I Know How You Feel

Growing up in the 90's diet culture I did not develop a healthy sense of body image. I either saw pencil thin models or incredibly muscular women in "muscle magazines".

I remember seeing aerobic fitness competitions on TV and thinking I would like to do that one day. Then they would do something I couldn't do and my childish mind thought, "Well because I can't do that right now, I'll never be an aerobic fitness competitor." So I let that mindset affect a lot of what I chose to do.

Then I really wanted to cheer in high school. To be on the Varsity team, you needed to have a back handspring. I couldn't do it. However, my dad encouraged me and got me into Power Lifting training. That combined with regular gymnastics lessons gave me the strength I needed to land a back handspring and make the team.

It was my first real big experience of conquering something I didn't think I could do.

Fast forward years later. I had 4 children. Fitness was still about "getting my body back". But I always enjoyed it albeit inconsistently.

Honestly I can't pinpoint the moment or explain why I had the mindset shift, but it finally became consistent. The reason...I stopped exercising for the number on the scale and exercised for how it made me feel. The more consistently I exercised I remembered that love I had for it.

How could I help others feel the same way about fitness? How could I help women like me love to move their bodies?

Well I could teach, but ***insert 90's diet culture thought*** I don't "look" like a fitness instructor. As if there is a one size fits all to any human body. I let that hold me back for a while.

But then I realized that the way I would get other women to get on board with fitness is to show them that I am a woman just like them. I struggle with my body image. I struggle with accepting the number on the scale. I struggle with how jeans fit. I struggle. But I love fitness and I want you to also.

So I took the plunge and started the certification process in January 2022. Then I got pregnant in March with my fifth child. Certified as an ACE Group Fitness Instructor in April. Then I started teaching my first classes in September, while pregnant. I actually taught up until 39 weeks, but that's a story for another day.

I've been teaching for a well over a year now, but my love for fitness goes back longer than that.

I'd love to know why you think exercise.