My Favorite Color is Fall!

Puravida Fitness • October 25, 2023

My Favorite Color is Fall!

A row of trees with yellow leaves on them

There are blessings about every season in Minnesota, but FALL is by far my favorite. The marathon. The cooler temperatures. Shorts and sweatshirts. Crisp cool mornings and warm afternoons. No mosquitos. The trees. And more trees. Beautiful vibrant colors everywhere you look. Eye catching leaves on trees. Crunchy leaves carpet the ground. School buses, kids at recess, people walking dogs, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and excellent photo opportunities. The list goes on.


I saw a saying once that said "The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let things go."


I like that imagery. It takes me back to teaching kindergarten.


5 year olds have big emotions. Very important little things matter in big ways at that age. They are learning how to deal with all sorts of emotions. I liked using a tennis ball to illustrate how we can let little things go. It went like this:


I'd hold a tennis ball on my head. It represented the emotion - let's say anger - (someone took the exact pencil I wanted). That anger could stick around with me all day and let other little things boil over... OR... I could talk about it and let it go. Then I'd let go of the tennis ball and we'd watch it roll to the other side of the room. Still representing the anger...we noticed where it was. It was way far away. It was no longer attached to me. It was gone! I could go on with my day because I let that go. This was usually followed by big eyes and bright smiles as they just learned something new!


How lovely it is to let things go...especially the little things that carry a lot of weight.


Much like the trees.


When I walked my puppy the other day, I watched leaves fall from trees. For every leaf that fell, I thought about letting go. Night time snacking is my current situation so I flipped it into powerful language and told myself "I don't need snacks at night." "I can stay out of the kitchen at night." "I have self control at night" It was a pretty windy day and the leaves just kept falling. I discovered many ways to let go of this bad habit.


What to you need to let go? Or what do you need to get control of? Maybe it's nighttime eating. Maybe it's having wine with dinner every night. Maybe it's hitting the snooze button and skipping your morning workout. Maybe it's having candy every day. We all have something don't we?


Here's where we can help!


We are starting another FREE 5 Day Challenge today. This is designed to create a culture of discipline with your nutrition. You can do it from anywhere. Our coaches are ready to help you take ground, let go of habits that don't serve you well, and create some that will. There's an instructional video and email each of the 5 days, a kickstart workout plan and a personal coaching call, along with a private Facebook Group for support and encouragement. It's a great introduction to our 8 Week F.A.T Method program where people are breaking through their weight loss goals right and left.


Ready to let go of something? Ready to take action? We kick off the FREE 5 Day Challenge TONIGHT at 7:30 PM with a ZOOM meeting. There are just a few spots left. Reply YES to this email to grab one of those remaining spots and we'll get you set up.


Before we know it, the trees will be bare. Let your time be now!


Tracy Farrell

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February 27, 2026
A new approach to menopause fitness, weight loss, and wellness for women in Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Farmington, Elko New Market, Prior Lake, and Savage. Ladies… remember when a little extra cardio and cutting calories actually worked? Yeah… not so much anymore. If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause and it suddenly feels like your metabolism is broken — it’s not you. Your body has changed, and the old rules simply don’t apply. As a personal trainer and owner of a women-focused gym and health club serving Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Farmington, Elko New Market, Prior Lake, and Savage, I’ve had countless conversations that start the same way: “I’m doing more and eating less… and nothing is happening.” Here’s why. Why Weight Loss Feels Different in Menopause During perimenopause and menopause, your hormones shift dramatically. Estrogen fluctuates. Progesterone drops. Cortisol becomes more impactful. Insulin sensitivity can change. And suddenly: The cardio that used to lean you out just exhausts you. Cutting calories leaves you tired, cranky, and stalled. Belly weight appears out of nowhere. Recovery takes longer. Sleep feels disrupted. When you double down on more cardio and fewer calories, you often overstress an already stressed system. Elevated cortisol can increase inflammation and encourage the body to hold onto fat — especially around the midsection. “Calories in, calories out” is no longer the full story. Hormones matter. And your hormones are different now than they were then. The Good News: There Is a Better Way 🔥 Menopause fitness isn’t about punishing your body. It’s about supporting it. The right strategy in this season of life often includes: Strength training to protect muscle and metabolism Smart conditioning instead of endless cardio Nourishment that stabilizes blood sugar Recovery practices that lower stress Community and group fitness for accountability and support This is why our approach at our gym is rooted in total wellness — not extremes. Women from Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Farmington, Elko New Market, Prior Lake, and Savage come to us not just for weight loss, but for: Sustainable energy Hormone balance Confidence Strength A supportive fitness community Because this stage of life isn’t about shrinking yourself. It’s about building resilience. You Are Not Broken. You Are Evolving. 💕 Once you understand what’s actually happening inside your body, everything changes. That’s exactly why I’m partnering with Andreya from Tone For Life to host a powerful, education-based workshop specifically for women in perimenopause and menopause. MASTER YOUR HORMONES 🗓 Saturday, March 14th | 10am–12 noon 📍 Hosted at my gym In this workshop, we’ll break down: What actually happens to your metabolism in midlife Why the strategies that used to work stopped working How to support your hormones instead of fighting them Practical steps to restore energy, balance, and confidence This is not another “eat less, move more” talk. This is real education. Real solutions. Real empowerment. Spots are limited to 15 women to keep it personal and impactful. If you’re in Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Farmington, Elko New Market, Prior Lake, or Savage and ready to approach fitness differently — reply to reserve your seat early. You deserve to feel strong. You deserve to feel energized. You deserve to feel at home in your body again. With you every step of the way. 💕

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