My clients, friends and family would all tell you I’m not an “all or nothing” type of person. I wouldn’t want to be. I’m quite happy with my “everything in moderation” lifestyle. It affords me the ability to have a double-double coffee and tim bits when I’m on the drive to the cottage or a piece of cake on my birthday (or any day I deem special enough for cake… which is often!). It motivates me to work out, even if life has conspired against me and I haven’t worked out in weeks. I’m never "off the wagon" – because I am never “on the wagon" – this is a philosophy I try to motivate my clients with.
We all know life happens – and it often hits the fan – but nothing should hold us back from being happy and healthy and proud of who we are. True - sometimes pride comes from sticking to a workout or healthy food routine for weeks on end, but sometimes pride can come when we make our favorite take-out food healthier at home or get in a cardio workout for the first time in weeks. Whatever the spectrum of your life in moderation, I find it encouraging to know that there are always lower points behind you and higher points to look forward to – with just a bit of hard work.
One of my clients, John, recently went from seeing me very sporadically to twice a week. He became very motivated by a ski trip saying he wanted to “keep up with his wife” on the hills. While he has made huge gains in the several years he’s trained with me, he still had a ways to go towards this ‘black diamond’ goal. In just a few weeks though he went from puffing his way through 5 minutes of cardio to a solid 45 minutes of sport specific cardio with no more than a heavy breath and a pink face. I can’t tell you how proud I am of his progress. How did he do it? With a little moderation.
Reaching a goal isn’t about setting it and attempting it tomorrow. We broke down the time of the longest ski run he’d like to attempt by the number of weeks left before his trip and made a plan. By starting with just 10 minutes of cardio, we were able to ease his body and mind into the process of longer durations. John won’t tell you it was easy to reach his goal of 45 minutes of continuous cardio (or ski time!) but he will tell you it was worth it! His trip was that much more rewarding because of the work he put in ahead of time.
Fit people have more fun. Just imagine all the things you could do with a bit more energy, strength or stamina…
"I have been working with Liz for over 2 years and together we've achieved real progress with my general mobility, flexibility and core strength. Cardio and improved endurance was the next level, and to get there, I needed an immediate goal. A long anticipated ski trip to Whistler was just the thing. In the past, a week long ski vacation involved me getting my ass kicked for the first 5 days, only to see some measurable improvement the day before returning home. This year I was determined to hit the ground running and Liz provided the framework and encouragement to get me in shape. In the end, it was well worth it. We had over 3 feet of new snow and I enjoyed some of the best skiing of my life.
Thanks Liz!"
John Miller
I’m here to help break down your goals into manageable “mini-goals” and motivate and support you in any way I can. Contact me today to discuss how I can help.