Mari Alvarez, left, poses for a photo with husband Cuki, right, and their kids Alverick, Shaniah and Shane during a Marianas Association Points Race series event at Cowtown Raceway Park.
SOMETIMES, the path to a healthier lifestyle can take over what used to be time spent with family.
Jerry Diaz, a National Academy of Sports Medicine personal trainer, is a family man himself and has gone through the same situation and is eager to share his experience with the community.
“The main question is, how do I balance fitness and family?” he asked. He believes that consistency is key, but not at the cost of family time.
He said one must be realistic when starting a workout routine in order to avoid conflict with family time.
Diaz also emphasized family support, which acts as the foundation to balancing fitness and family time.
“Family support is very important for athletes with families,” he said. “Family members need to understand that athletes or fitness enthusiasts who seek to meet their sporting or fitness goals must stay consistent and disciplined with their meals and exercise schedule.”
There is also a need to plan and schedule ahead, Diaz said, adding that it is important to stick to one’s fitness routine.
Balance is also important, he said. “Living a healthy lifestyle while staying true to what is important to us individually will help us stay balanced mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically,” Diaz said.
A family of extreme sports
Mari Alvarez is an individual who knows the importance of balancing fitness and family.
Mari and husband Cuki have been together for almost 37 years and happily married for almost 10 with three kids: Alverick, 34, Shane, 30, and Shaniah, 28, as well as two grandsons and a granddaughter.
We’ve been and still are a family of extreme sports,” Mari said. “We enjoy riding dirt bikes as well as water sports activities. Cuki and I have raced jet skis before, and we still race dirt bikes with our kids.”
She added, “I’ve always enjoyed working out since I was a teenager. I was a fan of the 20-Minute Workout 80’s Series with Arlaine, Bess and Laurie while I was living on the Big Island of Hawaii with my sister.”
When asked how important fitness is to her, she answered, “At this time and at my age, it just got more important! With my newborn grandson Styles, I need to stay as healthy and fit as possible so I can spend a lot of time with him and watch him and my other grands grow up.”
For Mari, it’s family over fitness always. When she’s needed by her family, she’ll skip her exercise routine and will just have to push harder when she does have the time to work out.
Her advice to others struggling to balance both is time management.
“I plan my workout sessions ahead of time when I have family dates scheduled. I can juggle between morning or evening time at the gym. I am also blessed to be able to work out with my family whether it’s doing circuits, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing or motorcycle riding at the track. That’s in addition to my own workouts at Gold’s Gym,” Mari said.
Air squats, hip thrusts and planks are her go-to exercises when in a pickle.
“Health is wealth and time is precious, so I’ve truly learned to live life to the fullest and not take it for granted,” she added.
To keep tabs on Mari’s lifestyle, follow her on social media. Her IG handle is maripal87/.
For professional fitness inquiries, contact Jerry Diaz through Instagram at @BBJ_Athletics or Facebook.
