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Fitlandia | Fitness for Your Mind

It’s time to get over self-sabotage, negative thoughts, and obstacles to getting fit again and staying fit for life. Christa is a certified hypnotherapist, life coach, nutritional therapist, and founder of Fitlandia on a mission to end the vicious yo-yo dieting cycle. Join her each week as she sits down with top fitness and wellness experts to discuss nutrition, exercise, and mental health. Loaded with quick healthy tips and Fitlandia’s signature Mind Zoning® meditations, The Fitlandia Podcast gives you all the tools you need to commit to a permanent lifestyle change.
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Now displaying: February, 2018
Feb 26, 2018

There are so many benefits and styles of yoga and today we welcome Jamie King of Flex and Flow Yoga in Portland, OR for a breakdown on starting and maintaining a practice you'll love.

Before we jump into the show, it's your last chance to sign up for the March session of 30 Days to Thriving! I don’t want you to forget that all my podcast listeners get 20% off.  I’d LOVE to see you there and be sure to use the code: Podcast20 at the checkout to get your 20% off. If you want to sign up for future programs or encourage those you love to do so, you can get the 20% off of even early bird pricing as well!

Without further ado, I’d like to welcome Jamie King to the show to tell us all about the wonderful world of yoga! Jamie is the founder and owner of Flex & Flow Yoga here in Portland, Oregon. Jamie gives us some details about her studio and her journey.

Flex and Flow is about 2 years old and located in Portland and we do everything from high energy power vinyasa to regular flow vinyasa to our signature workout which is called Hit and Flow. This is a high intensity workout that combines flexibility, endurance and strength training all in one amazing class. I like to call it “a gateway drug into yoga” for those like me who were endurance athletes and didn’t believe so much in the power of yoga previously. It is a great way to learn the language and feel of yoga but still get a great cardio rush at the same time.

Christa explains that this is the perfect yoga class for those who haven’t quite made yoga the practice it needs to be with consistency but still finds value in the movements. It sounds like a great way to learn more and transition into a more regular practice for those of us who identify as athletes, but not necessarily yogis.

On the flip side, it is also really great for those yogis who are familiar with yoga but want to do something that gets their heart racing faster but isn’t totally unfamiliar. It will challenge them in a different way but still stay within their comfort zone. It is designed to challenge and push everyone to work hard and feel great.

We focus on building functional strength and empowering everyone to work hard and practice to be their best and strongest self. Christa expresses that this is PERFECT for those like her who are working hard this year to improve strength and body composition this year.

So the wonderful thing about Jamie’s studio is that it offers such a wide variety of yoga classes for students of all levels. So what would be the class someone who is brand new to yoga be looking for?

An Intro to Vinyasa Flow or any regular Vinyasa Flow class is a great place for anyone to start and get comfortable with yoga. This class focuses on linking breath to movement and learning the poses.

Here is a quick overview of some traditional yoga classes and unique offerings at Flex & Flow*.

Be sure to check out Flex & Flow’s schedule to find a class for you!

Hatha: Slow flow/more static movement or a set series of poses.

Vinyasa Flow*: The transition/flow between movements and poses. Movements linked to breath.

Power Vinyasa*: A faster and more intense flow of movements and poses linked to breath.

Restorative Yoga: Holding poses and stretches for long periods of time.

Active Restoration*: A movement-based restorative class with dynamic movements and holds.

Hot Yoga: Cardio yoga in a warm/heated/humid room for more calorie burn.

Hit & Flow*: A cardio and yoga hybrid offered at Flex & Flow.

Flex & Flow Upside Down*: A workshop-like exploration of balances and stands.

Run/Walk/Hike Club*: Saturday mornings as a compliment to a yoga practice all around the Pacific Northwest.

So Why Is Yoga Important/Yoga Benefits:

Jamie explains that the benefits are endless!

Physically:

  • Increased mobility
  • Increased flexibility
  • Increased strength
  • More bodily awareness

Mentally:

  • Relaxation in the breath
  • Understanding your mind/body connection
  • Learning mind over matter
  • Learning to get through challenging situations (in all of life!)

Jamie explains that as an endurance runner, she came into yoga in order to get through the physically and mentally difficult parts of a run. She comes back to the philosophies and mindfulness that yoga teaches us in all parts of her life. She finds beauty in the challenging things in life because she knows everything takes practice. It’s about removing the ego and knowing that all things take time and work.

Christa talks about how Fitlandia is all about embracing the power of the mind and learning to use breath work and mindfulness to fight cravings and disempowerment and she LOVES that the movements of yoga embody this mindfulness in a physical way. It aligns perfeclty with the 4 Cornerstones of Fitness:

  • Daily movement
  • Positive thinking
  • Good nutrition
  • Community connection

We can reframe our situations and use positive thinking to change our lives and overcome challenges. In running, in yoga, in society and much much more. Shifting perspective can have such positive effects on everything. At Fitlandia, we call this Mind Zoning. Check out Mind Zoning for more information about how Fitlandia works to use the power of the mind for good.

Jamie talks about a time when she was doing a 100 mile race in Washington and was in a really bad place mentally on the last big climb. She thought she saw someone ahead of her and she worked hard to shift her perspective and power through the challenge. She realized that the drama was all in her mind and she needed to overcome that mental challenge. Yoga helps you learn and embrace this practice.

She also mentions that she is working on a new race in life, as she is 7 months pregnant! What a great opportunity to talk about the

Benefits of Yoga When You are Pregnant:

  • All about breath and staying in tune with the body
  • Some claim it makes delivery easier
  • Helps you stay strong and flexible in body and mind
  • Great for both expecting and new moms
  • There are great prenatal classes to help you learn how to modify
  • If you know how to modify, you can take any regular class as well

Other Exciting Yoga Class/Style Options/Suggestions from Jamie

  • Try many classes/styles at a studio before giving up.
  • Different people love different styles and one will gel with you!
  • Kundalini is a more spiritual and physical yoga practice.
  • Find connection to the community around you.
  • Try new things...don’t limit yourself to one type of yoga.
  • Honor your body/know what works for you and where your limits are.

A huge thanks to Jamie for joining us. You can follow Jamie on Instagram, as well as Flex & Flow and find both Jamie and Flex & Flow on the web to learn more about her fitness and class schedule. We hoped you learned a little more about yoga today!

Subscribe to the show, rate us and leave a review on iTunes or Sticker. We'd love to hear what you got out of the show!

  

Feb 19, 2018

Today we are learning more about strength training from the wonderful Megan Benedict. Megan is the cofounder of Fit Kitchen Direct and is regular here on the podcast! She is going to share with us all the amazing benefits of strength training. Welcome Megan and thank you so much for being here!

 

Before we begin, I wanted to take the time to remind you all that the next round of the 30 Days to Thriving program starts March 1st! Head on over to fitlandiafitness.com/programs to check out everything that is included and sign up. It is all there to support you and to help you get you back on track…and it goes perfectly with today’s episode where we continue our series on the amazing variety of exercise we have available to us.

I first just want to point out how amazing it has been to follow your journey and catch your updates on your fantastic Instagram feed…be sure to check Megan and Fit Kitchen Direct out there!

So Megan, take us back to when you started strength training and how you got into it.

Megan explains that she was always really active growing up and was an athlete in high school but noticed in college she was not as active as she used to be so she took up running. She ran a couple half marathons but began learning through her education that strength training is incredibly important to pair with any cardio.

She began teaching herself, despite the intimidating college gym culture, and became more aware of what proper form looked like, different ways of creating workouts and programs, and experimenting due to changing her major to Exercise Sports Science. She got started with Crossfit and made many friends who also were learning and growing in their strength training

Megan has been strength training ever since and talks about how for many years she was competing and lifting as much as she could but she noticed it taking a toll on her body and learned a few important lessons that influence her training today:

Megan’s Current Strength Goals/Ideals:

  •       Find the balance between lifting heavy and lifting right
  •       Maintain strength without causing unnecessary injury
  •       Create a strong core
  •       Upkeep the main lifts (back squat, dead lift & bench press-daily movements)
  •       Compete against myself, not against others
  •       Give myself permission to be safe and stay in good form

So why are we talking about strength training today? Why is it so important and what did you learn in your education that led you to become so passionate about it?

Megan explains that strength training is the building blocks to other movements. It helps build muscle, prevent injuries, support other movements and exercises, tone muscles, prevent bone and muscle decay, and supplement all other activities. She explains how she saw many of her fellow runners getting injured for silly reasons, simply for stepping wrong, because they were not doing any strength training to support the movements they loved to do in running. It was nothing they were doing wrong, it was simply that you need to train your muscles to support your activities.

Sometimes it seems like many trainers sign on to a certain strength training technique and ignore all the other (ex: bands, free weights, kettlebells, body weight, machines, etc.).  What do all these philosophies mean and what do you recommend?

Megan explains how variety is key. It not only helps you develop and build muscles all over your body but it also helps you keep things interesting and avoid boredom. You can try many things, learn a whole lot, and find what you really enjoy. Some other important reasons to use a variety of strength training techniques include:

  •       Using machines as a beginner to avoid injury with free weights
  •       Not all movements/techniques are created equal and you want a well-rounded workout
  •       You can strike a balance between working all your muscles and doing what you love

If someone is interested in including more strength training in their workout routines, what sort of advice can you offer to beginners?

Megan’s Tips to Remember for Beginners:

  •       Invest in a trainer at first to learn proper from…no injury!
  •       Find the right trainer who helps you develop form and feel confident
  •       Do some serious research before you begin (books/websites/videos)
  •       You don’t need to use huge weights, do what works for you
  •       Find a sense of power in strength training even without large weights
  •       Don’t be afraid…it does not need to be bodybuilding intensity
  •       You can start at any age at any time!
  •       Listen to your body…only in competition with yourself rest is okay!)

You mentioned the importance of finding a trainer who help you develop form and confidence, with your experience as a trainer yourself, what does someone who is just starting out with strength training look for in a personal trainer?

Megan’s Personal Trainer Choice Tips:

  •       Focus on a successful relationship, be able to connect with them personally and know you get along (they should be kind!)
  •       Find someone who will push you physically and mentally and know when they can push you past mental blocks and nudge you to dig deep
  •       Many PTs are trained to sell, be open that you want to find someone who will teach you proper from, give you confidence, and then let you go on your own
  •       Interview more than one…this is your investment in your health
  •       Make sure they have experience; it takes time for someone to get good at knowing what is best for each individual client
  •       Find someone who will help you conquer self-doubt and self criticism and provide you with the tools and confidence to continue.

Well thank you, Megan, for all your amazing tips and for a peek into what strength training is all about. If you want to hear more of Megan, check out her website for Fit Kitchen Direct and follow her on Instagram!

As promised, here are some of Megan’s resources for learning more about strength training before you begin on your journey.

Megan’s Resource Links:

http://blog.trainheroic.com/

https://www.bodybuilding.com/category/training

Subscribe to the show, rate us and leave a review on iTunes or Sticker. We'd love to hear what you got out of the show!

  

Feb 12, 2018

Our exercise series continues as we highlight the benefits of Pilates with PDX powerhouse, Abby Parker! Settle in as she shares her story of strength and resiliency, culminating into a love for fitness.

Before we jump into the show I want to make sure to remind those of you in the Portland area to come out and see me at Athleta in the Pearl District! I am doing an awesome workshop event there to help you embrace the power of your mind for fitness. It is February 17th at 8:30 AM and you can click this link to RSVP on Eventbrite.

Abby is here today helping us continue our exercise series to expose us to the amazing variety of options we all have for moving our bodies every day. It’s all about finding something we LOVE to do, something that feels good and feels right to our bodies. Abby is here to help us understand a little more about pilates and to help us see the true beauty in this exercise.

You HAVE TO head over to Abby’s Instagram and check out her photos. They are incredibly inspirational...you can’t help but feel motivated to get moving and find commitment to daily movement when you see her beauty!

Abby's Road to Fitness

Abby’s fitness journey is truly amazing. She is a New Jersey girl and reflects back on her mother enrolling her in dance lessons at the age of 13. Ballet quickly became all consuming for her. She would stretch and practice daily, head in to New York every weekend to compete and be exposed to other dancers, and at 17, decided she wanted to pursue dance professionally. After many terribly critical dance auditions for professional companies, she was finally accepted to the American Repertory Ballet out of Princeton, New Jersey.

Though she loved dancing full time, she quickly learned the harsh realities of the profession when all the female dancers were lined up in front of the mirror and told to pick out everything that was wrong with themselves and to dedicate themselves to “slimming down.” Abby is 5 foot 8 inches tall and only weight 118 pounds but was told to lose 15 or 20. She went to extreme dieting and cut herself down to 108 pounds in 3 months. But her energy levels showed the damage and she ended up in the hospital after collapsing in a rehearsal.

She was told she had to begin eating again and as a result, ate excessive amounts of food but would feel extreme guilt and throw it all up. These two years with the company were full of big changes for Abby, but in 2015, at 20 years old, she discovered Moxie Contemporary Ballet whose tagline stated, “We support healthy bodies in dance.”

She packed up everything she could fit in a suitcase and flew to Portland, Oregon to practice with this company while staying in a dorm room on the campus of Portland State University for 4 weeks. At the end of that period, it was time for the director to select 7 out of the 100 dancers to stay with the company. Little did the dancers know, the funding fell through and the director chained up the doors to rehearsal and fled the state.

So Abby began frantically searching for a job, staying on the couch of a friend, and doing everything she could to make herself marketable. She finally got a job in a call center in downtown Portland and was less than thrilled about the work she was doing. But Abby didn’t give up on her passion. She still worked out every single day, did deep research into dance opportunities in the Northwest, and she wouldn’t let her dream die. She even joined PDX Contemporary Ballet part-time to continue dancing while working.

In March of 2016, her mentor and superior at her job was murdered and the call center was shut down and she was out of a job once again. She knew with her dancer mentality to be her best, that she had always loved fitness. So she was faced with a blank page on her computer and typed in, “What are the top 10 fitness gyms in Portland, Oregon.” And she clicked on one of the middle results...Firebrand Sports. She sent them a shot in the dark email letting them know she was great at answering phones, doing clerical duties, and that she really needed a job. She got a response that they didn’t need anyone answering phones...but they did need an instructor for Barre.

Abby was completely caught off guard. She wasn’t even sure exactly what Barre was. She met Sarah, the owner of Firebrand Sports and they immediately connected. She auditioned, was hired, and became a certified Barre instructor. As she was doing that, she walked past another room at Firebrand, saw the Megaformers, and desperately wanted to know what that was and how she could do it. After trying a class, she immediately LOVED it and went down to California to become certified in Lagree.

Back in Portland, Abby started teaching more and more while supplementing with other jobs and finally, Sarah thought she should become more involved with the runnings of the business. Throughout this process, she met her best friend Katie, who encouraged her to push herself to her full potential. They began working out a 6 AM together and became fast friends. Abby is continuing her career in fitness and is proud to see a bright future ahead of her despite the setbacks in her past.

Abby’s story is a fantastic example of what it takes to make a true lifestyle change...support from the 4 cornerstones of fitness:

  • Daily Movement
  • Good Nutrition
  • The Power of the Mind
  • Community Connection

Abby’s story is a beautiful example of the amazing change that can happen when these 4 things come together. It shows us the importance of releasing our obsessions with body shape and embracing body appreciation, health, and wellness into our lives. Fitness helped Abby get through some of the most difficult part of her life in a positive light.

So what is Pilates exactly and what can a first-timer expect from giving it a try as a new way of moving their body?

Abby explains that the Lagree Fitness Method is what Firebrand specializes in, which is a form of Pilates. You are using a total body fitness machine, or Megaformer, to enhance your movements and exercises. Lagree is a high intensity workout with low intensity on the joints. You can move all parts of your body in just 45 minutes. The beautiful thing about using a Megaformer is that you can modify any workout for more or less intensity. So regardless of your ability or experience level, you are able to feel fantastic.

For those of us who have never experienced Pilates or Lagree before, Abby gives us a little insight into what the Megaformer machine is actually like. At the basics, it sort of looks like a bed with many springs and many different things to grab on to and adjust. You are always either pushing or pulling at all times and YOU control the springs of resistance on your machine.

There are over 500 different moves that you can do on a Megaformer which gives both the instructors and the students loads of creative expression and flexibility in their workouts.

“You have the ability to create a whole beautiful symphony of movements in your workout.”

The resistance and intensity of the workout helps to target all those tiny little muscles that are difficult or impossible to reach with other workout methods. Abby says it isn’t just fantastic for strengthening your physical body, but also for strengthening your mind. These workouts challenge you in new and innovative ways and leave you feeling fantastic at the end.

For both veteran and new Fitlandians, Christa focuses intensely on the power of the mind with Mind Zoning. You can work to create new neural pathways and thought patterns to change what we believe we can do and to build on our health and wellness simply with our subconscious mind. Pilates is great not only for your physical fitness but your mental fitness as well.

Still not sure if Pilates of Lagree Fitness is a good fit for you? Abby offers a complementary class called Lunge and Learn to help you learn modifications, get started slowly, and learn more about the exercises in general before you drop in on a full class...so be sure to check that out! Also, if you are in the Portland area, be sure to check out a Lagree Fitness class in person at Firebrand Sports!

Abby’s last minute tips for getting started:

  • Just GO for it! (Starting is the hardest part!)
  • Try a workshop to get started and feel comfortable
  • Grab a friend for support and motivation
  • Stay inspired and push your boundaries!

Thanks to Abby for sharing her incredibly inspiring story with us and for giving us some insight to the world of Pilates and Lagree Fitness. We are so grateful to you and look forward to seeing you in our Fitlandia community in the future!

Subscribe to the show, rate us and leave a review on iTunes or Sticker. We'd love to hear what you got out of the show!

  

Feb 7, 2018

Think bootcamp is scary? That it's going to tear you up and spit you out? Think again! Today we're talking to Emily Corso of Bold and Badass Fitness on the benefits of bootcamp classes and a safe approach to keep them fun while still being a great challenge.

Before we begin, I want you to mark your calendars if you live in the Portland, Oregon area so that you can come on out to Emily’s studio on February 25th from 11 AM to 12:30 PM, where I will be delivering a workshop on the Mindset Detox!

You can claim your Eventbrite ticket for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mindset-detox-uncover-release-your-fitness-obstacles-tickets-42690040059

I’m here now with Emily Corso of Bold & Badass. I am so excited because Emily is going to help give us a taste of the bootcamp life!

Bold & Badass is a body-positivity focused gym, which accepts everyone and encourages them to come as they are. They offer bootcamp trainings and also semi-private personal trainings. Inclusion is at the core of what they do.

This series is all about highlighting the beautiful variety of exercises we have available to us, so let’s dive into the beauties of bootcamps!

What Defines a Bootcamp?

Emily lets us know that bootcamp workouts are all about motivation. Having others working hard around you and doing the same things that you are doing is huge motivation to keep going strong and get in a fantastic workout. It’s a great workout option for those who love to socialize or feel supported by a community.

Bold & Badass offers a variety of different bootcamp options, but many of them focus on using free weights, dumbbells, kettlebells, bands, body weight exercises or other strength and conditioning training.

It’s all about knowing that someone else is there. You can always look over at a different station, a different team, or your own team and know that someone else is working hard as well. You’re never alone. It’s about pushing yourself to be the best you can be and do the best you can do.

“Bootcamps encourage people to challenge themselves in a “rising tide lifts all ships” kind of way. Not competition, but encouragement and the realization that something more is possible.”

Challenge vs. Too-Far

How do people know the difference between challenging themselves and over doing it?

Emily says that is a great question and one that is incredibly important. It is all about getting to know your body and your limitations. Some indications that you are not challenging yourself quite enough would be if you are consistently reaching for the same weights for months at a time without increasing or if you are not feeling sweaty by the end of your workout.

Some indications that you are pushing yourself too hard would be soreness for extended periods of time or lengthy recoveries. Granted, when you first get into working out, you are going to be sore for the first few weeks but if after that time, you are still having long recovery periods or feeling weak or sick often, you may need to cut back on intensity.

It is also incredibly important to remember that if you are just getting back into working out or doing so for the first time, GO EASY ON YOURSELF! Give yourself time to learn your body, your capabilities, your limits, and learn where you can challenge yourself in a healthy way.

Christa shares a story about her experience in a bootcamp a few weeks ago and how even though she moves everyday, she took extra care to listen to her body and make the modifications she needed in order to not cause harm and get the workout that was right for her. Different exercises challenge different parts of the body and they all deserve to be listened to.

Emily agrees that it is all about what is right for YOU. And that doesn’t always mean doing what is right for everyone else. She highlights that at Bold & Badass, they encourage and remind their members to use modifications as necessary. It is important to complete a workout that is right for you, not someone next to you, and being different is absolutely okay.

“You don’t need the workout of an Olympian. You need the workout that makes change for you…that’s what matters.”

Mindset and Movement

It is important to have this beautiful appreciation for what your body is today while still having goals for the future. It is all about honoring where you are and whom you are today, even if you are still working toward where you want to be.  It is a gift that you showed up and were present and provided yourself with amazing movement and a healthy mindset.

Here’s the magic: it’s all about feeling like you went in and got a great workout…not about the numbers or the weight. You did it and that is the success. YOU get to say where your limit is. No one else can determine that for you. Take the time to check in with yourself and decide if this is a limit that is real or a limit that you are putting on yourself for another reason. Mindfulness makes all the difference.

Remember, it is okay to push yourself through fatigue, but never to push yourself through pain. The injury risk increases immensely and being injured will be 10 steps in the wrong direction for your health and wellness.

Emily’s Top Tips for Bootcamp Goers:

  • Don’t fear the title (you can always modify)
  • Create a habit of consistency over the long term-that’s what counts
  • Have an accountability plan for yourself
  • Why not start NOW?!

If you are struggling with accountability or motivation we have some amazing options for you. Head on over and get some great workouts, connection, and encouragement at Bold & Badass in Portland. Also, be sure to join our closed Fitlandia Group on Facebook for some encouragement, ideas, accountability, and much more community in your life. Accountability in person and online…let’s do this!

A huge thanks to Emily for joining us today and giving us a taste of the Boot Camp life. What an amazing option for daily movement! If you want to learn more about Emily or her gym, check out boldandbadass.com or visit in person in Portland’s Southeast side at 21st and Powell.

They run a monthly onramp program geared toward beginners with extra accountability and support as well as other amazing bootcamp programs throughout the year.

Subscribe to the show, rate us and leave a review on iTunes or Sticker. We'd love to hear what you got out of the show!

  

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