Salvere Blog: Field Day and Presidential Physical Fitness

by Salvere Health and Fitness

Okay, how many of you sparked a real feeling of something between “ugh” and full on dread?? How many reflected on more fun memories? These two “events” from childhood help formulate the perspective and feeling many of us carry throughout life regarding physical activity. Now, before I go any further, this blog does not mean to suggest these events should be done away with at school.

So, what’s the point then? Take a survey of those in your closest circle by simply mentioning one or both. I find over half of respondents (really, it’s way more!) literally give a very real emotional reaction to how much it did not feel good for them to participate.

So, why then do we (still) do them (or some version of them) and require everyone participate? As with so many other things, lets dig a little.

Like, whats the purpose, where did they originate and why. Field day looks different everywhere but in general, it holds onto one of several events that culminate the end of the school year, designed around fun games. Presidential physical fitness events started in the 1960s as a way to measure the fitness level of the youth in America. Now you can go on and find out more about the whys and whats as some of the history is quite “interesting”.

Here’s the thing, for many, many individuals the memories feel embarrassing, traumatizing or simply not positive. If we spend more time peeling away these layers, it really starts the foundation for how someone feels about fitness, exercise and moving their body. While some people enjoy these types of events and the competitions surrounding it, many people don’t.

How do we provide different opportunities for different people? How do we look deeper to realize that something that seems one way on the surface may not actually elicit the intended feeling?

by Lisa Martin, owner and personal trainer at Salvere Health and Fitness.

To contact, email lisa@SalvereHealthandFitness.com or call 410.707.0055.

We welcome your thoughts and ideas! Thank you for reading and staying the path to

continuous growth opportunities and taking time for curiosity.

Salvere Blog: Hey Women — You’re Stronger then You Think

by Salvere Health And Fitness

So often, I start a new female client and one of my first questions, “Do you lift weights?” I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times the answer sounds something like, “Well, yes, I use 3 and 5lbs.”

Think about this, how much does your purse weigh? Do you carry children or grandchildren? How much do they weigh? Or what about groceries?

Then, through training sessions, how often I hear, “I can’t do that”, “I should have done more”, “I shouldn’t have eaten that”, etc.

Mentally, women come with some pretty significant, solid strength that comes with little credit. Carrying children, birthing children and recovering from birthing children – That’s some real big stuff, not just physically, but mentally too!!

So, for all you women out there, recognize and give yourself for all the strength you carry.

For any men reading this, find a woman and complement her on her strength – and about nothing that is external (so this means not about looks, her hair, etc.). Think about what you know about her inner strength and accomplishments, tell her!

by Lisa Martin, owner and personal trainer at Salvere Health and Fitness. To contact, email Lisa@SalvereHealthAndFitness.com or call 410.707.0055

We welcome your thoughts and ideas! Thank you for reading and taking the steps to become a healthier YOU.

Salvere Blog: Retirement Investment?

by Salvere Health and Fitness

IRA? 401K? Stock market? Bonds?? Your health? Most of us already started planning for your retirement on some level. In that planning process, you probably sat and figured out what percentage of your income you could realistically save and how many years you will work before enjoying your retirement!

After looking at your desired retirement investment, you probably mapped out your long term plan with short term goals. Do you reference this plan on a regular basis to determine your progress? Are you on track? If not, what do you need to do to get back? Do you consult with someone on a regular basis for advice and suggestions?

In all this planning for financial security, where and when do we plan for our health during retirement? Do we spend as much time planning for our physical fitness as we do our fiscal fitness?

How can we plan to have financial security and good health? Is one more important than the other? How can you plan your eating and exercise with a lifetime goal in mind?

Having all the financial security in the world cannot make up for not taking care of your health. Make changes now and keep referencing your plan and reasons for these goals!

by Lisa Martin, owner and personal trainer at Salvere Health and Fitness. To contact, email Lisa@SalvereHealthAndFitness.com or call 410.707.0055.

We welcome your thoughts and ideas! Thank you for reading and taking the steps to become a healthier YOU.

Salvere Blog: It Sounded Good

by Salvere Health And Fitness

Diets sound good, til they’re over or can’t be sustained. High intensity workouts sound good, until they contribute to injury. Weight loss sounds good, until we realize that it’s come in the form of losing muscle or due to illness. Restricting a food seems good, until it comes with the “I was bad” statement when we eat it again…

I’ve seen people regularly value and complement external beauty over internal beauty (and only complement once someone lost weight)

I’ve seen people indirectly (with negative out-loud self talk) and directly teach their sons and daughters that they weren’t enough because they weighed too much

I’ve seen my friends injured because a trainer didn’t do their job and teach appropriate, safe progressions

I’ve seen exercise and movement taught for a moment in time instead of for a lifetime

I’ve seen people demoralized and deflated because “they were bad” with their food choice

I’ve seen people do unsafe things to their bodies because they don’t appreciate what they can do

I’ve watched people seek value in a number on the scale instead of seeing their internal gifts

I’ve seen and felt people who don’t feel good enough about themselves because they don’t fit a certain size

I’ve worked in the health and fitness industry for over 20 years and, sadly, in recent times, these things are getting worse. Eating disorders increased, obesity not decreasing, depression among both older and younger people on the rise as are back problems, joint issues and preventable health problems.

We made it our mission to move the needle on these issues in the other direction!

by Lisa Martin, owner and personal trainer at Salvere Health and Fitness. To contact, email Lisa@SalvereHealthAndFitness.com or call 410.707.0055

We welcome your thoughts and ideas! Thank you for reading and taking the steps to become a healthier YOU.

In health,

Your “Live Healthy” Team

Salvere Health and Fitness

Salvere Blog: Feel Like It’s Never Enough

by Salvere Health and Fitness

Ever feel like when you accomplish something, it’s never enough? The blog piggy backs on the one from last week where we talked about the struggle with sticking with and/or starting a regular exercise routine. With over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, one thing that seems to impact people the most is feeling like whatever they do, they could be doing more.

It goes something like this:

Me: “Did you exercise over the weekend.”

Client: “Yea, but only 25 minutes.”

Sound familiar? Where do you think this comes from? Do you find yourself falling into this type of thinking? How can we begin to be aware of this and start to accept and be okay with what we make time to do?

It feels like the recommendations and what people see either via mainstream media or social media add to this thinking. “The CDC recommends 60-90 minutes of activity a day.” Really? Who can do that? Or “shorter workouts with higher intensity.” Really? What if I did not sleep well the past few days?

How about this — We rarely see anyone post about a 20 minute walk around the neighborhood but we sure do see them post their boot camp or crossfit or P90X workouts. What if someone is recovering from illness or injury or is just starting out or has been stressed from life things? That 20 minute walk is super important and that high intensity workout may be slightly damaging as it contributes to stress.

On many levels, our conversations, media and advertisements created this thought process. As you go through your own, constantly changing, journey of health and well-being, remember to stop and give yourself credit along the way for the small victories!

by Lisa Martin, owner and personal trainer at Salvere Health and Fitness. To contact her, call (410) 707-0055 or email Lisa@SalvereHealthAndFitness.com.

We welcome your thoughts and ideas!  Thank you for reading and taking the steps to become a healthier YOU.

Salvere Blog: “You Look Great”

by Salvere Health and Fitness

The fitness/diet industry constantly sends messages of success in the form of some sort of before and/or after picture. Often their advertising will show someone partially dressed, on the smaller side for women and the more muscular side for men, possibly holding an apple and/or tape measure around their waist. They may even advertise some sort of body transformation program or looking better in your bikini or bathing suit. What do these messages send to us about why exercise is important?

These things might not seem to be a really big deal, at first. Let’s look at the before and after picture in particular situation in more detail. How many times have you seen someone who lost weight and you immediately comment “you look great”? Did they look horrible before? What happens when they gain any weight back? How does that feel to them? Do we tell people they look great any other time? What if this person lost weight in an unhealthy way such as not eating because of a depressing situation?

Your health and self-worth extend far beyond a number on the scale or an after picture. Let’s all work to spend more time complementing people on the real things that make each of us unique and beautiful.

by Lisa Martin, owner and personal trainer at Salvere Health and Fitness. To contact Lisa, call her at (410) 707-0055 or email her at Lisa@SalvereHealthAndFitness.com.

We welcome your thoughts and ideas!  Thank you for reading and taking the steps to become a healthier YOU.

Salvere Blog: “Have To” vs. “Get To”

by Salvere Health and Fitness I “have to” go to the gym. I “have to” eat breakfast. I “have to” run. I “have to” drink water. Listen to your thoughts as you work on improving your fitness and health. What do you say to yourself about exercising or healthy eating? The phrase “have to” sounds like a chore or a responsibility. What if we say — I “get to” spend time with my friend today walking the park I “get to” help my body feel better by feeding it healthy foods. How often do changing the little things make the biggest difference? Try it out! by Lisa Martin, personal trainer and owner at   Salvere Health and Fitness. If you’d like to contact Lisa, email her at Lisa@SalvereHealthAndFitness.com or call her at (410) 707-0055. We welcome your thoughts and ideas!  Thank you for reading and taking the steps to become a healthier YOU. Be well, The Salvere Health and Fitness Team

Salvere Blog: The Perfect Workout

by Salvere Health and Fitness

Kettlebells, boot camp, barre, Pilates, Bikram yoga, Crossfit, regular yoga, body pump, aerobics, running, etc. You name it, there’s an article about how its the “best workout for weight loss”. Well, what and how can all these different things be the “best”? How do you sift through all this to know what to do?

Really, we can’t answer this question for you. Think of all these things as tools in your toolbox that you can pick at different times. When looking at your fitness program (or journey), consider the following things: What do you enjoy doing? Do you struggle with chronic pain? Have you had surgery or injury? If so, was it major (such as knee replacement, back surgery or a heart attack) or minor (such as minor arthroscopic knee surgery)? How long have you been exercising? Have you lifted weights before? When are you most energetic? What type of exercise are you most likely to do regularly?

Remember, these answers will change over time! Keep checking in with yourself and as you progress so too will your fitness program. It’s helpful for your body and to prevent burnout/boredom to continue to make changes instead of just stopping because “it’s not working”. Learn what works for you on those days with lower energy or something flares up — Make a change to your routine that day, don’t just do nothing.

With our blogs, we do our best to not continue to overload you with information but to help you start to examine how you can apply things to YOU. Remember, science is one thing, real life another. Apply this to your fitness and nutrition. We’ve become a society with weight loss tunnel vision when it comes to exercise and eating. Lets work to take these blinders off and pay attention to how we feel. You are unique and something different works for each of us. We constantly change as individuals so allow your fitness and nutrition to ebb and flow with your life.

by Lisa Martin, owner and personal trainer at Salvere Health and Fitness. If you’d like to contact Lisa, email her at Lisa@SalvereHealthAndFitness.com or call her at (410) 707-0055.

We welcome your thoughts and ideas!  Thank you for reading and taking the steps to become a healthier YOU.

Your BEST Retirement Investment

IRA? 401K? Stock market? Bonds?? Your health? Most of us already started planning for our retirement on some level. In that planning process, you probably sat and figured out what percentage of your income you could realistically save and how many years you will work before enjoying your retirement! After looking at your desired retirement investment, you probably mapped out your long term plan with short term goals. Do you reference this plan on a regular basis to determine your progress? Are you on track? If not, what do you need to do to get back?

In all this planning for financial security, where and when do we plan for our health during retirement? Do we spend as much time planning for our physical fitness as we do our fiscal fitness? How can we plan to have financial security and good health? Is one more important than the other? How can you plan your eating and exercise with a lifetime goal in mind?

Having all the financial security in the world cannot make up for poor health. Make changes now and keep referencing your plan and reasons for these goals! Remind yourself of this when you want to skip that workout or start eating poorly.