The Strength in Starting Over – Again

This is a story about my friend Michelle.

Michelle was a student of mine who after graduation and years of similar athletic involvement became my good friend. For a variety of reasons, probably not too different from many others, she found herself 100 pounds overweight and facing some very serious health consequences.

Michelle and I made a plan to get her back on track and for over a year I guided, motivated, and supported her on her hard fought journey back to health. She saw great changes both physically and mentally.  Eating a somewhat Paleo diet and joining CrossFit were the foundation of this new lifestyle. She had made it! Michelle had lost 100 pounds and her health issues were resolved.

Our lives drifted in other directions, she went back to school to become a massage therapist and I continued to be highly involved with my family, teaching, coaching and now CrossFit training.

Three years later, Michelle had regained the 100 pounds. It was hard to see her this way again. I knew what it took for her to lose that weight and become healthy not too long ago. But life is not tidy. Shit happens and times get tough. We all deal with it in different ways.

Michelle has recently reached out a second time and made a commitment to change. She has been training with me twice a week since November. We began with walks, then added some lunges as we walked, did a few push ups against trees or park benches, and climbed up some hills and stairs. Now Michelle meets me at Driven Athletics where I coach and train and we have incorporated CrossFit once again into her life.

She has a long way to go, and it is even harder this time. Michelle has shown me what it takes to start over, again. I push her and she nods her head and gets to it. A weaker person would just give up. A weaker person would tell me where to go when I instruct her to get back on that rower for another 500m, but she doesn’t. Michelle is strong. She is on her way to health and vitality and this time it will be for life.

We can all take a few lessons from Michelle:  We sometimes have to start over more than once, but it is worth it.  Starting over takes guts.  Do not be afraid to ask for help. The day you decide this is not how your story is going to end, is the day you begin to make progress. Life is not tidy, ever.

Michelle authored an account of her very inspirational story in my book, Hope RX’D.

For more information about Kelly and her book or to purchase Hope RX’D visit her website: www.hoperxd.com