Each month at Beauty In Strength we highlight one of our valuable members that has put extraordinary effort into her fitness. BiS is about recognising the pure Beauty we have in every aspect of our lives. It’s not just about how we turn up everyday to training it’s how we ‘show up’ to life on a day to day basis.
Please introduce yourself and tell me a little about yourself and your work?
I’m Anna and still struggling with the fact that I’m actually 43. I’m married to an amazing man, have a son and daughter and work full time as a Foreign Exchange Manager. Working full time and having a young family brings with it the standard juggling required to ensure everything that needs doing gets done. Fortunately (for him) my husband does most of the cooking and certainly his fair share of the running around, so I can’t complain too much. I’m in the car most days with my job meeting with Clients or speaking with Bankers so often opt for coffee as a meal which is not ideal.
What does Beauty In Strength mean to you?
I know that when I’m on I’m on and when I’m not, well…the wheels just fall off. I love a wine and with that come nibbles and we all know it’s hard to put down that cheese and olive after a sip of wine. When I’m “on”, I’m more positive and feel better – yes about the way I look and feel, but I also feel better mentally. I’m organised and think clearly, nothing is too difficult or too much trouble and I can feel that I’m more relaxed. When I’m “on” I’m not doing any less, in fact I’m doing a bit more. I’m still juggling the family needs and managing work expectations but I’m also getting up earlier in the morning and having my time. I’m doing something just for me and in doing that, my positive and feel good high is benefiting those around me.
What were your initial goals before starting the BiS program?
It’s getting cold, it’s harder to get up and this is exactly where my wheels fall off. Starting up the BiS program meant that I was accountable. Whilst I’ve never met any of the other ladies in the program, I felt accountable to get up and get the workout done. The vast majority of women these days are working mothers and most would clearly prefer to stay in bed too, but they’re not, they’re getting their arses out of bed and getting shit done, why should I be any different.
How do you think your sessions have helped you?
I exercise at home in the shed (gym fit out), which is great but I often find myself thinking, what will I work on today. Having a set program for the 30 days removed the “what to do” and enabled me to just get to it.
The sessions were deceiving! I had a look through the workouts and initially thought they were a bit light on – how wrong I was! Here I was thinking I’d be able to knock out those quick sessions with ease, well that was soon put to bed. I did add weights here and there, more so to challenge myself, but the workouts helped me focus on form and in doing that, there was a lot of sweat!
In your opinion, what is the biggest benefit of exercising?
Having my time where I focus on something for me. Inevitably this time brings the positive energy which then cascades to those around me it’s a win-win! I also tend to “get busy” after a workout so can generally fit in a load of washing or quick vac before getting the kids off so school – winning!
Has the BiS philosophy helped you in your everyday life? How?
There are just so many positive people out there and during our busy lives, it’s often easy to get wound up in the hype and overwhelmed with what we need to get done. Reading the snippets and comments from Darcia and others puts things in perspective. We’re all running at full capacity but it’s also nice to know there are charging stations along the way to keep us going.
What would you say to someone who’s looking at getting started?
Stop procrastinating!! I still lie in bed of a morning and try and re-plan my day to work out when I can fit in a workout later in the day. The easier, and more time effective alternative is to just stop negotiating with myself and get out of bed and get it done!
Share your success. Is there something happening in your life right now that you are proud of? Our BiS community would love to celebrate with you
Nuh! Living a relatively normal life with the hubby and kids and more than happy with that.