician and author of two children's books, integrate their fitness-centered lifestyle while working as a team.

“I have gotten much smarter about sleep, stress, nutrition and exercise thanks to my wife, Jill, who is incredibly dialed-in when it comes to health and wellness,” he said. “Throughout the book, (Jill) lends her medical expertise and female perspective, which many women have said they really appreciated.”

The couple’s book-signing event in early May featured awards for “very inspirational people” who are making a difference in the lives of others. They donated funds raised there to the Wounded Warrior Project.

“Making a donation when Jill and I organize our annual Celebrate Life bike rides, hikes and luncheon events is the least we can do to show a small token of our appreciation, admiration and respect,” Pedalino said.

His dedication to celebrating life resonates with audiences, and he’s learned during the years that “it’s OK to ask for help when you need it.”