"How Strength Training Transformed My Life: A Personal Journey"

A Personal Journey on how strength training up leveled not only my outer appearance, but my entire life.

I have always been passionate about physical activity and exercise. I was always signing myself up for the next running event. I loved the environment of races. Everyone gathered around for one goal: to cross the finish line. I always found the comradery of running a race so fun and invigorating. I still do to this day. Outside of the racing, community of runners, and running endorphins- I always seemed to long for more than just running. It was like I was missing a piece to my puzzle of exercise and healthier living.

I was approached in my early twenties by a coach about participating in the sport of body building, and my brain at the time was not mature enough to recognize the power of participation in this sport. I was very judgmental about the sport at the time because I always looked at body builders as self absorbed individuals who didn't care about anything but the gym. Fast forward 10 years- I am absolutely obsessed with the sport of body building, and finding delayed gratification in everything I pursue is the new mantra of my life.

Body building requires grit, determination, patience, and a lot of effort into lifting and strength training, while trying to balance your finances, relationships, passions, professional life, and other hobbies. Once I began the process of lining my identity with that of a body builder, I can say strength training started making positive deposits into my physical health, which in turn positively impacted all the other areas of my life.

As a women who spent over a decade dieting, doing cardio for punishment, lifting only little pink baby weights, and participating in HIIT class after HIIT class- I always felt like I was physically exhausted after these "runs/classes" but never seeing the change I wanted to see when I looked in the mirror. There is no fault in cardio based classes and activities like running, HIIT classes, and cycle classes if you find pure enjoyment in them. Movement through aerobic/cardiovascular training is good for your overall wellbeing, and also great for your long term cardiovascular health.

However- to see muscular growth and build lean muscle tissue externally, you have to strength train. Not the type of strength training at an elevated heart rate, with jumping, and minimal rest. The type of strength training where you lift with intention, do the same lifts week after week, and each week look to progress. I avoided this form of exercise in my early twenties because of a scarcity mindset of the weight room. I didn't want to be in a male dominated area, I lacked confidence in execution of lifts, and the stigma around "getting bulky" ate at me.

Throughout my undergrad and graduate education, I studied a lot of exercise physiology concepts, and began to recognize the impact of strength training on gaining lean muscle mass, and losing fat. Although high amounts of cardiovascular exercise does show statistically significant improvement in fat loss, the ability to gain lean muscle tissue can only come from strength training. I decided after feeling unhappy with my outer appearance for so long to stop having a scarcity mindset with the weight room, and start focusing on my long term goals. I began dedicating my time and energy to lifting weights and strength training. I haven't turned back since. With proper dieting and an intelligent strength training routine: this has been the most change externally that I have ever had. I finally feel confident in my own skin.

Strength training has improved so many aspects of my life. It helped improve my metabolism. I used to be the girl who feared eating out of a deficit. I would avoid certain food groups and label them as "bad." I would punish myself with cardio if I overate my carbs or calories for the day. Today- I spend much of my time eating out of deficits to build muscle, and although I am not lean all year around, when I do spend time eating in deficits or dieting to unlock my ideal body composition, the results that I am seeing are better than ever. I am the girl I looked up to at the gym 5 years ago.

Strength training has given me that outward confidence that I always looked for. My shoulders, arms, and waist look more slim and toned than ever before. I would have never guessed 10 years ago that this would require lifting really heavy weights in both my lower and upper body. I would have never guessed before that I would need rest between sets to push intensity with heavy weights. Sometimes getting out of your comfort zone and doing what you don't think you are capable of- is what gets you where you need to go.

I know that every time I lift I deposit into my overall wellbeing and improve my long term health. When I show up and put the effort into my physical health, I also see this pouring into other areas of my life; my relationships, my spiritual health/god, my professional life, and my mental health. Committing to improving my health through strength training has given me the confidence to commit to the other areas of my life too.

If you feel like you have been participating in exercise and diet for a long time, and are still not seeing the results you want. Maybe it is time to ask yourself if you are truly committing 100 percent into the facet of strength training. Although cardiovascular training and high impact exercise training has its benefits, strength training may be the missing piece to your puzzle to really unlock that external confidence you have been looking for. Strength training has not only leveled up my outer appearance, but it has given me the confidence to be successful with my marriage, relationships, activities of daily life, professional life, and mental/spiritual health.

Maybe it's time to ask yourself- When is the last time you poured into your physical health? If you start- watch it ripple positively into all the other areas of your life.