Friday Finds {Vol 18} - Strength Training

Since having my second baby, it took quite a while to find my workout groove. I joined a gym because I thought sneaking away in the evenings would be my "me time." But, let's face it - by the time evening rolled around, I wanted to face plant into my pillow. I never thought I'd be a home workout person, but my life couldn't keep up with the gym life.

Enter boot camp, and I was hooked. Yet, I can't go all the time, and working out 2 days a week was not what my anxious self needed - I needed more to calm my nerves and to make me feel human again. After all, there was a person under all this mom life. So what to do? I just wanted 30 minutes a day to get me stronger and feeling better. I love my first at-home workout purchase but was interested in strength training.

My sweet friend/mentor recommended Body Beast, and I was skeptical on this big dude telling this mom to lift heavy. But, I tried it and kept on following the workout guide. With this workout and my boot camp, I grew muscles I never thought I'd have or see. And, it's not just about the muscles but how much stronger I am overall. I love the thought that this mother of 2 can do push-ups better than ever!

The Program

With this program comes workouts for each muscle group - shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, chest, and legs. There is even a cardio and ab workout to break up the strength training. When I would go to the gym, I'd run on the treadmill but stay away from the free weights because I felt like people were critiquing my every move. With this program, I am learning the correct form and gaining confidence in strength training. 

This past month, I held a challenge group with some amazing couples who enjoyed the program and its guide. These couples were working out together and seeing results. And, I finished my first round not long ago and have incorporated some of the workouts into my plans. I feel as though with this program, I can teach myself more about strength training and share what I've learned when I fulfill my goal of becoming a boot camp instructor.

Source

The Plan

My goal with fitness - with this blog too - is to reach out and help those trying to find that person inside - the one behind the mom life. Almost two years ago, I reached out because I felt unhappy and unsure about who I was. I found that working out - even for 30 minutes at a time - calmed me down. Once I saw changes, I knew I needed to incorporate it more into my routine. So, it leaves me with this - and I've said it before - reach out. If you're longing to change up your routine or want to learn more, I do believe there are programs - such as Body Beast - to make you grow. You just have to ask.

With Love,

Kim