How I found myself among punching bags

This post is certainly going to be a departure from the typical business of this site. However, it is something that is on my mind in a big way, and I hope that it helps someone.

I realized that I needed to make a change for myself, physically, when my work posted a picture of a team celebration. It was a photo that I didn’t see of myself beforehand and I hadn’t angled in just the right way assuring that the photo would be as flattering as possible.

In fact, it was exactly the opposite, I hated the way that I looked. I stared at the photo in disbelief and with a bit of determination that I didn’t know I had before. I declared to myself that the picture would be my ‘before’ photo.

Determination like never before

On Monday, February 19th, at 6 am I went to a gym for the first time in longer than I care to admit. I stepped through the door, intimidated, nervous and quite frankly tired from worrying about the class the entire night before.

I was instantly put at ease and given instruction by the instructor, Lauren. The class lasted for 45 minutes, and as cliche as it sounds, that 45 minutes changed my life.

I was tired and sore, but I was hooked.

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A post shared by SixPax Fitness (@sixpaxfitness) on Feb 27, 2018 at 8:15am PST

No more excuses

You see, I have been operating for the last 9 years, like a large percentage of mothers do. Totally depleted, from running from place to place with her children.

It has been too easy to make the excuse that I am just too busy to fit in time at the gym.

I mean dinner isn’t just going to make itself.

Kids have homework to do.

The oldest has track practice.

The husband is at work.

and on and on and on.

I had been feeding myself those bullshit lines for far too long.

Sadly, as a result, my physical and mental health suffered. I was letting even very personal hygiene tasks like brushing and untangling my very long hair go undone simply because I didn’t want to stand in front of the mirror long enough to complete the job. Ya’ll that is a bad place to be.

I never thought of myself as overweight, I mean I knew that I was, but I didn’t really think of myself like that until I would see an occasional photo of myself. Still, nothing really ever changed the behavior.

The behavior and thinking behind getting in shape changed, when I went through a personal crisis at home. I realized that I could fix the problem at hand, but the likeliness of it really being fixed wouldn’t change until I addressed other parts of my life.

That’s where SixPax Fitness comes in. SixPax has made such a big difference in my life, that I don’t mind (much) getting up at 4:20 am so that I can make a 5 am class.

The world hasn’t grinded to a halt

I have traded eating out at noon, for going to a lunch class.

I realized my kids weren’t going to shrivel away and die if I have to bring them with me to an evening class while my husband works.

My husband and even a few co-workers have commented to me that I am nicer these days. It might be that I am getting my frustrations out when I strap on my boxing gloves and hit the bags until I have sweat dripping down my face.

I have found that I don’t yell as much as I was before, I have energy that I never thought was possible. I was so tired before, going to the gym wasn’t possibly going to help. Boy, was I wrong.

I am sure that my family and coworkers tire of hearing me talk about my latest workout, or talk about the gym that I have grown to love so much in just a little bit of time. I don’t really care if they are tired of it, to be honest. #sorrynotsorry

Sure, dinner might have to be a bit later in the evenings.  I might turn in earlier at night so that I get enough sleep to get up super early when I need to.  I don’t even really feel like I am missing out on the lunch breaks with co-workers.

The Earth hasn’t stopped spinning, my children don’t need therapy (yet) and my marriage hasn’t suffered because I decided to make myself a priority.

I don’t have a dramatic before and after photo, yet, but what I do have is an increased respect for myself and a desire to help myself become stronger and healthier.

Find what works for you.

I am fully aware that getting yourself where you need to be might not be found in a gym, it might be found by reading more, or taking time to be alone in nature. Perhaps it is taking a leap into something that you have been putting off because you have been scared. I urge you to go for it, do something for you, and in doing so you might just be helping your family.

I hope that you can find your own SixPax, whatever that may be and if you are in Louisville I would love for you to come and sweat your ass off with me.