From Divorce to Deadlifts: How Kristina Ganow Transformed Her Life Through Fitness
After divorce and burnout, Kristina Ganow lost 70 pounds, rebuilt her health, and found purpose through fitness coaching. Discover how small changes can reshape your future.
In this episode of Doing Life Different with Lesa Koski Divorce, Love & Reinvention After 40, Lesa Koski sits down with health coach Kristina Ganow to unpack her inspiring story of post-divorce transformation. From emotional burnout to competing in powerlifting competitions at 40+, Kristina shares how focusing on simple nutrition, weight training, and habits of health helped her lose 70 pounds and rediscover joy.
This conversation is full of real-life tools and mindset shifts for any woman navigating a hard season—especially in midlife. Whether you’re dealing with divorce, parenting stress, or feeling stuck in your health journey, Kristina’s practical advice and authentic vulnerability will inspire you to start small and build a strong, sustainable life.
⏱️ Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction to Kristina Ganow and her transformation journey
(04:45) Life after divorce: juggling motherhood, burnout, and big changes
(09:20) How Kristina lost 70 pounds and changed her mindset
(14:10) From car crash to coaching: rediscovering fitness after 40
(17:58) Why Kristina started lifting weights and joined a powerlifting team
(23:40) The truth about muscle loss, protein, and aging well
(29:18) Healthy habits: sleep, stress, and smart food swaps
(34:05) How community, coaching, and accountability changed everything
(40:25) Best tips for women going through divorce or life transitions
(47:02) How to connect with Kristina and start your health journey
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- Small, consistent changes—like increasing protein and walking—can transform health.
- Women over 40 benefit most from lifting weights and building lean muscle for longevity.
- Prioritizing sleep, managing stress, and joining a supportive community are essential.
- You don't have to do it all at once—start with one habit and build momentum.
- Coaching and accountability can help women rebuild confidence after divorce or loss.
👩⚕️ Guest Bio:
Kristina Ganow is a certified health coach, former social worker and teacher, and mom of four. After navigating divorce, motherhood, and burnout, she lost 70 pounds and found her passion for fitness. Now she coaches women 35+ in creating lasting health through nutrition, strength training, and community. Her mission is to help women feel strong, empowered, and ready for what’s next.
🔗 Resource Links:
- 🔗 Follow Kristina on Instagram
- 📧 Email: Kristinaganow@gmail.com
- 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachkristinagetsfit/
- 🛠️ Habits of Health by Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen
- 💪 Lesa’s podcast and mindset resources: lesakoski.com
Transcript
Welcome listeners.
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:I'm really excited to have you here
today, and it's a little selfish
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:because I love fitness and I want
to get into that a little bit.
4
:I've got Christina Gao here
and she is a health coach.
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:Um, and I, I wanna talk to her
about that and she kind of, she's
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:gonna share her story a little bit,
Christina, if you don't mind, about
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:what led you down this journey.
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:But she's kind of a fitness gal and
I can't wait to really dive in deep
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:with her because I think what led me
to Christina and Christina, I don't
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:know exactly the exact thing that
you said, but you posted something on
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:Instagram about like getting in shape.
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:And it wasn't about how it's shifted and,
and I'm like, oh my gosh, I totally agree.
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:I lift weights so that I can carry around
two grandchildren, one in each arm.
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:I, I am a completely, I lift weights
so that I feel stronger, better.
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:And so your life changed after a divorce.
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:And that could be, you know,
people maybe needing a little help.
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:So what I wanna do is I wanna
talk about that transition.
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:To kind of give people hope.
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:And then I also want to.
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:Give people little tools, a
little something that they
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:can do to change their life.
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:If they wanna change the tra, you
know, change the direction of it.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Even if they're going through
something hard, sometimes just
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:those little changes can spur us
and can get the momentum going.
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:So, Christina, you look so young
to me, and I think you said you,
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:you help women 35 and older.
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:Is that true?
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:Yes.
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:Yes.
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:So you've gotta be older than 35, right?
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:Yes, I'm 44 actually.
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:You look amazing.
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:Well, thank you.
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:So Christina, would you mind sharing
your story and what led you to
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:take this journey and to help?
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:Absolutely.
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:Okay.
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:Speaker 2: So you mentioned, you know,
after divorce, which I was divorced
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:over 10 years ago, um, so kind of became
a single mom, um, had my goals of I.
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:Was working as a, um, social worker
at, at a local community health center.
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:And that wasn't really enough.
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:Well, and I'd actually just taken
a job as a para, um, outta school.
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:And so it wasn't really enough to
live off of, to support my boys.
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:Um, at that point I started
working lots of jobs.
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:Um, and I went back and got my master's.
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:So when you're taking care
of the boys, I have two boys.
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:Well, I have four boys now.
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:Um, at the time I had two.
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:Hmm.
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:Um.
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:I was so busy taking care of everybody
else that I wasn't taking care of me.
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:Um, so fast forward lots of years.
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:Um, I met a man and we blended
families, which is how I have four now.
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:Um, so I have ages.
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:Let's see.
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:We've, the youngest is
11, the oldest is 21.
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:So we woo encompassed the entire gamut.
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:Um, in fact, the 21-year-old gets married
here in a couple weeks, and then the
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:youngest is gonna go into middle school.
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:Um, so I stayed pretty busy with the boys
and all their sports and their activities.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Um, so I was pouring into
others and I wasn't, I kind of
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:lost myself with around that.
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:So at about 40, I think I was exactly 40.
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:Well, yeah.
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:'cause I've been coaching
for almost four years.
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:Um, I had kind of found
myself after COVID.
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:I was a teacher by this point.
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:I had finished my master's.
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:I was teaching special ed.
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:Um, and as we all know that during COVID
you had to pivot or you had to mm-hmm.
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:Adapt at moments notice, you know,
working at home or working wherever.
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:So I wasn't taking care of myself,
not fitness wise, um, not, I was
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:work, I worked out before in like
:
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:And when I was in that car
accident, I kind of lost sight
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:of that and then, um, started.
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:I mean, really my eating
nutrition had gone downhill.
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:So I had gained quite a bit of weight.
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:Um, I was at my all time
heaviest, I would say.
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:And so at that point, a friend of mine
from high school's wife had actually
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:made a post on social media that
she and I started talking and she,
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:you know, raved about this program.
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:Of course, she had 20 pounds to lose
and I had way more than 20 to lose.
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:Um, and so I started this program
that at that point shifted.
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:My entire life because at that
point I became, I lost, I lost 70
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:pounds within about eight months.
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:And, but I became a better mom.
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:I became a better wife.
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:I became better at everything in life.
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:And it wasn't until about a year later
when I started kind of getting into
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:fitness, um, so about a year and a half
later and I was working out and trying
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:to, 'cause when you lose 70 pounds.
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:You're still not happy with
yourself because body dysphoria
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:or dysmorphia is a real thing.
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:Like I still looked in the mirror
and saw that 215 pound woman.
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:Um, I didn't see the 150 pound
woman that stood in front of me.
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:And so I started working out to
kind of tone certain spots or
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:tone the areas that I didn't like.
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:And that's kind of how it began.
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:But then I decided I was going to join a
powerlifting group, which wild, um mm-hmm.
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:It's a lot harder than
anybody could ever imagine.
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:Um, my fabulous trainer, Maddie, she
took me in and she taught me the ropes
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:and I was starting from the bottom.
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:Literally.
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:Well, about three months in, I
decided I was going to sign up
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:for a competition because why not?
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:I was, you know, 42 and.
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:40?
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:No, I was 42.
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:And I mean, why not?
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:And I had no idea what
that was going to entail.
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:So, um, at that point I did a
real deep dive into fitness.
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:Um, and I, I competed, I did,
as well as I didn't have any
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:expectations going on to the platform.
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:So I mastered all of them because I
lifted more than I thought I could.
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:And I, you know, beat the barriers that
had held against me the entire time.
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:But I'll tell you, after that,
I realized how important it
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:really was just for health.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Um, as a mom of four, I am climbing
bleachers all the time, but that was hard.
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:There wasn't a thing that
I did that wasn't hard.
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:I couldn't run, you know,
running after the boys.
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:I tried as much as I could,
but it was still hard.
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:You don't realize how much that muscle.
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:It just, it, I mean, it changes
everything for you and how you function.
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:And so in about January and
February, my goal really with
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:lifting became whole body health.
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:And it became really just focusing on
what it was going to look like as I aged.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:You know, my grandma, who is 92 years
old, she I'll, I'll go over my workout
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:clothes and she'll be like, I just
don't get why you do those things.
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:And I'm like, well, so I
can get outta my chair.
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:As I'm helping her out of her chair.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:You know, and so I, I do all these
things and I think the post you're
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:referring to was something about,
um, you know, I lift so that when
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:I'm 80 I can get off the toilet.
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:Because the reality is, we as adults,
we lose three to 8% of muscle.
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:After the age of 30.
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:You learn, you lose three
to 8% of your muscle.
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:Every year.
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:Year.
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:So if you're not actively doing
something to build it or maintain
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:it, you're not, I mean, we, we, as
women, we weigh under eat protein.
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:Speaker: Oh, that's another thing
that I have really started doing.
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:Speaker 2: And we don't realize that.
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:And that's the other, you know,
when they say, oh, well you're
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:supposed to have, you know, 0.8
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:to one gram per pound of body weight,
and people are like, oh, I do that.
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:Do you 'cause, have you tracked it?
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:Because I promise you are.
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:We just don't.
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:We are in a society who puts things
out in the market that says high
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:protein, eight grams of protein.
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:That's not high, you know?
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:But then with the protein
comes the calories.
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:And so people think they're
doing right by their bodies.
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:And they're doing, you know,
their body a huge disservice.
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:Speaker: Yeah.
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:Speaker 2: So that's kind of like
how I got going and that's my
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:trajectory of how I got to where I
am and why I very much focus now on
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:coaching women towards longevity.
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:And I don't just coach women.
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:Um, I just feel like because I am a
woman, that's obviously my specialty.
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:Speaker: Mm-hmm.
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:Yep.
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:Yep.
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:But anyone, anyone's welcome, right?
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:Speaker 2: Oh, absolutely.
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:Yes.
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:Yes.
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:Well, they, I mean, that's the, it's
about helping someone find hope.
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:Yeah.
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:Someone who, you know, feels hopeless
or they feel like, you know, their life
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:can't change, but they don't realize.
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:One of my clients, uh, she has
ms and she reached out to me.
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:I went to high school with her.
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:And she is doing things now that
she never would've dreamed up at.
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:She did her first workout this week and
she's like, oh my gosh, this was fabulous.
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:Now I created that workout for her
and I'm no, you know, I'm no like
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:personal trainer or anything like
that, but I do know enough that I can
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:do something that's not gonna drain
her because with MS comes fatigue.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:But now that she's encompassed the
nutrition and she's down almost 50 pounds.
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:Wow.
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:Um, and she had her dad pass away in
November, so she's had really hard
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:things happen in this journey, but
she's rocking it and she's doing
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:fabulous, and that's where I just
hope to create that hope for people.
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:Speaker: Mm-hmm.
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:Speaker 2: So that they can have that life
that they didn't know that they deserved.
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:Speaker: Yeah, and I love, I mean,
that is one of the treasures of this
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:podcast is I get to have amazing people
who have gone through something and
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:then they're sharing how to help.
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:I mean, we all are gonna suffer, right?
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:But this can help us
suffer less and Absolutely.
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:And I have learned in my life that.
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:It isn't just one thing, right?
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:It is.
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:It's how you eat and, and you
know, I used to be a white
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:knuckler, like marathon runner.
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:And, and then, and then I got
into fasting and it was like,
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:let's see how long I can fast.
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:And then, you know, and it's interesting.
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:None of that really worked for
me until recently when I just
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:kinda let go of making it so hard.
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:And just kind of giving my body
a break from eating between seven
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:at night and 10 30 in the morning.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Increasing that pro, I mean, I am a
healthy eater, increasing my protein.
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:I guess the only thing I eat dark
chocolate, but I think that's
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:kind of good for you, isn't it?
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:I don't know.
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:Speaker 2: There's, there's quite
a, there's a lot of studies.
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:I mean, you know, obviously it
depends on what phase you're in.
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:If you're in a weight loss phase.
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:No dark chocolate's, not ideal, but
if you're in a maintenance phase,
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:there's a lot of nutrients in dark
chocolate that we as women need.
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:And that's the other thing is as we age,
we don't realize how many nutrients our
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:body just doesn't really have anymore.
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:So if we're not getting it from diet
and our nutrition, things start to fail.
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:Speaker: Right, right.
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:And we don't.
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:And you know, that's the thing.
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:Like we wanna live long
lives, but we wanna live.
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:Long, healthy lives, you know?
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:Correct.
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:Do you wanna be healthy?
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:Right.
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:You
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:Speaker 2: don't wanna be
Yeah, I wanna be able to keep,
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:Speaker: yeah.
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:I don't wanna be sitting in a chair.
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:I wanna be out moving.
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:Speaker 2: Exactly.
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:Speaker: So, okay.
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:And for me, I lot
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:Speaker 2: the boys to keep up with.
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:Speaker: Yes, you do.
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:And what you're gonna find is so fun.
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:You're kind of like me.
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:I had a really big spread like that too.
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:And so I always have a baby in my life.
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:I and I knew I would 'cause our baby we
adopted eight years after our youngest,
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:and so then the older one started
getting married and having babies.
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:So I got grand babies.
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:I've got one in college, and so
I'm just gonna spread it all out
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:so I can have babies forever.
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:Yeah.
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:Because they're so, they make me so happy,
but I just have to, I wanna pick apart
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:a little bit because we hear so many
things about what works, what doesn't.
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:And Christina, what I have learned
is you really do, there are some
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:pieces like eat your protein.
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:Um.
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:I think lifting weights too,
I'm gonna say, because I used
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:to be, I think lifting weight.
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:So I think there are some key things,
but then after that, I've really
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:found that you have to kind of
investigate and see what, get curious
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:and see what works for you because
what works for all these ladies?
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:This fasting thing, I went
through this and I wasn't, I was
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:like, gonna lose five pounds.
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:Well, I think I gained five and
I was like doing 72 hour fast.
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:Not ideal for this chick, it just
wasn't working with my hormones.
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:Um, probably put more stress on
my body than I really should have.
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:Absolutely.
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:But tell me about what was the aha?
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:Because yours started with your
eating and it's, a lot of times
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:people don't go in gangbusters.
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:Sometimes they do, sometimes
they do everything at once, but
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:sometimes they take baby steps.
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:So you started with the food piece.
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:Tell me like, can you give us a.
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:A few tips.
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:Speaker 2: Absolutely.
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:Well, and I'll tell you, I, I say it
was the food piece, but it was also,
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:you know, because, you know, I'm
an opt to be a coach, they really,
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:really focus on the habits of health.
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:And, you know, Dr.
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:A, who is the creator of the program
and he wrote the book Habits of Health.
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:That's really what it is.
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:It's all the habits.
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:'cause yeah, eating is important.
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:It's, you know, stabilizing
your blood sugar.
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:It's, but it's also your surroundings.
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:If you have bowls of candy sitting on
your counter, you're gonna grab it.
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:That's just human nature, you know?
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:It's they, he goes so far as, you
know, teaching you about where to
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:store things in your refrigerator.
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:If you store the unhealthy things at
eyesight, that's what you're gonna grab.
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:Whereas if you store your veggies
and your proteins and you know
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:all that in your eyesight,
that's what you're going to grab.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:And healthy movement.
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:He, it's, you know, it's
important healthy sleep.
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:If we're not getting seven to
eight hours of sleep every night
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:Speaker: mm-hmm.
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:Speaker 2: You can eat really good.
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:You can do all the things, then yeah,
it's gonna work, but not as well
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:as if you're getting the full sleep
and stress management, you know?
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:Mm-hmm.
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:If you're not managing your stress as
you age, your body is creating cortisol.
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:Yeah.
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:Which is what gets you that
kind of midsection, you know?
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:Fluff, I guess.
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:Um, and so, you know, for eating
with this program that, you know, I
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:coach, it's simple in the beginning
because it told me exactly what to eat.
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:I ordered, we call them fuelings
because they were just like the
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:small, you know, little sections
or I guess what you like brownies.
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:Honestly, brownies were my favorite.
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:I ate like three of 'em a day, but
they were already macro balanced,
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:so I didn't have to count calories,
I didn't have to do anything.
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:I just had to count to
five, which I could do.
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:Then at night, because I was so
busy teaching and as a mom, I would
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:create Alina Green that they gave me.
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:They told me how much to eat of
whatever I, so if I made chicken
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:and broccoli, which I don't care
for chicken, so I don't eat a lot
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:of chicken, I ate a lot of shrimp.
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:Um, and so I would have the shrimp
and I would, you know, eat the
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:cauliflower rice and I'd throw some.
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:Buffalo sauce on it or whatever,
or there were days, I, I didn't
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:eat all of salads either.
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:I tell my clients all the time, if you
eat salads every day, you are gonna be
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:so sick of it before you even start.
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:So I, I mean, I ate good meals.
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:I ate, you know, taco Bake.
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:I ate tacos and lettuce, but making
sure that I had my seven ounces,
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:depending on which, you know, cut of.
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:Meat you had, or protein, depending on
how many ounces you have, because it ba
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:you balance your healthy fats, you balance
your protein, and you balance your carbs.
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:And you don't cut the carbs out
completely, but they're good carbs.
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:Speaker: Okay.
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:Speaker 2: Um, and they're not the carbs
that process in your body as sugars.
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:Speaker: Okay.
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:So, which is to
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:Speaker 2: keep the insulin balance.
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:Speaker: And it's interesting because
I've just made this so simple for myself.
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:I, um.
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:I just, I don't measure anything.
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:'cause it's just, I mean, and maybe
that's bad, but I'm just in this
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:maintenance and I work out a lot.
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:But I do, I don't measure anything
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:Speaker 2: anymore, so.
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:Speaker: Okay, that's good to know.
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:So I just, what I found too is when I
kind of took my foot off the gas pedal
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:and just chilled and just really thought
about making sure that I'm getting
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:my protein, so that means, mm-hmm.
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:I usually start with an egg or two.
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:Right.
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:So that, that's how I start.
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:Um, and then sometimes
that mixes into lunch.
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:So, you know, sometimes it's
lunch, sometimes it's not.
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:I usually, I like veggies.
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:I love veggies, so I could
eat a salad every day.
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:I'm one of those weirdos.
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:And then I just use like oil and vinegar.
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:And then I always do
like a, I like red meat.
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:You know, I do a protein source at
night, um, probably more veggies.
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:And if I, I know the snacks,
like I, there's these, um, SSTA
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:chips, I think they're called.
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:They, they're made out of avocado
oil and like almond flour.
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:I can eat those with salsa.
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:I mean, I don't feel like I'm
missing anything and I'm not,
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:and I feel like I'm eating really
healthy and it just feels easy.
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:And another thing was.
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:You know, no more a glass of
wine every night at dinner.
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:I think that was a, that
was a huge switch for me.
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:And I had, that was a hard one.
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:That was a
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:Speaker 2: hard switch,
Christina, because I agree.
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:'cause I gave up my wine too, and
I'll tell you, it's actually hard for
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:me if I'm given the option of wine.
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:Or a vodka soda.
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:I will not ever choose the wine because
I don't like to drink my calories.
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:Speaker: Oh.
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:And I don't even really think about that.
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:I mean, now, I mean, I just, once
in a while, if I go out with friends
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:and we have a meal together, or if we
have steaks, sometimes I have a glass
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:of red wine, but not like I used to.
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:I think that made all the difference.
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:I think I had like a big puffy face
from all the, you know, and you
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:don't, and not like I was, I was just
having a glass or two, but it really.
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:Was not good for me, but
it was a nice way to relax.
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:And so it was a hard
habit to, to get out of.
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:I mean, I think it took me a
good three months to be like,
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:oh, I don't really need that.
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:But it's so beautiful once you
start eating that way and you
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:know the alcohol and you feel
so much better that you Oh, yes.
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:Really don't wanna go back.
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:Speaker 2: No, for sure.
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:And like I said, I like, I have
gone to wineries or whatever.
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:I just don't desire it like I used to.
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:I mean, I used to just
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:Speaker: very different wine
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:Speaker 2: and, and I don't enjoy it.
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:So it's like, well, it's fine.
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:Speaker: Yeah.
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:Speaker 2: It's just not my, and
that's, and that's where I think Lear
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:leaning in on the actual habits that
create health is where it comes from.
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:There's so many pieces to the puzzle.
400
:Nutrition is about 80% of it
Uhhuh, but there's other pieces
401
:that also have to do with it,
402
:Speaker: and I can, yep.
403
:And I love the ones that you
talked about, healthy movement.
404
:Yep.
405
:And I don't have to like kill
myself, but I need to lift.
406
:Mm-hmm.
407
:Okay.
408
:So I do have some questions for you
because there's differing opinions on.
409
:Heavy weights or just
like lifting weights.
410
:'cause I don't, sometimes when
I go heavy I might get a sore
411
:neck or, you know what I mean?
412
:Like sometimes they say it's best to do
like something that you can do five to
413
:seven reps of something really heavy.
414
:And then, but I generally like
to do about, uh, 12 something
415
:I can do about 12 reps.
416
:Speaker 2: Yeah, I would agree with that.
417
:Okay.
418
:And see, um.
419
:My trainer, because it is
more of the power lifting.
420
:She really encourages the compound
movements because you're working so
421
:many muscles in a compound movement.
422
:But something that I learned
pretty early on is if your form
423
:is not correct, you will hurt.
424
:Yeah.
425
:And if you don't have someone who
is trained to teach you the form,
426
:I don't recommend just going into a
gym and deciding to squat because.
427
:If you're not doing a compound
movement with the correct
428
:form, you will have injury.
429
:Speaker: I, I can't, this is really a, a
dumb question, but I'm being real here.
430
:What's a compound movement?
431
:What do you mean?
432
:Speaker 2: That's like your squats,
your deadlifts, your bench press,
433
:the ones that work so many muscles
in your body at the same time.
434
:Okay.
435
:Speaker: That's what I thought you meant,
but I didn't know if you meant like doing
436
:a lunge and a curl at the same time or.
437
:Speaker 2: I mean, I suppose that would
still be, you know, somewhat compound,
438
:but it's your, it's your deadlift,
your, you know, and I, some people
439
:talk about cleans, but that's more of a
sports thing, you know, not necessarily
440
:something you're gonna have in a comp
in, well, if you do CrossFit, I guess
441
:Speaker: I did, I do have a class
that that has, there's one class
442
:that I take that does have that.
443
:I just try to be mindful
and careful in it.
444
:You know, it's a big class, so, all right.
445
:So I'm glad, I'm glad to hear that.
446
:And then I think I'm finding too,
that adding some, um, hip workouts
447
:are gonna be beneficial to my,
448
:Speaker 2: I've started doing seven
way hip stretches, um, as my up
449
:exercise for any of my movements.
450
:And so she has me doing 'em daily and
I, that was something I really noticed
451
:was how weak my hip flexors are.
452
:And you don't.
453
:Realize how much you use your hip
flexors in, like everything you do.
454
:Yeah.
455
:Um, and apparently that I and
glutes, you also don't realize
456
:how much you use your glutes.
457
:Mm-hmm.
458
:And those were my weakest
areas because I loved doing arm
459
:movements and legs, not so much.
460
:So I am working on that.
461
:I'm forcing myself,
462
:so I'm forcing myself to
do the hard things, but.
463
:The seven way hip stretch is great
for working so many parts of your hips
464
:because you lose mobility as you age.
465
:Speaker: I don't even know
what, I don't know what that is.
466
:Speaker 2: Mobility is just how you move.
467
:Speaker: Seven.
468
:No, seven way stretch is
469
:Speaker 2: like, like the hip seven.
470
:The seven way hip stretch is
like you move your legs like this
471
:and then this, and then this.
472
:And then like circles, and then you
flip and you do it with the other side.
473
:So there's like seven stretches
within the same thing.
474
:Gotcha.
475
:Yeah.
476
:And so it works.
477
:All of those, it kind of increases
the mobility in your hips.
478
:Well,
479
:Speaker: and one thing thing that,
480
:Speaker 2: that's my favorite one.
481
:Speaker: Yeah.
482
:All right.
483
:That's good to know.
484
:I'm gonna have to try that.
485
:And I think what I, I'm like pretty
much basically sore every day because I
486
:just do like a whole bunch of different
stuff and it just works for me.
487
:So I have, there's a yoga studio that
has a lot of lifting sculpt classes.
488
:Some of them are like Pilates and some
of 'em are like, and I just do a whole
489
:bunch of different stuff and I walk, I
find I love running, but I seem to get
490
:a sore knee now, so I'm kind of, um.
491
:Taking a step back from that and trying
to do a little bit of hit, which is oddly
492
:the thing that's the hardest for me to do.
493
:It's the quick, it's a quick and easy
hit, and it's supposed to be really good
494
:for your cardiovascular health, but that
is one that is hard for me to get in.
495
:I mean, just to like go down
and do jumping jacks, you know,
496
:a minute on, a minute off.
497
:Es a minute on a, you
know, whatever it is.
498
:It's not complicated.
499
:You can do like four of them.
500
:You get about 20 minutes
in and you're done.
501
:But for some reason, that's
the one I dislike the most.
502
:'cause it kind of makes your
lungs burn and it hurts.
503
:Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't
care for those either.
504
:I actually will, um, have added walking
with a weighted vest to my routine, and
505
:I would much rather do that for a form of
cardio than any burpees, jumping jacks.
506
:Mm-hmm.
507
:They're just not my jam.
508
:Like, I don't,
509
:Speaker: yeah.
510
:Speaker 2: Cardio is
not my jam in general.
511
:Um, which is why I like lifting.
512
:But the reality is we do need
a little bit of cardio mm-hmm.
513
:To, um, keep our heart pumping
and keep it healthy too.
514
:Yep.
515
:So.
516
:And that's where the
weighted vest has helped.
517
:But it's, it's crazy to me.
518
:It's funny 'cause we have a hill, you
know, near here and I was like, oh,
519
:I'm gonna walk up backwards 'cause this
is gonna really, no, I thought I was
520
:gonna fall and I was like, just kidding.
521
:And I like, I work out every day and I
was like, okay, so we're not there yet.
522
:Yes.
523
:We're just gonna,
524
:Speaker: yeah,
525
:Speaker 2: because you don't realize,
and you know, and I only did 15 pounds
526
:and I got the vest that's like 11 to 20
because I wanted one that I could pull
527
:weight out of or put weight in and.
528
:Depending on how I Oh,
529
:Speaker: that's nice.
530
:I, I actually have one of those
too, and I just have a 12 pounder.
531
:Speaker 2: Hey, 12 pounds
is better than no pounds,
532
:Speaker: and you can feel it.
533
:Yes.
534
:You.
535
:I don't even, I don't use it all the time.
536
:I don't always, 'cause I love to walk
and I sometimes I'm like, yeah, no.
537
:Most of the time I don't use it.
538
:Right.
539
:But if I need that little
extra, then I've got it.
540
:Okay.
541
:So we're talking and I just think like
moving your body, like when I have
542
:a day, when I'm working on the farm.
543
:You know, and I, I get like
23,000 steps some of those days.
544
:That's awesome.
545
:And I haven't even taken a walk 'cause
I'm running around to gardens and horses
546
:and I love that more than anything.
547
:That's like my favorite day.
548
:Um, but then you talk about sleep too.
549
:And sleep is, is tricky because.
550
:I have never been a great sleeper.
551
:My mind, um, can, can go and I just
really have made it a priority and a
552
:big part of that is me getting to bed.
553
:Early and boy I get, I get
a little bit of crap for it.
554
:Speaker 2: Same.
555
:Yeah, same.
556
:I know I have, my husband says
all the time, I don't know
557
:how you go to bed so early.
558
:I'm like, if I don't go to bed
this early, then I'm not asleep by
559
:the time I want to be asleep by.
560
:Yep.
561
:And then when I wake up, I'm not
gotten my seven, eight hours.
562
:Speaker: Yes.
563
:Speaker 2: Like, it's best for
all if I get my sleep, I promise.
564
:Amen.
565
:Speaker: If mama ain't
happy, nobody's happy.
566
:Right?
567
:Speaker 2: Well, and I've started
drinking Moon Brew at night and
568
:it's, I don know what that is.
569
:Well, I guess it's not, it's,
I guess it's a supplement.
570
:I don't know.
571
:Somebody, I, one of my fellow
coaches suggested it and she was
572
:like, it makes me nine, nine, boy.
573
:It sure does.
574
:It's got a bunch of AP adaptogens,
um, and it's got magnesium in
575
:it, and so it's like hot cocoa.
576
:I just drink it at night.
577
:It's called, it relaxes me.
578
:It's called Moon Brew.
579
:I've got the link, um, on my profile
in my thing just because I'm a huge
580
:fan, but, so I drink a little bit
of hot co cocoa before I go to bed.
581
:And who doesn't love a little
chocolate before you go to bed?
582
:Right.
583
:And I sleep really,
really good with it, so.
584
:Speaker: Okay, that's good
585
:Speaker 2: to know.
586
:I'm just gonna have to be careful.
587
:It just little things.
588
:Speaker: Yes.
589
:I do take magnesium, so I just wanna make
sure I'm not gonna get too much magnesium
590
:then if I'm adding the moon brew.
591
:But yeah, you just, you
gotta do what you have to do.
592
:But what I have found is that I
just need to get the time in bed.
593
:And then if I wake up, I don't freak
out, I just listen to something.
594
:Or you know, I don't usually turn
lights on and read, but I will listen
595
:to things that I can fall asleep to
and just being in bed for a longer
596
:period of time, I've got a better shot
of getting those seven to eight hours.
597
:So that's kind of how I've worked it out.
598
:One thing that, and the stress
management, I'm horrible, just
599
:have never been good at, and so.
600
:Working, working on that through
like self coaching through, and
601
:I think all the things that we
talked about before that help.
602
:Absolutely.
603
:The only thing that that I would add
to that that's not on your list is that
604
:I didn't do BEF until just recently is
being in community with other women.
605
:Speaker 2: Yes.
606
:And I actually mention that.
607
:Yeah.
608
:Yes.
609
:I didn't forgot about that one.
610
:That's another thing that.
611
:We have a very large community
in our group and we, we have
612
:a community for clients.
613
:We have a community for coaches.
614
:And I'll tell you, it's,
it is a huge piece.
615
:I have one of my best friends who
lives in New Jersey and we talk
616
:almost daily, and I would've never
met her if it weren't for this.
617
:And that's kind of how we bonded
was through the losing weight.
618
:And that's, I mean, she's.
619
:A little older than me, so it's,
you know, but we talk every day.
620
:And so it is a huge thing to
have community because if you
621
:have accountability and you have
other people to bounce ideas
622
:off, you're not alone in it.
623
:And you should never be alone
in any type of habit changing.
624
:Speaker: Yep.
625
:Okay.
626
:So I'm So with you there, and I just
mean in general, in life for happiness.
627
:Oh, yes.
628
:You know what I mean?
629
:Like just like.
630
:Being around other people, and I
did not give myself enough of that.
631
:Yeah.
632
:So, yeah, in your case, if you go
through coaching, you can kill, you
633
:know, so many birds with one stone.
634
:Mm-hmm.
635
:You can, you're gonna cover,
you're gonna encompass all of that.
636
:So tell me Absolute.
637
:Um, so if our listeners are going
through a horrible divorce right now.
638
:Or a huge life transition.
639
:And they're feeling, yeah, about
themselves and what are some little
640
:things that they can do that aren't
going to overwhelm them, but they're
641
:gonna help them take care of themselves.
642
:Do you have any little tips?
643
:Speaker 2: I think journaling is huge.
644
:I know when I was going
through my divorce.
645
:Putting stuff, thoughts on paper
and sometimes it's, I use my phone
646
:sometimes as a journal because
the iPhone has a journal app.
647
:Sometimes I use my notes and I
just get the thoughts outta my head
648
:because intrusive thoughts, especially
during a divorce, and even worse
649
:when you're navigating like a custody
battle or, yeah, something like that.
650
:The intrusive thoughts can tear
you up because you are living your
651
:life on the He said, she said,
and this person said this, and.
652
:You can get lost with that.
653
:So I think journalize journaling or just
taking something, uh, my therapist, 'cause
654
:I really struggled, like meditating and
his suggestion was to just play a song.
655
:Any song, like just hit a
playlist, sit, listen to it.
656
:So two minutes, two to three minutes,
and then whatever I felt during that
657
:song, I was just to put on paper and that
made a huge difference in getting me.
658
:To get in that mindset because I
think sometimes just slowing your
659
:brain down enough to calm down.
660
:I mean, I would laugh
at 'em like me meditate.
661
:Are you kidding me?
662
:Like I'm A DHD.
663
:No, no.
664
:But it did help just slow my brain
down, um, and allow me to do that.
665
:So that's huge.
666
:Um, and I think, you know, as far,
when it comes to nutrition, just
667
:pick one habit that you wanna change.
668
:Change it for two to three
weeks and then add another.
669
:Speaker: Yeah.
670
:You know, if
671
:Speaker 2: you wanna
focus on your nutrition.
672
:You know, focus on that
for two to three weeks.
673
:But if you try to do it all at once,
especially when you're going through
674
:a challenging time, then you fail and
then you end up right back where you
675
:started feeling worse because you failed
at yet again something else, right?
676
:Speaker: Right.
677
:And so, and I think that's another
kind of, we're, we're going over
678
:a little bit, but kind of to leave
people, I just always want people
679
:to not be so hard on themselves.
680
:Have some empathy.
681
:Talk to yourself like you would
your best friend or someone that you
682
:really love, because don't we forget
that, you know, we beat ourselves up.
683
:But you know what, if you mess
up and eat a whole cake, you just
684
:love yourself, baby, because.
685
:Speaker 2: And you know what the
next decision, just try to make it.
686
:'cause it'll all balance
out and it's okay.
687
:Speaker: Yep.
688
:Speaker 2: Give yourself grace,
especially in the hard times.
689
:Speaker: Yes.
690
:Yes.
691
:All right.
692
:Well, Christina, it was such
a pleasure to get to know you.
693
:Speaker 2: Thank you
so much for having me.
694
:Speaker: Yeah.
695
:I'm so glad.
696
:I'm so glad that I saw your post,
and I so appreciate you being here.
697
:Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely.
698
:Okay.
699
:Nice meeting you.
700
:Speaker: Tell me if people want to do
your coaching program, where do they go?
701
:And I can have something in my
show notes, but I know you've got a
702
:quite a big following on Instagram.
703
:Where else can they find you?
704
:Speaker 2: They can also
find me on Facebook.
705
:Christina Gau.
706
:Um, I have a TikTok,
but I'm not very active.
707
:I, I'm too old for that, I think.
708
:Me too.
709
:I try, but I'm like Instagram
I know a little better.
710
:Um, so Instagram.
711
:Is the best place because
everything's housed all in one and
712
:I've got a link in my bio to be
able to schedule calls with me.
713
:Um, you can also go to my Facebook,
um, which is also public, uh,
714
:Christina Gainau, and also can access
all of that from there as well.
715
:Um, and then my email, they can also
always email me, which is just my
716
:name, Christina gainau@gmail.com.
717
:Speaker: Perfect.
718
:All right.
719
:Listeners find, Christina, if you're
needing a little coaching through
720
:something hard, I've, I've done it.
721
:I believe in it and I think
it can help all of us.
722
:So Christina, thanks
so much for being here.
723
:Speaker 2: All right, thanks, Lisa.