[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_fullwidth_post_title comments=”off” featured_placement=”above” image_max_height=”800px” _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”|800||on|||||” title_text_align=”left” title_text_color=”#1a2eaf” title_font_size=”29px” title_line_height=”1.4em” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||1px||false|false”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_post_title][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default” parallax=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-26px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″]<\/p>\n
\u201cOften it takes getting really uncomfortable with a situation to prompt you to decide to make a change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily Brown is a Certified Personal Trainer at Be Stronger Personal Training doing one-on-one and small group training. She also coaches women’s fitness groups at Kaia Fit Folsom. She has a reputation for reliability, punctuality, and (perhaps gently) holding her own clients responsible for their time with her.<\/p>\n
Emily\u2019s client and Middle Way Health Director Stephen tells me how he casually tried to get out of the last five minutes of a recent training session with her\u2026 to which she responded, \u201cWell, that\u2019s five minutes you could be doing something.\u201d<\/p>\n
But what really happens during a session with a personal trainer? Stephen\u2019s gives us a glimpse. \u201cFor starters, the gym isn\u2019t anything like a 24-Hour Fitness. It\u2019s got a more industrial feel with wide open space and large warehouse-like sliding doors. It\u2019s tucked away in the back of a shopping mall next to Kaveri Restaurant and The Travel Store on Fulton. For the workout there are 3 sections – mobility, warm up and workout. These include a combination of walking, stretching and balance; band work (while upright); mat exercises (horizontal core strengthening and stretches); a warm-up (light repetitive lifting and calisthenics); and in between, aerobic exercises like jump roping. All while being guided by Emily.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAn hour gives a really good workout so you don\u2019t feel rushed,\u201d he says. The pacing is important, as well as being taught how to do the movements and lifts correctly. \u201cGenerally, after the workout I feel a good general exhaustion in a way, instead of feeling like I just over-extended muscles. And I notice that around 9 or 10am, there\u2019s a real energy surge. A workout like this will fuel me during the next couple of days. It\u2019s an investment in my health.\u201d<\/p>\n
So what about Emily then; who\u2019s the woman behind the story?<\/p>\n
I notice that she thinks before she speaks, unafraid of pensive silence, and that she often speaks matter-of-factly. So, curious to know how she does on the personal front, I seek out some of her personal story, asking what got her into fitness and training.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was always involved in sports as a child, but then I think it morphed into body image \u2013 realizing I couldn\u2019t just eat whatever I wanted. Over the years it morphed into long term – wanting to be active with my kids, showing them that activity is important (because I wasn\u2019t taught that as a kid). We all have that desire to go play, but if we don\u2019t do it regularly, we\u2019ll probably get hurt. Physical activity is a part of life that so many of us give up.\u201d<\/p>\n
My eyeballs roll up and sideways in my head as I scan my history for my own physical fitness life trend.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople get caught up on New Year\u2019s resolutions and failures, but no time is a bad time to start taking care of yourself and your health. The thing is that often it takes getting really uncomfortable with a situation to prompt you to decide to make a change. So many temptations and excuses\u2026 it can all go downhill fast, and we get discouraged.\u201d
No stranger to unhealthy habits herself, Emily has been in recovery for 5 years. And she knows how important it is to really be aware of our addictions with things; why we have them, and what the consequences of them are. \u201cThere is a whole process behind why we do what we do. Understanding our own process and reasons for it is key to a life of wellbeing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you be willing to share more with us about your recovery?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I would be OK with it to a considerable extent,\u201d she replies.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn working a program of recovery and living a life of recovery I have learned a lot about myself. Recognizing my feelings and where they originate from and how to walk through them are some of the tools I’ve learned. Not to mention the whole mind, body and spirit connection I have been becoming to understand, it’s like a 3 legged stool- if one thing is missing my whole moment can be thrown off. So an important thing is to listen to my body and how it feels after a workout or after I eat. Typically if my workout doesn’t happen then I also eat horribly and my body and mind are affected. Or if my spiritual connection is off, it can throw my whole day off. It has all been a process and journey of learning. One that I continue to grow from day to day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important to me to continue to uncover, discover and discard things in order for me to grow in this journey of life and reach the goal I have of being the best person I can be today. At the end of the day I practice letting it all go. I try not to dwell on what I should’ve or could’ve done. Tomorrow is another day and another chance to do better than the day before. It’s a big trial and error process and learning from my mistakes and accomplishments. I’m loving every minute of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Starting her life over in a sense, Emily went back to school at age 33 while in Recovery and got her G.E.D. She then began pursuing Physical Therapy. But combining her interest in the medical profession and physical wellness – she ultimately chose Sports Medicine. \u201cI realize it\u2019s an important job because you\u2019re dealing with people\u2019s bodies and their wellbeing.\u201d Therefore, \u201ccertification, education and ongoing training matter\u201d in this profession.<\/p>\n
In addition, there has to be some level of commitment on the client\u2019s part for health and healing. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of work to eat well, take care of yourself, get \u2013 and stay \u2013 fit. Find something that works for you, someone you can relate to, something that motivates you to want to feel better. Then be willing to be open to variety, because the same old thing won\u2019t always work for you. Seeing and feeling results is what will reward and motivate you to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just remember it\u2019s a process, one that requires some self compassion in order to be truly effective.<\/p>\n
{Emily\u2019s rates vary – depending on individual or group session, and \u00bd hour or hour-long session – from $25-$75. For more information contact Emily at 916-203-1213<\/a> or Brownemily377@yahoo.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Often it takes getting really uncomfortable with a situation to prompt you to decide to make a change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2545,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[16,10],"class_list":["post-2544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-march-2015","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"authors":[{"term_id":16,"user_id":2,"is_guest":0,"slug":"stephen-walker","display_name":"Stephen Bryant Walker, MFT","avatar_url":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StephenWalker-150x150.jpg","user_url":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/","last_name":"Walker","first_name":"Stephen","description":"Mr. Walker is a licensed psychotherapist and Buddhist teacher (Lama Yeshe Jinpa) who provides his clients with compassionate support and encourages them to bring mindfulness and kindness to their problems, issues and life goals."},{"term_id":10,"user_id":6,"is_guest":0,"slug":"melanie","display_name":"Melanie Noel Light, MS","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32a567fd9428239348dea0a207d33b1de89bee5944d67194eb6ada8df8022cd0?s=96&d=blank&r=g","user_url":"","last_name":"Noel Light","first_name":"Melanie","description":"Visionary Consultant and Writing & Awareness Coach, Editor of La Dolce Vita Online Magazine dreamlifedesigning@gmail.com (916) 425.4478\r\nwww.dreamlifedesigning.com Author: Portals to the Soul, the Psyche & a More Enchanted Life Co-Author: Something So Obvious"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2544"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2553,"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2544\/revisions\/2553"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2544"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/middlewayhealth.com\/ladolcevita\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=2544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}