Here's a story from a client (who has become a dearest friend) who'd been training with me for just over 7 months at the time. Her story is incredible - she started her own company at just 26 years old and has not let that be an excuse to let her health slide. She is in constant action, and although her goals were never to lose weight, she ended up seeing that as a side benefit because she created great habits and stayed consistent through the process! Here's her story:
I’m 10 pounds lighter and a whole heck of a lot happier. My relationship with my skinny jeans has never been so strong. We are more in love than ever. But that’s not the real story about how I got to this happy place. It all started when I added “Entrepreneur”to my resume.
My lifestyle turned upside down when I started my own marketing company. Routines became nearly impossible; finding time for myself was a fantasy; and, managing my new level of stress was cumbersome. With only two years left in my twenties, I was determined to not let this new lifestyle hold me back. I still had dreams above and beyond owning my own business.
Six months ago, I decided I wanted to be more active and live a healthier lifestyle. I’ve always eaten relatively healthfully, but my physical fitness was non-existent. The gym was my version of Narnia, a scary and mysterious world with mythical beasts and apparatuses I’d never seen before. I was always scared to go in. I knew I needed help to walk through the wardrobe, to find the fit and healthy lifestyle I was after. That’s when I found Leigh, and my fitness journey began.
When we started, I set two goals to work towards:
Run a 5-km race.
Do a strict pull-up.
I was truly starting from square one, which meant getting my bearings in Narnia (the gym version), learning proper movements, and fitting my workouts into my busy schedule. And my square one, I kid you not, was me—struggling to complete a sole push-up from my knees. There were many times I doubted myself. During those times, when I didn’t believe I could do it, Leigh did.
It’s nice to relinquish control, to not be the one making decisions, and to decompress for 60 minutes of my day—especially as a business owner. I started to look forward to my training sessions and to seeing how I was going to surprise myself. Trusting in Leigh and committing myself was how I was going to accomplish my first goal. To me, completing a 5-km race symbolizes that I have the endurance to go the distance.
On Sunday June 1, 2014, I crossed the finish line of my 5-km race. I’ve never felt so proud of myself. I’ve accomplished many things in my life, but this … this was instant joy. And the best part? The feeling was contagious. Completing a simple fitness goal has rippled into every aspect of my life. I feel more confident with everything that is thrown my way.
Next stop: Pull–Upville.
This is really just the beginning of my new life, and I couldn’t be more excited. Narnia isn’t so scary anymore, and losing 10 pounds was a bonus. I can’t wait to accomplish my next goal, and the many more after that one.
-Courtney