I was not always into fitness. In fact, I hated any exercise growing up. I would play like any other kid, but I hated P.E. and I REALLY hated running a mile. I couldn’t do pull ups and I was just average at sports. In fact, when I played intramural volleyball in 5th grade, I was so bad at serving that my coach would rotate me out of the game every time it was my turn to serve. Oddly enough, the one time she did let me serve out of courtesy, it landed so close to the net that the opposing team could never rebound and my teamed gained 10 points! Later in high school, I did cheerleading and dance, which some argue are not sports, but with the amount of time we spent practicing, it sure felt like it!
Anyway, I digress. The point is, I was never into exercise until my late twenties. I never dieted, I always just ate whatever the hell I wanted and I stayed skinny. After I got married at 25, I gained weight and did not like how I looked or felt. My husband and I both did the trendy South Beach Diet. We lost weight immediately and we kept it off for about a year until we veered off the diet and went back to our old eating habits. Lesson learned: diets don't work.
Shortly after that I started a new job that was much less demanding then my previous, leaving me with spare time to twiddle my thumbs. For those who know me, I can't stay still for long, I have to be busy doing something. I needed a hobby to give me focus. So one of my co-workers convinced me to sign up for a triathlon. I thought he was crazy because I had never ran, cycled or swam in my life, but something inside me wanted to take on the challenge and see if I could really do it. I accepted his offer to coach me and my journey into fitness began.
I spent the next 3 years training and participating in triathlons, finishing 3 Ironmans, 1 half-Ironman and countless sprints and Olympic distances. I loved the triathlon community, met a ton of great people and discovered a side of me I didn't know existed. I learned how to set mind over matter and I became stronger physically and mentally. I pushed myself beyond what I thought was possible, and it helped me become a more confident, strong woman. I loved the challenge, the push, the hard work, the bond created between those I trained with and the feeling of accomplishment every time I finished a run, ride or swim.
Two weeks after my third Ironman in 2009, I found out I was pregnant. Boy was that a shock. And all my training came to a halt. Suddenly I had a new focus and triathlons were not a priority. I was not healthy at all during my pregnancy... I acted as if being pregnant gave me an “excuse” to eat what I wanted and avoid any exercise except an occasional walk. I gained 65 pounds! After my first daughter was born in August 2010, I was determined to lose the weight and six weeks after birth I started running with a stroller. I ran a ton, biked and swam occasionally. I felt horrible...my body was always achy and sore, I was always tired and I didn't feel or look healthy. I lost most of my pregnancy weight, but my body looked different. I was more “squishy” and I couldn't get rid of that “mommy pooch” belly. So I tried a few baby boot camp classes that exposed me to a different kind of exercise. I started lifting weights...very light weights...but everyone has to start somewhere.
Then I got pregnant with my second child! I treated this pregnancy the exact opposite as my first. I was more conscious of my eating and I exercised a few times a week with light weights and cardio. But I still gained 65 pounds! After my second daughter was born, we had a family trip to Hawaii planned in three months and I was determined to lose the weight as much as possible. I started running again, but then added strength training by hiring a personal trainer. What a difference! I lost weight so much faster and I felt strong and firm. This success led me to jump start my career in fitness. I wanted to share what I learned with other moms, and I felt the only way to do that is to become an expert myself and share the knowledge.
Three months later, I enrolled in a personal trainer education program at the National Personal Training Institute. I went to school three times a week -- two nights and all day Saturdays -- for six months. It was not easy with the kids, but I’m thankful for a supportive husband! Within two months of learning about anatomy, energy systems, exercise programming and trying things out on myself and my classmates, I stopped all my cardio and focused solely on strength training. That led to a major body transformation. By the time I finished my schooling, I had a completely different body, one that I had never seen on myself. Here I was, after having two babies, and I was in the best shape of my life (so far). I felt healthy, energetic and happy. I wasn’t exhausted, achy/sore or irritable. I didn’t just get my “pre-pregnancy” body back, I now had a BETTER body than I did before pregnancy. The hardest part was losing that belly...it was the last to go and what finally shrank it was eliminating grains from my diet, increasing my sleep, and working on my diastasis recti (separation of stomach muscles due to pregnancy). Lesson learned: cardio does not give you a lean muscular body, weights do.
Everyone asks me, how did you do it? It’s quite simple. I lifted weights, cleaned up my eating and found a type of exercise I enjoy doing. To be more specific, I lifted HEAVY weights, ate only fruits, veggies, protein and healthy fats and I set incremental goals to work toward (I will go into each of these more specifically through subsequent blog posts).
In the past, I never had an interest in lifting weights because, honestly, it looked boring and I was intimidated. I grew up believing that a good workout involved some type of cardio, whether it was running or taking a "strength" class. And I always assumed that if I lifted weights I would build huge muscle like the guys in the weight room and I had no desire for that look. Then I learned that it’s NOT possible for women to build huge muscle! We don’t produce enough testosterone and our muscles are just simply not big enough. Unless you take steroids, you are not going to look like a man! Throughout my schooling, I was being pretty conservative and then one day my professor said, "Go heavier, you can do it." With that simple sentence and sweaty, shaky hands, I did it and was shocked. The feeling I got from just that single exercise...the adrenaline, accomplishment, empowerment, control...all in a few seconds. I WAS HOOKED.
I started challenging myself to see how heavy I could go on certain exercises. It was so empowering! I felt strong, independent, capable and kind of like a…. superhero. I was doing what I thought was impossible for my body. I pushed past my comfort zone and felt limitless. Lifting heavy weights, and not being afraid of it, allowed me to discover an inner strength I didn’t know I had, as well as a healthy body that I didn’t realize I could achieve.
After strength training for a year and a half, I decided it was time to push myself into a new realm. I decided to pursue powerlifting, a sport that tests your strength ability in the three big lifts. I researched and found a coach to train with, walked in and started training and now I have my first meet in November! I am not lifting as heavy as most of these competitors by all means, but in this capacity I have focus, a challenge, a way to push myself past my current limits, and a chance to train with like-minded and supportive athletes.
So, how did I overcome my hate for exercise and get into the best shape ever? Through these steps:
1. Lift heavy weights (through a phased strength training program, you have to work up to heavy!)
2. Eat clean (removed processed foods and ate only fruits, veggies, proteins and healthy fats)
3. Pursue my passion outside of being a mom
4. Set incremental goals so that I always had something to work toward (like reaching a specific weight to squat or bench press, or doing a pull up)
If you are struggling to achieve your very best body and you're only doing cardio for your workouts, then I would recommend giving strength training a try. I never thought I would like it, but the only way I found out was by stepping outside of my comfort zone and doing it.
Tell me, what's your passion? Or, what is something that you've always wanted to try but too afraid to step out of your comfort zone?
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