My Health & fitness
JOURNEY
Body image and I go way back! As a 16 year old girl coming in at 6ft/160lb, even though I wasn't overweight, clearly I was built big. So goes without saying that I was always different than the other girls around me, heck even most of the boys! Let's just say I learnt the meaning of more than a number on the scale, early in my life! I really loved my big size though, and used it in sports to my advantage all throughout school. Once sports stopped however and life at a desk happened, the weight slowly piled on over the years. Add in a pregnancy down the road and well, I had become an exhausted, stressed out, cheese addicted, stay-at-home mom with a new record weight. Something changed in me at that weigh-in though. I needed to be healthier, for myself first and foremost, but also I craved to be the role model my family deserved.
And just like that, I had my "why". I decided and then committed to change. I made a plan. I started watching my nutrition by tracking macros and incorporated 30-45 minutes of resistance training 4-5 days a week, with a few days of bike riding and/or jump rope for cardio. With hard work, dedication, and consistency, I made slow but steady progress over a total of 2 years. I found great success getting healthier by losing around 70lbs going from >40% body fat to 21.1% body fat. Plus as exciting for me was lowering my resting heart rate from 73bpm down to averaging 51bpm!
Before I knew it, we were blessed with our second son! I brought him into the world safe and sound, but my life was almost cut short. Emergency surgery and transfusions saved my life and with that, my health & fitness journey took on a whole new meaning. I was left with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for what my body is capable of. As Tolkien wrote “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” I was going to make darn sure that I dedicate my time to make my body as healthy & strong as it could be! A fire was lit! I was progressing right along in my health & fitness journey. I eventually earned my Personal Trainer Certificate along the way and started my Nutritionist Certification. I was learning as much as I possibly could so I could share and start helping other women. Things were all coming together...and then of course, life happened again. I was involved in a severe motor vehicle accident where I sustained numerous injuries and have to work through the lasting effects of them everyday. It will remain one of the most defining days of my life.
Sometimes bad things will happen in life. Although you can't change that, you can always choose how you react.
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I share my health experiences because the truth is health & fitness isn't a straight forward path. Life happens and we are at times tested. Although we can't change that, we can always choose how to react. That mindset is really key to embrace on your own health & fitness journey. Setbacks will undoubtably happen, but progress, not perfection, is the goal. This has actually resulted in a new view of what health & fitness is for me. Through this view, I have been able to adopt and embrace different techniques, all of which allows me to not only progress in my own recovery, but be a better, well rounded coach and trainer.
As a mother, wife and personal trainer, whenever I start to feel overwhelmed, I try to pause and refocus on the important role that gratitude plays in my own journey.
Wherever you are in your journey, I would genuinely love to be the one to help you as you navigate your own path to your healthiest self. If you're ready, let's do this!
-Jenelle
