Welcome to the Mountain View Wellness Blog!
Musings about life & interviews with awesome & inspiring people about wellness, food, gardening, & simple living (with some recipes, too).
🌟 April Athlete of the Month: Kiersten 🌟
𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫. 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐬. 𝐌𝐕𝐖 𝐑𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫.
Kiersten first found Mountain View Wellness the old-school way—by spotting one of our flyers at the gym. One morning, she stopped me with a big smile and a hilarious question:
🗣️ “So… I’m 40, but what if I identify as someone 40 or older?”
She was referring to our poster that says we specialize in coaching women 40 and up. Kiersten may not be numerically “old” (what does that even mean, anyway? 😄), but she joked that her knees definitely qualified! 🦵💥
You see, Kiersten is a farmer 👩🌾—and during the off-season, she noticed her knees feeling weaker and achier. She came to us with a clear and powerful goal:
💪 To feel less pain and build more strength
🌱 So she could start the growing season strong and energized.
Now, nearly three months into her program with us, we’re happy to report:
✅ Her knees are feeling better
✅ Her strength is up
✅ And most importantly… she’s gained confidence, consistency, and a spark that lights up the gym every time she walks in. ✨
I still remember my very first meet two years ago.
I wasn’t nervous about the lifting… I was nervous about the singlet. 😳 (That tight, form-fitting uniform lifters wear—it leaves nothing to the imagination.)
As a middle-aged woman, wearing something so revealing was intimidating. But I did it anyway.
And something incredible happened:
✨ I had fun ✨ I felt strong ✨ I cheered for others ✨ I belonged
That experience came full circle last week when I talked with Coach Lynette. It was her first-ever meet, and she had just received her photos.
She said something I’ll never forget:
“It was the first time in my life I didn’t pick myself apart. I liked what I saw—because I felt strong. I felt like I belonged.” 💫
Believe it or not, I’m super excited about turning 51!
That might sound strange in a culture obsessed with youth.
Women are often told that aging is bad, that we shouldn’t say our age out loud, and that we should do everything in our power to look younger.
𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲.
💔 Last year, turning 50 was a huge milestone for me.
You see, turning fifty was so much more than celebrating a new decade.
𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝟓𝟎, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫.
After a short, two-month battle, he passed away. His death rattled me for years.
I think of him often:
✨ When we moved into our home, I imagined how much he would have loved working on projects with my husband.
✨ When my kids were born, I wished he could have held them, played with them, and cheered them on at their sports events and recitals.
So when I turned 50 last year, I celebrated BIG
Who’s on Your Team?
When we’re kids, we have teachers, parents, and coaches guiding us, helping us grow, and holding us accountable. But as adults, we often lose that. We try to do things alone. We push through challenges without the support we once had, and sometimes, we wonder why it feels so hard.
But here’s the truth: we were never meant to go at it alone.
I felt the power of having a strong team on Saturday. I feel it every time I coach and every time I am coached. And I want that for you too.
I have found my community in my powerlifting peeps and the Mountain View Wellness Community.
Where is your community? How do they support you? How do they make you feel?
🎉✨ Athlete of the Month: Laurie! ✨🎉
Laurie may be one of our newer members, but she’s already making waves 🌊 at Mountain View Wellness! We chose her as our Athlete of the Month because she embodies tenacity, a willingness to learn, and pure joy (yes, joy! 😄). Her commitment to showing up, her positive attitude, and her steady progress in strength make her an inspiration to us all. 💪💥
HERE IS LAURIE IN HER OWN WORDS
Last weekend, I stepped into my gym, and before I could even ask how everyone was doing, I noticed a theme:
—𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐟 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬, 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐮𝐩.
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬:
𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Between multiple snowstorms and a lovely ice storm for good measure, my clients had unknowingly signed up for the ultimate full-body workout.
And their backs were paying the price. 😫❄️
𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤—𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐬𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞.
The good news? You’re most likely (read more below on when to see the doctor) not injured, just overworked.
Last week, I got a phone call from a client while she was at the gym. I thought it was weird because…
I had literally just seen her. When I answered, she sounded embarrassed, stammering a bit before admitting,
“𝐈’𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥…𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐥. 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞?”
The little sister in me immediately wanted to mess with her—maybe dangle the towel just out of reach in front of the shower curtain, teasing her a bit.
But the professional in me won out (barely). Instead, I grabbed the towel, walked into the locker room, and handed it over as we both just cracked up at the ridiculous situation.
This morning, that same client texted me to say she’s had a lot on her plate lately—work stress, family stress, just a lot. But then she said:
"𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝!!"
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲? 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐞.
At Mountain View Wellness, we celebrate one standout client each month—someone who truly embodies the values we hold close.
This month, that person is Charley.
Charley epitomizes three key qualities:
🔹 Open-Mindedness – He’s always up for trying new movements in his training, tackling unfamiliar hiking trails, and he’s even down with some crazy balance drills we throw at him every once in a while! Thanks for being a great sport!
🔹 Consistency – Charley shows up. Rain or shine, he commits to his workouts, proving that steady effort leads to big results. He even puts in extra training sessions while his wife attends yoga classes, making the most of every opportunity to stay active.
🔹 Grit – Whether it’s pushing through a challenging workout or setting new goals , Charley gives it his all. He’s proof that dedication and perseverance pay off, both in and out of the gym.
Are you stuck in the yo-yo dieting cycle, trying extreme overhauls that never stick? This blog dives into why lasting health changes happen through small, steady progress—not all-or-nothing approaches. Learn how to shift your mindset, focus on sustainable habits, and make health changes that fit your life. Discover practical tips, like starting with a 5-minute walk or simple meal swaps, and how health coaching can help you achieve long-term success without deprivation or burnout. Ready to ditch the extremes and build a healthier lifestyle one step at a time? Let’s chat!
This holiday season, Coach Julie reflects on the transition from raising young children to parenting young adults. She shares the bittersweet experience of no longer having to stuff stockings for Santa, while embracing new traditions and looking forward to the future. Julie thanks her community for their support in making 2024 transformational and encourages others to reflect on their own transitions. Wishing everyone happy holidays and an amazing 2025 ahead!
Break free from the holiday comparison trap and discover how to turn envy into inspiration. This post highlights the struggles and triumphs of three women who stopped comparing themselves to others and embraced sustainable lifestyle changes to feel stronger, healthier, and more confident. Learn how to reflect on your values, shift your mindset, and take actionable steps toward the life you want. Ready to make next year your best yet? Book a free coaching call today to start your journey.
his past weekend, I spent time with three different friend groups, and every conversation gravitated towards some big, middle-aged topics:
*Navigating care for aging parents and in-laws 👵🏽👴🏻
*Helping parents adjust to senior living 🏡
*Balancing concern with healthy boundaries (#NotMyParents) 🚧
*The fear and excitement of empty nesting 🪹
*Watching our children become adults 🧑🏽🎓👩🏼💼
*Finally, prioritizing our own health and well-being 💖🏋🏾♀️
*The importance of spending time with people who truly light you up and inspire you ✨❤️
𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬?
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞.
𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠.
𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠.
𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭?
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤?
You are at the doctor’s office, hop the scale, and don’t want to look.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐮𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠!
Julie Bailis, Master Health Coach and Women’s Menopause Specialist talks about Decision Fatigue and how having a plan can drastically reduce the pain and suffering that making too many decisions in one day can create.
Julie Bailis shares what she learned as she embarked on a year-long journey of slow and steady lifestyle change through habits change, not caloric deprivation and meal plans.
One year and 2 months ago, I got this crazy idea of training for and competing in my first powerlifting meet. Since then, I have competed in two meets, I hold the state records for my age and weight classes (two different weight classes, yes), and now I am going to Las Vegas to compete in Nationals!
You see, over the last year, I have learned so much about not only powerlifting but also about myself, my older body, the importance of exercise for this older body, and the power of community.
Six months ago, I decided to compete in my first (and possibly only) powerlifting competition. It was a bucket list kind of idea. I had some background in lifting but no experience with powerlifting-specific training. All I knew was that I would need a coach. So that was my first step.
Finding a Coach
I asked around a bit and was directed to Revolution Fitness (the gym) and Resilient Training Lab (the coaches who program). I met Paul, the owner. He has a great laugh, tons of experience with powerlifting, and a team of experienced coaches. I knew that Paul and his team could help me prep for the meet. So, in April, I officially started my training (3 days/week).
Hosting a Clothing Swap is one way we can reduce the fashion industry’s toll on our environmental and human rights.
Below are few more ideas we came up with at the Clothing Swap. Enjoy and share with others!
Five months ago, I decided to train for my first powerlifting meet.
The meet is now five weeks away.
How is it going?
The training has been challenging in ways I hadn't initially expected. Let me take you back to the beginning (cue flashback sequence).
The Doctor's Office Called and Told Me I was "Borderline Obese." What the?! My Problem with BMI Julie Bailis shares her thoughts on why BMI is not an accurate measurement of health and gives you alternative ways to measure health and the effects of lifestyle change.
Curious about Powerlifting? I was. Now I’m competing in my first Powerlifting meet. Here’s how that happened.
Julie Bailis finishes her 50- mile bike ride that began with a fall and 19 stitches and ended with connection and community.
Two weeks and 19 stitches after a slo-mo bike fall, Julie updates you on her healing, learning, and next adventure.
Julie Bailis tells about how a bike fall during a charity bike ride led to a day of community, coincidence, and connection.
I interview Karl Borne of True Cyclery in New Haven, CT. We talk about how to prep your bike for the spring cycling season, knowing when you need to purchase a new bike, and where the heck to get a new bike for yourself these days.
Julie Bailis interviews Master Gardener Becky Martorelli and asks her all about organic gardening for newbies. What to plant, where to plant, when to plant, and what can we do now to ensure a solid crop this year.
Hamantaschen Recipe
Delicious sugar cookie taste filled with sweet jelly. Make on Purim or make every day!
For full disclosure, I usually double the recipe because I like to give these cookies away to friends and neighbors. They are delicious and people love them. So, go ahead and double the recipe… It’s real-life math and double the love.
What is the pelvic floor, what does it do, and why is it important?
What are signs of pelvic floor problems? In other words, how do I know if I have pelvic floor issues?
What is a pelvic floor therapist? What do they do? How do they help?
What are a few simple things we can do to ensure a healthy pelvic floor?
In this interview, Lisa Gramlich , PT.