Hello friends! I have been a little missing in action on the blogging front, but I am still here working in the wellness world, making delicious plant-based meals and logging some miles as I get back into consistent running this season. Given that a lot has gone on this year, I thought it was a great time to do a little reintroduction to give you a look behind the plantstoplanks curtain, if you will.
In case you're just "meeting" me, welcome! I'm Katie Jensen, an Atlanta-based certified personal trainer, with over thirteen years in the fitness industry. I spend my days training clients, teaching group fitness, and helping out administratively with our corporate wellness programs. Over the last few years with world events, I not only do things locally in Atlanta, but offer many of my services online remotely.
I also hold a Nutrition and Wellness Consultant certification from AFPA, with a focus on plant-based nutrition. This year I am also really excited to have added Cancer Exercise Specialist to my repertoire. I am honored to have worked with a number of women through breast cancer journeys, and I wanted to make sure I have the expertise to help many more men and women stay as healthy as possible through treatment and beyond.
Continuing on the professional side, the company I'm proud to work for, Excellence in Exercise, has recently gone through a rebrand on our corporate wellness side. We are now debuting Excellence Wellness Solutions! The new website looks absolutely amazing and truly encompasses all that we do in the wellness field. Exercise is just one of the many facets of health we focus on, and all of my colleagues bring so many different talents and skills to the table. I love getting to work with others who have the same passion to help people function at their best, and I know we are extremely lucky that we get to do a job that we love and is so beneficial to others!
Clients who have become family.
With that, I was also so excited to get to join in on my first corporate wellness retreat with the company at the end of this summer. My good friend, running buddy, co-owner of Excellence Wellness Solutions, and wellness director extraordinaire, Julie Jones, has become a master at hosting not only single workshops and programs, but fully planned retreats. She coordinated a phenomenal retreat for a great company that was held in Nashville, Tennessee, and I was proud to get to play a small role in the process. From morning stretching, to healthy snack breaks and meals, to high quality workshops and swag with custom company logos--she thinks of it all. I hope to get to support many more of these to come in the future!
View of Nashville from the Percy Warner Park Trail System
Of course, when I originally started this blog, I intended mostly just to share the healthy, home-cooked meals I was cooking, but it became a fun way to chart my gardening progress, share my running endeavors, and more! I am still cooking away and posting some of those plant bowls on social media. I would love to carve out some time to get back to sharing some of those simple recipes or meal inspirations on here again! Right now it's all about the squash after getting a great haul from our garden, so pumpkin butter is for sure on the menu ahead. :)
Thanks for stopping by today and reading about a few things that have gone on this year. I can't believe it is already almost October, but I know the last few months of 2022 will be packed with just as many great things as the first nine! I hope all is well in your world, and I'll "see" you soon!
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Unintentional, I'm sure, but you failed to mention your favorite part of your blog was the times you got to hang out with your favorite Hive buddies. <3
That goes without saying. ;)
Dear @plantstoplanks,
May I ask you to review and support the Dev Marketing Proposal (https://peakd.com/me/proposals/232) we presented on Conference Day 1 at HiveFest?
The campaign aims to onboard new application developers to grow our ecosystem. If you missed the presentation, you can watch it on YouTube.
You cast your vote for the proposal on Peakd, Ecency,
Thank you!
It's so nice seeing you back again @plantstoplanks, you've certainly been busy adding to your expertise, all to help others live healthy lives!
Those squashes are gorgeous, looking forward to seeing your delicious food again!
Thanks @lizelle! Trying to find the balance to be able to pop on a little more often, I hope. I figured if I put it down on the blockchain, it will hold me accountable, right? :)
Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!
All is well here after a turbulent year thanks @plantstoplanks 🤗
Hello Katie
It's nice to meet you. I like the sound of your company's new name. It's fantastic that you are now ranging into online remote fitness as well, it's going to be a game changer with everything now being more online.
You pumpkins and butternut look amazing, I must have a look around your blog at how you get such great looking harvests, I'm not that good at growing things, I don't have the space unfortunately, but maybe one day I will.
Thanks @emma-h! I think it's a good move overall. The company has been around for 17 years, so it was due a bit of an update. Especially since in that time we really have expanded our reach.
I still prefer in-person much butter, but shifting to more online sessions saved our business during the height of 2020! And now it allows us all to be able to reach more people, or even just keep up with clients when they travel or are out of town. So it's definitely not going anywhere!
We're still amateurs at gardening, but we have fun doing it. The squash just about grows itself around here. If I can't grow anything else, I pretty much always get some kind of squash thank goodness. Makes us feel like we're doing something right, at least. ;)
Your company deserves to have stayed afloat as you were flexible and adapted to the new way of things when Covid hit, well done! Rebranding is always a fun exercise.
Oh gosh you certainly don't look like amateurs by your produce, those squash and butternuts are gorgeous. I tried to grow butternuts once but the flowers kept falling off before they got pollinated 😞
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Cancer Exercise Specialist - well done Katie! You are definitely one of the people I enjoy following on Hive. Too bad that we all have busy lives and couldn't be on here more often. Keep on shining 💚
Thanks @amy-goodrich! I feel the same about you. Always love the food you post and to hear how things are going in your part of the world!
I suppose busy can be a good thing, right? If I wasn't busy enough, I'd having nothing of interest to write about even if I had the time. ;)
Hi there @plantstoplanks, A.K.A. Katie, you are just adorable, great smile, I am sure your clients just love you. I felt your joy when I read about all of your goals and accomplishments, way to go girl.
I have told you before, but I must repeat, you are inspiring and motivating, enjoying one's job is key to success.
Have a wonderful day my friend.
Aww, thanks @farm-mom! I'm pretty lucky with an amazing client base. They really are all like part of my family at this point. One of the big perks of the job. :)
I absolutely agree on enjoying one's career. Not everyone gets to be so lucky, but I try to always remain grateful that despite some of the ups and downs, I get to do something I'm truly passionate about.
Hope all is well up there and not too chilly just yet!
Great to from you my friend @plantstoplanks. I can see how you become close to your clients, you seem to be a very happy and positive person who has a lot to offer. I worked for over 40 years in healthcare, I did diagnostic imaging and always loved my job, it's truly a gift.
Have a wonderful day, it dropped to 37 last night so yeah...Brrrr is right.😰
It's truly a gift to do something you love for work.
So much satisfaction can be had when your work centers around helping others.
The company you work for sounds top-notch.
The squashes look awesome, I wonder what dish you'll whip up with those.
You're a very busy lady and lucky to love the profession you have chosen.
Have a wonderful day @plantstoplanks
Thanks @thebigsweed! As I just mentioned in my reply to your way, I really am grateful I found this career path. It continues to challenge me and push me to be better and learn more so I can bring the best to my amazing clients!
I just whipped up some pumpkin chili, so hoping I can settle in and actually share a recipe for the first time in a while.
Then tomorrow it is up to the apple festival, so if I have my way I'll be adding lots more apple dishes to the menu ahead, as well.
Hope you all are settling in for a nice season ahead!
Besides loving what you do, the personal benefits are awesome as well. You get to practice what you preach and that keeps you fit as a fiddle.
Pumpkin pie is one of my favorites, but pumpkin chili just doesn't sound right. Can you put vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on it?
When it's apple season I always remember my mom. By the time the season was over she'd have quarts upon quarts of applesauce on the shelves, with apple pies and apple crumb cakes packed in the freezer. Mom and my sisters would go at it for a week or more.
Absolutely! I never would have started running and doing races if a few of my awesome clients hadn't encouraged me. Now 12 years later, I get to return the favor as one of them gets ready to jump back in on her first 5k in quite a while with me. :)
Ooh, can't beat a good pumpkin pie! I need to make some pumpkin butter now that my pear butter is dwindling. Though apple butter will be on the menu, too. I need to start doing some water bath canning so I can keep some of these goodies for longer. I usually make enough to fit in the refrigerator and we go through it before it goes bad, but it would be nice to really stock up!
That has to feel really good, running with a client in a 5K event that you helped get back to running.
This is the season to squirrel away, happy canning!