A Letter To My Daughter's From Their Mother in the Fitness Industry.

Preface--> My girl's have grown up in the fitness industry.  I started training clients out of our home basement gym when my oldest was 6 months old.  I would wear her on me as I trained clients at our college wellness center.  She would sleep in her playpen during my classes I taught at our local retirement community a few days a week.  She has crawled, walked, and now exercises with my clients I train in their homes who have special needs.  She knows my clients like family.

My youngest daughter has been at most of my running races, triathlon's, CrossFit competitions.  She has been in the gym with me while I trained other clients.  She has watched her dad and I lift weights many a morning while she waited for the preschool bus to arrive.

My girl's watch me speak at events. Share my passion about fitness and nutrition. They hear me preach about being strong and loving how God created us to be.  They help me pack healthy school lunches and make good choices in our food intake as much as possible.  They see me lift heavy weights.  They see me get frustrated on a weak day.  And celebrate on a strong day.  They see other women experience the empowering effects of their work paying off. They see me growing an online business through fitness so I can stay home with them.  They see me creating a
life by design.

They talk about how to do a push-up the right way in PE class.  They teach mini-exercise classes at their recess.  They ask me about protein and carbohydrates.  They know what fitness does.  And what it is.  They see the value and importance of it through my daily actions and example. They do their own version of fitness when they choose.

And I let them be who they want to be. Define themselves as they choose.

But here's what I want them to know most of all....


 

Dearest daughter's,

You can choose what your fitness level is.  You define "fit."  Do not aspire to be what this industry places as the norm.  Do not let magazines persuade you to feel you have to be skinny to be fit.  Do not let the world tell you if you are small, you are not fit.  Do not feel you have to wear short shorts, fancy bra's, and nothing else to show your fitness.  Do not feel like you have to flex in the mirror in your under clothes and post it on Instagram to prove your fitness. And if you want too, do not prove your fitness for them.  Do it for you. You do not have to define your worth by the gap between your thighs or the number on a scale.  Your emotions and self-worth can be defined by so much more confidence-boosting and powerful methods.  Do not judge other people based on their appearance and decide their fitness level, in your own mind, either.  Your mommy has been passed up, out-lifted, out-biked, out-swam, out-run, and out-performed by many women who society would determine as unfit based on their size on a scale--or their outward appearance.  (big or small) 

And I will do my best NOT to send a message of shame and defeat on those days when I do weigh myself or I do indulge in that chocolate ice cream tub and the guilt creeps in and it overtakes my emotions that carry over to you and your watchful eyes....because I am human and I am a woman and sometimes society's definition of fitness gets the best of me too.  And I'm sorry for that.  But what I do hope you see is me continuing to push myself everyday to get stronger, work harder, and not let that negativity get me down for long. This is a lifelong journey to health, and you are part of my reason for showing up everyday.

I want you to see a mama who doesn't quit. Who loves herself. And wants to honor the temple God gave her.  I want you to see that you can make your own way in this industry.  Don't look left or look right.  Don't compare yourself to the fitness trainers on TV.  Don't strive for perfection.  Because it will ruin you. It will lead you to failure.  And you will lose sight of your purpose and gifts in life.

So girls, be YOU. Be the best version of you.  Thick or thin. Strong or skinny.  Work hard, most of all.  And know that your fitness level is yours to define.  No one else's.

Love, 

Mom

It's 12:20 AM, WHAT??

 

Leah was born.
4 months later we moved to Kansas. To a town we didn't know anyone.  I had just graduated with my degree in exercise science.  I had stopped my pursuit of PA school when I found out I was expecting because I was so sick and my priorities changed.  We bought a house in the country, away from neighbors.  We had no family close.  And I never felt SO alone than I did during that first year living there.  But I KNEW I wanted to stay home with my daughter if I could make it work financially.  I KNEW I still wanted to pursue my dream of fitness, coaching, training, and changing lives through health.  But I KNEW the town we lived in had no gym, no jobs in my area of expertise or interest.  SO I decided to make it work, my own way.  I started my own personal training business in my basement.  I called the retirement community in the town every week for at least 5 months asking if they were interested in implementing special population fitness into their resident's lives because I had a passion for helping the elderly through strength training.  After the 6th month, they finally called back and offered me a job as a trial run.  While I started that job, I was also emailing the town's recreation department about teaching fitness classes at the local school or park.  Anyway I could get my name out there. I made business cards, flyers, talked to anyone I could.  I spoke with local physicians in that town and nearby towns about referrals. I spoke with local pharmacies about advertising my services.  And slowly I started with 1-2 clients at my house...I would train with them while my Leah took naps or crawled around in her playpen.  And then I took her with me to the retirement community to teach classes.  And she came with me to my fitness classes in the evenings at the local elementary school. 

And I make it work.  Because I wanted to be a mom first. Fitness professional second.  And I didn't want to settle for any other options.  I worked a LOT.  Late at night. Early mornings.  I hustled hard because I had a vision for where I wanted my business to go and what I needed to make in income to be able to continue with the set-up I had at that time.  In my mind there were no other options...

Fast forward 10 years, 2 kids later.  And here I am at a point in my life where I want to be able to to continue to stay home. Be a mom.  Be available for their needs and activities.  But all 3 will be in school so I need to kick it into gear to be able to justify staying home. I need to hustle.  So what am I doing? I am making it work.  I am sharing my story. I am empowering women. I am getting up early, staying up late. I am working between doctor's appointments, kids playdates, pool swim lessons, gymnastics practices, while my husband is working, while my friends are out socializing, while other women are watching their favorite nightly TV shows...I AM WORKING.  Because I have a vision.  A why.  A "need for this to work." And you know what? It is.  Because I have no other option but for it to work.  And in my experience I've learned THAT IS ALL IT REALLY IS.

A MINDSET.  A mindset that failure is not an option.

So you hustle. You sacrifice. And you work even when you don't see the fruits of your labor...yet.  Because you know it is coming. And it WILL work.  So don't feel like you have to settle. You don't have options.  Because you DO.  YOU start now.  You pursue your passion---you work really hard at it for a long time---and IT WILL HAPPEN if your mindset is that of 'I CAN. I WILL. I'M UNSTOPPABLE.

So it's 12:20 am on a Saturday night...what are you doing??
I'm working. Hustling.  Because I BELIEVE so much in what I'm doing and where I'm headed.  There is no other optionn.