TIPS ON STAYING HEALTHY as a fitness professional

whether you have just dived into starting your own PT business, a fitness coach and/or a group fitness instructor, I hope you find these tips helpful. 

as a coach, our job is to help others find and maintain good health. often times this means early hours, back to back clients and/or classes, crazy days and a lack of sleep. just bein' real. however, all this aside. we all got into this industry and profession because we deeply LOVE IT. it's our passion. it makes us happy. it makes the craziness WORTH IT. #teamnosleep..sometimes.

now, i'm no pro when it comes to balancing my life. really wish I was. it is definitely something I am ALWAYS working on. hopefully one day i'll have it down. however, I strongly preach and believe that OUR HEALTH is just as important as the health of our clients.

here are a few tips I have for those just starting out, those who currently feel drained and those who are considering making this a career! 

• organize + prep. this is CRUCIAL and has been so helpful for me. when you're working full time in this industry, chances are that you are not home very often. this means..prior to your work week, work day, etc..you should take a look at your schedule beforehand and prepare yourself. prepare your laundry, supplements, snacks, drinks, FOOD, shoes, all of it. 
  • MEAL PREP: busy days + nights will sometimes mean you will not have enough time to go out and grab healthy meals. meal prep is a GAME-CHANGER. visit this link for more on that: https://www.sweat.com/blogs/nutrition/216767634-meal-preppin-is-fun
• schedule your personal workouts + fitness regimen. outside of my group EX classes, client consultations, sessions, PT sessions, etc..I dedicate FIVE days out of the week to strength training + lifting. I also do my best to make it to at least 3 other cycling classes (supporting other instructors is ALWAYS a good thing. never stop learning!) every week, I plan out exactly what days and times I plan to hit up 24 hour fitness and take other classes. does it always fall through? not 100% of the time. sometimes I have to adjust things by 30mins-an hour depending on what may come up, but having a solid plan beforehand helps. treat your personal workouts as an IMPORTANT appointment, meeting, date, etc.. if you don't feel strong (both mentally and physically), how will you expect to motivate others to feel good? 
• community. being in contact with others in the same industry will benefit you in more ways than one. you can get advice, share helpful tips, and most importantly, LEARN. social media (IG) has been such a great way for me to connect with other trainers. we get the opportunity to chat about situations, things we experience, etc..sometimes it's not always easy to have that type of relationship with your close friends + family, so it's always helpful to meet those who are in the same field as you. 
• learning to say no. when I first got into my career, I wanted to accept and take everything on. that led to me being in a bad mood, tired and frustrated. how can we deliver our best when we are LITERALLY struggling to be the best we can? (see below for more on that). it took me about six months to learn to say no to certain classes, clients even. it was just fine and ended up being for the best. 
• take risks, but know it's okay to make changes. when I first got certified, I did not know I would really dislike PT sessions with men. (sorry, fellas. just being real). this is what led me to getting my specialization in women's fitness with a focus on pre + post natal. you will never now what works best for you and what you love the most until you try it. I tried it all in the beginning, figured out what worked and didn't--then made changes. 
• self care, rest + relaxation. believe it or not, this one is the most difficult for me. I have trouble taking time to just REST. when you're used to the entrepreneur, go go go lifestyle, taking time to just stop is not easy. when you first start out your OWN fitness business, chances are that money is extremely important. you're hustlin' hard to make your salary, I get it. sometimes the last thing we want to do is spend extra. however, the crazier my life gets, the more I value this R+R and self care. TREAT YOSELF, boo. lunch, dinner, nails, massage, a mini vaca. do it. your body will thank you. your business will thank you. your clients will thank you. 

TRAINERS, I want to hear from you! how do you maintain your health and schedule? what is your favorite form of self- care? comment below! 

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