Thrive with Jen

10/16/2026

Are We Thriving, or Merely Surviving?

What if the purpose of health isn't simply to live longer, but to live more fully? In The Well-Lived Life by Dr. Gladys McGarey, there’s a passage from the opening pages that has stayed with me. After nearly eight decades in medicine, McGarey reflects on patients who became so consumed with finding the perfect diet that they made themselves sick, others who were so afraid of dying that they nearly stopped living, and countless people searching for the secret ingredient that might buy them a few more years....

What if the purpose of health isn’t simply to live longer, but to live more fully? In The Well-Lived Life by Dr. Gladys McGarey, there’s a passage from the opening pages that has stayed with …

10/12/2026

WEEK 3/15

4/4 lifting days 2/2 runs · 17 km total Average steps: 9,636/day Average weight: 135.6 lbs Average calories: 2,597/day Target: 2,485 cals · 155P · 275C · 85F I lifted heavier this week, and my runs are feeling stronger with consistent strength training. Energy was steady, soreness was low, and I got all my sessions in around three work shifts. Sleep had a few interruptions, but overall I felt good....

4/4 lifting days 2/2 runs · 17 km total Average steps: 9,636/day Average weight: 135.6 lbs Average calories: 2,597/day Target: 2,485 cals · 155P · 275C · 85F I lifted heavier this week, and my runs…

10/05/2026

WEEK 2/15

4/4 lifting days2/2 runs · 19 km totalAverage steps: 10,350/dayAverage weight: 134.1 lbsAverage calories: 2,586/day Target: 2,485 cals · 155P · 275C · 85F I’m getting reacquainted with lifting heavier—and letting my legs feel it. When running was the priority, I held back on lower-body lifts. Now I’m getting a feel for pushing closer to failure while finding a rhythm with four lifts, two runs, and enough recovery to do it again next week....

4/4 lifting days2/2 runs · 19 km totalAverage steps: 10,350/dayAverage weight: 134.1 lbsAverage calories: 2,586/day Target: 2,485 cals · 155P · 275C · 85F I’m getting reacquainted with lifting heav…

09/28/2026

WEEK 1/15

WEEK 1 RECAP 4/4 lifting days2/2 runsAverage steps: 11,380/dayAverage weight: 135.1 lbsAverage calories: 2,619/day Target: 2,485 cals · 155P · 275C · 85F Week one was mostly about establishing the baseline. Training got done. I felt strong in my lifts, recovery was good, sleep was good, and averaging over 11,000 steps a day meant there was plenty of movement outside of my programmed training....

WEEK 1 RECAP 4/4 lifting days2/2 runsAverage steps: 11,380/dayAverage weight: 135.1 lbsAverage calories: 2,619/day Target: 2,485 cals · 155P · 275C · 85F Week one was mostly about establishing the …

09/22/2026

Wanna Watch Me Get Jacked?

The Goal: Build measurable lean muscle while maintaining aerobic capacity—without accumulating so much training fatigue that sleep, work, or consistency suffers. I ran more this past spring and summer than I have in years, purely for the enjoyment of it. I loved the high and the simplicity of it—get up, tie your shoes, and go. I loved being outside and having that time alone with my thoughts and my breath....

The Goal: Build measurable lean muscle while maintaining aerobic capacity—without accumulating so much training fatigue that sleep, work, or consistency suffers. I ran more this past spring an…

09/16/2026

Ruby is 10

My Ruby, Today, you are 10. My girl, lordy, are you ever headstrong. When you make up your mind about something, convincing you there might be another way requires evidence, witnesses, several rounds of negotiations, and occasionally divine intervention. I think this will be something that benefits you greatly and also has the potential to limit you. This past year, you’ve come up against numerous challenges....

My Ruby, Today, you are 10. My girl, lordy, are you ever headstrong. When you make up your mind about something, convincing you there might be another way requires evidence, witnesses, several roun…

08/26/2026

WHEN DID DISCOMFORT BECOME BAD PARENTING?

For the last few years, I've planned a physically and mentally challenging activity for us to do as a family. In years past, it’s been hikes (Mount Louie and Ambler in Grande Cache, Lake Louise Tea House, Sulphur Mountain in Banff), but this year, with Ruby’s new bike-riding skills, we decided to bike the Legacy Trail from Canmore to Banff....

For the last few years, I’ve planned a physically and mentally challenging activity for us to do as a family. In years past, it’s been hikes (Mount Louie and Ambler in Grande Cache, Lake Loui…

08/16/2026

Hello, Beloved Body

“In moments of great fear, we often forget how powerful we are. When we face a health challenge, we forget to say “Hello, beloved body. What do you need?” When life offers us loss or uncertainty, we forget to ask “Well, now, what am I going to make of this?” Such questions have a transformative power. They activate our curiosity, which cuts through our fear and dispels the idea that we’re helpless....

“In moments of great fear, we often forget how powerful we are. When we face a health challenge, we forget to say “Hello, beloved body. What do you need?” When life offers us loss or uncertainty, w…

07/30/2026

What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life?

“What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.” –Muriel Rukeyser I could curate my presence in a way that has all the best intentions and all the right angles. I can be a coach. I can recommend, guide, and provide all the tips and tricks to make the process easier and more accessible....

“What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.” –Muriel Rukeyser I could curate my presence in a way that has all the best intentions and all the right a…

04/30/2026

Yeah, we’re just focusing on hypertrophy right now. Nothing crazy. 💪

Meanwhile…
They’re watching.
They’re learning.
They’re copying EVERYTHING. 👀

They really do pick up on our habits! (in the gym and out of it.) @‌sam_sulek would be proud. Or concerned. 😂