Taking a Step Forward in My Fitness Journey

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am healthy. I am confident. I am me. This is my fitness journey.

Growing up I played sports year-round. Soccer and basketball were my favorite, but I tried just about everything — tennis, swim team, softball, volleyball, and even gymnastics and cheerleading. I thrived on staying active and competing.

Once I graduated high school and entered college, I felt lost. I didn’t have a desire to play sports at the collegiate level, and honestly, I wouldn’t have been good enough anyway. In an effort to stay in shape, my friends and I started working out at the gym on campus. But that didn’t last for long. The gym was always crowded, so I stopped going.

At the beginning of my Sophomore year of college, I had my son. Between taking care of him, going to school, and doing homework, I hardly had any free time. Working out was at the bottom of my list.

After college, I started teaching right away. I was gone 10-12 hours a day and had zero energy to work out. I actually ended up losing a lot of weight from all the stress. I may have been “skinny,” but I wasn’t healthy.

Three years into teaching, I found out I was pregnant with twins. After I completed the school year, I decided to quit my teaching job to stay home with my babies. My life became consumed with feedings, diaper changes and play time. It was wonderful and so rewarding, but I never took time for myself.

When my twin girls were a little over a year old, I knew I had to do something about my health. I wasn’t overweight, but I wasn’t happy with my body either. I was out of shape and I didn’t feel good.

Women’s Nike Air Max Motion White Print 

On a whim, my husband and I decided to try Insanity, an at-home workout program from Beachbody. We had no clue what we were getting ourselves into. It was hard. I was so out of shape and everything hurt. But it felt good to be active — to feel good and to see my body transform. I knew I had to stick with it. This became the turning point for me in my fitness journey.

It’s been almost six years and I am still going strong. I’m not much for working out at home anymore, but instead find my joy in the gym. I joined my local gym a little over three years ago and haven’t looked back.

At first I was so intimidated by everything — the people, the machines, the weights, the commitment. Each day got a little easier and my confidence grew. I went from spending 30-40 minutes on the cardio machines to lifting weights. On top of that, I made new friends. I had no idea I would love it so much.

Now I lift weights five days a week and do some cardio/HIIT training. My goals are simple — train daily, eat healthy, and get stronger. While simple things like new shoes, a cute tank or a fun water bottle can definitely make going to the gym more fun, I have learned that the single most important motivator is me. I have to want it.

Even though I have never felt stronger or healthier, there are still days, even weeks, that I don’t feel like working out. I have highs and lows. I go through periods of time where I don’t work hard in the gym and I don’t eat well. I’ve had plenty of set backs. But in the big picture, I know I have come a long way. And that is what motivates me to keep going and to not look back.

I’m determined to thrive. I will push through. I will #stepforward.

Famous Footwear is challenging everyone to Step Forward by championing their confidence to be their best self. Check out the Famous Footwear InstagramInstagram for inspiration.

What steps are you taking to be your best self? Share your Step Forward moment below!