We are at week “I’ve lost count of all this”. Our feelings can influence our movement, and our movement can influence our feelings. If we feel upset, chances are we will move around at a much slower pace. If we feel happy, we will feel energized and proactive. Today, I’m not here to lecture you on the science of fitness, what amazing things it does to your body and how you might spare yourself from a stroke, diabetes, cancer, cardiac diseases, etc. You already know that.

I’m here to share with you my fitness journey: my soul to sole transformation.  

I’ve adopted a more active lifestyle back in 2016, after I had my second child. Both of my pregnancies and post-partum months had left me with a sense of immense fatigue. The lack of energy was unbearable and because they were both C-sections, I had to retrain my core strength on top of everything.  In 2016, I had weighed the most I had ever weighed in my lifetime, and that gave me the post-partum blues for longer than I had anticipated. I remembered how tired I was after my having my first-born and I feared to live those days again; let’s face it, when my husband was at work, I was out numbered by the kids. A lot of events happened that year, and with a newborn and a toddler, I had a lot of adjusting and rebalancing to do. Emotions were strong, nights were long, tears were pouring and helllooooo parenting! BUT, I would NOT trade anything. I’m thankful. I’m thankful because I learned to be a better and healthier version of myself. My fitness journey became my therapy.

What saved me? Becoming and staying active. Integrating fitness in my life became an opportunity to improve myself; not only physically but mentally. That 30-45 minutes/day of workout time was MY time. It was 30-45 minutes out of a 24 hour mommy day where I wasn’t thinking about anything else but MYSELF. And it felt amazing! I was doing something healthy and I was investing in myself. Nothing but a major WOW factor. The bonus? At the end of every workout, I would get this “post-workout high” and it felt energizing. Suddenly I had a free boost of energy and self-confidence. The first few weeks were difficult; I could barely get past the warm-up. A 17 minute workout would take me over an hour to perform because I would get so exhausted. The next day, my body was sore and I had to go down the stairs backwards. I did not give up. Sometimes, the hardest thing was to press play; but once I was up on both feet, I couldn’t stop. Mind over body.

Where did I workout? At home and in my living room. I got a few sets of dumbbells, resistance bands and a yoga mat. That’s it. It all fit in a big plastic bin and it takes minimal space.

When would I work out? At night, after the kids would be in bed. That’s when I would “start my day.”

Why did I work out at home? Because I knew I wouldn’t have time to go the gym … ever. And let’s face it, a gym subscription on a maternity leave budget didn’t balance up in my books.

Did I do 300 jumping jacks and 500 set ups? No. Did I do crazy cardio for 150 minutes straight followed by 95 burpees? No.

So how did I workout? I did strength training, HIIT intervals and yoga. That’s it. Thank you YouTube videos and BeachBody on Demand.

I started with 3-5 lbs dumbbells. As I got stronger, I invested in heavier weights. Today, my set of weights ranges from 8-20 lbs dumbbells. When I train shoulder, I will lift light weights because the muscles are small. When I train my legs, I will lift much heavier because I am training bigger muscles. Strength training is progressive. The more you challenge your muscles, the stronger you’ll get. It didn’t get easier, I got better.

Did I get intimated by the trainers who ripped and cut? Never. I trained myself to follow my own strength and to listen to my own mind & body. This was my transformation. I believed in myself.

How did I stay motivated? Results were slow at first. Very slow. Losing one pound every 7 to 9 days slow. I was obsessing with the scale. (Biggest mistake ever. Now, I don’t even remember the last time I went on the scale because I learned about building muscle mass.) To keep myself calm and to move on, I filled my social media with nothing but “fitness & motivation” groups, pages, pins, etc. Every time I would open my Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook, I had a motivational quote or picture that inspired me to not give up my journey. There is a psychology behind everything, and social media exposure is a big one in world. I would read amazing weight loss stories, tips and tricks, nutritious recipes,etc. The internet is full of great things when you look for it!

Another easy trick to get my mind set for my workout days was (and still is) to wear my athletic wear early in the afternoon that day. I would already be in my outfit and I wasn’t going take them off until they were drenched in sweat. There is an entire world of fitness clothes to discover with bright colors, comfortable wear and long-lasting materiel. Who doesn’t like fashion?

Once I reached my weight loss goal, nearly 40 lbs later, I didn’t stop. Even though I had reached my destination, the journey was too inspirational to just give up. It was about being present in the moment; yesterday, today and tomorrow. I had accomplished so much for myself: I was an active mother of two who didn’t go out of breath when running after her kids, the proud wife of my husband who joined my fitness journey a few months in and a not-so tired shift worker (at the time I was an ER nurse). What mattered was my personal growth and it started with me. No one was going to get up and do it for me.  

I’ve learned so much and I’m learning every day. Wellness is an active pursuit and fitness is a part of my wellness journey. Keep your health and your well-being a priority. Celebrate all of your accomplishments.  Invest in yourself always and forever. You are worth it.

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We’ve got you covered from Soul to Sole.

Sarab A. Dormani, RN, FCN, Podortho ® Nurse, BScN, BScH, Owner & Clinical Director at Natural Sole Wellness Centre Inc.