Factor Physio

Today marks one year of business for Factor Physio! This has been a great year of development, growth, and genuine enjoyment of my career. In my 8 years of being a physical therapist, this has been the first where I have not felt utterly burnt out the entire time. I have loved incorporating more coaching into my work and have loved working with people on the performance side as well as rehab side of their journey.
THANK YOU to all who have supported my business (and consequently me) along the way. Your support and encouragement means the WORLD to me and I am so thankful to be a member of this wonderful community.
THANK YOU to the team at .fitness_ - . It’s so cool to genuinely enjoy working with you guys and supporting each other fully. We are in the business of building each other up!!!
To further show support, leaving a Google review for Factor Physio is super helpful and tell your friends and family about us!

Are you someone that likes to set New Year’s Resolutions? 💥

January can be a great time to evaluate how your previous year went and come up with new goals and ideas for the upcoming year.

People often “fail” at their New Year’s Resolutions because they set goals that are NOT good goals. If you’ve never exercised before, setting a goal to be able to do an Ironman triathlon by the end of the year might be unlikely.

There is a great formula to setting “good” goals, and that is setting SMART ones. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound.

Swipe ➡️ through the image above to see some examples. In both example goals I have listed, you see that in both they are specific with their details (I don’t just say I want to eat healthy, I say I want to eat 3 healthy dinners at home/week), they are quantifiable (a 90 minute time goal and a frequency of meals), they are achievable (I have been an endurance athlete my entire life and have been running more seriously for 3 years now), they are both relevant to ME (as someone in the fitness/rehab profession, I think it is paramount to lead a life that you are encouraging others to lead, in this case, healthy), and they are time bound (there is an “expiration date” on both).

Reach out if you have any questions or want to set up a goal setting session with me!

‼️The wait is up‼️ Officially accepting new coaching clients for the new year ➡️ I am opening up 5 coaching slots starting in 2024, to either runners or triathletes 🏊‍♀️ 🚴 🏃

Let’s work together to meet your training and performance goals!

I have been coaching for over 5 years and am personally both a Kona Qualified triathlete and a BQ runner, coming from a collegiate swim background.

Factor Physio will be closed for the holidays, starting on 12/25. If you want to get in before the end of the year, I have a handful of openings left this week and you can always reach out if you need a time that you don’t see available on the schedule. I will be re-opening January 2nd.
➡️Head to factorphysio.com to book your appointment!

⭐️ Client spotlight ⭐️
Shelby absolutely CRUSHED her first marathon training cycle and race. I’ve literally never met someone so happy to run so many miles 😂. I wish everyone could experience Shelby’s joy for running!

Do you need to drink water on a cold winter run? … Yes!!

This past weekend I went on my normal weekend run, which was going to be a ~90 min run. It was fairly humid, so I brought my hydration vest with two 16oz bottles, one filled with Skratch mix, one with plain water. I drank the entirety of both bottles on the run.
While running, I noticed that very few other runners were carrying ANY water on them. This week in clinic, I started asking my runners if they carry water on them in the winter, and the resounding answer was no (unless it was a hard/fast/long workout).

We still need water/hydration in the winter! It’s a detriment to your training and recovery to run without fluids. The easiest way to measure your sweat rate is to weigh yourself before and after your runs to figure out how much volume you are sweating. Let me know if you have any questions!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Thank you to everyone who has supported me and my business this year, I couldn’t have asked for a better first year in business. I’m excited for what’s to come!

Can we take a vote to make race pictures LESS EXPENSIVE?!? Team no photo purchase here ✌🏼
crushed his 13.1 a few weeks ago, getting a PR and reaching his goal time! He balances his training load with a full time job and parenting two littles and does it all with enthusiasm! ⚡️

My favorite part of my job is sharing in others success! The hardest part of working with Aaron is holding him back from going to hard all the time, and what a blessing to be able to say that! He works hard, is passionate about what he does, and has a good time while doing it!

Big congrats to my client, Jeff, on his 5 minute marathon PR this Sunday at the Richmond Marathon. Jeff put in some long miles and hard work this summer and fall and it’s paying off! I’m so excited to see what he continues to do in the sport.

I’m doing a rare repost from .andychen , because he hit it right on the head. I get asked ALL the time, “but isn’t running bad for you?” “Aren’t you worried about your knees in 10 years?” “Doesn’t your body feel worn down?” There is really NO solid evidence that shows a direct correlation between running and injury in the knee/hip. It is important to train correctly, which is why I’m a huge advocate for using a coach, whether you’re a beginner runner or a veteran. A coach should be able to correctly program your workouts to avoid injury and increase performance.

#26

⭐️ Patient spotlight ⭐️

Bentley is an A+ patient. He always comes on time and is excited to see me! He is very empathetic and has only good vibes.

Need a high protein breakfast idea? ➡️I always try to start my day out with a high protein meal to keep me full longer and start the day out ahead on my macros.
Overnight oats are easy to make ahead and grab and go in the morning.
I use:
1/2 cup oats
1 TBSP chia seeds
1 TBSP flax seeds
1/2 scoop vegan protein powder
1 cup fair life milk
Blueberries
You can totally switch this up and customize it to your preference. I will sometimes add a tbsp of peanut butter to make it even more filling.
Macros:
421 calories
14g total fat
43g total carbs
10g fiber
32g protein

What was the difference over the last few months for this athlete, ? ➡️ We started working together to build an individualized training program to reach his goals.
Aaron is an A+ (mostly😜) student who takes direction well, follows his program, and works through tough workouts.
He has an extensive injury history, including a former Achilles tendon rupture and patellar tendon rupture, so it is important to keep those things in mind when programming for him.
As you can see, his fitness level has increased exponentially since working together in March, and I’m confident that he will be rewarded with some running PRs in the months to come!
‼️Contact me‼️if you want to start working together, I’m looking to add 3-5 athletes in the next few months!

If you’ve ever wanted to try acupuncture, now is the time!!! Eric, , is running a steal of a deal special.
‼️‼️$313 for 3 treatments OR $555 for unlimited treatments ‼️‼️
(both of these need to be used within 31 days of purchase)
A lot of you know this already, but Eric was instrumental in keeping my body feeling good during my marathon training block. His treatments aided in recovery and we were able to address small issues before they became problems. I’m so thankful I had Eric on my team!
Highly suggest coming in and giving it a try!!! ⭐️

Berlin Marathon weekend is here! I appreciate all the well wishes so far and am looking forward to experiencing the magic of a marathon major and indulging in some German culture!
As I tell my athletes, I have an A, B, and a C goal for this race, and I’m looking forward to doing my best to achieve all, but as it’s my first marathon, I think it’s also good to set realistic expectations.
Any last minute advice on how to run a fast marathon?!

Did you know that you should be eating within an hour of finishing a run workout? Ideally the sooner you can stomach food, the better in order to replenish your fuel stores and recovery faster.
Your post workout nutrition should have a 1:3 protein to carb ratio. It doesn’t need to be exact, but it should be close!
Here are 4 quick and easy things you can eat after a workout to recover faster and make the most of your workouts!
Disclaimer: I am not an RD or sports nutritionist. I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a USAT Cert coach. My nutrition knowledge comes from these areas of schooling and a significant amount of self study.

Never forget
#911

My athletes are always shocked when I tell them they should be eating before every single workout.
Why does this matter? ➡️Running and working out on an empty stomach can cause:
▶️A lowered metabolism
▶️Poor hormonal health (esp in women)
▶️Lowered performance
▶️Slower recovery
▶️Among others

A lot of my athletes are fairly picky eaters and have a hard time stomaching most foods before running. These are some suggestions for foods that are easy to get down and can provide enough carbohydrates to fuel your (less than 60 min) workouts!

Disclaimer: I am not an RD or sports nutritionist. I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a USAT Cert coach. My nutrition knowledge comes from these areas of schooling and a significant amount of self study.

I hear this all the time: “We didn’t do this at my last PT place!” You’re right, you probably didn’t. At Factor Physio, every single treatment is tailored specifically to the individual being treated at that moment, on that day.
We do fun things like dry needling (debatable fun for the patient), cupping, blood flow restriction, good ole fashioned exercises.
Because this is a cash pay clinic, I do not need to adhere to the restrictions that insurance companies set on PT clinics/treatments, meaning that we can do what is truly best for the client.
We’re able to bridge the gap between rehab and performance. We are able to treat on a preventative basis.
Message me to book your session today, with a cool PT ;)

Super easy Taco Bowl - vegan friendly option 🌱
This meal took less than 30 min from start to finish, making it a great weeknight option 🙌🏼
Cook your choice of rice however you like to cook it. I usually make brown rice and always use my instant pot and the rice comes out perfect every time!
Crumble a pack of tempeh into a saucepan with some veggie broth and cook until softened. Add some taco seasoning. I usually just use half a packet of seasoning. If you eat meat, you can easily substitute this for grilled chicken or ground beef or turkey for a higher protein, lower carb option.
Slice up some peppers and onions and sauté. I add this to the other half of my pan when I cook the tempeh to cut down on dishes.
Heat up a can of beans in a saucepan. has GREAT preseasoned beans, I used the Southwest red ones for this bowl.
Add everything together and top with fresh tomatoes, avocados, and hot sauce (optional 🔥)
This is a great meal and usually I have enough leftovers to make lunch out of it the next day. You can make a lot of easy adjustments to this to fit your macros/diet as needed.

Who else is burning up on their runs?! 🔥 ☀️ 😅 It’s only going to get hotter throughout the weekend ➡️ Check out these tips to keep yourself safe while training this summer 😎
Please take this heat seriously! It is not worth pushing through heat and making yourself sick just to complete a run.

Being adaptable as a health care practitioner is so important! Chrystal is an absolute joy and offers a lot of personality and is always full of great business and personal tips.

Easy morning breakfast 🍳
Mix 2 eggs and 1/2 cup egg whites and pour into a pan to cook. Toast 2 pieces of Ezekiel bread. Scoop out half an avocado and spread on the pieces of bread. Sprinkle Everything but the Bagel on the avocado, and then top with the eggs. I had some fresh micro greens growing that I sprinkled on top. I ate this with half a grapefruit, which was a delicious addition to my normal breakfast.
Macros: 475 calories, 34g protein, 46g carbs, 16g fat

I love a good review, but I love fantastic patients even more. Cara is a bright shining light in the world and I feel very fortunate to have had her support.

Want an easy weeknight dinner idea? Try a high protein pasta with roasted veggies.
I use either Barille high protein pasta or a lentil pasta for this meal. Make according to the package.
While pasta is boiling, chop up some veggies (I used home grown okra and zucchini here), drizzle with olive oil and minced garlic and throw in an air fryer at 400 deg for ~10 min.
Once pasta is cooked, pull out of the pot and drain. Using the same pot, throw in some chopped tomatoes (I used ones grown in my garden), garlic, and basil and cook for ~2min, then throw the pasta back in and stir to combine.
You can either add in the roasted veggies or keep separate.
This whole meal took me less than 30 min to make and was delicious!

I really took some time this weekend to reflect on the significance of today. I think sometimes the word “sacrifice” is tossed around too often. I’m very thankful for the men and women who truly sacrificed everything so that we wouldn’t have to.

Some reasons why you might consider hiring a run or triathlon coach:
➖You want to get faster
➖You want to manage old injuries or prevent new ones
➖You want to balance a busy work/life/play schedule
➖You want a sounding board
➖You want a professional to design the most effective training schedule for YOU as an individual
In Eric’s case, all of the above were true! We were able to manage his busy schedule in order to maximize the time he had to put forth into training. He dropped significant time in all disciplines while actually rehabbing old injuries and staying healthy!
Contact me if you’re interested in learning more.

Definition of Factor:
1. A circumstance, fact, or influence that contributes to a result or outcome.
2. A number or quantity that when multiplied with another produces a given number or expression.

As a physical therapist, I play a role, but am never the sole reason for anyone’s success and development. At Factor Physio, people will get stronger, faster, better than they were before.
Contact to schedule your appointment today!