I began at Strength for Life at the beginning of October.  I am a fairly healthy, active and energetic person and I play lots of golf and tennis.  It had been nearly five years since I worked out in a focused and disciplined way.  I have belonged to gyms off and on over the years, but am easily bored with machines and static routines.  I have severe scoliosis and multiple disc issues and, while they don’t bother me now, they remain a factor and my best defense against further deterioration is a strong core.  I started at SFL with this as my primary goal, along with building my strength, balance and flexibility relative to aging.  I have had great success working one-on-one with a personal trainer (yay, Natalie!) and am now exploring some of the classes.

I have made steady progress in the gym.  There is a sense of accomplishment when I move up in weights or master a new movement.  I am gaining confidence as well.  I used to watch people in classes and think “I could never do that!”; now I am curious and want to give it a try.  SFL is a friendly and supportive environment and there is a wonderful camaraderie among the clients.  

Outside of the gym, I just feel great.  I feel more fit and seem to have more energy.  Making the commitment to the gym and feeling the results makes me even more committed to healthy eating.  The first half of my SFL training was during the holidays when my eating habits were indulgent.  My husband and I started the year with our annual Whole 30 “cleanse”.  That was when I felt the full effect of my fitness work kick in and it all came together for me. I love food and cooking too much to sustain something as restrictive as Whole 30, but I feel committed to healthy eating and exercise for long term health.      

My advice to someone on the fence is to just give it a try.  Personal training is a great way to get started and build some confidence.            

 Don”t Worry, Be Happy! Did you know that achieving goals can make you happy?

Not all goals are created equal. Goals can add meaning to our lives in many ways. Achieving a goal can enhance our self-esteem, enrich our lives, help us feel closer to each other, feed our inner needs and even make us happy.

Relatedness, competence and autonomy are three qualities that all human being seek. Everyone wants to relate to and be connected to others, to be competent in what they do and have the ability to take care of themselves, and to be autonomous and make their own choices.

Setting intrinsic goals help us feel related, competent and autonomous. Intrinsic goals come from our own personal values and interests. We pursue intrinsic goals because the process of achieving these goals make us feel good. We receive more satisfaction are more engaged in the process of achieving goals of our own choosing and ones that reflect our personal values. We savor these accomplishments because they mean something special to us.

Extrinsic goals come from outside of us. They may be goals that are set for us by parents, teachers, or our boss at work. They may not reflect our values, desires, or needs. Extrinsic goals do not have the same motivation to us as intrinsic goals.

When you set goals for yourself, choose goals that fulfill our basic need for relatedness, competence and autonomy. Set goals for yourself  that strength your relationships with others, provide some kind of personal growth, are are interesting to you beause they reflect your own personal passion. Avoid goals that are about obtaining external validation from others as they will lessen your sense of self-worth and happiness.

So “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!” and focus on intrinsic goals that reflect your sense of connection, competence and choice. Choosing intrinsic goals leads to greater motivation and creativity as well as enhancing our grit and persistence and ultimately, our happiness.

1. Level 1 - 10 consecutive jumps
   
2. Level 2 - 1 minute of consecutive jumping
   
3. Level 3 - 30 seconds of consecutive double-unders