Our Spotlight Member this month is the amazing Erin! In her interview she talks about the importance of finding time to take care of herself , and how that self-care is improving her life and allowing her to be a great role model to her kids.
BREAKTHROUGH: Thank you, Erin, for being our spotlight member this month! You have been with us at Breakthrough for about nine months now…
ERIN: Yeah!
BREAKTHROUGH: So, tell me how you were feeling before you joined us?
ERIN: Out of shape!
BREAKTHROUGH: Oh no! What was it that made you feel like it was time to do something different?
ERIN: Your sister! Ha, ha!
BREAKTHROUGH: Oh, ok! Ha, ha! Well, yeah. Training partners are success multipliers, we always say.
ERIN: Theresa had been asking me for a very long time to join her for one of the free yoga classes. So, I finally did, and I really enjoyed it. My kids were finally old enough that I could make a little bit of time for myself. They weren’t in preschool anymore, so we had extra money. So, I said I couldn’t use money as an excuse anymore. After the class, I came for the assessment, and I really liked the people that I saw here. It felt like it would be my kind of environment.
BREAKTHROUGH: Great!
ERIN: It just felt like it was finally time to put some effort into making myself feel more like a human again as opposed to “Mom.”
BREAKTHROUGH: Well, so many people have been in that boat. When you have little ones, all your energy and effort goes to keeping them alive!
ERIN: Ha, ha! It’s a lot of effort!
BREAKTHROUGH: It is a lot of effort, especially when you have more than one. And then once they hit that school age, you are like, “Wait! Hold on a second! I actually have a moment to myself.” So, thank goodness, you made it! There is time for you now. And, now that you have been training consistently for several months, how are you feeling?
ERIN: I feel probably the most in shape that I have felt in my whole life.
BREAKTHROUGH: Yay!
ERIN: I mean, I never enjoyed working out. It was not my thing! So, this is probably the best I have felt, the strongest I have felt.
BREAKTHROUGH: Right!
ERIN: So, it is still obviously a work in progress. I have no balance!
BREAKTHROUGH: Ha, ha!That is not true!
ERIN: That has always been a problem for me. Mobility is not my issue, but balance has always been a big problem for me. I have always been worried that I am going to end up falling, like my mom. So, we work on that a lot. And it’s gotten much better.
BREAKTHROUGH: It has. It has.
ERIN: But it is still….
BREAKTHROUGH: It is a journey, you know!
ERIN: It’s a long journey!
BREAKTHROUGH: We don’t necessarily arrive at any place. We just realize there is more to work on. But as long as overall you are feeling stronger, and you are noticing progress…
ERIN: A lot of that!
BREAKTHROUGH: …That is what it is all about. So, is there anything that you have accomplished that has surprised you? Anything you are really excited about?
ERIN: I very much enjoy the barbell stuff!
BREAKTHROUGH: Yeah!
ERIN: I am a lot stronger with that than I thought I would be. I bought some stuff for my house, and I practice at home. My kids are starting to enjoy trying to work on that at home with me! So that actually surprised me a lot.
BREAKTHROUGH: You weren’t expecting to like it? Or be as strong at it?
ERIN: I was not expecting to be able to lift as much as early, I guess, as I did. So that was surprising.
BREAKTHROUGH: I think so often we just have no idea what we are capable of! I didn’t ever consider myself a gym person, which is partially why we opened Breakthrough. Because there needs to be a place where those of us who don’t feel like a gym person can go. So, I’ve had that same experience. It’s surprising once you start lifting, you are like “I am actually a lot stronger than I ever gave myself credit for. And I am still at the beginning of this journey so just think where I can go!” It is pretty powerful. We just started doing the barbells in the last few months….
ERIN: Yeah.
BREAKTHROUGH: Like the deadlift, for example, which you just did this morning. You’re definitely well over 100 pounds! Sets of 8 and you did 115 this morning. That is incredible! And it’s barely any time since you started doing it. Just imagine what it will be in a few more months!
ERIN: Yes!
BREAKTHROUGH: Amazing! Is there a particular “why” for you that gets you motivated? We always ask people their why – like on the days when you don’t necessarily feel like showing up, what is the motivation that gets you here anyway?
ERIN: I want to beat my sister! No! Ha, ha!
BREAKTHROUGH: Ha, ha! A little healthy competition?
ERIN: No, it’s because of my kids. Because I was always very insecure with my body, as most women probably are or were.
BREAKTHROUGH: Sure.
ERIN: Or as adults, even. But I want to do my best to not have my kids see that. If that can help them grow up not having the same type of issues that I did, then that will make me happy. Even at such a young age, I have already seen little bits of that in my daughter. So, if I can help her see – you know, I am not a tiny little twig – but I am strong and look at all the things we can do that don’t need to be done in a size 2. You know, we are embracing how we look. That will make me happy.
BREAKTHROUGH: Yes, what can my body do versus how does my body look. What can I accomplish; what am I capable of. Yes, that is so powerful! How great to have you as an example doing that. I mean, they are already playing with weights and stuff in your house because you are doing it. That is an amazing example to set for your kids. And a part of you must also feel good! Like hey, I can do these things myself!
ERIN: Ha, ha! I remind myself and hopefully keep them looking at that. And if they can look at me doing these things and they’ve got my sister also who works out. And she is a good role model.
BREAKTHROUGH: Awesome! That’s great! Thanks for sharing, Erin!
ERIN: No, thank you!