Being Fuerte. It’s Time to Speak!

My fitness story is a life-long journey of learning to listen to my body and give it what it needs. I started by losing weight. It was a necessary first step, but my instinct to eat less and drop pounds wasn't ultimately what was best for me. I needed to build muscle, and eat more healthy, protein rich foods to support that muscle growth. Strength training has been one of the best things I have done for myself. It has supported me through many stages in life- from competing, to having a baby, to going through the first stages of perimenopause. And I'm not done yet!

I love fitness. I love working on my body. I do it every day. But I would be lying if I said I am motivated and excited about it every single day. I share some of the things I do to overcome the urge to be stationary. My top tip- find something that brings you joy when you exercise and do that regularly. It will shift your whole perspective.

Learn how to be an advocate for your health and put together a team of care providers that will listen to you and point you in the right direction. Dr. Bukant and I also discuss perimenopause, so if you are going through this, about to go through this, or are close to someone in this stage of life, you will definitely want to tune in. 

Want more? We’ll have a part two, where we dive into the tests you can ask for based on your health history and what your are experiencing.

Lo Shdo from Shdofitness and I talk about flow from our perspective as trainers and business owners. We created our dream jobs and tell you how we got there. Sometimes we can forget that we don't have to recreate the wheel; not every venture needs to be into uncharted territory. We share our stories to give you tips and inspiration for bringing your own ideas to fruition. Each of us has to find our own rhythm; join us for our conversation and get into flow! 

Hear from Amy, this year's Fuerte Fitness Holiday Challenge winner, as we reminisce about our adventures in 2023. Road cycling and paddling boarding trips- join us for more in 2024! Come as you are, and perhaps leave a slightly better version of yourself!

Listen to a great conversation about being an older mom. Maria is so inspiring to listen to because of her journey to become a mom at 50. The process is a true miracle, and happily for Maria and her family, all the pieces fell into place to make it happen. 

We talk about her journey, her career as a physician assistant in neurosurgery specializing in deep brain stimulation. We discuss the management of her own health, as well as work-life balance and making fitness a priority. And everything in-between that made it possible. We also reflect on the loved ones we have lost and preserving our language and traditions as we raise our children.

Let’s take in all in!

Burnout. Who hasn't been there? Today I sit down for a conversation about overtraining  with Ben Willis. Ben was a professional soccer player in the USL Championship within the Houston Dynamo organization. He went on to become the assistant goalkeeper coach and strength and conditioning coach at Rio Grande Valley FC. Ben is an ACSM Certified-Exercise Physiologist and Certified Inclusive Fitness Training, with a speciality in working with individuals with disabilities, and has his B.A. in Kinesiology from Gonzaga University. 

Ben and I talk about our experiences with burnout and how we overcome it. We will help you identify the signs of overtraining and give you tips for coming back to fitness, perhaps in a different way than before. And importantly, we normalize it as part of the game of fitness. It is nothing to be ashamed of or beat yourself up over. Just like other life challenges, you can embrace the challenge and pass through it.

To learn more about Ben or work with him, visit Strong Willed Training http://www.swtrainings.com, or find him on Instagram @strongwilledtraining or @benwillis99

Sleep. It's one of the key factors that determines how we feel and perform. And let me tell you- and I learned the hard way- I do not skimp on my sleep any more!

In this short episode, I talk about how and why I track my sleep, the function of sleep, and how you can optimize your sleep and feel your best. I leave you with some tips that you can put into action today.

Join me for an exploration of sleep, which I hope inspires you to take on Sober October! If you are entering the days of perimenopause, like I am, you will definitely want to tune in. I definitely want to minimize the number of nights I find myself awake at 3 am, and I have learned what steps to take to so that my body functions how I want it to. You can, too! It may not always be the advice we want to hear (I love a glass of wine with dinner!) but you will thank yourself when you wake up refreshed at the proper time in the morning.

Read about the link between poor sleep and Alzheimer's.

If you, yourself or someone you know is struggling with suicide please reach out to anyone that will listen.
If you don’t feel comfortable going to someone you know, call the suicide hotline: 988 or text 988.
But having been through this twice. I promise that there are people in your community willing to help, you just have to reach out. 

If you are curious about what it takes to be a fitness competitor, you don’t want to miss this conversation with Nicole Sims, IFBB Pro, Fitness and Wellness Coach. But don’t worry, if the competition track is not for you, Nicole and Adriana have tons of tips and tricks for simply moving toward a more active, healthy lifestyle. Body image is not about perfect bodies, it is about loving your body and celebrating what you body can do. Tune in, you’ll be inspired to give your body nourishing food and regular activity to help you feel your best!