Expe Training

When I was younger, a large group of family friends would meet at the beach. It was so much fun to see everyone because many of us kids went to different schools. One of the other kids my age was a girl with porcelain skin. On one trip, I found out her classmates had bullied her for being so pale. She had decided that that was the last year anyone could call her pale — she was going to tan.

Her plan was to sit out in the sun the whole day without reapplying sunscreen. She figured that — even if she burned — there would be a tan underneath. I’d had enough sunburns by that time to know her reasoning wasn’t sound, but she couldn’t be talked out of it. She hoped to leave the beach pleasantly bronzed but instead she left fire-engine red. 

The next time I saw her, she looked like she did before her day at the beach. She told me that she wished she had listened to me instead of suffering though a horrible sunburn (even then I was a know-it-all 🙂 I understood 🙂 After all, I too had been teased for being pale. The year prior I tried another desperate measure to get a tan. My own tanning mishap involved a bottle of self-tanning lotion. I had excitedly slathered it all over my legs and waited, and waited, and voila —I was orange. Bright orange. Upon further inspection, I also noticed that I hadn’t applied the lotion as evenly as I thought. I looked awful and vowed to never do that again.

We all want results, and we want them quickly. We may even try to take shortcuts in an attempt to speed things up. The fitness and wellness industry is bursting with all kinds of shortcuts that promise instant results, but often—like me and my friend’s tanning experience— the results aren’t always ideal.  The results we crave require dedication to a sensible plan and plenty of time. If you have been going from shortcut to shortcut wondering why you aren’t getting the results you want, I encourage you to find a fitness professional who can help you make a sensible plan and help you stick to it. 

Thanks for reading! I hope you have a safe and healthy week. 

What do you think of when you hear the phrase group project? 

Being on a team can be fantastic. You can draw from different people’s experiences, talents, creativity, and skills. When a group works efficiently, it can make huge tasks more manageable. When you work with people whose company you enjoy, it can make mundane tasks fun.  

Working effectively on a team does require some degree of trust. Unfortunately, I’ve been in group projects where that trust was broken. I recall one group history project where one member often showed up late to meetings, didn’t complete the assigned paragraphs, and refused to talk during the presentation. All of us other team members worked really hard on that project, but — because it was a group project — we walked away with a C minus.  

If you’ve had a similar experience, you may be hesitant to rely on someone else. You may be tempted to bootstrap it. However, if you’re struggling by yourself to create more good days, I encourage you to enlist the help of a fitness professional. Becoming healthier and more fit can be a huge task. Let’s make it manageable and fun.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week. 

I’m afraid of alligators and crocodiles. I can remember waiting patiently across the sidewalk as friends inched closer and closer to get a better view of their exhibit at the zoo.

Imagine my horror when I found out that my new job, which I just flew across the United States for, required me to handle an alligator — WITHOUT protective gear. The alligator’s name was Allen, and he was two years old. He had been used by other educators the prior year, but he was no friendlier for it. He hissed and snapped his strong jaws, which were lined with razor sharp teeth. 

To say that I wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of sticking my bare hand into his tank to pick him up and hold him next to my body would be a huge understatement. If I were warned about this duty, I wouldn’t have taken the job. I considered quitting.

Instead of quitting, I asked for help. Allen’s normal caretaker allowed me to feed Allen, so we could get more comfortable with each other. Other teachers came with me to visit Allen after work. They showed me their strategies and techniques, and guided me though the process as I practiced picking him up and holding him. Finally, I team-taught my first class. He provided moral support. He made sure the class was calm as I reached into the tank, and lined everyone up to pet Allen’s tail. 

I taught with Allen on my own many times after that initial class, but I never felt comfortable with it. Actually, as the school year wore on, Allen got bigger and bigger, which made it harder for me and the other teachers who had smaller hands to grab him. I was never bit, a student was never bit, and a chaperone was never bit. Even though I was uncomfortable, I was able to successfully create a safe learning environment. I managed the situation. 

We all have situations where we feel uncomfortable. It is okay and normal to feel uncomfortable in a gym. You may feel uncomfortable every time you visit, and that’s okay too. The main thing is you show up, do the work, and manage the situation. If you, like me, need a little extra help, remember there are fitness professionals who can show you their strategies and techniques to make the gym feel safer, so that you can exercise more efficiently and make more good days.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week.  

Have you ever received unsolicited advice? It can make you feel terrible, especially if it’s coming from someone you’re close to. 

-You should try online dating.  (Tried it and trying it. Thanks for reminding me that I’m exhausting all my options.)

-You know that extra weight would come off if you just ate less. (Wait, what!? I think I tried that back in ’01, ’03, ’07, 09, ’11, ’13, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’17, and ’18, and — oh yeah — ’91 through ’99.)

We have all probably asked for advice, when we simply wanted an affirmation that we made the right decision. When we get bombarded with actual advice in these scenarios, it can be unsettling.

-You should probably give your treadmill away if you’ve only used it as a coat hanger in the past 6 years, because it’s taking up a lot of space. (I wanted to hear that I should keep it — that I’ll find a great playlist and get motivated.)

-It’s a good idea to have more vegetarian options for Thanksgiving, because there are several vegetarians coming. (Going to the store on Thanksgiving morning is a circus, and I don’t have time or energy to cook more.)

Sometimes, however, we are prepared to receive advice and get frustrated when no one steps up and provides it.

-You may ask a healthy friend how you can burn off your extra visceral fat and be told that you look fine.

-You may question a fit family member about how they got strong and be told that you’re strong too.

If you are truly seeking advice that will help you improve your health and are feeling brushed off by others, find a fitness professional. It is our job to give advice and guidance. Many of us are good at discussing uncomfortable subjects in a caring way and providing actionable steps and accountability so that you can make the changes that will give you more good days.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week. 

Have you ever read through something, and felt confused? I sure have. Recently I was reviewing a legal document. I haven’t studied law —  much less contract law — and I wasn’t sure about the implications of certain words and phrases. I decided to look some things up, but I didn’t know where I should begin. After 15 minutes of research, I didn’t feel any more confident that I could interpret the document correctly. I asked for help by calling the state office referenced in the contract. They definitively answered my question in less than one minute (no joke — one minute). 

Information has never been more accessible. With smartphones at our fingertips, we can look up any subject in mere seconds. We have access to tons of information. However, I’ve personally found that if we aren’t familiar with the subject, knowing where to find the information we need can be challenging, interpreting it can be harder, and applying that new information can be even harder still. 

We all have specialties. Yours may be contract law, classroom management, coding, etc. If your specialty isn’t health and wellness, don’t feel like you have to figure everything out on your own. A health and wellness professional will be able answer some of those questions that a quick internet search can’t. They can guide you along the path to better health and more good days.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week!

Spring is a great time to clean our living spaces and reevaluate our possessions. We all know someone who vacuums around the couch. We also know those who move the couch to get any dust bunnies. And we’ve at least heard of those who move the couch, vacuum under the couch, move the cushions, vacuum under the cushions, AND wash the throw. At different times in my life I’ve embraced all these cleaning styles. Regardless of the intensity, I’ve always felt better after cleaning.

Having a clean and organized space is refreshing. When my living space is tidy, I have more space to practice yoga, foam roll, and cook dinner.   

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be limited to just our homes though. Spring is a great time to clean up a diet that has gone off course, clean up our schedules that are jam packed with unnecessary and unenjoyable activities, and clean up OR create a fitness routine.

We spend a lot of time in our homes, but we are always in our bodies. If your body isn’t in optimal condition, now is a great time to make some plans. If this idea seems daunting, don’t hesitate to ask for help. A personal trainer, health coach, or other fitness professional can provide you with the tools and support you need to get your health back on track.

Happy cleaning!

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week. 

At one of the outdoor education centers I taught at, I led students through high ropes courses. For many students, the prospect of climbing thirty feet into the air was both exhilarating and terrifying. They decided if they would climb, and if so, how far up.  

I encouraged everyone to champion each others’ choices—whether it was to sit out or whether it was to take even one step off the ground. I’m pleased to say, they did. This unconditional support led the majority of the students to participate. 

Some of the students who participated would look down, be overcome by the fear of falling, and request an early end to their experiment. I tried my best to reassure these students that they were safe as they were belayed down.

The high ropes courses were usually the highlights of the trip—even for the students that had panicked. They had tried something new and intimidating. They had been brave. They felt empowered— and rightfully so.   

As we age, our fear of falling isn’t just limited to high ropes courses and other thrill-seeking activities. It can become part of our everyday life. While you can’t completely escape this risk of falling, you can make choices that empower you. You can take steps to decrease your risk of falling in the first place by learning a comprehensive exercise routine from a fitness professional. Even though it’s intimidating 🙂 I encourage you to ask for some support along the way. 

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week. 

I’m not a fan of leaf blowers; they are noisy, emit a lot of fumes, and seem to kick up things that make a beeline straight into my eyes. While most of my interactions with the people using the leaf blowers have been neutral, I still found myself annoyed whenever I saw someone operating one. I’m not proud of it, but it wasn’t until I had a great interaction with someone using a leaf blower that I was able to fully separate the leaf blower from the person. When I did, I was able to truly appreciate the person trying to complete a difficult job.

This interaction occurred when I was at a new job and needed to empty the trash before I left. I knew exactly where the extra trash bags were and had a general idea of where the dumpster should be. As I was lugged a huge trash bag past several upscale shops, I realized I had never actually seen the dumpster. A guy operating a leaf blower could tell I was lost. He stopped and went out of his way to point me in the direction of the dumpster.  

This happens all the time in health and wellness. Maybe you let your aversion to tight yoga pants prevent you from taking a yoga class you’ve heard great things about. Maybe you let your aversion to a diet everyone raved about prevent you from seeking the help of a health coach. Maybe you let your aversion to the loud music at your local big box gym prevent you from seeking the guidance of a personal trainer.  

We all have preferences. Have you, like me, inadvertently let your distaste for something carry over to someone or something else? If so, I encourage you to take a step back and look with fresh eyes. You just may find help when you need it in new places and from new people.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week.  

One of my group exercise certifications required that I observe many classes. The classes were held in a beautiful studio with plenty of natural light and a full length mirror. I watched as new people scanned the studio looking for — sometimes even asking for — a place to hide.

Wanting to be out of the spotlight when you’re trying something new is a natural instinct for many people. I too have have sought out “hiding spots.” I often recall how intimidated I initially felt when I attended my first class in a room that didn’t have any “hiding spots.”

Now, I’m thankful that there weren’t any good “hiding spots” in that class because it taught me that being visible is beneficial.

The easier it is for the instructors to see us, the more they can help us. They can correct our form so we don’t hurt ourselves, provide modifications for challenging moves, and dole out encouragement when we look like we need it. Plus, we can see the instructors better.   

If you are avoiding a class because there is nowhere to hide or you are always hurrying to reserve your “hiding spot,” I encourage you to stake your claim to a spot out in the open. If you would like even better results, hire a personal trainer. They can watch you very closely if you like 🙂

Like me, you may realize that you benefit from the extra attention.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week.

When I was an outdoor educator, I taught students how to play a variety of leadership games. One of these game allowed the students to experiment with different leadership styles. 

There were three parts of the game. In every part, the leader chose how the other students walked: normally, in slow motion, or like a zombie. First, the leader stood to the side and only gave verbal instructions. After this, the leader demonstrated the moves as they gave instructions. Finally, the leader announced one style but demonstrated a different style.  

At the end of the game, students were asked which was the easiest to follow. The vast majority of  students found the second version the easiest — when the leader led by example.

What we say has weight, but what we do matters more. 

If you’re a caretaker, you can help care for your family, patients, students, etc. by sending a clear message. Maybe you’re the Mama who always ensures your children get at least eight hours of sleep, because you know how important it is for their health. However, you feel like you won the lottery when you get more than seven. Maybe you’re the stressed doctor who recommends yoga for stressed patients, but you haven’t tried it. Maybe you’re the teacher who encourages your students not to skip meals, but rarely has anything to eat before school lets out.  

I humbly encourage you to lead by example. Take care of yourself so that you can take better care of others. If you need some help along the way, please don’t be afraid to ask.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week.