I was told about a trainer by a co-worker. She was selling tickets to fund raise for a local event and one of the "prizes" was one month free of bootcamp and 5 free training sessions with this friend of hers named Ryan. I had stopped with a trainer at a big box gym that I had trained with for about 6 months. I enjoyed it but I was not passionate about continuing on. I had made strides in my weight loss but I knew I was losing my momentum. I knew I needed something.
So, I made the decision to meet with Ryan "Manimal" Staples about training with him and I have not looked back since.
That first day, I drove up and down Sackville Dr. for a while and then I sat in my car in the parking lot for another while just to build the courage to walk through the doors of a Martial Arts Gym to meet with someone named "Manimal". If that isn't stepping outside of my comfort zone, I do not know what is. It was not an easy decision for this fat girl but it was by far the best one I have ever made for myself. I can remember sitting in the parking lot, thinking to myself "THIS is where he works?" I will admit, I was very skeptical. After all, my last gym was big, shiny, two floors and full of spandex and mirrors. On this day, I was looking at the basement of a car parts store, with some mats thrown down on the floor. The main door, which was a garage door was pulled up and it looked pretty dingy. I took a deep breath and got out of my car.
One year later, I am stronger, happier and healthier than I ever have been in my whole life.
Am I at my goal? No, I am not. But I know that I will get there because I have the support of someone who *truly* cares; someone who is invested in my health, physical and emotional well being, beyond a pay cheque. That is so rare and so precious. I have never, in my whole life, had one ounce of the support that I get from Ryan. I have always been the girl that was ignored, laughed at and bullied. I skipped gym class and used the fact that I had a problem with my knee to my advantage as much as I possible could. Today, I am pushing myself further than I ever have. I am not allowed to baby my knee any more.
Ryan calls me on my bullshit on a regular basis (which is often and what I totally need) and *will not* say "I told you so.", even when I really, really deserve it. Ryan has seen me at my absolute worst yet I have never once felt uncomfortable around him. Months ago, when I bolted from Bootcamp because I thought I could not keep up and thought I wasn't good enough, he made it his priority then and continues to make sure I know that I am good enough and that the people in my life, my gym family, care about me and want me to succeed and will do whatever they can to help me get to my goals.
I feel very blessed to have such a driving force in my life and I never, ever take it for granted. I have achieved things I never even dreamed possible. I never dreamed it because this life I am living now was never in my realm of what my reality could be. I was the girl that wanted to wake up thin. I actually would lay in bed and pray to God to wake up with a body like Cindy Crawford. I would bargain with him...."If you give me a skinny body, I will be the best person ever." Then I would be indignant because I had the same out of shape body in the morning. Today, I am working to have a body like Ronda Rousey. I am working for it. I am not there but I am closer than I have ever been in my life. It feels good to have new priorities.
This past year has been life changing. And I know THIS is just the beginning. Anything is possible, if only you believe in yourself. And if you can't believe in yourself yet, finding someone who does is one of the best blessings you could hope for.
That is me in the pink top in the upper left hand corner. Ryan is in the middle, throwing up his arms in victory. This is my happy place. I am never happier than when I am sweating and feel like I am going to throw up.
