Our Spotlight Member this month is Anat! She is dedicated and consistent, always challenges herself, and loves to see her training partners succeeding right alongside her. In her interview, Anat shares how getting stronger makes life easier outside the gym, and how important it is to prioritize your own self care.
BREAKTHROUGH: I am very excited to chat with you, Anat and see how you are feeling and learn more about your Why. But first I always like to start with how you felt before you joined and what led you to us.
ANAT: I felt that I needed to add weight training. As we get older, we lose muscle mass…
BREAKTHROUGH: Yep!
ANAT: And we obviously need it. I’ve been taught to workout throughout my adult life, but I would be picking and choosing. I did yoga, Pilates, I did do weights in different intervals in my life but I kind of put it aside because I felt that you do need someone to watch over you in order to do things right. And so, the need was there. It was just getting the right match.
BREAKTHROUGH: Yeah, yeah. I remember it was the end of May of last year when you came and we chatted for a long time that first day. And I felt like ‘ok! This is going to be a good fit.’
ANAT: Yes!
BREAKTHROUGH: So, tell me how you feel now that it is coming up a year.
ANAT: I am definitely stronger. I am surprised that I am lifting the weight that I am. I am more aware of what I am doing and how I am doing things in my daily life, incorporating what you’ve taught me into daily routines.
BREAKTHROUGH: Nice! I always love hearing about that – I mean, I see you guys in the gym. I see the strong, amazing things that you guys do, and how things progress from one month to the next. But, I don’t get to see all the things that happen outside the gym. So, tell me something you have noticed.
ANAT: For example, last week I had a big box that weighed a lot more than I thought. And when I went to lift it, I was like, I could do this all day long! So, things that I thought that I couldn’t do – if it’s lifting a heavy thing or pushing myself a little bit more – is coming about much easier.
BREAKTHROUGH: That’s awesome! Doing the stuff we do in the gym is fun, but I love to know that pretty much anything that comes my way outside of the gym, I am going to be able to handle. To me that’s what it’s all about.
ANAT: Yes, I notice when I am practicing yoga I hear your voice in my head… And whatever you’ve taught me, I implement to everything else that I do. Taking a hike. I did one – I told you – about a month ago on my own!
BREAKTHROUGH: Yes!
ANAT: It was a challenging one, but I did it on my own. So, even when I see challenging moments, I am like – pheew, that’s easy! I can deal with this.
BREAKTHROUGH: That’s what I love about strength training. It should make things easier for me whether I’m doing a yoga class or taking a hike. I think of strength training as the foundation, and then I should be able to try pretty much anything and do a better job of it.
ANAT: Exactly. Going food shopping and carrying heavy bags. I have always been able to, but today, the lifting seems to be different.
BREAKTHROUGH: It should be easier.
ANAT: Definitely! Without a doubt!
BREAKTHROUGH: Yay! I love that! So then tell me, finally, what is your why? What keeps you motivated to do this even when life is hard?
ANAT: My why is me first, and it took me a long time to realize that. Because if I don’t fill my cup first, I can’t pour to others. My why is my health and my wellbeing. My mental health, my physical being, my awareness. And then it pours over to my family, my kids, and everyone around.
BREAKTHROUGH: I completely agree with you. If you don’t take care of yourself, if you don’t do the things that prioritize you, how can you take care of everyone else?
ANAT: Of course!
BREAKTHROUGH: But it’s worth doing to just for the sake of taking care of you, regardless.
ANAT: It took me years to understand. First you! I contribute to others and I forget myself. On top of the why, I would love to become a grandma – sooner than later…
BREAKTHROUGH: Ha! Hint, hint!
ANAT: … and I want to have the energy, the capacity, the ability to do things with the grandkids. Enjoy it and be playful!
BREAKTHROUGH: Exactly! Of course! So many people are in that boat! You want to be able to keep up with the younger family members who are going to be coming your way. To get up off the ground, run around, and do all that stuff!
ANAT: Yes! Definitely! My kids are strong, and I know if I brought them here, I am probably stronger than them!
BREAKTHROUGH: Ha, Ha!
ANAT: They are strong, and they work out. But I believe the older we get, the more important it is, and I think that the reward outweighs the investment. Make sense?
BREAKTHROUGH: Yep, you are getting return on what you are investing: you’re getting dividends.
ANAT: Most definitely. Daily! Like you said. Even how you sleep, how you sit, how you pick up things. I never thought I could go that low on squats!
BREAKTHROUGH: Oh my gosh! I know! You are doing pikes upside down on the TRX. You are doing amazing things! If you have that foundation of strength, you can pick and choose and go do anything you want to do! And you will do it better because you have that foundation. Thank you very much for sharing all this! We appreciate you, Anat!
ANAT: Thank You! Thank You!