“Music such a strong word with an even stronger sound it can rumble beneath your feet, cry in your ears, take away your fears, replace them with tears a never ending cycle of life’s greatest years the innovation and creation that freshens the mind and sterilizes the soul and only you will know how far it can go it can take us away to new places that we hope will last or take us back to then and dwell in the past covering every emotion with devotion of a single word creating a time in our life and a place in our hearts from yesterday to tomorrow the music keeps playing.” -Justin Thorne This is my favorite quote on music because it amplifies the power that music can bring. Do you work out better with or without music? Chances are the answer is better. For my fellow group fitness instructors out there, you know that music is such a strong motivator when it comes to exercise. Choosing music for a group fitness class is crucial; therefore, we’ll be going behind the mic in today’s blog so you can be the next music mogul in class. To start off some general tips on music: make sure it is reflective of your audience and your class. For example, teaching in a campus recreation facility and retirement home would require two completely different playlists. (For more insight on teaching active agers check out Steven’s latest ACE blog here). Additionally, a zumba class has a very different tone compared to a cardio kickboxing class. Before you even sit down to plan your workout, I want you to think about your audience, the format, the time, and the mood or effect you want your music to have on your participants. One caveat to that, if you teach to the music, meaning you follow a 32-count, then you want your music to have the appropriate beats per minute. Disclaimer: I am still learning myself but here are my general tips: Warm Up Choose a song with positive lyrics and eases participants into the workout. Some of my current favorites are: 2002 by Anne Marie Jay Pryor Remix Version Five More Hours by Deorro and Chris Brown Main working block Think about the lyrics and the beat here, try to match the music to your workout intensity. Remember some people are motivated by the words of the music, the beat, or even your cues. Suggestions: Dinero by Jennifer Lopez Level Up by Ciara Youngblood by 5 Seconds of Summer Core This section of the workout should indicate a shift which is slower. Examples: Magic by BOB New Rules by Dua Lupa Cool-down Everyone knows when it’s cool-down time when the song is relaxing and smooth. Suggestions: Colors by Jason Derulo Love Lies by Khalid and Normani You might be asking where do I get good fitness music: we’ve got you covered! Here are some of our favorite finds: Fitness Music Resources Steady130- This website offers free downloadable mixes. With numerous categories you’re bound to find a mix that fits your needs! Yes!Go- Subscription required; however, you can edit the music to your preferred BPMs. They have pre-made mixes or you can mix your own! Power Music- A paid app where you can get access to unlimited fitness music. Last but not least Spotify- For all my fellow broke fitness professionals out there this is a great option. Check out my profile if you ever need some inspiration. To continue our Hallowellness journey through the month of October, themed classes are popular around the holidays. To change things up, check out Steady130’s Halloween Bash mix to bring some fun to your next class. I hope you learned something new and maybe you’ll get a gig as a DJ one day. For now, know you have the power of influence every time you step behind mic. An aspiring fitness music mogul,
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Keepin’ it 100 with Willy T When I moved into my full-time role at UNC, Kyle Harmon was a standout intern who showed me the ins and outs of what it truly means to be a Tar Heel. She absolutely walks the walk (maybe you’ll get the pun after reading the next paragraph) and never waivers from her positive attitude. She will definitely be back on this blog, so buckle your seat belts. Kyle keeps it REAL on this one: “No more than three hours after Will texted me about writing for this series, I pulled my quad muscle. I was about to tell y’all how a Zumba or cycle session makes me feel like a new woman. But what happens when you can’t do the one thing that hits your reset button? It may not always be about the activity you do—maybe it’s more about being selfish, giving yourself the freedom and permission to clear your head, to breathe, to play. You can’t always go for that run, but maybe you can walk…” Kyle is a graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin studying Public Health and Social Work. She graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she worked as a fitness instructor during her time as a student. Two years following her graduation, Kyle worked to create fitness and wellness programming at Campus Recreation and the university community as a whole. She is devoted to spreading health and happiness, and wants to create spaces for all to access opportunities to put their best foot forward, play, and prosper. You can follow Kyle’s journey on Instagram at @kyleinharmony. Disclaimer: this blog is not about hurricane safety; however, in wake of recent events I hope you know to not ride out an actual hurricane. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are facing the effects of storms in North Carolina and Florida. Today, we revisit Steven’s previous blog, and discuss how to be channel resilience when riding out (metaphorical) storms in your life. Whether it be a breakup, a move, a job-loss, an unexpected death in the family; we all go through storms- sometimes it sprinkles, sometimes it rains, and sometimes it just straight down pours. Resilience is the ability to not just survive difficult situations, but also thrive and be stronger because of them. Resilience, like wellness, is not constant, it is shaped by the stage of life we’re in or what we’re going through. Like a river, it ebbs and flows. Recently through self-reflection, I haven’t been feeling like myself. I started a 9-5 job about a month ago and am not feeling fulfilled whatsoever. However, I knew that this was getting my foot in the door and I actively sought out the opportunities I wanted. Because I “rode out my storm” of dissatisfaction, I’m thrilled to announce I will start teaching group fitness classes next week! I haven’t taught in about two months. You’re probably aware I love teaching. No matter the subject, we are always students, there is always more we can learn. Back to the subject at hand, I also don’t feel like my true self because my wedding is less than a month away now! Let me tell you, I am not the traditional bride. I HATE wedding planning. Weddings are time consuming, expensive, stressful, and there are so many event details and moving parts. In combination, these external life factors have taken a great toll on my happiness. However, I have chosen to believe in resilience, and the power of knowing there will be an end. In the words of our girl Kelly Clarkson, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” After you ride out your storm, the sun will shine. Your friend in wellness, Keepin' It 100 with Willy T. This one is powerful. Like, superpowerful (pun obviously intended). Marc and I originally met by working in the field of collegiate recreation, and he’s been an awesome source of support throughout my career. Hear from the King in the North himself on why he reads superhero comics to keep him going: "My typical day is never the same. Being a creature of habit, it is sometimes difficult to navigate hectic days of meetings, projects, meetings, emails, meetings, connecting with staff, oh, and meetings! Marc is currently the Executive Director for the Genesis Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, a community hub whose mission is to connect people in shared celebration, service, learning, and play! Previously, he worked for over 20 years in Student Affairs at 3 different institutions with the International Students Office, Residence Services, and 15 years with Campus Rec. Along with his Master of Leadership, he has extensive experience in developing leaders of the future and is committed to ensuring a respectful, collaborative, and engaging work environment which values inclusion, continuous development, and fun! In no particular order, he has defined himself as: Devout Partner | Lego Dad | Baller | Raps Fan | Comic Geek | Changemaker | Human | Lifelong Learner Keepin' It 100 with Willy T Last week’s blog metaphorically focused on my “Snickers,” or what I go to when I’m not feeling very “me” (here’s the blog if you need to catch up!). I encouraged friends to share with me what keeps them going and I received some awesome responses. So with this sweet treat in mind, I thought I’d share responses as we approach Halloween (or Hallowellness as Alicia coined it). Up first is Rachel Nicely, who keeps it 100 on why she exercises to ensure she’s giving her best self to those around her. “With all the different roles that life demands, it is sometimes easy to get caught up in it all. Giving 100% of myself to those around me is on my every-day agenda, so I know that my cup needs to be completely full in order to serve those around me. When I’m not feeling my best, my go-to “Snickers” is without a doubt getting a solid lift or run in with my workout partner. Working out forces me to get out of my mindset no matter what kind of day I am having. It grounds me in a way that nothing else can! It reminds me how blessed I am to move my body is such an astounding way, while also allowing me to show gratitude for the opportunity to even have weights to lift or an environment to run in. Physical exercise refreshes my mindset and gives me a euphoric reminder of how lucky I am to live the life I do.” Rachel is a junior at Radford University currently studying Allied Health Science. In addition to studying at Radford, she’s a certified personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise. She loves inspiring others to be confident in themselves while also crushing goals not only inside the gym, but outside as well! She is employed at the Radford University Student Recreation and Wellness center working as the social media manager and as a personal trainer. You’ve probably seen the comical Snickers commercials that revolve around this punchline: “You’re not you when you’re hungry… Snickers satisfies.” Here’s my favorite of the series, which was released during the 2010 Super Bowl: I saw this again recently and it had me thinking. Metaphorically, what is my Snickers? When I’m not feeling very “me,” I prioritize getting outside to go on a run. It clears my mind, sparks my brain, and reminds me of how happy I am to be me. So... I’m going to try something different and raise the stakes for my readers! I want to know what your “Snickers” is. What do you do to boost yourself when you’re not feeling you? Fill out this 3-question survey. I’ll pick a random entry and mail the winner a box of Snickers. Satisfied?! In last week’s blog, Steven talked about the third place. In summary, in Ray Oldenburg’s book, The Great Good Place, the third place is essential for civil society, engagement, and a sense of belonging. Typically, the first place is home, the second work or school, and the third place is a places of community life. Churches, Starbucks, recreation centers, parks, bars, movie theaters, cookouts, and barber shops are examples of third places. When I first read Steven’s blog, I realized why I have been feeling so miserable lately….ALL my three places are changing at once! In the last two months, I left my full time job in Kentucky, moved to Cincinnati, started a part time job, and in the next month and a half I will be moving AGAIN, and getting married. A coworker put it best when she commented, “It seems you put all of life’s most stressful events and crammed them into the next 2 months.” What can I say, I have always been an overachiever. One of my strengths via Gallup StrengthsFinder is consistency and nothing in my life has been that in recent times. Don’t get me wrong, I know all these “issues” are first-world problems; however, when it comes to mental wellness, I need to focus on my best interest. Lately, I’ve been feeling as if I don’t have a place where I belong. I feel as if I’m a world traveler who keeps getting the door slammed in my face. Thoughts fill my head of, “Why did this happen to me? How did I end up here? When will I feel like I’m living out my true purpose? When when I have a place where it feels like home?” I don’t know the answers to those questions, I am coming to terms with that. In the storm that is my life I have always found peace at the gym. It’s where I feel I belong, where I’m in my element, where my body is doing what it’s meant to do-move. No matter where I go, I can always find a gym; it’s been there for me during breakups, schooling (I defended my thesis in one), and change. Whether your three places have been consistent for a while or you are driving the u-haul that is life, like me, your third place is individualized to you. When the stress of home and work become too much to bear, where do you go? The answer, that is your third place. P.S. For those who are wondering, my other strengths are discipline, empathy, restorative, and harmony. Your friend in wellness, Around 07:15 EST on Friday, September 14, 2018, Hurricane Florence, a Category 1 storm made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. This storm has wreaked havoc on the mid-atlantic and southeast US over the last 4 days. Although the majority of our team work remotely throughout the United States, Wilmington, North Carolina is the global headquarters to Globetrotter Wellness Solutions main offices, warehouse, and home to me, Steven Trotter, the principal of GWS. Today’s blog post is a little personal, a little about community and hope, and a little bit of a book review. On August 28, 2018 a tropical wave appeared on the watch radar for the National Hurricane Center. By September 1st the system officially became tropical storm Florence. Florence seemed to not make her mind up on her path or if she was going to maintain or gain strength. What went from something we weren’t even concerned about became quickly the center of our attention. The path of this storm seemed a little unusual; most storms that hit the Carolinas typically come from the south/southeast direction and sideswipe the coast. It was quickly noted that this approach was definitely not Florence’s plan. On Sunday, September 9th I spoke with 2 friends and we all agreed that something was off about this storm. It gave us an uneasy feeling and me personally, I felt this storm was different and the feeling I was getting was not good. We quickly made our hurricane preparation plans as Florence became a category 4 storm and her path was going to be a direct hit for Wilmington, North Carolina. When you make this plan, you go through your risk management strategies. Hopefully you have your risk transfer in place already by having insurance; living on the coast requires, at minimum, to have a wind and hail addendum and based on actual property may require hurricane or flood. Since this is a passive strategy, you can spend your energy on risk mitigation. Risk mitigation is built on decisional balance are creating a pro/con list. For me, I started with my non-negotiable task lists such as removing any items in the yard, patio, or on the house that could turn into a missile. From there it went to securing electronics, creating a packing list, putting items to higher ground, collecting items such as passports, social security cards, birth certificates, and other important documentation, calling in prescriptions for Roxy (my beloved American bulldog/boxer mix), and filling the car with gas. I chose not to board up my windows because with my decisional balance I felt that this wasn’t as important as the other things I had to do given the amount of time that I had left . Also, my home isn’t directly on the water (spoiler alert: it is now) and the neighborhood is in suburbia and not a heavily wooded area. The Third Place As we were preparing for the evacuation and when the storm path became clear, businesses began making decisions on closing. Over the course of my career, I have noticed and been directly involved with when I managed fitness facilities, is that the gym or recreation center will stay open as long as safely possible. Here’s why. The Third Place. In Ray Oldenburg’s book, The Great Good Place, he discusses that the third place is important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and (in my opinion most importantly) a sense of place or belonging. If you are unfamiliar with this concept, the first place is usually the home, the second place is usually the workplace or school, and the third place is the anchors of community life. Churches are often people’s third place as well as coffee shops, social settings, salons, and other recreation and community centers. Starbucks strives to be a third place to match their mission of “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.” I’m sure you are shocked to see that I am writing this blog at a Starbucks in Raleigh, North Carolina the city where Roxy and I evacuated to. For many people, the gym is their third place; it’s their sanctuary. The gym has always been there for people; it’s been there for people through marriages, divorces, births, deaths, celebrations, and grievance. It’s more than a place to workout; it's a home away from home and in dire times such as natural disasters (whether it’s mother nature or our lives) it’s the sense of community and belonging that we need. The Community Wilmington, North Carolina is strong. More importantly communities are strong. We have witnessed throughout history that no matter the storm, no matter the community, we pull together, and fight the fight together. Honestly I don’t know a lot of my neighbors other than the occasional chat in the yard or the wave as we are coming in and out of the cul de sac. Can I do a better job at this, absolutely. Will I do a better job at this when I am able to get home, absolutely. Even though quite a few of our neighbors don’t know each other, here is what I have witnessed in the last few days; most people evacuated however some folks stayed. People have evacuated to many parts of the east coast because depending on where you evacuated you might have been told to go to different locations due to where the storm’s projected path was that day. In Ginger Zee’s, chief meteorologist for ABC, book Natural Disaster: I cover them I am one she so perfectly sums up a storm’s aftermath. “Most people walk around after the initial tragedy, bewildered. Then they often start acting irrational, looking for house keys to a home that is no longer standing, or standing in line at a drugstore that’s been knocked to the ground. Eventually, sadness and some level of acceptance sets in. Hopefully, in the final phases of grief, we realize we are grateful to be alive and that we need to shift our focus off ourselves and onto helping others. We’ve all seen the footage and pictures of the first responders and the ordinary people who put themselves at great risk to make a tourniquet out of a belt for a victim or swim into dangerous waters to bring a stranded boy and his dog onto a boat. It’s quite inspiring, and in a weird way it’s what convinced me to write this book.” I’m sure if you have been keeping up with the news you have noticed that Wilmington which was a peninsula up until a few days ago is an island that is completely inaccessible by land. Food, power, supplies, fuel, and potable water are all scarce. Cell service is shot and many people stranded there aren’t even sure what’s happening. People who have evacuated are seeing the flooding, people being rescued by boats and helicopters, and the destruction from afar and are unsure if their homes are still intact. People are helping people. In the neighborhood Facebook groups, neighbors that have never met before are now meeting virtually and realizing who is who. People that stayed are going to evacuees’ homes to take pictures, organize immediate repair if needed, and giving people closure on their wandering thoughts. People that stayed are taking gas, food, and water to each other. People with 2 story homes are inviting people without a second story over so they can get to higher ground. A lady even took the rest of her fuel to a stranded news team so they could get out. People are volunteering and helping each other. People are doing exactly what they should be doing. What’s Next To be completely honest, when writing this I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to take it. Mainly because, I am not actually sure. What I do know for sure is that Roxy and I made it safely to higher ground and we have tons of friends, family, and colleagues that love us. That’s what matters the most; everything else...that’s what insurance is for. When will we be able to go home? Good question...we don’t know but we will be fine. Weathering the Storm It’s a fact that this isn’t the first hurricane to hit and it sure as hell won’t be the last. When you are weathering a storm, here’s a few tips for you:
Closing thoughts Storms are inevitable. We will all go through them and most likely more than once. Whether this blog resonates with you based on Hurricane Florence or perhaps another storm in your life remember this “No matter your storm, it never rains forever. It can’t and it wont.” - Ginger Zee Ways you can help:
I have always believed in Wilmington, and now I hope you do too, Disclaimer: This post was not paid for by Fitbit nor did they provide me with one (though I wish! Shoutout if they’re reading this and want to make me a brand ambassador) During my move my beloved fitness tracker, Fitbit Charge HR, of 3 years finally broke. I knew it was a long time coming; the band was coming apart, the screen cracked, no matter how much I cleaned it- it smelled, and the final straw was it wouldn’t sync or charge. Devastated, I thought how will I know how many steps I took? How long did I sleep? Did I hit my 30 minutes of activity a day goal? Worst of all without my Fitbit I would be in last place in my workweek hustle challenge with my old coworkers and I couldn’t let that happen for more than a week. There is a lot of research on the effectiveness of wearable activity trackers with technology advancing. Therefore, for today’s blog I’m going to give you my stance on physical activity trackers and a review. After moving into my new place and researching models online I fell in love with the new Fitbit Versa. It came in so many colors, had multiple new features, and looked like an apple watch. I trotted off to Best Buy and bought the masterpiece while my credit card cried a little. But remember, health is your greatest wealth. I immediately opened it when I got home and noticed how NICCCCEEEE the packaging was! (Fitbit definitely took a note from Apple here) Day 1- Tuesday After 30 minutes of set up and charging, I was on my way. I was amazed at all the new functions such as apps, music, weather, etc. My favorite part is being able to choose what type of workout I’m doing such as biking, running, weight lifting, all in all this helps provide a more accurate calorie burn. Day 2-Wednesday After a night of sleeping with the my Fitbit on my wrist I synced it to the app. I was shook it told me my REM, light, and dark sleep. Today I decided to get 10K steps every day so I went to the gyms and walked around my neighborhood. Day 3-Thursday I went to the park for a run and tested out those features. It gave me a mile pace and would register when I had stopped running or took a break. This little device is simply incredible. Do I need a fitness tracker to be healthy? Of course not! I will say that it doesn’t look too shabby on my wrist though. If you’re into learning about your body, driven by competition, and interested by data then a fitness tracker is definitely for you. Nowadays there are so many out there Garmin watches, Apple watches, polar watches, etc. There’s bound to be something that fits your needs and price range. I have always been a person who loves to learn about themselves. This Fitbit allows me to do just that. To say I am in love with this item is an understatement. I would highly recommend this Fitbit watch to anyone. It is sleek, lightweight, and has battery power for 4 days! This “accessory” has helped me stay accountable to my goals and gives me a measurement of my health. Final thoughts: The Fitbit Versa is absolutely something I don’t leave the house with. Because if I did, if I took steps and the Fitbit didn’t track them, did I really take steps in the first place? Questions to ponder. Your friend in wellness, Keepin' it 100 with Willy T: Episode 7 The “dog days of summer” have come and gone. While reflecting, I wanted to highlight the chance I had to connect with my best bud since 9th grade, Jordan Ronning, for a day of disc golf back at in my hometown. Neither of us have much experience, we aren’t particularly good, and neither of us pretend to be either. We both agree that sometimes it’s healthier to play without a score. I’ve grown in my comfort with being vulnerable in learning new skills. I’m a perfectionist, and historically it’s been hard to try new things because I want to be great at everything right away! My relationship with Jordan has flourished over the years, in part because he’s taught me how to have fun no matter the circumstance. Naturally, I vlogged the disc golf experience for you to enjoy: |
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Who we areJust a team of round pegs in a square hole changing the world one interaction at a time. Look back at it
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