A Fitness Journey – Melinda

Growing up I was always on a team either through softball or cheerleading. Through those sports I did mostly cardio and gymnastics type workouts, but I always hated running. My family loved sports and instilled an active lifestyle.
When I tried out for my college cheerleading team I didn’t initially make the camp squad (think varsity) but the coach made it clear that final decisions would be made during the summer practices. So, my competitive self got in better shape and worked out hard all summer until I proved that I belonged on that team. I cheered competitively three years in college before having to stop senior year (during my student teaching). During that time we did a ton of cardio (RIP Pavilion stairs) and some weight training. In high school I really struggled with body image, and it wasn’t until college where I really started to break down those walls by surrounding myself with friends who brought out the best in me and helped me accept myself.
After I graduated, I just wanted to stay active and I always did better when I had goals. So, I trained for my first ever 5k which turned into the Broad Street run which turned into a half marathon, but I still never enjoyed it. So, I started to do Zumba classes which were definitely more fun! During this time I learned that it wasn’t worth my time unless I enjoyed it.
When I was pregnant with Trevor I stayed active by walking everyday, doing prenatal yoga, and sticking with Zumba throughout most of my pregnancy. Even though I am definitely glad I stayed active during the pregnancy, I felt sooooo weak afterwards. I felt as though my body wasn’t strong enough to even hold Trevor for long period of time and I hated that feeling. So, I started going to a Crossfit gym that my husband had joined along with two of our best friends who had been doing Crossfit for quite awhile. I had done Crossfit type metcon classes before but never really focused on lifting. I was definitely intimidated at first because I felt like everyone but me knew what they were doing. However, I learned a lot from those “vets” and was thankful for the personalized instruction.
Now, I’m at Crossfit Kanna and I feel like I couldn’t be at a better place as I work through my second pregnancy. The coaches are knowledgeable and work with me to find modifications to the WODs where I feel safe but am also getting a good workout in. The community continues to encourage and motivate me to keep getting better every time I walk through the doors. I love that Trevor gets to watch his Mommy make her fitness a priority and that lifting weights isn’t just for the boys. My goal is to stay active and keep getting stronger to hopefully avoid the completely wiped out feeling I had after my first pregnancy.
My fitness journey has made me realize that I will never stop trying to be better and that Strong is the real beautiful. ???

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