Insist on Fit
Westforest Trail N2N 3J8 Kitchener, ON, Canada

Mindset is so important, but what does that really mean? To think positively? To extract the lessons from a situation?... To focus on moving forward? To be perfectly honest, these all sound fantastic, but what really happens in the back of my mind is fear. Fear of injury or reinjury Fear of a flare up Fear of moving backward in my wellness journey Fear of not being heard That’s what I think about when I think of mindset. I know that living with a fear mindset is not helpful.in fact it will pull me further away from my goals. But the reality is that there is always a bit of fear under the surface because of my Fibromyalgia. My flare ups are always going to happen.But the key is having a system to deal with the fear + flare ups. Here’s what I do: Gratitude journal- 100 Days of Believing Bigger - Marshawn Evans Daniels Lots of breaks - a.m. + p.m. recess & lunch break Don’t push to be like others - I follow my path Cry, scream, shout - Some days just suck! Embrace the movement my body likes - QiGong + Kundalini Yoga Supplements - Magnesium, Vitamin D, Omega 3, Zinc Ask for help - Part of my team: @rachelbentoncoaching + @joearko Acceptance - Each day is different I know these might not seem like big steps, but they work for me. What tips can you share to keep your mindset positive + focused? I’ve got a great Mindset Audit to help identify mindset problems. Comment YES below or send a PM + I’ll share it with you. #selfcareeveryday #painmanagementlifestyle #femaleentrepreneur #badassfibrowarrior #chronicillnessdoesntcontrolme #spoonie #movinglife #rollinginkitchener #noglutennodairynosugarnopain #spooniesuccess #managepainthroughlifestyle #gfforlife #fibromyalgiaentrepreneur #chronicentrepreneur #fibrosolutions #fibrowontwin #painmanagementjourney

What is the brain gut connection? Basically, the gut and brain communicate with each other. What happens in your gut has an impact on the rest of your body. The gut plays a role in mood, sleep, stress, immunity, inflammation and pain. The gut is very important to our overall health, so if it isn’t healthy, there will be signs in other parts of the body. ... Dr. Alejandro Junger explains gut health by using a plant analogy. If you see brown leaves on a plant, picking off the brown leaves won’t make the plant healthy. The leaves aren’t the issue; the problem lies in the roots or the soil. You must look at the internal conditions of the plant to discover the cause of the brown leaves. The same is true for gut health. The external condition is a result of a problem with internal health. Let’s say you have a problem with your skin (acne or psoriasis). Only treating the condition externally will not be effective. You may see temporary healing, but the condition (or a different one) will recur. An unhealthy gut is causing the external (skin) conditions. By treating the gut, we can get to the cause of the skin condition by healing from the inside first. If you’d like to read more about the gut and keeping it healthy, read Clean Gut by Alejandro Junger. I know through my personal experience that taking care of my gut health has reduced my pain and inflammation and also reduced the severity of my flare ups. By focusing on my gut health, I’ve been able to stop taking medication for my Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis. Having a healthy gut has made a big difference in my health. #selfcaretips #painmanagementlifestylecoach #highachieverinkitchener #fibromyalgiawarrior #lifestylechanges #butyoudontlooksick #spoonielifestyle #chronicentrepreneur #fibrosolutions #fibrowontwin #painmanagementjourney #spooniesuccess #mobilityinkitchener #rollyourbody #howweroll #healthyfoodnoinflammation #managepainwithoutmeds #gflifestyle #fibromyalgiaentrepreneur #guthealth #internalhealth #cleangutclearskin

1. Don’t push through it 2. Don’t let others’ needs come before yours 3. Don’t ignore trouble/aches/pains in your body... 4. Remember to be grateful I don’t want it to sound like stress and problems are no big deal or that I’m minimizing them. I’m not. I know how serious they can be. But you have control. You can make choices to change things. It will be hard. People may not like it. They may not understand. And it’s not your job to MAKE them understand. It’s your job to to stay healthy and well. Other people don’t have to deal with your stress, your inflammation, your pain, your life. So, you need to make choices that help you deal with your s@&% in the best way you know how. And if you don’t know how.ask for help. If you don’t get better, you won’t be there for your friends and family. #selfadvocacy #badasswomanleader #painmanagementcoach #fibrofighter #invisibleillness #spooniefighter #movementismedicine #rollforhealth #glutendairysugargonepaingone #managepainthroughlifestyle #spooniesuccess #fibromyalgiaentrepreneur #chronicentrepreneur #fibrosolutions #fibrowontwin #painmanagementjourney

Have you ever thought about how you perceive pain? Are tgere situations that you know cause pain, but that doesn't stop you. Lifting weights... Getting a tattoo Having a baby Runnung a marathon All theses things cause pain, but the feeling or results we get AFTER is the key. That's where the difference in perception lies. What if we shift our perspective and start focusing on how we want to feel or the result we want? Then try to look for ways to create that feeling/result. We may not be able to completely eliminate our pain, but maybe we can learn to have more control over it. #selfadvocacy #badasswomanleader #painmanagementcoach #fibrofighter #invisibleillness #spooniefighter #movementismedicine #rollforhealth #glutendairysugargonepaingone #managepainthroughlifestyle #spooniesuccess #fibromyalgiaentrepreneur #chronicentrepreneur #fibrosolutions #fibrowontwin #painmanagementjourney

A Spoonie is a term used to describe someone with a chronic illness and the depletion of energy. If know someone with a chronic illness, please watch this video. It will give you a better understanding of what tired means to Spoonies and how our energy depletes with each thing we do. DM me if you'd like to discuss this further or need some help managing your energy and chronic pain.... #selfcareeveryday #painmanagementlifestyle #femaleentrepreneur #badassfibrowarrior #chronicillnessdoesntcontrolme #spoonie #movinglife #rollinginkitchener #noglutennodairynosugarnopain #spooniesuccess #managepainthroughlifestyle #gfforlife #fibromyalgiaentrepreneur #chronicentrepreneur #fibrosolutions #fibrowontwin #painmanagementjourney

I've got 7 tips to help you manage your time. We all have the same 168 hours each week. Planning your week helps you use your time well. Let me know if you want my 168 spreadsheet to help with scheduling your time.... #selfcareeveryday #painmanagementlifestyle #femaleentrepreneur #badassfibrowarrior #chronicillnessdoesntcontrolme #spoonie #movinglife #rollinginkitchener #noglutennodairynosugarnopain #spooniesuccess #managepainthroughlifestyle #gfforlife #fibromyalgiaentrepreneur #chronicentrepreneur #fibrosolutions #fibrowontwin #painmanagementjourney

I give you 7 tips to help you with fitness and wellness goals in this video. Got any other tips? Post them in the comments and tag a friend. #selfadvocacy... #badasswomanleader #painmanagementcoach #fibrofighter #invisibleillness #spooniefighter #movementismedicine #rollforhealth #glutendairysugargonepaingone #managepainthroughlifestyle #spooniesuccess #fibromyalgiaentrepreneur #chronicentrepreneur #fibrosolutions #fibrowontwin #painmanagementjourney See more

Enjoy the stretches. DM me if you have any questions or would like information on my 12 Week Life Shift Program. #selfcare tips ... #painmanagementlifestylecoach #highachieverinkitchener #fibromyalgia warrior #lifestylechanges #butyoudontlooksick #spoonielifestyle #chronicentrepreneur #fibrosolutions #fibrowontwin #painmanagementjourney #spooniesuccess #mobilityinkitchener #rollyourbody #howweroll #healthyfoodnoinflammation #managepainwithoutmeds #gflifestyle #fibromyalgiaentrepreneur See more

I did a 3 day juice cleanse last week + learned some valuable lessons. Listen up because they may be exactly what you need to help you commit to your goals. 1. I CAN DO HARD THINGS + SO CAN YOU. During a tough time, you didn’t know how you would get through it, right?! But you did. You can do hard things. You CHOOSE not to do them!!! ... Pick something you want to accomplish + don’t quit until it’s done. 2. I LIKE TO FOLLOW A PLAN. I really like to have things planned + organized. It makes things so easy to follow + you can off each item when completed. Write a list of the small tasks you need to be do to complete the goal you chose . 3. I EAT TOO MUCH. After doing the juice cleanse + reintroducing food over the past 3 days, I realize I don’t need to eat as much food as I do & neither do you. I’m going to pick the things I really love + enjoy them! Log your food with MyFitnessPal. You’ll see how much you are consuming. Log how you feel, how long you are full + how often you . Not all foods are equal. Be selective. 4. IF I PAY FOR IT, I’LL DO IT!! No one likes to waste ! I paid for my juices + I wasn't going to waste that by not following the plan exactly. If you invest financially, you'll have a stronger level of commitment. Decide on something you want to do, find it + PAY FOR IT! FYI - I’m signing up for a Pilates Class @corefidencepilates 5. MY MIND IS POWERFUL! It's the strongest muscle in the body. If you believe you can or can’t, you're right. I decided that I would complete my cleanse, not cheat, and commit to feeling better. What is something you tell yourself you can’t do, but deep down you really want to do it? Commit + strengthen your brain-muscle to see it through. DM me and let me know what’s the thing that you’re going to commit to and finish. #selfadvocacy #badasswomanleader #painmanagementcoach #fibrofighter #invisibleillness #spooniefighter #movementismedicine #rollforhealth #glutendairysugargonepaingone #managepainthroughlifestyle #spooniesuccess #fibromyalgiaentrepreneur #chronicentrepreneur #fibrosolutions #fibrowontwin #painmanagementjourney

Over the past few day, I had high energy, so I pushed too hard during my workouts. I did not give myself a rest day - which I absolutely need! I KNOW it was a sabotaging behaviour, but I did it anyway. And today I am experiencing the consequences. I am struggling today with high pain + overwhelm. A good friend gave me some advice, "You have to give yourself permission to be however you need to be today". And, she's right.... So today I will: take care of my body (foam roll and hot tub) journal about why I didn't allow myself the recovery I needed (resulting in my pain today) pick 1 thing I can do to move forward for a better day tomorrow Be you. Do something to move forward. Don't worry about everyone else. #selfcare tips #painmanagementlifestylecoach #highachieverinkitchener #fibromyalgia warrior #lifestylechanges #butyoudontlooksick #spoonielifestyle #mobilityinkitchener #rollyourbody #howweroll #healthyfoodnoinflammation #managepainwithoutmeds #gflifestyle

Resolutions are a fantastic ritual to enter into the new year. However, many people fail. There are 5 key problems that are pivotal in either the success or failure of your resolutions. #selfadvocacy #badasswomanleader #painmanagementcoach... #fibrofighter #invisibleillness #spooniefighter #movementismedicine #rollforhealth #glutendairysugargonepaingone #managepainthroughlifestyle #gfwarrior See more

When I first became gluten free, I thought I wouldn’t be able to eat anything. It was very overwhelming to try to find substitutes, so I just gave up some of my usual foods...bread, bagels, muffins...the go to items. It was easier + frankly I didn’t have to waste money on terrible tasting substitutes. Gluten free has come a LONG way in 25 years! It can be overwhelming + a little frustrating, but the reality is that I get to eat all the fresh fruit and vegetables that I wan...t. I get to experiment with coconut flour + other flours and I get to be creative with cooking + baking. Whenever someone hears that I’m gluten free, I get the response, Oh, I could never give up bread! Actually, you could! If it made you feel like , constipated you, gave you terrible cramps + bloating, and caused flare ups of a chronic condition, you’d find a way because the alternative is just awful! I have so many food options. People think I can’t eat anything, but that’s not true. I can eat lots of things. Ask my partner @jeffgarton73 what I eat. He’ll tell you that we’re always running out of food and that he’d rather clothe me than feed me. Being gluten free has some challenges, but it’s nothing that can’t be managed with a little planning and education. Let me help you on your gluten free journey. Let me know if you'd like my recipes. #selfadvocacy #badasswomanleader #painmanagementcoach #fibrofighter #invisibleillness #spooniefighter #movementismedicine #rollforhealth #glutendairysugargonepaingone #managepainthroughlifestyle #gfwarrior

There are so many things that can trigger pain in the body....infection, injury, food, but my biggest trigger is stress. I share a couple of tips to Deal with stress in this video. How do you deal with stress??... #selfcareeveryday #painmanagementlifestyle #femaleentrepreneur #badassfibrowarrior #chronicillnessdoesn'tcontrolme #spoonie #movinglife #rollinginkitchener #noglutennodairynosugarnopain #managepainthroughlifestyle #gfforlife

A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PAIN MANAGEMENT & WELLNESS IS THE ONLY WAY!! There are 3 guiding principles for pain management: Mindset, Movement and Nutrition. If you are missing one of them, then you're going to fail. 1. Mindset - Your perspective + how you view a situation is key to your success. Carol Dweck talks about a Fixed Mindset or a Growth Mindset. If you have a fixed mindset, you avoid challenges, give up easily, believe effort is useless, + avoid helpful feedback. If yo...u have a Growth Mindset (this is the one we want), you embrace challenges, persist even when hard, believe effort leads to mastery + accept feedback to improve. When dealing with chronic pain, your mindset (belief) that you can handle it, that you can overcome it, + you can live a healthy active lifestyle is essential. Which mindset do you have? 2. Movement - Moving keeps the fascia healthy, joints lubricated, muscles strong + keeps the body happy. Movement keeps the mind sharp as you try to learn/master new movement patterns. Aim for 15-30 minutes of movement every day. I like variety, so I change my movement all the time. Sometimes I do something different every day. What are you going to try this week? 3. Nutrition - Gluten causes inflammation + issues. Dairy causes inflammation + mucus to develop. Inflammation is the enemy if you have chronic pain. Getting your nutrition under control + cleaning out your system is key to being able to absorb the nutrients you eat + use them to heal your body. My biggest decrease in pain happened when I changed what I ate. Want help going gluten + dairy free? Send me a DM + let’s get started. #selfadvocacy #badasswomanleader #painmanagementcoach #fibrofighter #invisibleillness #spooniefighter #movementismedicine #rollforhealth #glutendairysugargonepaingone #managepainthroughlifestyle #gfwarrior

Making changes is really tough. Giving up gluten is terrifying to some people. And honestly, I get that. I gave it up over 25 years ago. Things have changed a lot since then!! There are so many yummy options out there that are GF. The reason you don’t go GF is because you are afraid. Tips to Help the Transition: 1. Change your attitude about your health. If giving up bread would mean no pain, no gas, bloating, diarrhea, muscle pain, joint pain, migraines and sleep problems, w...ouldn’t this be a sacrifice you’d be willing to make? 2. Find some support. This is a big change and it will take time and education. Get your whole family on board. It’s much easier when you’re all eating the same thing. Join a support group. 3. Look for GF options at grocery stores and restaurants. There are so many more options available than there were 20 years ago. Costco sells a great GF bread. Talk to other GF people, they can point you in the right direction. 4. Change your attitude about food. Don’t think about what you can’t eat, think about what you can eat. Honestly, if you are eating fresh fruit, veggies and proteins, you won’t have a problem staying gluten free because your food choices are FRESH! 5. Don’t give up - It takes time to learn where gluten is hiding. It will get easier. I promise. If you need any help, DM me. I’m here for you :) #selfcare tips #painmanagementlifestylecoach #highachieverinkitchener #fibromyalgia warrior #lifestylechanges #butyoudontlooksick #spoonielifestyle #mobilityinkitchener #rollyourbody #howweroll #healthyfoodnoinflammation #managepainwithoutmeds #gflifestyle

A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS This picture is very vulnerable, but I want you to understand what happens when you give your body things it doesn’t like. This is a picture of my swollen face after I ate dairy, legumes, + rice. Psst.I also think there was cross-contamination of gluten (no evidence except my reaction).... I looked in the mirror. There was some redness + a bit of swelling (I thought it was my face products). I didn’t realize how extreme my reaction was, so I took a picture + when I looked at it, I was totally shocked!!! I couldn’t believe it. I look like someone beat me up!! Swollen eyes Puffy cheeks Face rash Face Breakout Foggy Brain + Lack of Focus Sore + achy muscles Walking hurts Inflamed + swollen hands + feet (I forgot to take a picture). This picture reminds me how my body reacts when I eat things I shouldn’t. It reminds me why I say no to certain foods, the inflammation + pain I feel, and the empowerment to say no again + again. Whatever you are trying to achieve, take a picture, so you can look at it repeatedly to remind yourself WHY. #selfcaretips #painmanagementlifestylecoach #highachieverinkitchener #fibromyalgiawarrior #lifestylechanges #butyoudontlooksick #spoonielifestyle #mobilityinkitchener #rollyourbody #howweroll #healthyfoodnoinflammation #managepainwithoutmeds

There are so many options out there, but how do you know which one is the "right" choice? I've got 3 tips that will help you evaluate if you're making the right choice. 1. Moves you towards your goals 2. Realistic for your lifestyle... 3. Makes you feel great If you've got any questions or want to chat about some options, send me a DM. #selfcareeveryday #painmanagementlifestyle #femaleentrepreneur #badassfibrowarrior #chronicillnessdoesn'tcontrolme #spoonie #movinglife #rollinginkitchener #noglutennodairynosugarnopain #managepainthroughlifestyle #gfforlife

Having Fibromyalgia is like being able to predict the future but no one believes you. People don’t believe you have a real illness or that it’s as bad as you say. My diagnosis left me relieved but also confused. I had to do things differently. I planned for flare ups. I had pain management techniques, which MAY work + a strategy if I had to go out during a flare up. I couldn’t just say, My Fibro has flared up + I have to cancel. I mean, I could, but then I'd feel guil...ty. So I pretended everything was fine. I tried to explain flare ups + my exhaustion from just getting up in the morning. The pain I had when sitting or standing, but people couldn’t relate. Eventually, I stopped trying to explain. I would say I was fine. I would push through the pain. If I had a flare up, I had a whole list of acceptable excuses to cancel, which was easier than explaining my pain. People can understand a migraine or hurt back. My pain + exhaustion were incomprehensible. Hiding my pain = feeling isolated No one understands or can imagine how I feel. Explanations sounded ridiculous. That’s how Fibromyalgia sounds. A chronic condition causing extreme pain lasting for days, can be helped (or not) by various options, renders you so exhausted you can’t get out of bed, light hurts your eyes, touch hurts your skin, you can barely remember things, + there’s no clear cause or diagnosis methods. Yup, ridiculous. So I stopped talking, explaining, going out, making plans, being happy, enjoying hobbies. I felt isolated, but at least I didn't have to explain a condition that no one understands. I said I was fine although I wanted to cry or my pain wasn't too bad when it felt like knives being jabbed into my body. I made plans for next week when I had no idea how I'd feel. But now I'm talking. I’m tired of feeling isolated. If you know someone who has a chronic condition, ask questions, offer help, don’t judge, + be kind. Tag + share with a friend #selfcareeveryday #painmanagementlifestyle #femaleentrepreneur #badassfibrowarrior #chronicillnessdoesntcontrolme #spoonie #movingislife #rollinginkitchener #noglutennodairynosugarnopain #managepainthroughlifestyle

Happy Friday the 13th. #selfadvocacy #badasswomanleader #painmanagementcoach... #fibrofighter #invisibleillness #spooniefighter #movementismedicine #rollforhealth #glutendairysugargonepaingone #managepainthroughlifestyle See more

3 things you can do to be happy and healthy. #selfcareeveryday #painmanagementlifestyle #femaleentrepreneur... #badassfibrowarrior #chronicillnessdoesntcontrolme #spoonie #movingislife #rollinginkitchener #noglutennodairynosugarnopain #managepainthroughlifestyle See more

Do you have mystery pains that just "show up"? It happened to me and I found myself going through an emotional rollercoaster. 1. FEAR... 2. FRUSTRATION 3. ANGER 4. ACCEPTANCE What strategies did I use to deal with my new pain? Watch the video to find out! #selfadvocacy #painmanagementcoach #badasswomanleader #fibrofighter #invisibleillness #spooniefighter #movementismedicine #rollforhealth #glutendairysugargonepaingone #managepainthroughlifestyle

Do you have difficulty giving yourself permission to rest? Do you feel guilty about resting? I do. But I also know that if I don't deal with my frustration or pain when it happens, it gets a lot worse and lasts longer.... How do I deal with these issues? I've given you 10 options to choose from. They don’t have to take a lot of time or be elaborate. Simple, quick things that you do whenever you need to can really help to reduce frustration and pain. On Friday evening, I participated in a full moon ceremony (which was AMAZING, BTW), but I felt the effects of it on Saturday and Sunday. I was achy, tired, heavy, charged up, unfocused, and overloaded with ideas. I felt kind of hungover. Anyway, I KNEW there was lots to do, but I just couldn’t get focused. My body needed to step away from my ‘To Do list and recover. I picked a couple of things from my Top 10 List and intermixed them with jobs throughout my weekend. A few things got crossed off my To Do list and the rest will get done this week. There’s no point in pushing myself. I’ll just end up grumpy and with more pain. It’s not worth it. So, when you feel frustration or pain, you’ve got 10 ways to deal with these feelings. Give yourself permission and space to take care of yourself. You’ll thank yourself for it. Let me know if you do other things to deal with frustration or pain. #selfcareeveryday #selfcaretips #movingislife #chronicillness #selfadvocacy #womenempowerment #painmanagementlifestylecoach #invisibleillness #spoonie #butyoudontlooksick #fibromyalgiawarrior #painmanagementlifestyle #badassfibrowarrior #femaleentrepreneur #balance #gratitude #rollyourbody #healthymindhealthybody #balance #highachieverinkitchener #wellnessKitchener