TonyaTittle

April 8, 2021

So many clients go to personal trainers because they just don’t know what or how to work out kinks in their body and be able to get stronger at the same time. I recently added these three exercises as a third day bonus for a client I customized a 2 day strength training program. They are so good and moved I don’t see clients at a Y or gym doing that I wanted to share with you and challenge you to add them to your week.

Try 2-3 sets of 15 each side for the C-bend and Leg External Rotation Leg Lift. The Rotate/Bend/Rotate, just do 3 each side. You will notice you can twist much more than originally because you are getting a great stretch. Be sure to breath during these exercises.

You will likely be sore on the side of your body/ribcage in a good way.

Find Tonya online with live personal training/coaching or hire her to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Greenville, South Carolina site to be available this year in the town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Stay tuned for more details as we are working on securing a location. Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 is no longer onsite for training, massage and nutrition coaching.

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM, LMT, TPI Level 1
Owner/Dir. of Training

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

If you haven’t had a functional movement assessment with a professional observe the way you move different joints and movements with your hips, shoulders, and spine then how do you know you are doing the most effective strength training, flexibility or cardio program? Hire someone like me to get you on track with a program to help you reduce current pain, eliminate pain, improve your current program or enhance your athletic performance.

by TonyaTittle

April 2, 2021

So often as a fitness professional it never fails, I tell people when asked what I do for a living and they start spilling out all their woes/pains and struggles to keep or get fit. Some are easy suggestions while others are more complex and out of my scope of practice. Think of your feet as your base of support for balance and aid in your walking/gait pattern.

If you wear shoes that are either too high in the heel or the reverse, too low you may start having ankle, foot, knee, hip or back problems. Often you start compensating which can cause nagging pains and even affect your performance in a sport. Heck, even if you are a desk jockey or nursing a chronic injury you can really compound the effects by not properly taking care of your feet.

This is a great self care tool at the beginning and end of each day. Try for 30 seconds to one minute every day for 6 weeks and track results. Often we forget about the pains when they go away.

There is no sound in this video. You can either use a dowel, a foot reflexology roller, golf ball or as you see in the video a hard rubber ball (often found in Old Navy stores for a quarter I believe). When you come across a tender point try and hold it in that position until the pain dissipates. The more pressure you put on it the slower you need to go across the fascia. For those of you interested in reflexology, try to look up on a chart online where you felt pain or tenderness as it relates to parts of the body and body organs.

Find Tonya online with live personal training/coaching or hire her to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Greenville, South Carolina site to be available this year in the town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Stay tuned for more details as we are working on securing a location. Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 is no longer onsite for training, massage and nutrition coaching.

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM, LMT, TPI Level 1
Owner/Dir. of Training

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

If you haven’t had a functional movement assessment with a professional observe the way you move different joints and movements with your hips, shoulders, and spine then how do you know you are doing the most effective strength training, flexibility or cardio program? Hire someone like me to get you on track with a program to help you reduce current pain, eliminate pain, improve your current program or enhance your athletic performance.

by TonyaTittle

March 25, 2021

Energy Fitness has been partnered with Metagenics for about 8 years to date and loving the results it brings to our clients, friends and myself. I have the ability to look on my backend dashboard to see the most popular and re-ordered products. The numbers show Clear Change Metabolic Detox as being one of the top selling products. Other top selling products are UltraFlora Immune Booster (probiotics), Wellness Essentials (Daily Packets) & UltraFlora Spectrum (probiotics). Knowing this information I went to Metagenics website so I could get a little science for this blog post. I will share the link to their blog post below and I wanted to share at least a snip of the article to peak your interest and have you thinking about your own detox needs. I will tell you that I recently did a hair test from another vendor of mine. It was very revealing on the heavy metals area that made me want to do a detox again. Sometimes I get lazy as we all do and don’t detox enough (twice a year), although I have a very clean diet and sweat out toxins regularly.

Be sure to see our clients favorite recipe included with the detox program.

Below is an exert from by Deanna Minich, PhD

Why Metabolic Detox Is Not Just a Fad

As you read through health magazines or blogs, you probably see all kinds of articles or ads promoting the next great miracle product: a detox or cleanse. The influx of products—many of which have no scientific evidence backing their promised efficacy—has led many to think that detox is just a scam or a fad. However, that is not the whole truth.

Although some of these products might be ineffectual, there are also many reputable items and programs out there that actually do work. It is these that will withstand the test of time and demonstrate that true metabolic detox is not merely a fad.

Not convinced? Read on and find out why you should give it a shot!

We live in a toxic world

The industrial, chemical, and technological revolutions greatly benefited us in many ways, but they have led to a highly toxic world. Environmental exposure to pollution, chemicals, and other toxins is linked to a variety of noncommunicable diseases,¹ including cancer, asthma, neurodevelopment conditions, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.²

Everyone is exposed to a number of toxins through their water, food, air, personal care products, and other elements in the environment. These include:

Heavy metals
Pesticides and herbicides
Pharmaceuticals
Plasticizers
Flame retardants
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)
Solvents

The human body can mitigate these toxins, but there comes a time where there is just too much, tapping out the body’s own resources.

to read the rest of her article click HERE !

Another article that’s great is 3 Tips To Doing Detox Right.

Ready to consider Detox by Metagenics? 20% off your 1st order and FREE shipping on orders over $49

An elimination style diet with supplementation and then slow reintroduction to foods you are prone to eating can be an eye opener to how you feel once you start adding back in the foods that were in your regular diet. You may notice sluggish energy, gastric issues or a change in your bowel movements or even in your quality of sleep. Some clients use a Detox program as a catalyst to making more permanent and lasting changes in your nutritional choices that can get you to your goals faster.

Here’s a recipe that many have said they like on this program: They have several with kidney beans you may wish to try. When I hear or see kidney beans I think of my undergraduate college cafeteria. They stuck those darn beans in leftovers from the day before.

Greens & White Bean Soup (4-5 servings)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 stalk celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
5 cups water or vegetable broth
2 cups cooked white beans
½ lb. fresh escarole or spinach, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
Nutmeg, freshly grated (optional)
In a 6-qt. pot, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat. When onions are soft, add bay leaf, celery, carrot, salt, and pepper. Stir and sauté another 5 minutes. Add broth or water and cover. Simmer about 20 minutes. Add cooked beans and escarole or spinach. Cover and continue to simmer over very low heat another 15-20
minutes. Season to taste!

Find Tonya online with live personal training/coaching or hire her to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Greenville, South Carolina site to be available this year in the town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Stay tuned for more details as we are working on securing a location. Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 is no longer onsite for training, massage and nutrition coaching.

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM, LMT, TPI Level 1
Owner/Dir. of Training

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

If you haven’t had a functional movement assessment with a professional observe the way you move different joints and movements with your hips, shoulders, and spine then how do you know you are doing the most effective strength training, flexibility or cardio program? Hire someone like me to get you on track with a program to help you reduce current pain, eliminate pain, improve your current program or enhance your athletic performance.

by TonyaTittle

March 20, 2021

Being in the Fitness industry for over 30 years I’ve seen many people struggle and become very frustrated with their ability to lose weight. Many barriers exist that we can either decide to take action against to discover success or just keep blaming genetics, laziness or a half-baked poke at nutrition and fitness without a set program.

My husband, Mark Tittle and I got married in 1999. Just to give you a little background, we met April 1997 and shortly after I saw him at the pool without a shirt. At the time was 5’11 and about 189 pounds. He had what I considered to be a belly with excess fat around the middle. Don’t think I’m being mean when I say that, as he knew he had one and had always struggled with it. He did what many people do when they are young and carefree without kids or pets. He went out with friends staying out late, drank alcohol 3-4 days each week. He did and has always worked out 4-6 days per week, two or three days with weight training and other days walking, mountain biking and an occasional fitness group class, swimming, tennis or yoga. Back then his diet was okay most weekdays Sunday-Wednesday but when Thursday rolled around it was time to unwind/de-stress with friends, food, beverage and lack of proper sleep. Over the years he did what many a married people do or just most Americans, gain weight and get frustrated his efforts weren’t paying off in loss. I asked him to write his testimony below so as to inform and inspire others that may be interested or considering Testosterone replacement therapy. He said that he would give me the information but in no means he is endorsing for everyone across the board and doesn’t want to answer questions on it. Those that know Mark may know he is a big picture guy and hates details. He in fact glazes over when someone is being too wordy. I should know because I love to give details so I see that face and body posture all the time making me speed up or summarize so as not to lose his attention (lol).

Mark Tittle’s Testosterone Replacement Therapy Success Story to Date:
(for ease of reading-no italics)

In April 2013 my total testosterone lab values were below ‘normal’ and I was concerned about possible
metabolic syndrome as well as other subpar health indicators i.e. Blood pressure, cholesterol. My
energy levels and libido were declining.

I read everything I could online to better understand the science and how typical protocols were
administered.

My first experience was not what I was expecting and after several months I stopped therapy. I felt
lousy, bloated, and grumpy and my face was red. I was gaining weight not trimming down.

Fast forward 5 years to March 2018 when I began TRT for the second time. Things were still less than
optimal, I was lethargic. My journal reads that I felt “old, tired and uninspired”

Once again I read everything I could find as it relates to different protocols, pitfalls etc. Its trial and error.
No one solution or protocol fits everyone. Getting blood draws monthly at first really helped me to fine
tune what my body needed and how it was responding.

FINALLY….It’s been about 3 years now and my protocol is pretty well set.

For visual proof he even wanted to provide you with before and after pictures. Shared with Mark’s willingness and permission.

I self-inject my testosterone
every 3 days and do add a small amount of an aromatase inhibitor to keep my estrogen in check as needed.
I feel great and everything just seems to work better.
I continue to gain or maintain strength at the gym and my body fat percentage continues to drop.
After an initial weight gain of a
bout 20 lbs up to 218, I had to make some corrections.
This morning I weighed 187, I’m around 15% body fat, my blood pressure is normal and my cholesterol and other markers stay in range.
TRT, for me, works more synergistically or is a catalyst for better health rather than a panacea.

Examples:

I have more energy now to lift weights and do my daily cardio.
To ensure that I gain full benefits from my work-outs I eat clean, healthy foods on plan and on schedule.
To make sure that I have the mental and physical capacity to earn a living and stay fit I make sure that I get enough quality sleep.

It all works hand in hand!

Without a doubt, my quality of life was improved by supplementing with testosterone but it’s not a ‘plug
and play’ solution. I hope that this was helpful and provides some additional information with which to begin to take
action. Best wishes! Mark Tittle, age 54

Hopefully this was at least a glimpse into something you many research a bit more and find the best practitioner(s) to meet your need. I’m not a fan of those walk in Men’s Health clinic that just boost your testosterone up to max levels and don’t monitor other aspects.

When Mark spoke of clean eating above, I will vouch that he really does do this 98% of the time and ditched alcohol. Mark has not drank even a sip of alcohol for over 6 months and counting. I wish more people would give this up and swim against the stream of society that glamourizes drinking. Are you constantly trying to improve yourself either mentally, spiritually, financially, or physically? If not, why?

Be the BEST YOU that YOU CAN BE and show the world kindness and confidence!

Energy Fitness has a 3 Squares Meal Plan that is modeled after Mark has found success and many other clients have seen the same success combined with a smart workout program I have led or written for them. If you aren’t a client and wish to purchase this meal plan click here: Energy Fitness 3 Squares Meal Plan for only $19.99 found on the meal plan purchasing page

Find Tonya online with live personal training/coaching or hire her to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Greenville, South Carolina site to be available this year in the town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Stay tuned for more details as we are working on securing a location. Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 is no longer onsite for training, massage and nutrition coaching.

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM, LMT, TPI Level 1
Owner/Dir. of Training

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

If you haven’t had a functional movement assessment with a professional observe the way you move different joints and movements with your hips, shoulders, and spine then how do you know you are doing the most effective strength training, flexibility or cardio program? Hire someone like me to get you on track with a program to help you reduce current pain, eliminate pain, improve your current program or enhance your athletic performance.

by TonyaTittle

March 13, 2021

When people that don’t know me find out or overhear what my profession is they have questions about themselves or about a loved one. I am eager to help offer some information but am cautious as to not diagnose or prescribe as that is outside my scope of practice. I do have a lot of education under my belt, numerous certification as well as relates to this post Metagenics First Line Therapy Certification (a nutritional and lifestyle program).

Have you had your bloodwork done lately, as in the past year? This is a very good source to review and make changes to your overall diet and supplement program. Remember supplements are intended to add to your existing nutritional program and fill in the gaps where you just can’t get enough or don’t eat the types of food that contain a missing vitamin or mineral.

I recently had my bloodwork drawn and made necessary changes based on the current values that were in the low or top range. You can’t just rely on the comments “your bloodwork looks good” from your physician. I always have to ask them to upload the results to the portal. If you know the lab they use you can create a password to log in directly to your bloodwork and can make comparisons from years past. Often this is laid out in a more precise format. If you are like me and make changes then you want to see empirical values showing the benefits of your efforts and money if you purchased supplements to help make changes.

Last time I had low iron and now I’m in the good range because I added an iron supplement. The time before that my testosterone was low which is partly why I was feeling exhausted. For the diet component of low testosterone (females need in a certain range) I added or cut out certain types of food.

I have posted about Vitamin D many times but haven’t really mentioned the benefit of taking with Vitamin K.

Here’s from Metagenics website that’s a bit more precise:

Understanding vitamin D

In the past, vitamin D was thought to function primarily in bone mineralization. Today we know that “vitamin” D is actually a hormone that plays a role in numerous pathways and aspects of human health.^1,2 Supplemental vitamin D can help.

Why vitamin D with K?

Like vitamin D, vitamin K is an essential, fat-soluble vitamin that plays a role in bone mineralization and cardiovascular health. Unlike vitamin K₁, vitamin K₂ is well absorbed by the body.^3-5 Vitamin K, and in particular vitamin K₂, is essential for calcium utilization and bone mineralization.*

Here’s 13 benefits from vitamin K alone:

Prevents Osteoporosis • Reduces Blood Clotting • Reduces Excessive Menstrual flow • Anticancer Potential • Prevents Internal Bleeding • Decreases Menstrual Pain • Relieves Nausea During Pregnancy
• Prevents Hemorrhaging in Babies • Protects the Immune System • Regulates Blood Sugar
• Prevents Biliary Obstruction (Prolonged treatment with oral antibiotics causes biliary obstruction, celiac disease, regional enteritis, and ulcerative colitis, and is made even worse due to a deficiency of vitamin K.)

The recommended daily intake of vitamin K varies from birth to adulthood.

Up to 6 months: 2.0 mcg
7-12 months: 2.5 mcg
1-3 years: 30 mcg
4-8 years: 55 mcg
9-13 years: 60 mcg
14-20 years: 75 mcg
20+ years: 120 mcg

Ultraviolet rays

Where can we get our vitamin D

Food sources like beef liver, fatty fish, & egg yolks

Daily supplements

Metagenics D₃ 10,000 + K features 10,000 IU of vitamin D₃—the most bioactive form of supplemental vitamin D. This high-potency formula also includes bioavailable forms of vitamin K₂ (menaquinone-7) to complement vitamin D.

Here’s a link to check out or purchase: https://efitness.metagenics.com/d3-10-000-with-k

Here’s a PDF to discover the right vitamin D with K for you are a loved one. Not sure the link will work as it’s on my backend for info on products. You might be able to check out directly from the website.
https://efitness.metagenics.com/mas_assets/media/pdp_marketing_section/d35000_k/resources/MET2653-VitaminD-FamilyFormulaFocusSheet.pdf

Find Tonya online with live personal training/coaching or hire her to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Greenville, South Carolina site to be available this year in the town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Stay tuned for more details as we are working on securing a location. Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 is no longer onsite for training, massage and nutrition coaching.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL OR ONSITE FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

If you haven’t had a functional movement assessment with a professional observe the way you move different joints and movements with your hips, shoulders, and spine then how do you know you are doing the most effective strength training, flexibility or cardio program? Hire someone like me to get you on track with a program to help you reduce current pain, eliminate pain, improve your current program or enhance your athletic performance.

by TonyaTittle

March 6, 2021

I’ve been coaching individuals in the field of fitness for over 30 years. The more I learn and practice, the more I can pass on that knowledge to you and others so you can reach optimal health. If you are not already moving your spine in a lateral motion to work your core, you may wish to try this movement. Word of caution if you have a herniated disc be careful or check with your doctor, physical therapist or massage therapist. To work those muscles underneath what some call “side belly / spare tire” called external and internal obliques as well as your QL (aka: quadratus lumborum) then you need to bend your spine sideways or lateral flex your spine.

Grab a broom stick, golf club or mop type handle of sort and try the exercise below for 1-3 sets of 10-15 reps. If you are not frequently moving your body like this, then I would only suggest doing one set as the soreness in your intercostal muscles and the muscles that attach to your hip bone are getting crazy stretched also as well as your inner thigh and soreness the next day may be too much.

Be sure to exhale when you come back up. Listen to the instructions and watch the demo video below so as not to hurt yourself as it’s a very specific move.

Find Tonya online with live personal training/coaching or hire her to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Greenville, South Carolina site to be available this year in the town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Stay tuned for more details as we are working on securing a location. Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 is no longer onsite for training, massage and nutrition coaching.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL OR ONSITE FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

by TonyaTittle

February 27, 2021

As a personal trainer with Energy Fitness and now massage therapist in training (just have to take licensing exam now, then I’ll be official ;)) There are lots of you that don’t realize how you might need strengthen your inner thigh muscles. Did you know that when you stand on one leg to balance while say putting on your undergarments or pants, shorts, skirts that a large strap muscle called the sartorius assists in the feat?

Check out the three variations of inner ball exercises from the videos below and go for 1-3 sets of 50-100 reps. Newbies, it’s gonna start burning. If you must, take a five second break and press on.

Let’s be honest you guys need this exercise also as you have the same muscles as women. Having week inner or outer thigh muscles can make you use compensatory walking patterns which can lead to hip, knee or low back pain due to the imbalance.

The exercises pictured below all have the knees bent (hip flexed) so try this next suggestion also. While getting in position for IT2 exercise lift your butt up into a bridge up as you push though your heels and engage your butt while doing. While the ball is in between your knees and you are in bridge up go for the 50-100 reps. Different muscles are now engaged and remember it’s all about muscle balance. Don’t forget to breathe!

Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 is no longer onsite for training, massage and nutrition coaching. Find Tonya online with live personal training/coaching or hire her to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Greenville, South Carolina site to be available this year in the town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Stay tuned for more details as we are working on securing a location.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL OR ONSITE FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

by TonyaTittle

February 18, 2021

I’m reading this book called Happier Human: 53 Science Backed Habits to Increase Your Happiness. Working so closely with clients in the wellness promotion profession we see and hear about individuals inner struggles, fears, frustration or happiness and gratitude as we have general conversations and also about these may influence their nutrition and fitness habits.

Being in the helping profession of fitness, nutrition and health we wanted to bring about awareness of your inner voice or true self. Many of us know we need to eat right, exercise and be healthier in an overall quest to feel happier. If you eat like crap then all the chemicals in the food are going to mess with your body chemistry and brain emotions. If you don’t sleep enough you won’t be able to control your emotions enough to have more patience when you need it either with yourself or others. So many of us become conditioned in our brains to think, I will be happier when get “xyz” happens. Maybe you have wanted that new upgraded cell phone or new car and when you finally got it you were happier for a short period of time, then got use to it only to notice your focus was then turned to something else dangling in front of you for another fix of happiness. This concept was named years ago the hedonic treadmill. The more we have the more we want and overall our happiness set point goes back to where it was before.

As we all know your happiness levels can change day to day. Especially if you are down the rabbit hole of social media and “validation hunting” as some researchers call this act. Stop comparing your life to anyone other than yourself. This can bring about depression as someone can always appear to be much happier than they actually are. There is always going to be people that are smarter, better looking, faster, stronger, more clever, etc…Just stop comparing as it’s not healthy. You are wonderful just the way you are and there is always room for improvement for yourself NOT others.

Unless you are daily programming your brain with positive messages, giving back to others without expecting something in return, meditating, learning a new skill, etc then your set point happiness gauge eventually goes back to…well a set point. Some people are just genetically born with more positive attitudes while others have to work at it. Why is it that some people that grew up with very little in the terms of material possessions are able to recognize that they are blessed and have a grateful attitude while many others have an entitlement attitude. We aren’t even guaranteed another day on this earth so why not make steps to make the best of every day and work on being present right now.

Here’s a Happiness Scale Test (it’s rated on the last 24 hours). I had trouble opening at first so work with different browsers if you need to as it’s worth it. Here’s the actual link if you need to copy and paste: http://www.positivityratio.com/single.php

You can take the short quiz everyday for two weeks to see if your new habits (read the book for suggestions as this post can only include so much) you might decide to incorporate into your daily living will actually bring about more happiness. A score ratio of 3 to 1 is optimal with 80% of the population scoring in the 2 to 1 ratio. I scored a 2 to 1 ratio. I find the questions interesting as their is such a vast range of emotions we can feel in any given twenty-four period. Be honest with yourself as you take the quiz, nobody is watching.

A more positive attitude and thought patterns research has shown has greater chances of a marriage surviving, business team members success, college students, healthier minds and bodies, recovering from illness faster or preventing illnesses. Did you know we have sixty-thousand thoughts per day and about forty-five of them are the same. Start listening to your inner voice. Is he/she nagging, negative, angry, entitled, focused, frustrated, pleasant, zen, grateful? Take your inner voice to the school of positivity and start living and being happier most of the time.

As I write this article I think about the saying “The beatings will commence when morale improves”, this just is how far down you might have to dig down inside of yourself to make real change. Some days it won’t be fun but your health is worth is and so is your happiness because they are connected.

Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 only open next week. Find me online with live personal training/coaching or hire me to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Greenville, South Carolina site to be available this year in the town of Travelers Rest. Stay tuned for more details as working on securing a location and passing my massage licensing exam soon.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL OR ONSITE FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

by TonyaTittle

February 12, 2021

We love some Diana Sullivan, a healing arts practitioner that we were blessed to have at Energy Fitness in Memphis. We made a few videos a while back so I thought it was time to share this one about essential oils. This post was also inspired by my pop in to a guest speaker at massage school a couple of weeks ago on this topic. Did you know that there are several essential oils that are toxic and must have carrier oils. You don’t simply put the oils on your skin directly almost 99% of the time and some are very toxic if you put on then go into the sun (phytosensative).

Here’s a few with a video from Diana (dee-ah-na) that you may wish to add to your collection. By all means find pure or organic. Where? Well…that would be a whole different post. I have used now sports essential oils many times and liked. Don’t forget they have a shelf life as well and should be kept out of sun or high heat environments.

She has a gift of healing intuition, has wonderful spirit and is a certified Reiki Master (she attuned me to Reiki 2 Certified). Find and message her at https://www.instagram.com/thesensitivesage/

Come see us onsite for only 2 WEEKS at our Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 or find me online with live personal training/coaching or hire me to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Onsite following local covid guidelines as well as maintaining our current disinfectant procedures. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL OR ONSITE FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

by TonyaTittle

February 4, 2021

Many of you may know I am down the home stretch finishing Massage Therapy School in South Carolina. It’s been an educational experience that will enhance my extensive resume thus far. Several students and instructors have asked me if they thought my fitness and nutrition coaching experience will help me in being a better massage therapist. Now that I have massaged about one hundred people I had a moment of clarity the other day. For over 25 years as a personal professional I have and continue to assess individual’s body fat, blood pressure, heart rate, strength, endurance, height, weight, BIA, breathing, flexibility, behavior choices, nutrition habits and functional movement patterns. During a functional movement screening or during their workouts I ask people to move and visually see what their body is doing or how they can’t move their body as per my demonstration. Often followed by “There is no way my body is getting into that position!” or “I’ll try, but it’s not gonna look like yours!”.

So the realization moment came to me that I have only been using two of my senses to create an understanding of a problem or issue from an individual for all these years with their body. Simply hearing (auditory) and seeing (visual) someone say my back hurts, my hip also hurts or my neck and traps/shoulders are sore just wasn’t the whole story.

Aside from stretching someone or assisting them do a movement where I could only half determine (with use of touch sense) their possible link to weakness or dysfunction I could not really get a complete story.

Did you know that prescribing fitness or nutrition is outside the scope of a licensed massage therapist?

With the application / modality of massage therapy in my toolbox it’s so much more meaningful. Being able to use my hands to manipulate soft tissue to feel for muscle tautness/tone or underdeveloped/lack of tone of a muscle, the tightness or laxity in a joint or fascia and the position a body lies at rest can be such a great marker for how to help someone further. This is where I am really excited as now I will be able to help ease the aches and pains with massage and stretching whilst offering massage therapy as a service and since I’m an expert in fitness I can give them advice on how to keep the pain or aches away from incorporating simple stretches or exercises. Having lots of client success stories already I feel confident in my ability to help others going forward in a greater capacity and readers of this blog as well.

Here’s an example of WHY YOU NEED TO DO EXERCISES OR STRETCHES THAT YOU DESPISE (OR HATE FOR A STRONGER WORD). Let me just say I hated lunges for years and had to force myself to do them to stay injury free. What do you hate to do? Maybe, it’s just what you need.

Train your weakest link.

Mark Tittle, my husband said I could use this short video for this blog post. This is too funny! My sweet funny, husband. I love a good laugh, how about you?

Mark has complained of back pain for many years, especially after hurting it doing a deadlift exercise several years ago. I gave him a massage last weekend and noticed that he lacked tone in his gluteus medius muscle. I now have a greater reference point having massaged numerous others then massaging him as to compare and prescribe him exercises. Although I have told him many times, it is this official hands on training that finally has given him more reason to start doing the hated “abductor/outer thigh exercises” that he thinks are silly. Well, I gave him many of the exercises I did a blog post on a while back and said “no the outer thigh machine in the seated position at the Y isn’t going to cut it, you will have to do other exercises and stretches as well. Click here for previous blog post.

Here’s a big weakness many people have including myself. See the pic below. Lots of people can’t even lift their arm off the ground. This is an assessment of shoulder function. You can see that this is my worst arm as I am lifting it off but not keeping it straight.

Take the take to do the things your body needs and you won’t regret it. Your devotion to your weaknesses will pay off by staying injury free, reducing chronic pain and getting stronger. You will have the satisfaction of having a well balanced and functional body.

Just like exercise, nutrition can be often referenced the same way but opposite actually. What you crave is what you need to stay away from as it’s your body working against you to maintain homeostasis. Crave carbs? Eat less carbs and eat more fat. Crave fat? Eat more carbs and less fat.

Come see us onsite for a bit longer at our Memphis location 552 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103 or find me online with live personal training/coaching or hire me to write a program for you with your own personalized 4-6 minute demo of each of your custom workouts included. Onsite following local covid guidelines as well as maintaining our current disinfectant procedures. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A FREE VIRTUAL OR ONSITE FITNESS CONSULT (VALUE $87)

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Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM, LMT, TPI Level 1
Owner/Dir. of Training

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Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM, LMT, TPI Level 1
Owner/Dir. of Training