Bartering Raw Food Education for Personal Training

My upper legs are sore, really sore, but a good kind of sore, thanks to a personal training program I’ve recently begun under the instruction of a personal-trainer friend of mine, Cynthia. She’s bartering personal physical training with me for raw food education and a green smoothie or green juice each time we meet, three times per week.

Last Monday, I served my trainer a kale, banana, apple smoothie while her next mason jar was full of green juice — kale, apple, lemon. “This is amazing. I’ve NEVER tasted anything like this before,” she exclaimed as she drank her juice while I got a few moments to sit and absorb the benefits of walking about three miles from my home to hers while doing a variety of specific arm exercises during the process. The brief relaxation segment after the walk felt equivalent to Shavasana in a yoga session. I was happy to see that Cynthia was plugged in to the process of allowing the body to pause and naturally soak up the benefits of working out.

Toward the end of my walk, I was instructed to sprint to our destination — the “gym,” her house. A typical workout there that Cynthia guides me through consists of three sets (10 or 20 reps) of various stretching exercises (outdoors and indoors), some light weight-lifting, boxing, jumping rope (60 jumps in one set — but 20 at a time), and sit-ups. Today, by the time all of my sets were done, I had done 200 sit-ups. It’s funny that the sit-ups Cynthia says are toughest to do are the ones I do with the most ease, but the type that are supposed to be most simple are not as simple for me. We’ll see how those progress. Initially, my boxing form wasn’t quite right but I’ve quickly improved that. (Above, I’m just playing around for the camera; my exercise program is one that includes exercises that will build long, lean muscles — like those of a dancer!)

Today’s workout concluded with a bike ride home. I had dropped my bike off at the “gym” in the morning so that it would be available for me to ride home later. As the sun beamed down on my body as I rode home, it felt like nature was rewarding me for all of that exercise I had done before the ride.

The Simple Eating that’s Complementing the Workout

I have been eating far more simply since this training began. In fact, I did intense training today on only water and an 8-ounce glass of apple/lemon juice. To Cynthia, I said: “I think the intense working out has been curbing my appetite, so it seems I’ve eaten very little these past few days….but I guess this is also in part to the mental “fasting” mode I’m in. Hmmh, perhaps because I’m sending more love to my cells through all the extra working out, they don’t need a whole lot of other food right now. Maybe! And, because I’m eating less, everything is tasting incredible — even a simple, crunchy apple.”

Apples and avocados have been what I have been desiring most (although that has now shifted to sprouted foods). For lunch yesterday, I ate four small apples. It felt like a grand feast. I thanked God for “cooking” that meal so perfectly for me so I didn’t have to! It’s a beautiful feeling to know that I don’t ever have to turn a stove on if I don’t want to, because God has already done it for me via the magnificent sun! How convenient to just be able to marvel at that simple food in my hands, extend gratitude, eat, and enjoy! Again, thank You, God! What a Master Chef you are!

In addition to feeling my gratitude level rise when I’m closely aligned with how I want to eat, another reminder that I’m following my truth seems to come from the “I’m proud of you, Mom” comments my son makes. Although he’s not all raw, there’s a certain pride he exudes when he witnesses me sticking to my journey. The other day, when I did get tempted (only tempted) to sample a cooked food, he called out, “No, Mom. That could cut two years off of your life. Don’t do it!”

“So, why are you going to eat it if that’s the case?” I asked.

“I’m younger than you (as if to say, I’ve got more room to play than you) and I’m turning raw-vegan when I’m 21,” he stated.

Geez, that’s another nine years. I hope he’ll change his mind before then. In the meantime, I’ll keep serving him his favorites, such as banana/strawberry smoothies, grapes, and salads, and attempting to be a healthy example for him.

Talking about turning to raw foods, it was from sharing raw food information with Trainer Cynthia that opened up this personal training opportunity for me in the first place. Our sons play on the same football team, and in order for her son to not have to move up to another team where the players can weigh more, he (and a few others) would have to remain precisely at their current weight or shed a few pounds. I suggested Cynthia replace some of her son’s heavier meals with fruits and veggies during the weekend before the official Pop Warner certification (weigh-in). She ate up my food suggestion as well as applied her personal training expertise to her son, and come Sunday — the day the boys had to be weighed to see what team they would be on — her son passed the weight test with flying colors (as far as being able to stay on a lighter-weight team). Our boys are now still on the same team!

Cynthia’s raw-food interest didn’t stop there, though. She has thirsted for more information, and so our bartering-raw-food-education-for-personal-training connection was born. In fact, Cynthia has started a personal training and day-spa business (my next post) and has invited me to assist her clients with incorporating more raw and living foods into their diets.

Doesn’t the world just revolve so beautifully when we mix and match our areas of interest? What can you offer a friend in exchange for something that can benefit both of you? Think about it, give it a shot, and see if life becomes even more brighter for you. I’d love to hear your story!

With Love,

Penny