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Essential Oils: Self Care for Health, Healing and Optimal Wellbeing

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By. Yvonne Taylor

While shelter in place has caused shifts in our routines and activities it also gives us time and opportunity to focus on common self-care and new self-care options to provide simultaneous mental and physical self-care. To aid in self-care many are turning to exercise and mindfulness disciplines such as meditation and mind-body disciplines such as Yoga. Each discipline is helpful in providing physical and mental self-care with the use of essential oils optimal wellbeing can be achieved.

Essential oils have been used in exercise practices for decades promoting phenomenal, healing results. To learn more about essential ois I had the privilege of interviewing  dynamic health and wellness healer, Kaileen (Kai) Cox. Kaileen’s integrative approach to self-care incorporates the use of essential oils in her massages and mindful meditation practices. 

I had a chance to sit down with Kaileen to learn about essential oils and unpack jewels of information about these unique compounds and the health benefits  they provide, here’s what we found out.

  1. Y: What are essential oils and what are they used for?  

K: Essential oils are made from the pure essences of plants and based on the plant essence they can be used for a variety of things. From reliving anxiety, soothing an upset stomach, decreasing inflammation and more.

  • 2. Y: There are many oils on the market and I have been told that not all oils are the same, what makes the oils different? 

K:The efficacy of an oil can differentiate one oil from another. There are many oils on the market but some oils are made of synthetic materials which reduces the efficacy of the oil and can be dangerous to use.

  • 3 .Y: What should a person be looking for when they shop for an oil?  

K: It is best to look for an oil that is 100% certified pure grade oils plant essence extract. Compound testing is done on plants before they can be labeled a Certified pure oil. 

  • 4. Y: In our previous correspondence you indicated that you prefer Doterra oils, why is that? 

K: Of the vast amounts of essential oils on the market this is one brand of oil that meets the standards and rigorous testing to be labeled 100% Certified Pure. Doterra offers a quality product that produces maximum results with the use of a small amount of the product. 1-2 drops of most oils is what you’d need to resolve any manner of conditions to have a favorable result. Ultimately I prefer Doterra because I can trust every drop in the bottle with pure. 

  • 5. Y: Essential oils have been touted to have many healing effects for various conditions, in this time of great uncertainty anxiety and depression are at an all time high, what oils are recommended for these conditions? 

K: It is common to pair anxiety and depression in the same sentence, but the truth is that both of these conditions are caused by different thought processes that produce each result. Anxiety is usually caused when one focuses too much into the future. Depression is usually caused with the thought process is focused too much in the past. These are common thought processes that can cause these conditions and is not meant to minimize true physiological factors like neurological, hormonal or other imbalances that may require care by way of medication or licensed medical/mental practitioner.  With that being said, lavender and wild orange essential oils can be helpful for anyone experiencing temporary bouts with Anxiety or depression. Lavender is the oil of choice to assist with anxiety and wild orange or a citrus oil is my choice for depression to serve as a pick me up. Lavender has calming properties while wild orange is a stimulant oil known to produce a joyful effect.

  • 6. Y: What physical conditions can essential oils help with (i.e. arthritis, inflammation, allergies)?

K: Essential oils can help with many physical conditions two of which are some of the most common ailments in people, inflammation and muscular pain. Inflammation can sometimes be caused by some of the foods we eat, allergies and/or the environment. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference but I choose to turn to the Doterra massage blend, AromaTouch. It is very effective for inflammation. It is a combination of Cypress Leaf, Peppermint Plant, Marjoram Leaf, Basil Leaf, Grapefruit Peel, and Lavender Flower essential oils. For aches and pains, a combination of wintergreen, camphor, peppermint, ylang ylang and more make up Doterra Deep Blue Soothing blend. You can use the Deep Blue rub directly on the area of pain. To provide soothing support to aching muscles and for other occasional discomfort, I would try dōTERRA’s Deep Blue Polyphenol Complex capsules which delivers polyphenol extracts of frankincense, turmeric, green tea, ginger, pomegranate, and grape seed. 

 7. Y: How would you recommend the oils be used (diffuser, ingested—if possible, placed in a bath, placed on strategic parts of the body)?

K: There are three ways that you can administer Essential oils to receive benefits these common methods are aromatic, topical, and internal.  Through smell we call this aromatic use of essential oils and the delivery is normally made by way of diffuser or a drop in the Palm of your hands and inhaled.  The second is on your skin or a  topical application which is placed directly on the skin either neat or diluted allowing the oil to absorb into the skin. I recommend diluting with a Carrier oil like fractioned coconut oils. It helps the oil stay on your body longer and is the safest way for your skin. The third is ingesting or internal use of  essential oils  allowing the oil to be transported throughout the body. and you should only do this with oil that are proven safe for internal use. You can make capsules yourself or buy them premade.

  • 8. Y: I have also been told that some oils are more potent than others ( for example You need to be careful when applying orange oil directly to the skin as it can produce serious burns to the skin) Is this true? What safety precautions, if any should one use when using essential oils?

K: There are some oils that require that you use with care and caution Citrus oils are photosensitive so be mindful when using lemon and orange. Be especially careful with bergamot this oil is very sun sensitive, if you use bergamot you will need to stay out of the sun for 24 hours. Be mindful of some of the oils that you use because sometimes you can become sensitized to an oil. Do research and seek the assistance of a professional if you are new to using oils.   

  • 9. Y: Can essential oils help with athletic performance and general fitness exercises (beyond Yoga)?

K: Essential oils are beneficial to all walks of life and performance in every part of life and are the gateway to intuitive development. Intuitive development is the foundation of mental focus, that leads into mindful movement and focused performance.  Doterra offers an oil called Breathe that provides helps with focusa mixture of Laurel Leaf, Eucalyptus Leaf, Peppermint Plant, Melaleuca Leaf, Lemon Peel, Cardamom Seed, Ravintsara Leaf, Ravensara Leaf essential oils.

Parmesan Roasted Green Beans Recipe

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I love Roasted Green Beans a lot because boiled or mushy green beans don’t have great taste (in my opinion though). It adds more value and taste as a side to a dish like wrapped in bacon or Rosemary and Lemon Roasted Chicken. Well, parmesan roasted green beans come out tender, crisp and delicious and that’s what I like most in the roasted green beans. 

Also, Asparagus could be an alternative choice if you don’t prefer green beans in your dish. 

However, parmesan roasted green beans are one of my favorites and an easy side dish. You can add a little bit crushed red pepper to add extra flavor to the dish while seasoning them in your own way. Also, you can keep the Parmesan dairy-free by leaving the Parmesan off as well. 

And, I would suggest to use two baking sheets if you have any plan to make double the recipe. Make sure you serve them right after the oven to get the best taste of the recipe. And you can make this wonderful delicious recipe on the stovetop grill pan if you are not fortunate enough of having an oven. 

Parmesan Roasted Green Beans Recipe

How To Make Parmesan Roasted Green Beans? (Step-by-Step) 

Ingredients: 

  • ¼ tsp garlic powder 
  • 2 tsp olive oil 
  • 11/2 tbsp shredded Parmesan 
  • 12 ounces of dry, trimmed green beans. 
  • Fresh cracked pepper to taste 
  • Kosher salt 
  • Other Extra Ingredients: (If you wish to add them in the recipe) 
  • Mince garlic 
  • Sliced almonds 
  • Dried herbs 
  • Fresh pepper 
  • Butter 
  • Balsamic vinegar 
  • Shaved parmesan cheese 

Directions 

  • Prepare your oven first and preheat it to 425°F. Also, using a baking sheet with aluminum can make the cleaning easier. 
  • On the baking sheet – lay all of your green beans and drizzle oil on them. You can also season them with garlic powder, pepper and salt and toss to coat them evenly. 
  • Make sure you have used all the surface spaces of that sheet to spread them on it. It would help you to lay the green beans flat on the oven’s lower third section 
  • Now, this process should take up to 10 minutes, then make a shake to the pan to turn them. And again, bake for additional 5 minutes. That’ it. 
  • And now, you are ready to remove it from the oven and you need to sprinkle them with grated cheese for sure. 

Popular Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) 

Question: Can I cook them on the grill in a grill pan? Would like to serve with the bruschetta chicken recipe. 

Answer: I don’t see why not & bruschetta chicken is an ideal recipe along with this roasted green beans. 

Question: Is it okay if I make mushroom alongside the green beans? Or, would they require a different temps/cook times? 

Answer: I think if the mushrooms were whole then, there shouldn’t have any problem (though I’m not 100% sure about it) 

Question: Can I use frozen green beans for this? 

Answer: Though it is quite exquisite, yes you can, as a matter of fact. 

Question: Can we make it along with Asparagus? 

Answer: Actually, this is how I make Asparagus, & to add a little kick, I like to use Cajun Seasoning. Though the Parm works well too. 

I hope, you have now a good idea on roasting green beans, right? Make the recipe and enjoy with your family. This could be a great dish idea for friends sleep over (I personally love it). To make the roasted green beans extra delicious, try adding other-optional ingredient I have mentioned above. Best of luck with the very tasty, delicious, a great side dish idea- roasted green beans.

Top 5 Health Benefits of Drinking Beer

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Those of us who enjoy a good beer usually go into it accepting that it isn’t particularly good for us. That’s not really why we’re here, is it? Well you may be surprised to know that beer actually comes with a number of health benefits.

bartender pouring a draft beer
bartender pouring a draft beer

Here are the 5 things that beer is actually doing for your body.

1. Beer can boost your immune system.

That’s right, beer is full of nutrients like magnesium, calcium, and iron. It also has a strong antioxidant profile that can benefit your immune system similar to the way blueberries help you out. 

Antioxidants the body clean up something called free radicals which build up within the body causing oxidative stress on your cells. Foods and drinks that contain antioxidants can help prevent this.

So if you’ve never put a handful of blueberries in a pilsner or blueberry wheat, this is your wake-up call. It’s wonderful. 

2. Beer can lower your cholesterol.

A 2016 study showed that regular beer consumption within a safe range ( 12 ounces of 5% beer per day for women, twice that for men) was beneficial in lowering cholesterol in must individuals.

However it also showed that over consumption eliminates these benefits, so make sure you’re drinking in moderation if you’re going to try to drop your cholesterol with a brew. 

3. Beer can improve your psychological health.

We’ve all heard about the harmful effects that alcohol can have on the brain. These are not exaggerations. Over consumption of alcohol can do a lot of harm to the body and there are a lot of superstitions out there that aren’t doing you any favors. 

My personal least favorite is the idea of the nightcap. Drinking before you sleep does not help you sleep better, regardless of how sleepy a couple of beers may make you feel at the bar.

But beer can help you if you are struggling with stress and anxiety. Moderate consumption of beer has been shown to help reduce stress in most individuals, and as we all know, is a great way to relax and enjoy yourself. Just make sure that you aren’t going overboard.

4. Beer can be good for your bones.

Yeah you read that right. There’s something found in beer called dietary silicon which is really good for improving your bone health. Recent studies have shown that people who regularly consume beer are 38% less likely to get osteoporosis and are less prone to bone injury, 

5. Switching to beer can help prevent kidney stones. 

Researchers at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart concluded that individuals who drink beer instead of things like soda and even wine or coffee have a lower chance of developing kidney stones.

This study showed that beer has a more hydrating effect than any of the other popular beverages that aren’t water. While you should still drink healthy amounts of water every day, if you are going to drink alcohol, beer is one of the healthier options. 

Conclusion

Well there you go, beer isn’t as bad for you as you thought. Though it may put a hurt on your calorie count, beer isn’t without its benefits. The moral of this story is moderation. Making sure you enjoy beer in a safe and responsible way will not only help you reap the health benefits on this list, it will help you enjoy life to the fullest.

So put your feet up, have a pint, try that blueberry thing (I’m serious guys, do it), and rest easy knowing that life is good and so is beer. 

Healthy Peanut Buttery Protein Protein Bars Recipe

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Ingredients

  • Coconut Oil Cooking Spray
  • 2/3 cup Uncooked Quick-Cooking Oats
  • 1/3 cup Buckwheat Flour
  • 1/4 cup Ground Chia Seeds
  • 1/4 cup Chopped Walnuts
  • 1/2  teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 Medium, Mashed Bananas
  • 1/4 cup Creamy. Low-Sodium Peanut Butter
  • 15 drops Chocolate-Flavored Liquid Stevia Sweetener
  • 2 teaspoons Stevia Sweetener  or 4 packets Stevia Sweetener (organic or natural)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 13 by 9 by 2 – inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the oats, flour, chia seeds, walnuts, and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, stir together the banana, peanut butter, chocolate-flavored liquid stevia sweetener, and stevia sweetener. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl, stirring until the mixture is moistened and flour is not visible. Spread the mixture into the baking pan. Bake for 12 to 17 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Cool for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting into 6 bars.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 220; Total Fat: 11.5g (Saturated: 1.5g, Trans: 0g, Polyunsaturated: 5.5g, Monounsaturated: 4g); Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 24mg; Total Carbohydrate: 25g (Dietary Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 5g, Added Sugars: 1g); Protein: 7g

peanut butter on cutting board

Reference

American Heart Association. (2019). Peanut Butter Banana Protein Bars. Retrieved from https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/peanut-butter-banana-protein-bars

On Living Your Best Life

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It’s funny as I sit here writing this I have in the background manifest affirmations playing and I am really contemplating my own life and am I truly living “my best life?”

I am currently working toward finishing off my first year in fitness! I have been teaching a variety of classes beyond yoga. These have ranged between mat pilates, myofascial release, cycle, and now cardio HIIT classes. I had to add additional certifications to teach these classes and even then I have not stopped growing! I am currently, along with my chemistry class, working on my certifications in personal training and corrective exercise. If you had told me a year ago this is what I would be doing before I started my YTT I would’ve laughed at you and said that would be crazy!

A year ago I was far from “living my best life,” I was a special education teacher in a private high school that specialized in working with severe social and emotional disabilities. I was doing something I liked, educating. However, despite my amazing group of coworkers, I was going home stressed and in tears every night. Sometimes I would barely make it to the car! I felt I was not making enough of an impact on my students and that as much as I wanted to help I wasn’t. This was the sign that I officially drove myself to total burnout. I was going on to finish my 4th year in education and had just dealt with the trauma of having my first miscarriage. Let’s just say it was the universe forcing myself to really reflect as to where I was going and what truly was going to make me happy.

Often times we want to settle for what is comfortable. We bite our tongue or try to shut our brains up thinking, “hey, I am ok with this. This will pay the bills and leave my family comfortable.” We stick with what is easy and what we have been doing because there’s a safe feeling that covers us like an old blanket.

It’s not only in just our minds but also when we talk to people in our surroundings as well. My parents for example pushed me to continue the school year. They told me going part time right now would be foolish and irresponsible despite how unhappy I was. It wasn’t until I called my mom in tears and explained everything in my job and what was going on where she finally agreed for me to put in my notice. We reach out to people in our support systems to either “talk sense” into us, or to reinforce what we are thinking. My family’s favorite statement to me was “you only speak to us about these things once you’ve made up your mind, why do you want us to fight your decision?” At which point I laughed, because in all reality this is what we do. We like bouncing things off of each other to hear every part of our choice because our brain can’t possibly do it all at once on its own. Despite making a decision already, because you never know…maybe they say something you haven’t thought yet. Sometimes your supports reinforce that blanket because they think that is the best way to make sure you are safe and supported. So they tuck you in further into your comfort blanket and you get settled in.

Here’s the best advice I can give, the life lesson I gained from all this:

Sometimes it’s when we let the blanket go that we really start to thrive!

I made the decision to try working part time as a special education teacher and was denied working the hours at the school so I gave a months noticed and signed up for another prerequisite so I could finally work towards my doctorates in physical therapy. This is something my mom had been pushing for because she knew I had wanted this since high school, but life happens and sometimes you go with a shorter path because you want to be that independent woman right away instead of grinding it out for what seems like eternity to then gain success.

In those 4 years of my “independent” life I was upset, stress, anxious, and overall unhappy. I did not feel I was living the life I was meant to. Though teaching had its happy moments it wasn’t over 60% of the time. This should’ve been the sign to go. When March rolled around I started working as a fitness instructor and dog walking part time to really focus on my studies. The concern that I wouldn’t be able to make it? Well guess what? I did well!

The fitness hustle is real, but I was enjoying teaching yoga and then mat pilates, and now cycle too. I began falling in love with what I did. I would find myself getting excited  having discussions with friends about fitness. I would talk about the types of exercises and what they can do to aid with certain tight muscles, how the body moves and other life stuff. I for the first time ENJOYED talking bout the work and didn’t find myself complaining 100% of the time about how tough and hard my job was. I was even told it looks like I lost 20 lbs, even though it had only been a week away from teaching!

That’s when I knew I was on the right path. But how does this all apply to you? How can what has happened for me so far make any meaningful change in your life?

The start to living your best life is simple – ask yourself with everything you do:

Does this light me up? 

  • Yes – do it!
  • No – toss it!
  • Eh? Maybe?  – reflect and set it aside for some time. It’s like the love bird analogy, if you come back to it, it is meant to be!

This is the first part to slowly remove the choke hold the “comfort blanket” has over you. If you can categorize your life into these three categories you’ll start to find a pattern in the things that do light your fire and slowly start to go down that path.

Of course, there are always things we hate, like bills, that just need to be a part of life, but that doesn’t mean you cannot work in an area that lights your fire. I have slowly found that even working part time I am able to make ends meet because I am happy to work more hours teaching these fitness classes then when I was working an easier schedule teaching. I am happy to drive around and hustle the way I need to because it is something that lights my fire.

When you’re doing something you love, you don’t work a day in your life and that is true. This is the definition of living your best life.

QUICK OAT + BANANA SOFT COOKIES

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banana soft cookies with a dog in the background
Photo by: Kayleen Mesa
Follow on Instagram: @dearpeachesandgrace

So! So! So! Yummyy!!

One thing about me is that I’m all about MAXIMIZING time. I’m not much of a recipe creator. I Personally feel best just eating simple meals, but I know not everyone is the same so it always goes back to playing and exploring to find what works best for you. The biggest purpose of my content is to inspire you and encourage you to try new things!

These delicous and easy soft cookies are the perfect move for a quick breakfast or pre/post workout snack!

I LOVE oats, not only do they lower your cholesterol levels which in turn helps you prevent developing heart disease or diabetes, but they also energize you with good carbs and nutrients to keep you going for longer during the day.

Those nutrients include manganese, good for bone production and skin integrity as well as magnesium – important for energy production to make you feel more awake.

Same with bananas “the favourite fruit among athletes”not only because they contain a decent amount of good carbs but for being the big players in the potassium game.

Potassium is a very important nutrient for avoiding fatigue and muscle cramps. Pretty good if you’ve got a hard day ahead of you.

RECIPE

Serves: 7-8
Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:
• 3 mashed bananas
• 135g Oats
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 20g Grated coconut
• Tbsp of chia seeds
• Tbsp of organic cacao powder
• Cacao nibs to taste
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a small bowl mix mashes bananas and the rest of ingredients until evenly distributed.

3. Roll 2-3 TBS (depending on how large you like your cookies) of mix at a time into balls and place them evenly spaced on your prepared cookie sheets. (alternately, use a small cookie scoop to make your cookies)!

4. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 18-20 minutes. Take them out when they are just BARELY starting to turn brown.

5. Let them sit on the baking pan for 2 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

I hope you enjoy this fun and easy recipe!! I’d love to know what’s your favorite quick breakfast meal. Share with me on the comments below⇣

Photo by: Kayleen Mesa
Follow on Instagram: @dearpeachesandgrace
Photo by: Kayleen Mesa
Follow on Instagram: @dearpeachesandgrace

A day, a Week, and a Month – Life of the Fitness Instructor

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Going on a year in the fitness industry I definitely have mixed reviews from other instructors and my previous impressions of what working in the industry would entail. I guess this is my way of giving the – so you’re certified in group fitness, now what? explanation by providing you with a day, week, and month in the life.

I find it is always best to start at the beginning and my journey started with finishing my 200 hr YTT in August of 2018 and trying to apply for a part time job to supplement my teaching schedule. I applied to numbers of jobs and there were some jobs where I applied knowing I wouldn’t get the position because they wanted 1-2 years of experience. This is when I realized fitness, like some industries has that, chicken or the egg, type experience where you may need to start working there as a desk attendant or just a sub with not set hours before you can build into having a more set schedule. Before giving up I received my first job from a boutique studio that was just starting a yoga program. And I lucked out that they would take a chance on me.

Before going into fitness as a career the week was like – teach 8 hours M-F, volunteer teaching yoga to the fellow teachers two times after school, go home, complete IEPs and grades, then on Saturdays teach 2 yoga classes to try and make some extra money. And for those who are looking for fitness as a supplement this may just be your week! Most people choose to keep their full time and teach maybe an evening class or two, maybe classes on the weekends to force themselves to get a workout in because who can do that with a busy schedule, AND you get paid to do so.

Now, I have transitioned in working in fitness and I can dissect a little more just what the day/ week/ month is like.

Day – Week Day (BTW this is a somewhat template. Other days there are more subbing than showed, or less classes and more free time. The schedule changes depending on what hours the gyms you work at have available. And yes, gyms, because unless you find the unicorn of gyms you will have to travel between 2/3 if you are making this more of your job)

Alarm goes off – 7:00 am (4:00 am for those that choose the 5 am/6 am classes, not me, YET!)

Sometimes you’re up even earlier! This is the time to work on your personal practice or work on some moves for the days classes!

7:15 – out of bed, form my to do list. I use the app – Daily To-do List because it crosses thing out for me so I can make sure I get stuff done. I have 3 lists made M/W/F, T/Th, Weekend, and Daily because I try my best to not make EVERYTHING a daily task.

7:30 – in the car – driving and playing my mindfulness practice using the meditation app – Happy Not Perfect. Once that is done its on to Spotify (by the way a Premium purchase, ~$10 a month, will be the best bet for making playlists) to try and find good new songs that I throw into a playlist labeled either: yoga, mat pilates, yin, or cycle, to later review for the following week’s classes.

8:00 – 30 min before my first class get a strength or cardio workout in so you have a moment to get yourself worked in. I know I had mentioned about getting paid to workout. This is not entirely the truth. In class you should be focused on your class. So giving these 15 min to get that sweat in for you either before or after is always good. Depending on how much time I have between classes I may even try to swim to bring back the old feeling of the pool. I swam competitively for 10 years.

8:15 – Set up the class. You should arrive 15-20 min early to every class because it gives you time to say hi, get to know your clients and make the connections you need. It also allows you to have any props or equipment set for your clients so there isn’t time used getting everything.

8:30 – class start

9:45 – subbing second class or personal workout time along with coffee or protein shake to keep going

11:00 – subbing third class – if not subbing it’s a one hour break to either workout or get lunch.

Starbucks studying chemistry, personal training, and trying to get some mindfulness reading during a free hour

12-4 walking dogs, class prepping, positing on social media about your schedule and future classes, applying for other fitness instructor jobs (because the schedule is never full), instacart work, or part time retail. This is where I explain that in fitness there is for the most part this huge gap between classes. You will work opposite the 9-5 because everyone is at work during the middle of the day. You may an the off chance get a noon class for those who try to get their fitness in during their lunch break, but it’s seldom. This being said this time block is where odd jobs come in. I personally do the shopping, dog walking, and tutor to fill the time. Right now this is filled with my summer class.

4:15 – prep for class

4:30 – class

5:30 – prep for class, chat with clients on some soreness that they have and what poses can be used to stretch the muscles, and foam rolling techniques to allow for

5:45 – class

6:45 – class

7:15 – class

8:00 – driving home ~30-40 min depending on the day

9:00 – dinner if hungry, and studying, class prep, chores, and setting up for the next day.

Rinse, lather, repeat

Day – Weekend (again somewhat of a template based on real life)

8:00 – alarm (I don’t have super early Saturday or Sunday classes…YET)

9:15 – prep for class.

9:30 – class

10:35 – class

11:35 – reach out to friends about brunch, if not go home. Study, class prep, post to social media about the upcoming week, provide some fitness information to clients to aid with frequent issues that you saw arise during the week.

Rinse, lather, repeat

I choose not to work 7 days a week. No one should, and this is where before I give a week and a month info explain this. In fitness part of the job has really taught me how to have the strength to say no. Often times you will get texts, hourly, if not daily about needing subs for fitness classes. Also people will ask if you work on weekends and if you’re will to work one or both days. It is important for you to take care of yourself, not just for you, but now in fitness you are a model of what people see for good health. You want to set the best example.

A week in the life – with the dissection of the weekday and the weekend day I feel this covers it with the rinse, lather, repeat, because this is how it will get to feel once you are more accustomed with having the ability to make your own schedule and set your routine. I will let you know that there is an adjustment period to this. You get so used to school and more traditional jobs which are 9-5 and your done. This is not the case with fitness. You will find yourself with super early or late dinners, asking people if they can meet for lunch or on weekends (if that day is free for you) and napping. My week is usually filled with trying to make sure I have my schedule set and written down in 3 different places because there’s 3/4/5 different places I am going to in one day. I live a bit out of my car with a change of non-fitness clothes, protein bars, yoga props, 3 different pairs of shoes, and shower stuff. Be prepared – girl and boy scouts are right about this one!

A month – by the end of the month, I will honestly say you have felt accomplished looking back at your schedule. I try to take either the end of a month or the beginning of the month to look back and really finalize what I could have done better, what I need to fix, what classes are and are not working for my schedule and trying to see if I am working at the right places as I get more and more in tune with the drive time (and there will be a lot!) and distance between places.

Going on to a year in fitness – wrapping up.

Ok, this was a lot to digest and process. I will say going on a year of doing this, your first year will be rocky, and bumpy. You may ask yourself why you are doing this type of schedule and why you are working mini part time jobs to make ends meet. But looking back, I am so much happier from when I was teaching. I have the ability to make my own schedule and do things I never thought I would have time to do!

Take away tips:

  • Give yourself ample time to drive between gyms. You think 20 min may be enough for a 15 min drive. 99.99% of the time it won’t be. Double it!
  • Take a day off – I mean it! A full day!
  • Don’t underestimate contract work – this could be dog walking, grocery shopping, blog post writing, aiding with social media at the yoga studio you work at. This will help pad the hours and pad your wallet as well.
  • Don’t stop learning – find your modality and stick to it, but if you notice there is an area you’re interested in or another class you would like to teach, learn how to teach it! Gyms love people with multiple certs, because you become their go to person when they need help, and if they decide to add classes you then become the person they ask to add to the schedule
  • Say no when you want to – this is important. The first 2 months of my fitness journey was Yes, Yes, and YES! This led to a really quick and very painful burnout that I needed an immediate vacation to recover. Don’t do this. Know your limits and set them a little before that boundary so you’re kept in a healthy safe position for work.

 

How To Use Social Media as a Fitness Professional

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One thing that many people in the fitness industry need to focus on is really creating their own brand and personality that separates them from all the other fitness professionals in the industry. This really starts with creating a presence where your future clients are, and that’s online. I have worked with some small businesses and have been working on building my own brand as a yoga instructor and here are some tips and tricks I found from both my education in Public Relations and just going through all the trial and error of trying to build my own presence online.

  • The biggest thing is CONTENT: All other workshops and groups will stress this day in and day out! Content and giving your audience something they can use will not only show how credible you are as a source, but also give future clients an insight to how you work as a professional.
    • It’s OK to repost! If you follow someone with similar content feel free to repost that content, be sure to provide the source! This will generate people to your site or platform where you have like minded content.
    • Speak to your specific audience! If you have a specific population your are looking to access – talk to them! That’s what social media is about! Use words like Ladies! Guys! Fellow Grads! Etc. to show who your audience is and access them on a more intimate level.
  • Consistency/Frequency: When thinking about content make a calendar and be specific about your posting schedule: For example, I use for posting that every other day I am using quotes to emphasize my blog topic or podcast topic to keep reinforcing my audience to go back to the podcast or blog post to drive people to continue to view my site and maybe collect people I may have missed on the weekend! This also gives some uniformity to my sites because visually there are positive messages between images of yoga poses, nutrition, etc.
    • More on the posting schedule: You do NOT need to post every day! (woah, did I just say that?) There are a lot of analytics out there that say even 1x a day (depending on the platform is enough) Your audience doesn’t need to know the 3 meals and 2 workouts you did each and every day, nor do they really want to! If one day you are focusing on nutrition, post one great meal and give a recipe! If it’s a leg workout, maybe doing a quick video with modifications and going live to show key portions of your workout will be enough to show quality content without just force feeding. No one likes the person who lives on their social media and shows everything!
    • The key to a great platform is trying to be consistent – your followers will know you for your content and know what to expect each day and will look forward to those nuggets of wisdom only you can offer!
    • Personal tip: I set on my to do list a posting schedule and try to set alarms catered to the schedule based on when I know my followers will be on. I do this without using an organized platform like Hootsuite, but you can definitely look into these automated posting websites that will help relieve some of the hassle of trying to make your posts on a deadline!
  • Make your profiles “business” profiles: this mostly is catered to Instagram, but this allows you to look up analytics to see who you are accessing, how many people you are accessing, and even location. These insights allow you to really hone in to who you are reaching out and maybe seeing what areas you need to focus on.
    • age group: try to keep content within the age group of your niche and do some look as to what content that age group wants.
    • location: use the location tab and incorporate location of your business to get people looking at local businesses to find you!
Screenshot of my insights from Instagram
  • Hashtags: USE them! You are allowed to use 30 hashtags per post, I recommend using them as a comment after the post so it’s not in the forefront of what your audience sees, but use them to drag people to your content.
    • I personally like: All Hashtag they generate for you the top 30 hashtags based on the word you use and you are able to just copy paste into a comment! You’re also able to see analytics as to how well certain hashtags are doing if you want to get super techy with your marketing!
  • Know how your audience functions and when they are looking for you!: Look up peak times that people view certain posts on social media. Also what platforms are they on?
    • Don’t waste your time!: This is the time to really find your audience and post during those times where you know people are searching for that content. Typically this is around lunch or after work in the evening. If you are posting at 6 am and there’s no one watching, what good will that do? Here’s a great review of times for social media on SocialSprout!
    • Pick a/a few platforms: you don’t need to be on ALL the platforms, and all the time! If you know your audience research where to bring your focus on. Also have a feel for different types of platforms. If your jam is on Facebook and creating Facebook content focus on that and maybe start to play with another social media platform that is more evident for your age group.
      • 22+ : Facebook still highly ranked with Instagram coming in close second. If you have a high visual content you may want to play with both but bring your focus to Insta. Pinterest is also emphasized for clients over 50 because it allows them for more searchable content.
      • <22: Snapchat is growing and Facebook users are steadily declining. Recommend access through more visual social media platforms due to need for high quality visual content with this age group.
      • Source: Business Insider
  • Be SOCIAL: Don’t just respond with emojis, actually respond to people, reach out to similar profiles and businesses and connect.
    • Follow like businesses and profiles: When I mentioned this to a small business there was a lot of hesitation, and I get it, why would you like and share content so similar to you, wouldn’t people go shop or take their business there? There is power in creating a network of like-minded business people. You support each other! Sharing each other’s content creates a broader outreach which means more clients to all! It also gives you insights as to what is working within your niche or field and what is not. This helps you for content creation as well!
    • My personal rule of thumb: as you are scrolling through content, which we all do almost every min of the day, like but also comment on one post (be sincere and add more than an emoji!). Who knows, you may spark a convo which brings people to your profile for more?!
  • Set a call to action!: People want to be involved with social media, so why not involve them? Ask them what areas they want to focus on when it comes to working out, ask what your peak yoga pose should be in the class. Ask questions and engage with people will also allow you to show your personality and get people to trust and want to work with you.
    • Personal Tip: I try once every two weeks to incorporate those yoga students who follow me in their classes by asking which peak pose they want. I put the question as either a choice between 2 or 4 different poses. Or, I will ask between two areas of focus (i.e hip openers vs inversions). This allows you to create a personal relationship with your audience and when they see you in class it shows you are actively listening and engaging with them. It’s a nice special touch.

I hope these tips help! Use these steps to get started on making a more uniformed and professional looking profile that will allow you to grow your personal business/fitness personality!