Finding Balance

Fitness. It’s a word that to some brings dread and guilt and to others exhilaration and satisfaction. To others still you are somewhere in between. Wherever you find yourself, being fit is more than just exercise. It is a state of mind.

I started on my fitness journey shortly after my youngest child was born. I have three kids and with each child I had gained more weight, and lost more self-confidence. I wasn’t sleeping, was eating quick rushed meals, and was just generally unhappy with myself. With each of my pregnancies, I had Gestational Diabetes, and the doctors all told me that there was a good chance that I could end up with Type 2 Diabetes as well. High blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes run rampant in my family, and my own father had his first heat attack at the age of 45. Here I was 37, three kids, over weight, and not being able to keep up with my kids. I could see the hand writing on the wall, and I knew I needed to make a change.

I started with small changes, just simply moved more, and watched what I was eating. We had more whole foods in the house, and prepackaged foods were at their minimum. I started running, and entered my first long distance race, in which I finished right in the middle of the pack, so I was happy. I had more energy than I ever had even when I was in my 20s, and was finally losing inches that I thought would never come off. My cholesterol levels went down, and my doctor stopped mentioning health concerns at every visit. Within one year I was down 25 lbs and 15 overall inches. I knew that if I could do it, so could anyone, so I made it a goal to help others reach their fitness goals.

I am now a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, and it truly is my passion to see others get stronger and change their lifestyles. I have been a trainer for five years now, and I love every class I teach and every participant that comes. It gives me great joy to see others smile and learn to love fitness as much as I, and to be just a small part of their fitness journeys. I used to teach 15-20 classes a week, and while I enjoyed helping so many people, I was doing major damage to my body. I needed to take a break and live out what I was telling my participants. To listen to their bodies and only do what you can handle. I was pushing myself beyond what my body could handle, and I have since had to reduce my schedule drastically.  I currently teach three classes a week out of my church, a Zumba class and two Boot camp type classes, and I am focusing on being balanced.

It is my firm belief that fitness is about having your mind, soul and body all working together. You can’t just focus on one aspect of fitness and expect to be fit. You need to have a balanced workout of cardio, strength and flexibility yes, but you also need to get enough rest in the day. Eat real foods, but don’t obsess over what you eat. Enjoy your food, and eat moderately. Enjoy your life, and live it modestly. Move, and enjoy your movements. Find what makes you happy, and stick with that. Be fit. Be happy.

Laura

(Certified Personal Trainer)

Photos courtesy of Custom Concepts Photography