We are not in good shape purely just because of our jobs as trainers!
Being a trainer is a very active occupation, however, I schedule my workouts, have trainers that I work with, have a running coach and I plan my students around my workouts. So, when I have to miss, I have 6 other full days! I had a friend who mentioned after I opened my first studio, “OMG, I saw you running the other day! How do you have time?” I don’t- I make time. Every day. My alarm goes off at 4:30AM most days. Some nights, I don’t leave the studio until 9:30PM but I get on the treadmill at 11PM. And, it is very difficult sometimes, but so very much worth it to me. I am in much better shape in my 40s than I was in my 20s. My 14 year old son is always my first priority, then my health, then everything else!
We cram too much into our days!
I never get enough sleep. I have a Fitbit for the sole purpose of tracking my dismal sleep patterns. It’s 11PM, I’m getting up at 4:30 to run. Do the math (because I am denying it- haha). I’m not done with the post either. There’s a lot going on in my life and I am supremely lucky to be able to function on not a lot of sleep. Am constantly working on this one.
We don’t eat perfectly all the time, but we also know that diet is the biggest contributor to our students’ overall health!
I am not a breakfast person at all. I will eat toast prior to a long run, but I’d rather have a salad mid morning or a cheese sandwich if I’m really hungry versus any other typical breakfast food. I also believe that banana bread should never be made without chocolate chips and during marathon training, I eat an entire baguette- almost every day. Wine is a food group, medicine, happy juice. I have been a vegetarian for 25 years. In 2010, I cut out all the chemicals and preservatives I could out of my diet and never had a “boofy” belly again. I eat things that I love that make me happy and would never deny myself a treat if that is what I wanted, but I am a maniacal label reader and will lecture you on the ingredients in the foods you eat. And, expect me to ask for ingredients lists if we are out to dinner. But, only because some of them do make you puffy- and mess with everything else in your system. I only eat real sugar. I don’t believe in shakes or bars- mentally, I feel like they mess with your body’s ability to recognize nutrition and sustenance, so you are still hungry after 500 calories of processed stuff- as good as those ingredients may be. I try and eat well 95% of the time, so when I want to have that piece of cake my student just dropped off for me, I eat the whole thing, never feel an ounce of guilt and can smile when I well her how much I on
We are maniacally picky about who we work with- doctors, trainers, physical therapists.
I will question decisions, go with my instinct and seek out other opinions. All the time. At least once a month, I will travel 3+ hours to workout with a trainer. Because I deserve to work out with somebody that I can learn more from as a student and as a teacher. It is worth it to me to pay for and seek out the best available when it comes to health.
I sometimes wonder if my leggings are appropriate for dinner out. I sleep in them, teach in them, workout in them. I get excited to put on heels and a dress- like it is the highlight of my month! I can’t imagine life in any other sort of work clothes. And, if you tell me that yoga pants are not appropriate as pants, I will fight you on that!
