Freedom…To Do, To Be, and To Renew

The sights and sounds of fireworks, the dogs and burgers on the grill, the family and friend gatherings, and

those amazing red, white, and blue colors showing up everywhere. You know summer has officially arrived when we kick-off the Fourth of July festivities, thanking those fabulous forefathers of ours for giving British rule the boot, and declaring our independence in 1776!  But July 4^th isn’t just a day to celebrate our freedoms as a country. Think of it also as a national holiday to commemorate YOU. Give yourself a pat on the back for being who you are, and give yourself the freedom to let your own unique light shine through. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in negative chatter – either external or your own berating internal voice – and let the perceptions and opinions of others persuade you to doubt who you are, or hamper who you want to be.  Allow yourself the freedom to just be.

While you’re at it, give yourself permission to do nothing as well. These hot, languid lazy days of summer are so tempting to stay inside and hibernate. That’s not only acceptable, it’s encouraged! Did you know that resetting your brain is just as important as resetting your body. If you’re taking a summer vacation, take it to the fullest and expand and rest your mind. You can:

• Read a book
  
• Write a book
• Write in a journal
• Listen to music
• Put a puzzle together
• Sew a dress
• Paint a picture
• Mediate

No matter what you do, just be. Be with family, be with friends, be with nature, be by yourself, be mindful, and most of all, let yourself be free to enjoy the experience of rest, relaxation, and renewal. Your brain will thank you!

Happy Fourth of July!

Fitness Instructor Denise Galiano shares advice from her personal fit file – just in time for her Women of Power workshop

You’ve probably seen Denise around the Movement Works facility – beautiful, raven hair, fit body of a twentysomething, you can’t miss her.  But I’ll let you in on little secret… Denise is 50 years old. Yep, 50. And not that that’s old by any standards, but you’d never know her age by looking at her…or trying to keep up with her in Piloxing and Funk-Fit classes. On Saturday, June 27^th at 11:00 a.m., Denise is holding a two-hour Women of Power workshop at Movement Works in Calabash, North Carolina to let you in on her secret for staying young and healthy. She'll talk about the benefits of strength training using your own body weight, free weights, barbells, and different techniques.  Here Denise gets up and close and personal with Movement Works about growing older healthier and happier, eating healthy, and teaching others how to strive for fitness for life.  

MW: What’s a typical day like for you?

Denise: I hit the floor running at 5:30 a.m. until 10 at night. I typically work a 50-hour week, and I

teach classes every night Monday through Friday, and some Saturdays.  In between, I find time to choreograph my routines, take classes to learn new training and fitness programs, and research fitness and nutrition. Oh yeah, let’s not forget the family – a home, kids, and a grand baby. 

MW: Whew, that’s a busy schedule! What keeps you motivated to keep it up?

Denise: My students are my passion and my drive. It is because of them that I keep doing it. Don’t get me wrong, I would still do my workouts either way, but to see my students change in attitude, appearance, and just get physically stronger is what drives me every day.

MW: Obviously staying active is a big part of what makes you look so great.  Do you have any advice besides staying physical you can share?

Denise: I eat very healthy… but I do cheat here and there.  I eat 6 to 7 times a day, very small healthy amounts. This keeps my blood sugar and metabolism in gear. I am a vegetable girl. I eat meat maybe 10 times a year, but then I suffer for it the next couple of days. You don’t realize how good you feel until you eat the wrong foods.

Food and fitness go hand-in-hand. You will have great success with this combo. My suggestion is start by replacing one unhealthy snack with one healthy snack a day, once a week. Fit for Life is the goal here.  Not a fix for a month. Please remember, this works for me and I am not a nutritionist. Everyone is different.

MW: So you’re holding a strength-training workshop at Movement Works on June 27^th. Can you tells us how strength training can benefit women in particular?

Denise: First of all, there are so many benefits to strength training. Did you know you start losing bone density at the age of 20? Lifting weights helps keeps your bones strong, along with helping reduce or eliminate knee and back pain. It makes you physically stronger to help with everyday functions like balance, depression, internal health, and of course, weight loss – all of which makes you look and feel stronger. Remember this:  muscle burns fat!!!

Everything you do – from Zumba, which is a great start, to weightlifting, HIIT, interval training, tabata, to Plyometrics – has different benefits for your body. It’s a natural instinct to just stick with cardio, but don’t sell yourself short and settle for just cardio. We as women owe it to ourselves to move forward, try something new.  We’re all worth it!  Remember, get fit for life!

MW: What can participants expect from the Women of Power workshop?

Denise: I’ll teach proper form and different styles of workouts so everybody can see what works for them individually.  You’ll be surprised at what your body can do if you just try.  I’ll also introduce Piloxing Knockout, a whole new way of performing high intensity core strengthening exercises influenced by boxing, functional training, cardo and plyometrics. at the workshop.  You’ll love it, it’s one of the greatest workouts for women.  The best advice and motivation I can give is to remember that anything worth doing takes time and commitment, and it may not always be easy, but it will always be worth it.

We hope you’ll come check out Denise’s Women of Power strength training workshop at Movement Works in Calabash on Saturday, June 27^th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The cost is $15 if you pre-register, and $18 the day of.  Let Denise inspire healthy habits for a lifetime!