Fitness blogger and personal trainer Kate Lemere has a deep passion for fitness. Her love for fitness hit her during her college years. She fell in love with trying new physical activities in her spare time. “I discovered group exercise when I was in college. I was a competitive swimmer all my life, but decided to pursue other avenues once I graduated high school. It occurred to me very quickly that I didn’t know how to workout on my own. The co-rec at my university had a full schedule of group exercise classes ranging from Body Pump, Kickboxing and Spinning. I tried it all and couldn’t get enough! It was an instant love that I knew needed to be a bigger part of my life,” Kate says. From there it was no turning back for Kate. Her destiny was decided and what would be her career was made.
Challenges
Everyone faces challenges throughout life. Being a personal trainer, Kate is exposed to a lot of the tough compromises that people face. She finds that there are two main challenges people face when they are trying to make a healthy lifestyle change. The first is time and the second is intimidation. “There aren’t enough hours in the day, for everyone. If it seems like a schedule is too packed, health and fitness is usually the first thing to get sacrificed. The key is to efficiently plan and maximize the time you do have to be able to get the most out of your availability. Additionally, starting a new fitness regime can be intimidating and it’s only human nature for our first reaction to want to opt out of what makes us uncomfortable,” Kate explains.
Kate suggest that you shouldn’t let either of those things stop you. She often works with her clients on overcoming those two hurdles. Key way that she overcomes the challenge of being pressed for time is to focus on “the prioritization of movement. I prioritize my workouts, long or short, big or small. It is a non-negotiable part of my day. I find that just by doing so, I make better nutritional choices, sleep better, am a more creative and strategic thinker and am that much closer to reaching all of my goals in and out of the gym. Even on the days where I’m lacking motivation or hit snooze 5+ times, it’s never something I regret.”
Her biggest goal is to help others find a way to achieve fitness while working through anything that may deter them away from their ultimate goal. She uses her platform to motivate others and help them find the same passion for fitness that she has.
Mindset
“There are two types of people in this world. Those who say, “I can’t” and those who say, “I can.” In every moment we make a choice, we choose the course our life takes. Those who say, “I can’t” and those who say “I can” will end up on two very different trajectories. Everyone can have what it is they want. You just have to make the choice.” –Kate Lemere
Motivation
Of course self-motivation is essential to accomplishing a fit lifestyle. However it is ok to look for some outside sources to get you going. For Kate, reading is one of the ways she finds motivation for herself. One of her personal favorites is the book “Zen and the Art of Happiness” by Chris Prentiss. “It’s a quick read that I flip through regularly. It’s one of those trust the universe types of books. While cheesy at times, always refreshes my perspective and reminds me keep the big picture in focus whenever I’m sweating the small stuff,” Kate says.
What do you advise people first start when they are starting fresh with serious fitness goals? Diet or Workout? Or both? Does it matter?
Both. The work you do in the gym won’t mean sh*t if you’re not mindful of what you’re consuming. Nutrition and fitness are two different programs that can either work together, or against each other. When you’re serious about a fitness goal it’s critical to pay attention to both.
What three pieces of fitness equipment should everyone have?
You mean, besides a SlimClip Case?! Running shoes and training shoes offer a different functions and levels of stability so I always recommend investing in both. A jump rope is affordable, portable and can deliver one helluva workout in as little as 10 minutes.
Which exercise do you most commonly see people performing improperly, and how can they correct it?
Deadlifts…they may be one of the most effective drills you can do, but also very easy to perform improperly. Deadlifts are reliant on a flat back, a deep hip hinge and engaged shoulders. If you’re squatting, bending or letting your shoulders round over your chest you’re not only at risk for injury, but making zero gains.
Kate Lemere
SnapChat: @katehiipakka
