I kid…except I don’t kid.
I dabbled in fitness all through my 20s as a way to lose weight—like many women, but I didn’t become passionate about fitness until my 30s.
After messing up my low back, hips, and breaking two ribs in a 2006 horse riding accident, I needed to get serious about getting stronger and truly physically fit.
It was either that or stay ‘broken’
and in pain.
During the year it took me to recover, I went to physical therapy for treatment, but I also started lifting weights regularly with the guidance of a personal trainer to help me get stronger, too.
Getting physically stronger and having less back pain was really exciting, but the part that got me hooked was how much more stronger I felt on the inside. Through fighting to regain my health, mobility and fitness, I discovered a new level of confidence and resilience.
In the years after my recovery, I realized that running and lifting weights created in me an ability to endure and persevere, even when things were really painful and difficult.
I realized that pushing my physical abilities–how much I could lift, how many reps I could do, how many rounds of a conditioning workout I could take–created a trust in my own strength, my own ability to make things happen when I felt like there was nothing left to give.
And that’s huge.
There’s nothing wrong with working out to achieve a different body aesthetic, but for me the real depth and power of exercise is how is builds your character.
How it builds your self-trust. How it builds your ability to endure.
While you’re busy challenging yourself to run a little farther, do a couple more reps, take on a more challenging exercise, or lift a weight you never thought you’d be able to handle, you’re also building the muscle of your character.
Through consistent strength training I learned to believe that I could do hard things, that I was stronger than I’d ever given myself credit for, that I could change my life for the better.
Becoming strong and fit–and staying strong and fit has dramatically improved my quality of life, and that’s what’s kept me hooked.
It’s also what made me choose to become a personal trainer and group fitness instructor: I wanted to share with other women, especially military spouses, the strength, confidence and resilience that can be ours when we work to build a stronger body.
Women who are strong hold themselves differently. We stand tall, move with purpose, and know our value. We are confident in our abilities; we know what we can do—and this confidence has the tendency to bleed into all the different parts of our lives.
Through building stronger bodies, we build stronger spirits, and that’s what makes the difference between surviving and thriving, no matter what life may throw at us.
The goal of my Real Life Fit, Happy and Healthy FB group is to connect women from all over the world as we work together to become the best version of ourselves.
We do this through fun and effective workouts, cultivating stronger and healthier mindsets, and improving nutrition and eating habits, one step at a time. We focus on taking action each day and each week to conquer fears, follow our dreams, hit new PRs, discover strengths we didn’t know we had, and to live full, happy and healthy lives.
You can check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RealLifeFitHealthyandHappy/
Through my online coaching business, Real Life Fit by Kate, I help busy women learn to eat better, get stronger and stay in shape for life—without making themselves crazy.
http://reallifefitbykate.com/wordpress/
Through customized fitness plans that are tailored to meet the needs of each individual’s body and lifestyle paired with personalized coaching, I work in partnership with busy women to support their unique needs and help them get the changes they’re after.
And if you’re in need of a little push and plan to get yourself back in action, then my 5+ Step Back on Track Plan is just for you. Sign up here to get your copy today! https://forms.aweber.com/form/78/103546278.htm
#getstrongbestrongstaystrong
-Kate
Source: New feed
