Despite a crazy work and life schedule, Marissa always managed to get her workouts in. She loves yoga and finds so much peace of mind and balancing energy from her home practice and classes at Strala with Tara Stiles.
That said, when I talked to Marissa a few months ago, we realized that she'd cut back on her cardio (which she cites as a major stress reducer in her life) and she wasn't "having any fun" with her workouts. A dancer as a kid, Marissa remarked "now get me dancing -- I'd leave work for that!" and when I mentioned boxing her eyes lit up. So I took these remarks to heart and talked with my team at the Huffington Post Living section and they said we need Pooja!
Pooja Mottl of Mindful 21 has taken Marissa under her wing and is getting her to twist, punch and dance to work on toning the outside, while getting Marissa to have fun, laugh and test her body as she tries new moves. Meeting Pooja is inspiring -- she's calm, funny and knows her stuff. She's not going to scream at you 'til you cry but rather takes a mindful approach, helping each person figure out what's right for them, mentally and physically. She's the perfect addition to Marissa's energy makeover team. Now, Marissa isn't leaving work early, but she's fitting in her sessions with Pooja, doing her homework and the results are the biggest smile, confidence that shows in the way she's carrying herself (thanks to Pooja's posture moves and Marissa's continued yoga efforts) and sustained energy that helps her be present for her job, her son, her friends and her suitors!
What can we all learn from Marissa's progress this month? Sometimes just going through the fitness motions isn't enough; we need to add some fun, personalize it to what we like, but also test ourselves and our bodies with new activities. You can follow Pooja, Tara and the rest of Marissa's energy makeover team on the Huffington Post Living section to find tips that you can try at home too.
WATCH: AKA on GMA Health for Huffington Post Living's "Total Energy" Makeover: Having Fun with Exercise Boosts Energy!