Do you find pleasure in daily activities? Are you giving yourself rest breaks? Can you move with ease and confidence? Do you feel calm, centered and energized?
If the answer to any of these is no, it’s time for a reset.
Join us this fall as we explore these themes:
Protein + Produce
Walking + Weights
Rest
Faith
JOY!
Meet once (in person or Zoom) for an overview of our program, then follow along each week via email. Call me anytime you get stuck, and I’ll nudge you in the right direction.
No special diets, no crazy intense workouts.
Yes to small, consistent steps towards the most loving, caring version of you.
Who: YOU!
What: 5-week series with weekly assignments to help you take good care of you!
When: Kickoff meeting Saturday, September 6th, or Friday, September 12th.
Why: You want to look and feel your best.
How much: Free for Fit Club Members. $25 for guests.
To sign up, call or email me (503) 705-4762 Anne @ FluidPortland.com
Pick your preferred meeting time for our kickoff –
Saturday, September 6th at 11 am on Zoom, or
Friday, September 12th at 2 pm in Vancouver, Washington (Hazel Dell neighborhood, I’ll send the address once you’re registered)
I hope you join me on this self-care adventure!
Anne McCranie is a Vancouver, Washington-based Personal Trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist. She offers one-on-one strength and balance training in person and online. She helps her clients prioritize themselves, encouraging them to get comfortable saying no to anyone or anything that does not support their joy and wellbeing.
This week my girlfriend and I did an evening paddle on Lacamas Lake, followed by a short hike to stretch our legs.
We started down the trail around 7:30 and the sun was going down, so I took off my sunglasses and tucked them down the front of my shirt. When we got back to the car, my glasses were gone. Poof. And now it’s dark. I walked back a little ways up the trail but I was tired and didn’t want to keep going in the dark so I just went home. Cue sad trombone.
The next day, I went back to look for them. I arrived just before noon. It was sunny and the trail was busy with kids, dogs, people of all ages biking, jogging. I thought “no way are my glasses still there and in one piece.” Instead of worrying or frantically searching, I said to myself, “Soften your gaze. If these are meant to come back to you, they will”. About a 1/4 mile in, there they were, folded up on the ground next to a tree as if someone had placed them there. They were a little dusty, but otherwise in perfect condition.
I felt so happy and relieved! These aren’t fancy glasses, but they are prescription, and I love them. I was dreading going through the hassle and expense of having to order another pair. Since I was already out on the trail, I did a short guerrilla-style workout. I stopped at a bench for 5 hip and ankle circles to work on my mobility, and 10 straight leg lifts to strengthen the muscles around my knees. I did a little trot/ old lady jog to the next bench another 1/4 mile up the trail, and did 5 x 5 push-ups and tricep dips. I trotted back, did another round of hip circles, then walked back to my car.
This whole thing (including the glasses search) took less than 30 minutes.
Why am I telling you this?
Often when I meet people and tell them what I do, they will say “oh you must work out all the time”. Or “you must exercise for hours a day”. The reality is yes, I do something most days, either a walk, strength, or mobility work. While I do prioritize daily movement, these are often do 20-30 minute bouts of exercise.
Movement is built into my day because it helps me feel better. It’s not a chore that I have to slog through. Bonus points if I’m moving my body outdoors. Today I noticed the smells of blackberries and the sap from the evergreens. I saw deer, birds, and fish. I heard people playing in the water. I felt the ground underneath me and how the texture felt different walking over rocks, pine needles, or hard-packed dirt.
What is your movement snack? Do you do these tiny workouts during your day, and if not, could you? Where could you sneak in a smidge of pleasant movement?
I consider my work with y’all to be primarily stress relief.
When people first reach out to me, they may say they have a tight neck, or want to lose weight or get in shape. 9 times out of 10, once I start digging, what comes up for them is stress and anxiety. They are overworked, stressed, not sleeping, not exercising, and not eating right. Sound familiar?
My hope for you is that you can use the tips I offer you on healthy eating, managing stress, and moving your body, as tools to look and feel your best.
Not because you know you “should” exercise. Not out of fear of loss. Not because you hate your body.
Just the opposite. Because you love your body. You are taking good care of you. You are treating yourself like royalty by making space, prioritizing yourself, and saying no to anything that doesn’t align with these values.
LOVE JOY PEACE
Can You Find Joy In Movement?
Here are some ways I can support you in reaching your goals:
Small group fitness classes
Individual personal training
Thai massage and Cranio Sacral sessions
Health and nutrition coaching
Give me a call. I am here for YOU!
503-705-4762 Anne
p.s. here are my next available in person appointments:
It has been hot hot hot this week! I’m trying my best not to turn on the stove. Since I’m spending more time outside playing and less time in the kitchen, I’ve been making these quick and easy “put something together” type meals.
Now, if you want to cook chicken and dried beans from scratch, by all means do so. I used a Costco chicken and canned beans.
I did cut fresh corn off the cob, because – summer!
Quinoa Black Bean and Corn Salad recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 ½ cups water
1 can black beans, drained
2 ears of corn, kernels sliced off
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
2-3 green onions, diced
About 10 oz of cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used half a Costco chicken, so one breast and one leg/ thigh)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup lime juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp cayenne
1 large avocado, sliced
½ cup feta or cotija cheese
Directions
Cook Quinoa as if you were making rice. Rinse and drain. Cook 1 cup of quinoa in 1 and ½ cups water (I cooked mine in a rice cooker). Set aside til it has cooled.
In a large bowl, mix beans, corn, bell peppers, cilantro, green onions, and cooked chicken.
Make dressing: in a separate bowl, combine olive oil, maple syrup, lime juice or vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne.
Mix everything together (quinoa, veggies, chicken, and dressing) chill for a few hours in the fridge.
Taste and add salt or seasonings as needed.
Serve with sliced avocado, feta, or cotija cheese.
This recipe is adaptable. If you’re serving vegetarians, leave out the chicken. Don’t like the taste of cilantro? Use parsley and mint instead.
If you tried this, please drop me a line and let me know how it turned out.
Anne McCranie is a Vancouver, Washington based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She enjoys cooking and eating, and loves sharing healthy recipes with you!
When you feel stressed, do you have tools you can use to quickly calm your nervous system? Do you sit down to eat meals at regular intervals? Are you able to travel, work in the yard, hike without pain?
Lower anxiety, improved confidence, improved eating (including prioritizing protein and produce), improved mental health, improved posture.
Work with me and realize the same benefits as my client Jen!
In two years, she has gone from unable to execute a proper squat or hold a plank, to doing 3 sets of 12 military style push ups, weighted Turkish Get ups, and 15 squats holding 20 lb dumbbells. She meets with me twice a week for one hour of strength training. We’ve prioritized good form, progressive overload (adding more weights and reps) and targeted goals (pull ups and push ups).
While I’ve never given her a specific “diet” to follow, she has improved her diet and her relationship with food, focusing on whole foods eaten at regular intervals. She’s cut out her midnight snacking, has put herself on a regular sleep schedule, and removed negative people from her life.
Not only has she built strength and confidence, she’s made huge lifestyle improvements that positively impact her self-image and her relationships!
How can I support you emotionally and physically to be the best you can be?
Reach out to me today to discuss your goals and see if we’re a good fit.
Now taking in person and zoom clients here in Vancouver, Washington.
Looking for a quick, easy, flavorful, high-protein weeknight dinner?
Try this Turkey Meatball and Turmeric Roasted Chickpeas recipe.
If you’d like to read more about how I came up with this, why protein is so important (especially for menopausal women), or how to round out this meal with premade ingredients from Trader Joe’s, scroll down to read my notes at the bottom.
Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients:
You will need a large bowl, and a sheet pan or cookie sheet.
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup full fat, unsweetened yogurt
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
2 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, gently mix together all ingredients.
Roll into balls (about 1.5 inches, I ended up with 12 meatballs).
Spread meatballs out onto a cookie sheet.
Roast for 15 – 20 minutes.
Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients:
You will need another large bowl, a colander, and a sheet pan.
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a colander, rinse and drain chickpeas.
Lovingly pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Mix with cumin, turmeric, cumin, onion, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Spread peas out on a cookie sheet (give them plenty of space).
Whisk together 1 cup of yogurt with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and any spices or fresh herbs you like (garlic, dill, parsley, mint).
This recipe is cobbled together from a few different recipes. Smitten Kitchen suggests cooking the peas and meatballs together on one sheet pan. While I love the idea of having one less pan to wash, I found I was better able to control the cooking times and crunchiness of the peas when I cooked the meatballs and chickpeas separately. Love and Lemons suggests drying your chickpeas thoroughly to make them crispy.
These half-size sheet pans from Rose’s Equipment and Supply are perfect for this recipe. I also use these pans for roasting vegetables because there’s enough room to spread everything out (veggies like to have plenty of space when they are roasting) and the edges of the pans are low enough that everything cooks evenly.
If you like your chickpeas really crispy, almost like croutons, make sure you dry them well before cooking. If you prefer them softer, no need to dry them.
You’ve likely heard me repeat one of my favorite daily mantras for women over 40 – “Protein and Produce”. This combo of peas and turkey will easily get you to your recommended 20-30 grams of protein per meal. Eating plenty of protein during the day will give you energy, keep you feeling full longer, and lessen your cravings for between-meal snacks or nighttime sweets.
For your produce, you could chop cucumbers and tomatoes and make an easy salad of salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar.
Or you can do what I did and buy premade Tzatziki (yogurt sauce with cucumbers and garlic) and a bag of Trader Joe’s flatbread.
I am a fan of full fat dairy. Low fat dairy often includes stabilizers and sugar to improve its flavor and texture. Fat leaves you feeling more satisfied, and it helps your body absorb nutrients. Full fat yogurt does have more calories than low fat yogurt, but if you read the label, you will probably notice fewer ingredients (and most of the ingredients you will be able to pronounce). Look for yogurt that lists whole milk as the first ingredient and has no added sugars.
Anne McCranie is a Vancouver, Washington based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers this recipe to tickle your tastebuds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.
