"I hated my body and how I felt."
As I think back to my teens through my 30's, I felt horrible. Today, all that has changed, as I am a mother and grandmother living a healthy balanced lifestyle. It didn't come from a bottle or a fad infomercial thigh machine, but through my educational journey. I now use this knowledge to educate my clients as a personal fitness trainer.
Entering marriage, just barely out of my teens, my 5' 3" frame was the docking port of saddlebags, fat pockets and colon discomfort. My mother gave me a heating pad for my wedding shower. This of course, was needed to fall asleep due to all my abdominal problems. I always exercised to battle my body, but I was never consistant. Strapping on weighted boots and doing leg lifts was my first attempt to eliminate the fat pockets and heavy thighs. It never worked. I lacked CONSISTANCY.
I tried yoga for a while and the relaxation techniques led me to an important discovery. However, the health problems didn't go away and during my second pregnancy my colon ceased to function properly. I found that I also needed to eat better. I was eating way to much junk and of course, too much sugar. I needed to make dietary changes and so I did. These changes helped but I still wasn't right. I still had not found consistancy.
At age 35 I hit the wall. The every day stress and exhaustion of running a beauty salon and taking care of my husband's business burned out every bit of good in me. I wasn't taking care of MYSELF.
I turned to doctors and was immediately put on synthetic hormones and anti-depressants. When the medications didn't help, I turned to herbal remedies. While seeing a psychiatrist, he suggested that I start exercising. Something inside 'clicked'.
I knew what had to be done, and I committed to the discipline of consistant, weight-lifting aerobics, yoga and nutrition. What I found is that it's a whole lifestyle.
At 40, and my son competing on the wrestling team in high school, I found the coach, parents and team members asking me for exercise tips. So, I started teaching what I had found useful in strengthening, toning, and sculpturing. I realized right away that to instruct properly, I needed to become certified. So in 1998, I did just that. I became a certified American Fitness Professional personal trainer. I put up mirrors on the walls of my rec room, moved in the weight equipment and began booking clients.
Now, in a new facility featuring sauna and showers, I average 50 people twice per week for private one-on-one sessions, group and open gym. I don't compete with any existing gym. I teach weight training and cardio, one person at a time. Even during group sessions, I'm always watching where each individual is in their training.
My journey isn't over and I'm always seeking the right path to lead my clients to good health. My mission statement is:
Mind, spirit, body: Build all three and be forever strong!
I love what I do.
My journey has uncovered my passion to help others towards good health.
