The Mom Health Crisis

~ Sara G ~ Leave a comment

I think that title is a bit dramatic, and maybe misleading BUT, I want to talk about it so let’s go.

The maternal health crisis is not the one to which I am currently referring (though that is a BIG problem that we as a nation need to address) what I want to talk about here is being a mom and putting our health last because we are managing all the other humans and all the other things ALL DAY LONG.

Somewhere along the way, it was narrated that as a mother we must do ALL the things, be self-sufficient, never get sick, be happy, be nurturing, and love the hell out of our kids, ALL THE TIME. Oh, and at the same time just be ok with being exhausted, burned out, and maybe just sad/angry/miserable because that is what motherhood is all about.

Sister-Mama-Friend, I’m not about this life. If any of what I just wrote above resonates with you it’s time for you to not be about it either.

I read somewhere (probably on Pinterest) something like “Mom’s don’t get sick, we don’t have time for that shit” and it’s true but it’s also wrong. There are jokes galore about the “man cold” but seriously, why is it that when we hit our wall it’s just expected that we’ll suck it up and keep at it because it’s just what we are supposed to do?

I’m going to raise my hand right now and say that I have been guilty, on numerous occasions. I have to be knocked down so hard I cannot physically leave my home in order to stop. Or, rather, that was me. Now (in this moment) I can tell you that when I need to stop, I stop.

Taking care of ourselves is NOT a selfish act. I’d argue choosing martyrdom over not taking care is a greater slight.

Before I go any further, I’ll be transparent and say I come from what would be considered a space of “priviledge” to say these things. I have a husband/partner that takes responsibility for the role he plays in our children’s lives and is an active participant in our daily routine. I have my own business and I make my own schedule. I am usually in command of how I spend my time (that isn’t an accident) so my ability to make my health and wellness a priority has been a non-negotiable as well as being part of my job.

But back to my point, Mom’s bust their butts all day and take care of everyone else before they take care of themselves. I’m not just talking about flowery “self-care” like bubble bath’s with scented candles, getting your nails done, or getting a massage (Personally I find that those hurt like a SOB and so while they are self-care and necessary they are NOT what I call relaxing). I’m referring to the act of consciously choosing to make our health (of which self-care is a part) a priority.

Raise your hand if any of the following sound like you:

  • Hit a wall by 3pm
  • Need coffee to get it together in the morning, or anytime during the day
  • Bloated and uncomfortable even when you aren’t pregnant, PMSing or just ate Chipotle
  • All the Brainfog
  • Tired as hell but can’t fall asleep at night
  • Little to zero sex drive

All of these things are common, and I’m willing to bet you’ve assumed most of them just come with being a mom. Common and normal are not the same thing, and everything on that list is a signal from your body that it wants you to pay attention. But we don’t because #momlife.

Well Mamacita, if you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired I’m here for you. None of the symptoms mentioned above just disappear and go away. There is a reason your body is communicating with you through these symptoms (inflammation, auto-immune disease, food allergy or intolerance, hormone imbalance, adrenal fatigue, etc) even if your primary care physician has told you everything is “normal”.

The road is often long, and sometimes it isn’t pleasant, but after the shitstorm that was 2020 I learned that if I don’t have a vested interest in my own health, then only those that profit from me being unwell will.

You keep fifty balls in the air at all times Mama, sometimes those balls crash down, and sometimes you need to put a few to the side so that you can take care of you and get them back in the mix. Taking your health and wellness seriously isn’t selfish, it isn’t out of your reach, and you and everyone around you will benefit if you decide it’s worth your focus. Take care, and we’ll navigate together.

Your fellow Mama in Wellness

~S

What the Health??

~ Sara G ~ Leave a comment

When you hear the word health, what comes to mind?

To you, what is the picture perfect definition of the word?

Do you fit into that picture?

Why or why not?

I got into the fitness world almost a decade ago because I saw for the first time that women could be strong as hell, lift heavy stuff, and not actually have to worry about getting “bulky” (Can you guess what I was told growing up???) But as most people do, I found the more I dove into different disciplines, the more that I saw being strong was such a small piece of a very intricate puzzle.

Health to me is all-encompassing. If 2020 taught me nothing else it was how much I value what I perceive to be “good health” and diving deeper into all the things I can do to tweak and maintain it.

It includes physical, mental, and emotional health, and deep dives into various aspects of each health pillar. I’ll go out on a limb and say I dive a bit deeper then the average human on these topics and I spend a decent amount of time “bio-hacking” on myself to figure out what works best for ME, and then what might be beneficial to the people that trust me as their trainer and coach.

Our bodies are BRILLIANT machines, and they are made to run as such when we treat them as such. Modern convenience and lifestyle has turned us into lazy, sugar-addicted, screen worshipping zombies. I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say I’m just as involved as anyone else.

In the same breath I acknowledge where I can be/do better, where I’m not willing to budge and where I know I need to do SOMETHING because otherwise it’s just madness.

My goal here is to provide insight and be of assistance to anyone trying to navigate health themselves while maybe not having a specific starting point. We ALL start somewhere, SOMETHING is better then NOTHING, and no two people are exactly the same so what works for you may not work for someone else.

Instead of all the screaming, polarizing and condescension that seems to go down on all the big social platforms I’m going to hang out here and see what happens.

Thanks for reading/ following along. I’m excited to wax poetic about our bodies, brains and feelings (I couldn’t come up with a third “b” word to insert there). If there’s something specific you want to hear about leave me a comment below.

Thanks!

~S

Holidays in 2020

~ Sara G ~ Leave a comment

Because this year hasn’t been enough of a dumpster fire, now we are entering what is usually a very festive and joyful time of year.

A time spent with family and friends, a time to be present with the ones we love most, a time to actually get out and be among those we enjoy being around.

Except this year we’re being told NO. We need to stay home, we need to distance, we need to sacrifice so we can get out of this pandemic.

For some that’s exactly what they are doing because they are rule followers and it’s for the greater good right? For others (and there is a big part of me that falls into this group) the minute you tell me to do something, the next minute I’m going to tell you where you can shove it.

Now before anyone gets their panties in a wad, I am NOT denying that we have a situtaion going on in this country. We do, and it sucks.

My struggle through it all is that a very large entity that can’t run it’s own business effectively is essentially trying to tell everyone how to run theirs and as it hasn’t worked the way they hoped so far, then maybe it’s time to take a different approach. You may disagree, that’s fine, we’re all grown ups here. This is how I am going to choose to see it.

I’ll wear my mask when I go into a public place, I’ll distance where I can, and I’ll not venture out if I’m feeling sick. When I am at home, my mask can go to hell and I will continue teaching my children to observe and question the world they live in.

For Thanksgiving I will pick my brother and his family up from the airport on Tuesday morning and I will enjoy every loud and crazy minute that they are with us the next couple days. We will not be wearing masks in my house, we will all sit down together to share meals, play games and watch movies.

I am not in denial about what is going on in the world. I value my time with my family more right now, in a moment I am promised and won’t ever get back, then I do living in fear of a virus that may or may not take me down.

This opinion isn’t popular, but I know I’m not the only one that feels this way. We will get back to something that looks like a normal life one day, there are just several roadblocks along the way. Until then I’m going to live my best/ most healthy life and keep showing up each day.

I cannot and will not live in fear of something that I cannot control. I think if we all just did our best to be thoughtful humans we might avoid several of the pitfalls we seem to have created.

On that note, have a joyful and gratitude filled Thanksgiving and I’ll talk to you again soon!
~S

Moving back into Alignment

~ Sara G ~ Leave a comment

If 2020 has done nothing else, it has showed me quite clearly the importance of acting from your center.

Like anyone else my world was turned upside down in March of this year, and I have spent the past 7 months trying to piece it all together in a way that makes sense.

To be clear it is still murky, but at this point I feel comfortable in saying I’ve found level ground and that feels like one hell of an accomplishment.

The thing that I discovered was out of alignment was my values. The things that usually meant the most to me were no longer a priority. I was purely in survival mode, I was allowing outside sources to dictate my thoughts and in turn my actions. I was miserable, overwhelmed, and not coping well.

This led me to make decisions that in hindsight I would make differently, and while I cannot go back and undo some of them, I can choose to move forward from a place of heart or a place of panic and fear.

I know which one I choose.

I’ve hesitated to write/ post in quite a while. I haven’t wanted to come off as “insensitive” or upset anyone. I haven’t wanted to share what I’m thinking for fear of how I would be perceived. It’s been a pretty shitty way to live.

Many of my thoughts do not align with the mainstream media and the agenda of people with more power then I.

I’m so over it.

I know I’m not the only one.

I’m tired of being told to be afraid.

I’m tired of decisions being made for me that are presented as being “for the greater good”, but there is very little logic behind it.

I’m tired of lies, fear, and doomsday.

I’m ready to live my truth and values, so it is what I’m going to do.

I truly hope you do the same. Whether our “views” align or not, I hope you are able to focus on living the best life and situation for you and yours. At one time or another we were able to coexist with people that didn’t think exactly like we do, I’m hopeful that one day we might be able to get back to that.

Until then, choose to follow or choose to cancel, I’m not too worried about it either way. I’m going to keep doing me, keep trying to put good into the world, and keep loving on my kiddos and family because in the end that’s really what’s most important to me.

See you soon!

~S

One Day at a Time

~ Sara G ~ 2 Comments

When I chose the name Actively Living Awesome for my business, the phrase “One day at a time” went with it. Somehow it has always just fit.

Fitness and wellness are things that I am passionate about, they are an integral part of my personal value system. But this has never been just about me.
ALA was created to share my experiences, my mistakes, what I’ve found works and what I’ve found to be bullshit with others looking to live their most awesome life.

In order to get there we have to approach it One Day at a Time.

With everything going on in the world right now, and getting through this pandemic everyone has found the life that they live turned upside down. Myself included.

I’ll be the first to say that I hate this new normal. I hate that I can’t see my clients in-person. I hate that we are all stuck at home. I hate that other people not using their brains leads to empty grocery stores. I hate that people are losing their jobs and many people are scrambling to figure out how to make ends meet. I hate that there is going to be some massive long-term fallout from this whole experience.

But I hate living in that mindset more then I hate the time we find ourselves in. I have a choice, and for me that choice is One Day at a Time.

Some days will be great days for everyone in my house. Others are going to suck the life right out of me and I’m going to be glad when they are over. But I’ll continue to approach them One Day at a Time.

This won’t be the most Awesome chapter in my life, that I am confident in saying. But it will be a time of immense growth and patience. It will force me to keep showing up, for myself and for those that I am privileged to work with. It will force me to travel inward (a scary place for many of us) and question what I believe and how I want to come out of all of this.

Already these past 2 weeks have shown me how much I can live without and how much time and money I spend on things that are nice but definitely not necessary.

It has reminded me that a shower can absolutely change the outlook on your day, and that too much time with phone in hand or eyes on a screen makes you feel lazy and slothy while craving the connection and instant gratification at the same time.

It has made me appreciate walks around the block by myself and laying on the patio in the sunshine more then I ever thought possible.

It has reiterated that books are usually better then movies/ screen adaptations, and when you have the time you might as well enjoy the longer, more detailed version.

It has forced me to be patient when I want to scream, to laugh when I might otherwise cry, and to give more hugs to my kids then I would have ever guessed I had in me.

This time we’re in, this adventure we are on will lend itself as a lesson and one day we will look back and say “Remember that time….” But until then, I’m going to continue my quest to Awesome, even in this less then optimal setting One Day at a Time.

Are you in?

~S

These are my thoughts, not yours (or maybe some of them are yours too).

~ Sara G ~ Leave a comment

This past week has been nothing short of overwhelming, and while I am optimistic that it will in fact be a short-lived experience that doesn’t mean it isn’t a whole hell of a lot to take in.

If you have followed me for any length of time (or if you know me personally) then you know that it takes quite a bit to get a rise out of me. I do rant, but I honestly don’t care about much of anything enough to really allow outside factors have any control.

I love engaging with people and getting to know their stories and I love sharing my own with people that allow me to do so. On the flip side I need quiet and space that is my own to recharge and reflect. Especially after I have interacted with others all day long.

Social media is a tool for me to engage and share my passion for fitness, wellness, and working with moms trying to do those things and more while raising kids. It has also become a place that steals my energy and makes me want to disengage completely. It makes me anxious, and feel like a hamster running tirelessly in a wheel. It makes my skin crawl, and I don’t like it.

Maybe it’s just me (I don’t think it is) but completely shutting off social isn’t the answer either. Not when I am in a growth stage of my business. What it does mean is that I need to be REAL intentional about the content I consume and how much time I spend on each social platform.

And I’m going to go out on a limb and say maybe that isn’t a bad idea for anyone else either.

Many of us are now home with our kids for 2-3 weeks. Instead of burying our noses in our phones (which I am guilty of too) why not limit the screen time? Let’s be real, how many of us REALLY need the connection to our phones we’ve become so dependent on? Even having an online business, I don’t need to spend the amount of time that I do on my phone. It makes me feel like shit, and it’s setting an example of valuing a stupid box more then I value the actual connection with another person.

So, over the next couple weeks here is a list of things I’m going to do while waiting out the social distancing protocol.

  1. Limit my phone screen time to 2 hours a day. Yes this sounds like quite a bit, and honestly I’d like to cut that in half. I need to figure out how much time it will take me to post and record and all the batching required for my social content. Once that is done, I’m out.
  2. Spend at least 30 minutes outside. Pending no epic snowstorms or super crazy wind, I have no excuse not to be able to do this. Sunshine and vitamin D are good for us, so is fresh air. Taking a walk always grounds and resets me, and I’ll have ample opportunity in the coming weeks.
  3. Read for at least an hour a day. I’m currently working on The Beautiful for pleasure reading, and Money, A Love Story for personal development. Both are really enjoyable so this one shouldn’t be too hard to implement.
  4. Lots of at home meals. We live this way more often then we don’t, and as long as some of the chaos in the grocery stores settles down this won’t be hard. Family dinners are something that I look forward to, and since we won’t be running all over for practices, and my in-person training schedule is thinned for the coming weeks I’m looking forward to more meals with my three favorite humans.
  5. Time dedicated to things I never seem to have time to do. This one could be a stretch but I’m going to go with now not having an excuse to get certain avoided tasks done because I can’t leave and go do other things. I’ll see how it goes, but might as well make the most of the time I have.
  6. Breathing Breaks. I’ll be exercising, but I’ll also be taking time to breathe. I do it often, but I don’t do it enough. More intentional breathing, less consumption of garbage that clogs brainwaves. I’m thinking maybe this quarantine isn’t such a bad thing after all.

I think this whole thing is going to blow over by the beginning of April, and hopefully life will begin to have a semblance of normalcy back. If not, we’ll do what we need to do and in the meantime I can be optimistic.

Until next time Awesome Humans!
~S

Women & Weights- Part 2

~ Sara G ~ Leave a comment

In part one of this series we discussed why strength training was beneficial (If you missed that post click here)

Now lets talk about how to get started on your own personal strength training journey.

If strength training is completely new to you, then an ideal first step is going to be finding a coach or trainer to work with. Preferably in person, but this day in age online is also a solid option. One-on-one coaching will give you the most concentrated attention to detail, and you don’t have to do it forever. Long enough to get a solid foundation, twice a week for 12 weeks is the shortest time I’d recommend.

I’m going to take this opportunity to call out something that makes me just an angry as women being told not to strength train, and that’s people actually getting hurt working with a trainer. Accidents happen, but stupid shit also happens when people don’t pay attention or have an agenda that has nothing to do with you and your goals.
Here are a couple things you might not know if you are new to a gym setting.

Not all trainers/ coaches are created equal.
The barrier to entry in the fitness industry is pretty low, and in the online space it’s even lower. Credentials are an important thing to inquire about and even then some of those are better then others.
I am partial to NSCA, ACSM, and NASM when it comes to the “governing bodies” that oversee personal training and strength training. I can attest to the fact that in order to pass those tests you have to have a decent knowledge of how the body works. Also, most people that have a degree in exercise science or the like have at least one of those designations under their belts. Is it the end all be all? No, but it is a solid place to start.
If the trainer you are interested in doesn’t have a certification (which they may not), ask them about their experience. What do they do for continued education? How do they stay current on information? See if you can speak to one of their current clients. Look into it as deeply as you need to in order to feel good about the decision.

Trainers in “Big” gyms work on commission.
That doesn’t mean they don’t know what they are doing. There are many trainers in big-box gyms all over the country helping change people’s lives. But it can mean they are really good at sales and telling you that you need something significantly more then you actually do because they need to hit their numbers for the month. Sorry not sorry, I hate pushy slimy sales which is why I have never worked in a gym like that. I’m not going to tell you something you don’t need, the time in the gym is about YOU, not me, and that’s how it should be.

If the trainer you get set up with does more talking about themselves then listening to you, mark that a red flag.
As I said above, training a client is about their needs and goals, not what the trainer has accomplished as a trainer or athlete. You are hiring this person to teach you a new skill, something that can be dangerous if not advised in an intentional manner. If you don’t feel heard in that first meeting, it’s acceptable to ask for someone else.

There should be some kind of movement assessment and paperwork before you actually begin lifting anything.
Even elite level athletes have basic movement patterns they need to revisit, and a pattern that isn’t ideal needs to be addressed before a movement is loaded. Injuries happen when people get over zealous. In most facilities you will have to fill out some fairly extensive paperwork about your health (past and present). It is equally as important for you to disclose all information as it is for your coach to collect it. Injuries that may seem inconsequential to you, could be a piece of the puzzle that we need to know in order to plan accordingly.

You can fire your trainer/ coach at any time.
The only bad part here might be how much money you are out, but if at any time you are unhappy or just not jiving with your trainer you can cut the cord. As a trainer myself I hope if you didn’t feel like you were getting what you paid for that you would speak up. We are adults here, so conversation is a two-way street. But if even after you converse, you don’t feel heard #girlbye.

My point is discussing all of this is not to discourage you from getting started, quite the opposite really. If I had to sum it up in one sentence it would be this- make sure the person you are working with is someone you feel better being around. Your trainer or coach should be assisting you towards your goals, and overall it should be an interaction that adds value to your life, not sucks the life out of you.

If hiring a coach is not in your budget, there are many other options out there to get you started. Fitness apps abound, and there are some great coaches out there that put educational and helpful content out on their social media, blogs and websites. The internet can also be a black hole of less then optimal information so proceed with caution.
Besides my own content (found here and here) below are other resources I send people to when they ask about various topics and would like to do some reading on their own.

  1. Strong First
  2. Girls Gone Strong
  3. B!RTHF!T
  4. Ben Bruno Training
  5. Coach Karen Smith

To wrap this up, if you are new to strength training, one of the best things you can do for yourself is hire a coach or trainer to get you started. Having their eyes on you to watch for things you are likely not aware of, as well as use consented tactile cuing are attributes that you cannot get from going the journey on your own. Find someone you like and feel can help you to reach the goals you have for yourself.

If I resonate with you, then let’s connect. You can reach me me by leaving me a comment below, DMing me on social media, emailing me at sara@activelylivingawesome.com or you can apply for my coaching program here.

The third and final installment of this series will be things you should know about strength training to get the most out of your workouts. Have a great week!

~S

Women and Weights- Part 1.

~ Sara G ~ 1 Comment

Once upon a time women were told that they shouldn’t lift weights because it would make them look like men and thus be undesirable. They wouldn’t want to be bulky, and they could get hurt. More “feminine” exercise was encouraged and anything that looked like “strength” training was il-advised.

Aren’t you glad we don’t live in that world anymore?? Oh wait…

It’s not as bad as it used to be, and with the rise in popularity of things like StrongFirst, CrossFit, The Titan Games, Girls Gone Strong, B!RTHF!T, and social media, strength training for women is getting some great press.

There are still those out there that preach that women shouldn’t lift more then 2lbs (which is laughable if you carry a purse or have children) but somehow that rhetoric still sells.

There are many reasons why women should incorporate strength training into their health and wellness routine, and this is what I want to chat about today. General aesthetics won’t be mentioned, so while that may be a motivating factor to get started I promise that by the end of this you’ll have more information at your disposal.

Before I dive in I want to be clear on a couple things-
The information presented is done so from time spent reading research/ journals and data collected by humans much smarter then I, as well as my own journey in the world of strength training both personally and professionally.
My goal in how this is written is for those that don’t want to read super complex data, but want the information in an easy to understand manner. I am happy to share any and all of my sources if you are interested in reading more. But for the sake of the scroll-averse I’m going to make this as easy to digest as possible.

4 Compelling Reasons You Should Be Strength Training:

More muscle= More efficient body at rest.

The more muscle mass you have, the more efficient your body is at rest. A pound of fat burns 1-2 calories per hour while a pound of muscle burns up to 6 calories per hour. (1) I’m not a mathematician, but I like those odds.
The quality of calories consumed cannot be dismissed, you cannot out-exercise a bad diet. But for those that say they do cardio so they can eat… strength training is a better long-term investment.

Women begin to see a decrease in muscle mass at age 40.

For women, we begin to lose lean muscle mass at 40. To put that into perspective, that means you will lose 50% of your lean muscle mass by the time you turn 80. The magic number “40” doesn’t mean you can’t start strength training at any time, it simply means the earlier you start the more muscle mass you will start with when inevitable aging begins.

Weight training improves bone health.

This one requires me to get a little more science-y, but bear with me. Strength training stimulates osteoblast activity which are the cells that promote bone growth (3).
It is estimated that 80% of the 10 million people that live with osteoperosis are women, and that 50% of women over age 50 will break a bone because of osteoperosis.
If that isn’t terrifying, a woman’s risk of breaking a hip is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. (4)
YIKES!!!
Bottom Line, strength training makes your bones stronger so you don’t break them as easily especially as you age.

Being strong makes life easier.

Aside from being the Boss woman that can carry 25 grocery bags in one trip while also holding a baby carrier, when we are strong we simply FEEL more capable. It pisses me off when I can’t get the damn pickle jar open and I have to ask my husband. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does I get real annoyed. The fact that you can do more for yourself doesn’t mean you don’t need a man (unless that’s your jam, whatever floats your boat) but it will make your life easier and more convenient.
Another example I like to use is being able to play with your kids at the playground. Lifting them up and tossing them around, hanging from the monkey bars and jumping off a moving swing. You become a more active participant when you are focusing on what you can do and instead of what you can’t. Strength training helps you do all the things.

The journey to strength training can be intimidating, which is why many women choose not to pursue it at all. That is why for the month of March on my Instagram and Facebook pages I will be going over the “Big 4” movements that are the foundations of strength training.

I’ll also be following this post up with one that talks about how to get started on your strength training journey. Stay Tuned!

~S

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2980962/
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4066461/
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2811354
  4. https://www.nof.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/what-women-need-to-know/



What Makes A Good Workout?

~ Sara G ~ Leave a comment

I’ll start by answering that question with another question- what is your goal?

That is my answer for several questions that I get asked on a frequent basis. To me it seems like that would be a logical response, but often I’m met with a look of confusion.

As a trainer I would define a “good workout” as one that left you feeling better then when you started, one that helped you get one step closer to your goals, and one that pushed you out of your comfort zone without making you it’s bitch. Let’s break that down shall we?

“A workout that leaves you feeling better then when you started”
This doesn’t mean that you weren’t challenged or pushed. What it does mean is that when you finished you had a sense of accomplishment and were able to walk out of the gym being happy you showed up.
Movement should be making you feel better, not worse. Discomfort is part of the deal, especially for newbies. PAIN is not, and it shouldn’t be celebrated.

“A workout that helps you get one step closer to your goals.”
Those (your goals) should be clearly defined from the get-go. Are you working out to lose body fat? To build more muscle? To run your first 5k or Spartan or Triathalon? Are you returning to exercise after major surgery or childbirth and you’ve just been cleared by your doctor? Do you want to be able to chase your toddler or take your kids on a family hike? Do you want to stave off health issues that have plagued your parents or other members of your family?
Working out doesn’t have to be purely aesthetic. To be honest you’re likely to have more success if that isn’t your only driving factor. But also having a why and setting up goals along the way will also set you up for the long term.. Movement and exercise aren’t just short term solutions. They are lifetime choices that can and will set you up for a better quality of life, or a not-so-good one. That choice is yours to make.
When you show up to wherever you get a little movement in ask yourself- is what I’m doing today going to get me closer to where I want to be? If the answer is “No” then I’d suggest asking yourself why you are doing whatever it is that you are doing in the first place.

“A workout that pushed you out of your comfort zone without making you it’s bitch”.
So this goes hand in hand with the first point, and I mention it again to say that if you feel like you have been through the ringer every single time you go to the gym perhaps you need to do a bit of reflection.
As an athlete I love a hard workout.
As a mom, business owner, trainer and person that needs their body to function in order to make a living I don’t dig them all the time.
As a woman there are times during the month that all I can do is show up and be gentle. If this is the first time you are hearing this, here’s a secret- our bodies are cyclical in nature. We feel that way on purpose, and if you are tuned into it, listening to your body will be the biggest gift you can give yourself.

Resistance training, weightlifting, boot camp, whatever it is you enjoy doing is meant to be challenging. That is what allows progress to happen. Soreness is part of the game as well. When muscles are worked in ways that they aren’t used to, they become sore as a result. But if you finish your workout and have zero energy to take on the rest of your day, or if you are so sore when you’re done that moving through your normal day-to-day is a challenge, I’d encourage you to ask yourself WHY you’re doing it. What are you gaining by feeling that way all the time? If that is the only measure you have to feel like your workout was successful, I’d encourage you to really give that some thought. If you are surrounded by people that think the same way, I ask you what other positive attributes are they contributing to your health and wellness?
I used to wear this mentality as a badge of honor, I thought I wasn’t doing nearly enough if I wasn’t miserable until my next workout. That was all fine and good, until it wasn’t. Until injuries overtook soreness. Until my ability to be a mom became more challenging because I couldn’t move. Until my body loudly stated that it had “ENOUGH”.

Listening to our bodies can be a humbling experience. For many of us we were conditioned from a fairly young age to just get after it, no matter what. What if instead we gave ourselves the grace and courage to instead do things that make us feel good and also help us to move better and live better in the long run? Engaging in workouts that help us as opposed to hurt us is one way to do that.

Ask yourself next time you’re ready to hit the gym- is this workout going to make me better or not? Then proceed accordingly.

~S

Thoughts from a frustrated fitness professional/ A little personal history.

~ Sara G ~ Leave a comment

Working in the fitness industry is a rather polarizing endeavor. I’ve written about this a bit before, but lately I’ve found I’m having a hard time just “being ok” with it. I’ve said before I’m not for everyone. I’m cool with it.

Women are one of the most highly advertised to demographics, and while we are making strides in the body-positivity area the same shit still sells and it makes me REALLY ANGRY. Like Hulk-Smash level shit.

But for just a little history, I’d like to level with anyone reading this why I feel the way I do. See, I myself have a L O N G history with my body and my feelings about it. Put your seat-belt on, this will take a second.

I made it through middle school fairly unscathed. Once puberty hit my hips showed up and I have since carried quite a bit of my curve through my butt and legs. It just was what it was. I have also always been an athlete of some kind, so muscle and being able to be fairly consistent with my weight was fine.

In high school I experienced some devastating firsts that began to mold a not-so-great relationship with my body.

  1. I got cut from athletics for the first time in my life. First from basketball, then from volleyball. I was devastated. Completely crushed. For the first time I wasn’t an active particiapant, and I used food and a general lack of motivation to move very little.
  2. It was the first time my parents (who were completely well-intentioned so I thank them for that) suggested that watching what I eat become a priority. My mom helped me the best way she knew how packing my lunch and for a while it did help and some of the weight I’d put on came off.
  3. I started dating someone that would ultimately be emotionally abusive and that would take its toll. I ended up in the hospital for exhaustion, dehydration, consuming less then 1000 calories a day while in-season for a Varsity sport I loved, and then there was this guy that made me feel like I was special and at the same time like I would never be enough.

Eventually it all culminated, and for all 4 years of high school my weight went up and it went down. It changed based on whether I was in-season, post-season or preseason. I’ll also interject here that we did not lift weights during pre-season/ off-season. We didn’t want to be “bulky” so everything was body-weight, tubing and cardio based until we could get into the cages and begin batting practice.

Strength training already had a negative connotation after freshman PE class when my best friend and I both were able to bench our body-weight in class and the boys called us “Beasts”. Male fragile ego at 14-15 years old. (Insert vomit emoji here)

Also, I LOVED entertainment news. I was all about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I wanted Britney Spear’s abs, and Blue Crush was my favorite movie for sure.

What no one told me about any of it was that I wasn’t built like that. I was not going to look like any of those girls, ever. But man is that what I wanted. Lots of cardio, minimal lifting, watch what I eat (to a point of starving then binge, then feel guilty then repeat). For years.

When I went away to college on a softball scholarship, I was introduced to the weight room, for a minute. It was expected but I don’t remember us actually doing it with any consistency. We shared the weight room with all the male athletes (IE the football and basketball team) it was gross and many of them were pigs so I don’t think any of us were in a big rush to run up there. Also, even then I had never been properly instructed on how to lift. I had no idea of mechanics or what I actually should be doing. We just loaded up the bar and gave it a shot. (Ugh, facepalm)
Also, in this delightful four years, I was introduced to BEER. I may have been a Div. II Collegiate Athlete but I was also a sorority girl and I could put it down with the best of them. That did NOT help me, especially my freshman year, but you live and learn.

Once I graduated I walked away from anything organized for a while. We had free gym memberships with our apartment so I’d dabble here and there but I was never able to be consistent. Cardio was what I knew and I’d try to do something here and there. I had a consult with a personal trainer and she gave me a very generic workout and told me to consume less then 100g of sugar per day. That was it.

One night my husband and I were watching a movie and the guys on screen were throwing kettlebells around in the “pump-you-up” training montage. I looked at NN and said “I want to do that.” He shook his head as he does and said “Ok babe”. But less then a month later we were both in our first class.

Meeting Dave (and his business partner at the time) changed my life. I was introduced to someone that actually gave a shit about how I moved. He helped me fix my squat (something I didn’t realize needed fixed), he showed me that load was important and that cardio or other measures of “a good workout” weren’t necessarily that great. He gave me so much from the beginning, and while it would take almost 3 more years before I would start coaching myself I was hooked.

DUring this time I also got pregnant with my first child. This is another post for another day, but I will say that pregnancy was a whole new struggle for me with body image. It’s something that should be talked about, but I felt so much shame that I didn’t know what to do. Postpartum, dear Lord that will be several future posts. But back to the actual story…

I was introduced to a community of professionals that took their job seriously. Yes, there are always polarizing opinions, and I had to learn some things the hard way. But at the roots, I’d had a long-standing viewpoint of my body that was driven by shame and by this ideal that I would never achieve. At 24 that began to change and I’ve spent the last 12 years trying to encourage a different dialog.

What I preach is wholly what I practice, and if I’m being honest it isn’t sexy or glamorous.

I don’t have a six-pack, I’m not a size 4, and I still hate long cycle cardio.

I move everyday. Even when all that looks like is walking. Some days that is all I’ve got in me. AND THAT’S OK. Other days I swing kettlebells (because I freaking love it) or I move weights around. I’ve started hitting up a Crossfit class a couple times a week. My relationship with that has been a moving target for years, but at the moment I’m in a good place with it.

I try to eat foods that come from the outside of the grocery store. Bread and pasta are delicious but they don’t agree with me and while I have always loved cereal and ice cream both make me feel like absolute shit. I very much have to weigh the pros and cons of consumption. I also love cheesecake. It is a non-negotiable in my life. The trick is not eating the whole damn thing, but instead a slice here and there.

I share all of this because it is a small example of what works FOR ME. It has taken me years to get a handle on it, and I am constantly tweeking and experimenting.

That mentality and approach is how I approach my clients as well. We establish goals, and then we reverse engineer how to get to them. It is a long road, if you’re being honest with yourself it is a lifetime decision. What you choose in your 30’s and 40’s will have an impact in your 60’s and 70’s. It’s never too late to start, but the sooner you do the better for YOU it will ultimately be.

I will continue to be annoyed and often angered by the bullshit I see people putting out about “30lbs in 30 days”, Detox Teas, Magic Wraps, and all the cardio. And while I sometimes feel like a broken record I will continue to educate, support, encourage, and hopefully inspire other women, especially Moms to find what works for them and allows them to live the life they DESIRE to live.

Thanks for reading Awesome Humans

~S