Today's post features another friend, Lori Castellini, who I first met when I moved to Pueblo. Like me, she had moved to town recently and had a newborn baby and both of us were adjusting to motherhood. Flash forward seven years, and Lori is now a mother of two, as well as, an amazing fitness trainer in Pueblo West. I love following her Facebook posts about how she empowers women to get strong, really strong. Although I must admit Lori is not my trainer, I do get a lot of inspiration from her and my friends who train with her, love it. So here's a little bit about Lori. My hope is that she inspires you, like she has me, and reminds us mothers to take care of ourselves, too. And thanks, Lori, for helping us get a little bit healthier here in Southern, Colorado!
Lori, how did you become a fitness trainer?
I have been active my whole life, enjoyed sports and exercised pretty frequently, nothing too intense but was definetly not a couch potato. I had my baby and bounced back pretty quickly, but I still had a baby belly. So, I joined a gym in Pueblo West. I remember a class that I really liked called Body Bar and liked that it was helping me lose the weight. The trainer for that class left the gym and I was so upset. Then, the owner of the gym came to me and asked if I would like to teach it. I was a little freaked out about the whole thing, I liked to work out, but in the back of the class and didn't know if I had what it would take. I decided to just go for it and I got my certification and started teaching. Once I started all the stress went away, it came so natural and I loved every second of it. That is when I knew that this was how I was going to make a difference in the world. A a stay at home mom, sometimes I would lose myselff in my children and wonder if you will be able to make a "difference" like you once did while you were working. I believe being a stay at home mom was the best thing I could have ever done, but working as a trainer, not only gave me the much needed time away from the kids to regroup and refresh, but I also come home a much happier mother and wife. Exercise and training helped my mood and my feelings about myself so much. I then learned that I can help so many other moms that are in the same position and need something. I was not only helping them phisically feel better, but emotionally as well.
How do you incorporate your children in workout routines?
As a family we like to go for walks, we ride bikes and hike and camp, etc, so we are usually active. The past year we have done all of that, but have incorporated family workouts at the gym. We go to the gym as a family and while the adults are doing an exercise, we show our kids how to do it on a smaller scale. If they get bored they go and play and are still getting exercise. We have friends that come with us as well, so the kids try our workouts and do their own thing as well. We don't make them do anything or tell them they have to work out. They choose to do them and have a great time while they do. It is a great way to show them how great and fun exercising can be and set them up for a lifetime of loving fitness.
What are some challenges that mothers have working out in a gym setting?
As a mother and stay at home mom, I remember how hard it could be sometimes to get away. You are nervous about leaving your child with someone new, they may not go to that new child care provider. You may give up on doing that and just wait until your husband gets home and then go to the gym so you don't have to worry. But waiting, then that takes time away from family time and the much needed time with your spouse ,as well. I know that some gyms don't offer child care, so some may want to workout and can't. I totally get all the challenges that there are and have dealt with most of them.
How is the daycare situation where you work?
When I worked at the YMCA, they were the only gym that I knew of that offered daycare. I remember talking with mothers that were so excited to join because now they can workout during the day and get that much needed break that they needed. I was actually a little nervous when I left the Y because I didn't know what I would do with my kids when I started at CAC. I remember talking with the owners and explaining to them the importance of daycare in the gym and the next week they were offering it. It was awesome!!!
Lori, you blog too. Can you tell us about it?
My blog, Lori's Blog, was my way of giving back even more. I knew that on a daily basis I could help people in my classes, but I thought why not help even more if I can? I was also very sad to leave all of the members at the YMCA when I left, I felt that the blog could be a way to still be able to encourage and support them. I post some of my workouts, have stories of people who have lost weight, inspirational blogs about some of my clients and even have some healthy recipes and things like that. I love to share and get as many people as possible excited about working out!
Can you tell us a little about your family's eating habits?
We do for the most part eat healthy as a family! My husband and I, acutally create a good balance. If it was my descision, we would have all healthy food in the pantry and in the refrigerator. My husband likes his sweets and treats. So, we balance each other and our children, by providing healthy food, but also giving them those treats at times. We do balance it though and put limits on it. My son will eat almost anything I put in front of him, my daughter is getting better, but still she can go away from the dinner table hungry. Sometimes, I will make a sandwich or something if they really don't like what is on the menu. I don't force them to eat anything that they really don' t like. I would hate to make them have a bad feeling towards food. So many of us do and it is hard to fix that later in life.
