A Season of Change

There’s something special about fall. It marks the end of summer, the beginning of the school year, and the highly-anticipated break in humidity. You reignite your love affair with espresso brown, dark purple, and burgundy. You start to remember how nice it is to wear jeans without feeling hot and sticky. The smell of wood burning in a fireplace makes you smile. Everything just seems a little bit different at the start of fall, even if the only thing that’s changed is the color of the leaves.

Well this fall, things don’t just seem different, but there are actually some huge changes happening! Since getting certified this summer, I have continued working with Fighting Trim to develop their programming, and even more recently, I was offered a position at BodySmith Training Gym in Washington D.C. as a personal trainer! I haven’t really started yet, in terms of working with clients, but I plan to start slowly (part-time) and test the waters a bit. Get myself used to major changes in smaller doses. I’m really not sure what my schedule is going to be like, but I know it’s going to be quite different than what I’m used to with an office job. Once things pick up and I begin to work with clients, I’m sure I’ll have to figure out!

Still finding my way in the grown-up world; I’ve realized how important is it to follow my passions, try new things, and pursue a career that would be fulfilling for me. For my first job out of college, I feel like I’ve learned a lot of things that I can apply not only to work, but life in general. This job has helped me identify when I’m most/least productive, how to work best with different personalities, and how to use my strengths to my advantage. But perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned from this job is what I definitely don’t want to do – work in an office all day. However, with personal training, I have the opportunity to try out something that really gets me excited. Sure a paycheck is nice, but why not get a paycheck while also doing something you truly enjoy. For most of my life I’ve taken the safe route. I was stayed away from change; too afraid of the unknown possibilities. But change can be good. As I was once told, you spend so much of your life working, you might as well be happy with what you do.

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Taking a Stand

I usually ride my bike to work. The few times where the weather keeps me from my daily morning cycle, I take the bus. Getting on the bus is often like squishing into a sardine can, but sometimes there are open seats. I always let other people take those seats. When someone offers me a seat, I promptly say no and (for those Wellesley alums reading this) I can’t help but feel offended.

Let me explain why I feel offended. It’s not because a man is offering me a seat which I clearly would have taken if I wanted it. But that’s for another post. I’m offended because our society does too much sitting.

We’ve all heard the “news” about how our increasingly sedentary work-style is bad for our health, even if we exercise every day. In fact, the exercise you do to “make up” for the fact that you’ve been sitting all day won’t actually do anything to reverse the damage that sitting does. That means you may look fit on the outside, but you may not be as healthy as you think on the inside. Research shows that long periods of sitting that are associated with office jobs can contribute to increased risk of metabolic syndrome, heart attack, and stroke – just to name a few.

Most of the articles I’ve read about sitting (yes, there are quite a few out there) offer remedies for this sedentary situation; like taking regular walks around the office, doing desk exercises (deskercises?), or getting a standing desk. But like many problems in our society, the first line of defense seems to be finding a quick fix to alleviate the effects of the problem rather than looking at the root cause of the issue.

From my personal experience, I function best as a human being when I’m moving. As tired as I was after a softball practices in college, my mind and my body were better off because of it. I was more prepared to take on the studying I had to do later in the day. I slept better. I ate better in order to fuel my body for the next practice. I learned that I not only felt physically better, but I was more mentally alert and engaged, I was more likely to remember things , and I felt more in tune with my body. In other words, I feel like a whole person when I get to be active. You can just imagine how I feel sitting at a desk from 9 to 5 – lethargic, unfocused, and bored…

Part of the reason I began pursuing a career in personal training is the fact that I’d get to incorporate a lot more movement into my life. Despite having an office job, I still consider myself a very healthy and active person. But that got me thinking, if I’m already starting to feel the adverse effects of a sedentary work-style, how are people that are less healthy and physically fit than me dealing with this issue? My guess is they aren’t, and if they are, it can’t be easy.

Jobs that rely on technology and are primarily done on computers are great in terms of communication speed, smooth transactions, and easy organization, but what are they doing for the health and fitness of our society? I know it’s not possible to turn back time and erase the hours we spend sitting at desks, but I try to remain optimistic. I hope that more offices will incorporate incentives for healthy habits like gym memberships, install standing or walking desks, create office cultures that value and reward well-being, or that eventually a lot of jobs won’t require an office at all. It’s long overdue that health and fitness become priorities for businesses and organizations. After all, healthy employees are happier, more productive, and have fewer healthcare costs. And who wouldn’t want that!?

What are some other ideas to address our increasingly sitting society?

Finding My Inner Olympian

A lot can happen over the span of two weeks. The Olympics is a perfect and timely example. Well, for the past two weeks, I’ve had my own Olympic-like experience. I’ve spent countless hours studying in preparation for the AFAA personal training workshop this past weekend, where I took the written and practical exam to become certified as a personal trainer. If you asked me a month ago what my plan was, I was going to sit in on the workshop but wait until September to take the exam. Looking back, I just didn’t have the confidence to take the exam. I shied away from what I wanted and expected that I wouldn’t be prepared; I expected failure. But my whole life has provided me with experience studying for finals, self-scheduling exams, and preparing for athletic events, so how was this any different? Plus, I had the added incentive of enjoying the entirety of the Olympics/rest of my summer without thinking about studying!

It was only about a week before the workshop that something clicked in my brain that said, “take the exam.” It may have been part of a dream, my subconscious or the encouraging “little me” on my shoulder. Whatever it was, from that point on, I was convinced and determined to take the exam. Throughout the workshop, I took notes and asked questions that further prepared me for taking the final test. On Sunday, I still felt a little nervous, but what I mostly felt was calm, prepared, and happy that all my hard work was about to pay off. I still have to wait a month to actually find out whether I passed or not, but no matter the result, I feel proud of what I’ve accomplished. Of course passing would be great, but what this weekend was really about was getting over my fear and self-doubting, and that’s exactly what I did.
So many people in my life have encouraged me on my way towards becoming a trainer and shown their confidence in me, but that can only take me so far. Like an Olympic athlete, all the hours of training and encouragement from your support system all comes down to a single event. Nobody else was going to take that exam for me. This was the part of my journey where I really had to believe in myself. The ability to really believe in yourself is such an important tool to have in life, perhaps even more so for a personal trainer. If you can’t get yourself to do something, how on earth are you going to motivate someone else!?

As for now, I’m going to enjoy the rest of my summer, and hopefully I’ll have some good news to share in a month :)

The (not-so) Lazy Days of Summer

While I’m usually all about getting my life organized and planned, I’m trying not to look at the calendar so much these days. Why? Besides being reminded that summer is already halfway through, I’ve also got nine days until the three-day AFAA workshop begins. AFAA is one of the many programs available to people who want to get certified as a personal trainer. This weekend workshop makes all the day-dreaming, studying, and discussions I’ve had about becoming a trainer a reality.

Typically the workshop includes lectures, practical demonstrations, and an examination. Since I’ve only been studying for a few weeks, I’m scheduling to do the exam portion on the next available date in D.C., which is in early September. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have to study and prepare myself for next weekend. I still have to know my stuff!

I know I have what it takes to do well at the workshop, but I’m still trying to balance a mixed bag of feelings. Anxious, excited, nervous, proud, and mostly in disbelief that I’m finally taking a big step towards becoming a personal trainer. The next few months will not only be an internal emotional balancing act, but also a test to balance my social, work, and study schedule. After all, summer is a popular time for plans with friends and family. I’ve got friends staying with me in August and I’m going up to the shores of Maine with my family over Labor Day weekend. My strategy to find balance? Find a shady place to lay outside and study at the same time – a perfect juxtaposition for my current situation; finding a moment of calm in a time of rapid changes.

So much for the lazy days of summer!

Adult Education

I graduated from college three years ago. Now that doesn’t seem like a long period of time, but it means that’s how long it’s been since I’ve had to study for an exam. I started reading through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) textbook to prep for my personal training certification exam, and I suddenly remembered how hard studying is. Or maybe it’s just been so long that I forgot how to study.

I’ve heard people say it’s easier to study after going to college for the following reasons:

1. You’ve had years of schooling where you’ve established and fine-tuned all the basic study skills you need
2. What you’re studying now is a personal choice, which means studying should be more meaningful/enjoyable/effortless
3. If you’re working at a 9-5, you’ve got plenty of evening and weekend hours to dedicate to studying

But this list is missing one big factor, which is that you need practice in order to maintain or get better at something. I haven’t “practiced” studying in three years, which would mean that I’m out of practice. I’m not saying that I haven’t learned things over the past three years, it’s just been in a more real-life non-academic setting. I’ve attained skills that are practical and can help me in my daily life, which doesn’t include taking exams.

So, how does one get back into the practice of studying? If I knew the answer, I wouldn’t be asking the question. I’ve tried just diving right back into reading, taking notes, highlighting, and making flashcards. It’s been okay, but I still feel like there’s a step missing. Like with practicing a sport, if you haven’t played in a while, you don’t want to  just go straight into it without adequately warming up. What I need is a mental warm-up that will get me back into studying shape. Any suggestions?

Trailblazing

Breaks are a necessary part of life. Yes, including breaks from blogging! If we never took breaks, we’d never have a chance to rest, recharge, and look back at the things we’ve done. Or a break could help us avoid getting into a downward spiral ending in doom and destruction – sometimes I find it helpful to picture the worst case scenario so I realize that I’m nowhere near it. Yes, thankfully I’m not facing the downward spiral of doom, but I am looking to switch things up from what I’ve been doing for the past three years.

Looking back at the last three years, I can’t really complain about my life. I graduated in 2009 with a degree in Environmental Studies, got a job at an environmental non-profit in D.C., and maintained a great relationship and circle of friends. Everything all bright and cheery from the outside. Three years later, I’m in the same (job) boat and ready to jump ship, swim around in unknown waters, and find a new boat to sail in. Or if you’re more of a land-based metaphor type, I’m ready to blaze my own trail instead of walking on one that already exists.

Well trailblazing isn’t exactly my forte. I usually do well once I’m given directions, it’s giving myself directions that’s the issue. I’m a person that likes instruction and derives satisfaction from completing a task someone asks me to do. I’m okay at giving myself a pat on the back, but I really thrive on external recognition. I was the child who liked getting stickers on a tests, athletic award ceremonies, and trophies. Basically, I wanted to know that someone out there appreciated the effort I put in. This has proven to be both a good and bad quality to have. On the one hand, it usually motivates me to do things for other people, not expecting anything in return other than a gesture of gratitude. On the other hand, there are plenty of situations in life where there’s no one  there to cheer you on.

Sure, I’ve got friends and family that are there to support me, but when it comes to down to it, I’m the only one who can get me to do something. After all, people can only cheer me on if I make the decision to do something they can cheer for. This time it’s a career change. I’ve always been a fitness enthusiast, and my goal is to turn that passion into a career. I’ve already started by teaming up with a small gym in D.C. that specializes in martial arts and bootcamp-style workouts. I went through certification for Jungshin Fitness, an exercise program that incorporates wooden swords for a full body workout, with other trainers from the gym. At the certification, I was really encouraged to be among people with different backgrounds and from all levels of experience. Through the gym and Jungshin Fitness certification, I’ve met some great people and established meaningful connections. I may be my own boss on this journey, but that doesn’t mean I have to do it alone.

Jungshin Short Sword Training Workshop. Location: Sport & Health, Crystal City, VA

My next steps are to begin instructing Jungshin Fitness classes and studying for my personal training workshop and certification. Stay tuned for more updates on my journey in following my own direction and becoming a personal trainer.