Rachel Withers, Raleigh Mom Blog, Fit Triangle Mom

A Passion for Fitness…The Beginning

It’s hard to explain sometimes when people ask me why I go to the gym so often or choose water instead of soda. There are too many reasons actually. I have always enjoyed exercising, but being fit and healthy came along more recently.

I started running last April, it was my goal to run a 5k after my youngest son was born. I crossed the 5k off my list in June, but I kept on running. I ran in the evening after the kids went to bed and the sun was going down. It was just me and the road, the stresses of the day melted away with my sweat. It was me time and I enjoyed it. I was losing some weight and feeling stronger; I had more energy too.

I knew the days would become shorter soon and my evening runs would be coming to an end. So I decided to join a gym—nothing fancy, just some treadmills and weights and most importantly child care. My answer came in my mailbox, Fitness 19 Cary, Special, child care available.  The next day I took a tour of the gym and signed up immediately. I got a free consultation and session with a trainer. I was feeling really confident about the whole thing until the trainer asked me to get on the scale. I thought the numbers would be lower; I had been running all summer. Then the BMI test, and then the dreaded question, How much do you want to loose? I felt so discouraged; I weighed 165. I wanted to be at least 135. I felt like crying. The trainer told me I could do it, but I didn’t think I had it in me. What are you eating, he asked me. I had already cut out soda from my diet, but I didn’t want to divulge all my bad eating habits. He suggested I try using the Fitness Pal app to track my calories, eat less carbs and eat more protein.

I took the trainer’s advice and started logging everything I ate, cutting out wasteful carbs and eating foods high in protein. I also started going to the gym three times a week and pushing my workouts harder. I worked with the trainer a couple more times to help me with my trouble spots, but then I felt more confident working with the weights on my own.

It wasn’t a fast change, but my determination to lose weight kept up my momentum of exercising and eating healthy. The two seemed to work together for me; I was getting closer to reaching my goal. Then it hit me—I was passionate about fitness. The answer to the question everyone kept asking me. It’s easier to explain to others why I’m passionate about writing or reading, but a passion about fitness seems two-fold plus 10. I feel better, I have more energy, it’s a challenge, I’m reaching my goals, I get a break from the kids, I meet new people, learn new things and the list goes on and on. The best part is that I have combined two passions (fitness and writing) and have been able to encourage others in their fitness journey.

I decided to channel my fitness and writing passions into one concept, a fitness blog– FitTriangleMom.com. I believe when you are passionate about what you do, you have a stronger desire to preserve when things get tough. I’m still in the beginnings of my blog—building connections and followers, yet I know if I keep writing and connecting, big things will happen.

 
Rachel Withers, Raleigh Mom Blog, Fit Triangle Mom
 
Rachel Withers is a stay-at-home mom of two boys ages 4 and 19 months. She has a background in marketing and journalism. She began her journalism career working as a freelance writer for The Cary News and News & Observer. She has always enjoyed exercising, but her love of fitness began while trying lose the baby weight after the birth of her youngest son. Rachel combines her love of writing and fitness in her blog, FitTriangleMom.com.
Cary Heise
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