Not your typical coach’s bio.

I wasn’t an athlete growing up. I don’t have sports trophies that span over decades. In fact, my last team sport involved me confused and crying at basketball tryouts, and again that night when I got the phone call that I didn’t make the team.

If i went back in time…

To high school, where I was credits short to graduate because of my poor grades in gym, and told myself

“Someday you’ll be able to put 200lbs over your head and do pull ups. You’ll win weightlifting meets. You’ll literally be one of the strongest women you know.”

I would look myself square in the face and say, “Yeah right!”.

I was so anxious and embarrassed of my abilities that I’d pull myself out of activities preemptively. I ripped up old school photos because I hated the way I looked. I felt like “fitness” was a world I’d never belong to. I told myself I was too far behind to try.

I told myself “I’ll start tomorrow”. “I’ll just eat less”. “I don’t have the time”. “I don’t care”… I literally took my first CrossFit class to prove to my friends that I wouldn’t like it (I’ve never been so glad to be wrong).

That class changed everything. Now I trust myself to take risks and learn new things. I can enjoy food and eat well on autopilot. I feel more comfortable taking up space. Even so,

It hasn’t been easy…

I live with Anxiety and Panic Disorder. I live with chronic pain. I’ve had injuries and setbacks.

I went into a period of over-training and under-eating. It plateaued my performance, wrecked my skin, and left me defensive at anyone who expressed concern.

I was seeing myself backslide in a new way, and I was longing for balance. So, I became an expert in my own experience. I hired different people to help discover what worked for me.

It was hard to spend that kind of money on myself, but I realized that I couldn’t spend more time trying to handle it on my own.

I still have good days and bad days, but I have a much better understanding of what I need to keep balance.

I’m glad that despite the challenges I’ve never given up on the belief that I am worth trying for.

Trying has allowed me to learn, adjust, and continue forward, while not trying has only ever ensured I would stay exactly where I was stuck.

My journey is where I learned all the things I can do. It has taken time— longer than I thought or wanted. But,

I learned That

Whether I want to stand on a podium, or be a boomin’ Granny who can carry all her groceries on one arm, taking care of myself physically and emotionally is paramount. They say that taking care of yourself is part of taking care of others. What I learned is that I want to take care of myself because I deserve care.

It is never too late to start, and you don’t have to do it alone.

I believe wellness is a lifelong journey. Not a four-week challenge. Not a cleanse.

But rather a scenic winding path that is well worth the stories and the views.

I wish I had someone to tell my sixteen year-old self all of these things. Maybe I would have come to these realizations sooner. Ultimately though, all that matters is that I’m here now, and I’m here to do work.

Benefits of strength training (lifting weights)

• Better balance

• Increased metabolism

• Less aches & pains

• Increased bone density

• Feel good no matter what you’re wearing (or not wearing)

Benefits of exercise in general

• Enhanced mood

• Cardiovascular health

• Stress release

• Live easier, for longer