Crafted by a Seasoned Health Educator, Trainer & Yoga Teacher
Hybrid Fitness Training
A little encouragement makes a big difference in achieving and maintaining healthy changes.
Looking for clear guidance that works to reach your health & fitness goals?
Be Encouraged Fitness is here to help! We offer encouragement and effective strategies to assist you in making small, gentle adjustments in your daily routine that will enhance your overall well-being.
Our hybrid fitness training programs seamlessly integrate into your lifestyle, allowing you to incorporate fitness into your daily routine and build lasting wellness.
Our Hybrid Training Program Includes:
- In-Person Outdoor Training
- Phone Training Sessions
- Online Course Content
- Clear steps to take in your day-to-day to reach you fitness objectives.
No Gym Required. Just a bit of focus, strategy and determination.
A balanced holistic approach to wellness, once implemented and experienced, can seem truly magical – enabling you to become stronger, fitter, healthier, and happier.
Our Trainers are 40+
The simplest things can often prove to be the most challenging. Our focus is on helping assist our clients develop enduring, healthy habits. When you make a conscious consistent effort to weave healthy habits that strengthen your body and mind into your daily life, it transforms into a fundamental part of who you are.
The simplest things can often prove to be the most challenging. Our focus is on helping assist our clients develop enduring, healthy habits. When you make a conscious consistent effort to weave healthy habits that strengthen your body and mind into your daily life, it transforms into a fundamental part of who you are.
It’s the Culture We Live In
Please take a moment to grasp something crucial. There is no reason to feel bad about yourself. While it is easy to feel blame and even shame, it’s crucial to understand that your current health and fitness situation isn’t entirely your fault. There are forces outside of ourselves perpetuating our health an fitness challenges.
There are too many people who are trying so hard to achieve their fitness goals yet never reaching them. This leaves them feeling powerless over both their health and appearance. This sense of powerlessness so often leads to a cycle of frustration and demotivation. Where nothing they do seems to help.
Navigating an Anti-Health Culture. In today’s world, it can be tough to prioritize your health. Our culture is like a health-hating monster. The environment is not supportive of sustaining optimal health or even maintaining a basic level of well-being. This is downright discouraging.
Reaching your health goals can feel like some far-off dream. Often people are focusing on diets that are all about calories and weight loss only.
Research shows that most diets fail. Studies suggest that up to 95% of diets fail in the long term. Even though we, as a nation, are spending over $35 Billion on the health and fitness industry.
Consider this: we are constantly inundated with fast food advertisements, embedded in environments that discourage movement, and faced with an overwhelming selection of processed foods. Our modern culture is structured in a way that makes unhealthy options the most convenient and readily available.
Thus amidst the chaos of modern living, most people don’t get enough physical activity, water, whole foods, fruits, and vegetables, leading to an unfortunately high incidence of lifestyle diseases among the population.
Eating crappy food isn’t a reward — it’s a punishment.– Drew Carey
If exercise could be packaged in a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation. – Robert Butler, National Institute on Aging
Most Americans are Now Overweight, Making it the Norm.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that over 70% of American adults are classified as overweight or obese. This includes approximately 30% who are overweight and 40% who are obese. This isn’t due to a lack of willpower or personal failure; it’s a reflection of a society that promotes unhealthy habits. And actively discourages healthy ones.
We often find ourselves in high-stress environments, encountering escalating challenges to achieve fundamental fitness levels amidst demanding circumstances. Many people feel a sense of powerlessness in their lives, leading to the harmful consequences of chronic stress. The effects of stress can manifest in various ways, including (though this list could certainly be more extensive):
- Muscle Tension/ Pain
- Insomnia
- Insulin dysregulation, or insulin resistance
- Weakened immune system
- Anxiety/ Decreased Motivation
- Reduced Metabolic Function
Every day, we listen to stories from individuals grappling with the challenge of fitting exercise into their hectic routines or feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of unhealthy (Unhealthy: high energy low nutritional content) food choices available. These narratives highlight a shared challenge that we all face. Importantly, this struggle is shaped more by external factors than by personal shortcomings.
Everyone Deserves to Feel Healthy & Fit.
This anti-health culture has led to a serious health crisis in the United States. Our cultural health habits do not support wellness. So we as individuals MUST reexamine those habits to take control of our health and make those healthy changes.
This may seem extremely frustrating and difficult at first. However, once people alter their habits, they often express how satisfied they are with their decisions. Many share how it has truly given them back energy and enthusiasm for life. This is the most important thing.
The best medicine is healthy habits that become an ingrained lifestyle. In this way, we tap into a reservoir of energy, creativity, and joy of life. By prioritizing our well-being, we unlock the potential to live more fully and vibrantly.
When we cultivate these new healthy habits, we not only enhance our own lives but also positively impact those around us. It is contagious in the best way. Health, after all, is the foundation upon which we build our dreams and aspirations.
Your day-to-day choices do make a difference. YES, it is possible to live a more joyful and healthy life.
It’s important to approach movement and healthy (healthy = nourishing) eating as a gradual, sustainable process that involves making small, lasting changes to your habits and lifestyle.
Our program integrates key aspects of wellness to build a health and fitness strategy that improves your well-being in a fun and highly efficient way. This will give you the best chance to achieve and sustain your goals over time.
Experiencing the results of your new habits is incredibly fulfilling and motivates you to continue pushing your limits and maintaining your progress.
By Making Changes in Your Habits You Energize Your Life.
Read Cultural Shift: Comparing the General State of Wellness in 1960s & Now
Our Approach
At the heart of our philosophy is the conviction that achieving health and wellness requires a multifaceted approach. It’s not merely about the equation of calories in versus calories out—such as just eating less and doing excessive cardio. Rather, it is many elements intertwined. There are several specific aspects that you must adjust to improve your level of fitness.
Ones level of health and fitness is influenced by our actions, diet, thoughts, feelings, and environment. These in turn impact our physical state including our strength, resilience, chemical balance, and overall well-being. All this affects both how healthy you feel and your physical appearance.
Our approach is holistic, crafted to be a balanced, interesting (if not downright fun) and, most importantly customizable for your life. We aim to cultivate an encouraging experience. Our aim is to equip you with practical knowledge, enabling you to thrive independently in the long term.
It starts with a practical, can-do mindset, ready to tackle challenges and embrace discomfort. We then explore the key elements of fitness that must be considered adjusted in order to be successful reach you. There are the little details in our everyday life that move us in the direction we want to go.
Yes, this requires effort and determination. It calls for focused change. And there will be some discomfort. However, this is not a futile cycle. Your efforts—everything you do—work in harmony to help you achieve your fitness goals.
You are in control of your health and wellness. We have developed a thorough process designed to lead you to vibrant health, featuring eight essential elements that illuminate the way to a healthier version of yourself, one little action at a time. Each element supports and reinforces the others.
There is really nothing new. And while it is simple it is not easy. It takes focus and determination. So many of us overthink and underdo. as we struggle to assemble the elements in a way that aligns with our everyday lives.
Don’t worry if you’re a fitness newbie, if it’s been a while, or if you feel like you’re in a rut. We meet you where you are.
Don’t let time and money be barriers to living a healthy, happy life. Our courses and fitness training programs are designed to create a resilient strategy that isn’t constrained by finances. This way, you can maintain your fitness no matter your circumstances or location.
We help you begin from where you are, in this moment. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. It is All. Right. Here.
8 Elements Fitness
Let’s take a look at the Elements of Fitness. This is our guide of the most effective things you can focus on to begin to experience greater health and vitality.
Our Elements of Fitness is focused on simplicity and designed to overcome common roadblocks, giving you proactive useful steps to improve your health. These elements can be easily incorporated into your daily routine.
Each element on our list is a universe unto itself, providing infinite opportunities for personalization. There are a million approaches to fitness. This one is designed to be minimal, revitalizing, ever-evolving, and to promote your independence (self-reliance).
Our 8 Elements Simplify the process of creating greater balance and fitness in your life:
- Mindset: You mindset is what gets you to where you want to be. From HERE to THERE. You are capable, prioritizing yourself is important, and you can do it. An alert, determined, adaptable mindset paves the way to realizing your fitness aspirations.
- Hydration: Water is our most important nutrient and a requirement for our well-being. Drink water, stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Whole and Minimally Processed Foods: Eat whole, minimally processed food to nourish your body. Avoiding or limiting refined simple carbs and especially ultra-processed foods that are engineered to create cravings.
- Increased Activity: Increase general activity throughout the day. All movement counts for your health and as general activity. Be sure that you are moving throughout the day.
- Mobility: Cultivate the ability to move with ease, through a variety of mobility exercises that focus on joint flexibility and range of motion, this maintains the ability to move in all life’s scenario’s throughout the day leading to a happier and more resilient you.
- Strength: Strength train to promote overall health. Boosting metabolism, increase bone density, expand physical capability, and elevate your mood. This all contributes to having a more active and vibrant lifestyle. This can be done with little to no equipment.
- Calm Practices: Learn & practice calm techniques to train your nervous system, reduce stress and lower stress hormones balance your metabolism, and and get more rest. This includes breathing focus, meditation, and simply getting enough sleep. Consistent mind-body (calm) practices enhance focus, your immune syustem, and decision-making (executive function).
- Adventure and Challenge: Once you’ve crafted a strategy, there are two important things to focus on: Adventure and Challenge. Challenge yourself while staying within your current abilities. Incorporate challenges for specific elements and plan adventures to expand your horizons.
Frequently Asked Questions
I haven't exercised in quite some time. Are the workouts quite challenging?
It’s great to hear that you’re thinking about getting back into exercise! Our program is designed to help you ease into a fitness routine without feeling overwhelmed. We begin with simple activities that match your current fitness level and slowly introduce new challenges as you get stronger and build endurance. We do not think intense workouts are a good idea in the beginning 🙂 As your body needs to get the hang of things.
I'm looking to improve my appearance and well-being without making drastic life changes. How would that work?
Increasing your fitness and well-being doesn’t always mean you have to completely change your lifestyle. It is really up to you. When you participate in the Build Unshakeable Fitness Series or any of our programs it requires some dedication and focus. The great part is that these programs provide various options for you to explore and integrate into your daily routine. This way you to gain practical knowledge that can be applied in ways that work for your life.
I really struggle to find the time; how can you assist me with that?
We recognize that carving out time for fitness improvement can be quite difficult. That’s why our program emphasizes making small adjustments to your daily routine. Some of these changes can seamlessly fit into your day and require no extra time at all.
How can I become fit without going to the gym?
Achieving fitness without going to the gym is entirely possible by incorporating a variety of movements into your day. This way you are building functional fitness. We can help you create a very effective plan that canthat can be sustained and expanded over time. This plan will encompass general activities, cardio, mobility, flexibility, and strength training.
Our Fitness Training Includes:
- Outdoor in-person training sessions
- Simple workouts to do from home
- Functional focus (training for your daily life).
- Body weight workouts.
- Simple cardio options that can be done from nearly anywhere.
People tell us how fun and liberating it is to develop a plan to workout that fits into their life. Some people view the gym as an additional workout option or a personal challenge, choosing to visit just once a week if they prefer, rather than relying solely on it for all their fitness needs. But this is not necessary.
Is it necessary to count calories?
You don’t necessarily have to count calories to reach your fitness goals. Calorie counting for many can be counterproductive if it leads to stress or obsession. Instead, we focus on maintaining a balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods.
We provide you with a treasure trove of evidence-based food hacks, inviting you to explore choices that free you from the confines of calorie counting and restrictive meal plans. This will allow you to start feeling changes right away and seeing them often in within mere weeks.
Where are the Outdoor In-Person Training Sessions?
Exercising outdoors allows you to breathe in fresh air and enjoy the beauty of nature, which can be both invigorating and calming.
Our outdoor in-person training sessions provide an excellent opportunity to explore various scenic locations across the Portland area, from lush parks to picturesque trails.
Being outside in the sun and fresh air not only boosts your physical health but also enhances your mental well-being by reducing stress and elevating your mood. The natural surroundings offer a dynamic and ever-changing environment that keeps your workouts exciting and engaging.
Can I still indulge in my favorite foods while reaching my fitness goals?
Absolutely, you can still enjoy your favorite foods while working towards your fitness goals. Our training programs focus on gradual change and balance. You start by incorporating new, nutrient-rich foods into your meals, to provide your body with the nesasary building blocks. Rather than completely eliminating your favorite treats, there are ideas for swapping them out for healthier alternatives. This approach allows you to relish your beloved foods while fostering a sustainable and enjoyable healthy lifestyle. As you improve your food intake you also will change your taste in food. As you enhance your dietary choices, your palate will naturally evolve as well.
How long will it take for me to get in shape?
Fitness is not a destination but a continuous journey that requires patience, consistency, and dedication. Setting reasonable goals and embracing gradual change over time is key to successfully getting in shape.
You begin by setting small, achievable goals that align with your current fitness level and gradually increase the intensity or complexity as you progress. This approach not only helps prevent injury but also fosters sustainable habits that can be maintained long-term.
By focusing on incremental improvements and celebrating each milestone, you create a positive feedback loop that encourages motivation and perseverance.
Remember, the time it takes to get in shape varies for everyone, depending on factors like starting point, commitment, and individual goals. What’s important is to stay committed to your journey, knowing that every step forward is a step toward a healthier and more vibrant version of yourself.