Welcome!  Thanks for visiting my site.  Let me take a moment to introduce myself and share my  story with you.  My name is Tricia Otis. I am a Certified Personal Trainer.  I decided to become a Trainer later in life because I have always had a true passion for fitness and for teaching and helping others acheive their goals toward a healthier more fit lifestyle. 

Childhood for me was out of the ordinary.  I began to gain weight at age 8 and by the time I was 12, I weighed 165 lbs and wore a size 16 in women's clothing.  I was not an overeater, nor was I a junk food junkie.  I had a weight problem that was determined to follow me throughout my life.  I was one of few in my school that was overweight.  During the 6th and 7th grades I was constantly made fun of by the boys as I was walking down the halls of the school.  I can to this day still hear one boy's voice in particular, he would yell out  "whale on the beach" repeatedly as I walked by.  I had few friends and became very self conscious.  This interferred with every aspect of my life, including my school work.  I didn't want to go to school or participate in any sports.  My classmates didn't want me on their teams.  Those years are supposed to be the best years of a child's life, but not for me.  I turned to my parents and they told me to ignore the name calling and that I was "not fat".  I felt as if I had nowhere to turn, so I decided to take the matter into my own hands.  I waited until the end of the 7th grade school year that June, and decided I was going to be thin by September which would be my 8th grade year.  I put myself on a diet, (one which I created, I told no one about, and never researched to see if it was safe).  I exercised constantly and by the time I entered 8th grade in September, I had lost 65 lbs in that two month period.  I was now wearing a size "0".  I was super thin.  Now, that sounds great right? but did I do this safely?  No.  Fortunately, I had no ill consequences.  Loosing weight safely (2lbs per week) is the way to go.  Not the way I did it.  So I entered school in September, and some people didn't even recognize me.  I was no longer the "whale on the beach".  I will however always have those emmotional scars.  I never want any child or adult to have to experience what I went through, so I am hoping that when you read through my site, I can help you in any way to encourage you to stay fit and healthy because one goes hand in hand with the other!     

There are two primary choices in life; to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.

                                     Denis Waitley

Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.

                                           Les Brown

You may delay, but time will not.

                                        Benjamin Franklin

Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality.

                                     Ralph Marston

You've got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it.

                                                  Lee Iacocca

Money is the most envied, but the least enjoyed. Health is the most enjoyed, but the least envied.

                                  Charles Caleb Colton

Healthy Treats Under 150 Calories 

1 medium apple sliced, with 2         teaspoons of smooth peanut butter: 135 calories

7 Snyder Multigrain Pretzel Sticks: 120 calories

21 Raw  Almonds: 147 calories

3/4 Cup of Edamame (soy beans): 142 calories

20 Baked Tostito Original Bite Size tortilla chips: 110 calories

10 Raw baby carrots with 1/4 cup of hummus: 144 calories    

1/2 Cup of Cracker Jacks: 120 calories      

Healthy Treats Under 250 Calories 

6 oz nonfat fruit yogurt (160 calories) mixed with 1 Tbsp raisins (30 calories)

1 slice whole-wheat bread (69 calories ) with 1 Tbsp peanut but ter (90 calories) and 1 tsp jelly (19 calories)

1 oz peanuts (166 calories) with 1⁄2 oz pretzels (50 calories)

One 8" flour tortilla (150 calories) with 2 oz sliced turkey (55 calories), lettuce, tomato and balsamic vinegar

1 medium baked potato (161 calories) with 1⁄4 cup 1% lowfat cottage cheese (40 calories)

1 Subway Veggie Delite 6" sandwich without cheese (230 calories)

Unhealthy items to limit or eliminate from our diets

Beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup

Packaged salty, fried snacks

Other packaged snacks that contain trans fats or high fructose corn syrup

Deep fried or breaded, battered foods

Creamy sauces or soups

Processed foods like hotdogs, luncheon meats, or high-fat frozen foods

Sugar-laden foods like packaged cookies, cakes and breakfast cereals

Healthy things to add to our diets:

Fresh or frozen vegetables and salads

Lean meats

Water and other unsweetened beverages like green tea

Homemade low fat, low sugar treats

Fresh fruit

Monounsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, nuts and seeds

Whole grain breads, brown rice, and other sources of fiber

A diet doesn't have to be rigid, it doesn't have to cost a lot of money and it doesn't have to be on The New York Times Bestseller List. It just has to be something that we can follow everyday. Good choices that fit our preferences and our lifestyles. In other words, an everyday diet that we can follow for life.