CW: Talk of chronic illness, terminal illness and death I have a lot of experience feeding people who are sick. I took a year off of college to spend time with my step-mother, who was terminally ill with ovarian cancer. For most of a year, at the age of 20, our roles reversed and IContinue reading “Cooking Strategies for the Unwell, with Cakey Ginger Cookies as an aside”
Category Archives: Disability
What I Want Personal Trainers to Understand About Working With the Chronically Ill
I have several diagnosed chronic illnesses which can impact my training. The illnesses themselves, the medications I take to manage them, and the surgeries I’ve undergone to ameliorate the damage they’ve done to my body, all impact how my body works, how strong I feel, and how much I can push myself. When I’m workingContinue reading “What I Want Personal Trainers to Understand About Working With the Chronically Ill”
“When is it really downhill?” Iron Culture Podcast Ep. 141- Peak Performance (When & How Long Will You Be At Your Strongest?)
I’ll be 44 in a month. I’ve been lifting about 8 years now, and even though I’ve been pretty devoted for that length of time, I consider myself an “intermediate” lifter. Lifting, for me, comes alongside the chronic necessity to balance my training with managing a wide assortment of health challenges. I want to thinkContinue reading ““When is it really downhill?” Iron Culture Podcast Ep. 141- Peak Performance (When & How Long Will You Be At Your Strongest?)”
“Captain Picard of the USS Jacked,” Iron Culture Podcast Ep. 139- Why Try Harder Fails
Spinning your wheels in the gym? Maybe you just need to try harder. Or not. It’s not my thing to assume folks simply need to put in more effort in order to realize their lifting dreams. I’m much more interested in finding sustainable solutions that address the barriers that prevent us from being as consistentContinue reading ““Captain Picard of the USS Jacked,” Iron Culture Podcast Ep. 139- Why Try Harder Fails”
“Navigating a world that is not accessible,” Balance 365 Life Radio Ep. #172– Ableism in Health and Fitness with Alison Tedford
Sometimes we read, watch or listen to something, and we don’t register it as particularly impactful, but in retrospect, we realize it’s changed our perspective in profound ways. This episode of Balance 365 Life Radio has been one of those moments for me. Alison Tedford speaks about the importance of recognizing and addressing ableism inContinue reading ““Navigating a world that is not accessible,” Balance 365 Life Radio Ep. #172– Ableism in Health and Fitness with Alison Tedford”
“I’m done being a hater,” Eat Train Progress Radio, Ep. 6–Kiwis on Pizza and New Year’s Resolutioners
We’re going to dig into the podcast archives for this one. I am a member of the ETP Facebook group, and I love the community that Patrick Umphrey has created there. This appears to be the final episode of Eat Train Progress Radio (January 25, 2020), and it’s a fun combination of pizza talk, beardContinue reading ““I’m done being a hater,” Eat Train Progress Radio, Ep. 6–Kiwis on Pizza and New Year’s Resolutioners”
“Take a step back and look at the big picture,” Alan Thrall, Ten Tips for Novice Lifters
I went down an Alan Thrall Youtube wormhole this weekend. It started with someone I know sharing this video on how to respond to pain in the gym. I found it nuanced and informative, and off I went to chase other video titles! The video I want to talk about today is from 2018, andContinue reading ““Take a step back and look at the big picture,” Alan Thrall, Ten Tips for Novice Lifters”
“If it’s only about inches on the arms, you probably won’t stay,” Iron Culture Podcast, Ep. 134- You Don’t Understand Genetic Limits
Well, the boys roped me in with some first class nerd shit right off the top on this one–applying the mathematical models of limits vs. asymptotes to help us contextualize our own growth as lifters and the inevitable stalls, whether measured in added mass on our bones or added weight on the bar. And weContinue reading ““If it’s only about inches on the arms, you probably won’t stay,” Iron Culture Podcast, Ep. 134- You Don’t Understand Genetic Limits”
What I’ve Learned About Fitness After Hysterectomy (and Other Major Surgeries)
It’s been about 2 years since my hysterectomy. And in a lot of ways, I’m “back to my old self.” Most of the time, in most ways, I’m now able to do pretty much whatever I want to do in the gym. However, I’ve learned a lot from the ups and downs along the way,Continue reading “What I’ve Learned About Fitness After Hysterectomy (and Other Major Surgeries)”
Respecting Our Energetic Boundaries
I think most people who meet me think of me as an energetic, go-getter kind of person. And I can be. I can also be chronically exhausted and feel wrung out for weeks at a time. We all have energetic boundaries; there are times when we are able to push through the discomfort and getContinue reading “Respecting Our Energetic Boundaries”
Progressive Strength 