Living with Joy

Throwing myself on the floor for fun 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Sprawls on the wall ball = strength, power, cardio, coordination and a healthy dose of “Why!??”

But this is what I love about training as we get older…

I’m not trying to be smaller. I’m training to be strong, powerful and capable.

And yes… being able to get back up off the floor is pretty bloody important too.

Who else LOVES a cancelled plan?

“Sorry, I can’t make it.”

Me: “Oh no… anyway…”

No makeup.
No bra.
No people.
No regrets.

Cancelled plans = upgraded plans.

Apparently I’m just irritated now - ALL. THE. TIME! 🤦🏻‍♀️

So… what does a Personal Trainer actually look like?

Apparently, we’re meant to look like we have it all figured out. Perfect bodies. Perfect workouts. Perfect motivation.

But after 30+ years in this industry, I’ve learned that being a great PT has very little to do with how you look in a uniform.

It’s about experience.
Knowing how to train different bodies, different abilities and different goals.

It’s about training and education.
Understanding movement, strength, fitness and how the body changes throughout life.

But more importantly, it’s about empathy.
Because sometimes the person standing in front of you isn’t lazy or unmotivated. They’re exhausted. They’re grieving. They’re struggling with confidence. They’re starting again.

It’s about compassion and understanding.
Meeting someone where they are — not where you think they should be.

And yes, I’ll push you. I’ll challenge you. I’ll probably tell you to do one more rep when you’re quite sure I’ve lost the plot.

But I’ll also listen.

Because a PT isn’t just someone who counts your reps.

Sometimes we’re the person reminding you that your body is still capable of so much more than you think.

That’s what this uniform represents to me.

Not perfection.

Experience. Knowledge. Strength. Empathy. Compassion. And a whole lot of bloody care.

For midlife women, I love the sit-to-bench exercise because it trains something we actually need in everyday life:

The ability to control your body as you lower down — and then get yourself back up.

Adding a heavy dumbbell makes those legs, glutes and core work harder, helping maintain the muscle and strength that become increasingly important as we age.

It also challenges balance, coordination and control.

And no, you don’t need to start with a heavy weight. Start with your bodyweight, use a higher bench and build from there.

This isn’t about doing exercise because we hate our bodies.

It’s about keeping our bodies strong, capable and independent.

Because I want to be able to get off the toilet, out of a chair, down to the floor and back up again without needing an emergency rescue team.

Train for the life you want to keep living.

If menopause were a dog, this would be her.

Absolutely feral. No explanation. Just chaos.