Sometimes we’re given mountains.

You’ve been given this mountain to show other women (and men) that it can be moved. (Rachel Hollis)

I recently watched a Rachel Hollis documentary called Made For More and it hit me. Hard. In the stomach. When I stood up from that punch it slapped me. Across the face. Hard.

I WAS made for more, wasn’t I? I wasn’t put on this Earth JUST to be a Mom (although in any given conversation I will tell people just that) or a wife or a daughter or a worker bee.  I was made to DO something.  Finding fitness helped me with that confidence I so desperately needed to do MORE. Be MORE. Love myself MORE.

Right before I joined back in August I was pretty low. I had succumbed to my weight. I decided that I was going to learn to feel pretty in the unhealthy state I was in because, well, no other workout plan stuck.  Then I tried to fit into a movie theatre seat. It was one of those reclining ones that will literally make you so comfy you fall asleep during the previews. If you’re anything like me, I keep going and going until I need to sit down because usually when I come to a complete stop, I fall asleep. But I digress…  when I couldn’t fit comfortably in a reclining seat I knew. When I couldn’t be comfortable in a chair at an outside table at a restaurant, I knew. When my son got older and met the woman of his dreams, I knew.  Elena, you have GOT to do something or you won’t see future grandchildren grow up.

I decided that I wanted to spread my love of fitness with other people. I wanted to TELL people about it… like not just talk about it a little bit but (forgive me here) PREACH it’s gospel. Sometimes I’ll see someone and think “I wish I could just take them by the hand and lead them to this promised land of barbells and bikes and rowers and modifications and SHOW them the way to healthy.”  I feel so strongly about it that I want to just talk about it constantly.

So, I’m going to. I’ve looked into a few things and I’ve been working with Joleen and Leighton and coming end of May/beginning of June I’ll be starting to do something called Mat Chats.  I don’t want to give out too many details but I wanted to help people see that someone my size (now down to 250 lbs!!) DOES fitness and LOVES it. I wanted people to feel less alone, less worried, less embarrassed and to help them get ready to fight for their lives.

One of the best things about having to go into this kind of battle is you always have battle buddies that will back  you up, cheer you on and make sure you’re ok. Our community is not so different.  We battle with our minds every day so when we show up at 13 Stripes, we need help from our fellow gym goers to get us through a work out and we get it!

Consider me one of your battle buddies.  I’m your cheerleader.  As you move that mountain you’ve been given I’ll be hooting and hollering as you move it inch by inch. You can do it! You’ve got this! Don’t give up! Keep moving! Then I’ll high five you as you take time to rest, reflecting in what you just accomplished. You go, girl!

See you at the Box!

#fromcouchtofitness #mystandardsmyway #wecanmovemountains #matchat