Are you uneven?

This week, I found out that my hips were uneven, my back was out of alignment and that I've never really worked on the BACK side of my body! I guess I've always focused on what I see in the mirror . . . my abs, my thighs, my arms - I thought I had done back and legs workouts before, but it wasn't until I worked with Liz earlier this week, that I realized I had never truly "engaged" those muscles before!

I felt a new sore this week, that I have NEVER felt. I have a weak lower back from an old gymnastics injury that I have just dealt with over the years. Even at my fittest/healthiest, I would still have to take breaks, while the family walked ahead of me down the boardwalk, because of the pain in my lower back.

I never realized how many different things attributed to this pain. After one back/legs workout with Liz, I started to feel those muscles strengthening and I felt a different pain in my back. Sure, I've had shooting pain up and down my back, achy lower back pain and even back labor - but I had never felt GOOD back pain! It was a beautiful thing. I guess 40 years late is better than never. 

I also never realized how important breathing is during your workout. I always thought it was just so you wouldn't pass out. I never realized how much it helps you to do the exercises CORRECTLY! Moves that seemed totally foreign to me, somehow became much more natural as I started to breathe the right way.

Take away points for today:
Slow down. Breath. And take a moment to weigh your life . . .  Are you uneven? Do you spend all of your time working, cleaning, doing yard work, taking care of others, studying? We all need to learn how to distribute our time evenly and dedicate more time on our health and fitness and less on that ever growing "To Do" list.

Start now, by taking advantage of CHHRC's FREE 21 Day Pass! Click here for details. Get even with me!

Fight Lyme: Like A Girl - DAY TWO

Day two:
Remember the other day I wrote about walking down the long hallway at CHHRC after my first #Train Like A Girl workout with jello legs? Well, the jello quickly turned into ooooh sooooo sore quads! But the good sore! The kind where you know that it was a RESULTS driven workout!

For day two, I had just finished my fourth IV treatment with Dr. Molly at the Cherry Hill Clinic. She had mixed up my treatment a bit and gave me an additional treatment for my fatigue. I asked her if it was okay for me to workout after my treatment and her response was, "ABSOLUTELY! I recommend it!" So, off I went!

Liz wanted to focus more on the upper body (thank goodness!) and continue to develop core and flexibility. My training partner today was Noelle Smith who plays Lacrosse at Trinity College. Needless to say, Noelle put me to shame not only with her increased weight in EVERY exercise, but she flew through the drills like a Pro! With each exercise, I started to feel a bit more comfortable with getting back into the fitness world. Muscles really do have memory!

I mentioned to Liz that I was nervous to push myself too hard during these workouts, because with Lyme Disease one of my biggest symptoms is DEBILITATING fatigue. Fatigue is a common word, doesn't mean much to anyone any more - but debilitating fatigue is when you physically can not perform your day to day functions. Over the past two years, doing simple tasks around the house would often result in me being laid up for days. So, when I'm 3/4 of the way through a rep, I had to ask myself if I should really push through it, risking bad form and a possible Lyme relapse, or do I just take a break. Well - there's a reason I'm working with a trainer, right?! She knows the answers to these questions! The program Liz has me doing requires lighter weights, with more reps (three - four) so that I can take those breaks. Not only does Liz have her Masters of Science in Exercise Science, she also was a five year, three season athlete that competed at Division 2 level! With her own experience with numerous injuries, she is extremely passionate about working with female athletes, specifically in the area of strength and technique to avoid those injuries!

Whether you're a collegiate athlete like Noelle or a plain old wife and mom of four like me, a strong core is very important. Liz has me doing several different exercises to strengthen my core. Here's me doing a Three Point Russian Twist. This is something you can do at home, in the office or at the gym:

Interested in trying this or any other exercises to get you back to the shape you want to be in? Try any of our CHHRC classes or Parisi Programs. No matter what fitness level - we have the right class for you!  Check out our website for more information! 

Training: Like A Girl

I just finished my first workout with Liz, one of our very talented Parisi Speed School interns. Liz is creating a brand new program for young female athletes who want to change the way the world looks at the phrase "LIKE A GIRL!" The goal of this program is to incorporate strength training, flexibility, nutrition and education so that girls of all ages and levels can excel at their sport.

When I started my Lyme treatment with Dr. Molly at the Cherry Hill Clinic, I knew I was on my way to recovery. I had completely changed my diet and gone Gluten-free, Sugar-free and Dairy-free; I was finally under the care of a doctor who could treat my symptoms naturally and the only element left to tackle was fitness. When Liz and I discussed how to market her Like A Girl program I knew it was the missing element of my Lyme fight strategy!

We met today to review the program and she ran me through my first workout. It's been months since I've done any sort of exercise, and years since I've done any sort of training interval, so needless to say I was very nervous. But Liz kept me motivated the entire time, helping to correct my form and pushed me to my healthy limit. At times I was very disappointed with my performance and other times I saw that muscle really does have memory.

I walked down the long hallway at CHHRC after the workout with jello-like legs and a smile on my face with the satisfaction of having my first workout under my belt and being one step closer to winning my Lyme fight!

Stay tuned for details of the dreaded (two-day) post workout aches and pains and a peak into my next workout.

Hello! My name is Lisa Alberta. As the Marketing Manager at Cherry Hill Health & Racquet Club, I'm responsible for making sure everyone knows what an awesome place CHHRC is. Most people have no idea how incredibly large our facility is - or know about the huge variety of programs we offer. Whether you're looking for a sports program for your children, a weight loss program for yourself or an activity to get your parents fit - we offer something for everyone!


Me personally? I love the classes here! So much so that I became certified to teach Group Power and Group Kick (now known as Group FIGHT). There is nothing better than a class with heart pounding music and movements to get you motivated. I had been working here full time for almost three years and could never find the time to pull myself away from my office to workout. When Stacy Covelli, Group Exercise Director approached the management team about becoming certified in MOSSA classes, I jumped at the opportunity. With having my own class on the schedule, it forced me to stick to an exercise regiment. I started to see results immediately! With a few changes to my diet and a consistent routine, I had dropped inches, pounds and body fat. Life was good!


Fast forward to September of 2013 and an itsy, bitsy, tiny tick changed it all. I went from running ten miles in the Broad Street Run, to being bedridden. Six months later I was diagnosed with Lyme disease and a variety of co-infections. After one year of oral antibiotics, I decided to take a more holistic approach to recovery. I'm now FIGHTING LYME #LIKE A GIRL at the Cherry Hill Clinic and next week will begin training with our Parisi Speed School Intern, Liz. There is no cure for Lyme disease, so the only thing we can do is try our best to boost my immune system, so that the good stuff in my body can FIGHT the bad!

As a "VIP health care patients" at the Cherry Hill Clinic, I enjoy expert primary medical attention, wellness counseling &treatment and on-going wellness monitoring. Just like CHHRC, they have something for everyone! No matter what your symptoms, diagnosis or aches - Dr. Molly can help. She provides primary health care in a complete and holistic manner that empowers you and your family to make educated and informed decisions about your health and wellness options. 

For more information about the clinic, click here. 


Please follow me on my Lyme Journey as I FIGHT LYME #LIKE A GIRL and make my way back to the Group Exercise Studio to participate (and possibly once again teach) my favorite fight class!