When I started my fitness journey eight years ago, my goal was to become skinny.
Thin.
Size 4, preferably size 2.
After a year of exercising, but mostly through proper nutrition, I lost 44 lbs.
I went to the gym three times a week but was too intimidated to pick up some weights, so I stepped on the eclipse trainer for an hour and rushed back home.
After my weight loss, I became more confident and booked sessions with a personal trainer who introduced me to lifting.
I was hooked right away to this feeling of doing something so powerful and became stronger quickly. Being "thin" did not fulfill me any longer, so I started looking for
something more challenging,
something that would make me stronger
something that scared the hell out of me!
I signed up for CrossFit.
During the following six years, I have learned a lot of new things about myself. It was the best decision ever to sign up for this adventure, even though I was frightened at first.
No way was I ever able to learn gymnastic skills, Olympic lifts, and all the other great and challenging movements the sport has to offer. I was impressed by the strength and beauty of my female lifting buddies. Week for week, month for month and year for year, I showed up, ready to grind, struggling, sometimes crying, fighting my demons, becoming better, gaining strength, learning all the things I thought I never could! I earned it — what a great feeling.
Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels.
Whoever believes in this, clearly got it all wrong. Let's rephrase it to:
Nothing looks as good as strong feels.
At age 40, a mom of two, I was in the best shape of my life. I felt healthy and solid as a rock.
The video shows me climbing a pegboard the first time. I just believed I could get up there, so I did. That’s the benefit of being active and healthy. A strong female body always comes with a strong mindset. The feeling is priceless. You can’t buy it, and you can’t maintain it without constant work. It’s a status symbol, many of us want to own, but most of us aren't willing to invest the grind, time, and patience. There is no quick fix, no pill, and no magic solution. It’s a lifestyle, and it's never too late to start your journey.