Week of June 26 – July 2, 2020
27
Sports
Motivation to Shed those Pandemic Pounds WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER PHOTOS PROVIDED
are all feeling the same things right now. This We pandemic has knocked us down with feelings of fear and doubt – leaving us feeling unmotivated – no matter what the goal is that we’re trying to achieve.
This individualized guidance - to determine your goals and to maintain the motivation to achieve them - is why Haus of Stiel was founded in 2008 and has been so beneficial to so many since.
In our search for some semblance of comfort, and let’s face it, out of sheer boredom, the only trips many of us have been taking are to the refrigerator.
“When you speak to any trainer, they’ll tell you that fitness is 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise, but really, it’s 100 percent mental,” he said.
Packing on those pandemic pounds is making us feel worse.
COPING WITH CHANGE
Feeling better may seem impossible, but it’s not. Sometimes we fall down so we can learn how to pick ourselves back up. QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION
As a Navy fitness coordinator, Shane Stiel was immersed in a career that he loved. “I really enjoyed helping people and keeping them active,” he said. He was dedicated to helping sailors meet and exceed some of the nation’s most rigorous fitness requirements when he was faced with what seemed like an impossible situation. He was medically discharged from the military. “I was depressed because I felt like my life had fallen apart. I dreamed of a career in the Navy, so it felt like my life just shattered in a second,” said Stiel. When he was at his lowest point, a friend and physical trainer, offered to help. That kind act not only brought Stiel out of his depression but in six months, to the best place he’d been in his life. He promised that friend he’d pay it forward and do the same thing for others. HEALTHY MIND = HEALTHY BODY
As a physical trainer, Stiel has experienced working with people of all ages, sizes, and fitness levels. At Gold’s Gym in Hollywood, he also specialized in preparing celebrities for their next movie, taping, or life on tour. “We focused on high endurance, mobility, and agility. When they perform, there’s a lot of moving around on stage and jumping. We also talked about how to eat well on the road. Touring can be more grueling on the body than most people think,” said Stiel.
Changes don’t have to defeat us. When a 65-year-old client came to Stiel after 10 years of being unable to stand up from a chair without assistance, Stiel helped him to build up his balance, strength and mental endurance to achieve his goal of increased mobility. “It’s just amazing what is possible!” said Stiel. To maintain consistency during the pandemic, Haus of Stiel went virtual with online sessions and a private Facebook group. When he is given the go ahead by the state, Shane Stiel will again work with clients at Refine Fitness, 35 Henry St., Saratoga Springs. For more information, go to HausOfStielFitness.com