womensfitness

On today's episode I am reunited with an OG kettlebell legend: Lauren Brooks of www.ontheedgefitness.com

In this episode we talk about her origin story - both as a fitness instructor and as a kettlebell instructor - and how she helps men and women around the world crush weakness with kettlebells.

And speaking of crushing weakness, amp up your strength with my 9 Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge! Get your free copy here: www.9minutechallenge.com 

What is best for weight loss? Should you do more cardio or pick up the weights.  You can probably find an answer on the internet to honestly support whichever you’d prefer.  And, if you’ve been following me for any amount of time online you may already know my answer.  Personally, I love strength training.  I love the way it makes me feel and look. But outside of my personal opinion, strength training gives clients more bang for their buck.  No matter what any of my client’s goals are, they are always going to benefit from building strength.  That’s the beautiful thing about strength training… it’s not one-dimensional.  

Want to lose weight?  Strength training

Want to tone up? Strength training

Want to work on balance? Strength training

Want to increase bone density?  You got it!  Strength training is the answer.

Want to get faster, stronger, etc.?  Pick up the weights

Now the real question is, how should you strength train?  Should you be focusing on single muscle groups, full-body circuits, high reps, low reps, etc.?  That’s where your overall goals come into play, along with how much time you have to dedicate to each of your workout sessions.

In an ideal world, we would all be strength training 3-4x/week and doing cardio 2-3x/week, but most of us just don’t have that kind of time.  And I am by no means saying that cardio is bad for you and you should avoid it at all costs but what I am saying is that you are going to reap more benefits with strength training.

What tends to happen when people focus on cardio only is that at first you do see results but over time your metabolism catches on, starts to adapt, and then suddenly you’ve hit a plateau. Suddenly you are left wondering why you still feel like you’re burning major calories with long intense cardio sessions but your overall progress has stalled.

Whereas the opposite happens with strength training, you may not see immediate results with strength training 3x/week, however, it helps build a more efficient metabolism long-term which means you won’t quickly hit that frustrating plateau and will also be left with what feels like more flexible nutrition habits.  In the long run, whether the goal is weight loss or not, you should focus on building a flexible metabolism and the only way to do that is through strength training.  

Also, I can’t speak enough about what strength training does for your confidence.  I can personally attest to weighing 135lbs and feeling awesome, and weighing that same amount and feel like absolute crap. The difference is in strength training.

This is another reason why I like to focus on tracking client progress through measurements and progress photos rather than just the scale.  The scale doesn’t tell the whole story. I have seen many clients stay at the same weight while decreasing overall inches and changing their body composition.

If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, I personally love what I like to call Lift & HIIT.  This is my signature online group training program and it is essentially 90% strength training and 10% HIIT intervals, giving clients a nice mix of heavy strength training to build lean muscle and cardio intervals to maximize the calorie burn in a short 30-40min session.

As always I hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook, or on Instagram at @fitwith_nina.  

Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

Today I chatted with Nicole Grace, creator of Cultivate Wellness - workplace and community wellbeing programs. Nicole and I have known each other for quite some time and was one of the people who initially inspired me to start working in the fitness industry.

Although Nicole was never an athlete growing up, she took an interest in group fitness pretty early on and has been working in the fitness industry in some way, shape, or form either part-time or full-time for over 25 years. 

Quick Back Story:  I used to work for Nicole at a local non-profit straight out of college, and one day I remember her sort of running in and apologizing for being a few minutes late because she had just come from teaching a class at a nearby gym.  I was in awe, that 1. She got up that early to exercise and 2. that this was something she got paid to do. I asked her to tell me more about how she got certified, how she got the job, etc. And, as they say….the rest is history!

So a big Thanks to Nicole Grace, who introduced me to the idea of teaching group fitness. 

Fast forward to a couple of years ago, where I realized Nicole had transitioned from an instructor to Life Coach and is now the Creator of Cultivate Wellness. Nicole’s passion for positive psychology and human behavior paired with her natural tendency to inspire & motivate others brought her to this place where she wanted to help people move forward in all aspects of their lives.  As one of Nicole’s personal clients, I can’t attest enough to how much our work together has not only helped me personally but also professionally as I have used some of those mindset principles with my 1:1 clients in order to help them move towards their health and fitness goals.

We started off by unpacking what it means to be healthy and how fitness is a small part of that big picture.  I asked Nicole what she thought her top 3 dial movers are for helping clients become more mindful so that they can achieve overall wellbeing, and here’s what she said.

1. Self-Awareness:  Being self-aware of how your body feels throughout the day, being aware of how you feel after a workout, etc.  Nicole recommends stopping & pausing.  Take a second to stop and think about what you’re feeling, where you’re feeling it physically and/or emotionally.

This led to a conversation around the word “busy” and how as a society being busy and overworked has somehow become a badge of honor.  That the goal in life should be to be crazy, busy….so crazy busy, you just don’t have time for anything else.  Which ironically ends up giving the word “busy” a negative connotation. 

1. Discover your limiting beliefs.  For example, saying things like…”I’m not strong enough.  I don’t have time. I can’t XYZ”  Using phrases that hold you back from being able to achieve something.  We use these limiting beliefs to stop us from getting uncomfortable and trying.  Nicole suggests adding the word “yet” to the end of your limiting belief.  For instance, “I’m not strong enough yet.”

According to Nicole, we (humans) are wired for negative bias. We are wired to think negatively before thinking positively.  Crazy, right?!  The good news is, we can definitely rewire our brains to look at things from a different perspective.  “Your body follows what your mind tells it to do.”

Other words contributing to limiting beliefs about yourself are the infamous phrases that start with…

 “I CAN’T…” and “I SHOULD…” and “I USE TO…”  If you find yourself using this more often than not, consider asking yourself if you truly can’t or just won’t.  There is a huge difference between not being able to do something and not being willing to do something. Phrases starting with “I should and/ or I use to” keeps you thinking about the past and things that you can no longer control or change. Nicole stresses that these phrases are most likely holding you back and stuck rather than focusing on the today, the person you are today, and what that person needs now to get where they want to go.

1. Find things you love.  Find a type of exercise that feels good to you.  Engage in things that re-energize you rather than draining your energy.  

Before wrapping things up I had to ask if you could give your 30-year-old self some advice what would it be?  “Cut yourself some slack, give yourself a break,” Nicole says. Nicole mentions that when you start to hit those milestone birthdays like 40 and 50, you start to shed some emotional weight by not caring so much about what others think of you.  You start to realize how exhausting it is to care so much about what others think about you and where you are in your life, and she personally wishes she shed that weight earlier in life.  Your thirties are such a great time to discover what truly makes you happy, so focus on that.

Focus on living in the moment because we can’t change the past and the future is unknown. 

If you want to learn more about how Nicole builds mindful-based wellness programs for organizations to learn how to manage stress, build resilience and increase productivity you can email her directly at nicole@cultivatewellnessri.com or visit www.cultivatewellnessri.com.

You can also find her on all social media platforms;

https://www.instagram.com/nicolegcultivatewellness/

https://www.facebook.com/cultivatewellnessri

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-gracecw/

As always, I hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook or on Instagram at @fitwith_nina.  

Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

This particular question and topic came from a member of the Making FIT Work community, and to be honest it comes up a lot!  I kind of feel bad for fruit, lol.  In recent years it’s been painted as this little sneaky devil that is hiding all things sugar that must be the culprit of our stalled progress or weight loss.  

People seem to be particularly concerned with which fruits are ok? How much of it can they have?  And should they avoid it at night?

So let’s start with is Fruit ok? YES! Of course, it is. And, yes I know it has sugar in it but so do cookies, ice cream, muffins, etc. and if we’re truly being honest with ourselves and looking back at our eating habits over the last 3-12 months, can you honestly say that fruit is the thing that got you to the place where you are now?  The very honest answer is almost for certain, NO.  

And if fruit is not the thing that got you here, it’s probably not the thing that is holding you back!

With that being said, of course, it is possible to overconsume foods that are healthy for you as well.  In the end, if weight loss is the goal there does need to be a calorie deficit.  So although it is possible to overconsume fruit, in over 12 years of working in this industry I have only ever ONCE told a client to cut back on the amount of fruit he was consuming.  But that was because there was no balance.  He was consuming fruit upwards of 5-6x/day with no vegetables. 

So in this particular case, the goal was to replace some of the fruit servings with vegetable servings for a more well-rounded and nutritious diet. 

Some fruits definitely carry a higher source of nutritional value for instance;

• Berries are very high in antioxidants 
• Nectarines & Peaches have a high source of potassium
• Apples, Grapefruit & Kiwi are great sources of fiber

Now that we got that cleared up, let’s talk about where this idea came from anyway.  How and Why did fruit become the bad guy?  Personally, I feel like this idea trickled down from the level of elite fitness professionals or athletes.  Those who are competing at a level where it is necessary to get down to an extreme level of leanness that is unmaintainable for the long-term, and then decide that it is a good idea to share their meal plan or their “how-to’s” with the rest of the world.

Of course, getting into competition or photoshoot shape means dialing back to the necessities and cutting out any and all sugars for a short period of time. But unless you are at a point in your fitness journey where you are trying to dramatically decrease your body fat to this degree, you don’t need to worry about fruit hindering your progress.

Instead aim to eliminate the processed sugars in your diet first before hating on good ole fruit.

As always I hope that you found this episode to be helpful, and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook or on Instagram at @fitwith_nina.  

Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

Structure, Preparation & Mom-Guilt

Today on Making FIT Work, I chat with Laurie Dionisio, who works full-time as a Speech-Language Pathologist, has two kids at two different schools, is an avid CrossFitter and mind/body blogger. Laurie loves structure and routine and attributes being consistent with her health and fitness to building a set routine for herself throughout the years. Although she was never an athlete growing up, that didn’t stop her from dabbling around at the gym in college. And as she has evolved and grown, so has her love and overall knowledge about health and fitness, helping her create a routine that feels good for her.

What I love is that Laurie talks about how even though she would prefer to stick to a very set schedule week in and week out, she also realizes that life happens, and to live a strong, healthy life consistently...you need to be able to roll with the punches and be a little flexible. And this is something that is not intuitive and definitely takes reminding. So here’s your friendly reminder to be good to yourself! ;)

From Wii Fit to building an at-home gym, her workouts looked and felt like they surely changed over time. It wasn’t until about 5 years ago, when she was introduced to CrossFit that she could take her workouts to the next level.

But before we unpack that, I loved and really connected with the fact that she mentioned getting a trial membership to the local box felt like she was being permitted to go and take time to focus on that. I think every mom can relate to that. We know it’s important to take care of ourselves and take care of ourselves, which means we have to spend some time away from our children. And that’s hard! Mom-guilt is real, and sometimes you do need your significant other to validate that for you. To remind you that you have their support to do things that make you feel good, even if it means more time away from the kids. A big thanks to Laurie for sharing that aspect of her journey!

Now let’s get back to fitness….her trial membership at CrossFit Dartmouth was a humbling and eye-opening experience that allowed her to take her fitness to another level. The ability to be coached and pushed by someone else rather than relying on her own physical and mental limitations as you do when participating in group fitness classes was everything she didn’t know she needed.

Since then, she has been committed to her CrossFit workouts and schedules 3x/week. She goes on to also thank her husband for understanding and being respectful of her need to move her body and allowing her the space to get out of the house for an additional 3 hours/week. Mamas! Just a reminder….you deserve that time. Take it!

We shared stories on mom-guilt, what it feels like and why we hope more women will realize that although those feelings are strong and real, we need to fight the urge to let it hold us back.

As we all know, fitness is only half the battle! So what’s the key to making it all work? Laurie says, “Preparation is 100% of my success.” Although Laurie spends a good amount of time meal prepping every Sunday, the amount of aggravation it saves her throughout the week makes all the difference and is totally worth it.

One of her big takeaways is that all of it (health and fitness) “is a learning process, and evolves” She recommends not trying to do it all at once. Pick something that feels easy at first and focus on that….” taking small bites of the apple.”

We end this episode with Laurie encouraging and reminding all of us that we get one life & one body...treat it well!

Although we didn’t have enough time to dive into it today, Laurie has an amazing blog that I have enjoyed reading called Chose The Light Side, which I encourage you to check out. http://choosethelightside.blogspot.com/

As always, we hope that you found this episode to be helpful and would love to connect with you further in our Making FIT Work community on Facebook or Instagram at @fitwith_nina. Until next time...be strong, be healthy, be happy!

This episode is a little controversial as we are going to dive into the topic of DIETS! Do they work? Should you do one? And the answer is YES, they do work.  Of course, diets work.  You can easily jump onto the internet and find hundreds of thousands of testimonials and transformation pics from people who have proved that diets do in fact work.

But the reason most of us fall short when it comes to following a specific diet like Paleo, Keto, Octavia, Weight Watchers, etc. is that we expect it to be our end-all, be-all solution to health and happiness. Most people approach a diet with this fixed mindset of “once I lose X pounds, I’ll be happy” and they rely on the diet and scale to do that for them.

I think if we took a step back and started looking at diets with more of an open mind and eyes, that they could most certainly work to our advantage.  Diets can be helpful if you use them as a tool rather than your absolute solution.  Most diets are super restrictive and rigid which makes it impossible to stick to for the long-term, which is why most people are constantly on and off the diet roller coaster.  But instead of blaming the diet, we put the blame on ourselves for “failing” at it and not being consistent enough or not having the willpower to stick to it, etc.

Most diets do work for the short-term because for the short-term it can be easy to stick to a lot of rules but in the long run...we are human and need to live our lives and need to figure out how to do so without being so restrictive and rigid.  And yet, I totally understand the desire to start a diet even if it does feel restrictive because when you’re in a place of not knowing where or how to get started, diets provide guidelines and structure that feel helpful.  They tell you what to do, and take the guesswork out of the equation for you.  I get that. 

So when I talk about using a diet tool, what I mean is go in with an open mind.  Don’t just buy some random meal plan online but instead, do the research -  join a community, look for recipes before deciding whether or not this might work for you. Take the people within your household into consideration.  Are you going on this diet alone?  If not, how will you handle family dinner time?  Can the recipes within this diet easily be modified for others?  Do the meals within this new diet structure require a lot of prep and cook time?  If so, does that work for your lifestyle?

These are all questions you should be taking into consideration before deciding on whether a particular diet will be beneficial for you.  

And if you still decided to go the route of following a fad diet, my number one piece of advice is to….LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!  Take notes.  How are you truly feeling both physically and mentally?  We tend to use the scale as our one deciding factor on whether or not a diet is “working” but what you should really be looking for are things like…

How are you sleeping at night?

Do you have more or less energy?

What is your hunger level throughout the day?

Have your cravings decreased?

And based on that information, you should be tweaking your diet to make it work for you in the long term. What are some of the things that are feeling good for you, and easy to maintain with this particular diet?  And what are some of the things that you are struggling with and why?

I’ll leave you with a personal example, about 4 years ago I tried my hands at the Keto Diet.  I did it for a solid three months and felt great...more energy and leaner.  However, although great results for the short-term I knew that this diet would not align with my lifestyle for the long term because quite frankly, I’m not willing to give up things like pizza, popcorn and beer (just to name a few) forever in order to stay a little leaner.  However, I did learn that I most certainly do feel better on a lower carb, higher fat diet and continue to eat that way now 80% of the time.  Is it Keto? NO.  But it did help me find a more balanced “diet” that feels good for me while also fitting with my lifestyle. Yes.  And, that’s the goal.  I didn’t fail at the Keto diet.  I learned from it.

If you do decide to go the route of following a fad diet, I hope you find this to be insightful. But if you’ve had enough with the diet roller coaster and need help finding a way of eating that feels good to you, I would love to help!  You can contact me via my website, at www.fit-with-Nina.com or feel free to email me directly at nina@fit-with-nina.com.

A lot has changed over the last couple of years for Traci and yet she always seems to stay so consistent with her workouts no matter what and is a personal inspiration of mine.  So today I asked Traci to share about her personal experience with exercise, how she came to love fitness and how she personally stays motivated and consistent in her routine.

Although Traci was a soccer and track athlete through high school she essentially stopped working out in her college years and didn’t catch the fitness bug again until she found herself living in the Mid-West without friends or family.  Insert weekend road races that ended in good food and drink tickets. :)

What started off as something to just fill her time and meet new people, ended in a newfound love for running. And although how and what she did for exercise evolved over time, she has stayed consistent since then.

Traci talks a little bit about the different types of motivation: intrinsic vs. extrinsic and how recognizing which one she is has played a big part in helping her stay the course.

For example, once she was introduced to a local studio where she got into strength training she started to feel accountable not only to herself but to the other people within her session. Once the pandemic hit, she knew she needed to find another way to find another group or community that she could feel a part of - even virtually.  

“Fitness is a journey...when you have someone else who’s also interested in your journey, you’ll be more successful”

Fitness is a journey and that journey comes with ebbs and flows.  For Traci, it became evident after children that her workout time was about so much more than just getting in physical movement but also about creating that emotional space and managing overall stress while also being a strong role model for her young girls.

And this is what helps her stay the course now. It’s about how she’s going to feel by starting her day with a workout versus NOT starting her day with a workout.  It’s about showing up for the other people within her online fitness community.  And it’s also about giving herself the permission to do a half of a workout or even sleep in if that’s truly what her body needs that day. 

“You just need to move forward one day at a time.”

Traci’s Biggest Tips for getting & staying motivated:

1. Don’t set yourself up to fail.  Look at your schedule realistically.
2. Put in the effort!
3. Be flexible. Be flexible with what fitness means to you. It doesn’t have to be a long intense workout, it can be just moving more, etc. 
4. Find a friend! Find an accountability buddy.

If you are looking for a fitness community to join and help hold you accountable on your journey, we would love to have you in our Making FIT Work private community on Facebook.  Be strong, be healthy, be happy.

I wanted to kick-off the first episode of this podcast by talking about the difference between trying to find the time versus making the time for our workout routines. There's a big difference between these two phrases and rephrasing this can really help in elevating where this stands on our priority list. As a Coach, I hear clients say all the time how they are struggling to find the time to workout or fit it into their busy schedules. But the truth is, this is always going to be a problem if you're always looking for the best time to fit it in. If you're always searching for that big, open block of time in your schedules where you can easily fit in a workout.

When we constantly use the word "find," unfortunately, what we're really telling ourselves is that it really isn't that big of a priority for us. It subconsciously pushes those workouts to the bottom of our long to-do list, making it the very last thing you will get to if and when a moment presents itself. And I know that's not what we really want.  

So how do you transition from trying to find the time to MAKING the time?

1. Determine that this IS in fact, a priority to you.
2. Start looking at your schedule realistically: how many times you can commit to working out and how long those workouts can realistically be...60min, 30min, 15min? Try to avoid getting hung up on the idea that every workout needs to be the same length of time. It's more than ok to vary the length of time and intensity of a workout in order to accommodate your busy schedule.
3. Ask for help! Reach out to the people in your village and network and be sure to communicate to them that this is important to you and you may need their help to accomplish it. For example, asking for help with the logistics of getting the kids from place to place. Or maybe talking to your boss about your work schedule in order to accommodate a midday workout, etc. 
4. Last but not least, plug it in and commit to it! Whether you're working out at home, at a gym or in a studio, be sure to plug that time into your calendar just as you would any other important appointment in your life.

Most importantly, start rephrasing the way you talk about your workouts in order to help mentally bump it up on your priority list. Because in the end, if you keep looking for that free time, you will never find it. There will always be something else to do. There will always be competing priorities. So stop looking and start creating that time for yourself because you deserve it. 

With Much love,

Nina

P.S. If you want to connect further, I would love to catch up with you on Instagram or join the Making FIT Work private community on Facebook.

Welcome to Making FIT Work, hosted by Nina McGoff, certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach and busy mom of two. Every Monday on Making FIT Work, we'll be addressing the everyday obstacles that most of us face regarding health and fitness...motivation, mindset, nutrition habits, and more. 

We regularly interview other busy parents and professionals who will be sharing their best practices and tips that have helped them stay committed to their goals even when life gets crazy.

Here you're always going to get real honest talk with actionable advice that I hope will inspire you on your journey to strong, healthy and happy. 

You can find Making FIT Work on any platform where you listen to podcasts. Be sure to hang out with me on Facebook and Instagram @fitwith_nina. 

Have an idea for the show? Or have a specific topic you'd like me to cover? Drop me a DM or join my private Facebook community Making FIT Work and let me know! I can't wait to hear from you! Thanks for listening in.

 Purple Heart Special Episode 

Thank you so much for tuning into The Catch A Lift Fund, Coaches Corner. We appreciate your support of our mission, and incredible veteran members. Please leave us a review on streaming services and follow us on Instagram at @catchalift_fund. For more information about Catch A Lift, please visit our website at www.catchaliftfund.org.

Life is stressful, and tends to operate at a hectic pace. How do you remain happy, and eliminate overwhelm while keeping everything in your life running smoothly? How do you find the things that make your soul come alive and actually have time for them?

I spoke with Maureen Gibbons, an emergency physician at a level 2 trauma center, who is also a triathlon coach, sports nutritionist and the bestselling author of "Happy First: How to Win Life in the Moment - at Home, at Work, at the Gym and Even in the Kitchen."

She has been helping guide people toward their best careers and lives since her days as an athletic trainer 25 years ago. Maureen’s journey through marriage, medical training and parenthood have taught her the value of true happiness. 

Resources from Maureen Gibbons:

Head over to StandSmiling.com for information on her philosophy, coaching and speaking opportunities or LiveHappyFirst.com to check out the book and get a free gift.

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Episode Sponsor: Iris Digital Media Group 

Iris Digital Media Group helps small businesses with social media strategy and content creation to help small business owners shine a light on their big ideas. We create social media content and videos for websites and sales presentations, in addition to helping businesses with website creation and YouTube set up. 

Contact us to learn more about how we help small businesses connect with prospects and convert them to new business.

Download the FREE Content Brainstorm Workbook and learn how to come up with endless ideas for posting on social media.

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Connect with Kim Peek:

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Contact Kim at CoachKim@ThePowerofRun.com

Some of us are embracing aging while some of us are raging against it. Is it a no-win battle? Maybe not.  In this episode we’re talking to Melissa Fillion (M.Sc) - Personal Training Coach. Melissa knows better than most that we are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to aging. For example, did you know that muscle mass decreases later in life for men than women?  She talks about how the decline in estrogen has a direct correlation to loss in muscle strength, function and mass. Is HRT safe and does it affect all women the same? Melissa shares some really helpful knowledge around this hot topic. What if you can’t take or aren’t open to HRT? There are other options to help mitigate some of the symptoms we get with muscle loss.  But regardless of who you are, the one viable option for all women in helping with these symptoms is exercise!

Melissa also shares how we can turn that around and combat the effects of estrogen deficiencies in our bodies so we can remain strong and kick ass! This is definitely an episode that speaks to all women.

I'm joined in this fun-filled episode of ye olde Hammer Cast by Megan Kelly - an English lass who not only broke, but SMASHED the Guinness World Record for most kettlebell swings performed in a single hour. Find her online at https://www.instagram.com/megan.kelly.1/ 

Also, to get 99 of my BEST kettlebell + bodyweight workouts (and get my top-shelf tips, tactics, and techniques doled out to your inbox DAILY) click ye here now: http://alekssalkin.com/ 

In this episode, Amy talks about the most common mistakes women make when trying to lose weight that tend to slow down their metabolism.  This only makes it harder to lose weight and keep it off.

Amy then reviews three proven strategies you can use to boost your metabolism, making weight loss easy and inevitable.

From the podcast:

• Schedule free Mini-Coaching Session with Amy Lang
• To join our private Facebook group, Moxie Club Meetup, go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/moxieclubmeetup
• To get on the Early Notification List for the next coaching group https://www.moxie-club.com/early
• Sign up for our Free Course: 3 Things You Must Know For Lasting Weight Loss at https://www.moxie-club.com/ready

RESOURCES:

• Order Amy's book Thoughts Are Habits Too: Master Your Triggers, Free Yourself From Diet Culture, and Rediscover Joyful Eating.
• Join our private Facebook group: Moxie Club Meetup
• Follow Amy on Instagram @habitwhisperer

Andy is joined by Kelly Casey for a chat around mindset, taking an holistic approach to health and fitness, and how to approach going back to the gym when they re-open this week.

As always, there are tangents and we even hear the best piece of advice Kelly has ever been given. It’s something we can all take something from.

https://www.thegymadvisors.ie/kellyfitanddance

Did you ever meet someone whose energy and light shines so bright that you can’t help but want to know this person… well, that’s Nora Tobin! 

This incredible human being will inspire you with her journey of how she went from couch surfing and living out of her van chasing her dreams of being a professional volleyball player -  and turned it into a super successful, global business including her role as The Health and Wellness Partner for Marriott International and other Fortune 500 companies!  Hear how LinkedIn played a role.

Hear about her grit, resiliency and determination combined with her grass roots approach to proof of concept, helped her identify a gap in wellness related to travel and create a niche which has expanded to on-property programs, retreats, interim/online videos and her client interfacing programs. 

RealTalk moment:  Nora shares her how a nightmare that could have destroyed her reputation (and career)  became one of her greatest life lesson!  We talk strategy, her tips regarding systems that she uses to manage her prospecting, outreach and projects.

Plus, she gives you Three Impactful Tips to Quickly and Easily make time for yourself,  improve your wellbeing…and hello… reduce fat and improve your sex drive!!  I’m not kidding – and she’s talking only 15 minutes a day!  You want to hear this for sure.

Takeaways/Learnings:

• Don’t be afraid to say No to things/people/situations that do not serve you.  
• Recognize and embrace your own inner strength and resilience and let it empower you.
• Focus on things that are IMPACTFUL, not time consuming when it comes to wellness.  
• Give yourself protected time daily - non-negotiable time for yourself each day, even if it’s just 15 minutes.
• Take some deep breaths, while sitting in silence.  Follow this pattern:  deep breath in, hold for a three count, exhale for a five count.  Repeat this several times.  Why?  This puts your body into a parasympathetic state, which means that you're entering your day from a place of calm and focus rather than fight or flight (where our cortisol rises and ladies, cortisolpulls from your thyroid or estrogen, which equates to holding on to fat or lowering your sex drive!  So take those deep breaths!)
• Get moving - do some kind of movement to get your energy going.
• Write in a gratitude journal, or go through the process of thinking about what you are grateful for, as you set the tone for your day.  

Tip:  When we express gratitude and receive the same, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions, and they make us feel ‘good’. They enhance our mood immediately, making us feel happy from the inside.

By consciously practicing gratitude everyday, we can help these neural pathways to strengthen themselves and ultimately create a permanent grateful and positive nature within ourselves.

Guest on this episode:  Nora Tobin

Company:  Nora Tobin LLC

You can find Nora on:

Website: www.noratobin.com 

Instagram: @noratobin

Programs:

Kale, Cardio & Cocktails

RETREAT with Nora

Fulfillment in 3

20% Discount Code for Kale, Cardio & Cocktails:  REALTALK

About the KCC program:  Kale, Cardio and Cocktails is a full-proof fitness and nutrition plan designed to get you in the best shape of your life without having to clock hours at the gym, be deprived of your favorite foods or forgo cocktail hour.

We'd love to hear from you!  If there are topics or burning issues that you'd love to hear about, or if you would like to be considered as a guest on the RealTalk Podcast with Maureen Borzacchiello, just shoot us a note:  podcast@maureenborza.com or complete this short questionnaire:    https://programs.maureenborza.com/ 

Endorphins really are a great ally during this pandemic. In fact, with so much screen time and time around the house, we’re starting to feel a little unglued! So, what’s the best way to keep your mind sharp and your anxiety down during both perimenopause and a global pandemic? You guessed it – EXERCISE. Did we hear a groan? Or was that us?

Exercise doesn’t have to be a drag though. If you make it fun, you won’t even feel that calorie burn! In this episode we’re having a ‘play date’ with Health coach, play expert and author Janet Omstead.  Janet is the author of She’s been in the coaching and fitness industry for 20 years and watch out because she’s on a mission to reignite people's passion for play.

So, put on your play clothes and tune in! And if you want more on Janet – check out our post so you know where to find her! And try a free chapter from her book along with great resources to help you get back in touch with your inner toddler!

Today I'm excited to present to you the first EVER podcast with a very special (and super strong) young lady named Frances Moylan - or as I like to call her, the Iron Lady of Oz. 

In this episode we dive deep into her "origin story" - how she went from being afraid of strength training to conquering levels of strength that few humans in history have ever possessed. Listen and learn!

And while you're at it, be sure to hop aboard my daily email list where all my best, brightest, most no BS tips go out on the daily: https://alekssalkin.leadpages.co/8weekchallenge/