Day in the Life: Founding President, MS Student, Personal Trainer + Worksite Wellness Specialist

I am honored and delighted to be featured in Cara’s series entitled “Day In The Life”. It has been so refreshing and invigorating to read about the many zealous and enthusiastic individuals in Massachusetts and beyond sharing their talents and passion to improve the health and well-being of the masses. Kudos to all of you!

I first met Cara while running the corporate wellness program at State Street in Boston, MA. From our very first meeting, it was clear to see Cara’s bountiful energy applied to her work and passions in life, one being yoga. With her eagerness and motivation to embed her love of health and fitness into the lives of the clients she works with, it has been a pleasure to see the great success she has captured amongst many. As such, I am excited to support her vision of community involvement and engagement through thought-provoking ideas, movements, experiences and practices. Here’s to happy! Here’s to healthy!

My name is Colleen Faltus and I am the Founding President of Healthy Fusions and a part-time MS degree-seeking student in the field of Nutrition and Health Promotion at Simmons College. In addition to these specific roles as founder and student, I am also a certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a worksite wellness specialist through the National Wellness Institute (NWI).

My passion for all things health and wellness did not come to fruition until my sophomore year of college. It was at Springfield College, majoring in Exercise Science, that I became a certified personal trainer and recognized my fervor and zeal to apply such concepts into an individual’s everyday life. Post undergrad, with experience at Athletes’ Performance in California and as a private trainer at Equinox and Sports Club LA in Boston, the enthusiasm for such principles and practices in the realm of Exercise Science became much stronger. With several years of commercial sector and in-home personal training experience under my belt, I was afforded the opportunity to expand my horizons and launch the first ever corporate wellness program, in collaboration with a Registered Dietitian, at numerous State Street locations in Massachusetts. It was this experience that formed the groundwork for the development of my business venture, Healthy Fusions, which will be launched this coming fall in Boston, MA. As with any business venture, the schedule can be unpredictable but busy nonetheless. With that being said, here is my “Day In The Life”:

8AM: Fueling My Fire
No morning would be complete without a hearty breakfast to fuel the day’s activities. Although much the same- oatmeal, peanut butter, fresh fruit and a glass of orange juice- this breakfast provides the right amount of energy to keep me satiated and satisfied for the work (and fun) ahead.

830-1130AM: Empowering the Mind
The importance of education, in the form of academia, conferences, presentations, seminars, webinars etc can never be overvalued. This component of both my academic and professional career has played a potent role in my growth and development as a student and business owner.

Likewise, in a field that is constantly evolving and presenting with conflicting strategies for health promotion and disease prevention/management, education and sound research play an integral role in health advocacy and informed consumerism. With this being said, in addition to usual emails and meetings, I spend quite a bit of time in the morning researching information that provides the consumer with the best resources possible for healthier living and optimal well-being. After reading through several articles and studies, time is spent updating all pertinent social media platforms directly correlated with my business, Healthy Fusions. Such platforms include Facebook, Google Plus, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Because each platform targets different audiences, the content presented will vary based off the audience at hand. However, the main objective remains the same: to provide the most concise and appropriate information for the masses to support positive behavior modification.

12-130PM: Practice to Preach
My passion for exercise would never be complete if I did not practice what I preached. Therefore, 5-6 days per week, I aim to incorporate a 1-1.5 hour training session into my day, which can include anything from high intensity interval training to strength and flexibility training. This session not only gives me the time to decompress but also improve and tweak current exercise prescriptions that have been designed.

2-3PM (as well as 430-530PM): Commute
Commuting to Boston from Rhode Island, as this is where I currently reside, is quite a normal occurrence. Whether I am driving to meet friends, a client, or head into school, the hour-long commute has become a stress-free way to organize my thoughts and late afternoon agenda.

3-430PM: Exercise Is Medicine
I have always felt that exercise and proper nutritional strategies play a major role in disease prevention and optimal health outcomes. I take this same perspective and apply to the personal training session I have with my private training client in Chestnut Hill, MA. The session lasts an hour and a half and includes a variety of exercise strategies to suit the client’s needs and goals.

6-8PM: Relax. Rejuvenate. Refresh.
After the drive home from Boston, I typically sit down to enjoy dinner and the nightly news with Brian Williams (even though it is hard to keep a straight face after watching Jimmy Fallon’s mashup featuring him). On other nights, I also head out to dinner with friends as it provides the perfect balance between the hustle and bustle of life’s hectic schedule.

8-11PM: Empowering the Mind
“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” ― Phil Collins. The process of learning offers a fulfillment like nothing else and the ability to impact others with the knowledge and wisdom to lead a healthier lifestyle. It is in the last 3 hours of my day that I spend additional time reading and prepping my social media sites for the following morning.

11PM: Success Found In Sleep
The aim is to head to bed at 11pm every night which, more times than not, turns into midnight.

1230AM
Despite the fluctuating bed times, the importance of sleep will never be underestimated and plays an integral role in my development as a professional and the success of my client’s well-being.

Have you caught your Zzzz yet?

Be well, live healthy, fuel your fire. Here’s to healthy living!

Colleen M. Faltus, cfaltus@healthyfusionswellness.com
www.healthyfusionswell.com