Be Kind to Your Body

When it comes to my personal training philosophies, I'm rarely a whistleblower. If you can do without the infamous drill sargeant bossiness of a fitness leader, I am your woman! I like to call myself a gentle personal trainer. But, inevitably, when I tell people what I do for a living, they sometimes open their eyes wide, then point to a body part, then furrow their eyebrows, and finally say, "Can you help me get rid of this?"


Okay, I'll be a whistleblower now. And, I won't be responding with a "Drop and give me 50!" Instead, I might say, "First, it's impossible to spot reduce, and Second, let's be work on being nicer to your body before we try changing it."


Anyone who's well-read in fitness plans and diets might know what I'm talking about. And, even if you've curiously browsed all the new year resolution books currently piled high in the front of bookstores knows an inkling of what I'm talking about too. Whether it's low-carb, low-calorie, Pilates, medicine balls, running programs, the list goes on and on.... So many different ways and options to get lean, tone, trim, firm, skinny, fit, gorgeous, young, and the list goes on again....


I even saw a magazine (currently on the stands as of last night) advertise a claim to "get fit and lose fat" without exercise, diets or gym memberships! Well, they caught my eye! I opened to to discover their philosophy to (in-a-nutshell) only do housework or yardwork or shop. While I wholeheartedly believe that playing with the dog, painting a room, spreading mulch, raking leaves, unloading a dishwasher and dancing with a broom are ALL fabulous ways of physical activity, what about cardiovascular health training, balancing your muscles through resistance training, balance training, flexibility training, and mindful core training?


So, while I'm not a whistleblowing "Drop and give me 50 MORE after you run 10 laps" trainer, and while I'm not an advocate of "dancing with your broom for five minutes will be plenty, darling, but don't forget to skip all carbs" - squeeze my training philosophy somewhere in the middle secured with lots of "love your body first" reminders.


Yes, you do need your cardiovascular health training, resistance training, core/balance training and flexibility training. And, guess what, that can be fit into one workout in less than an hour, or it can be broken up into bits throughout your week. But, before we tackle the exercise, let's talk about the "Can you get rid of this?" interrogation.


First, give me the benefit of the doubt, take a deep inhale, and when you're ready to try something new, read on.... If I can hand you one piece of magic, of bliss, I'd be delighted. It requires an open mind and patience. It is simply, "Be kind to your body. Be kind because your body will respond with love once you open up to listening, respecting and loving your body."


Wanna know how? Email me for specific questions, and/or look out for suggestions in my next post!