My Health and Fitness Journey and Why I'm Not Focused on Body Image.

Many of you know that I started this journey of being a fitness coach because of my mom. She was diabetic, felt self-conscious and intimidated by big box gyms and didn’t really have a roadmap to get her in the right direction. I wanted to help her and then Finally Fit was born to help more people like her.

But I’m not sure I’ve really told my story of how I got into fitness for myself. In high school, I was a closet athlete. I hung around with kids who liked to drink, smoke and watch rock videos on MTV when they actually played videos. No one played any sports. Sports is what you had to do in high school and that crowd just wasn’t for me. I always wanted to play soccer but we couldn’t afford it anyway so it didn’t matter. I liked being active and how it made me feel. So, I’d come home from school, run around the block in my converse (ouch, not good running shoes!), do bicep curls with 5 pound weights until I “felt the burn,” and do as many push-ups as I could in tempo with a song that I’m having trouble remembering at the moment. That’s about all I did until mom bought Tony Little videos and we did that together. I started to see my quads take shape and that made me excited. I still had no idea what I was doing.

Over the years I began riding and racing BMX and became friends with a lady who is still a treasure to my heart. Danette. She showed me the way inside a big box gym. She showed me how to workout. We became workout buddies. I did it for fun. I had no body shaming thoughts about myself where weight was concerned. Even though I really had some MAJOR posture issues, I didn’t see it. I wanted to lift to improve my riding skills. I sucked at that too but I didn’t care I had fun.

Then one day my boyfriend at the time compared me to his buddy’s girlfriend. I didn’t have a flat stomach like her. I had a pudge. That was the first time in my life I felt badly about my body. The fact that I was being compared to someone else made me think about how I am “supposed to look.” Among other things, I had to look a certain way for someone else. It made me angry that I wasn’t accepted for me.

Fast forward a couple years and a break up later, I found my workouts to be healing. All of my anger and frustration lead to the greatest physique I ever had. Then along came Joey who turned my entire systematic world upside down (in a good way) and my routine stopped. I gained a bit of weight during that same year. Going out dancing every weekend, drinking it up, eating crappy food and we were having a blast!! I remember looking at the photos from a trip to Vegas. My thighs filled my jeans, my cheeks were round all the way down around my chin. My arms no longer had shape. At the time, I didn’t see it. I was too busy enjoying this great relationship developing.

My body has been through many changes over the near 13 years we’ve been together. From angry in tip top shape to happily chubby, figure competition ready to pregnancy, back to competition ready then maintenance back to pregnancy.

But it’s what has happened on the inside that has completely changed my focus.

I have an auto-immune disease, Hashimotos, that developed 8 ½ years ago after the birth of our first daughter. It took 3 years to get it under control to begin even feeling like myself again. Now, after this second pregnancy, I was taken through the same symptoms all over again. Heart palpitations, fatigue, anxiety, fear, dizziness, foggy thinking, weak, and of course exhaustion. The feeling of being able to pass out while my heart feels like its beating through my chest is a scary feeling. However, this time around, having 5 years under my belt of what works best for me, it’s only taken 3 months instead of 3 years to get back on track.

As I look ahead for the New Year, having just given birth at the “ripe ol’ age of 40,” I don’t have any “goals” for what I want my body to look like.  I have intentions to carry through what my body NEEDS.

Regain my strength since delivery. Consistency with my strength training to improve my posture and improve my mobility from 3 months of sitting holding Emma and improve my stamina to keep up with these kids! On the nutrition side of things, gluten free is what has worked best with my Hashimotos. That has become automatic over the years but I need to work on my water intake.

So, those are what my fitness intentions are for this coming year. It’s not that exciting or some grandiose plan that I’ll be shouting from the rooftops. It’s basic, simple and at the same time, challenging to stay consistent.

What are your intentions for the year? We are hosting a “goal setting” seminar this Wednesday and also in honor of Thyroid Awareness Month, discussing the thyroid and how it affects your overall health and fitness.

Join us January 4, 2017 from 6-7pm at 9664-4 Eagle Ranch Road!