Lifting weights saved my life 11 years ago, and it’s proven to continue to do so everyday since 🖤
Over a decade ago I was dealing with the side effects of over-training and under-fueling and disordered eating. I was running 100 mile mountain races all while doing excessive fasting, following a strict low carb diet, and generally fearing all food.
After 30-something years of running, I walked away being a competitive 100 mile-ultra-marathon runner and picked up my first barbell. At the time, I was struggling with insomnia, depression (grieving the loss of running), weight gain, hormonal issues, and caught somewhere between restrictive eating and binge eating.
I never knew how much I would fall in love with lifting. But lifting, and fueling my body to be stronger, improve my PR’s in the gym, focus on the weight on the barbell (vs the weight on the scale), and obsess over my squat/bench/deadlift form (vs my appearance) helped me thru some of my darkest and toughest times over a decade ago, and continues to support me mentally and physically today.
Lifting weights saved my life.
Lifting weights takes a different kind of strength than running 100 miles.
After I quit running, I went on to compete in Power Lifting for several years, and even made it to Power Lifting Nationals! Today, I workout to be strong enough to keep up with my two dogs, hike up mountains in Colorado with my husband, kick Peri + Menopause’s ass, and have a body I can be confident and proud of!
I’m forever grateful that I got a second chance of being an athlete, and discovering balance and true happiness. It’s amazing what working out can do for us spiritually and physically. I’ve seen the positive effects just these past weeks- getting back into my local gym post surgery and reconnecting with all of the friends I’ve met from consistently working out.
