Mobile Massage Services

 

•Swedish
•Sports Massage
•Deep Tissue
•Prenatal & Postnatal
•Trigger Point/ Neuromuscular Therapy
•Myofascial Release
•Aromatherapy

Now offering a complimentary cupping session with the purchase of any massage until the end of June!

45 Minutes- $55
Prepay to make your session stress free!

60 Minutes- $70
Prepay to make your session stress free!

90 Minutes- $100
Prepay to make your session stress free!

*Pricing includes Aromatherapy & custom rehabilitation plan.

My #1 goal is for my clients to reach complete relaxation and walk away feeling better than before they saw me. With my knowledge from my NASM Personal Training Certification and 600 hour Massage Therapy program I am able to create a completely customized massage based on your current needs. I utilize doTerra essential oils in all of my massages. The essential oils I choose are once again, determined on the clients wants and needs (You can find detail information about Aromatherapy and doTerra oils below).

After your massage session, I will also give you a packet with stretches and exercises to help your current imbalances so you can recover faster and reach your optimum wellness.

What are the benefits of massage?

1. Relieve stress
2. Relieve postoperative pain
3. Reduce anxiety
4. Manage low-back pain
5. Help fibromyalgia pain
6. Reduce muscle tension
7. Enhance exercise performance
8. Relieve tension headaches
9. Sleep better
10. Ease symptoms of depression
11. Improve cardiovascular health
12. Reduce pain of osteoarthritis
13. Decrease stress in cancer patients
14. Improve balance in older adults
15. Decrease rheumatoid arthritis pain
16. Temper effects of dementia
17. Promote relaxation
18. Lower blood pressure
19. Decrease symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
20. Help chronic neck pain
21. Lower joint replacement pain
22. Increase range of motion
23. Decrease migraine frequency
24. Improve quality of life in hospice care
25. Reduce chemotherapy-related nausea

What is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is the practice of using the natural oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being.

The inhaled aroma from these “essential” oils is widely believed to stimulate brain function. Essential oils can also be absorbed through the skin, where they travel through the bloodstream and can promote whole-body healing.

A form of alternative medicine, aromatherapy is gaining momentum. It is used for a variety of applications, including pain relief, mood enhancement and increased cognitive function.

There are a wide number of essential oils available, each with its own healing properties.

What is an Essential Oil?

If you have ever enjoyed the scent of a rose, you’ve experienced the aromatic qualities of essential oils. These naturally occurring, volatile aromatic compounds are found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants. They can be both beautifully and powerfully fragrant. Essential oils give plants their distinctive smells, essential oils protect plants and play a role in plant pollination. In addition to their intrinsic benefits to plants and their beautiful fragrance, essential oils have long been used for food preparation, beauty treatment, and health-care practices.

But what exactly is a volatile aromatic compound? In short, these compounds are small organic molecules that tend to change quickly from their solid or liquid state to a gas at room temperature. They are called volatile because they change state quickly. When you first open a bottle of essential oil, you instantly notice that the aroma is potent and you can smell it typically even from some distance. The physical and chemical properties of the volatile aromatic compounds that compose essential oils allow them to quickly move through the air and directly interact with the olfactory sensors in the nose. Such unique properties make essential oils ideal for applications inclusion in aromatherapy – using these compounds from plants to help maintain a healthy mind and body – as well as other applications. The type of volatile aromatic compounds present in an essential oil determines both the oil’s aroma and the benefits it offers.

Over 3,000 varieties of volatile aromatic compounds have been identified to date. The nature of an essential oil varies from plant to plant, within botanical families, and from species to species. The delicate ratio of aromatic constituents found in any given essential oil are what make it unique and give it specific benefits.

Even with pure essential oils the composition of the oil can vary depending on the time of day, season, geographic location, method and duration of distillation, year grown, and the weather, making every step of the production process a critical determinant of the overall quality of the essential oil product.

Essential oils can be used for a wide range of emotional and physical wellness applications. They can be used as single essential oils or in complex essential oil blends depending on user experience and desired benefit.

Essentials Oils are available for purchase below:

http://www.doterra.com/vanessahyde

Cupping Therapy

NOW AVAILABLE!

What is Cupping Therapy good for?

• Arthritis
• Back Pain
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Circulatory Problems
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Fatigue
• Sciatica
• Cold & Influenza
• Headaches
• High Blood Pressure
• Joint Pain
• Leg Cramps
• Low Blood Pressure
• Migraines
• Pain Relief
• Stiffness of Joints
• Swelling
• Cellulite
• TMJ

AND SO MUCH MORE!

CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR CUPPING
Cupping is contraindicated in cases of severe diseases, i.e. cardiac failure, renal failure, ascites due to hepato-cirrhosis and severe edema, as well as hemorrhagic diseases such as allergic pupura, hemophilia and leukemia, and clients with dermatosis, destruction of skin, or allergic dermatitis. Cupping should not be applied on the portion where hernia exists or has occurred in the past. For pregnant women, the lower abdomen, medial leg and lumbosacral region should be avoided.

 

No the marks are NOT Bruises!

Cupping Therapy Pricing

20 Minutes $30- Ideal for a specific body part with pain, past injury or surgery with scar tissue. (Golfers/Tennis Elbow, Ankle, Plantar Fasciitis, Etc.)
Prepay to make your session stress free!

40 Minutes $50- Upper or Lower body or bigger body parts (Back, Neck/shoulder, Etc.)
Prepay to make your session stress free!

Facial Rejuvenation $65- Facial Cupping to reduce lines and wrinkles, promote formation of new collagen, hydrate skin and reduce puffiness. Topped with a pure collagen face mask and finished with a neck and shoulder massage. You do not need to worry about discolorations on your face because we use consistent gliding movements. (Duration: 40 Minutes)
Prepay to make your session stress free!

Gift Certificates

$55 45 Minute Massage

$70 60 Minute Massage

$100 90 Minute Massage

$65 Facial Rejuvination

Massage Therapy is not a luxury, it’s nesseccary.

The human body contains 11 major organ systems. Massage can manipulate these systems in differing ways, based on the needs of the individual.

My goal is to change peoples views on massage. We need to stop viewing massage as a luxury and only getting one as a treat. It does SO much more for us than relaxes our minds for 60 minutes. As I started learning about the many unheard of benefits of massage, I knew I wanted to become a therapist so I can help people heal and educate them on the importance of getting one frequently. Here are the many benefits massage therapy has on each of our systems:

Circulatory System

Increasing blood flow

Increasing oxygen

increasing nutrients

increasing red blood cells

reducing heart rate

lowering blood pressure

Endocrine System

balancing mood

controlling stress levels

reducing cravings

inspiring relaxation

reducing pain

fulfilling the basic need for human touch

rebalancing the hormonal system

increasing desire

Digestive System

releasing tension in the abdominal muscles

releasing tension in the intestinal muscles

reducing bloat, gas and cramps

relieving indigestion

improving digestion by stimulating peristalsis

releasing digestive enzymes

relieving constipation

assisting with waste elimination

stimulating liver activity

stimulating kidney activity

Integumentary System

provides overall stimulation and health of the skin

stimulates sebaceous glands, which produce sweat

improves skin condition, texture and tone

stimulates sensory receptors

enhances tissue repair

enhances healthy scar formation

soothes and sedates the body through the power of touch

opens the skin’s pores assisting with waste elimination

removes dead skin

moisturizes skin

Lymphatic System

reducing swelling

reducing inflammation

relieving sinus congestion

reducing scar tissue

stimulating circulation

rehabilitating post-injury

rehabilitating post-surgical

complementing some forms of cancer treatments

Muscular System

stimulating the circulatory system

stimulating the nervous system’s sensory neurons

enhancing cell activity

helping to facilitate waste removal in the lymph system

releasing facial constrictions

assisting in reducing connective tissue thickening

providing flexibility

decreasing fibrous adhesions from muscle tissue injury or immobilization

enhancing range of motion

increasing tone

rehabilitating post-operatively

warming-up or warming-down muscles exercise

relaxation

enhancing posture and balance

assisting muscle tone

facilitating movement

releasing facial constrictions

increasing flexibility

managing pain

Nervous System

decreasing heart rate

lowering blood pressure

constricting pupils

stimulating blood flow

regulating digestion

reducing inflammation

enhancing release of endorphins

regulating mood

influencing dopamine to control movement and elicit emotional responses such as pleasure and pain

stimulating the senses (touch, hear, smell, see, and feel)

assisting digestive movement and secretions

assisting body functioning, such as respiration, perspiration, and body temperature

Reproductive System

promotes general breast health

promotes relaxation

reduces blood pressure

loosens lower back muscles

assists prostrate treatments

reduces menstrual cramps

provides feeling of wellness

Respiratory System

deepens massage

improves lung capacity

relaxes tight, stiff or spastic muscles

reduce respiration rate

increasing blood circulation

increasing pulmonary functioning

promote expansion and contraction of the diaphragm muscles

deepens the breathing pattern releasing tension in the chest cavity

relieves lung congestion

stimulates blood flow

lower the respiratory rate

Skeletal System

improves posture

facilitates body alignment

improves stiff joints

reduces inflammation

increases range of motion

relaxes tight muscles and tendons

improves soreness and fatigue

increases flexibility

reduces the number of and intensity of muscle spasms

improves muscle tone

facilitates mineral retention

Urinary System

aids in increasing urinary output

reduces fluid retention

stimulates the digestive system

promotes better elimination of wastes

increases the efficiency of the liver

increases the efficiency of the kidneys

assists toxins stored in the muscles to be released

 

 

Have you changed your mind on Massage Therapy yet?

Why I want to have a natural birth

I wanted to make a post about why I want to have a natural birth verses going straight for an Epidural or scheduled C-Section. I think it is a shame that when a women tells someone they want to go natural, people look at them like they are out of their minds and that its completely absurd. First off, we are women. Our bodies were designed to give birth! It knows what to do, and when! Before surrendering to interventions, I want to encourage women to give their bodies the benefit of the doubt, and entertain the thought of at least trying natural. It is so empowering, and to me, part of the pregnancy experience. Now I have never experienced labor, and can not predict how things will go. The most I can do is TRY and see how it ends up. The thing that is most important to me is attempting to do it without medications. I do have faith in my midwife being highly trained and experienced in natural vaginal births, my body and mind, that I can accomplish it as long as I keep faith.

Most midwifery births are in a birthing center, which can be apart of a hospital or not (pictured above) that is designed to feel homey with beds and tubs instead of a sterile, scary hospital room. Having this environment will increase your chances of needing interventions, as it helps you relax. Just to be clear, I do not judge any mother for choosing to have an epidural or C-Section. If that’s what you want, then I fully support it. But I just wanted to give women the option to make their own decision based on what is important to them, instead of going with what is the norm now a days and what their doctor recommends (If you are high risk then yes, an MD is the best way to go).

Here are some reasons and benefits on why I want to have a natural birth:

Epidurals, Pitocin and IVs seem to be the norm in many places in the U.S. Birth has gone from being a natural and normal biological process to a highly managed medical event. It doesn’t have to be this way… and really shouldn’t be this way for the health of baby and mama. While medical interventions can and do save lives in a small percentage of births, the majority of labors can unfold as nature intended. Having an epidural, IVs or continuous electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) usually means you will be confined to bed, unable to walk or change positions when it would be beneficial to do so. Many moms don’t realize that they’ll be given a catheter once the epidural is administered so forget laboring on the toilet!

Natural childbirth allows you to move freely and work with your body to birth your baby. Freedom of movement makes labor easier, and sometimes faster. Women who walk and change position during labor experience increased comfort, are more likely to give birth vaginally, and have a better sense of control over their experience.Freedom to eat and drink during labor is another way that natural childbirth helps women have easier births. A woman who is well nourished and hydrated is a strong woman ready for the hard work of labor.Each unnecessary intervention has the potential to lead to more interventions, including c-section. When birth begins on its own and continues on its own time, mom is less likely to need these interventions.

For example, if you have an epidural, labor is likely to slow which may mean that your doctor will give you Pitocin to push labor along. Likewise, if labor is induced and your body and baby weren’t ready you will not produce natural oxytocin to begin contractions. You will then need Pitocin to get contractions going.

Pitocin has the potential to create intense and frequent contractions that don’t allow mom or baby rest, which can reduce the oxygen supply to baby. If baby becomes distressed many doctors will recommend a C-section.In natural childbirth oxytocin signals the uterus to begin contracting and signals the brain to send endorphins, nature’s pain killer. It also signals the brain to continue sending oxytocin which will reach a peak during the pushing phase.Epidural interfere with this normal cascade of labor hormones and can slow labor significantly. Often Pitocin is recommended to get labor progressing.

When you have an epidural you can’t feel your lower body so you can’t change positions when it would be beneficial. Also, if you can’t feel your contractions you can’t push at the right time and with the right force to help baby out, resulting in a harder, longer labor.Epidural use can cause sudden blood pressure drop for mom which means less oxygen rich blood pumping to baby. This can result in fetal distress and many practitioners will recommend a C-section.

Narcotic pain relief can cause mom and baby to be groggy and “out of it”. Forgoing this kind of pain relief will help you to stay present during the birth of your baby. Even epidural pain relief can make you feel disconnected from your child’s birth. Though the medication may not make you feel groggy, the lack of sensation and connection to the physical act of giving birth may make you feel disconnected from the experience. Some moms have to be told when to push because they can’t feel the urge. Moms may also have an epidural “hangover” or feel itchy as the result of the procedure.

Unmedicated, natural childbirth, on the other hand, requires your full attention. Some women describe it as “other worldly” because of the connection between mind and body that has to occur during birth. With the rush of natural endorphins, some moms even enjoy giving birth rather than just suffering through it.

Natural childbirth supports the idea that childbirth is a rite of passage. Because of the blood, sweat and tears that you put into birth, there is something really transformational that happens. Some like to say that you go into birth as a maiden and come out the other end as mother. Natural childbirth advocates know that this journey to motherhood is a necessary one. They know that it is empowering for a woman to give birth on her own terms. To make choices for herself and her baby without coercion, guilt and ridicule. The mother needs to feel empowered and encourage as her birth unfolds.

Without the haze of drugs or the soreness of surgery, moms who experience natural childbirth are able to recover quickly and be present right after birth. Moms experience an oxytocin high which gives them a boost of energy to cuddle their baby and begin skin-to-skin touching, breastfeeding and eye contact, which in turn enhances the oxytocin cascade. Many moms are up and walking around shortly after natural birth.

If none of the above information has convinced you to go natural….

With healthcare costs rising finding a way to save money isn’t a bad idea. Natural birth is far less expensive than a birth that has many interventions. In the U.S., maternity care is not a package deal like it is in many other countries. Instead, women are charged a la carte for each procedure or test. An epidural alone costs around $1000 while a c-section can raise your bill by as much as $20,000.

Giving birth at a birth center or at home is also much less expensive than giving birth naturally at a hospital. The fee for midwifery services ranges, based on location, from $2000-$4000 while the cost for a vaginal birth at a hospital ranges from $10,000-$15,000.

I hope this article has empowered you, and has you thinking about your future birth a little differently.

Is weight training safe during Pregnancy?

So I have some BIG news!…..I am expecting, and am due in April!

 

I thought I would switch gears and really focus on talking about how to have a Fit Pregnancy since that is currently my life for the next 9 months. I was so inspired by other women who still lifted weights during their pregnancy, and didn’t stop just because “they say” it is not safe so I want to now inspire other women to continue with it.

Why is it safe to continue with lifting weights during pregnancy? Your body is always striving for homeostasis. When you first start exercising, your body sees it as stress, and therefore has to adapt to that stress level on the body. It does that by building up muscle that has just been broken down, so it can prepare for it again. Once it adapts to your activity level, it is no longer stress on the body. Therefore, if you lifted weights 5x a week before you got pregnant, your body is already use to it and you may continue on . It will also play a big role in you getting back into your pre-baby jeans A LOT sooner. Sure you may have to scale back on the types of exercise the bigger you get, because it will be difficult to get in (or out of) a certain position, and you may run out of energy a lot faster than before.

Lets start debunking these 5 most common Myths according to Girls Gone Strong:

Myth #1: Lifting weights is dangerous for you and your baby.

Just the opposite is true, it seems. The outcomes for moms and babies are better with prenatal exercise. The research shows that fitter moms have shorter labors, less chance of preterm labor, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stays. Get your hands on the book “Exercising Through Your Pregnancy,” by James Clapp, for study after study proving the case for more strenuous exercise in pregnancy.

Also of note is that women who exercise during pregnancy report lower rates of perceived exertion during labor, than women who did not exercise. If that doesn’t convince you…

Concerned about your baby’s health? Ever better news is that fit moms have healthier babies. A recent study showed that exercise during pregnancy might program a baby’s heart to resist cardiovascular problems later in life, because they have stronger blood vessels.

Another new study found that the brains of babies born to women who exercised moderately throughout pregnancy appear to mature faster. Plus, it’s well documented that babies show higher APGAR scores and better handle the stress of labor when moms have exercised.

 

 

Myth #2: You’ll exacerbate pregnancy pains with lifting and increase your risk of injury because your body is unstable

Yes, your body is going to be more unstable. There are a whole bunch of hormonal changes going on, one of which is the major increase of the hormone relaxin. As the name suggests, relaxin promotes soft tissues such as ligaments and tendons to become more lax and flexible, which is necessary to carry a baby full term and prepare for labour/delivery. However, this alone might be the greatest argument for strength training in pregnancy.

Strength training = increased stability. A properly planned strength training program will help decrease aches and pains that are common in pregnancy, such as lower and upper back pain, by keeping your posture in more optimal alignment. And yes, if you’re new to strength training you can absolutely start during pregnancy. Focus on the basics: learn to squat, hinge, lunge, push, and pull. Work with a coach who can teach you solid movement patterns and progress you appropriately.

One of the main points of focus in my prenatal strength training programming is to avoid excessive arching through the lower back. A C-curve through the lumbar spine is necessary to get your baby into an optimal alignment for labour and delivery, however if it becomes too pronounced it can become incredibly uncomfortable for mom during pregnancy and actually hinder the movement of the baby moving down during labour.

Movements like squatting, glute bridges, and hip thrusts can be excellent for encouraging movement through the pelvis, while helping to increase the stability through your lower back. Win, win.

 

 

Myth #3: Don’t let your heart rate rise over 140bpm during exercise.

I love when my prenatal clients wear heart rate monitors during their training sessions, and we can test this principle firsthand. Most of the time, they’re hitting 140bpm near the end of their warm-up. Breathing has deepened, they’re keeping conversation, just starting to sweat, and most importantly, feeling fab.

The cause for concern with too high a heart rate has to do with the muscles pulling all the oxygen and not enough going to the fetus. This is a legitimate concern. However, the 140bpm guidelines come from outdated research, which was understandably cautious.

We now know the heart rate can be pushed higher than this without worry. I recommend using your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and the “Talk Test” to guide you. If you’re feeling great, being appropriately challenged, breathing harder but not out of breath, and allowing ample recovery during and between your workouts—perfect.

Keep in mind, your body and your baby are going to go through stressful periods during labour and delivery. Think of your strength and interval training as test runs for the impending contractions of labour. You work hard for 30-60 seconds, rest, and repeat. This is what prenatal training is all about. Prepare yourself for the main event!

 

Myth #4: Stop training abs or you’ll risk separating your abdominal wall.

I’ve read articles that advise you to let your abdominals get “nice and soft” before and during pregnancy. To even stop abdominal training while you’re trying to become pregnant, just so you don’t risk abdominal separation. If you want to be terribly uncomfortable and have debilitating back pain, then yes, this is sound advice. Not what we’re going for though, are we?

Proper abdominal and core training is so important during pregnancy because of your changing posture and additional weight being added to the anterior (front) side of the body. As we talked about under Myth #2, strength training can help to minimize the hyperextension of your lower back to keep your pelvis in a better position.

Abdominal separation is a real thing that many women in pregnancy experience, it’s called Diastasis Recti (DR). DR occurs because of the growing fetus pressing onto your abdominal wall. Your rectus abdominals, the “6-pack” muscles, will stretch because of this and the connective tissue holding them together can get very thin and soft.

The good news? A stronger core can help reduce the size and severity of your DR and set you up for a speedier recovery postpartum. There are specific core exercises that you should not do that can increase the DR, for example sit-ups, crunches and front planks.

What can you do? Half and tall kneeling positions, pallof pressing, dead bugs, farmers walks, diaphragmatic breathing exercises, and pelvic floor exercises.

I guarantee you will be grateful for those abs (even if you feel like they’ve temporarily left your body) once your babe is born and you’re carrying that weight around for hours a day. Remember, they’re only going to get heavier!

Myth #5: The perfect prescription for prenatal exercise is walking and prenatal yoga.

Refer to Myths #1 – 4. I love yoga and I love walking. They are fabulous activities to have as part of your prenatal exercise routine. That being said, you just can’t beat the benefits of a strength training program added to this.

You need to be strong to support your changing body. To maintain your strength as you carry extra weight. To help your postpartum recovery process. To prepare yourself and your baby for intense moments of labour and delivery.

Just as your body will experience a multitude of changes as you progress through pregnancy, your program will need to go on a journey too. What you did in your first trimester might not be working for you in the third. Have to lower your intensity? Decrease your weights? That is totally necessary and normal. You will absolutely get back to where you were and likely, an even stronger version of your new-mama self.

Keep lifting, or even start lifting, throughout your pregnancies. If strength training isn’t your thing, just keep that bod moving as much as you can, doing what you love.

 

 

 

 

It all starts with a little bit of confidence.

I use to be humiliated by my before pictures(the far left photo was a month into losing weight). I told myself nobody would ever see how bad I let myself get. But instead of keeping that attitude, I now see that sharing them can actually help inspire a lot of people. If you think “I’ll never have that body, it’s not in my genetics” or “I have so much work, it’ll take too long” get that mentality out of your head! I never thought about how long it would take, and I never had a deadline for reaching the body I wanted.

A picture just like this from someone else is what lit the fire under my butt. Seeing an average chunky girl I knew in high school, that turned herself into a muscular bad ass woman is what gave me the confidence that I could do it because someone “normal” did! It has been history ever since.

What’s my secret? I believed I could do it and so I did do it! I was consistent with my diet and exercise. I didn’t give up after a week or two of not seeing results. I didn’t look for a quick fix. I stuck to something I could do the rest of my life, and that is why 3 years later my results are only improving.

The time is going to pass anyways, so why not start now? By summer you will be kicking yourself for not starting sooner

Build, dont buy a bigger butt.

Left is 128lbs my smallest I ever was, from clean eating and not tracking macros. Right is 145lb and flexible dieting but most importantly tracking how much I was eating so I could make sure I was eating to grow!

I think it’s pretty funny how I am more proud of my lower body gains than my 50lb weight loss. Anyone can lose weight, but having the desire to get stronger so you can grow and not be a twig, something society hasn’t fully embraced in women yet, is what impresses me the most.

Embrace your stretch marks.

They can appear on any size body. Thin or Thick. They can be light or dark and happen anywhere from creating a human being, puberty, gaining or losing weight.

I didn’t discover my stretch marks until I lost fifty pounds. They were on my lower back (love handles), hips and up and down my inner thighs. I was so self-conscious and embarrassed – no way in hell was I going to let anyone notice them! After losing weight I wanted to show off my new body so bad with crop tops and short shorts. Sadly, all the cute clothes exposed every flaw and I wouldn’t even allow myself to leave my bedroom without covering them up.
It wasn’t until a year after my weight loss that I learned to embrace them. They weren’t going anywhere so letting them control my happiness no longer made sense. It wasn’t until I started to think differently that I became comfortable in my new skin.
To me, stretch marks signify you going through huge changes. They are a part of your journey. They are proof you did something amazing. You created the body of your dreams in a fairly short amount of time and you worked your ass off to do it. Perhaps you went from being a teenager to a woman with curves. Whatever you went through, you earned them and they are your battle scars.
If every woman proudly showed their stretch marks, it would be like throwing up two middle fingers to a society that makes women think they need to live up to skinny, blemish-free photo-shopped bodies that even their favorite celebrities don’t look like in person. It would teach women how to be perfectly happy with how they are instead of physically perfect. How amazing would that be if Kim Kardashian was on the cover of a magazine with her stretch marks and cellulite visible but posing so beautifully? How many young girls do you think that would inspire to love themselves and not strive to be perfect?
We must embrace the things we cannot change, and shouldn’t have to change, in order to feel beautiful. I proudly wear shorts now that expose my stretch marks. Why? Because I did something amazing that I put in a lot of dedication and sweat into. I transformed my body and those stretch marks tell my story. I will never be ashamed again for how my body looks, and if someone is going to judge me and look at me in disgust, then let it be – their opinion is none of my business anyway and besides, the important people in my life appreciate what I accomplished.

How to overcome your fear in the gym.

Everyone has been there. Walking into a gym for the first time and feeling completely overwhelmed. You see all the jacked guys pounding out reps in the weight room and all the skinny girls on the cardio machines. The gym can be a very intimidating place – but it doesn’t have to be! First, you have to stop obsessing over guessing other people’s thoughts and get control of your own.

When I first started I would throw on a baggy dark shirt and pants and just try to blend in. I would hang out on the stepper that overlooked the weight room and watch everyone work out. I started to learn where certain machines were and how to use the weird looking ones just by simply watching from a far. I knew I wanted to start lifting weights and my goal was to make it into the weight room.

I found a program online and looked up how to do each exercise on YouTube. Having a plan and knowing how to do it will help you feel more confident in the gym. I knew what I was doing and exactly what I needed to do next. I wasn’t standing around wondering what to do or randomly jumping from machine to machine.

Getting control of your mind is the key to any success. If I started to feel my anxiety building up when I couldn’t find a certain machine, I would stop and always tell myself this: “If you leave because you feel like you look stupid in front of people then you’re the only one who is suffering.” They still get their workout in and go on with their day. If I leave then I am the one who will be depressed the rest of the day at home and not working toward my weight-loss goal. The serious lifters are way too into their own workout to watch what other people are doing anyway. The one’s who do sit there and judge people don’t know what they are doing either! That’s why they have time to sit there and people watch. They are just as lost as you and their opinions don’t matter.

Now I go into any gym with confidence and If I get weird looks doing hip thrusters in the middle of the gym floor, well at least I will walk out of there with a bigger ass. Hell, I’ll even make eye contact with the person who is staring at me from across the gym. 🙂

New video’s posted on YouTube!

I’ve noticed a lot of people are still confused on what “macronutrients” (macros – protein, carbs and fats) are and how to track them. I know that feeling; the thought of macros intimidated me when I first attempted Flexible Dieting back in 2013. Worse yet, the more research I conducted, the more confused I became. However, now that I have been doing it a while, I cant believe I was ever scared, and the act of counting them has become literally effortless. It stressed me out how there were people out there, who I knew were very motivated and ready to attack their goals, wanted to try Flexible Dieting, but couldn’t wrap their heads around where to begin with macros. I didn’t want something as silly as that to hold anyone back so I made a two-part video series to help them.

Part One shows exactly how to log food into the mobile application “MyFitnessPal”. In the video I show you how to search for food in the database, plan your daily meals out ahead of time so you adjust your portions so you can hit your macros every day. In the second part, I show you how to weigh your food that you have logged in the application. I hope this is helpful to my clients and anyone else who is in need!

Stay positive, once you get the hang of it you will wonder why you didn’t start sooner!

 

Hello world!

This is my very first post! I created this to reach out and help women achieve their goals. I plan on regularly updating this with recipes, rants, and a lot of advice. Thanks for visiting my site!

Vanessa