I did it!

13.1 miles.

2 hours, 19 minutes, and 55 seconds.

I DID IT!!!

I beat my goal time, with an average pace of 10:41 min miles, which is better than what I had been training at.  To see my actual results, check this website Results.

How the day went:

3:45 - I woke up to my alarm, plus the sound of rain pouring down.  I dreaded getting out of bed, but knew I had to get some food in my system.  I ate a bowl of oatmeal with protein powder added, had a green smoothie with spinach and a banana, plus drank coconut water. 

I got dressed, and realized I needed clothes to wear over my running outfit so I could stay dry before the race started, since I would be standing outside at least a half an hour in the rain.  My dad gave me an old turtleneck sweater he didnt want anymore and the only pair of pants I had that I could throw away were a pair of black dress pants.  I put both of these on over my outfit, plus a rain poncho and plastic bags on my feet.  I looked absolutely RIDICULOUS.  Thank goodness nobody was around to take pictures.

4:40 I left to drive to the mall where I would board the shuttle bus.

5:00 Board the bus.  Takes an hour to get to the start line (thank goodness, I thought it would take only a half hour and I'd be outside in the rain for an hour).  Like an idiot, I sit in the front seat, where I can see the route. We keep going... and going.... and going... and going!  I had no idea the start was soo far up the highway.  It was terrifying.

6:00 Get out of the bus.  Push my way into the giant crowd of people trying to get their sweatbags into the shuttle to the finish line.

6:25  Realize I need to pee, and head for the giant line at the porta potties.  Find a way to get in there quickly and not wait in line.  Whew.

6:30 End up toward the end of the crowd at the starting line, which is fine by me!  Finally time to start the race!!  Luckily, the rain stopped right as the gun went off and only slightly drizzled during the race.  Miles 5, 8, and 12 were the worst, the others weren't too bad at all.  By the last few I couldn't feel my legs at all.  It was really cold out!

8:55 Cross the finish line!  

8:56- 940 Wait in line to get my sweatbag so I can call my mom and my friends who came to watch.  But its not there.  By this time I am FREEZING because it is only 48 degrees out, I am wet, and didn't get a heat sheet like everyone else standing in line around me.  I walk down to the finish line, still can't find anyone, watch the winners of the full marathon come in, then go back to see if they found my bag yet.  Not until 10:40 did they find it!  By that time, everyone had left, not knowing where I was, so I just walked to the shuttle to get to my car.

10:45-11:45 sit on the bus for a half hour waiting for people to board, then another half an hour back to the mall.  By this time I finally have feeling in my legs, but I still haven't been able to stretch very well.  I got home, took a hot soak in the tub to warm up, then finally stretched my legs.  Since I was in the cold for so long, then sitting for another hour and a half, they were very cramped up and I could barely walk the rest of the day, plus 2 days later.  

The race went pretty well, I beat my goal time, but the hours following were some of the most miserable hours of my life.  Next time I run a race there are a lot of things I would do differently, which I will explain in my next post!  All I can say is thank goodness it is over!  (and I still hate running.)

Last Long Run

On Saturday I did my last long run before the race.  I was planning on doing 11.5 miles this Saturday, but when I bought my running shoes the man (Tony at Duluth Running Company) who sold them  to me who has ran 11 marathons and 23? half marathons told me to only do 8, and it is "Better to be under-trained than over-trained."  That way your body can fully recover.

I ran 10.5 miles in 2 hours and 13 seconds, which is my fastest time yet!  (at the 9 mile mark I was at 1:42:30 which is 10 min faster than my last 9 miles).  The pace was 11:24 min miles.  My new goal for the half marathon is to beat that time, have 11 minute miles, and make it to the finish line by 2:24:09.

New shoes totally made a difference.  Nothing hurt during my run, or after! It was totally worth spending the hour in the running store and the money to ensure that my body can operate at its best.  Here is a picture of my new kicks:

Brooks Ghost 4

So far I have enjoyed running in Minnesota more than California.  Although slightly warmer with less breeze, it is easier to do the runs without stopping since it is such a straight path with little to no traffic. The race is 11 days away, and I am very excited for it!  (Don't take my excitement for loving running quite yet, though!)

P.S. Sorry for my lack of posts, I no longer have internet so I have been trying to get to a coffee shop as often as possible, but after answering emails and updating everything I hardly have time to write!  Soon I will be on a regular basis, I promise!

  

4 Weeks Away!

Race Day is now less than 4 weeks away!

Yesterday I ran 9 miles with my roommates, it was one of my favorite runs that I have done.  The weather was perfect and I actually had people to chat with, so running wasn't boring!  I am getting new shoes this week though, because my ankle and knees hurt while running yesterday, and still are hurting pretty badly.  I am excited to see what a difference a new pair makes!

The 9 mile run was a 12:31 min pace.  My goal for the race is to run it in under 2 hours 37 minutes (which would be 12 minute miles).  I think that I can do it.  Having everyone cheering for me on the sidelines will be huge motivation to run quicker.  I just don't want to have my heart rate too high the entire race, that is my only concern.

I feel like I could do the race already, adding on miles hasn't been as horrible as I had imagined.  Looking forward to completing it!

Training for Running

Basketball
Soccer
Tennis
Kickball
Softball
Dodgeball
Touch Football
Pickleball
Raquetball
Volleyball
High Jump
Triple Jump


I love doing all of these sports, and they all involve running, so why do I still hate running so much?!

Although I still haven't gotten a "Runner's High," or found the love for the sport yet, I have gotten myself into a routine finally.  My Training Schedule works like this:

1 Long Run
Rest
Cross Train
Short Run
Rest
Cross Train
Short run


So far, so good!  Last Monday I ran 5.2 miles after not running for about 2 weeks because of my foot, and I felt great!  It took me an hour exactly, I didn't stop at all and felt like I could keep going.  I went rollerblading and on a 3 hours hike/climb for my cross training, and did 3 miles for my short runs last week.

Today was 7 mile day!  I went running with a friend for the first time, which actually helped keep me motivated a lot.  Having a running buddy is definitely a good idea if you have a hard time keeping yourself motivated to keep going without stopping.  The end got a little hard, but I am over the halfway mark and I am no longer terrified of running the half!

Here are my times for training so far:

(First time for each)
3.1 Miles       37 Min         11:57 Min miles      April 11
5.2 Miles       60 Min         11.30 Min Miles     May 2
7.0 Miles       81.5 Min      11.38 Min Miles     May 9
8.0 Miles       98 Min         12:15 Min Miles     May 16


I still have almost 6 weeks left to train, so I think I will be in okay shape by the time the Half Marathon comes!  I just need to get new running shoes, my back hurts after running and my shoes rub the inner sides of the balls of my feet, which I think I can hopefully fix with new shoes.  Wish me luck!

***Update***
I added my 8 mile run from May 16th.  I had to walk and text my roommate halfway through to have him bring my a spare set of keys for when I got back to my car, because I realized I lost my car key during my run at about mile 4.  Also, I am never taking the bike path from the Del Rey Lagoon again, it was with the wind the first 4 miles, and against 14-18 mile an hour wind the entire last 4 miles.  I still didn't do too bad on time despite these conditions, but I know I could have done better.

Exercise and Cancer

Encompass is now featured on Mesothelioma.com as one of the top complementary treatment resources in Los Angeles for people who have been diagnosed with cancer, especially Mesothelioma. 

Here is an excerpt from their site, Mesothelioma - Alternative Treatments 

Personal Trainers for Cancer Patients

It’s tough to get motivated to exercise, even when you’re healthy. Being sick makes it even harder to get out of bed and on your feet, even when symptoms of cancer or side effects of treatment are at a minimum. Many patients have found that a personal trainer can help encourage them to stay as fit as possible.

Cancer patients shouldn’t hire just any personal trainer. Mesothelioma victims should look for trainers who are specially educated in how to deal with a body that’s going through cancer. The trainer should know the specifics of asbestos cancer and must understand the patient’s limitations while still being able to encourage them to partake of appropriate forms of physical exercise.

A properly educated trainer should have the tools to deal with the physical and psychological effects of cancer and cancer treatment on patients, should be aware of special precautions when working with cancer patients, and should be able to offer a variety of options to suit the changing needs of a cancer patient as they get better or struggle further with their disease.

Ask your hospital support person if there is a personal trainer on staff that caters to the exercise needs of cancer patients. If not, check with local health clubs to see if there is a trained fitness professional on their staff who is educated in the particulars of working with cancer patients. Don’t be afraid to ask for documentation as to the trainer’s licensing and experience.

If you or anyone you know is looking for a personal trainer who can help a loved one, please visit my website www.encompasstraining.org, or

Email   Encompasstraining@gmail.com

Call 424.259.2348 

Exciting News!

With my new continuing education that will be completed at the end of May, I will now specialize in:


Pre- and Post-Natal Exercise


Diabetes and Exercise


Cancer and Exercise


Cholesterol and Exercise


Post-Orthopedic Rehabilitation

What I Have Learned From Running

This will be updated throughout my training, as I am sure I will learn new things every day!


1. Do not compare yourself to others.  My fastest 5k pace is one of my best friend's 1/2 marathon pace.  If I compared myself to her, I would be very discouraged.

2.  Don't pick a route where you have to run back and forth over and over again.  It gets very tedious and makes the run a lot harder.

3. Don't text while running.  May seem extremely obvious, but my Cardiotrainer is on my phone so I need it, and it is very hard not to respond to my friends' texts when I receive them, but I am learning not to since it slows me down a lot.

4. Get a Running Partner.  Make sure that they are at least at your level or a little faster than you so you can be motivated to run faster and keep running without stopping.  It really helps to keep you consistent, accountable, and improve.

5. Eat a light meal 1 1/2 to 2 hours before you run.  You don't want to be starving or stuffed while you run.  It's best to have a snack high in carbohydrates and low in fat and protein. Stay away from high fiber and energy drinks!

6.  Follow a Program.  It helps keep you focused on training the way that you need to, reach each goal at a quick pace, and keeps you on track so you are prepared for the race when the time comes.

7. Stay Hydrated!  Keep drinking water all day every day, not just before you run.  Once you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.  It is important to stay hydrated to keep your body at it's correct temperature, keep your muscles and joints lubricated, and also keep every cell, organ, and tissue functioning correctly.

8. Don't put your car key in the same pocket as your GPS.  You will lose it. Guaranteed.

9.  Do not choose a path where you will be against the wind more than half the time.  It makes running absolutely miserable.  If you must, bring something to cover your ears.

10. Wear Sunscreen.  Even if it is overcast.  Your skin will thank you.

Training in Hawaii

Surprisingly, it wasn't hard to wake up and go running in the mornings in Hawaii. I woke up between 5 and 6 and got my run in before it got too hot.

I did 4 5ks while I was there, the times were:
34:52
34:01
33:34
33:02

I steadily was getting faster, but still nowhere near where I was at in the winter.

The view did help me get through the running though!

Unfortunately, I sliced my toe open while I was there on some coral, and it still bleeds if I walk on it so I have been trying to walk the least amount as possible, and when I do it's on the side of my foot so my ankle is starting to hurt.

I have to take some time off for it to heal, which really is devastating because I didn't have that much time to begin with to train, and I still have yet to run more than 3.1 miles in my life.  Time is ticking, I need it to heal SOON!

Day 1 Running

I decided to start with a 5k.  The last time I ran one was December 11, 2010.  My time was 28:04, with a 9:04 pace.  Since then, I haven't ran more than a mile, so I figured I would start out at an easy 12 minute pace to get back into it (and so I wouldn't be miserable after my 5 and a half hour plane ride tomorrow... made that mistake last year going to Italy.. my legs we miserably tight for a whole week!)

So, here were the results:

Distance: 3.1 Miles

Time 37:03 Minutes

Pace: 11:57

Fortunately, it can only get better from here!  Next, I will be training in Hawaii!  It will definitely be hard to stay on track when all I want to do is relax, but I am determined to do this!

I don't know if I will have access to a computer, but I will keep track and post it when I return!

Running

Me?  Run 13.1 Miles?  You're joking....right?

I love all forms of exercise, especially when it involves kicking a ball, being in the water, swinging a racquet, or going down a snow-covered mountain as fast as I can.

However, when it comes to just running.. I could think of 253,623,641 things I would rather be doing.  I get bored after doing the same thing after about 5 minutes.  I hate seeing the wear and tear on everyone's joints after they have been a runner for many years.  I think everyone is crazy who spends hours of their valuable time running, and here I am saying "yes" to my friend Lindsay when she asks me if I want her spot in my hometown's half marathon.

I will be the first to admit that I never, ever run.  The farthest I have ever ran is a 5k, and the last time I did that was last December.  I was in track in high school, but I was a sprinter and a jumper, NOT a distance runner! I am the person that goes and watches the race (and everyone fainting.. defecating on themselves.. puking..omg what did I get myself into?!) and celebrates (hard) after.

On the bright side, we do get a goody bag.  It's no Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco where they hand out Tiffany's necklaces to the finishers, but I would rather have the support and motivation from everyone I know in my hometown than bling any day.

June 18, 2011.  68 days to train for the big day.  I wish I would have known more in advance, but she asked me just in time for me to be able to train appropriately and not just wing it.  At first I was hesitant, but then I figured, if I can make myself focus on this and really train as hard as I can, and accomplish a goal that I have had haunting me for the past few years, that is actually on my bucket list, and then I can apply that dedication to other aspects of my life.  Luckily, my roommates are also preparing for a half in June, so now I will have people to guide and push me for most of my training.

Ok, I have to say.. looking over the maps, reading the history, and just talking about it is making me a little excited.  Hopefully by the end of this journey I will actually love running instead of loathing it!  If not, at least I will have accomplished an item on my bucket list, will have learned a lot, and can be a better person and trainer.

I will be posting updates on my blog of my journey, I apologize in advance if they are all not positive and upbeat, but I will try my best to keep you entertained while I am going through my own personal hell.  

If you have any tips, advice, comments, PLEASE let me know!! 

I may know a lot about the body, exercise, nutrition, and motivation.  But I am pretty much clueless when it comes to running half marathons.  I could probably figure it out on my own, but I know that I learn the best from experience, so I would love to hear what people who have gone through this have to tell me (and other new half marathon runners!).

Thank you!  

Heart Rate

Q: Are you doing a lot of cardio at the gym, but still not seeing the results you want?
Q: Do you stop working out when you have reached the number of calories you wanted to burn?
Q: Do you measure results in the way your body looks, but not how much your heart rate has improved?


If you have answered yes to any or all of these questions, this article is definitely for you!


My Experiment


Yesterday, I did an experiment.  I walked for a mile at a slow pace, never letting my heart rate go above 100.  Then I ran a mile at a faster pace, keeping my heart rate between 160-167 (between 82-85% of my max). Here are the results:


Distance       Time      Calories Burned
1 mile              19:42              109             
1 mile               9:35               113             




So, as you can see, I burned more calories in less than half the time while my heart rate was where it should be!  You can be sure I felt like I worked a lot harder and my heart actually got a workout during my run as well.  I could have ran the mile faster, but my heart rate would have been over 85% of its max, which would have led to over-training.


Recommended Heart Rate for Cardiovascular Training


To find out your Maximum Heart Rate take 220 - Your Age.
Multiply this number by the percentage of which level you want to train at.


Here is a chart that shows what level you should work at depending on your goals:
Light Exercise                           Maintain Healthy Heart/Get Fit                                50%-60%
Weight Management                Lose Weight/Burn Fat                                                60%-70%
Aerobic Base Building             Increase Stamina Aerobic Endurance                      70%-80%
Optimal Conditioning               Maintain Excellent Fitness Condition                      80%-85%

My Example: 220-24 = 196         196 x 0.85 =167

I would keep my heart rate at 167 to train at the Optimal Conditioning Level

Under-training Risks
There are many risk factors to having an unhealthy heart, but luckily you have some control over it to a certain extent.  The most common risk factors for heart disease are:
-Being overweight or obese
-Being sedentary
-Smoking
-Stress
-Family history of heart problems
-Hypertension
-High cholesterol
-Eating a high fat diet
-Depression


The top 2 risk factors are what you can eliminate by exercising.  Just by moving your body, you can lower your risks for heart tenfold.  


You have experienced in the past how much even just a little exercise has an effect on the body.  Your heart rate immediately speeds up as your body demands more oxygen.  Your breathing rate increases to accommodate your body's needs for more oxygen, and you start to sweat to cool your body.




Exercise can actually change how your heart functions.  By exercising regularly you can:


-Make the heart more efficient.  By exercising on a regular basis, your heart learns how to work harder with less effort, which makes activities become easier.


-Lower your Resting Heart Rate (RHR).  When your heart is in good shape, it will beat at fewer times per minute while you are at rest.  The more you exercise, the lower this number will become. (Athletes have a RHR of 40-50 bpm)


-Strengthen your heart.  Just like the rest of the muscles in your body become stronger from weight training, regular cardio can make the heart muscle stronger, which means it can pump more blood with each beat.  Your body will then receive oxygen quicker and more efficiently.


-Helps you recover faster.  The more in shape your heart is, the less time it takes to return to its baseline rate. The time it takes to recover can be tracked to measure fitness levels improving.


-Lowers risks.  The stronger your heart, the lower the risks of heart attack, diabetes, stroke, and high cholesterol are.


-Increases good cholesterol, and decreases bad cholesterol.  This means there will be less plaque built up in the arteries, so blood can flow freely to and from the heart.


Optimal Training for Your Fitness Level
For the average person, training heart rate should be between 70-85%.  To measure your heart rate, find a second timer and count the number of heart beats you can feel in 15 seconds.  Multiply this number by 4 and you have your heart rate.  For an easier way where you don't have to distract yourself from your workout, there are many heart rate monitors available in the market.  For a recommendation for which type is best for you, email encompasstraining@gmail.com.

When you are training at this level,  Soon you will find that you can increase your time and intensity without increasing your heart rate.  This is when your heart is getting in shape along with all of the other muscles you are strengthn training!




Going over 85%


It is possible to go over 85% of your maximum heart rate if you don't have any risks for a heart attack, or coronary heart disease.  Though it is possible, it is not a good idea, because you are more likely to have sore joints, muscles, and also raise your risk for a musculo-skeletal injury.
When you exercise at this level, you are also at risk for over-training.  When your body is over-trained, the systems in it get weaker instead of stronger.  This leads to decreased performance and fatigue.  Your risks for injuries also increases greatly, which will cause more damage than good in the long run.




For Additional Information


Contact me if you would like to go more in depth about:
-Resting heart rate
-Recovery heart rate
-Heart rate reserve
-Which level is right for you
-Your current fitness level
-When it is okay to go over 85% max
-How to get your heart in the best shape of it's life!

Personal Training

How I Got Started Being a Personal Trainer

When I first went to college, I wanted to be a Cosmetic Dentist.  After the first year, I changed my mind and wanted to be a Dietitian, so I could help make people healthier.  I started taking classes in that field, and during my first health and wellness class, I fell in love with the field.  I started signing up for any and every health or wellness class that I could find, even if it wasn't a requirement.  When I took a class that measured all of my fitness levels and kept me on track the whole semester and did the same measurements at the end, seeing those results made me want to get others the same or better results!

From that experience, I fell head first into the Exercise Science field.  I switched to a college nearby that had a better Exercise Science major, and loved every minute of every class I took.  When I took the Personal Training course, I knew I had found my true calling.  The minute that I passed my certification exam, I got a job at the university and started training.

Training as a Career

Since then, I have trained in a multitude of different settings.  While I was in Minnesota, I trained at the university, a 24 hour fitness center, a private studio, in a Firestation (bring on the hot firefighters!) and also trained a few clients outdoors in the summer.

In July 2009, I came to Venice to visit a friend.  I loved the weather, environment, music, but most of all, I LOVED seeing people training on the beach!!  This instantly became my dream job.  I went home, saved up money for 3 months, and moved out here late that October.  I got a job at a gym near where I lived, and by January got my first private client.  Throughout the year, I gradually switched to training more clients outdoors than at the gym, within 6 months was only training 2 clients at the gym, and after giving the gym a year of my time, finally quit and became fully independent.

Previous Clients

I have had the pleasure of working with some of the nicest, hardest working individuals I have ever met in my life.  I heard a lot of horror stories before I first began, but I feel truly blessed by how great everyone has been to work with.

People come to me from all kinds of backgrounds.  I have trained the First Lady of a country in the Middle East, a man who is creating a Unified Rating System for the entire world, a Paralegal, Stay-at-Home Mothers, Students, a Doctor, Actors, Actresses, People in the Fashion World, Business Owners, Models, etc.  It doesn't matter what you do for your career, everyone needs to be healthy to be able to excel at it.

I have also worked with a bunch of different injuries or illnesses.  I have had clients with back and knee injuries, Parkinson's disease, frozen shoulder, hip replacements, stroke, severe obesity, eating disorders, you name it.  I have been able to obtain a lot of experience in helping with these sorts of problems, and have learned the biggest thing I have learned is that you can't let an injury or illness prevent you from moving.  There is always something that you can do, even if all you can do is move your arms.  Just getting your body moving is a step in the right direction, and I will be alongside you every other step of the way.

If you would like to read some testimonials, visit the testimonials section of www.encompasstraining.org

10 Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer

The Future

I have never been so happy with my career choice, I am living my dream job! I am Sports Nutrition Certified, so I am now expanding my business to giving nutritional guidance as well.  I worked at a Nutrition Club in Duluth, Minnesota where I learned a lot about how when people are not eating properly, all the exercise in the world isn't going to make that much of a difference.

I will be hosting weight loss challenges, starting group fitness classes, and helping people online as well.  I want to help as many people as I can in a day, as much as I love doing one-on-one training, I need to be able to reach out to as many people as possible. By doing online counseling, I can help people all over the world, instead of just people within a 10 mile radius.  

Expect bigger and better things from me in the future, and if you know anyone who needs help, I am here!







2 great articles from About.com
10 Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer
10 Reasons to Fire Your Personal Trainer

Herbalife

How I got started

I was working as a Personal Trainer at a gym, where I would go in the mornings and the evenings, while also working for 3 different divisions a company that provided services to people with developmental disabilities in between.  Since I was working 13+ hour days, I was always tired, stressed, and not eating properly.

Due to my lack of energy, my work and training suffered, as well as my body. was working out so I could be in shape enough to be a trainer, but just wasn't losing the weight that I wanted to.  Then I met Matt, another trainer at the gym, who opened my eyes to the world of Herbalife.

I went to an HOM, and instantly fell in love with the business and the products.  An HOM is an Herbalife Opportunity Meeting, where they go over Herbalife products and business opportunities.  I got started right away on Herbalife's Advanced Program.  The first thing that I noticed was that I had a TON of energy!  Everyone at both jobs noticed the huge improvement in work quality and attitude, and we all benefited as a result.

The other huge difference was the pounds just melted off! I ended up losing 24 lbs in just 3 months!  I didn't even know I had that much to lose!

By just switching  2 meals a day to Herbalife's Healthy Meal, eating 2 snacks, and dinner,  plus using these supplements I lost all the weight I had wanted to and more.  It was such a quick, easy product to use that I had no problem sticking with it.

I knew that I had truly found a product that I believed in, and wanted to share it with the rest of the world, especially my clients.  I got started working at Cold Fusion Canal Park, which was a Nutrition Club where people could come to:

Eat a Healthy Meal shake, tea, and shot of aloe made from Herbalife products

Receive Wellness Evaluations

Participate in Weight Loss Challenges

Within the first 2 months of using Herbalife, I became an Herbalife Supervisor, so I could get a discount on all of the products that I was using!  Since I was able to sell the products myself and coach people on how to use them, I was also able to use that as another source of income as well.  

Once I got to the weight that was ideal for me, I switched to the maintenance mode, where I just have a shake for breakfast, plus take other supplements to make up where I am lacking in my diet.  I have tried a lot of products since then, and still have found nothing even remotely comparable to Herbalife.

Herbalife for YOU

People come to me for all different issues.  Weight loss, muscle gain, heart health, digestive issues, energy, etc.  Herbalife has products for any health goal that you want to reach, and by discussing your current habits, diet, and goals, together we can find the right products for you.

If you would like a FREE Wellness Profile, contact me as soon as you can!  You do not have to be in Los Angeles to benefit from these products, or to have me as your coach.

To set up an appointment today:

Call 218.393.7323

Email encompasstraining@gmail.org

Visit encompasstraining.org

Dance!

My history of dancing

I used be on a competitive hip hop dance team in high school, plus I did ballet, jazz, and tap.  I took ballet dance/movement therapy classes my first 2 years of college, but then I sadly transferred to a college that offered no dancing.  I have gone 4 years without it, and yesterday I finally was able to dance again!

Flashmobbing

I got the exciting opportunity to be part of a flashmob yesterday.  We rehearsed the dance for 3 hours prior, and I realized I had forgotten how much I absolutely love dancing!  I cannot believe how long I have gone without it. After the rehearsal, we got to perform at Hollywood and Highland for a band called Allstar Weekend.  Here is a video of the flashmob, to their song "Not Your Birthday"

I also am going to be in one tomorrow, which will air on a television show in June!  Until then, I am sworn to secrecy about which show it is.. but I am very excited to be able to do 2 within one week!

As a workout

Dancing is so great for the body, both mentally and physically*. Here are some of the benefits:

Gets rid of stress and tension (you don't have time to think about what is troubling you)
Releases endorphins (enhances feeling of well-being)
Improves cardiovascular fitness (Gets your heart rate up and keeps it up the whole time)
Improves flexibility (Stretching is a very important part of dancing)
Improves strength (forces the muscles to resist against a dancer's own body weight)
Improves endurance (the muscles learn how to work in increasing amounts of time without fatigue)
Improves mind/body connection (your brain has to control movement of your entire body at once, which studies have even proven to decrease risks of dementia in the elder population by up to 76%!)
Promotes social interaction and self-confidence (in most cases, everyone is just having fun and not competing against each other.  Dance classes are a great way to meet positive, energetic people that share the same interests)

*Plus, it's good for your wallet, since no special equipment is required!

How you can apply it to your life

Dancing doesn't have to be choreographed.  You can dance alone in your room to your favorite songs and still reap the same benefits.  Many people choose to go to a club and dance freely to their own beat.  The other option is to join a dance class (or join me flashmobbing!)  There are many dance classes available in almost every area of the country,  from swing, to ballroom, to salsa.

To sum it up: Dancing is good for your body, your soul, your mood, and almost any other aspect of your life. Get your body moving to the music, and feel free to share where and how you did!

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Introduction

Hello!

My name is Kammi Bakke, and I am the owner of Encompass.  My company is designed to help you reach all of your health goals.  Every single person has a different need, from motivation to education to just being held accountable.  I have many different options and packages to cover the most common needs, but if you feel like you need additional help and don't see what you need on my website, feel free to ask me if I can do it!  If I can't, I will learn how, or refer you to someone who can!

I will be posting a lot of different items in this blog.  My personal workouts, new exciting things I learn, websites that talk about different health topics, Q & A from clients, etc.  Thank you for visiting and following along with me!  I hope I can help you become a healthier person!