While the idea of a “New Year’s Resolution” seems a bit overused and cliché at this point, the validity in taking a step and setting goals is important to the idea of self-improvement and personal motivation. There is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ time to work on YOU. Setting fitness goals can be daunting, as there are many subscribers to many different methods of getting healthier.

The first step is motivation. Sometimes all you need is a catalyst to make you realize you need to do SOMETHING, whether or not you know what that something is. There are those people who have all sorts of enthusiasm to DO, but don’t know where to START. Start small. Start slow. Set short term goals you know you can accomplish, that help drive you to one bigger, long term goal.

Next, you have to find what works for YOU! No one else. You don’t have to run marathons or lift really heavy weights to be successfully fit. Try new things, but ultimately figure out what you enjoy doing, and the psychology of it will make your journey enjoyable and easier.

Another important step is to find support and accountability. If you recognize that you may find excuses and reasons to stop, or gradually fall off the wagon, you will benefit greatly from a friend or group to keep you on track. Be it a running buddy, taking notes and keeping track, or a class full of supportive members, having someone to check in on your progress will assure that you strive to accomplish.

Women are too often the downward slope of social constructs, taking the brunt of constraints, either personally set or assigned by society, and losing out on the best version of themselves. Often keeping the home and raising children, self care is left by the wayside. I strive to show all people, but specifically women, how amazing their bodies are and have the potential to be.

Finally, DO IT. Run. Lift. Punch. Swim. Play. MOVE. Anyone willing to put forth the effort WILL see results. And stick with it. Your changes will not be immediate. Be consistent, be dedicated, and be proud that you love yourself enough to do something for YOU.

My focus is woman empowerment, for many important reasons. I do what I do because I grew up in a male dominated farming world with only my father and my sisters. I never learned how to wait for a man to do something for me, and understood the value in being able to do for myself. I went straight into boxing, another male dominated world, and excelled. No one ever coddled me because I was ‘the girl’, but punched me just as hard. After spending years building up my husband’s business and training with him, while learning and teaching from the female perspective, I developed my own ideas on how a female should train and eat and be driven to best utilize her strengths and characteristics, while honoring what her body has been through.
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