‘Your parents are cool’
My parents recently visited for three weeks. And they stayed at my house the entire time! In their defense, it was only supposed to be two weeks. This is still a stretch for me, considering how small my house is and how important my downtime in my own space is for me. But my parents were coming all the way from New Zealand—not just to visit me but to also spend some time with Eric, my boyfriend who they had only met once before—so I was very happy to make it work. I just don’t see them that often anymore. I’m in the age range where parents start dying. Recently,…
Starting a Fitness Program
As a trainer, I take exercise very seriously. As a business owner, I put a great deal of energy and effort into providing professional and valuable services to my clients. As a woman who considers her body her temple, I make it a priority to keep myself healthy. So, would you believe that fitness became an integral part of my life pretty much by accident? When I was twenty years old I took a year off from college to live in Hawaii. My boyfriend at the time dragged me to the gym almost daily. Although I was often thinking only of the pizza that we would eat afterwards, I eventually…
31 Days of New Year’s Fitness Inspiration
Water–an essential weight loss tool. Make it a habit, bring it with you. Hydrates, filling, ice cold burns more calories. A little goes a long way. Take the stairs, park farther away, eat a bit less each meal, skip that final drink. It adds up. I once knew someone who lost 60lbs and kept it off by eating just 50% of her meals, without fail. Smaller portions work. You will have to deny yourself something at some point. Stay focused on what you want to accomplish. Discomfort will pass. Set & focus on a specific goal. “I want to lose weight” is not as effective as “I want to fit…
Practicing Thankfulness
As the hustle and bustle of the holiday season kicks into full gear, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and stressed out and eat and drink too much. This is normally a great topic to write about at this time of year. But in the wake of the events in Paris last Friday it seems pretty meaningless. I am reminded at times like this (particularly with Thanksgiving almost upon us) how much we have to be thankful for and how easy it is to lose sight of that just living our lives. There is so much to be grateful for! If you are reading this on a tablet, smartphone or computer…
Boosting Low Morale
For reasons I won’t bother expanding on, I have been physically unable to walk for seven weeks. I am talking about my daily four-mile-long fitness walks through my Edmonds and nearby Woodway neighborhoods that I have been doing almost daily for about as long as I have lived in Edmonds. Not only does my career revolve around fitness and health, but one of the ways in which I personally define myself is through my own exercise program. Most especially walking, which I consider to be crucial for my overall health and well-being. Walking is also particularly good for helping me stay grounded and purposeful in my life. My walks are…
It’s Mine To Choose
It’s Friday evening and my last client just left. I head toward the door. I’ve been on my feet all day, my stomach is growling and there is a glass of wine with my name on it in the near future. The very NEAR future! Then I stop at the door, because I just remembered that I haven’t done my workout today. Today, I’ve designed and implemented personalized strength programs for each of my clients. Today, I’ve motivated, energized (I hope!) and entertained each client while making sure each of them had a safe, effective and enjoyable workout. Today, I’ve kept in mind specific and individual injuries and limitations for…
For Young Athletes, Play More Important Than Competition
By Coach Dan Potts Remember lying on the carpet with your infant? How innocent was that? More so than you know! The endless crawling and chasing on all fours allowed us to play at our child’s level of development. Their development depended upon a supply of endless wonder and new stimuli. As they grew and eventually walked, we chased them even more, playing hide and seek, throwing Nerf balls at endless targets, hiding, ducking dodging, until we were exhausted. Do you remember how fast the development occurred? On a daily basis to be exact, and it was fun. But the fun part was that it changed every day for the…
The Many Levels Of Strength
Years ago, when I was starting out in the fitness industry as a trainer, I considered working at a gym that required that all trainers complete a standardized fitness test every six months. There were many reasons I didn’t end up working there (none of which had to do with me being unable to meet those requirements) but I remember thinking that it was ridiculous that every trainer—both men and women in a wide age range—had to meet the same blanket fitness requirements to be considered qualified to train clients. A person who has achieved a certain level of strength and endurance does not magically become a good trainer. Experience,…
Simple Ways To Move More
Obviously I am a huge proponent of setting aside time to work out. Whether its cardio or strength work, an hour a day combined would be ideal! However in this day and age, it’s not feasible for so many of us. Even if you can only squeeze in a workout a couple of days a week, there are plenty of other ways to stay active by doing a little bit at a time. Just as small changes add up nutritionally, doing brief snippets of exercise more consistently will keep you stronger and fitter, more balanced and flexible. I can’t stress consistency enough! You will get so much more out of…
The Healing Table
It was a Friday morning and I woke up alone. My beloved husband had passed away the afternoon before at the University of Washington Medical Center and the friend who had spent Thursday night with me left for work before I awoke. My clients were canceled, and it was the first day of the rest of my new life that I didn’t ask for and certainly didn’t want. I didn’t know what to do. The house was so silent, empty and awfully lonely. I am not surprised that as I have always done in times of stress and turmoil, I turned to exercise. I left the house and started walking…
