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choice, chance or change?

The year was 2015. This picture was taken at the Planet Fitness in Rochester, MN. I was in town for my first consult at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota because my Honolulu based GI wanted to send me to the BEST gastroenterology and GI surgery hospital in the nation when after 10 years of severe, refractory #ulcerativecolitis,

I was left with no medical options and ZERO medical relief in Honolulu. My Oahu Docs just didn’t know what to do with me.It was a long time coming.

A reality I never expected but eventually learned to welcome after a decade of spending all of my mental energy AND tens of thousands of dollars on holistic alternatives that just never got me anywhere but more in debt.

Now, I advocate for others in a similar situation.

I volunteer my time to speak with others with #IBD and those like me, with an #ostomy setting an example that though my life is different, my life didn’t stop. Nor did my disease nor my colon removal surgery stop me from living life.

I do all the things I did prior, just a little different. And different is ok! THAT is what makes life special and beautiful.

How boring would life be if we were all robots on auto pilot?

THIS is what sets me a part from many of the coaches out there. No, having an ostomy doesn’t mean I only cater to IBD clients. As a matter of fact, I don’t have any current IBD clients right now. All of this simply means that along my journey, I’ve had to make choices, take chances and welcome change; no matter how messy, uncomfortable and scary the change was.

And as your friend and one of your biggest supporters, I assist my clients with the same – to make reasonable choices; to take sometimes scary, but necessary chances and to roll with the changes as they come. Change is beautiful!

What’s been the biggest Choice, Chance or Change you have made or taken thus far?

do i love to workout?

People assume that since I am the #honolulupersonaltrainer, that I LOVE to workout.

And yes, that is somewhat true, but TBH, I don’t love to workout all of the time. In fact, I probably don’t want to workout more times than I’d care to admit.

BUT, I know that moving my body makes me feel better no matter what; that if I can push past that feeling of not wanting to and remind myself that I have the honor of moving my body, this gets my ass out the door.

What’s my secret? Finding ways of movement that I enjoy, that I love, that I look forward and for me, one of those types is #triathlon.

In this sport, you see all ages, all abilities and all body sizes. And we all come together to move our bodies swimming then biking then running.

Here’s a throwback to finishing a #sprinttriathlon in 2017, two years after my colon removal surgery, as I rebuilt my strength, my stamina and my fear of swimming with my new normal (an ostomy).

Here are my tried and true habits that help me truly enjoy and even LOVE exercise. Find and implement the #habit that works best for YOU!

1. I only do workouts and exercise that I enjoy! I dislike swimming, so I rarely swim despite doing triathlon LOL!

2. I don’t fixate on weight loss. Instead, I evaluate my performance. I reframe my exercise – instead of it being something that I have to do to lose weight, I visualize all of the immediate benefits that I will receive from moving my body – the endorphins, the strength, mobility, flexibility and stamina that I create with every workout!

3. IYKYK – I crank up the tunes! For me personally, music is a HUGE motivator that keeps me engaged; allows me to push harder and go further. I get excited creating playlists for various activities and I am always on the lookout for fresh beats. My fave genre are current pop and 90’s #hiphop.

What’s your current go-to song to #beastmode your exercise session?

Mine is Can I Kick It? by a #atribecalledquest

spinning your wheels for #weightloss?

I received this text yesterday: “I feel like I’m spinning my wheels the last 5 years trying to lose these 15lb pounds.”

This is totally common. I hear this from frustrated ladies who come to work with me because they believe that if they can just lose this weight or weigh this number, the stars in the Universe will align and everything will be perfect. Well, not exactly those words, but you get my drift…

Here’s the 3 notorious reasons why you may be feeling the same about your weight loss journey:

1. You view this goal as temporary.

When we say diet, we automatically assign an end date to this thing. This first thing you must realize is that in order for your weight loss to stick around after you have reached your goal weight, you MUST continue the healthy habits you’ve adopted during the time you lost the weight.

2. You throw in the towel when the scale doesn’t spit out the weight loss you feel you should get.

#weightloss isn’t linear. The # on the scale is not going to regularly go down due to our bodies having a lot of variables going on at any given time. Pay attention to the scale trend. The trending line will look like a zig-zag, and that’s ok. Those zig-zags drop a little bit each week, so which means you are doing something right.

3. You do everything all at once.

We exercise until you can’t move. We throw out all the “bad” food. And sooner than later, we are sore and hangry. We are irritable and we quit before we see even a tiny drop on the scale.

Remember, weight loss is a #marathon not a #sprint. Slow and steady wins the race, so start implementing the smallest of healthy habits a little bit at a time.

Here are some sure fire ways to add in some very actionable habits toward your weight loss goals:

-Park further away to get extra steps in.
-Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
-Replace white bread with multi-grain.
-Grab some fruit or crunchy veggies instead of chips.

Then add another healthy habit the following week.
-Replace one soda with a big glass of water.
-Use Stevia instead of sugar in your coffee.
-Go for a walk during your break.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

List your one healthy habit for this week below!


do you do the #sunday roundup?

…Monday. New week. Clean slate. Fresh start.

Even as a Honolulu personal trainer, training clients both in person and online, I used to live by the mantra #cleanslate. Weekends filled with binge eating & excessive exercise; guilt & shame with a vow to “Do better on Monday.”

Starting and restarting is so exhausting, isn’t it?

To feel bad and unworthy with a sliver of hope to be better, to be good, to be adequate if you can only stick to this thing on Monday.

I’m here to tell you, to give you permission THAT YOU DON’T NEED A CLEAN SLATE!

How many clean slates have you started only to wind up at the same result – a constant loop of the same story like that Drew Barrymore movie 50 First Dates.

Look, I get it. The desire for a “clean slate” can be helpful. But it can also block you. If you find yourself making a “fresh start” every Monday – it might be time to recognize that this approach isn’t working for you.

I don’t have all the answers. I know that there is no right or wrong answer here. Everyone is different. We all have different motivations at different times in our lives.

But this is why having a coach in your corner is key. As your coach, I help you realize:
-That habits aren’t created instantly like your messaging. It takes time, consistency, effort & most of all, patience. Rome wasn’t built in a day kind of thing, ya know?

-That your physical environment is THE KEY to your success just as the key you need to unlock your house door. Without the key, you ain’t getting in nowhere.

-That your time & mental energy are finite; not constantly refilled like your insta feed. Sorry sis, it is what it is – #emotionalbiochemistry

-And that your NEED for a “clean slate” can be detrimental. Because it’s also an illusion. You never need it, you only think you do.

As your Coach, I help you start the best start for YOU.

“Starting” can mean taking one small anchor action beginning right now. It could be as simple as replacing one part of your dinner with veggies or starting your day with a glass of water. We figure that out together.

Remember this: the universe doesn’t care about your clean slate. Only you do because well, you are human.

Forgive yourself. Your slate is as clean RIGHT NOW as it will ever be.

are you a perpetual #dieter?

Many of my tribe have gone through lifetime dieting, myself included. 

It took me well over two decades as a female chasing the scale and as a Oahu based personal trainer in Honolulu to realize that I was approaching weight loss all wrong – and the very reason why i wasn’t seeing the results I wanted.⁠ 

Day after day, month after month, and year after year… 

Are you constantly counting calories, cutting portions, and increasing the amount of exercise you are doing?

If you want to lose fat and gain muscle (aka look ‘toned’), then you’ve got to do the food thing right and right isn’t attained when on a perpetual diet.

I coach women:
❤️to stop fearing food and eat!
❤️to empower by lifting weights 
❤️to appreciate their strong bodies
❤️to give themselves grace over guilt

If you’ve been chasing your results for a while now, it may be your time to nix the dieting all together.

So, tell me… how long have you been dieting?

3 ingredient protein bites

Yep – only 3 ingredient Protein Bites that are out of this world!

These are perfect for snacks and / or dessert! Made in just one bowl and requires 10 minutes or less of your time is the perfect pair for busy ladies on the go!

You can certainly adjust and play around with the flavor by using different nut butter, different flavor of protein powder, sweetener, or drizzle chocolate if that’s your thing. Keep them covered in the fridge but they are portable and stays well inside your purse or lunch bag at room temperature too!

Tell me if your favorite protein powder brand. I am always on the lookout to try new ones!
My current fave is Magnum Brand Quattro Whey Vanilla Soft Serve Protein Powder.



mornings are hectic.

Mornings are hectic. I get it. Over 20 years of working with busy ladies with all sorts of demands (work, chores, kiddos, self-care), I’ve discovered that establishing a solid and simple #mindful morning routine is KEY in creating a solid wellness foundation.

My 4 simple steps to an easy morning routine is the FIRST thing I tackle with the women I work with who are looking to get healthy, feel good and get moving.

It all sounds pretty cut and dry, but the magic happens when you you have someone in your corner (me), creating the structure for you (your plan) and holding you accountable (to your goals). Use my tried and true 4 step method to get started!

Step 1: As soon as your alarm goes off, get up and drink an 8 ounce glass of water. If it is easier, have the water available at your bed side.

Step 2: After finishing your glass of water, text me at (808) 256-3665 for your FREE #Fitin15 bodyweight strength workout. This will be your movement plan for the day!

Step 3: Take a few minutes to schedule your day; review the must-dos, the chores, the appointments and be sure to schedule your #Fitin15 workout in there too! Treat your movement plan just as high priority as that mandatory work meeting you dare not miss!

Step 4: Smile! You have spent no more than 10 minutes creating your day’s plan of action that includes keeping yourself ON your to-do list! Think about it? Where are YOU on your TO-DO List? Do you even make it on top of your list?

#fullness isn’t #failure

Hey sis, here’s your friendly reminder that feeling FULL isn’t FAILURE!

#Diets teach you to fear fullness.

Some coaches say feeling hunger pains is expected.

Think back to when you were a kid for a second. I bet you didn’t have a problem noticing those feelings of hunger. And similar to those feelings of hunger, you were also able to stop eating when you were full.

BUT, when we do our very first diet, we automatically lose this ability when we are directed into food restriction, resulting in things like mindless eating, overeating, emotional eating and more down the road. It may not happen right away, but it does happen, always. Eventually, you hit a road block.

Because of diets, we associate any feelings of being full or satisfied with guilt. After all, shouldn’t dieting be miserable and a lot of suffering, sacrifice and will power?

Welp, that doesn’t sound so sustainable or reasonable or worthy of our finite energy, am I right?

It is perfectly ok to eat when we feel satisfied. If that means adding some extra carbs to a meal then so be it.

When we eat until satisfied, we will be less likely to reach for more food later to satisfy us. As my Coach @Jillfit says, “meals don’t happen in isolation.” Think about that and read it again.

Want to learn how to moderate your food so that you will no longer be fearful about fullness, you will be eating for satisfaction and you will break free from the food obsession that has been bombarding your brain?

Get on my wait list for my 6 week @Moderation365 Nutrition Group Coaching coming for the first time in April of this year! Spaces are limited and first-come, first-served! DM me your email to learn the amazing curriculum that is #Moderation365, the very FIRST it’s kind in the food relationship arena.

what’s the best #supplements for #weightloss?

As THE Honolulu Personal Trainer was asked this the other day: “What’s the best supplements for weight loss?”

And it triggered my UH Manoa college years; memories of practically ODing on #ephedra;

Proud of being dizzy from hunger and too much #dietfuel

Confident that my stomach growls and burps of herbal disgustingness were experienced as badges of honor.

Boy, I’m glad those days are over.

I’ve done a lot of work and a lot of Oahu-based #therapy to be able to finally be at peace with my food, my fitness and my body.

I aspire to do the same for all of the ladies I feel fortunate to serve.

I view myself as both your Honolulu Wellness and Fitness Coach and your Advocate:

To educate you that there is a happy and balanced way to achieve your body goals.

To hold space for you without judgement because really we are just trying to do the best we can with the tools that we have.

To establish a level of trust between you and I so that you are 100% confident that your best interest is first and foremost not only in my coaching with you but also in my heart for you.

xoLA

reliable results are never rapid

Reliable results are NEVER Rapid.

Don’t fall for the hype of #rapidresultsmax promising a weight loss of up to 17lbs in 4 weeks.

Wanna guess what huge #dietindustry giant has put this stake in their ground?*

The first one to guess correctly below in the comments will be emailed a special gift!

Look, this *same” company helped me shed 45lbs back in the day. Taught me about portion control and gave me #Jeopardy worthy calorie counting skills.

That same giant created my hyper fixation upon how exercise influenced my weekly weigh-ins, as well as how starvation and excessive cardio could get the scale to drop to near double digits which meant I was “so good.”

My day back then pretty much was made or broken by those weigh-in Saturdays. And my then boyfriend, now husband, was witness and victim to the sadness, depression and rage than ensued from a “I was not good” weigh in day.

Besides, there are so many shitty symptoms of quick weight loss like malnutrition, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and gallstones – yep – gallstones can be a result of rapid weight loss.

Don’t we know at this point that diets fail and that rapid results are not only NOT real but most definitely unreliable?

Yet, as a Honolulu personal trainer, I work with so many women who have spent a half of their life time on these false promises, quick fix results and ultimately, weight re-gain, hormonal imbalance and low self esteem because they feel like they can never get it right, so something must be wrong with them.

Nope, NOTHING is wrong with YOU. Everything is wrong with the BS we are drip fed on a daily basis and the dysmorphic picture of health that we blindly strive to achieve.

I’m here for you sister: to break this cycle and renew, reset and restart, for the last time once and for all!

Let me show you how mindfulness, movement and moderation (my signature one on one coaching program called the #3mmethod) can pave your sustainable way of wellness.