TRAVEL BLOG

I enjoy the excitement and celebration of New Year but not really a big fan of the resolutions. Largely due to seeing so many people not follow through after a few weeks, or even days. The fireworks of new healthy promises are typically replaced by old habits. The new healthy lifestyle  fizzles back into the norm of unhealthy choices. Sad but true. Why wait for New Year’s to make a positive decision to change your life and become healthier people?  Today is always the best day to make a change. Never put off until tomorrow what can be accomplished today. New Year has been a holiday used as a crutch to continue living unhealthy lives. Why? Because we put off until the New Year what we should be doing now and abuse the days leading up to the event. We create an excuse to consume large amounts of unhealthy food and avoid starting an exercise program until the so-called magical perfect time.  The reality is no perfect time exists and life doesn't wait for our decisions. It goes on whe

Fitness actually is shown to slow down the aging process. I heard this today and was immediately excited and inspired. Think about how you feel when health and fitness aren't part of your life. Stressed, sluggish, ill and feeling old, right? When you start stopping is when you start getting older. Fitness works on the cellular, emotional and physical level. The better we care for our health and fitness, the better our body will be. Fitness is the fountain of youth. If we don't make time for it, we will eventually be making time for illness. Our body ages daily, but there are things we can do to slow this process. Studies link eating healthy and exercise to longevity. I don't know about you, but I want to maintain the best body for life. When we start stopping is the same as giving up. We get so caught up in believing fitness is a difficult process . We also become frustrated without instant results and begin shutting down. The negatives seem to outweigh the positives in ou

Have you struggled with starting a fitness program , illness or even setbacks? It's during these times our bodies will dictate our abilities and limitations.  Personally, when illness hits me hard, I have to take a break and put my favorite HIIT routines on hold. This is all part of realistic expectations. I may want something right now, but it's just not going to happen.  Similarly, there is no such thing as here today and gone tomorrow. Patience is very important on our journey to health and fitness . It may feel frustrating and I will even validate this emotion. The key is not letting negative thinking consume us to the point of giving up. We must remain realistic.  Realistic workouts start with what you can do right where you are. Allow yourself to be a beginner. If returning to fitness from injury or illness, take it slow. The work is always about progress and not perfection . It's so important to pay attention to what the body is saying. Being in tune allows you to

Fitness needs to stop being a dream we think about and become an action we put into practice. There are so many factors getting in our way. Negative thoughts and self-defeat are high on the list. Using "too busy" as an excuse is another fitness barrier. Frustration with the lack of results can cause us to think it will never happen. Fitness requires us to live beyond our dreams. We all have the potential to achieve success. Remaining positive in a negative world will be first on the agenda. No more downing yourself before even trying. "Busy" is a word used for people who really don't want it bad enough. Lastly, there is no such thing as instant results. Daily progress should become the focus. The action needed to get fit is a daily choice. Start by making a plan and sticking to it. It will be important to schedule your workouts and spend time meal prepping. Avoid processed convenience foods and replace those with healthy nutrient dense foods. Start hanging aro

Most senior citizens typically have at least one health care issue that they deal with on a daily basis, whether it’s either physical or mental difficulty. Possibly it is both in many cases. As you age, staying active mentally is just as important as staying physically active. Now more than ever, seniors are leading active lifestyles, traveling, and trying new activities. However, older adults that could use a little support and assistance in their daily lives often are not sure how to accomplish those tasks. There are many available resources that provide the human connection needed to enhance a senior’s quality of life, also to help reduce loneliness and provide information on available senior support services, including caring volunteers who provide support with errands such as transportation for grocery shopping, short medical appointments, errands and social outings. Seniors in many cases need assistance, depending on age and physical and mental capabilities. Providing coordinated

I was reading an article in More Magazine and came across a small piece on what motivates us to exercise. The reason I bring up the article is I happen to agree with the content. According to More , the top reasons women over 40 exercise are to lose weight and protect their health. Research indicated these women were more disenchanted with their fitness programs. Regular exercise was explained as a duty, not fun and more like taking a mouthful of bitter medicine. So, it appears gals over 40 feel exercise is more of a have to duty than having a fun time. The lesser percentage of women surveyed stated they exercised to improve mood and reduce stress. Now, that sounds fabulous. Studies show women who exercise for stress reduction and to feel good remained true to their programs. In fact, they exercised 30% more than those seeking to lose weight and protect their health. Now, you may think losing weight should be motivational, but let's say you're not seeing results. This creates

What works for me may not work for you. That's awesome! Why? Because we're all different people with differing strengths and weaknesses. Each of us should focus on the things we can do, and do our best not holding anything back. Acceptance of who we are and celebrating our strengths is essential for health and fitness. I eliminate push-ups from my workout for example because they will aggravate my neck injury. Instead, I work hard on my chest press and it works for me. It could be easy to sulk back into a corner and cry over my loss of certain athletic abilities, but what would that do for me?  Nothing. Life has given me a great purpose and a strong will to fight for my fitness. I have good and bad days just like you. Over several years of training, I have come to really enjoy what I can do through exercise modification and creative program development. I do what works for me and it's fabulous. It's important to never give up hope and know you can achieve great things.

Life is not always easy. I'm no different than many of you: woman, wife, mother, daughter, a friend. I do walk the walk of fitness with my occupation as a personal trainer and writer.  This doesn't change the fact I sometimes have up and  down days emotionally and physically. I also experience burnout with my workouts. One of my favorite life quotes is “life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it”.   I came across this quote from a school project my son made in junior high and it has really stuck with me. My son is almost 30 now.   I have realized through my journey of life and fitness we are limited in what we can control. The only thing we can control is how we think, feel, and respond to life’s circumstances. We simply need to learn to let go of the rest. This can be a hard task but a necessary one. Also, we are definitely in control of the choices we make for ourselves to become healthy, fit people. Getting fit and healthy involves both our physical an