I was never a sporty individual. I tried out for the volleyball team in high school and struggled with the cardio and coordination necessary. Stairs made me gasp for breath. I frequently showed up with bumps and scrapes and bruises from my clumsiness. Somehow I managed to march and play the trumpet, dance and sing at the same time for band and drama. Still a mystery.
I’ve always been active, however. I love hiking and biking, swimming, canoeing, bowling, and playing yard games with friends and family. Sitting still is actually a very recent development for me, particularly now that I have a desk job instead of one that keeps me on my feet all day. That’s why I decided to sign up for personal training.
Real talk: After I started back at my desk job in the winter of 2016, I put on a bunch of weight. I would occasionally go to the gym or make it to the park for a hike; I would move around. But for the most part, I just sat. From my lightest, walking 20,000+ steps per day and eating fewer calories while working at Cedar Point, I put on 25 pounds coming back to real life. My clothes didn’t fit right, I felt sluggish and just didn’t feel as confident. So when we started doing Biggest Loser contests at work, I decided to jump in head-first.
I didn’t start training until early 2018; before that, I was just adding in a day or two at the gym doing random machines and cardio because I had no clue what I was doing, I just knew I needed to move. But then I decided that I needed to do more; I needed professional assistance.
I’d had a Planet Fitness membership for several years, but then I started going to group classes at FitWorks with coworkers and decided to jump into their training program as well. It was a most excellent decision.
I’ve been working with my trainer, Nate, for over a year now. When we first started working together, I told him that I was looking for a lifestyle change, and this is what he practices and preaches. This was not a “get skinny quick” style; this has been the long game for sure. And every single sore muscle and drop of sweat in my eye has been worth it.
Since I’ve started:
- I’ve lost weight.
- I’ve gained muscle.
- I’m stronger.
- I challenge myself more.
- I’m more confident in using different areas and machines at the gym.
- I’m motivated to go to the gym more.
- I have accountability which keeps me in line.
- I feel amazing: more energy, less downtime after a hard workout, and really proud of my body, both how it’s starting to look and what it’s able to do.
I’m not getting paid to say any of this; no sponsorship here. I just want to spread the message to anyone who will listen that health is so important. After recent events in my family, it’s even more apparent that taking care of your body should not be an afterthought. Health and happiness have also been show to go hand in hand.
If you are interested in learning more about personal training, you can check out Nate’s site here; you can also check out his YouTube channel here to get some ideas for the beginning of your fitness journey. And of course, ask me anything about my journey, I’m glad to share my story!
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