so. if you have been stalking me for any length of time, you know after the big BU last year, my sister bought me 6 weeks with her personal trainer. the initial point was “skinny is the best revenge” but the sub plot was “maybe it will keep your head out of the oven”. what i didnt realize was how much it would change how i feel. physically and mentally.

i’ll start right off by saying i’m a trainers nightmare. i whine. a lot. i also drink a lot. and not like water and tea, but like beer. good beer. in fact, that was what got me into the mess in the first place. i discovered craft beer a few years ago and that was chris and I’s primary source of entertainment for 4 years. some people chase tornadoes, we chased good beer. we planed trips solely around good beer. it was beyond a hobby it was a lifestyle. but what happens when you drink good beer. at 250-350 calories per beer? well you put on weight. and i packed on a solid 20 extra pounds of beer weight.

so my goal was to get that weight OFF. well. let me tell you. the difference between being 20, or 30 and being 40! is huge. i used to think ‘gosh i wish i could lose 10 lbs’ and i’d wake up the next day 10 lbs thinner. ok, maybe thats an exaggeration but really. it was so much easier. also, as a former gymnast, i hadnt done much of any physical activity other than chasing kids around for the last 20 years. so not only had i added weight, but i have a LOT of physical issues from my former athletic life. and with all this, i started working with Jason.

so a year later, and a pretty inconsistent schedule, this is what i know. if i’m going to really make drastic changes i had to let go of the beer. outside of my vacation i’ve largely let go of the beer/vodka nightcap. despite my reluctance to give that up my body HAS changed. that wavy arm thing you notice when you blow dry your hair and you look in the mirror and go “oh my god i have Oprah arm?”  gone. i’m hella stronger. i’ve always been something akin to an ant where i can move furniture 6x my size, but i notice it in different ways. like cutting down Coopers branch last summer running a chain saw above my head. my arms didnt quiver or shake. i felt like a bad ass.

i’m no runner but i can run or bike much longer distances, my muscles are simply strong! i see a definition in my back and shoulders that wasnt there a year ago. but the best best best part is that my back is better. jason works with me every time im in to strengthen my back and makes sure i am STRETCHING properly for my particular issues. this is fundamental.

the one thing i know. for 100% sure. is i would NEVER push myself as hard as he does, and i would never hold myself accountable like he does. its not my nature. obviously.

I still have a long way to go, to get the 40 year old body i’d like to have. but i had to take the final step and make some choices to let some calories go to do it. and i’d have never been able to do any of it without a personal champion coaching me.

for those of you who are wanting to make serious changes, i can not recommend enough, working personally with a trainer. either for a short time to get you rolling, or ongoing to help you get to your goal. I’m not sure i’d have ever done it if my sister hadnt started me on the path, but im so so thankful to have had this last year and look forward to continuing my journey to a healthier, fitter life.

oh, and on days when i want to strangle pretty much anyone and everything, exercise is simply the best stress relief. i think its the wanting to die for 50 minutes and the relief that you didnt that makes you able to cope with society again. whatever, it works!