April 2, 2021
Freiya's Health & Fitness Journey
FREIYA REEF
I spent my early 20s struggling with chronic back pain, which limited many aspects of my life. Most days it was manageable but even on the good days I would have to be cautious about how I chose to spend my time.
The low seats in the cinema aggravated my back so I couldn’t go to the movies; I could drive but if I sat in the car for too long I’d struggle to get out and walk afterwards; I could walk long distances but once my back tired out I’d struggle to move again after I had stopped. Even sleeping was difficult- on a bad night I’d have to wake up and move my bedding every time I needed to change positions, because it was too painful to move underneath my quilt. I often struggled to lie flat so sometimes had to sleep with pillows under my knees to stop the pain getting too intense.
I went to many different physios, osteopaths, doctors, etc. but nothing really seemed to work. I did back care yoga where I was half the age of the rest of the group but still had to have some of the movements modified because I just couldn’t manage them. I remember crying during that first yoga class and having to go for a walk afterwards before I could fold myself back into the car.
I had to get a friend to take the bus into town once to drive my car home from a physio appointment because I didn’t think I would be strong enough to put the clutch in. My friends got used to me bailing on activities because I didn’t think I’d be up to it, or taking myself off to do some stretching in a quiet corner if I’d managed to make it out.
I really struggled to talk about it too, it was embarrassing and uncomfortable, and since nothing seemed to make any difference I had given up on going to specialists. Fortunately, one of my housemates got sick of me limping around the house and made me book in to see a physio who specialised in pain.
Dave Moen of Form Physiotherapy
helped me to learn about pain and the relationship that it had with my body. I learnt about what my body was capable of and how to move past my mental barriers and challenge myself physically. After a while I was ready to face the world and joined Freedom Fitness.
In the beginning I stuck to a program that Pete put together for me after consulting with Dave. This was a really fun way for me to start exploring more of what my body could do and I got a real kick out of it, but soon I was ready for more and that’s where Stephanie took over! Initially I started off with Steph writing programs for me and keeping an eye on me to make sure that I was doing things properly and not skipping reps (which I would never do- don’t listen to her!) Once I was feeling more confident with that I progressed to PT sessions with Steph who could push me harder than I could possibly push myself, and absolutely demolishing those old ideas that I had about my body and what it was capable of doing. Stephanie enabled me to access a strength in my body that I had no idea existed. Now I work with Zina and that has come with a whole bunch of new challenges as I incorporate more cardio (and coordination!) and don’t get to stop until I’m so puffed I can’t even talk- no mean feat!
When Dave the physio first encouraged me to join a gym I was really reluctant. I couldn’t see the appeal of working out in public and I had an image of gyms in my head that was not at all positive. But Dave recommended Freedom Fitness anyway, saying that it was a friendly place and not filled with intimidating people in lycra! I’m so glad he did! Freedom has been a place where I’ve been able to make friends, enjoy myself and learn more about the strength of my body than I ever thought possible!
I moved house a little while ago and briefly changed gyms to one that was more convenient, but nothing felt the same and I soon decided that the relaxed friendliness of Freedom was worth the extra time in the car each day. If you had told me three years ago that I’d be working out multiple times a week, that I did boot camp and saw a PT regularly, I’d probably have laughed in your face and then felt really sad, because I’d come pretty close to accepting that the pain was going to be an ongoing part of my life but I certainly wasn’t happy about it!
Fortunately, I’ve had an opportunity to carve out a different path and learn new and exciting ways to push my boundaries and strengthen myself both mentally and physically. The people here at Freedom Fitness have been a huge part of that, encouraging and supporting me all the way. What a bunch of legends!
It’s been an amazing journey for me, and I look forward to continuing on to the next challenge- which, knowing Zina, will probably have an animal name and require much more coordination than I am generally capable of… But I’m nailing the inchworms now, so she can bring it on!
One Pan Salmon & Fennel with Lime 2 servings | 35 minutes INGREDIENTS 1 bulb Fennel (medium, thinly sliced) 3 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided) Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste) 12 ozs Salmon Fillet 2 Lime (divided) 1/4 tsp Fennel Seed (ground) METHOD Preheat the oven to 400oF (205oC). Place the fennel in a baking dish. Drizzle with half of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Zest some lime over the top and sprinkle with the fennel seed. Slice half of the lime and set aside. Remove the baking dish from the oven and place the salmon on top of the fennel. Drizzle with the remaining oil. Scatter the lime slices around. Place back in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cooked through, depending on thickness. Quarter the remaining lime. Divide fennel and salmon onto plates and serve with the quartered lime, squeezing more lime juice on if needed. Enjoy! NOTES Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Serving Size: One serving is approximately 3/4 cup of fennel and one salmon fillet. More Flavor: Season the salmon with ground coriander or cumin. Nutrition Facts Amount per serving 450 calories 29g fat 12g carbs 4g fiber 5g sugar 39g protein 87mg cholesterol 195mg sodium 2mg iron
Chicken & Broccoli Stew 2 servings | 30 minutes INGREDIENTS 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 10 ozs Chicken Breast (cut into cubes) 1/2 tsp Sea Salt (divided) 2 Garlic (clove, minced) 1 1/2 pints Bone Broth 2 cups Broccoli (chopped into florets) 1/2 cup Canned Coconut Milk (full fat) 1/2 Lemon (juiced) METHOD Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Season the chicken cubes with half of the salt. Add the chicken to the pot and sauté for about five minutes or until browned on all sides. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the broth, cover the pot with a lid and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and coconut milk and add the remaining salt. Stir and cover the pot again. Simmer for another 10 minutes or until everything is cooked through. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and enjoy! NOTES Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Freeze for up to two months. Serving Size: One serving is equal to approximately 1 1/2 cups. More Flavor: Add carrot and celery. Nutrition Facts Amount per serving 515 calories 27g fat 15g carbs 4g fiber 4g sugar 49g protein 156mg cholesterol 1285mg sodium 3mg iron
Sheet Pan Smoky Sweet Salmon & Potatoes 2 servings | 35 minutes INGREDIENTS 2 cups Mini Potatoes (halved) 1 1/2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil(divided) Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste) 12 ozs Salmon Fillet 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika 1/4 tsp Cumin 1 tsp Raw Honey 1 tbsp Parsley (finely chopped) METHOD Preheat the oven to 425oF (220oC). Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with half the oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the salmon dry and then drizzle with the remaining oil. Season with the smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper and then drizzle the honey over top. Rub gently to incorporate with your hands. Move the potatoes around on the baking sheet to make room for the salmon. Place back in the oven and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. Divide onto plates and garnish with parsley. Enjoy! Notes Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Serving Size: One serving is approximately one cup of potatoes and one salmon fillet. More Flavor: Toss the potatoes with smoked paprika and cumin or your favorite spice blend. Additional Toppings: Top with a squeeze of lemon juice. Nutrition Facts Amount per serving 441 calories 18g fat 30g carbs 3g fiber 4g sugar 41g protein 87mg cholesterol 144mg sodium 2mg iron