Sweat and Sunshine

About 133 million Americans suffer from at least one chronic condition. A condition is one that lasts a year or more and requires ongoing medical attention or limits activities of daily living or both. I’m challenged by multiple chronic conditions, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a musculoskeletal issue that causes chronic pain. I’m also a nature lover. So I’m well aware that awesome...

Join me as I seek insight on how we can make spirituality a regular part of our lives. In this episode Suzy Jacobson Cherry, a writer who focuses on spirituality, answers my questions on how to practice spirituality, the potential benefits of practicing, and what happens when we avoid spirituality. We'll discuss how mindfulness can connect us to spirituality, the importance of fellowship, and maki...

How does an escaped slave become an American hero? Our perspective holds the answer. You see Tubman wasn’t simply an escaped slave. She was a highly skilled naturalist; an expert of the natural world. In this episode we’ll learn how Tubman used her skills as a naturalist to triumph over immense evil and successfully lead 19 dangerous and exhausting missions through varying landscapes. So...

How does an escaped slave become an American hero? Our perspective holds the answer. You see Tubman wasn’t simply an escaped slave. She was a highly skilled naturalist; an expert of the natural world. In this episode we’ll learn how Tubman used her skills as a naturalist to triumph over immense evil and successfully lead 19 dangerous and exhausting missions through varying landscapes.&nb...

One of my favorite ways to expand my ideas around health and wellness is to talk with my hiking guests. They come from all over the world, offering diverse perspectives; and they all like to stay active. As a Personal Trainer and Health Coach, I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned, but mostly I love discovering how others stay healthy. I’ve found the stories they tell and the insight they offer to be...

Cooking nutrient-dense, whole food at home has been one of the most impactful health and wellness practices I’ve ever developed. That’s why I want to help you fall in love with cooking at home. In our last episode we examined how we can challenge our current thoughts about cooking at home. We considered the benefits of using nutrient-dense, whole food, and we made a plan to do more cooking at home...

Cooking nutrient-dense, whole food at home has been one of the most impactful health and wellness practices I’ve ever developed. That’s why I want to help you fall in love with cooking at home. In this episode we’ll take some time to challenge our current thoughts about cooking at home. We’ll consider building our meals around nutrient dense, whole food. We’ll explore the beauty of simplicity in c...

In this episode I’m sharing 5 of my favorite natural green spaces for physical activity in the Phoenix metropolitan area. According to the City of Phoenix, there are over 41,000 acres of desert mountain preserves and 185 parks. Abundant sunshine makes most days pretty perfect for all kinds of outdoor activities. If you’re ready to explore green spaces and be active, I’ve got 5 gorgeous places to g...

Welcome to Sweat and sunshine. During my time as a Personal Trainer working in gyms, I was confronted with many misconceptions about adopting and maintaining a fitness routine. In three episodes I’d like to share some of the most common misconceptions and the facts behind them. We’ll discover why high intensity exercise isn’t always the answer to progress, why a ridged schedule may not be as succe...

During my time as a Personal Trainer and Health Coach, I've been confronted with many misconceptions about adopting and maintaining a fitness routine. In three episodes I’d like to share the most common misconceptions and the facts behind them. We’ll discover why high intensity exercise isn’t always the answer to progress, why a ridged schedule may not be as successful as a fluid one, and why just...

In this Veterans Day bonus episode I’m honoring all who have served with a performance of a spoken word poem based on my experience in US Navy boot camp. I hope it’s a little insightful but mostly inspiring. To all who have served, your dedication is truly appreciated. Thanks for listening to my piece titled “Eight Eight,” recognizing the women who graduated from division 351 in August 1996.

During my time as a Personal Trainer and Health Coach, I've been confronted with many misconceptions about adopting and maintaining a fitness routine. In this episode I’d like to share the most common misconceptions and the facts behind them. We’ll discover why high intensity exercise isn’t always the answer to progress, why a ridged schedule may not be as successful as a fluid one, and why just t...

Most of us are well aware of the mood-boosting benefits a hot shower can provide, but I’d like to take some time today to explore why it works so well. I also want to give you some inspiration to work up a sweat before your mood-boosting shower and to get outside when you do it.  15 Min. Fitness Videos

Meditation is a great opportunity to practice mindfulness and reduce stress. If you've experienced difficulty "clearing" or "quieting" the mind in your meditation practice a guided meditation may be a solution, as they provide a path for your mind to follow. Layback and listen in as we check in with our bodies and purposefully give each area an opportunity to relax.

There are several factors that can contribute to a lack of mobility or a lack of comfortable movement. Age is certainly one of them but our daily habits have an even greater influence. The more we practice the foundational movements we want to perform in daily life, the better we’ll be at performing them. Incorporating these movements into our regular exercise routine is a simple solution to getti...

If like me, you’re challenged with chronic pain, moving in the morning can often be the most difficult part of the day. What’s worked well to get my mind off the pain and my body prepped for the day is a morning movement routine. Check out my morning routine for some ideas about how you'd like to start moving in the morning. Disclaimer: Please be advised, I am not a medical professional and the su...

In this episode we’re exploring how we can exponentially boost the wellness benefits of time in nature with mindfulness. I'll offer up 5 tips to turn your next sunrise hike into a healing experience. Link to blog post: https://sweatandsunshine.com/how-to-turn-a-sunrise-hike-into-a-healing-experience/ Sources Bratman GN, Hamilton JP, Hahn KS, et al. Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenua...

Welcome to Sweat and Sunshine. In this episode I’m sharing two physical activity based solutions to manage stress. We’ll learn how to complete the stress response cycle and how to engage the rest and digest” state of our nervous system. I’ll do that by sharing two stories. 

In this episode you'll learn how to identify, examine, challenge, and change unproductive thoughts and feelings that might interfere with your behavior change plans. Thanks for joining me for the post titled “Looking for Motivation? Try New Information.” Link to Blog Post: https://sweatandsunshine.com/looking-for-motivation-try-new-information/ Resources for Science-backed Info: Sweat and S un Ema...

Today we’re exploring how strength training can delay and even prevent type 2 diabetes. Thanks for joining me for “Strength Training and Diabetes Prevention.” The CDC estimates that more than 30 million American’s are living with Type-2 diabetes and the prevalence will increase to more than 54.9 million by 2030, according to research published by Population Health Management. While that projection...

Ever heard of the term "Revolutionary Self Care?" Let Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Joy Carter introduce you. You may just be surprised. During our interview on the topic, Joy "schooled" me in the best way possible.  Joy Carter is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. Her passion for supporting professional women in practicing revolu...

The most important factor in building a regular fitness routine is creating positive experiences. In other words, if we don’t enjoy it, we won’t come back. So get rid of the idea that we have to challenge ourselves to the point of near torture if we want positive results. Instead let’s focus on creating consistent positive experiences with live, online fitness training. Take this Cosmo-style quiz...

What if you could experience a genuinely thankful heart simply by adding some movement to your day? How could more gratitude affect your life? With a greater awareness and a little practice we can generate gratitude at any time. In today’s episode I’ll offer up 5 simple solutions to do just that. Link to Blog Post: https://sweatandsunshine.com/cultivating-gratitude-in-your-fitness-routine/

While there are plenty of physical health benefits to regular exercise, it’s the mental health benefit of stress reduction that offers inner balance. And a little inner balance goes a long way. Check out this episode to get an answer to the question "Why Should I Make Fitness a Priority When There is so Much Competition for my Time and Attention?” Link to Post: https://sweatandsunshine.com/finding...

In this episode I’m opening up about how reading ingredients, adding whole food, and setting sustainable goals allowed me to radically improve my health. So what were the changes I made and how have I maintained them? You may be surprised to learn, I didn’t count calories, I didn’t deprive myself, I didn’t change back, and I’m still on that Journey now. Thanks for joining me for the post titled “T...