I heard this line in a Paul Simon song and had an “aha!” moment.   So many of us think that when we fall, it’s all over.  We’re defeated, left behind or washed up.  Nothing can be further from the truth!

"Falling" makes you appreciate it when you finally get it right.

In making mistakes or bad choices, we often discover a better understanding of who we are and better understanding leads to wisdom; falling leads to smarter choices.  Sometimes you can’t peak in your life until you screw up a few times.  I am no exception.  Between some bad choices and set backs, I have fallen more than once.  But today I remain resilient and more determined than ever to fly.

Perhaps falling to you is a metaphor for falling off a fitness program or diet, or  failing at a relationship or job.  So then you give up and think I can’t or what’s the point?  It’s too late.  I’m too old.  It’s too hard.  You feel sorry for yourself and think happiness, success and being in great shape is out of your reach.

Instead of giving up, stand back up and wipe the dirt off your back and plant your feet firmer in the ground and tell yourself, I am not giving up!  It is never too late to start on a better path and always too early to stop or give up.  It’s falling and standing back up that makes you strong.  Falling makes you appreciate when you finally get it right. I like to think of our falls as stepping stones to get us on the right path.  Each time you fall, think of yourself getting closer to really learning to fly.

Flying may be different for each of us.  For me, it is to thrive in a place or state of mind of confidence, strength and perseverance, and to get the most out of each day with joy, contentment, peace and grace.  Being fit and healthy keeps me in this place.

You have to learn how to "fall" before you learn to "fly."

As someone who is passionate about helping others to become healthier and happier, I hope you will utilize and benefit from my experience, knowledge and enthusiasm to improve the way you move, feel and look.  I hope you will join me on the path to stay in great shape without the injury and impact of unrealistic, uncomfortable, painful exercise.  Some trainers give exercises that only an acrobat can do.  That will surely lead to falls.  I provide low impact, age appropriate fitness that focuses on the all the issues that matter most: Increasing bone density and overall strength, improving balance, posture and flexibility, and reducing stress. Too good to be true promises and quick fixes lead to falling, but  keeping your fitness realistic, sustainable and ageless to be consistent over time leads to flying. I provide you the runway, so you can take off and live life to the fullest.

Taking good care of yourself starts with you.  It’s not your shoes.  It’s not your outfit or clothes.  It’s not the equipment or program that will bring you success.  It’s you.  It’s your attitude.  It’s your head that makes all the difference.  The only one who can get in your way is you, negative or positive.  Maybe you’ve underestimated yourself and what you’re capable of doing.  Look in the mirror and decide right here, right now that you will do the best you can.  I bet you have more fire and strength in you than you realize.  It’s up to you. Being healthy and in control of your wellness is within your reach. You make the choice.

Because staying alive and truly living are not the same thing; it is about staying healthy and being able bodied for the long run.  Taking care of your body is integral for sustained longevity and for you to fly. Aspire to remain in a positive place, in a state of gratitude.

Before you can fly, learn how to fall.

When we think about anti aging, the first image that comes to mind is the concept of a cosmetic makeover – lotions, lasers, potions, serums, and surgeries.

In my field of health and wellness, anti aging comes in the form of fitness; preventative fitness to keep your bones, heart and muscles strong. It is about being proactive with our exercise to offset the inevitable changes from gravity working against us! Anti Aging is more than a cosmetic makeover. It is the building of a foundation of health. It is not only about the face but about the body and the mind and how the two go hand in hand. Anti-wrinkle eye creams can only do so much. You also have to work from the inside to keep the outside looking youthful and glowing. And I know that a healthier body leads to a healthier mind and outlook.

As a fitness expert, I am so fortunate to be in a field where I can help my clients with prevention of disease…compared to doctors who are treating people who have already become sick. I want to inspire my clients and all of you to be proactive with your health by taking preventative measures with your fitness. We are fortunate to live in a time where we are and can be living longer and so we need to take steps to remain healthy for the long run. It’s never too late to start protecting your bones, heart and overall health. I am here to help you keep diseases such as osteoporosis and heart disease at bay with a few, simple lifestyle adjustments that will make a huge impact on your overall quality of life. Forget the past and start investing in your health right now to protect the future. It’s never too late to start building a stronger, better foundation of health with sustainable, effective and ageless exercise choices. And the good news is, the majority of aging is due to lifestyle factors within our control. Exercise to be in shape for life so you can be ready to face anything. Exercise to stay vital and comfortable in your body and the icing on the cake will be that you will also look better and appear younger.

Improving one’s posture, balance, core strength, muscle tone and bone density will keep you moving, standing and looking much more youthful than if you just focus on keeping your face looking good. If you are shuffling your feet or have balance impairments, you will look older. Or if you have a bad back and poor posture from lack of core strength or lack of flexibility, you will feel older. Staying young is about having flexibility not only in your body, but in your mind and overall outlook.

I think of better posture as a means to improved mood and confidence. I think having better strength is empowerment. Improving flexibility will give you effortless grace and having better balance will make you more agile and appear more youthful.

And I believe we can control the aging process by working smarter, not harder in order to keep exercise sustainable over time and be a regular part of our lifestyle. Therefore, I encourage you to always listen to your body and back off when your body tells you to and be responsible with your fitness choices. Stress can be really aging so make sure to incorporate stress- reducing activities such as T’ai Chi, breathing and stretching to improve your outlook on life with increased joy and happiness.

My programs offer the perfect place to start providing smart, effective and efficient exercise options to help you build an ageless foundation of health.

Only you can decide to take care of yourself. Take ownership over your well-being and be proud of your efforts. Be strong, be graceful, stand up straight and never give up.

Move more. Live better. Live Ageless.

Now in my early 40’s, I’ve definitely had my share of ups and downs. As I provide guidance and share my advice, it is important to note that my message comes not only from my successes but also from my failures. I have fallen down several times in my life…not just literally as a gymnast but figuratively in my life as well. Falling down is what has given me something to say because every time I have been down, I’ve always managed to get back up and reemerge stronger than ever. I believe it is in the process of getting back up where we find our true selves – our strength, our character, our integrity and grace. Overcoming hardships has given me a clearer voice. It has given me a stronger sense of purpose.

Some of my best personal moments in life were not just when I won gymnastics competitions but during my most challenging workouts or hardships. They occurred when I had to dig deep and push through when I thought I couldn’t. Finding the perseverance to overcome is where I found my inner strength and confidence…pushing through and not giving up. It is where I gained my self-respect. That is what life is about.

When things have gone wrong in my life, exercise was always my backbone. Exercise was my constant and is still what always grounds me. No matter how bad things got in my life, exercise was my consistent source of inspiration and saved me from taking the lower path of giving into worry, doubt, fear and self-loathing. Exercise not only made me physically stronger but mentally tough to choose not to give in to negativity. It was moving that kept me strong. It’s like, “Okay. I’m healthy. I’m strong. I can do anything life throws at me as long as I’m feeling good.”

Embrace who you are and what you have. Stop wasting all your energy trying to be something you are not. Appreciate your body for all that is good and how amazing it is. Play up your strengths and use exercise as a tool to be more empowered. No matter what you’re going through, push yourself to never give up. It’s never too late to improve your body, your attitude and ultimately your life.

Stop living in hopes, live by doing and enjoy the process. Enjoy the effort. Don’t just live to get to an end result in order for you to feel success, joy and happiness. Find you satisfaction in your efforts, in your movement toward a goal. Stay present in what it feels like during the process, good and bad, and there you will find the greatest feelings of satisfaction, happiness and honor.
If you want something to change, it has to come from inside yourself. Don’t rely on anyone or anything else to come and save or fix you. You hold the key to your own success. I provide you the tools and guidance but only you can make the choice to use them. Anything worth achieving takes effort and hard work. As an athlete, I know this is true.

Getting in shape, exercise and taking care of yourself isn’t always easy. Life isn’t easy. It does take effort and commitment on your part. There is no free ride. But it doesn’t need to be complicated. I want to inspire you to take care of yourself and just show up. And I believe the biggest and most important aspect of life is just that – showing up. It means showing up when you think you can’t or don’t want to. My programs provide you with a place to start… a place to show up at.

Believe in yourself. Know that you can. It’s up to you. Now go get it.

Move more. Live better.