Almost everyone wants to look younger. In our culture, aging is viewed with the same contempt as gaining weight. “Well, she looks good – for her age ,” is a common back-handed compliment. And people spend millions of dollars every year on everything from face creams to cosmetic surgeries to fight off the inevitable. But there’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel and look youthful, if you reach peace with the idea that we’re all getting older every day. If you want to keep th

Which of these sounds like you when starting a new challenge or program? “I’ve got this! I’m 100% in!!” Or “I’m terrible at this. I always quit anyway.” Surprisingly, that kind of all-or-nothing thinking is super-common in all kinds of activities, including exercise and eating right. We convince ourselves that we must be 100% on point, and if we’re not, then we might as well not even try. “I win or I lose – that’s all there is to it.” But this is really a no-win proposition b

Since the year 496, Valentine’s Day has been celebrated in some form. It’s a day not just to express love for a significant other, but it’s also a day to express admiration and appreciation for other incredible people in our lives. And that’s YOU! Whether I’m currently coaching you through Renov8 Fitness, I’ve coached you in the past, or working with me is simply on your radar but you haven’t taken the first step yet, I want you to know that I APPRECIATE you so very much. Tim

Most of us don’t need a holiday to think about chocolate, right? Any day will do just fine :) But with Valentine’s Day upon us, and chocolate being more associated with amour than just about any other food or flavor, it can be like an adult version of Halloween if we’re not careful. Have no fear. We're here to help with three healthier recipes for chocolate treats. You can enjoy these with your beloved, or with friends and family, or even by yourself. The recipes are for brow

Is self-care selfish? Not at all! But sometimes people tell us they hesitate to practice self-care because they should put others ahead of themselves. And we totally get that, but we also urge them to think a step further to see why practicing self-care is an act of love – for other people in your life, as well as for yourself. Here’s an illustration of the point. At the beginning of every flight, the attendants tell us that, should we need them, airbags will come down from a

Henry Ford said a great many wise things. Our favorite: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” And this is never more powerful to remember at a turning point, like the start of a new year, when we look forward with hope, excitement and – yes – sometimes even fear. It’s okay to be afraid. Just remember that it can’t stop you from doing what you need to do. And the key to overcoming that fear isn’t to wait for it to go away. The key is to decide on th

Starting something – ANYTHING – is often the hardest part. But if you can just take action, one little first step, it gets easier. This, friends, isn’t a self-help platitude. IT’S SCIENCE! Remember Sir Isaac Newton? He said a body at rest tends to stay that way, and a body in motion will stay that way, too. The point is, don’t feel bad about yourself because it’s sometimes hard to leave the house and go to the gym… or to start building a new healthy habit… or to start doing a

Coach Heather Binns here... We can always find a reason not to move our bodies if we look for one. And it’s even easy for me to fall into that trap during cold days with the darkness creeping in so early. But of course, that excuse isn’t sustainable. I hope you don’t let the cold, dark winter days keep you from moving your body every day. If you need some pointers on how to sneak in more movement daily, here are a few that hold up no matter what the thermometer says. 1. Dres

We’ve all heard the old saying, “ A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.” But why is it so hard to remember it when pursuing positive health changes and outcomes? Maybe because we’re brainwashed by marketers to believe in quick, miracle fixes for everything – instant weight loss, spot reductions, and more. Sorry, but ancient sayings persist for a good reason: They’re true! So, the secret to making big, positive changes isn’t instant gratification. It’s making sm

What’s the #1 New Year’s Resolution? According to research, it’s usually the desire to live healthier. Statista, a marketing research firm, puts the figure at 23%. It’s followed by: Personal improvement or happiness - 21% Losing weight - 20% Career or job goals – 16% This got us thinking about what else statistics might tell us about this annual tradition. Of course, it’s hard to say for sure, so let’s take this all with a grain of salt. But it’s still fun! For example: What’

Have you ever used a coach? Some people use a coach to help them get to the next level at work (they are sometimes called “mentors”). Some use a coach in relationships to strengthen bonds. And some use a coach in diet and exercise to guide them through challenging periods of change. And right now, at the start of a year, is a challenging period of change for many people. Face it, even if life is going along well, you can’t help but wonder how it can get better… or worry about

With a new year upon us, we’re all looking ahead and wondering how we can make improvements to our healthy habits. We know we are! In that spirit, we’ve put together a series of prompts to help you plan your own vision for 2023. It’s a loose guide to get you thinking – and get you writing down your aspirations and desires so you can make positive progress. This will help you clear your mind, calm your nerves, and strengthen your determination to have the best year you can! We

Coach Heather Binns's here... Tradition says we should choose a New Year’s Resolution, but I like something else better: A VISION! Why? Well, it’s simple. A resolution is usually about changing a certain “bad” behavior that’s ingrained, and there’s usually an element of punishment involved. “I WILL lose 20 pounds” (to make up for what I’ve done “wrong” in the past) “I WILL stop being a couch potato” (because I’ve wasted so much time watching Netflix) “I WILL save more money”

What a fast year 2022 has been! Coach Heather Binns's here... I’m truly grateful and celebrating all that I look back on, even honoring the things that were hard or challenging. Some of the highlights for me in 2022 were: Visiting my grandkids in Washington and learning more about their unique and individual personalities Recovering from my ankle injury so I can return to running and strength training Learning more about myself on a much deeper level emotionally, mentally and

Coach Heather Binns's here... The holidays are a joyous time spent with friends and family, above and beyond what’s usual for us. This year Steven and I are having a wonderful holiday season and now we’re prepping for our annual “Dry January!” Would you like to join us? Let’s face it… Some of us have consumed more adult beverages than we usually do… me included, LOL. So why don't you join us for Dry January? We do this each year to help “clean up” our bodies a bit after our 1

What’s the least you can do? No, really. What are your daily minimum requirements for yourself? What are the two or three essential action steps you’ll take no matter what occurs – because you’re committed to consistency in your efforts to having the healthy life you desire. We're not talking about your big, audacious goals for the year, or your dream situation coming to life. We want you to write down what you can do each day – EVEN WHEN YOU TRULY CAN’T DO ANYTHING ELSE -- a

Life is always so busy, but this time of year gives us a wonderful opportunity to sit quietly, reflect, and realize how wonderful life is :) No matter what is going on in our world at any given moment, what we know to be true is that there is always something to be grateful for… every single day of the year. We want you to know that WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU! My content and coaching may be a small part of your day or week, but it’s my life and my calling. You may not even curre

Have you heard of the 80/20 Rule? It’s a helpful idea to manage stress and time. It’s SUPER-helpful during the holidays, when lots of us need help remembering what’s important, managing resources, and improving how we get things done. Here’s what it says, in a nutshell: 80% of the outcomes in life come from 20% of the causes. Put another way, we get the most results from a fraction of our efforts. Put another way, don’t run around like a chicken with its head cut off trying t

The holidays can be a time of joy. They can be a time of feeling overwhelmed and frazzled. And they can – surprise – also be a time to focus and get important things done. Here are five tips to help you succeed over these next 2 weeks and keep you merry and happy into 2023! 1. Assess what’s important to you. And we don’t mean shopping! Count your blessings – literally. Write down all the good stuff – what makes you happy, what makes you smile. Write a long list as fast as y

Picture yourself on a train going through a tunnel. Ahead, you see a light at the end. To reach it, you must shovel coal into the furnace every day, keep up the maintenance, and anticipate bumps in the tracks ahead. Now think of the tunnel as the process you’re using to reach your intention, which is the light. And the fuel, maintenance, and anticipation of bumps? They’re all part of the action you must take every day to keep moving and make it all the way through to what you