Circus school for this fit mommy!

It is time for another installment of “One Fit Mommy”!
As I surf around the blogosphere, I come across fit moms (and dads too!) who inspire me to fitness.

Today’s fit mommy is Luann, who blogs over at Training for Fun. In addition to being a busy mom, Luann is also a certified personal trainer. (and before launching her fitness career, she was literally a rocket scientist!)

Please read on for more about how Luann is  “One Fit Mommy” and how she is going to circus school!

Q: What inspired you to live a fit lifestyle?

A: I have always been active, although not necessarily for the right reasons. When I was a teenager I was active so I could look cute. When I hit college, the cute thing was still applicable, but being active became more of a way to clear my head from my rigorous studies as an engineer. I had always been very competitive academically, so going for a long run or working out at the gym was a time when I could free myself from all of that. From there, being fit became much more about being able to enjoy life. I moved to a very beautiful and active community, and I simply knew I was going to have a lot more fun biking, skiing, hiking, swimming, if I was in good shape. Now that I have a son, fitness is a way for us to stay connected as a family by going on different adventures and a way to teach my son how to have a healthy life.

Q: What advice do you have for moms who claim they don’t have time for exercise?

A: We all are able to make time for things we consider a priority. We get to work on time, get our kids to school, have dinner for the family, all because that is a priority. If we make fitness an equal priority, then we will find a way to do it. But when finding time is a challenge, I teach my clients to exercise with their kids. I will often tell a client who I am training to bring his or her kids to a session and they all work out together. The parents are usually amazed at what their kids can do, the kids love playing with their parents, and everybody gets a good workout.

Q: Are you more of a cardio mommy or strength training mommy?

A: Both are so important and I make sure I do strength training 3 times a week with cardio on the other days. I never gave strength training much thought until I decided to get my personal training certification. I had always done the standard push-ups, sit-ups, bicep curls, but once I was able to develop well-rounded strength routines, my body significantly changed. My mind also changed because I really felt strong.

Q: What is your favorite exercise and why?

A: I love to ride my bike. There are days I feel like I could ride forever. Before my son, West, was born, I would regularly ride centuries (100 miles), and I could not have been happier. My days of all-day bike rides are temporarily on hold until West gets older, but I am still able to get out for a couple hours at a time on the weekends. I am the one riding uphill with the giant smile on her face.

Q:Do you have any mental tricks that you use when you just don’t feel like working out?

A: I am a big believer in listening to your body, so if my body is saying, “don’t work out today,” I listen to it. That is easier for me though because I really enjoy working out, so I trust myself knowing that I won’t get out of the habit of working out regularly if I skip a few days. On the days when I may not feel in tune with myself and there is no good reason for not working out, I do the 10 minute trick. I promise myself that if after exercising for 10 minutes if I want to stop, I can. Most of the time I will keep going, but I never feel guilty when I don’t.

Q: Tell me more about circus school!

A: Now you’re talking! I am really just spending a day on the trapeze at a gym up in Seattle with a friend of mine. She has been working out there for years, and I have always been extremely jealous. I finally decided I needed to just get up there and try it. I am soooo excited and equally as nervous. Here is the link to the blog I wrote about it. http://www.trainingforfun.com/i-am-going-to-circus-school/ I’ll definitely write again and let everyone know how it went.