Getting started – Turning a Sedentary Lifestyle Around

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Introduction

Whether you’ve spent one too many evenings on the couch, recently faced a life-altering event, or perhaps are just looking to rekindle a past passion for exercise, our shared journey toward health and movement speaks volumes.

Amidst our daily responsibilities, whether at the hospital or home, the quest for personal time often can become a challenge. Finding the motivation to prioritize movement might feel like a mountain too steep to climb.

With a range of experiences and backgrounds in mind, we’re thrilled to introduce “Unlock Movement with Asante.” Under the expert guidance of Tessa Hulse and Valencia Rollins, health care educators at Asante, this initiative is not just another fitness endeavor. It’s a call for understanding the subtle shifts we can introduce for better wellbeing.

In their inaugural episode, Tessa and Valencia engage with wellness coach Alisia Cook. Alisia inspires us to look to the future, challenges us to confront the barriers in our path and urges us to seek opportunities that promise a brighter, more active tomorrow.

Transcript

Tessa Hulse
Hello, I’m Tessa Hulse.

Valencia Rollins
I’m Valencia Rollins,

Tessa Hulse
Welcoming you to Unlock Movement with Asante.

Tessa Hulse
We’re on a mission to help you transition from a sedentary lifestyle to one more vibrant and full of movement.

Tessa Hulse
Whether you’re considering your first steps toward an active lifestyle or you’re looking for an extra spark of motivation, we’ve got you covered with tips, advice, and inspiring conversations with healthcare professionals.

Tessa Hulse
Welcome, everyone. I’m Tessa, and you’re tuned into the first episode of the Unlock Movement with Asante podcast series.

Valencia Rollins
And I’m Valencia, joining you today with a very special guest, Alisia Cook, a wellness coach who’s made a significant impact in helping individuals transition from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one.

Tessa Hulse
Today’s conversation will revolve around the importance of movement in our lives, breaking down misconceptions around exercise, and understanding how to weave more activity into our daily lives.

Valencia Rollins
We’ll also touch upon how to kickstart your fitness journey and get an inside look at Alyssa’s personal approach to fitness and its impact on her professional and personal life. We’re thrilled to have Alyssa on board for this inspiring chat, so let’s jump right in.

Tessa Hulse
Alisia cook, as a wellness coach, you’ve helped many individuals transition from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one. Could you share with us why movement is such a critical part of health and wellness?Cook

Alisia Cook
Yeah, that’s an easy one. There is a variety of reasons why, but the first one, honestly, especially coming out of the pandemic, I would say endorphins for emotions and mental health is probably the biggest one. Otherwise, then there’s the standard ones, such as vanity. We all want to look better, but we also want to feel better. We want to keep up with our kids. So there’s a variety of reasons why. It’s just kind of every person’s specific reason is unique to their individual goals.

Tessa Hulse
Yeah. Oftentimes we think of gyms and intense workouts. Right. But that’s not the case always. Can you talk about the benefits of incorporating simple aerobic activities in strength training into a routine?

Alisia Cook
Yeah, this is actually a good conversation I like to have with people, because a lot of people will say, I have to get to the gym, but I don’t have the time, or I don’t have daycare, but I want to work out. Well, you guys, I’m here to tell you the opportunities are endless. If you want to move your body, you’re going to find a way to move your body. So some go to pro tips that I would usually share if someone’s like, well, I just don’t even know where to start, honestly. Get on your phone. We have this digital technology which can be good and bad, but YouTube YouTube, like, the most common ones nowadays are, like, the Beachbody workouts. You can actually find Beachbody workouts on YouTube. You can find Zumba workouts. You can find Insanity workouts. You can find full body weight endurance activities. And honestly, my favorite, too. How about Richard Simmons Sweat into the Oldies. Who on earth doesn’t remember that you can find five minute Richard Simmons videos just to get out and laugh and giggle at yourself and move. The sky’s the limit. What do you want to do?

Alisia Cook
Just make sure it’s something you look forward to doing. At the end of the day, the opportunities are endless. Get out of your little gym box and start doing things that you look forward to doing. Even if it’s what I call five minute fitness snacks, that’s the best term I could probably utilize is a fitness snack. Five minutes for you is definitely going to go a long way.

Tessa Hulse
Awesome. So I love that you identified that getting started is oftentimes the hardest part, right? And so you gave us some really great advice on how to utilize our digital lives into this by YouTubing, these exercises, getting things pulled up on our phones, and that’s really great and such a good resource to use that we have now. So with all of this being in mind, if we are just starting going from sedentary to active, what are some key components that you recommend as far as just making sure that we’re staying safe and not going to lean into any kind of injuries as we’re getting more active?

Alisia Cook
Honestly, first and foremost, don’t overthink it. That is the first thing people will do. And they overthink it and they overwhelm themselves. And then they continue to live their sedentary lifestyles because they are so stressed out about the idea that they need to do this all or nothing mindset that they just literally shut down and continue. So don’t overthink it. And honestly, five minutes. What’s five minutes? Set a timer on your phone, set a timer on your computer. Set a timer on your stove, clock, whatever that may be. Set a timer for five minutes. Give yourself five minutes and tell yourself, I’m going to have a five minute dance party just to shimmy and shake that’s workout. That’s fitness. If you’re doing nothing that is better than what you’re just doing in an hour ago, get out and tell yourself, this is my also favorite thing to think about. If you’re craving an unhealthy food, which I know is irrelevant to fitness, but it kind of is. If you’re craving an unhealthy food and you find yourself in the kitchen for the third time in less than an hour, again, set the timer for five minutes.

Alisia Cook
Go outside for a walk, come back and assess, do I really want that snack or was I bored eating? But you’re also getting the movement at the same time. Yeah. Otherwise, yeah. Don’t overthink it. That’s the best advice I can give you. Stop overthinking it and just give yourself five minutes.

Tessa Hulse
So I know you touched on excuse mindset when you were just answering our last question. So many of us fall into this kind of category when it comes to exercise. We’ve all heard or used reasons such as I’m too busy, I’m too tired, or I’ll start tomorrow. As a wellness coach, can you share some strategies or insights on how our listeners can move past these common excuses and build a more positive proactive relationship with physical activity?

Alisia Cook
During the standard conversation that I’ll have with my client, if they’re just coming to me and they’re like, I’m so stuck, I just don’t know how to move, I don’t know what to do, I will literally ask those clients to take me through their day. Take me through your day, take me through a standard day, and then I’ll say, what obstacles continue to keep getting in your way? Because most people will come to me and say, I don’t have excuses, I just don’t know where to start. Or my life keeps throwing me too many obstacles. So I’ll ask them to take me through the day and take me through their obstacles. And those obstacles, basically, at the end of the day, are excuses. I’m like, now, let’s talk about that obstacle. You said this, this and this. Unfortunately, if you think about it, is that really an obstacle or are you just giving yourself permission to give up on yourself? Because at the end of the day, that’s exactly what an excuse is. You are literally giving yourself permission to give up on yourself. So I get it. Life does in fact, throw us legit obstacles.

Alisia Cook
But I’d have to say probably eight and a half out of ten obstacles that I get are actually excuses. And my clients will have that AHA moment that pretty much says, yeah, actually, I guess you’re right, that is an excuse. I’m literally just giving up because I’m either too tired or I don’t have time or it’s difficult or for the biggest one. I just don’t know where to start, I’m so overwhelmed. Do I have to join a gym? Do I have to use equipment? Do I have to go do excessive cardio? And that in itself creates a huge obstacle of emotions and that emotional health impacts them and then it’s just excuse after excuse. So again, I would say at the end of the day, if you really want to get going, make a list of what matters to you, why you’re going to get moving, why you want to move, and how you will look forward to moving, I think, is the most important thing. Also a good thing. Having an accountability friend or a support system is probably going to make the biggest difference for those who have given up on their health and wellness for numerous years.

Alisia Cook
So if you stopped working out and caring about your whole health since COVID and you’re just now trying to get back on track, you’re probably going to need a support system. You’re probably going to need an accountability friend. And that could be a coworker, it could be a friend, it could be a family member. It could be a health coach. It matters to know that you’ve got that support system, that accountability, that person you can check in with.

Tessa Hulse
Yeah, that’s such great advice that you’re giving us. And that’s such a good point too. I noticed for myself, I tend to be a bit more motivated when I know someone is expecting me to show up. And so it’s not always just myself. It’s easier for me to show up when other people are wanting me to be there. So I love that you are implementing the buddy system on this, and it adds a little more accountability. So good. And then, Alyssa, we’re all about promoting local activities here. Being based in Southern Oregon, we’re fortunate to have an abundance of outdoor adventures. Are there any specific activities or locations you personally recommend for our listeners?

Alisia Cook
Depends on the time of year. Here in southern Oregon, we legit have a true four-season calendar year and in some cases a true four-season event in a 24-hours cycle. So you always have to be prepared. My MO is be prepared to work out no matter what the weather is, because the weather can change vastly in an hour. So with that said, 90% of the calendar year, there are lots of trails and walkings places you can walk. There is lots of beautiful scenic views. You can do like the waterfall hike if you go kind of like up by past Shady Cove. If you want something more local, you got the McAndrews Hill. I mean, that’s a little bit steep. So if you’re just getting started, I would no way, shape or form encourage you to do that. Unless you’re a go getter and you’re like, I’m determined, then go for it because McAndrews Hill has quite the steady incline. If you’re looking for something a little bit more steady, I would say getting to a local park that you feel safe going to and just kind of walking around the parameter of a park, probably with a friend because it’s a little bit more flat.

Alisia Cook
If you are familiar with the Asante Hospital in Medford, literally from one point all the way around to the same point where you started, it’s a mile. And we use that a lot for a lot of leader walks if you’re in the Medford area. So let’s say you started out at the Barnett Crosswalk and you walked all the way around the crosswalks and got back to the Barnett Crosswalk, it literally is a mile all the way around. So that’s flat, that’s easy, it’s safe. Good little simple thing there. Otherwise fun. Hiking trails you’re looking at, the table rocks. If you want something more extensive, you got Mount McLaughlin, that’s kind of the majority of the year. Winter, you’ve got snowshoeing. There’s a couple different places, but the most common one is kind of closer to Crater Lake. Also, Crater Lake is a great place to go, unless, of course, there’s a lot of snow on the ground, then it’s not such a good time because you probably get stuck. So don’t do that. Water skiing, rafting, tahitiing. So get out, get a rent a paddleboard. Go get a paddleboard. Go get one of those little kayaks.

Alisia Cook
It just depends on what you want. If you want to be outside, the opportunities are endless. Get creative, have fun. But again, if you’re not familiar with the area, please bring friends, do your research, google Maps, kind of explore. Be prepared for parking and whatever, but there’s good stuff out here.

Tessa Hulse
Yeah. So as you can hear, there are a ton of opportunity and places to go here locally in Southern Oregon. And I do believe the waterfall hike that you were referring to outside of Shady Cove is called Mill Creek Falls, and it’s kind of near.

Alisia Cook
Yeah.

Tessa Hulse
And that’s a nice hiking trail too. So thank you for sharing. That. All right, Alisia, as we wrap up, our listeners would love to hear about your personal approach to fitness. Could you share with us how your personal fitness routine impacts your overall well being and strengthens you to handle the demands of your professional life?

Alisia Cook
I kind of take my personal fitness the same way I approach my personal coaching, so I take my fitness very seriously. So I set stringent goals for myself and anyone who has followed my story. Over the years, I have competed on stage as a bikini competitor, and I am planning on getting back on stage. The goal was 2023, but it could be 2024. The idea is, I’m training as hard as I can today, as I will the day that I take stage, no matter what life obstacles come my way. And the reason why I take my health and wellness and my fitness goals so seriously is because what I take from my own real life experience, my own legit obstacles, or excuses that I’m giving myself to give up on my own goals. I take that into consideration when I do my coaching, because the more life events that I can create for myself around my own fitness goals, the more I can share, the more I can resonate, the more I can connect to the people that I’m coaching. So for me, it’s super important to have good, strong goals, but also recognize where the line needs to be drawn.

Alisia Cook
Like, okay, today is a day that I need to work on my mental health and not getting it into the gym. And sometimes getting into the gym also helps with the mental health. So trying to figure out where that fine line is for me will help me connect with my clients a lot more. But I don’t tend to give up on my goals. I just tend to, I guess, get in my way like a lot of other people do. And then I remind myself it’s time to get back on track. You took a week off from the gym because you had to take care of X, Y and Z, it’s time to get back onto the fitness path. So I look forward to taking my own life events and my own coaching that I do on myself and turning it into a positive spin to connect with my clients.

Tessa Hulse
Awesome. So it sounds like you really just make it a point to prioritize your own fitness and well being, and I love to hear that you are mindful of your body and its needs and you do take rest days when you feel like you need them. And I think that’s important to remind our listeners too, especially just starting out, that we can be on the grind as frequently as we need to. But it’s important to take those rest days every once in a while.

Alisia Cook
Yeah. Recovery, you guys, recovery. That’s a huge critical component to making sure that your fitness regimen is complete. Is recovery active recovery or just sedentary recovery? You’ll have to see where that fits based on where your goals are at. Sometimes we just need a day just to sit and rest, and sometimes that active recovery could just be a simple little ten minute walk outside just to breathe in the fresh air and just kind of work through any soreness that you might be experiencing. If you are in the gym lifting weights and you’re like, oh, I’m kind of sore, but I don’t like getting to the gym, that active recovery could actually be beneficial.

Tessa Hulse
That is the end of my questions.

Alisia Cook
Awesome. Well, thank you for having me on. I’m excited to be a part of the conversation. Movement matters, and you have to start somewhere, no matter how simple it is, even if it’s just five minutes. Thank you.

Tessa Hulse
That was such a great interview that we had with Alyssa. I think she touched on some really important ideas around motivation and mindset and how sometimes we allow ourselves the permission to give excuses. And I just really appreciate that. She kind of challenged us with finding what our obstacles are and then moving past them and finding five minutes in our day to stay moving. I think it’s just such a good reminder.

Valencia Rollins
I think that’s a very key tip. I mean, it’s so easy to make something, an excuse and give ourselves permission to miss out on a workout. I think it’s very important that we make sure we make a plan, right, a backup plan to say if a certain situation comes up, this is what I can do to make sure I follow through with my goal for the day.

Tessa Hulse
Yeah, having a plan, I think, is going to be key there and then just knowing different ways to move your body. So she touched on going on a hike, she mentioned a dance party, even just taking five minutes to go on a little walk around the block. So fitness isn’t always in the gym. You don’t have to be lifting heavy weights. You don’t have to be running on a treadmill. And I think it’s just important to remember that any body movement is better than none, right?

Valencia Rollins
Absolutely. And you brought up another great point, Tessa. We always have this idea or this misconception around workout, right? It has to be in the gym or has to be with weights, and it’s just about finding what feels good to you and doing it.

Tessa Hulse
Yes, absolutely. And then also doing it with a friend, having a buddy with you to help you through this journey is so important as well. And I think being able to identify your support system and your support person is going to be helpful in leading towards success as well.

Valencia Rollins
I agree with you. The more support you have, the more positive you’re going to feel about engaging into that activity and being consistent with it. You look forward to being with this person. You guys are sharing a common goal and then a common outcome that you guys can celebrate together as well.

Tessa Hulse
Yes. All righty. Awesome. So I know that I have a challenge for our listeners, and it’s a really simple challenge. You guys don’t worry, but I want everyone to be able to identify their why. So Alyssa touched on this during our interview, and identifying your why is going to be kind of identifying your motivation or the reason you want to get your body moving. So I would like to challenge our listeners to identify their why, why they want to get active, why they want to stay moving, and just write it down and put it somewhere where you can look at it every day.

Valencia Rollins
Identifying your why. Absolutely. Tessa, would you be willing to share your why?

Tessa Hulse
Yeah, my why is a wedding in two years? Or a year and a half, I guess. I know I’m motivated to not only look good, but feel good about myself during that time frame. So that’s my why. What’s yours?

Valencia Rollins
My why is really being around for my grandkids that I’m hopefully speaking into existence. I don’t have them now, but I want to be healthy and still moving and be able just to get up and down off the floor with them. So that’s my why.

Tessa Hulse
That’s a great point. So, once again, listeners, identify your why. Write it down and put it in a spot you’re going to look every day. For me, it’s on my fridge.

Valencia Rollins
Absolutely. And for me, it’s on my phone. Every time I pull it up, it’s a picture of my son. So there’s my future.

Tessa Hulse
All right. Awesome. Well, thank you for joining us for our very first episode of the unlock movement podcast. I know we’ve got a lot of really great interviews coming for you in the next few weeks here, so be sure to tune in as we continue this series.