I grew up very active. I tried every sport {my poor parents}. Volleyball, basketball (EPIC FAIL), softball, cross country skiing, and then eventually stuck to dance. My dad went to the gym consistently as I was growing up, and I'd often go with him and he would stress the importance of lifting weights, spot me, and teach me everything he knew. Being a typical teenager, I didn't listen, but I enjoyed the dates with my dad. I loved to rollerblade, bike, and do anything outside. Although I was active, I had a HORRIBLE diet. I ate anything quick, easy, from a box, and drank about 6 Mt. Dew's a day... yes S I X.
Then college came... and I honestly cannot recall working out more than a handful of times my entire college career {other than dance parties with my roomates on late nights}. I was never overweight, but certainly did not have much muscle... if any.
Around the same time I became a RN, I decided that if I was teaching people to be healthy at work, I had to take my own advice too. I could not give my patients orders, that I myself wasn't following. One night around this time I was working out at a local gym and this 80 year old woman followed me on the row machine, and SHE INCREASED THE WEIGHT! Yes, that's right, an 80 year old was not only lifting more than me, but she also busted out more reps than I did. I was horrified {and extremely impressed}! From that day on I did everything I could to learn about changing my diet, and getting stronger.
My husband was playing for the Chicago Cubs at the time, and had ENDLESS knowledge about fitness and nutrition. I watched him fuel his body with food, not satisfy cravings {which I did for my entire life}. I slowly made small changes towards a healthier lifestyle. I tried SO hard to listen to his advice in the gym, but that was a horrible idea. I'm not sure what it is, but I think I'm just far too competitive to let him see me in an area which I hadn't perfected yet.
After eating clean, lifting, and working out consistently, I became addicted to how amazing I felt. I was soda free for longer than I've ever been in my life, and now I got killer stomach aches when I ate like crap {when before my stomach could handle just about ANY amount of sugar I put into it}.
I've worked LONG and HARD to get that RN, BSN after my name. I have 2 nursing jobs that I love, and I truly enjoy going to work for. So why on earth would I pursue fitness coaching if I already have 2 jobs that I enjoy? Because... I was already doing coaching without even knowing it. I was making my friends meal plans, gym routines, sharing recipes all the time, texting some of them daily to keep them on track. Soon this expaned from friends and family to co-workers. I didn't even think twice about it because I loved fitness SO much I could talk about it all day!
There is NOTHING more rewarding than someone sending you a message thanking you so much for saving them from a dark time, helping them get out of a rut they were stuck in for years, inspiring them to do things they never thought they could do, or hearing weight loss stories and seeing unbelievable before and after pictures.
Nursing has very difficult hours to have a family life around. Days, nights, on-call, holidays, weekends, etc. I want more than anything to be a mother and have a family someday, and I know that this would be a difficult schedule to work around, and the LAST thing I want is to miss any part of my future children's precious childhood years.
Not only does fitness coaching allow me to help & serve others, just as nursing does, but I can BE MYSELF without any rules, regulations, orders, etc. I can "work" from home in my pajamas all day. I can push people to believe in themselves not only in regards to fitness, but in life as well. I can turn dreamers into believers. I can talk about failures, successes, my OPINIONS, my BELIEFS, keep myself accountable, and create a life of FREEDOM being my OWN BOSS. I can build that life that would allow me to be PRESENT for my future children.
what. a. blessing.
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