Archive for the ‘Real People Fitness’ Category
Hey Buddy Ol’ Pal,
How’d you like to spend a few minutes with Sara Jelley??
Well you’re in luck, because its time for the newest Curvy Fitness Newsletter!
Chances are you are following up with your New Year’s Resolutions right now and going to the gym regularly, doing some yoga and being active in your life. If you’re like me, that pattern will start to slowly melt into the ground like the Wicked Witch of the West by the time March rolls around.
Well, I’ve got a few antidotes for the Spring “I’m too busy working to take care of my body” blues. Here’s whats going on with Curvy Fitness:
1. Spring Outdoor Fitness Training (SOFT – though it sounds nice, they might not be comparable to a pillow). Classes will be held at City Park, along Spring Creek and Poudre Trails, and maybe out in Lory State Park or up the canyon. I want to get you moving outside once it starts to get warmer! Starting in March, I’ll be offering at least 2 of these per month, so keep your eyes on my Meetup page to join! On my list of classes to teach: How to Use the Fitness Equipment in City Park, Safe and Productive Running Technique, and Plant-Based Training along with many group runs, bike rides and yoga classes in the park!
2. My weekly All-Levels yoga class is Changing locations! I am now teaching at The Bizarre Bazaar (254 Linden St. in Old Town Fort Collins), Tuesdays at 5:30pm! Also, check out Chandra Sally Waggoner’s wonderful Yoga for Poetic Expression class at 6pm on Monday nights at Bizarre Bazaar. We’ve both had great turnouts at this new location, which is also a very hip record/book store owned by Scott and Jane, some wonderful people new to Fort Collins! I know you’ll like it.
3. New Reference program: If you refer a family member or a friend to me for a personal training session or personal yoga class, YOU will get 25% off the price of a session for yourself. This includes private yoga classes for yourself and your friends or the price of admission to one of my upcoming Spring Outdoor Fitness classes!
4. I am working on a new logo design. I know a lot of you are artists, so send me a simple drawing or two that reflect the mission of Curvy Fitness – Lifestyle change and self-love! I will pay you in free yoga classes or personal training sessions. I still have lots of my older business cards, so let me know if you want one or fifteen.
5. Hey you! If you have taken one of my yoga or fitness classes in the past few months, I would love a testimonial to put on my website! The more the better, even if you’ve only been to one of my yoga classes!
6. Join the Meetup group! Its a great way to see all the classes I’m teaching and opportunities to meet other fitness-minded beautiful people in Fort Collins!
Photo by Lindsay Eppich
http://www.meetup.com/Curvy-Fit/
7. Homework: If you’ve read this far, you’re obviously interested – Thank you! Please e-mail me back telling me what times you’d be available and interested if I started a weekly yoga class in my new and improved home studio.
Links/Friends of Curvy Fitness:
The new and improved Yoga Shala website- new locations for our student-focused, donation-based yoga. Check out the exciting changes! Krista (my yoga teacher) is back for a limited time and she and the fabulous Jaena Michali will be teaching TWO yogic diet and cleansing workshops the last two saturdays in February. Visit the website to sign up early and get your spot! I’ll be there for sure.
Get Bent: Guerrilla Yogis or The Fort Collins Yoga Co-op- These ladies are seriously guerrila style and will teach wherever and whenever there are people who want to learn to get bent!
Winter can be terrible for the flu and the mental funk. If you want a different and fresh opinion, call Earth Ayurveda Clinic. The healing and advice I got did wonders for me in the past year.
If you’re considering cutting some animal products out of your diet, even if its just one day a week, check out my friend April’s Epicurean Vegan blog for delicious and easy recipes.
The Bizarre Bazaar, a new rockin’ record-slash-book-store in Old Town, across from Cafe Ardour. Our new location for donation-based yoga.
Like my donation-based classes? Check out the Fort Collins Free School, based out of Hammertime Tool Co-op. Classes like Poetry and Tesla Physics. Or teach your own class on fly-tying for the 21st century! Or whatever you’re into. 
To be on my email list and receive updates about Curvy Fitness, e-mail me at curvyandfit@gmail.com! Feel free to forward my email anyone you think might be interested.
Thank you for reading! See you on the mat, in the park and in the studio very soon!
Proud to be Curvy and Fit (and you can be too),
Sara Jelley
The Athlete of the Week series was created to spotlight the amazing people around us who are not only moms, dads, workers and friends but they are superstar athletes as well. Being an athlete does not always mean that they are Olympic level in their sport. It doesn’t even mean that they compete, or that they would beat anyone else if they tried. It means that they have made a commitment to their health by staying active and changing their lifestyle to do so. They inspire me every day, and I hope they inspire you as well.
Every Friday, look for a new installment and a new athlete spotlight. If you’d like to be featured, just email me at curvyandfit@gmail.com!
This week’s Athlete of the Week is Lacy Fuller, a swimmer, yogini, new bride and computer magician in Fort Collins. She is one of my favorite people to work out with because she is always thinking about how much farther she can go, but always knowing her own body. She lives to exercise because she has fun doing it. Lacy is an adult athlete extraordinaire, and not just because of her performance in the water, but because of her ability to treat her body right and balance her life.
Age (optional):
32
Personal Mantra (optional):
Don’t waste your time feeling guilty. I read once (on the blog of Olympic swimmer Ian Crocker) that feeling guilty actually slows down your metabolism, so it’s better to just eat that donut you’re craving and not feel bad about it, than to agonize over it.
There’s also the guilt of skipping a workout. I’m terrible about feeling bad about missing a swim practice or planned workout session, but feeling bad about it doesn’t help anyone. We are all human, and some days we just need that extra sleep, or to rest an injury, and realizing that skipping a day at the gym isn’t the end of the world is important to keep you from overdoing it (again, I’m very guilty of this), or burning yourself out. This is a mantra that I keep up to try and remind myself that I’m not a professional athlete, and that I’m allowed to take a day off if I need it.
What’s your absolute favorite activity/exercise?
Swimming. I spent a lot of years trying to get excited for just going to a gym and lifting weights, run on a treadmill, or go to aerobics classes, but I could never make myself stick with those things. It was just too easy to blow them off, or put them off, especially when my parents were footing the bill for the gym membership.
A few years ago I got really excited watching the summer Olympics in Beijing, particularly the swimming competition. That spurred me into taking swimming lessons (I hadn’t had any instruction since I was a little kid) and then, eventually, to start swimming with a Masters team. I found that swimming with Masters was way more motivating than swimming on my own. Having a coach there to dictate a workout keeps you from just doing easy sets and not pushing yourself. It’s also a great way to keep yourself going, having a coach and teammates who expect to see you, and question your whereabouts when you skip a practice. Not to mention all the camaraderie of being on a team, having people to help you when you’re struggling, or share your victories.
Swimming is such a great workout; probably the best I’ve ever done. Another thing I really like about it is the lack of impact. I have issue with my ankles and knees (including one that I just had surgery on for a torn meniscus), and I can still swim (and fast!) with little pain or irritation.
What makes you committed to staying active?
The way it makes me feel. Days when I don’t get to do something active, I tend to get anxious, or have trouble focusing. I feel better when I can slip off at lunch and swim, or even just ride my bicycle to work.
I also like that it keeps me healthy. Doing endurance sports has helped my asthma, and improved my overall health (more muscle, less fat, lower resting heart rate, etc.). And that helps buoy my self confidence, makes me feel better about who I am and what I can accomplish.
How do you work exercise into your busy life?
I work for a company that is very committed to keeping a good work/life balance. They encourage people to be active, and allow for flexible schedules to allow employees to get out of their chairs and do something. Because of that, I’m able to swim almost every practice my team offers, and I can easily ride my bike to work.
I also tend to make a schedule and stick to it. I decide what days I want to do which activity: softball on Tuesday, swimming M/W/F morning, running on Wednesday nights, something like that. Then I keep track of what I’ve done on my US Masters Swimming Fitness Log (FLOG) so I can keep myself accountable. I try not to skip my workouts or change my schedule unless it’s something unavoidable. Having a schedule enables me to keep up with my plan, and try to avoid the inevitable decision to blow a workout off because I’m not feeling like doing it.
Who inspires you?
My swim teammates. I swim with a lot of really ambitious people (including Ms. Sara Jelley) who go off and do things like swim 10Ks or do Iron Man triathlons or swim across the English Channel. I’m not sure those are things I’ll ever do myself, but I figure if they can do that, then I should be able to do an Olympic distance triathlon, or swim a mile in competition. The people I train with inspire me to go faster (to keep up!) and work on my technique.
Being on a team is so encouraging. I can’t stress that enough. My teammates lift me up when I’m feeling down, and cheer me on when I’m racing. They’re there when I climb out of the pool to give me high fives and hugs of congratulations. There’s really no better feeling than knowing you’ve got people on your side. It makes you want to do the best you can, so you don’t let them down.
Do you have any words of advice for new fitness enthusiasts, regarding sports, exercise, and/or life?
Listen to your body, and do what’s right for you. There’s no need to push yourself past your limits, and trying to keep up with someone who has more experience or ability than yourself can be extremely discouraging, and potentially harmful to yourself. There’s nothing wrong with competition, but the only person you need to measure yourself against is you.
I’ve recently hit a rough patch in my active life by sustaining a sports related injury. I’ve been knocked off my feet a couple of times in the last two months, and it’s so hard for me to sit back and wait to heal. I spend a lot of time thinking about the hours of work I’ve put in – in the pool, on the treadmill, in the gym – and wondering where I’ll be when I’m finally back on my feet again.
The challenge for me is to listen to my body and not rush myself back into my normal exercise routine. All I want is to be back to normal, but that’s going to take time. The thing is, it will happen. I just need to be patient, and to take it easy when I’m able to return to activity.
We are all different, have different levels of ability and skill. Don’t let the feeling that you’re “bad” at something discourage you from doing it. If it’s something you truly love, don’t give up on it! Who cares if you’re the slowest person on your swim team? You’re still swimming, and taking that step toward a more active life. And that’s never a bad thing.
Favorite vegetable and why?
Okay this is a tough one for me. My first thought was avocado, but that’s not a vegetable. 
Being a vegetarian, I eat a lot of vegetables – and love a lot of them, too – so choosing one favorite is quite a challenge! I think I will go with green bell pepper. I love them cooked and incorporated in things like veggie chili and stir fry, but I also love to eat them raw, dipped in a little ranch dressing. They have such a unique flavor and pleasing texture, I just really enjoy eating them!
Thank you Lacy! I love what she has to say.
Subscribe up there –>^ to get in on this inspiration weekly! Thanks, friends!
Click to view our past Athletes of the Week:
Dee Wanger
Love,
Sara
“Do what you love. Its ok to start small; there is no shame in beginning.” – Dee Wanger
The Athlete of the Week series was created to spotlight the amazing people around us who are not only moms, dads, workers and friends but they are superstar athletes as well. Being an athlete does not always mean that they are Olympic level in their sport. It doesn’t even mean that they compete, or that they would beat anyone else if they tried. It means that they have made a commitment to their health by staying active and changing their lifestyle to do so. They inspire me every day, and I hope they inspire you as well.
Every Friday, look for a new installment and a new athlete spotlight. If you’d like to be featured, just email me at curvyandfit@gmail.com!
This week’s Athlete of the Week is Dee Wanger, owner of Ridekick.com, a great new company that features a new design for a bike power trailer. She is also a mom, a wife and a long-time member of the Fort Collins community. Dee has been an inspiration in my life for a long time. She faces challenges with a confidence I aspire to, and she is always moving and finding new ways to keep herself and her family as healthy and happy as possible. Here is Dee’s story (and a video of her too!):
Age: 54 and happy for it!
Personal Mantra: I’ll try anything. Believe you can do anything in a new challenge.
What’s your absolute favorite activity/exercise?
Volleyball- I don’t play enough now, but I played from the time I was 14 until 44 regularly. I love hiking and mountain biking, and usually prefer single-person activities over group activities. Its just easier and more accessible than calling 8 people to get together at the same time.
What makes you committed to staying active?
Health, and wanting to defy stereotypes around aging. The mantra of “believing I can” led me to climbing Mt. Kilamanjaro, and I hope to do it again at 65.
How do you work exercise into your busy life?
I schedule it. My husband Mark is a startup founder working often 9am to midnight daily, and he still plays squash at the club in the morning, even when he goes to bed at early hours of the morning. I have a commitment to myself to workout at least once a week at the gym, but the days I get exercise are often. I walk, play softball, bike as much as possible, and garden. Any activity counts, if you find the exercise “angle”.
Who inspires you?
My friend Kathy. She is always moving under the guise of “play”. She is always saying “let’s go do something”. She goes skiing, biking, and works out at the gym. She is determined to move, and not let an injury keep her from constantly playing and having fun in every situation.
Do you have any words of advice for new fitness enthusiast, regarding sports, exercise, and/or life?
Do what you love. Its ok to start small, there is no shame in beginning.
Favorite vegetable and why:
Broccoli- because of how it tastes with peanuts, as well as jicama on a hot summer day.
Thanks, Dee!
Subscribe up there –>^ to get in on this inspiration weekly! Thanks, friends!
Click to view our past Athletes of the Week:
Love,
Sara
“The more active I am the better my body moves & feels, and it keeps my figure young. But it also gives me a broader social group of people of all ages and interests and professions.” – Marga Powell
The Athlete of the Week series was created to spotlight the amazing people around us who are not only moms, dads, workers and friends but they are superstar athletes as well. Being an athlete does not always mean that they are Olympic level in their sport. It doesn’t even mean that they compete, or that they would beat anyone else if they tried. It means that they have made a commitment to their health by staying active and changing their lifestyle to do so. They inspire me every day, and I hope they inspire you as well.
Every Friday, look for a new installment and a new athlete spotlight. If you’d like to be featured, just email me at curvyandfit@gmail.com!
This week’s Athlete of the Week is Marga Powell, an amazing woman who was like both a mother and a friend when I lived in Boulder. She is an incredibly inspiring climber, but there is much more to her than meets the eye. Find out about Marga’s story:
Age: 56 (yikes)
Personal Mantra:
So at age 56, I don’t really live by a personal mantra, but live by what I love to do, my passions, my choices, are all driven by a love for what I am doing.
What’s your absolute favorite activity/exercise?
I’ve got to say that while rock climbing still gives me a real high and I want to do it until I drop, I am also becoming an avid yoga practitioner. Its amazing; it really enhances my mind/body awareness in a way that I’ve never experienced before. I go to Corepower in Boulder – both north and south. They offer so many classes that something always fits my schedule. I even found a studio in Iowa while I was home and enjoyed going there a couple of times.
What makes you committed to staying active?
My commitment to staying active is multifold – it is a reward in itself. The more active I am the better my body moves & feels, and it keeps my figure young. But it also gives me a broader social group of people of all ages and interests and professions. It also opens my world to exploration – rock climbing has taken me all over the states and into other countries as well.
How do you work exercise into your busy life?
Working exercise into my life – well it does help to be semi-retired. I have afternoons and Fridays, plus weekends off, so have more time then most people to exercise. But I also make my exercise fit my lifestyle. Rock climbing, skiing, yoga, biking, all give me a great deal of pleasure and I enjoy doing them. I enjoy the outdoors, so most of my sports allow me to spend a lot of time in the mountains. And many of my friends enjoy the same sports that I do, so its a meshing of several important aspects of who I am.
Who inspires you?
Everyone inspires me! I’m inspired by all of [the] students who I’ve worked with, [their] qualities and choices in life. I’ve learned a great deal from you all. I’m inspired by people who are older than I am who have stayed interested in life and active in living their lives. But my rock climbing idol is Lynn Hill, an incredible woman who has broken through in many areas of climbing.
Do you have any words of advice for new fitness enthusiast, regarding sports, exercise, and/or life?
I would just suggest that it helps to find something that lights a passion in you AND fits your personality/lifestyle. Not every sport fits every person. Lifting weights would never be my thing and I’m not into team sports. But the sports I choose are personally competive, I strive to become better by measuring my performance against my previous preformance. I like to push myself a little (but I’m not crazy about it). Just find something that you’re curious about, fits your work schedule and don’t be afraid to be bad at it at first.
Favorite vegetable and why:
I love tomatoes, but I hear they are really a fruit. So second, I’d say carrots, because they are sweet and can be dipped in all sorts of good stuff, cooked, added to salads, taken on hikes, a very versatile veggie. I’m also pretty fond of eggplant these days.
Thanks, Marga! You are amazing!
Subscribe up there –>^ to get in on this inspiration weekly! Thanks, friends!
Click to view our past Athletes of the Week:
Love,
Sara
Hello All!
The following is a copy of my first ever Curvy Fitness Newsletter!
This email list will receive updates about Curvy Fitness, my new business endeavor as a Personal Trainer/Yoga Teacher in Fort Collins!
If you would like to be on my newsletter email list, please email me at curvyandfit@gmail.com!
Here’s the good stuff:
*The Website: http://thefitnesscurve.com/ I have a blog that you can subscribe to to get even more updates as they come, and sometimes I write some pretty interesting insights and happenings up there. I know some of you are web experts, so I am open to any and all feedback on my site! Its looking better all the time though, so check it out!
*The Meetup group: http://www.meetup.com/Curvy-Fit/ The place to find out about group classes- I’m teaching a class at City Park every other Thursday at 6pm! I’ll be alternating these fitness classes with yoga classes in the park. The yoga classes are free, since they are through the free school (http://focofreeschool.wordpress.com/) until it gets too cold to practice outside!
*Personal Training: I am accepting new clients and would love to talk with you about beginning a personal training program. Fitness and body fat testing is important because knowing your body can prevent illness and disease. Affordable one-hour sessions come in packages discounted the more you buy in advance. It’s your time to treat yourself! If you know of a friend who is interested and could benefit from training, please feel free to pass on my information. Email me directly at curvyandfit@gmail.com or give me a call!
*Yoga Shala: http://atriumyoga.com The wonderful studio/school where I completed my training, run by Krista and Kristin, yoginis of my heart.
I am teaching classes there Monday mornings at 7am! (Meditation at 7am, Yoga at 7:30am)
Photo credit: Susan Searle
I will most likely be subbing a lot of classes there throughout the fall, so check out the weekly schedule: http://yogashala.schoolyogainstitute.net/weekly-classes/ and stay tuned!
*Free School http://focofreeschool.wordpress.com/
This is an incredible organization that is trying to get off the ground in Fort Collins. If you’ve been to larger cities and seen Free Schools in action, you know that it is a treasure to have one in our town. There are so many great teachers and opportunities to teach your own skills and knowledge to others!
Please consider teaching a class (the deadline for submission is September 23rd for the October and November calendar) and fill out this form: http://focofreeschool.wordpress.com/hostaclass/
Or just come take a class from our fantastic instructors. My yoga class through the free school will be every other Thursday evening at City Park at 6pm.
*Race for the Cure- October 2nd! My friend Jesper and I are starting a team!
We’re called ‘Peanut Butter and Jessy’ (http://www.komendenver.org/site/TR/Race/General?pg=team&fr_id=1110&team_id=51647) at the moment, but we could use suggestions for other team names.
We also need participants! If you’ve never done the Race for the Cure, you’re in for a great time! There is a 5k run, a 5k walk and a program called ‘Sleep in for the Cure’, depending on your athletic ability and how much you want to get yourself into. We will be dressing up and wearing lots of pink and supporting both survivors and families affected by breast cancer. It is a great cause and a lot of fun!
If you are not interested in participating in either the Race or the Sleep in event, please consider donating to the cause. All money raised goes to the Komen Foundation and to breast cancer research.
*FAST Master’s Swim team events:
If I haven’t told you already, I am a part of a fantastic master’s swim team called FAST( http://swimfastmasters.com/)
We have practice 6 days a week (you can go to as many as you like), with very knowledgeable coaches and a great community of swimmers. We have optional competitive meets a few times a year and many of us participate in outside events like open water swims during the summer season. There are swimmers of all levels, from beginning swimmers to triathletes, and from sprinters to English Channel swimmers. It’s a great time and we have a meet coming up in October called the Pumpkin Plunge. If you’ve ever been interested in swimming, now’s the time to get in the water and swim the stress of the new school year away!
*Vega products: In my opinion, the best supplement product out there. They are all over the place because people are discovering their everyday nutritional value and convenience. Vega products are all vegan and invented by a Canadian endurance triathlete specifically to enhance the body’s performance in every day life as well as recover from exercise. The best part is that if you buy them from my website, I get a small profit to help get my new baby business get off the ground! See what you think:
http://www.anrdoezrs.net/3566biroiq5B9B767F576CCC97B
*Testimonials needed!
If you’ve come to any of my yoga classes or group fitness classes recently or if you are a personal training client, I would deeply appreciate a few words in written testimonial that I can post on my website. I also love constructive criticism, and am always learning and changing so if you have any feedback for me I absolutely welcome it. I would love for you to visit my Facebook page as well and ‘like’ it for me! It really helps get the word out! Thank you! http://www.facebook.com/CurvyFitness
Thank you all for reading and listening and supporting my big endeavor!
Love, love, love and light!
Sara Jelley
Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor
Curvy Fitness
970-310-1903
http://www.facebook.com/CurvyFitness
curvyandfit@gmail.com
Thank you to a wonderful client who reminded me about this informative and effective program, run by the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
A new 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program starts this Monday, September 5th! This plan is so easy to follow, and includes nutrition advice from world-renowned doctors and experts on plant-based living, as well as some celebrity appearances!
It is completely free, and entirely entertaining! You’ll get amazing recipes that are all doctor-approved to improve your health.
Register here:
Enjoy it, and tell me how you like it along the way!
Sara
curvyandfit@gmail.com
Free Meetups for Everyone!
Posted on: August 29, 2011
Hi Loves!
I’ve started a meetup.com page for my group classes here:
http://www.meetup.com/Curvy-Fit/
It starts Thursday, September 8th at Spring Canyon Park, 6:30pm! We’ll do lots of great warm-ups, fun exercises and games to get moving. The fitness class will be every other week, and on the in-between weeks, we’ll have Yoga!
There will be some yoga-based exercises in the fitness class, but there will be more moving around and interactive exercises.
Thursday, September 8th:
Spring Canyon Park (2626 West Horsetooth Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526)
6:30pm
http://www.meetup.com/Curvy-Fit/events/26604141/
Thursday, September 15th:
City Park (Mulberry and Jackson)
6:30pm
http://www.meetup.com/Curvy-Fit/events/31385902/
P.S. They are all donation-based because the space is free! Woohoo!
Excited to see you there!
Love,
Sara
“Don’t be hard on yourself– the whole point of exercising is to feel good and have fun. If you miss a day here or there, it’s not a big deal. Listen to your body and get out another day!” – Caroline Hudnut
The Athlete of the Week series was created to spotlight the amazing people around us who are not only moms, dads, workers and friends but they are superstar athletes as well. Being an athlete does not always mean that they are Olympic level in their sport. It doesn’t even mean that they compete, or that they would beat anyone else if they tried. It means that they have made a commitment to their health by staying active and changing their lifestyle to do so. They inspire me every day, and I hope they inspire you as well.
Every Friday, look for a new installment and a new athlete spotlight. If you’d like to be featured, just email me at curvyandfit@gmail.com!
This week’s Athlete of the Week is Caroline Hudnut, a Colorado girl and lifelong friend of mine, who loves some fine snowfall and just being outside in general! She inspires me by always being up for new experiences. She lived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a few years and is moving back down to the Front Range. She is also competing in her second triathlon tomorrow! Send her lots of luck and love and read her story here:
Age (optional): 24
Personal Mantra:
Just keep swimming (or pedaling/running/fill in the blank) from the movie Finding Nemo. I guess if it’s from a movie, it’s not exactly my personal mantra. Oh well. That’s always what I say to myself when I’m exercising and getting very tired!
What’s your absolute favorite activity/exercise?
What makes you committed to staying active?
I like how it makes me feel. I’m more relaxed, I’m happier, and I’m healthier. I sleep better, I’m kinder to others, and I feel better about myself when I exercise. I also live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, so it’s easy to be committed to staying active because I want to go outside whenever I can to check out the flowers, the animals, the snow… whatever.
To be fair, my life isn’t very busy right now. At the moment, I try to commute to work, which is a 13 miles bike ride each way. I also live about a 10 second walk from great mountain biking and hiking trails. However, in the past when I’ve been busy and lived further away from trails (like in Louisiana!), I schedule it in. I concentrate better and am far more productive if I’ve exercised, so it’s always worth the hour or so that it takes out of my day. Usually, I try to figure out where I’ll be, when I might be free, and what activities are easiest to do at those times and places (yoga? swimming? run? bike ride?) I actually find that I’m more likely to exercise when I’m busy because I can’t dilly-dally all day thinking about what I might do.
Avocados– because they are delicious and creamy and filling! Also, they go with (almost) everything.Thanks Caroline!!
Stay tuned for next Friday’s spotlight on a new Athlete of the Week!
Read about the previous Friday Athletes of the Week, Lance Holter and Reu Smith .
Subscribe to my website over on the sidebar (–>) to be e-mailed as soon as a blog post is published! This is a free service by the way. I know, its fancy.
Love to you!
Sara
Apologies for no athlete of the week
last week!
Swamped in yoga teacher training and worrying about my 10k swim that happened this morning. More on that later.
All you need to know is that this training is seriously inspiring. A peaceful escape inside an intense physical and mental (and spiritual) challenge course.
We’re learning about the yoga sutras, yogic diet, yoga anatomy, earth medicine and energy work. We are having philosophical and personal discussions and making best friends within days of coming together. This experience will affect change in my life for years to come. Thank you to those relationships I’m putting on hold in order to be a part of this. Thank you to the universe for bringing me here at this specific time and place and with these amazing people. Thank you.
Love, light, and om,
Sara
“Its amazing how great work is when you have released a little bit of stress and played a little. You never see someone playing with a frown. It’s just not humanly possible.” -Reu Smith
The Athlete of the Week series was created to spotlight the amazing people around us who are not only moms, dads, workers and friends but they are superstar athletes as well. Being an athlete does not always mean that they are Olympic level in their sport. It doesn’t even mean that they compete, or that they would beat anyone else if they tried. It means that they have made a commitment to their health by staying active and changing their lifestyle to do so. They inspire me every day, and I hope they inspire you as well.
Every Friday, look for a new installment and a new athlete spotlight. If you’d like to be featured, just email me at curvyandfit@gmail.com!
This week’s Athlete of the Week is Reu Smith, a swim coach and marketing guru in Fort Collins. He inspires me not only because he gives me great swim workouts and pushes me to work harder in the pool, but because he pushes himself to be a better coach and athlete. He knows how it feels to be both teacher and student, so he coaches all types of athletes in the way that they want to be coached as an individual. He balances his work life and his home life and cares for both his health and his family’s health equally. Here’s Reu’s story:
Age (optional):
33, a young 33.
Personal Mantra (optional):
1. Push, push, push. You’ll never get anywhere unless you push yourself and your closest friends to achieve more, but don’t be an ass about it.
2. Play in everything you do. Even if it’s serious, seriously play.
What’s your absolute favorite activity/exercise?
I love to play, so anything playing related. I recently played tag in the park with a bunch of friends (25 – 60 years old) at a park. It was one of the best workouts and fun times I have had in a long time. Play is so important to stay young. Even as adults, by age not by mental capability, our tendency is to play. I believe a life long playing regime is key to a long healthy life and happy life. Its amazing how great work is when you have released a little bit of stress and played a little. You never see someone playing with a frown. It’s just not humanly possible.
What makes you committed to staying active?
I get fat, and fat is not so becoming of me. Actually when I exercise less I feel like a blob, I hate feeling this way so I generally try to have fun activities. I grew up where my mom would make a lot of the housework a game. I use to hate but secretly love these “games”. As an adult I do a lot of the same things mentally to really keep it interesting. Even if I am swimming I always imagine a ghost opponent in the lane next to me. I usually beat the ghost but sometimes I don’t, that is okay also. We all have our up and down days.
How do you work exercise into your busy life?
Owning a business, being on the board of a few NPO’s, and being the Head Masters Swim Team coach takes a lot of time for non-exercise activities. It seems I am always doing something or being somewhere. I firmly believe that you will make time for what you care about. I know a lot of things can be pushed off but coaching and Muay Thai recharge my batteries for all the other things I do. So it’s a necessity for me to take time in those activities to achieve the best in my work and community volunteering. Plus the mental recharge of letting someone else tell me what to do is nice also. I try to be the athlete that I would want to coach when I am at Muay Thai.
Who inspires you?
My family is a great inspiration to me, parents and girlfriend to be exact. I feel like making them proud inspires their lives. It’s a cyclical relationship. I find a lot comes from not one person’s achievements but from many people’s small achievements that help me become motivated for achievement. I love watching sports on television. I know the dedication and heart they have to have to compete, I love watching the competition of it all and the heart of the athlete to achieve their best, even if that is last place. I really want to see the best brought out in everyone. I love being part of the conduit for their achievement.
Do you have any words of advice for a new fitness enthusiast, regarding sports, exercise, and/or life?
I guess the one thing I didn’t cover above is that passion drives a human. I am a huge fan of Marcus Buckingham’s theology of ‘do what makes you happy’. That will keep you driving to achievement that is consistently attainable.
OK, a little more. Get a coach, be a mentor and surround yourself with people you want to become. You’re not the best at everything, [so] the things you want to become better at, get a coach to help you become the best that you can be. The things that you are great at, teach them to someone else. Legacy when you leave is the only thing that will continue to be passed. Money is great but is a consumable object. Education and experience live forever. I forget who said this but “you are the sum of the six closest people to you”. Be surrounded by people you would want to be around and like what they are doing. I have a lot of friends but my close ones know that they are in a select group that is cherished by me; it is almost more like they are family.
Favorite vegetable and why?
I grew up on a farm as a vegetarian, till I was 12. I pretty much like all veggies. I really like jicama. It’s crunchy and watery; pretty good. All veggies are pretty good overall. It’s a great snack that you don’t have to have ranch with it just to get your veggie intake in for the day. Its fantastic if you Julienne it over a salad.
Muchas Gracias, Reu!!
Stay tuned for next Friday’s spotlight on a new Athlete of the Week!
Read about the previous Friday Athlete of the Week, Lance Holter.
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Love to you!
Sara
