Weights, cardio...and the gym

I am 41 years old. Been working out with weights since I am 18 years old, consistently. At 18 I got pregnant with my daughter Heather who is 21 years old now. As soon as I had her I went back to the gym. I followed the big guys around. I was never the girl to take a class, and jump up and down off a stepper thing. Doing the "grapevine" was soooo NOT me. I LOVED being in the weight room where there were hardly any girls. Lifting made me feel strong, accomplished empowered and to be quite honest, saved my life (a story for another time). At 21 I had my son- who is now 19 years old. After I had Tyler, I got even more serious about working out. By the time I was 24-25, I discovered Monica Brant who is a pioneer in the fitness industry. She is GORGEOUS, FIT, an athlete, a Figure (PRO) competitor and most importantly, a spiritual woman. I started following her and wanted to look like her. She was my role model for so many years....

Year after year, I got stronger and stronger more and more fit, and healthier and healthier. This lifestyle was a work in progress, but I was willing to go on  this journey and do it right. Let me just tell you now, that it takes YEARS to really know your body, UNDERSTAND your body and create a PHYSIQUE like Monica and other female athletes and figure girls. I did my share of figure competitions and I did well, however, I wasn't satisfied with just getting on stage looking beautiful in stripper heels and glue on my ass so my suit wouldn't ride up. I still felt that I could accomplish so much more.  I had enough self insecure issues, I didn't need a slew of judges to tell me I looked great or better than the girl next to me. Screw that. I don't compete with anyone- because I could care less who looks better or if I look better- I compete with ME!

My workouts by the time I hit my 30's were more athletic than the typical bodybuilder workouts. I loved how sprinting made me feel. I Loved how wearing a heart rate monitor and zoning in my calorie burn motivated me to work harder, sweat more, lift more! I got into running back in 2008, and never looked back. It did something to me. I felt this release, this "AHH", and it also connected me to God whom I call The BIG Man Upsatirs. On my runs, I would have mental conversations with him, and when I was done with my run, whatever weight I was carrying on my shoulders, that stress was gone. Running allowed me to really shine as a mother and wife. I felt even MORE accomplished, confident, empowered and yea, even more beautiful-I say beautiful because when a woman has less stress, smiles more and takes care of herself from the inside out, She is beautiful.

I worked hard on me- changes from my mental wellbeing to my physical self. From the time I was 36 until now at 41- These are the years I sculpted my mind body and soul to the woman I am this very second.  Creating my  best physique has been such a journey, such fun and along the way I have helped so many other women feel empowered to do the same.

Mario and I decided to get pregnant when I was 40. We would at least start the process..... Visiting doctors, looking at our options and making plans. All the while I had it in my mind that I would continue with my work, and my workouts into my pregnancy, besides, who is healthier and more fit than me? HA! If anyone could handle it, I could!

Going through IVF takes a toll on you mentally, emotionally and physically. I remember when we started doing the shots in my belly we had such a hard time because my abs were so tight there was nothing to pinch. I looked like a battered women for weeks! Half way through the first round and 5pounds up later, we stopped because the medication wasn't working. We decided to wait till the next cycle which was about a month later. I continued with my runs and training, but was kind of in a funk, I guess I had it in my mind that because I am so healthy, OF COURSE I would get pregnant right away. NOT THE CASE!

Round two started in November-and each time Mario and I injected those meds, I was praying to the Big Man Upstairs. "You can take my abs, I won't run anymore, I will bring the baby to church every Sunday, Just give me a healthy pregnancy, please". This was my prayer.

Well, God answered my prayers! It worked! One full cycle of the right combo of IVF meds, and we found out we're pregnant! I couldn't be happier!!!!!

Let me just tell you.... All my crazy ideas about running, getting to the gym everyday, and keeping your energy- HA! OUT THE WINDOW with that nonsense! SILLY ME! The first trimester knocked me on my ass so hard I felt as if I went to sleep for 10 weeks woke up and there I was. I tried my hardest to get to the gym starting at 10 weeks. If I made it there 2 times a week, that was a lot. I did what I could.

No runs for me, and that's for sure! My boobs were so sore, and While the Dr. said not to run, she did say I could bike walk and lift weights but lightly. Letting go of my 8-pack, ripped arms and teeny shreeeded legs was super hard for me in  the beginning. I was afraid I would get FAT, I was afraid my husband wouldn't love me like this and I didn't want anyone to think I let myself go. Sounds a little selfish, but it was the truth.

Still I ate what my body wanted, started to feel a little better towards the middle of the second trimester, and as my belly grew and got more round, I became more comfortable in my own skin- My new skin. Each  time I went to the doctor and saw her progress, listened to her heart beat and felt the little flutters,

I began to realize these truths:
1. The gym and the roads will always be there.
2. This baby is all we have wanted and wished for for so long
3. I am madly in love with her already
4. My body is NOT my body for 9 months and any month thereafter that I breastfeed
5. I will bounce back in time
6. My husband can't keep his hands off of me, and NEVER did I feel more love from him

When I look around the gym, and I catch people'e eyes, especially women, They look at me differently. Almost is if I am no longer a threat to them. The truth is, I never was. I may have looked sexy, fit, pretty, whatever you want call it, but to me, I was just another woman on my own journey towards a healthy fit life. A woman who was so madly in love with her husband that I wanted to start all over and give him a baby-  SO while I was not the friendliest in the gym while I was working out, it's because I was in my zone, wrapped in my own little world..... getting from where I was 20 + years ago to where I am now- On top of the world!

I owe it to the gym!