Nancy R.  Success is measured on the inside and out!

Posted by admin on July 22, 2010 - Posted in News There are 8 comments, Add yours!

After a year, I posted a ‘before-and-after’ photo on Facebook as a tribute and ‘thank you’ to NorCal Strength & Conditioning and especially, to my trainer Natalie Taylor.  An immediate string of comments followed (among my favorites, of course:  ‘You are my inspiration’ and ‘Wow!  You are amazing’) until I had to reply, “If only you could see the changes on the INSIDE!”

One comment, “I admire your hard work” got me to thinking.  The hard work wasn’t learning (and loving) the Paleo way of eating.  The hard work wasn’t just trying to complete a workout (thank goodness for Natalie’s modifications!) The hard work wasn’t to make sure I ate breakfast every day (Natalie’s first goal for me!) The hard work wasn’t even to dead lift 100 lbs (which I was willing to try) or run 400 meters (about which I wasn’t very willing) . . . okay, 100 wall balls is still pretty tough, but it’s hard fun!

The hardest work was putting aside all fears (about not being able to stick to it) and reservations (should I be investing so much $ and time in this when I didn’t have much of either?); the hardest work was making the decision to commit to the 12 sessions of personal training!

I was 56 years old and had struggled with some pretty significant losses in the preceding few years.  Stoically handling whatever came my way (or so I thought), doing whatever needed to be done, along with ‘fighting genetics’ and a growing need for ‘comfort’, and I hadn’t been taking very good care of myself!  Somehow all those losses managed to translate into pounds piled on, a growing list of physical complaints, and I wasn’t any fun anymore!  I knew I needed to do something, but I just couldn’t face another failure!  And man, I wasn’t sure I could survive without the comfort foods!

Teacher, Trainer, Coach, and Problem Solver Natalie Taylor made me an offer I couldn’t refuse—pay now, with a discount, and start in 6 weeks when things slow down—making the decision a little bit easier (and the first of many accommodations).  She asked about my goals, explained what to expect, emailed me, came to talk with me, and invited me to the gym to check it out.  She did everything she could do to address my fears and reservations personally, optimistically, and patiently.  She focused on my goal of ‘feeling better’ and ‘being able to do things I used to do’.  Somewhat reluctantly, but with determination, I signed up to meet with Natalie twice a week for six weeks of personal training. 

The hard work—of making that decision—has resulted in a year (so far) of hard fun with Natalie leading the way!  Sure, some of the changes are obvious (size 14 to size 4, sometimes a 2, and I even bought a couple of bikinis this summer!), but I didn’t do this to lose weight, really, I did it to feel better, strong, and able.  So check out the photo of me doing a frog stand this summer on the beach with my daughter and grandson!  (Next summer, I plan to be turning cartwheels!)

Natalie continues to help me set goals and reach them.  She is so knowledgeable about the body, movement, and nutrition, and takes the time to share what the women in my workout group want to know.  She’s so enthusiastic that I even cook now!  (Those who’ve known me over the years know that’s HUGE!) I am a walking (sometimes, jumping) effervescent advertisement for NorCal Strength & Conditioning: everyone there is skilled, positive, and supportive, but Natalie Taylor is my inspiration!

And man, I’m not sure I can survive without the energy and pure joy of hard fun!

--Nancy R.  June 2010