Let me first start off by saying I am not a strength coach or a nutritionist. I am a woman who hated my body and battled anorexia/bulimia for 27 years. I started lifting weights, fell in love with the process and started finding myself making the changes in my life that I knew I needed for so long. I would like to tell you that I discovered some magic trick or magic pill that will enhance your body or make you more beautiful, but the fact of the matter is --- your body is already amazing and you are incredibly beautiful --- convincing yourself of that though can take some work. Hard, deep work, discipline, and trust.
For me the work looks something like this:
Hard, deep work:
Lifting weights – at points, especially when you are lifting your heavy weight/workout weight, you can find yourself mustering up every bit of strength you have in your body unsure of whether or not you are going to be able to complete the rep. Sometimes you want to walk away for fear that you may not be able to make it through the next set. You know you want to keep going, you know it will only make you stronger, but it is so hard.
Counseling – at points, especially when you are wading through the heavy baggage, you can find yourself mustering up every bit of strength you have in your body just to continue telling your story and you are unsure of whether or not you are going to ever truly heal. Sometimes you want to walk away because you are so tired, and you don’t know if you will be able to make it through the next minute much less the next counseling session. You know you want to keep going, you know it will only make you stronger, but it is so hard.
Prayer – at points, especially when you feel like you are fighting a never-ending battle, you can find yourself mustering up every bit of strength that you have in your body just to continue talking to God. You are unsure of whether He is even listening. Sometimes you want to walk away because you feel like this is your lot in life, the cross you are supposed to carry. You are so frustrated, tired, and ashamed. You know you want to keep going to Him, you know it will only make you stronger, but it is so hard.
Discipline:
Lifting weights – So, you keep going back to the bar because you know that it will only make you stronger. You plan your workouts in advance. Doing them becomes almost second nature – like brushing your teeth. You feed your body lots and lots of protein. You see teeny, tiny small changes and you learn to celebrate even the smallest victories. You smile and shout “Heck Yeah!” when you meet the big challenges and you learn to appreciate your body for the wonder that it is. You begin to feel every movement and notice when something is not quite right – you recognize that you don’t need to change the plan you only need to make a small adjustment. And, you ask the question “What just happened?”
Counseling – So, you keep going back to the counselor’s office because you know that it will only make you stronger. You schedule your appointments in advance. Going to them becomes almost second nature – like putting gas in your car. You listen to your counselor and follow their recommended plan. You see teeny, tiny small changes and you learn to celebrate even the smallest victories. You might leave their office crying, but you meet the big challenges and you learn to appreciate your body for the wonder that it is. You begin to feel every change in your body and notice when something is not quite right – you recognize that you don’t need to change the plan you only need to make a small adjustment. You breathe in deeply and ask yourself “What is causing me to feel this way?”
Prayer – So, you keep going back to God because you know that it will only make you stronger. You schedule your time with Him in advance. Going to Him becomes almost second nature – like breathing. You listen to Him and follow His plan. You see teeny, tiny small changes and you learn to celebrate even the smallest victories. You realize that He is always with you and the big challenges begin to feel small in comparison to the love He has for you. You learn to appreciate your time with Him. You begin to feel a deep sense of peace. You still notice when something is not quite right – but you recognize that you don’t need to change the plan you only need to go to Him. You breathe in deeply and you ask “God, can you take this?”
Trust:
Lifting weights – And, so you trust. You trust that the program works. You trust your trainer to guide you in the right direction. You trust your body to let you know how far to push it. You trust yourself to know that you are making the best and most beneficial decisions for the physical well-being of your body.
Counseling – And, so you trust. You trust that the process works. You trust your counselor to guide you in the right direction. You trust your body to let you know how far to push it. You trust yourself to know that you are making the best and most beneficial decisions for the mental and emotional well being of your heart and mind.
Prayer – And, so you trust. You trust that God is working. You trust that God is/has already been walking with you guiding you in the right direction. You trust Him to let you know how far to push. You trust yourself to know that you are making the best and most beneficial decisions for the spiritual well being of your soul.
And, after all of that you breathe and rest.
Until next time continue to GET STRONG! Have a beautiful day, ya’ll!
Love,
Jen
To view the short introductory clip for Get Strong with Jen Strength Training – click here.
