10 years ago I was volunteering in the home office for Idea Health and Fitness Association with a mouth-watering craving to become a presenter myself someday. I wanted to be as inspiring, as captivating, and as skilled as the presenters I admired.

Getting there has been quite the journey. And this year is more special than ever.

I've always loved birthdays. Any excuse to celebrate! And I've gone BIG on many of mine in the past. Not this year.

Sleep has the potential to help people lose weight, but not just any sleep will do. It’s important to get an adequate amount of deep sleep every night, as it is the most restorative, providing both mental and physical recovery benefits, which supports the weight-loss journey.

Raising prices is scary for many personal trainers. The fear is clients might get angry and quit. Don’t be scared. Think through it and handle the change appropriately to be successful. Here’s how…

There is a completely different energy when a day is shorter than the one before it vs. longer than the one before it. 

There are pros and cons to shorter days. I prefer to focus on the positive. Here it is.

New years resolutions are all the buzz right now. How to. How not to. Is anyone else feeling the pressure? How about instead of resolutions that last an ENTIRE YEAR, we work on setting intentions that last a month, a week or even just a day! 

My approach this year is simple. Partially because I'm a new mama that views a hot shower as a luxury vacation and also because of a book I recently read...

It happened to me. My abs separated while pregnant. Stretch marks took the place of my six pack. It's something I've heard about many times in my years as a fitness teacher. When I stepped into the role of anatomy educator, the questions arose even more frequently during abdominal muscle courses and workshops.

In mid-August I opened an email that brought tears to my eyes. I live for surprises like that.

Some are more profound than others. The big surprises often get more acknowledgement, but can move us just as much as the little ones. Rain showers, a message from a good friend or smile on a strangers face have never ceased to warm my heart. It's the little things that have a deep impact.

15 years in the fitness industry and I've learned one of the most valuable lessons about fitness during the last 9 months of pregnancy. Everyone has either been pregnant, trained someone who is, known someone through pregnancy or entered the world because of it (got ya there!). Re-connect with the human body through this miraculous life event with me.

When at a convention, it's natural to aspire for a place on the stage. Oh, to make others feel the way those speakers make us feel! Year after year I dreamt of being that person, sharing something (but what!?!?), inspiring the audience and making an impact on others. 

Are any of your clients leaving town for a summer vacation? This is the time of the year when people go adventuring around the world or maybe even in their own backyards! Wherever the vacation (or staycation) may be, you may notice clients cutting back on sessions because they’re spending so much time having fun in the sun. Here are a few tips to make the scheduling gaps feel smaller by using the season to your advantage.

There is no shortage of websites and social media gurus claiming to have the latest and greatest ways to market yourself and your health and fitness business to prospective customers. While many of these approaches can work well for some, they’re not for everyone, especially those who don’t want to spend a considerable amount of time online.

Most people I work with avoid this word and task like the plague.  It doesn't have to be that way. 

In this video I will: 
*Tell you what the word is and how to overcome the anxiety it produces.
*Give you TWO alternative words to use that feel and sound better.
*Share THREE strategies to enhance your business.

Has anyone told you to “warm up” before you exercise or play sports? It seems simple enough, doesn’t it? What’s easy to do is also easy not to do, and the biggest mistake people make is skipping this important component of exercise. Here’s what you need to know to warm up properly (and why it’s so important) so you can be more effective with your physical activities. 

It's been quite the year...  In the spring, I viewed my grandmother in an open casket.  This summer I observed my fiance in a coma for a week.  I finished off with a winter visit to see dissected human bodies (cadavers) at the local university.  I cultivated a new level of appreciation for life to say the least.  

Would you take the chance to see a cadaver if you had one?

Have you ever had a client complain of soreness on only one side of her body? Or had someone blame his workout for an injury? Exercise and sport are both potential culprits, but sometimes there’s more to it.

When I travel and stay with different people, I can’t help but notice what priority smart phones are taking over our own self care.  It’s hard to hear the subtle signals the body is sending you when you’re distracted.  How can you get focused on your day when you’re busy looking at what everyone else is doing first?  Talk about waking up on the wrong side of the bed! 

Check in with yourself before you check Facebook.

An unexpected wedding gift came to us when we tied the knot on a gorgeous Montana Sunday two weeks ago.  My cousin gave us an apple tree with a white bow on it.  It was a clever idea and very thoughtful in many ways...