I kind of can’t believe I never got around to writing here about the Altra Run Crew! 2023 was an awesome year in running, and this was a large part of it. I love Altra running shoes—I’ve used them for years. They have a roomy toe box that’s actually shaped like your foot, so your […]
New Adventures: Taking an Herbalism Course
When I was little, my grandmother would point out the echinacea that grew on the side of the road and tell me how powerful it was. It had been planted years before by prairie plantsman Claude Barre, a friend and neighbor and, from what I know about him, a guy whose life was a plant […]
Following the Group Fitness Workout As Designed: Why It Matters
A few months ago, I took to my Instagram stories to talk about group training environments and the importance of following the group fitness workout as it’s designed. In the last two years or so, I’ve noticed a huge uptick in people coming to group training classes and “doing their own thing”. It’s distracting, it’s […]
Setting SMART Goals
Goal-setting is a common practice in any fitness studio, but the trouble is this: most people are vague about their fitness goals. I want to be faster! I want to be stronger! I want to lose weight! None of these statements means much, because they can’t be measured the way they’re described. How do you […]
Should You Do a Fitness Transformation Challenge at Your Gym?
I ask, because it’s that time of year, and we’re getting ready to host a Transformation Challenge at Orangetheory. Should you do it? I’m going to say yes, but it’s maybe not for the reasons you think. It’s Not Just About Losing Body Fat Most challenges like these are focused on weight loss, and the […]
Being Thankful in 2020
A couple years ago, I did a 30 days of gratitude post, and it’s a post I still enjoy reading. I wanted to do it again this year—maybe especially this year, which seems to deliver one blow after another. There still a lot of good, and I’m feeling as thankful in 2020 as ever. However, […]
2020 Gift Recommendations
In years past, I’ve created lists of fitness gift recommendations, based on products I’ve known and loved or really wanted to try. This year, I decided to do things a little differently. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who have great stuff to offer! Coaching programs, handmade items, and great products from their […]
Try Revive Superfoods!
Update 3/31/24: I wrote this post in 2020 after trying and loving Revive for the first time. I’m still ordering four years later, but with more to share…both good and bad. What’s Still Good What Needs Work All that said: I still order them. The convenience is great and they’re still more affordable than Daily […]
Disenfranchised Grief: What It Is and Why It Matters Now
Disenfranchised grief has been on my mind a lot lately, both because of my own recent experience with it and because I believe a lot of people are going through it right now. I talk about it in this video on Instagram. If you’d rather read, scroll on. I go into a little more detail […]
Tips for Working Out in a Mask
Many gyms and studios across the country (including mine) require working out in a mask. While I know this isn’t an ideal situation, I so appreciate our members’ willingness at OTF Boulder to give it a go! I’ve been coaching in a mask since we reopened, and I was working out in a mask for […]