As much as some of us have become more consistent with working out, Covidlandia has taken out a TON of non-exercise activity. I do a LOT less walking around the studio training clients; less walking around running errands. Hell, less walking around the grocery store. And, as far as our joints are concerned, this kind of decline in non-exercise activity means they’re more stiff, creaky, and maybe painful. (My PT assures me “everyone” is breaking down after sitting at the computer for pretty much 365 days straight.) 

Meanwhile, one of my clients spent five weeks in Costa Rica walking, hiking, practicing yoga, being outdoors. And guess what. The knees that had been bothering her since we went into lockdown now feel unstuck and when i asked, “How does your body feel?” she answered, “Great!”

​Do you know how long it’s been since someone has replied that way with no hesitation? A year.

The lesson? Movement -- ANY MOVEMENT -- heals. You might not get to leave for five weeks but every little bit of movement helps. Get more of ANY of it in more frequently. 

*I'm not even going to get into the amazing things exercise does for our mental health or immune systems but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention it.

We've started calling TruFit Evanston trainer Sarah Laspas (of Muscles & Moxie) our "Mobility Queen". While many people became one with their desk chair/desk couch over the last nine months, Sarah was deepening her already-profound knowledge of how help the body gain more mobility to be stronger, more bulletproof, and feel just plain GOOD.

Sarah now has a free program for all of you and has given us some teasers! Enjoy!

Did you know that Sarah, along with TruFit and IzzyFit owner Izzy, are co-teaching a pay-what-you-can class on Saturday, January 16th at 10AM Central on Zoom? THEY ARE! Expect a good mix of mobility and strength moves that EVERYONE can do. Seriously! 

All proceeds benefit TruFit's Scholarship Program so we can reach more people and get them feeling good!

Hope to see you there! Head here for more info or sign up below!

The good news is that:

• TruFit has been operating at no more than 20% capacity since June 1
• We do not do group classes
• We have required masks to be worn in the studio at all times since June 1
• Trainers must reserve space in the studio at least 12 hours ahead of appointment times to ensure the studio is not over capacity
• We have no locker rooms :)

We also:

• Have our windows open wide in every room to provide fresh air flow (don't worry, it's not cold; the radiators are also on!)
• Have our air purifiers cranked up to clean the air
• Disinfect everything like crazy after each use
• Ask that everyone stay 10 feet apart from each other

We are SO happy about the progress being made in the vaccine world while we lament at the incredibly high surge in cases in Illinois right now. We are doing everything we can to keep our clients strong and resilient and healthy whether that is in person or through a screen and I want to extend the loudest THANK YOU to each and every one of you who has supported TruFit and every trainer inside of it this year. 

We have a ways to go before we ever get back to a busy TruFit but I know we'll get there again one day :) Until then, please do not hesitate to reach out if you need anything by emailing izzy@trufitpersonaltraining.com or texting/calling 312-497-8999.

Yours in health,

Enjoy part 3 of Mary's at-home program geared toward seniors!

Enjoy Mary's second installation of her at-home workout routine for seniors (and anyone who wants to try it!).

If you live in Evanston, chances are you know super trainer Mary Cox of MPower Fitness. If you DON'T know her, here's your chance! Mary works with many senior clients to help them maintain and better their strength and mobility. 

Considering this current CoronaClimate, Mary has created a series of at-home workouts geared specifically for seniors (though anyone can do them) to help manage stress, to help people continue to move and stay healthy. 

​We'll be posting Mary's videos as they come out so for now, enjoy Part 1!

Here are a few reasons I LOVE this movement:

• If feels good. It just does.
• You get to light up a lot of nerve endings as your roll your body on the floor, similar to what you get out of a hug!
• It's fun! Babies roll on the floor because it's their job but adults are expected to just sit in front of a computer all day? No thanks.
• By practicing leading your movements with your eyes FIRST, you get to give your neck a break. Quality head control (and posture) starts with the eyes! Master this and your neck discomfort will be a thing of the past.
• Your spine gets super gentle rotation which it needs to stay healthy.

​Practice this rad move for a few minutes per day and let me know how you feel in the comments below!

​Stay safe, stay healthy and keep moving!

Dear TruFit community,

Like you, we have been preoccupied with the ever-changing and evolving information about COVID-19. I have been monitoring the guidelines outlined from the WHO and CDC as well as our local Evanston government officials. Our priority is providing the TruFit community with a comfortable and safe environment. We want you to get healthy here at the studio and stay healthy outside of it.

With that in mind, we want you to be aware of how we are working to reduce the risk of communicable disease at TruFit:

• TruFit already gets a deep clean weekly; trainers are paying close attention to all surfaces (doorknobs, light switches, faucets, etc) and equipment, wiping them down with disinfectant spray and/or wipes after use.
• Our towels come from a service that also services hospitals (so are super clean).
• We have stocked the studio with plenty of hand sanitizer, soap, paper towels and spray bottles with Lysol solution.​​

We would also ask for your help. Please:

• Wash your hands BEFORE your session with your trainer (and before you leave because why not?).
• Wipe down all of your equipment after use.
• If you use a disposable cup, dispose of it when you are done.
• If you use a towel, please place it in the hamper in the closet when you are done.
• If you have to cough or sneeze, please do it in the crook of your elbow.
• If you are sick, do not come to the gym.

​
This situation remains fluid, with constantly changing information. Our promise to you is to be as transparent as possible as we make the best decisions that we can to keep our studio a safe place for all of us.

With warm regards and clean hands,

We hope this has been helpful to power your body up, power it down and let you hike to your heart's content. If you have any questions and/or want to meet with a TruFit trainer, please leave us a comment below, email us, call or text us!

If you wake up, step out of bed onto the floor and scream from a searing pain that's burning up the bottom of your foot, you may be suffering from one of THE most annoying body buggers of all time: Plantar Fasciitis. If you have NOT been afflicted with PF in your life, consider yourself fortunate and know that this post is still for you!

Here are some fun Plantar Fasciitis (PF) facts featured in this article  from a large national survey taken in 2013:

• Approximately 1% of surveyed US adults were diagnosed with PF w/ pain in the last year--if asked who had been diagnosed with PF in their lifetime, I'm guessing stat would be higher considering the number of clients at TruFit alone who have had it (including yours truly)
• Women are 2.5x more likely to report PF than men
• PF is most prevalent in individuals aged 45-64
• They found strong BMI associations; those with a BMI of 30 or more were 5x more likely to have PF than those with a BMI of 25 or less
• More than two-thirds of those with PF use OTC medications for pain management; one quarter of respondents used opioids and prescription NSAIDs for pain
• On characteristics of PF pain: 25% reported severe PF pain; 45% reported moderate; 28% had mild pain
• 61%+ reported having pain every day, and almost 54% reported that PF pain interfered with normal work activities at least moderately. Nearly one-third reported severe pain-related interference.

Y'all: The weather is finally nice enough to walk/run/bike/play outside in. Do you want PF to stand in your way of living your best life? 

We didn't think so. 

First things first: We are not doctors. We are not diagnosing anyone. We are not prescribing anything at all.

We also know that the resets below from Original Strength are amazing in and of themselves, whether you have PF or are hoping to prevent it. You can do one reset or all four in a row! Do the resets for 30 seconds or two minutes! You can even check out trainer Kathryn's own foot-happy resets that she shared with us here! See what helps YOU feel better because you are an individual who might react really well to one thing and less to another!

​Without further ado, here is a short routine to help your body and feet get along with each other again!

LEGO ROCKBACKS
WHY?: Like every other rockback variation, we're still connecting hips with shoulders but we're also adding LOTS of movement through the ankles and toes. The foot has 26 bones and 33 joints and when our plantar fascia is all gunked up and stuck, our poor foot's actually screaming out for locomotion. So let's give it just that!

ROCKING CHAIRS
WHY?: If you read our post from "National I Love My Feet Day" (you KNOW we celebrated that day!), then you'll know that the fascia that runs under our feet goes all the way up our calves, hamstrings and keeps traveling until it goes over our head and into our eye sockets. Everything is connected so why not give all the nerve endings in the back of your body some love with this reset? And just remember: The site of pain is often not the cause of pain so don't forget about the rest of your body parts.

ELEVATED ROCKBACKS
WHY?: We can get really down on ourselves when it hurts to load our bodies vertically (like, when we're walking or running or squatting at the gym). We're throwing this reset into the mix to throw in a little challenge into the mix! We're still extending the undersides of our feet here, which can feel good, and we're also adding load (our body weight)! So we're not just moving to feel better but we're also continuing to get stronger!

Injuries can hold us back for a variety of reasons. So can the FEAR of injury. Let's agree, though, that if we don't move it, we lose it. We hope these OS resets help you feel good/better/the best! 

Tried these out? Have other movements that helped you out? Let us know in the comments below!