Introducing Food and Fitness for the Rest of Us

Good to Meet You!
Welcome to Food and Fitness for the Rest of Us!  This is a place where you can find tips, tricks, and ideas for eating well and staying active for normal people.  I’m not talking to athletes — people who are in the gym for at least a couple hours every day or who are training for sporting events.  I’m talking to you — the average person who wants to be healthy, but who is also busy.  Maybe you like going for walks, but hate the idea of spending any time in the gym.  Maybe you love going to the gym for a good workout, but can only get there a couple times a week.  Whatever your preferred activity, whatever your dietary needs, I hope you’ll stop by once in awhile and find some useful information.
Catherine Hall

Catherine Hall

Each week, I’ll share recipes, ideas for staying active throughout the year, nutrition information, interviews with local trainers, nutritionists, and more.  We’ll delve into what a healthy lifestyle looks like and how to balance “health” and “fun” (and why they’re not mutually exclusive).  We’ll talk about different types of exercise, including events and opportunities here in the Bangor area.  We’ll even talk about how to fit meal preparation and activity into a busy schedule.
Before we get started, let me introduce myself.  My name is Catherine, and I live in Bangor with my family and my Guide Dog, Caleb.  I’ve lived in Maine since I was three years old and absolutely love it here.  When I was a child, I took ballet lessons for a few years, and I went downhill skiing every winter until high school.  My grandmother had me in the kitchen before I could walk learning how to make bread and other delicious baked goods.  In high school, I had a wide range on interests, but physical activity was not included in that list.  I loved cooking and took the foundation that I had learned from my grandmother and expanded it by watching every cooking show I could find.
Immediately after high school, I attended the University of Maine at Farmington, where I studied Secondary Education and English.  I also began to explore the world of exercise and nutrition.  Even though I didn’t end up being a high school English teacher (my original goal), I wouldn’t trade those years for anything.  It was at UMF that I met my best friends, and where my love of movement and nutrition really began.  A few months after graduation, I had valve replacement surgery to correct a congenital heart defect, and decided at that point to shift my focus from teaching English to teaching Nutrition.  After I recovered from my surgery, I applied to the University of Maine, where I earned my degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition.  I am a Dietetic Technician with a passion for helping people enjoy their lives by helping them live healthy lifestyles.
I should add a disclaimer at this point.  Although I do not consider myself an athlete, I am very active.  I walk regularly, practice yoga, and I practice a martial art.   Somehow, in my mind, that doesn’t make me an athlete, but I know there are plenty of people who would argue with me.  My life is, like most people’s, busy.  It’s hectic at times, and I completely understand how overwhelming fitness and nutrition advice can feel.  Sometimes I think that I just can’t do everything these professionals want me to do!  So, instead, I strive for balance.  I do my best to incorporate good health practices while understanding that there are days when I won’t be perfect, and that’s ok because I’m a normal person, too!
I want to hear from you, too!  If there’s a topic you’d like to learn more about, or if you know someone who’s doing something cool in either the food or fitness world, let me know and I’ll do my best to include them in a future post.
Happy Trails!
Catherine Hall

About Catherine Hall

Catherine lives in Bangor, Maine with her family. She gained her appreciation for food and cooking from her grandmother and learned most of her technical knowledge from watching the Food Network. When not in the kitchen, Catherine can be found outdoors attempting to grow vegetables (not always successfully), practicing yoga, and taking Capoeira classes in downtown Bangor. Catherine can also be found walking around town with her Guiding Eyes guide dog, Caleb.