I've jumped onto the "weighted vest" bandwagon and love it! As a post-menopausal woman (yep, it feels as bad to write it as it does to read it), I now approach my workouts a little bit differently. Cue the heavier weights, add speed intervals to my runs, and try to get a bigger bang out …
The Sleep Edition
Let's talk about sleep—or how to get it and get back to it if you awaken in the middle of the night. The first step is to look at how you get your children to bed. Do you let them doom-scroll Instagram Reels or TikTok for 45 minutes, get up and feed the cat, get …
How to Build a Plan for Sustainable and Healthy Fat Loss
Setting out on a fat loss journey might seem like you're entering a labyrinth of diet tips and fads. But here's the simple truth: sustainable weight loss comes from consuming fewer calories than you burn. Sure, it's simple to say, but how do you do it healthily and sustainably? It’s all about balancing protein, carbohydrates, …
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Two Truths and a Lie
Today, we will discuss two fitness and nutrition truths and a lie. Let's go. Truth #1 - Fat Loss Happens in the Kitchen, Not in the Gym I am NOT talking about "losing weight" in the old-timey way of eating grapefruit, dry toast, salad without dressing, a hard-boiled egg, and black coffee. Instead, I'm talking …
Unleash Your Fitness Potential with a Personal Trainer!
Are you tired of hitting roadblocks in your fitness journey? Do you feel like your progress has hit a stubborn plateau? Partnering with a professional fitness trainer or coach could be what you need to take your fitness to the next level! Why Choose a Fitness Trainer or Coach? Personalization Working with a fitness coach …
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Embrace the Grind: The Long, Boring, but Totally Worth-It Road to Reaching Your Fitness Goals
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already dipped a toe into the vast ocean of workouts, meal plans, and motivational quotes. Maybe you’ve even taken the plunge and signed up for a gym membership or purchased those fancy running shoes that promised to revolutionize your life. But here’s the thing: the journey to fitness …
Tips to Stay Active While in Vacation Mode
Vacations are a time to relax, explore new places, and enjoy a break from the daily grind. However, staying active while on vacation can be challenging, especially when the allure of lounging by the pool is strong. Maintaining some physical activity can help you feel energized, reduce stress, and make your vacation even more enjoyable. …
Be Heart-Smart
February is American Heart Month! Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. The good news? It is also one of the most preventable. Here are a few ways you can be heart-smart. Adopt Healthy Habits Eat a healthy diet (lots of fresh veggies, fruits, …
Get Fit and Get Social
When it comes to maintaining a healthy routine, it's not always easy to stay motivated. That's why many people have found that sharing their health and fitness journeys on social media can be a game-changer. Whether you're posting about the meals you're eating, the workouts you're doing, or the progress you're making, it's a great …
Meatless Mondays: How One Small Change Can Make a Big Impact
Meatless Mondays is a fantastic campaign that encourages people to skip meat for at least one day every week. This campaign was initiated during World War I to save food resources, and now it's gaining popularity as a way to promote sustainability, health, and animal welfare. So why are Meatless Mondays so amazing? Firstly, they're …
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Trainer Tips – New Year Edition
Happy 2024, my friends! Today, I wanted to take a minute to share 3 strategies to help you navigate the first few days or weeks of the new year. Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com Tip #1 - It's OK to Delay (But use this time to prepare) If you have a resolution or goals for …
Create a Healthier Mindset to Combat Stress
How you think about stress REALLY matters. Turns out, there’s a huge difference between… “Ugh, why does everything in my life have to be so HARD!?” And… “This sucks, but I can learn and grow from it.” Photo by energepic.com on Pexels.com In fact, research shows that people with healthier stress mindsets cope better when confronted …
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Slay the Holidays with a Solid Plan
It's already the first week of November. I know, right?! That means the holidays are right around the corner, and it might leave you a bit overwhelmed with the tsunami of what's ahead. There are so many events, parties, and obligations starting to fill the calendar and that means added stressors and responsibilities that can …
Are You Plant-Curious?
Whether you are interested in going 100% plant-based or simply want to eliminate the amount of meat you consume, the trickiest part is figuring out how to feed you and your family. So, back in the day, I created a Plant-Based Resource page and I've been adding to it throughout the years. It includes websites …
Common Roadblocks to Your Fitness Goals (and How to Overcome Them)
Maintaining our health and fitness is crucial to our overall well-being. However, it is common to occasionally slip up and hinder progress towards a healthier lifestyle. Let's explore some common ways in which this can happen. Firstly, not getting enough sleep can negatively impact our mood, energy levels, and ability to make healthy daily choices. …
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Welcome to Walktober!
Welcome to the Walktober Challenge! Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to take a daily 10-15 minute walk in the month of October. That's it. No steps to count and no special equipment. Just take a walk, preferably after dinner (more on this later*). Click here to download a tracking guide! Here's …
Walk This Way
Welcome to the Walktober Challenge! Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to take a daily 10-15 minute walk. That's it. No steps to count and no special equipment. Just take a walk, preferably after dinner (more on this later*). Here's the BEST part of the challenge - your walk can be an …
A New Chapter
So, a lot has happened in the past few months. I started college (again), got a job teaching PE for K-8th graders, and started leading movement and strength training classes at a local assisted living facility. And yep, I am still teaching boot-camp and Zoom classes, have a few personal training clients, and for the …
The Fountain of Youth for GenX is Strength Training
Ah, GenX - the generation that has seen it all! Born between the mid-60s and early 80s, we've lived through the rise of technology, witnessed the birth of the internet, and experienced the evolution of pop culture. But as we age, we face a new challenge - maintaining our physical health. That's where strength training …
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Just Go
I love to exercise. I love the feeling I get while I’m running or lifting weights. I love sweating. I love when I feel like I want to give up, but then I push through that. I love it all. But like many of you, I can think of a thousand reasons to skip my workout. I’m tired, …
Up Next: A 10K Training Plan
But first, a recap. I successfully completed my 5K training plan on Sunday, May 28th, with, you guessed it! A 5K. I hadn't actually signed up for a race, so I dragged my Bottlerock-weary body out of bed and drove out to Novato to run along a very underutilized and unpopulated path. I did my …
My Training Updates and an Exciting Announcement
Training Updates Next week I complete both my 6-week running plan and my 4-week strength training program, so I wanted to share an update. 5K Training Plan This six-week training plan started with a long interval of 7 minutes, and I've built up to 26 minutes. As I've shared previously, I'm a marathon runner who …
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A Plug for Performance-Based Goals
I began two new training programs recently, and I'm pretty stoked about them because they are structured (yay!) and performance-based (double yay!) - check them out. 5K Training Plan First, I've never done a 5K training plan. I mean, my first training plan was for a marathon. And secondly, I've been a 5K snob - …
3 Hacks to Stop Wasting Food
A 2020 study done by Penn State revealed that U.S. households waste about a third of the food they purchase every year at a cost of $1800 per family. That's a lot of money and a lot of food going into the compost bin (which is better than the trash, but still). As our family's …
Create Your Own Weekend Wellness Retreat
Here’s how you can DIY a weekend retreat for you and your friends. How To Get Started Check in with 4 or 5 friends and see who’s interested in a morning weekend wellness retreat. Pick a date, identify whose house is best suited for the morning activities and you’re set. If no one can host, …
Starting Fresh: 5 Tips to Get Back into Exercise after a Break
I used to joke that I never wanted to stop running because I never wanted to start over. But life can intervene, even for those with rock-solid habits! So if you are in a place where you are ready to get back to your exercise program after any kind of hiatus, break, illness, or injury, …
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Easy Chickpea and Rice Soup
I love a cup of cozy on a rainy winter day! This recipe is very easy to make and can take care of lunches for the week! Enjoy!
How to Stay Consistent with Your Training
I've been coaching and training for a long time. And I hate to tell you there is no quick fix, no magic workout, and nothing you can do today that will yield results tomorrow. Results take time. Weeks. Months. Real-time, not Instagram time. And the only way to truly reach your goals is consistency with …
How I ‘Win’ My Week
I know this about myself; when I take time to plan, I'm successful. So every weekend I aim to accomplish these three tasks: Plan Dinners for the Week - I am our family's shopper and chef (for plant-based and omni-eaters), so it's helpful to figure out what I'll be making and what I'll be re-purposing …
Happy New Year
The rains let up where I live, so I could get out for a sunny New Year's Day run. I've been running the first day of every new year for at least 15 years, maybe more. The only day that I missed was January 1, 2020. And you can see how that turned out. Running …
The December Run Streak – Night Running
After injuring my lower back by deadlifting a large box of decorations (tip - bend your knees), I began my running streak aiming to run 1 mile daily from December 3-31. As I've learned from previous December streaks, I don't always have time during my regular workouts to get that mile in, so I will …
December Challenge: Manage Your Stress
December's challenge is all about handling stressors, and we're going to focus on simple breathing techniques for the first two weeks and throw in some meditation that will take you to the end of 2022. Breathwork is a very simple yet very powerful tool to stop or reverse physical manifestations of stress in addition to …
My Top Thanksgiving Day Tips
The holidays can be stressful for many of us which is why we'll be tackling mindset next month. But first, we have to get through the big T. Thanksgiving is kind of like the gateway drug to the holidays. How you manage it can set the tone for the next 6 weeks so let's set …
The November Challenge: Movement
Yesterday we completed the Nutrition Challenge (and we'll unpack that challenge later this week), but today we kick off our November Challenge, where we'll tackle movement. It's the simplest of all challenges; your goal is to do some intentional movement/activity for 30 minutes daily. Take a 30- minute strength class, walk, do three 10-minute walks, …
October Challenge Check-In
We are beginning Week 3 of our October Nutrition Challenge, so it's time for a check-in. If you have consistently been following the challenge, here's what you may be experiencing: You (and your gut) have adjusted to the produce. You're more easily able to meal plan. Your knife skills are on point. You have better …
Meal Planning and Prepping 101
We're 8 days into the October Nutrition Challenge and I wanted to share some tips on meal planning or prepping. Let's dig right into it, shall we? Meal Planning and Prep You can make a big dent in your fruit and veggie servings with breakfast and lunch. The problem I hear from most people is …
How to Follow a Training Plan
Training for a race? Congrats! Crossing the finish line of any type of race is an exhilarating, moving experience. But before the finish line, you have to get to the starting line, and before you get to the starting line, you have to train, and for many of us, that involves a training plan. This …
Join the October Challenge – It Starts TODAY!
Photo by Mark Stebnicki on Pexels.com The October Challenge is underway! Your goal is to eat 7-9 servings of fruits and veggies daily. (For those who already consume this number of servings, feel free to go up to 11.) You don't need to give up ANYTHING or replace your favorite foods with a piece of …
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Join The October Nutrition Challenge
The October Nutrition Challenge starts Saturday, October 1st! IMPORTANT: This is NOT a weight loss challenge or a Diet (with a capital D). Fruits and vegetables have amazing properties (fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients) that are beneficial for good health. I personally LOVE most fruits and veggies (I'll take a hard pass on …
Challenges are Back!
There are 3 months left in 2022, so I'll be running health challenges in October, November, and December. I'm keeping it as simple and manageable as possible, so you'll focus on only ONE pillar of health each month. The goal is to master one pillar and then continue that into the next month. We start …
Challenge Yourself
I played sports as a kid and had coaches and teammates push me to practice hard, play hard and win. I thrived in that environment and always enjoyed the physical challenges I received from sports. Was I on winning teams? Maybe once or twice. But I gained confidence from athletics and physical achievements that taught …
Having Trouble Getting Back on Track? Try this 3-Day Workout Program.
I created this program to help you get back on track with your fitness plan, focusing on cardiovascular conditioning, building strength, and gaining/retaining mobility and flexibility. The workouts are designed to be done 3 days in a row which we call a cycle. The Cycle Day 1 - 30 minutes of cardioDay 2 - 20 …
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7-Day Health and Wellness Challenge
You know how much I love a challenge. You also know how much I love a challenge that requires tracking! Introducing The 7-Day Health and Wellness Challenge. But it's not like anything we've done before. Every day you're going to track 5 areas relating to health and wellness: MovementWaterFuelSleepYou Time Each area will have specific …
That One Time I Got Covid…
So yeah, so I'm recovering from Covid. (I got my negative test today on Day 8). And unfortunately, it wasn't the "oh, that's why I had a scratchy throat" type, it was the body aches, chills, knocked down, dragged out, in my jammies until noon (IYKYK), blah, meh, malaise, sit on my butt, watch tv …
My Best Trainer Tips
Today I'm going to share my best trainer tips with you. Just like religion or a buffet, take what you want, and leave the rest. To Get Inspired/Motivated Set a performance-based goal and aim to achieve it within a specific time frame. If you want to run a race, find one within the next 2-6 …
Meal Planning in Under 30 Minutes
My mom cooked dinner every night. Every. Night. Sure there were leftovers but those were re-purposed into another meal on night two or even three (my Mom knew all about stretching a buck). Back in the day, dining out was for special occasions and there wasn't takeout except for pizza or Chinese food. So Moms …
LIVE Workouts on Zoom!
In March 2020, like most fitness professionals, I moved my in-person boot-camp classes online and taught via Zoom. There was a *steep* learning curve to be sure; lighting, camera angles, and formatting a class that can be done in a space the size of a yoga mat and of course figuring out the sound. Oh …
Cooking 101 – Soup’s On
I always have a pot of soup or stew in my refrigerator. It's an easy way to meal prep that takes care of lunches and a few dinners during the week and if I need to stretch them, I can easily so so by adding broth, a handful of kale, leftover rice or veggies. One …
My Morning Green Smoothie
This is my morning go-to after I run, teach classes or work out. In a blender add: 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or your milk of choice1 frozen banana1 C fresh spinach1 scoop unflavored Amazing Protein GLOW* (plant-based protein powder that supports collagen production)A few tablespoons of water if needed Blend and drink It's …
Keep Moving All Day Long
Earlier this week I hit 10K steps by 9:07am. I went for a 3-mile run, taught my online Zoom fitness class then got ready and headed out to work. When I cozied up to go to bed I noted that I'd hit over 17K steps. Now you might think, 'great job, Keli' That's a lot …
Marin BreakfastKlub Runners 