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4 Simple Ways Your Fitness Routine Can Benefit from Self-Care

/27 July 2022/ All MFN blog/

When you think of taking care of your health, exercise is one of the first things that comes to mind. You know you need to stay active and stay in shape to protect your body, but what you may not realize is that you also need self-care to protect your mind. Combining self-care and fitness is the best wellness move you can make. Here are some ways to do it.

Start Working Out More at Home

Sticking to your fitness goals is important. If getting to the gym causes you stress or interferes with your schedule, though, you may want to think about building a gym at home. It’s easier than you think, and can make getting those daily workouts in easier on your schedule. You can use any extra space you have, whether it’s your garage, a spare room or a basement, and quickly set up a workout space in your home. The equipment you fill it with will hinge on your needs and the amount of space available, but for most people, basic workout equipment, like a jump rope and dumbbells, is enough to get a good workout at home and stick to their budget.

Consider Holistic Wellness Practices

A regular fitness routine will help keep your body in shape. Working out can help enhance your mood as well, but it’s not really enough to manage your mental health. You also need to find ways to help your body recover after all that effort, which is where holistic self-care practices come in handy. Incorporating practices like acupuncture, Pilates, massage and chiropractic treatment can be beneficial for relieving stress and helping keep your emotions in balance. Yoga is another practice that complements most physical fitness routines, and it improves strength and flexibility in your body. Runners can use beginners poses such as downward facing dog and pigeon to help build more muscle and keep joints flexible, all while reducing stress.

Treat Pain Through Self-Care and Exercise

If you suffer from chronic pain, you can combine self-care and fitness to find relief. The trick is to find simple workouts that get your body moving while helping your mind feel calm.

Yoga is also a good choice here, but you can also try doing tai chi. This slow, intentional practice is especially effective for seniors looking to decrease pain symptoms and decrease their fall risk.

You can treat more than arthritis with exercise and self-care, though. Studies have also shown that regular physical activity can help Alzheimer’s patients, and exercise may even play a role in preventing this debilitating condition. Research around this is still limited, but one thing that’s for sure is that adults who exercise are less prone to other chronic health conditions. Heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers can all be prevented with the right fitness routine.

Help Yourself Age Well with Fitness and Self-Care

Older adults who are looking to stay in their best shape also need to factor self-care into the equation. Without self-care, you are leaving your body and mind vulnerable to the effects of chronic stress. Consistent levels of high stress can leave older adults struggling with heart disease, anxiety and other health issues. Staying active is a great way to care for your well-being, but you also need to make sure you are taking time to really enjoy life. Practicing daily mindfulness can help all adults live more fulfilling lives. Being mindful means taking time to pause and reflect on your life, and to be thankful for the things that make you happy. In between workouts, take a 15-minute break to meditate or to write down what you’re grateful for.

Physical fitness can go a long way in preserving your overall health, but it’s not the only wellness habit you should commit to for a better life. Finding ways to work self-care into your fitness routine and your everyday life can change your body and mind in many positive ways, so make time for more self-care, and keep working toward those health and fitness goals.

Sheila Olson has been a personal trainer for five years. She created FitSheila.com to spread the word about her fitness philosophy and encourage her clients to stay positive. She incorporates mindfulness and practices for reducing negative talk into her sessions.

 

References

trainer-with-senior-woman-at-treadmill

How the Human Body Changes As It Ages

/20 July 2022/ All MFN blog/

The human body undergoes a lot of changes during its lifetime. From infancy to old age, there are biochemical processes in the body that define these changes.

Some of them are visible externally, such as the greying of hair, skin becoming less supple, etc.

But beneath all of this, some processes happen to make all of this possible.

scale

Once You Lose Weight, Can You Keep It Off?

/6 July 2022/ All MFN blog/

“I lost 10 pounds and vowed to keep them off, but no such luck. I’m so discouraged.”

“I reached my goal weight, then BOOM, I regained it once I stopped dieting.

“This is my 3rd time losing 40 pounds…”

If any of those stories sound familiar, you are not alone. Research suggests dieters tend to regain lost weight within five years, if not sooner. This includes many fitness exercisers and athletes who struggle to stay at a goal weight.

If you are fearful of regaining your hard-lost weight, this article will help you understand why maintaining lost weight takes effort. Paul MacLean, PhD, Professor of Medicine & Pathology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, has carefully studied weight regain. He notes three reasons why dieters regain weight: biology, behavior, and environment.

Biology: The body has a strong biological drive to regain lost weight, as noted with increased appetite and a slowed metabolic rate. As backlash from dieting, the body learns to store fuel very efficiently as fat.

Behavior: After three to nine months, dieters tend to be less strict with their low-calorie diets; they often report they have hit a weight plateau. Despite self-reported claims they are diligently dieting (yet only maintaining weight), these dieters can become discouraged and less adherent. (Note: Diligently dieting anecdotes are hard to verify.)

Environment: We live in an obesogenic environment with easy access to ultra-processed foods, a sedentary lifestyle, and chemicals that contribute to weight gain including those found in upholstered furniture, pesticides, cosmetics, and who knows where else. Weight is far more complex than self-induced over-eating and under-exercising!

When adding on exercise, some people lose weight and some gain weight. Exercise alone does not guarantee fat loss. Exercisers who lose weight tend to keep the weight off if they stick with their exercise program. High levels of exercise are linked with greater success. That’s good news for athletes who train regularly! That said, a fine line exists between compulsive exercisers (who exercise to burn off calories) and athletes (who train to improve their performance). Fear of weight gain can impact both groups.

Questions arise:

  1. Is weight maintenance more about being compliant to a restrictive eating plan than to exercise?
  2. Do those who comply with a strict diet escape weight-regain?
  3. Are exercisers more likely to stay on their diet?
  4. Does exercise create metabolic adaptations that favor maintaining lost weight?

Research with rodents

Finding answers to these questions is hard to do in humans because of biology, behaviors, and environment. So MacLean turned to studying formerly obese rodents who had lost weight by being put “on a diet” and then were allowed to eat as desired for 8 weeks. Some weight-reduced rodents stayed sedentary while others got exercised.

  • Fancy cages accurately measured the rodents’ energy intake and energy expenditure. MacLean was able to see how many calories the rodents burned and if they preferentially burned carbohydrate, protein, or fat for fuel.
  • The exercise reduced-obese rodents ate less than the sedentary rodents and they regained less weight. Exercise seemed to curb their drive to overeat, meaning they felt less biological pressure to go off the diet. With exercise, their appetites more closely matched their energy needs.
  • Exercise promoted the burning of dietary fat for fuel. Hence, the exercised rodents converted less dietary fat into body fat. They used carbohydrate to replenish depleted glycogen stores. Note: Carbohydrate inefficiently converts into body fat. That is, converting carb (and also protein) into body fat uses ~25% of ingested calories to pay for that energy deposition. To convert dietary fat into body fat requires only ~2% of ingested calories. Given the calorie-burn of exercise plus the metabolic cost of converting carbs into body fat, the exercised rodents regained less weight.
  • The sedentary rodents ate heartily and were content to be inactive. Their bodies efficiently converted dietary fat into body fat; they used carb & protein to support their limited energy needs. They easily regained weight.

The Depressing News

When followed over time, the longer the rodents were weight-reduced, the stronger their appetites and drive to eat got. When allowed to eat as desired, they quickly regained the weight. “At least people, as compared to rodents, can be taught to change their eating behaviors to help counter those biological pressures,” noted MacLean. For example, people who have lost weight can stop buying fried foods, store snacks out of sight, limit restaurant eating, etc.

More depressing news. Most of MacLean’s data is from reduced-obese male rodents. Exercised males showed less weight regain than did exercised females. The female rodents seemed to know they needed extra energy to exercise, so they ate more and regained weight. MacLean states we need more research to understand the clear differences in the biological drive to regain weight.

A glimmer of hope

The best way to maintain weight is to not gain it in the first place. Yes, easier said than done (as stated upfront), but at least athletic people who maintain a consistent exercise program can curb weight regain. We can also change our behaviors to minimize weight regain by prioritizing sleep, curbing mindless eating, and choosing minimally processed foods.

Ideally, the sports culture will change so that athletes can focus less on weight and more on performance. It’s time to acknowledge that athletes, like dogs, come in many sizes and shapes. Some athletes are like St. Bernards, others are like Greyhounds. A starved St. Bernard does not become a Greyhound, but rather a miserable St. Bernard.

By fueling your genetic body type and focusing on how well you can perform, you can enjoy being stronger, more powerful—and likely can still meet your sports goals. When being leaner comes with a life-long sentence to Food & Exercise Jail, you might want to think again?

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource, as is her online workshop. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for more info.

breathing-outside

Increase Core Strength by Improving Your Breathing

/29 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

“Core strength” is a popular fitness buzz term, but what’s the big deal all about? Core strength is essential for all our movements. The core is a collection of muscles that stabilizes the central muscles in our torso and spine. As our body’s center, our core has the big task of holding us upright. A strong core makes everyday activities easier to do.

You might think core training is all about lying on a yoga mat doing interminable “crunches.” But there’s way more to core training than aiming for a flat tummy or a “six-pack.”.

Importantly, you use your core when you put on shoes and when turning to look behind you. Likewise, reaching that box on your top kitchen shelf, or sitting in a chair are activities rely on a strong core. In fact, you might not notice a weak core until these activities become difficult or painful. Significantly, a strong core is also how you avoid back pain as you get older.

Breathing Helps Build Core Strength

The key to building core strength is by employing stomach-based, diaphragmatic breaths, so that our torso and ribcage expand forward, back, and to the sides. Breathing in is bodyweight exercise that lengthens the transverse abdominis muscles and obliques, which helps build core strength. Breathing correctly can increase flexibility and lower the risk of exercise-related injury. Also, a strong core helps with things like balance, and, oh yeah… it makes you look thinner.

4 Common Breathing Problems

1.Your neck, chest, and shoulder muscles feel tight. If you carry a lot of tension in the muscles around and under your neck, those muscles may feel painful or tender. Poor diaphragmatic control can cause neck and shoulder muscles to become short and tight. Slouching means you’re not activating your diaphragm when you breathe.

2. You sigh, or yawn frequently. If you must take a deep breath, sigh, or yawn every few minutes, it’s a sign that your body isn’t getting enough oxygen when you breathe.

3. You breathe with your mouth open. Unless you have a sinus infection or congestion that prevents you from breathing through your nose, your mouth should be closed as you breathe.

4. Your resting breath rate is too fast. A normal, resting breath rate should be about 12-20 breaths per minute. If the number of times you breathe each minute is too fast, your breathing is probably shallow. A normal respiratory rate keeps the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide even in the body.

4 Ways to Practice Correct Breathing

1. Keep your shoulders still. Sit in a chair that has arms on the side. Support your arms and elbows by the arms of the chair. As you inhale through your nose, push down onto the arms of the chair. Exhale while you purse your lips and release any pressure on the arms of the chair. The purpose of this exercise is to keep you from elevating your shoulders as you inhale, which can cause upper chest breathing.

2. Slow your breath. Pursing your lips forces you breathe more slowly. Start by creating as small an opening as possible in your mouth when you breathe. Imagining you’re blowing through a straw or blowing at a candle only hard enough for it to flicker, but not blow it out. Breathe in through your nose for 2-4 seconds, then breathe out for 4-8 seconds, keeping your lips pursed. Repeat this for about 3-5 minutes.

3. Use upper chest resistance. Lie on your back, place a hand on your upper chest, apply slight downward pressure to the hard bone (your sternum) in the middle of your chest and maintain that pressure while you inhale and exhale. This will force you to “bypass” your chest while breathing and start to breathe from deep within your belly.

4. Blow up a balloon. When you blow up a balloon, you activate your abdominal muscles, align your spine and pelvis, and contract your diaphragm. Blowing up a balloon works your deep core muscles. It also requires all your mid-section muscles to work together. Sit on a chair with a straight back, or the floor against a wall, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground without leaning against the chair back or wall. Inhale deeply from your nose with your mouth closed, pushing your belly out. Then exhale by blowing slowly into the balloon, exhaling as much air as you can. Your deep abdominal muscles activate as you blow into the balloon.

Jacqueline Gikow, whose holistic, health and wellness practice centers on pain relief through better movement, is the owner of Audacious Living NYC™. She is certified through the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM), the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBCHWC), the Functional Aging Institute (FAI), Medfit (MFN), and the Arthritis Foundation (AFAP/AFEP). Her fitness practice includes in-home and remote, one-on-one fitness training and coaching in New York City. Visit Jacqueline’s website at audaciouslivingnyc.com, or on Facebook.

 

References

creatine (2)

The Benefits of Creatine Supplementation for Active Older Women

/24 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

Loss of muscle and bone mass is arguably the greatest potential threat to vitality and independence in the aging female population. As ovarian estrogen declines during the menopausal transition, muscle and bone undergo significant changes.

Muscle mass and strength decline and loss of bone density accelerates after the onset of menopause. When these losses become severe, there is an increased risk of disabling falls and fractures and associated higher rates of medical comorbidities including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, depression, and cardiopulmonary disease.

Previously, in Athletic Aging, I posted about this very issue. Grip Strength as a Marker of Vitality in Mid-Life Women and Body Composition and Hormone Therapy – Truth and Tales are two articles that discuss the interplay among female reproductive hormones, muscle mass and function, body composition, and metabolism.

But it’s not just about muscles and bones! Mid-life women also struggle with sleep deprivation, brain fog, depression, and mood lability.

Today we continue this important conversation and take a deep dive into the science that explores the potential benefits of creatine supplementation in mid-life women that go beyond our muscles and bones!

How Does Creatine Work?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that is synthesized in the Human body by the kidneys and liver from the amino acids glycine and arginine. It is stored as phosphocreatine which supplies the energy that fuels muscle movement. Creatine is also found in animal proteins such as red meat, fish, poultry, and organ meats.

The phospho in phosphocreatine is a critical component for the production of adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) found in tiny cell components called “mitochondria” that exist in every type of cell throughout the body. Think of the mitochondria as the “batteries” that power the cells within our tissues, and ATP as the “charge”. The “T” stands for tri -or 3 phosphates which is like 3 “bars” on your cell phone. When energy is used, ATP is converted to ADP – the “D” is for di- or 2 bars on your phone. So to recharge your phone to 3 bars (ATP), you need to plug it into the electrical outlet. Creatine serves as the source of energy to fully charge the mitochondria and replenish the stores of ATP.

What the Science Tells Us

Athletes have effectively used creatine supplementation for decades to support performance. Creatine is among the safest and most well-studied supplements in the sports industry.

Most of what we know about creatine was learned through the study of young, male athletes. Creatine has been shown to be effective in enhancing muscle strength, mass, and performance in strength-based activities. Because the aging population is particularly vulnerable to loss of muscle mass and function, attention has been turned toward investigating the potential use of creatine supplementation for preserving muscle mass and function in older individuals – particularly menopausal women.

A review of several randomized control trials and meta-analysis of studies investigating creatine supplementation in older female adults has discovered the following:

  • Women have 70-80% lower creatine stores and consume lower dietary amounts of creatine compared to men.
  • Declining estrogen levels are associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress and may contribute to the reduction in protein synthesis and response to anabolic stimuli. Creatine supplementation has been proposed as a counter-measure to the inflammatory effects of declining estrogen.
  • Creatine supplementation with a high-dose load and maintenance of 3-5g daily in the absence of resistance training had minimal impact on muscle mass, strength, function, and bone density parameters in menopausal women.
  • Although studies have shown mixed results, the vast majority of research shows improvement of muscle strength, function, and bone density parameters with supplementation of 5g of creatine daily when combined with a consistent, long-term strength-training program of 3 months or more in menopausal women ages 50-65+.
  • There were no significant adverse effects of creatine supplementation in menopausal women across multiple studies.
  • Clinical evidence has reported positive effects of creatine supplementation on mood by restoring brain energy levels and balance. Evidence also suggests that creatine supplementation may favorably impact the dopamine and serotonin systems.
  • Creatine supplementation has consistently demonstrated improved cognitive performance and brain function, particularly in cases of sleep deprivation and mental fatigue. This is important given many mid-life women struggle with vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) and disrupted sleep.

Summary of Recommendations for Mid-Life Women

  • Engage in a program of consistent (at least 2-3 times weekly) resistance/strength training as a permanent part of your long-term workout program.
  • Daily supplementation of creatine monohydrate may improve muscle strength, mass, function, bone density parameters, and body composition when combined with a consistent resistance/strength training regimen.
  • Dosing: Many experts agree a loading dose is not necessary. A daily dose of 5g/day (ideally in a shake, beverage, or with food) over time will achieve appropriate tissue saturation levels. *Vegetarians may require a dose of 5-10g daily.
  • Check out this podcast featuring Dr. Darren Candow, one of the leading creatine researchers for an incredibly informative review of how creatine works and the potential benefits of supplementation.
  • If you have chronic conditions involving your kidneys or liver, check with your doctor before incorporating creatine into your nutrition plan.

Article reprinted from Athletic Aging with author permission.

Dr. Carla DiGirolamo is a double Board-Certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Reproductive Endocrinologist who specializes in the care of reproductive age and mid-life women. Carla completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brown University Medical School/Women and Infants’ Hospital and her Reproductive Endocrinology training at the Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard Medical School. She is a North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Certified Menopause Practitioner and has been featured in multiple podcasts and speakerships at various events discussing the physiology of the hormonal changes of menopause, hormone therapy and functional fitness training.

 

References

Smith-Ryan, AE et al. Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective; Nutrients 2021, 13, 877. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030877Ellem

Pinheiro dos Santos, E et al. Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Muscle Mass in Older Females: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; Nutrients 2021, 13, 3757. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13113757

woman-walking-trail

Watch Your Step

/22 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

Because I’m a lifelong advocate of fitness walking and injury-free walking, I’m always trying to come up with the simplest way to get walkers to move along the ground in a way that produces the least amount of impact to the feet, knees, hips and lower back. The answer to this dilemma is different depending on whether you’re walking or running. I’ll begin with you walkers.

erasing-fear

Taking Fear from Foe to Friend

/20 June 2022/ All MFN blog/

Step One: Acknowledge and Accept Fear  

Acknowledging and accepting your fear is the first step toward limiting its power over you. Acknowledgement requires you to admit that you have fears, and acceptance requires you to realize their power. Congratulations, you are human! We all have fears, but the ways they affect our lives depends on the relationship we choose to create with them.  

  • Don’t be a Denier. Deniers bury their fears so deeply that the fears often go unrealized, gaining an unknown power over the Denier. The danger is that at any moment, the Denier may be confronted by their formerly hidden fears, which seem to come out of nowhere, overwhelming the person’s thoughts, decisions, and actions. Just because you  deny them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. 
  • Don’t be a Pretender. Pretenders admit their fear, but rely on their ability to vanquish, destroy, eliminate, and ultimately control it. They live under the misguided belief that they can make fears disappear. The problem arises when the fear the Pretender thought was destroyed comes back with a vengeance at an inopportune time. As with the Denier, that re-emerged fear can affect thoughts, decisions, and actions, potentially  placing the person on the pathway to unwittingly forfeit their dreams.  

Once you acknowledge the existence of your fear and learn how to address it productively instead of fighting it, you reclaim some of your power over it.  

Step Two: Find Your Fear’s Origins  

  • Determine where your fear originates and gain a deeper understanding of yourself. Knowing “the why” is a power diffuser. Is your fear based in lack of self-worth, self-love, self-doubt, rejection, or feelings of failure, or trepidation of success? If so, where did  this emotional trigger come from? Examine the negative assumptions you are making  and determine their source. This could be a childhood experience, something someone  said that you internalized, or some other event that created a negative self-assessment, which in turn is creating a fear. Knowledge is power, and it places you on the pathway toward healing.  
  • Take action to heal your fears’ origins. Healing comes through loving yourself and  seeking a deeper and richer understand of your authentic core. In my book, Yes! Commit. Do. Live, I explain, your “passions, loves, talents, gifts, and desires, along with  your character values, all inform and empower you.” These elements form your inner core. So let your fears reveal more of this inner core and show you something important that you may not have recognized. For example, if you have a fear of public speaking, a deep dive into your inner core could unearth your talent for storytelling, listening, and  using empathy to connect with others. Nurturing those talents, which are all  components of a great public speaker, would empower you to meet your public  speaking fear. So, use that inner core power to meet and ultimately tame your fears.

Step Three: Focus on the Positive  

  • First, ask yourself what opportunities and adventures are now presented due to the fear  that has arisen. What possibilities for building new talents and skills are now open that were previously closed to you? Write them down and celebrate them as “what can be,” and then start envisioning them as “what is.” For example, that fear of public speaking could be preventing you from experiencing new opportunities in your career, family,  and friendships that could change your life. By focusing on the positive aspects of what  can be and the emotions that flow from that positive outlook, you shift your mindset away from negative thinking.  
  • Second, remember that negative thinking is often at the core of our fears. Without facts or evidence, we allow negative thoughts to paralyze us and convince us that  defeat/disaster is inevitable. By choosing to focus on the positive outcomes we can gain from facing the challenge, we gain power over negative thinking.  

As a state and federal prosecutor, I was afraid at the beginning of every trial. What if I didn’t succeed? What if I made a mistake? However, none of these fears were based on facts. By focusing on creating a positive outcome for the victim and empowering them through the trial  process, I could move forward through my fear. According to Andrew Newberg, M.D., and Mark  Robert Waldman in Words Can Change Your Brain: 12 Conversations Strategies to Build Trust,  Resolve Conflict, and Increase Intimacy, a single positive or negative word can actually alter our brains. There is neurological power in positive thinking, so the time is now to live in the  positive.  

Step Four: Transform the Feelings  

  • You can use your body’s responses to gain more control of your fears. What happens to you when fear arises? According to MedicalNewsToday, for some people, their limbs shake, their breathing becomes shallow, their mouths get dry, and their hearts race. While these reactions may on the surface seem negative, those physical manifestations  are tied to the excitement of the moment.  
  • Once you are aware of your fear responses, redefine them. Remember, there is power in positive-thought realignment. When I left the practice of law to begin a singing career, during my early musical auditions, I was confronted with the physical manifestations of fear. I had a choice. I could allow those manifestations to derail my singing career, or I could retrain my brain and body to create a new understanding of  what those manifestations represented. I chose the latter—and you can, too. Here’s  how: 

Redefine those manifestations and repeat the new definition continuously until they feel real.  Repeatedly tell yourself this new positive understanding:  

  • My body’s shake is the energy surge that fuels my excitement. 
    • My shallow breathing is my body’s signal to slow down and take in rich oxygen.
    • My rapid heart rate is my body’s preparation on a cellular level to ready me to  step into my excellence.

Visualize your success over your fear and allow the positive emotions that flow from that  success to flood your body, head to toe.  

Find your calm and peace the “DDB” way—engage in deep diaphragmatic breathing. At each fearful moment, use the 5-5-5-5 breathing pattern: Inhale for a count of five, hold for five, exhale for five, and repeat for five. This practice allowed me to stay present and focus on the beauty of the moment.  

Reset those feelings further by recording your successes and focusing on each time you were able to feel the fear and do it anyway. I allowed every positive audition to reinforce my new positive understanding of my body’s response to each exciting opportunity. This process of transference turns negative thinking positive.  

Step 5: Look at Fear as Your Friend and Celebrate It!  

Fear is an extension of ourselves. It moves us. It represents a chance for a beautiful life transition. Fear offers an opportunity for immense growth and introduces us to new and wonderful challenges. It can be a gateway to the most beautiful, exciting opportunities, helping  you to unleash talents and unearth new passions.  

By taking the preceding steps, you are able to tame your fears. Remember, fear is not a villain, so there is no need for an epic battle. Instead, fear requires a relationship with yourself. It is a welcomed companion, a catalyst for change to constantly challenge your status quo. So, the next time you feel fear, ask, “What opportunity lies on the other side?” Challenge yourself to live through it. Do what makes you shake! Do what makes you shy away! It may not  be easy, but it’s essential for continued breakthrough as you journey to your highest state of  excellence.  

When you’re willing to feel the fear and move forward anyway, you position yourself to truly  write your story, live your purpose, elevate your thoughts, visualize your success, and live a life  without regret and with passion, laughter, self-determination, and endless optimism.  

Join Lisa for her webinar, How to Take Your Fears from For to Friend

Lisa Charles is a federal prosecutor turned singer/actress, wellness expert, certified health coach/consultant, and an acclaimed speaker. She served as the Fitness/Wellness Research Coordinator for the Rutgers University Aging & Brain Health Alliance, and is the CEO of Embrace Your Fitness, LLC, and the Author of YES! COMMIT. DO. LIVE.

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