Work Out Your Well-being

how tending to our mental health is like weightlifting

About two years ago, my friend Nadine Machkovech started asking me if I wanted to join her wellness accountability group.

This was a hard “no” from me for months. Maybe even a year. No time. No money. No interest. No stamina.

Where and how and on what planet could I fit one more thing into my overflowing schedule? Plus, with my history of disordered eating, I was leery to trigger anything that leaned towards my old comfort zone called Compulsive.

Have a group of women I don’t know hold me accountable for working out and eating healthy?

I think not.

Eventually, as happens with strong and healthy women who try to support me, she wore me down.

Her latest offer:

“Will you join me for an 8-week weight lifting program?” was enticing.

I’d read about how lifting weights in your forties helps with a whole host of things like bone density loss, sagging skin, and a limping metabolism. It was only going to be about $120, too, and so I did what I do (usually) when I want to spend money over a certain amount: I asked the hubs.

He was hesitant at first, like most good money managers are, but then suggested I try it if I wanted to.

“We’ll be supporting Nadine’s goals, too, right?”

Yes, my husband, along with being a great steward of our finances, is also very kind. He understood that not only was it a plus for my own wellness, I’d be supporting Nadine’s coaching business.

It was a win-win.

Little did I know, in 8 short weeks, I’d come to love my morning workouts, the trainer, Joel Freeman, and the rest of the lifters in a rainbow of leathery-metallic stretchy pants and sports bras on the screens behind him.¹

I’d also learn about some of the benefits of weightlifting. I’d learn that the benefits are more than just physical. Mentally, emotionally, and spiritually: moving my body and setting a goal felt good in so many new ways. It was empowering.

[as someone with a history of issues surrounding body image, food, disordered eating and more, having a healthy relationship with exercise today is also a part of my recovery]

The first week I couldn’t walk. I limped around the house like I’d just run a marathon or got stuck in a drain pipe. By the second and third weeks, something started happening.

A physical trainer says that “when you strength train, you tear muscle fibers, but that is part of the growing process." This same trainer goes on to say that “You shouldn't lift the same muscle group every day because the muscle needs to heal in order to rebuild."²

This process, while confusing in some respects, rang true. To grow, I needed to first experience a ripping apart. Tearing down.

Interestingly, I also didn’t lose weight (this is never my goal in moving my body today), I gained it. I went thrifting for BIGGER jeans and this felt freeing.

*

There is something about the triumph story in sports that makes me want to jump up and cheer. Part of why I became so attached to the LIIFT More program with BODi (formally Beachbody) was because of Joel Freeman’s story.

Now, looking at him, you might not think that this tattooed Texan has experienced any adversity other than missing a spot of sun tan oil before hitting an LA pool party.

But the more I learned about his story and how he rose through the ranks, as if by chance, by showing up and saying “yes,” the more I liked.  He worked hard, first as a trainer at a gym franchise and then making connections with just the right folks at just the right time. Joel motivates others to not only get healthy but be realistic about it. For instance, he often shares that it’s okay to be disciplined with your diet and also eat a cheeseburger every once and a while. My kind of trainer.

Training for my physical health reminds me that getting well physically involves more than just sitting around and willing my twin skin (twin and multiple moms know what I’m talking about) to melt away. I can’t just pray my way to a lifted booty. Nor are the physical benefits of working out where my head or heart is today.

I want to be strong.

The same is true for mental and spiritual health. I’ve learned that there are actions we can take every day that will improve our spiritual fitness over time and our mental health.

We can be strong.

It takes work and discipline. And importantly, it takes the firm belief that you are worth it.

[you are]

Here are a couple ideas to “work out” your well-being and stay consistent:

1. Take breaks

   Schedule in time to rest throughout your week. Sleep more. Nap more. Set your phone down. Do whatever you have to do to give yourself a break. One of the things that impacts our mental health the most is a lack of rest. A friend and colleague recently said: “eff the hustle.” I couldn’t agree more.

2. Have an accountability partner

   Just like my friend Nadine was for my fitness goals, you can connect to a friend regularly. Make it a point to call your person once a week (at least), text maybe once a day. Check in. Tell on yourself. Reach in, then reach out.

3. Commit to a balanced realistic life

   Eat healthy, work out, meet with friends, and spend time with the family: there are enough things to balance that this sentence may be sparking anxiety for you right now. I get it. Instead of obsessing over having a “balanced” life, work on having a realistic one. Know your limits. Set loving boundaries. Understand your non-negotiables. Learn what brings you peace.

4. Be grateful for the good stuff—and the hard stuff

   Being grateful in all circumstances is a soul-stretching call. It’s tough and I’ll be honest with you all, sometimes it’s the last thing I want to do, think of doing or actually do. Stopping in the moment of what is hard and saying “I am grateful for all things” may be one of the most challenging things we can do. But it is also an act of acceptance,an act of resistance that says in all of life, I will choose thankfulness.

What are some ways that you work out your own well-being? Comment below! Let’s share the love. You may have an insight that someone may need to hear right now.

BTW, you’ve only got a couple more days to register for this historic event! Get your *free* ticket here:

1. “Home.” n.d. Joel Freeman Fitness. Accessed November 1, 2023. https://www.joelfreemanfitness.com/.

2. “What Really Happens to Your Body When You Lift Weights Every Day.” n.d. LIVESTRONG.COM. https://www.livestrong.com/article/151501-the-effects-of-lifting-weights-everyday/.