The Fit Life, LLC

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Fun Holiday Workout

We did a fun holiday workout in boot camp today. I thought I would share it. This was a TRX boot camp,
so part of the class was spent on the TRX. This isn't meant to be an hour long workout (although you could probably modify so it does)!

I think it would be a good challenge to try at home!

The Twelve Days of Boot Camp

On the first day of boot camp my instructor gave to me...

A burpee with a push-up.

Second: Frog Jumps

Third: Lunges (ea. side)

Fourth: Jump Squats/Box Jumps

Fifth: Carpet Inch Worms (boot campers have carpet squares under their feet and use core muscles to pull their legs up, then they walk their hands back down like an inchworm)

Sixth: Jumping Jacks

Seven: Full Sit-ups

Eight: High Knees

Nine: Dippy Birds (ea sides). Dippy birds are what I like to call single-leg dead-lifts/hip hinges--because you look like one of those little birds that dips down and drinks the water). 

Ten: Squat Kicks

Eleven: Push-up Side Planks

Twelfth: Mountain Climbers

Just like the song, the class goes through the days and counts backwards (i.e. on the sixth day of boot camp my instructor gave to me: Six Jumping Jacks, Five Carpet Inch Worms, Four Jump Squats, Three lunges, Two Frog Jumps and a Burpee with a Push-up).

Enjoy!!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Costa Rican Adventures: Part I - The Unexpected Adventure

We've been back from Costa Rica for three weeks now, and I've been meaning to blog about our travels there. So I'm finally sitting down to do just that.  I'm going to start with our first unexpected adventure--putting our rental car into a ravine on our first full day. I wrote the majority of the post that first day--by hand--in a little notebook. So my tenses may be all over the place for this one. Here it goes:

November 6, 2012 - Rural Costa Rica

I learned two very valuable lessons today. First, NEVER trust your GPS in Costa Rica; and second, learn the Spanish words for, "We need help!" There were some other lessons too: Always carry a complete English/Spanish dictionary with you when traveling in a Spanish-speaking country, always have food in the car, and spend money on a decent emergency cell phone.

Today was the day we were to make about a 3-hour trek to from Alajuela to Manuel Antonio. Alajuela is near the capital, San Jose, in the central part of the country, and Manuel Antonio is on the west coast.

The trip started out well, but the mistake came when our gps told us to go a different way than our printed directions. We followed the gps.

At first we were pleased with our decision. We were seeing some beautiful scenery that you just can't see on a highway. Not too far into our trip, our nice, paved road became a gravel road. We weren't concerned. We had done much reading on Costa Rica, so we had been warned that the roads there are a little crazy. They are often unpaved--and during the rainy season (which it is) it's not uncommon to see small rivers running across the roads. So we continued on without concern--enjoying the adventure (we heard someone refer to the roads there as a Costa Rican massage).

We continued on the gravel road for many miles. After awhile the houses became fewer and fewer, and the road became bumpier. Eventually the road became something that didn't really resemble a road at all. At this point we had two options:  backtrack a really long way (a few hours) or keep going and hope we hit a main road soon.

Our "road" continued to deteriorate until it was not much more than a hiking trail--partially washed out by heavy rains. We came across a bridge at one point, and just crossed our fingers that the car would make it over. On a few occasions, rivers ran right over the road. Again, we crossed our fingers and went, hoping the car didn't float away. During one part of the journey a tree branch brushed the inside of the window where I was sitting and dumped a bunch of fire ants on me. I smacked at them as I felt the stingy bites (which I later had an allergic reaction to).

Panic was starting to set in for me as the small SUV bounced all over the trail. What seemed like an adventure at first wasn't fun anymore. I glanced over at Mark and sweat was pouring off his face. I knew he was nervous too. We knew we were in big trouble if we weren't to a main road by the time the rains started. Our "road" would become a river with us as its victims.
 
As the car lurched up yet another steep mountain hill, our tire became stuck in a large divot. As Mark (he was driving, by the way) tried to back out of the hole, the car sprung backward and landed in a narrow, but deep ravine. As we sat there--almost in slow motion--the car started to roll on its side. It settled on the driver's side. We were definitely stuck and there was no maneuvering out of this one.

We both carefully climbed out of the passenger side door--making sure to distribute our weight carefully. We removed our most valuable items--cash, passports, camera, purse and papers, and started to walk up the road. We hoped we would either get a cell signal on our emergency phone or run into someone who spoke English sooner rather than later. It was hot. We were in the middle of nowhere--and we hadn't seen a house in well over an hour.

We only walked a few minutes before we heard voices. Mark ran up ahead to find them. There was a small house and a lady was walking up the mountain road with her cow. Mark managed a "Telephono?" in Spanish making a gesture as though he were talking on a phone. The lady pointed up the road. She spoke no English.

We continued up the road in the heat of the day--hoping our luggage would still be in the vehicle when we were finally reunited. Soon we came to another small house. "Buenos Dias!" we called. A man came out. "Hablo Ingles?" "No."

Between our small dictionary, gestures, and drawings we were able to convey that our "L'auto" was in a ditch and we needed "La Grua'" (tow truck). The very kind man used his call phone (his had a signal) to call an English speaking friend. He handed his phone to me, and I was able to communicate what had happened.  The man then gestured that we should walk to the car to take a look. Back down the mountain road we trudged, with his son and dog in tow (we had only walked about a 1/2 mile, so it wasn't that heinous. I was just stressed, hot and hungry--so it seemed far).

Soon we heard the sound of a motorcycle. The cyclist got off his bike, smile and said, "Hi folks! How are you doing?" We smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Now we could communicate.

The young man's name was Markos. We were able to explain our entire predicament. Through talking to him, we learned that the road we had traveled on had actually been closed for over twenty years. The only one who uses it is the utility company to fix power lines.

Markos (our savior) spoke to our rental car company. And eventually arranged for a friend of his to bring a tractor to tow us out of the ravine. He felt if we waited for the towing company the rental place recommended, we could be stuck outside all night. Markos happened to know the three sisters who lived in the house we first encountered (where the lady with the cow lived). He helped us carry our luggage to their house so we could keep an eye on it. Now all we had to do was wait.

The friend with a tractor was a few towns over, and the roads were rough--so we had about a three hour wait ahead of us. Markos stayed with us the whole time. The three sisters gave us a cup of coffee, and Markos picked a fresh grapefruit for us to eat.

When the man (with a few friends for back-up) finally arrived with his tractor. Mark and Marcos helped them hook a chain up to our jeep. They were able to pull the jeep out of the ravine without the jeep receiving even a scratch. He pulled us up the last bit of the hill (it turns out if we had just made it through that last bit of treacherous road, a much improved road was just a half mile or so away).

We paid the tractor driver for his trouble without complaint. We gave Markos what we hoped was at least close to a day's pay--that's the amount of time he spent with us. We were very lucky to get off so easily. Markos had us follow him to the main road, and made sure we knew the route to our final destination--Manuel Antonio.

So what could have been a complete disaster--what very honestly could have ended in our deaths if the rains had come in--turned out to be a very lucky day. If I had it to do all over again, would I choose to take the same route again? Well....no. It was crazy, dangerous and stressful! However, we saw parts of Costa Rica that most tourists never see. And we met some people I feel very lucky to have met--people who live their lives very differently than us.

The three sisters lived very simple lives. They didn't own a car. If they needed to go to town, they walked over thirty minutes to a bus stop, then took the bus--and then carried their supplies for the long walk home. They lived mostly off of the land--raising their own chicken, cows and vegetables--and eating off their wonderful fruit trees.

We learned firsthand how wonderful the kindness of strangers can be.

We had about another hour of gravel roads before we hit the main highway toward Manuel Antonio. When we finally arrived at our little cottage and got settled, we were exhausted. But reflecting back on the day's adventure, we felt like the luckiest people in the world.







Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Photo Challenge Day 12: Close-Up

Day 12's challenge was "A Close-Up". Since it did not specify that it was a close-up of me, I chose to go with a much cuter close-up--one of the big Butter Bean.


I was going to get a few more--but she was getting kind of annoyed with me. I was interrupting nap time.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Photo Challenge Day 11: Something Fun

Okay, back into the swing of my 30-day photo challenge. I will pick it back up with day 11--something fun.

Attached is a Christmas gift from my husband. He knows I think bacon is one of the most disgusting foods on Earth. Seriously. The smell nauseates me--it smells like greasy, salty flesh cooking. And that scent hangs in the air/house all day (Not my house. Bacon is not cooked here). We stick mainly to a vegetarian diet--allowing fish once or twice a week. But even in my more carnivorous days, I disliked bacon.

I must admit when I opened this gift, I thought it was hilarious. When you squeeze him, his lips move and say, "I'm bacon!".


Monday, September 3, 2012

Photo Challenge Day Ten: Something I made

Okay, I'm a little behind on this holiday weekend....but here I am! Day ten's challenge is a photo of something I made. Attached is a picture of  an M&M costume I made for the annual Halloween race we do. We had a team, and everyone was a different color M&M. (I did not make the cat, she just insisted on being in the photo).

This is one of those races you do for fun rather than time...because it's very hard to make a good time running as a giant M&M.







Thursday, August 30, 2012

Photo Challenge Day Nine: Faceless Self Portrait

Today's photo challenge was a faceless self-portrait. I took this out in the yard where the light was better. I'm sure I looked like a complete weirdo. That's okay, the neighbors already think we're pretty weird.

For this one I took a picture of bicep. Why? Because I just couldn't figure out a creative way to take a faceless self-portrait. Plus, I've been working on my biceps! :o)

So here we go...my naked bicep.


No time for musings today! Tomorrow will be better!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Day 8 Photo Challenge: Technology

Technology is my photo challenge today. So I thought, "Hmmm....do I take a picture of my I touch...or maybe our kitty cam that allows me to keep an eye on the fur kids when we're out of town?" I decided to go a different way.

Below is a picture of my Mazuno running shoes--showing their "Wave" technology. I love my running shoes (see earlier blog on my shoe obsession). This is my kind of technology!


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Day Seven Photo Challenge: Something New

Today's challenge is a photo of something new. Two new exciting things arrived just yesterday. I couldn't decide between them so I'm posting pictures of both of them!

First is a new batch of resistance bands--all shiny and colorful! (If you'd like a pdf of a band workout, shoot me an email and I will send you one: jj@thefitlife.us).



I also received two dresses from Athleta yesterday (my hubby and sister-in-law both got me gift certificates for my birthday. What's really exciting is that they fit perfectly--like they were made for me! How often does that happen with mail order clothing? And see, I do wear dresses now and then (okay...made by Athleta....meant for active wear...but dresses nonetheless). I'm hoping to wear them a few times before Fall, and then get a lot of wear out of them during a trip to Costa Rica this Fall.



Monday, August 27, 2012

Photo Challenge Day Six: A Childhood Memory

This was the first challenge I really had to think about. I don't have any of my childhood stuffed animals. And I'm not close enough to any of the childhood places I remember to run and grab a picture. So this is what I came up with:






It's one of those cheap, little plastic balls you find in big bins at the grocery or convenience store. I use to beg my parents for a new plastic ball when I saw them at the store. When I see the big bin of balls now, I still kind of want one (okay, obviously I have one...I use it when doing pool workouts with clients).

I could amuse myself for hours with one of these when I was little. And sooner or later, a neighborhood girl would come by, and want to play as well. It was so simple. We'd stand on a driveway playing two square--laughing and talking for hours. No batteries or electricity required.

I'm not a parent, so I have no idea if little girls still amuse themselves this way or not. From my viewpoint it seems like childhood has changed so much since I was a girl.

We use to sped our day riding our bikes around town. I don't think parents feel safe letting their young children do that anymore.

What's a pleasant memory from your childhood?

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Photo Challenge Day Five: Someone I Love

My photo challenge for day five is "Someone I love". Below are two of my favorite someones in the world--my amazing husband, Mark, and my big, fat Butter Bean (a.k.a. The Big Bean, Bean Bean, The Bean).



I married a little later in life than most folks. I was 38. I was never someone who needed to be coupled. It was always nice, but I was also very happy being on my own. I had some of the best girlfriends ever, and I liked my alone time.

But when I met Mark, we just  worked. My mother always told me that marriage was hard work and required a lot of sacrifice. So I always thought, "Why would I want that?" With Mark I don't feel like I had to make sacrifices. Okay, little ones...but not ones that changed who I was. Marriage to Mark is easy. We enjoy the same activities. We like almost all the same foods. We just fit each other like it's the most natural situation in the world.

And then there's The Big Bean. (Now don't get me wrong, we have two other kitties (JoJo and Zin) and a ferret (Oscar) that I love very much too, but getting Mark to hold all of them at once would have been a challenge). I found The Bean in a parking lot one day when Mark and I were out to do a long run. Mark had already taken off, but I was still fiddling with my gps watch. When I got out of the car, I heard a tiny little "meow". And out from under a bush came a tiny little orange kitten--maybe four weeks old. Well, I couldn't just leave her in a parking lot with cars coming in and out, so I started knocking on doors--asking people if she was theirs. Nobody claimed the little girl, so she came home with me. I half-hardheartedly tried to find her another home, but I knew she was mine pretty quick. I had lost my 18-year-old cat about a month and a half earlier, and I just couldn't help but think he sent The Bean to me because he knew we could help each other.

Little Bean


Saturday, August 25, 2012

Day Four Photo Challenge: My Favorite Color

Day Four of the photo challenge is to take a picture of my favorite color. Well, I'm a nature girl. And I love greens (Go Bobcats!). So below is a picture of my favorite color:


I honestly just don't have any fitness ramblings today. We did a training run this morning for the Tough Mudder--an adventure race we're doing in October. And I'm tired! Good tired though. Perhaps tomorrow.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Day Three Photo Challenge: Clouds

Day three of my photo blog challenge was to take a picture of clouds. And, of course, there is not a single cloud in the sky today. So this will have to suffice. I took this while lying on top of our picnic table in the backyard. The little white streams are actually sunbursts, but they look a bit like clouds!

Now for today's ramblings...

Sticking to an exercise routine really is all about habit. Once it becomes a habit, it's easy to keep it going. It's getting to the habit stage that's hard. 

Since I exercise for a living, developing an exercise habit was pretty easy. I teach nine fitness classes a week--my body has come to expect exercise at those times. Because of a very minor medical procedure, I'm on a three-day exercise hiatus. My body feels it. I feel tired (believe it or not....taking a break from exercise has made me feel tired...not rested) and cranky. My body needs that release. You get addicted to the exercise habit, just like you get use to your eating habits, t.v. habits, etc.

So find some activities you enjoy doing, and stick to a schedule of doing them. Stick to this schedule for at least three weeks. Your body will start craving them. They will become a habit, and you'll miss when you don't do them.

The same thing can be said for dieting. I had a bad habit of stopping at Starbuck's about three times a week for an iced mocha. I drove right by it between do off my clients on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.. I was to the point where I craved that mocha around that time on those days. In this case, I really needed to break the habit. I was taking in way too much sugar (not to mention spending too much money). It was hard. I had to force myself to drive by without stopping for one. Sometimes I would go home and make my own healthier sugar-free mocha with my morning coffee, unsweetened cocoa, a pack of Stevia and some creamer (for me it's the So Delicious original creamer made from coconut milk). It got me through the tough times! Now I'm off the mochas, but still have one as a treat once a month or so. Just like forming a good habit, breaking the bad one took about three weeks. Now I can drive by without such an urge to stop!

So go out there and create some good habits, and break some bad ones today!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Day Two: What I Wore

It's Day #2 in my photo blog challenge--my effort to get my blog back up and going! The photo for Day #2 is "What I wore". Here it is:


When you talk "business attire," this is it for me--my business attire. It's one of the reasons my career (and life) rock! In the first photo I am sporting my favorite piece of attire in the world--the big baggy sweatshirt. If I could live year-round in a big, baggy sweatshirt, life would be bliss. In Ohio we are getting to my favorite time of the year--when cool mornings and evenings allow for the sweatshirt. In another month or so, we'll get to all day sweatshirt season. Yeah!

In the next shot I'm sporting a favorite Athleta top. I love Athleta. I'm a wanna be Athleta junkie (their stuff is too expensive to be a true Athleta junkie). But whenever I get gift cards, I go a splurging! In fact, I'm waiting for a few splurge items now because I received a few gift cards for my birthday.


I'm a tomboy. I have been my entire life. Sure, it's nice to throw a dress or skirt  (especially a long, flowing one) on now and then. But for the most part, I'm very happy to be wearing comfy clothes everyday. It's one of the many reasons I doubt I could ever go back to a desk job.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

I've Been a Bad Blogger! My Effort to do Better!

I've been a terrible blogger. At first I was so good at writing regular blogs. But lately...wow...even when I  have a topic I just don't seem to have the time to sit and write about it. If I'm not teaching a fitness class, I seem to be planning one. Or, I'm just too pooped to sit down and think about writing. But I want to do better. So to jump start my effort, I stole this challenge from a spin instructor blog that I visit frequently.

It's a 30-day photo challenge--forcing me to blog for 30 days straight. And after each post, I will try to add something in there about health or fitness or life in general. My family is full of photographers--I am not one of them--but I will do my best!

Here's the challenge:

Day 1: Self portrait
Day 2:  What I wore
Day 3: Clouds
Day 4: Favorite color
Day 5: Someone I love
Day 6: Childhood memory
Day 7: Something new
Day 8: Technology
Day 9: Faceless self-portrait
Day 10: Something I made
Day 11: Something fun
Day 12: Close-up
Day 13: From a distance
Day 14: Flowers
Day 15: My shoes
Day 16: What I ate
Day 17: On the shelf
Day 18: In my bag
Day 19: Where I slept
Day 20: What I read
Day 21: Pretty pattern
Day 22: Trees
Day 23: Sunset
Day 24: A smile
Day 25: Sunflare
Day 26: Something old
Day 27: After dark
Day 28: Daily routine
Day 29: Purchased
Day 30: In motion

So here we go with Day #1--a self-portrait. I have yet to take a picture of myself that I find flattering (this one is no different), so here it goes (man, now I wish I hadn't gone the ponytail route today. I look bald.



Now for today's commentary...

I'm  starting to feel like I should stop reading articles on healthy eating! I'm beginning to think that in this day and age, there are very few healthy things you can put in your body. Even fruits and vegetables are genetically modified, and full of toxic chemicals. In fact, just last week Mark (the spouse) listened to a radio program where the guest was saying even wheat is not as healthy as the wheat our grandparents ate, because farming and crops have changed so much.

Eating healthy is becoming a stressful endeavor!


Monday, June 18, 2012

Recipe Post: Spaghetti squash and snow peas with spicy peanut sauce

Okay, I've been very lax with my blog lately. It's all because of one long blog I've been working on that I'm just not happy with. So here's a delicious recipe post in the meantime! Sorry I didn't take a picture before I ate it!

This is from Robin Robertson's (my cookbook goddess) Carb-Conscious Vegetarian. It is vegan for those interested.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I used all-natural, no sugar added peanut butter. Only ingredients: peanuts. If you use peanut butter with sugar, obviously the carb count increases)
1 tsp finely chopped garlic (I put in more. I like my garlic...I used three cloves)
3 tablespoons of low-sodium tamari soy sauce
1/3 cup water (I ended up using a 1/2 cup to get the sauce the consistency I wanted)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (we like our spice...I added at least a full teaspoon, then shook a little more over the finished product. If you don't like spice, this is optional)
1 spaghetti squash
1 cup fresh snow peas
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped (I just realized I totally forgot to add cilantro--which is a huge bummer because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE cilantro)
1 tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 370.

In a small bowl or food processor (I used my bullet blender), mix the peanut butter, garlic, tamari, water, vinegar, and red pepper flakes until well blended. Taste to adjust the seasoning. Add more water if necessary to make a smooth and creamy sauce. Set aside.

The cookbook does her squash a little differently than I. I just halve them, dig out the seeds and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour.

Just before serving time, steam the snow peas until just tender--about tender. Use a fork to flake the squash into strands and place the strands in a large bowl. Add the peanut sauce and the snow peas and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Recipe Post: Eggplant Pizzas


So I've been counting the carbs, and so far it's really working for me. But carb-counting and trying to be vegetarian is a tough order. So I'm trying to find some creative recipe to help my ploy.

This is a recipe I found on sparkpeople.com, but I modified it to my liking. Now I won't go so far as to compare an eggplant to a pizza crust, but the toppings do make you feel like you're getting a pizza treat (since pizza definitely isn't a low-carb food).

One eggplant (the fattest one you can find)
Olive oil
Low carb (low sugar) pizza sauce or marinara (We use Mama DiSalvo's for pretty much all our red sauce needs because of its low sodium count)
Some shredded mozzarella
Other toppings of choice (I went with green peppers diced very small and garlic).
Other seasonings (i.e. red pepper flakes)

Cut your eggplants into thin slices (about a 1/2 inch thick)
Brush each side with olive oil and bake them at 425 on a baking sheet for about five minutes each side.

Take them out of the oven and put a teaspoon (or so) of sauce on each one. Add your extra toppings (green peppers, red pepper flakes, garlic, etc.).

Top each round with mozzarella.

Stick them back in the oven until the cheese has melted.

Enjoy!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Recipe Post: Pesto Tofu


I got the idea for this online, but they presented it as a cold dish. I wanted a warm dish. This is super easy and super quick.

1 container of extra firm tofu
1 container of deli pesto (or make your own)
grape or cherry tomatoes
sprinkle of Parmesan.

I'm trying to cut some carbs without adding meat to my diet. And this recipe fit the bill. Super quick and super easy.

Drain the tofu well. I give it a good squeeze (like a tofu hug) and then wrap it in paper towel for awhile. Then slice it horizontally into about 8 slices (about 3/4 inch thick).

Season it with your favorite seasonings. I used Italian seasons along with some Mrs. Dash salt free red pepper seasoning and a little garlic powder (remember I live with the salt Nazi).

Slice up a few handfuls of cherry or grape tomatoes.

Meanwhile, your pesto is in a saucepan on low.

Spray a large frying pan with non-stick spray and lay the tofu on the pan. Sprinkle with seasonings. Saute' (high heat) until browned, then flip. Brown the other side. Divide the tofu on the plates, pour on some pesto. Add the cherry tomatoes, and a little sprinkle of Parmesean. Viola! A quick and easy low-carb meal.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Injuries: When Things Go Bump in Night--or During the Day


Okay, I still have a New Year's blog to put out--and a newsletter--but I have to write these things as the topics spring to my head. Otherwise, I lose them!

For the last three weeks I have been nursing a shoulder injury (and by nursing, I mean I'm still doing pretty much everything I was doing, but a little more carefully and with a lot of pain). I hit a bump at the bottom of a ski hill, fell forward (still not sure how that happened), and landed on my arm. I felt immediate pain through my right shoulder and knew I was in trouble.

Of course, I hoped the injury was minor, so I babied it a bit, had Mark work on it with some Tiger Balm (I even treated myself to a massage to see if she could work it out) and kept up with my daily life. I even went on a week-long ski trip to Colorado with the help of some anti-inflammatories (which I typically don't like to take--but it was a special occasion).

Three weeks passed, and the shoulder was no better. Fearing that I actually tore the rotator cuff, I finally made an appointment with an orthopedic doctor who specializes in shoulders and knees.

My anxiety has been up the last few days (I'm sure my crankiness has too) because I started fearing what a surgery would do to my business. Everything I do during my day is physical--from teaching classes, to running with dogs, to personal training. If I need to take a few weeks--or even a few months off because of a surgery and recovery, my business is in big trouble. There's no sick leave. Classes need subs. I might still be able to work with personal training clients, but I certainly wouldn't be able to spot them properly or demonstrate exercises. And my canine clients will still need to get out for a potty break--if not a run.

The Fit Life, LLC has been alive for about a year and a half now, and it is just now starting to be viable. Just in the last month I feel like I'm actually contributing to my household's finances again. It's been a long haul! And a surgery could put me back to square one!

Okay, it took me awhile, but now I'm finally to the point of this blog: When your livelihood depends on being able to complete physical tasks, do you curtail your life of adventure (your loves, your hobbies) for fear of damaging your career?

This question has been presented to me by others, and during this most recent injury, I asked it to myself.

I would really like to hear your take on this--especially if you too have a physically demanding job.

My own answer to this question is: No. I will not give up the life I love because I risk physical risk to my body. But let me clarify by saying I also don't think I take any crazy risks. I like to ski, but I don't go flying down double black diamonds at break-neck speeds. I enjoy the greens and some blues. I don't go rock climbing without a harness, I train safely for races, etc.

The whole reason I gave up my desk job to do something active was my love of adventure. To deny myself those adventures would be denying one of the most satisfying parts of my life. So it's a risk you take. And let's face it, I could have easily tripped over curb and received this same injury.

When this question was posed to me a few years back, my situation was a little different. I was not married, and I lived in D.C. where the cost of living is really high. A foot surgery (which was the result of an injury that occurred during a trapeze class) knocked me out of commission for awhile. Well, it should have knocked me out of commission for awhile. I actually went back to work the next day because I couldn't afford to take time off (in this business--or when you own a small business--there is no such thing as a sick day or medical leave. You don't work, you don't get paid). I shouldn't have gone back so soon because the foot still bothers me to this day because I rushed my recovery. But my answers remains the same--I'd still take the risk.

My hope is that my active lifestyle will enable me to have a fitness career well into my senior years!

Today I have a little cushion. I'm happily married to a wonderful man who has a good job. So while a surgery would be very frustrating, I wouldn't starve if I had to recover for awhile. And, as much as I don't want to go back to a desk job, I do have a master's degree to fall back on.

So how about you? Would you (or do you) alter your your life outside of work to make sure you are able to physically do your job?

Oh, in case you are wondering, no surgery needed. The doctor said I jammed my humerus into my shoulder cup causing some deep bone bruising and micro-fractures. So I will be dealing with some pain for the next few months (long recovery apparently); however, my only restrictions deal with working with my arms over my head. I'll have to be really careful teaching TRX, but for the most part, my career is safe for now. I just need to keep some ice packs ready!

About Me

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I am the owner of The Fit Life, LLC. The Fit Life, LLC offers fitness instruction and nutrition counseling in a holistic way. I focus on personal training using mainly your own body strength--very little equipment. I also hold a certification in holistic nutrition. Because nutrition counseling regulations are very strict in Ohio, I'm still working on what nutrition services I can provide to my clients; however, I'm happy to provide general nutrition information. I enjoy teaching TRX, Indoor Cycling, and Boot Camps.

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