Fitness Files: Patrea Aeschliman
Patrea Aeschliman, B.S., NSCA CSCS is a comprehensively trained Power Pilates instructor and Owner of 15 to Fit Pilates Barre & Fitness. Patrea has been a fitness trainer for over 25 years. She has a degree in exercise science and fitness from Ball State University and is a comprehensively trained Power Pilates instructor. In addition, she is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Continue reading to learn more about her own fit lifestyle and how she continues to train her mind and body.
NMFIT: Has fitness always been a major part of your life or was there a catalyst/point in your life when you made it more of a focus and priority?
Patra Aeschliman (PA): Fitness has always been a major part of my life. I started gymnastics when I was nine years old and continued through college. I had a very motivating, inspirational coach that coached me all through childhood and up through my teen years. He was very demanding and commanded respect. We did headstands together on his 80th birthday!
NMFIT: What are a few of your go-to healthy snacks/drinks that help keep you on the straight and narrow?
PA: My go-to healthy snacks and drinks that keep me on the straight and narrow include red peppers and radishes with hummus, my special berry, kale, and beet shake with protein powder, and ahi tuna & avocado salad are my favorites. Also, I was able to kick my 20-year-old diet Coke habit by buying a Soda Stream and making fizzy water with a teaspoon of concentrated tart cherry juice.
NMFIT: How do you train your mind and stay motivated?
PA: I train my mind and stay motivated by doing seven affirmations that I repeat every morning and evening. I say them to myself sometimes aloud, sometimes silently, 10 times each. Every month I use seven new affirmations unless I really love or need one of the ones from the previous month, then I re-use them. I started using mental training as a 12-year-old to help my gymnastics. Balance beam became my favorite event mostly because I knew I could be mentally tougher than my competitors and was extremely prepared with mental training.
Mental training is vital for daily motivation.
NMFIT: How do you change your body?
PA: I change my body by starting with my mindset first. If I feel I am not as lean as I want to be I focus on the positive. I focus on what I love about my body. I focus my energies on improving my nutrition and having a daily goal of eating at least 10 servings of vegetables. I track calories when I need to lean down. I maintain my weight through intuitive eating.
NMFIT: What are your fitness favorites?
PA: My fitness favorites are without a doubt Pilates. To me, Pilates is extremely enjoyable! The movements are just super fun. I get lost in the work and concentrating on how to perform the moves correctly. It's so challenging. I also love mountain biking, snow, and waterskiing. Mountain biking is scary but that's what makes it fun. If you're not focused every single second you might just crash into a tree or flip over a tree branch. The intensity and focus it requires is actually similar to a video game. Of course, the stakes are bigger in mountain biking. Ha! I'm an adrenaline junkie at heart, that's probably why I became a gymnast. If I really want to change my body I change my nutrition.
I don't believe in doing workouts just to burn off calories. You can't out train a bad diet. Being healthy, especially as you age is a combination of nutrition and consistent exercise. My joints can't handle punishing workouts any longer. The mentality of, "Oh I can eat too many fries today because I can run 5 miles tomorrow" are over.
I think flipping tires because it's "functional training" is somewhat ridiculous. I'm sure there are many people who enjoy that, I'm just not one of them. I think the only time I would ever need to flip a tractor tire is well, never, unless it's Armageddon or something. I may have to flip a car tire if my phone is broken and I can't call AAA. Pilates is so much more enjoyable than getting your ass kicked in an exhausting boot camp workout. I'm not a soldier for a reason. I had my time doing crazy conditioning in gymnastics. I survived it. I was definitely tough enough. Now I'm too smart to do that stuff. I don't have any toughness that I have to prove to anyone else. I have two kids, what can be tougher or scarier than having kids?
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