You have not landed on this page by accident. There is a divine
drawing for people to come together into a certain place or space in
time, to meet, to inspire, to grow and to share.
My purpose is to help beginners start on their journey to better health so that they can live a more vibrant life filled with joy and excitement.
Beginners are the people who have been sedentary for months, even years, who really want to get started on the path to a healthier lifestyle and are looking for the right program or tool tailored to their needs.
Have you enrolled in the Beginner Boot Camp just to feel like you were going to literally pass out after 15 minutes?
Have you taken the Beginner Fitness Class just to feel like you were really the only one who was a beginner?
Have you started a 28-Day Jump Start just to realize that you cannot actually do 20 Jumping Jacks, 20 Situps, 20 Pushups and 20 Squats?
Have you found yourself in tears trying to understand how you allowed yourself to get to this state in your life and wonder how you will ever get out of it if you cannot join the beginner classes?
THIS was the story of my life until I decided that I was just going to create my own program that was TRULY BEGINNER (read my blog - you have to start somewhere).
Was I always unhealthy before this? No.
I had been going to the gym every morning before work until one day I had an accident and broke my right foot. I couldn't drive a car much less go to the gym and get on a treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical trainer. I was in a cast for 8 weeks, then a walking boot for 8 weeks and to this day, I still have pain in my foot. I gained over 30 lbs during this time.
About 6 months after my foot healed, when I really felt like I could do most activities without too much pain. I joined a 1-month boot camp for beginners. Day 1 - my instructor asked me to run a mile (no lie). I told her, I can't run a mile. I am not even sure I can walk a mile without stopping to rest a few times. She told me that was ok, we just wanted to mark my time so that at the end of the month, when I run a mile again I will know how much progress I have made. I went to every class for the month and at the end of the month, I still could not run a mile. After every class, I would feel like maybe I was just being a wuss because I felt physically sick that I could not do the program as well as some of my classmates.
I loved my boot camp instructor and told her that I thought it would be fun to do a kick boxing class. She told me that she teaches a class at the YMCA and even people who have never done it before will be able to do it. My boyfriend (now husband) and I went to the class. I tried to keep up with the moves. I tried to go a little slower and do just some of the moves. I left the class early, went to the ladies bathroom and broke down in tears. I wondered how did I allow myself to get in this shape where I cannot even keep up with a beginners class.
I quit trying and gained another 30 lbs.
I decided in 2015 that I was going to try again. I went online and started looking for beginner workouts. As I read what was involved in the beginner workouts, jump starts, etc I thought, pfft I cannot do 5 jumping jacks let alone 20 on top of 20 situps, 20 squats and 20 pushups.
My honest reaction was - what the hell is wrong with these people? these are not beginner workouts for someone who has not exercised in 5 years or more.
This time though, instead of being discouraged, I decided, I am going to just make my own program and a routine that I know I can do and can stick with.
Your story could be very different from mine but the end result can still be the same.
I am still a work in progress but have already lost 25 lbs this year. Considering the fact that I was almost completely sedentary from Jan 2009 until the beginning of Jan 2016, I have made more progress in the past 6 months than I had in the previous 7 years combined. I am doing things I enjoy and I am not feeling like I am the only beginner in a class full of supposed beginners.
One of the first things I did was stop listening to all the 'experts' and start doing the things that I truly know in my own heart and body.
I have put together my own fitness routine, my own meal plan, my own process for getting healthy.
The biggest mistake I made was thinking that I had to do this the way that everyone else was doing it.
Here are the steps you need to take to make these changes in your life: