When we’re alone, we can talk ourselves into a lot of things. Our thoughts are really not just our own; they are products of all that we watch, read, listen to or have been taught. They depend on our sleep and stress and exercise and foods. If we don’t get enough of those things, our immunity decreases, our bodies get sick and our thinking goes in the tank.

I know this to be true because the opposite is also true. If we fill our heads with growth-minded topics, hopeful outcomes, positive stories, inspiring lessons, wise conversations, complex music and get our basic needs met, it is impossible to feel sorry for ourselves, wallow in self-pity or feel poorly.

I’ve written before about why exercising in groups benefits our thinking. In short, exercising with others reinforces the positive benefits of effort; we gain the multitude of rewards of moving along with the mental and emotional support of seeing others work toward improving. It’s the best kind of positive peer pressure. When the group atmosphere is taken away, we’ve lost one of the most important immune boosting fuels available. This is NOT non-essential; it could easily be argued as the most essential for individuals and communities.

Meaningful conversations not only help us feel supported and hopeful, they give us direction. When our exchanges are only directives, with no equal interaction between parties, we may as well be entering data into a computer; we need the humanity of exchange. We must always have space to be heard and to hear, to offer our opinions and share our knowledge. Without that, we’re left to our own tired selves.

Personal training and coaching are imbedded with good talks. It’s the reason that working out with a trainer actually works better than alone. It’s not that any of us absolutely need someone counting reps for us or technically designing workouts. What we need is confirmation that our efforts aren’t wasted, that we matter to others and that our health and fitness are important to our lifespan. It definitely helps to know that we’re moving correctly, and it’s way easier to show up for a session than try and create a great workout if you’re not trained to. But I would argue that the very most valuable part of exercising with a trainer or using a coach, is the interaction with another caring and respectful person.

I’ve recognized that a lot of people may not have access to a trainer right now, and likely not even a gym. Many people are left to their living rooms and yoga mats, and although there are a lot of amazing free workouts available online, after a while, we just need help to know if what we’re doing is good from a real person.

In an effort to end 2020 on a high note, I’m offering free 30 minute health coaching calls to anyone interested in talking fitness. No strings attached. I’ve nothing to upsell (unless you want to buy) and there’s no catch. I just want to be helpful in the area of health and fitness. (No pranks please.)

If you’re unfamiliar with me, why would you care what I think? What qualifies me to give you any advice about your wellbeing? Maybe the biggest reason is that I’m offering. But here’s some qualifications if you like them:

• 30 yrs of fitness experience teaching, personal training and coaching + masters degree in exercise + advanced certs from the world’s leading nutrition and exercise organizations

• Program creator, video and conference presenter for world-wide group fitness programs

• Adjunct college teaching in exercise, personal training, kinesiology and program design

• Genuine desire to help people live their best life

Merry Christmas!