I know, I know..last week I said I would be back for the week, but we have had a lot going on for the past two weeks.  I have lots of fun updates to share this week.  But first I will start with yesterday’s excitement.

When Mary was only a few months old, Rock and I lived out of a motel for a month in Upstate New York.  I was watching the morning news and a “health expert” was chatting about “healthy” ideas for snacks.  I was totally annoyed and yelling at the TV.  Health and fitness are my life and I get frustrated when I see poor information passed around.  Rock mentioned that I should find a way to get certified in a field of health and wellness and that brought about a search.

Shortly after, I enrolled in the American Council of Exercise’s Health Coaching program.  I was so excited to receive my text book and follow their online courses.  However, there is one problem with being a new mom.  Between coaching runners and figure skaters, and also training many virtual athletes, my plate was pretty full.  Any spare time was spent with Mary and Rock.

This meant that for the past several months, I spent my evening hours when Mary went to sleep studying (and trying to blog) and working with clients.  It was a slow process.  But like anything else I do, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t just know the content.  I wanted to fully understand and immerse myself in the program.

Yesterday, I finally sat down and took my proctored exam in a suburb of Chicago.  Let me tell you, I was super nervous.  I was pretty certain I knew the material.  But it had been a long time since I sat for an exam like this.  I didn’t want to disappoint myself or my friends and family who have been so supportive.

But I am happy to report that I passed and I did really well!  And now, I am incredibly excited to venture into another field of health, fitness, and wellness.  It is my goal to provide the best services and opportunities to my clients and athletes.  Adding this certification to my resume’ allows me to offer more opportunities to anyone who works with me.

Moving forward, this goes beyond just runners and endurance athletes.  I now have the opportunity to assist with almost anyone who is looking to make a lifestyle change or further their path towards healthy living.  I am looking forward to working with clients of all backgrounds and finding everyone’s own personal, health driven journey.

What does any good Health Coach do after they pass their exam?  Drink giant margaritas with awesome friends, of course!

I will be sharing more about health coaching in upcoming posts once life settles down a touch.

A huge thanks goes out to my friends and family who have been so supportive in this venture.  A massive thanks goes out to my husband Rock who encouraged me to delve into this field and then took the helm this past week when I became a studying freak.  And a special thank you to my clients and athletes for not only being so supportive but for also understanding when my replies to e-mails, texts, and phone calls weren’t as prompt as usual this past week.  Despite that, they were the first to offer their congrats yesterday.  I am so grateful to have you all in my life!