Hi guys! It’s been awhile (at least a month) since I’ve shared a blog post, but I’m back and feeling better than ever. If we are friends on Instagram, you probably have seen that a little over a month ago, I got a gym membership and I have been going go the gym almost every single day. Ever since I moved to Pennsylvania last May, I have been trying to figure out what steps to take, what gym to join and what would be the best way to care for my mental and physical health. After extensive research, I found the perfect place and I’ve never been happier. Today I’m sharing the reasons I went back to the gym and why I’ll never leave.

My life has changed…

Something you may not know about me is that I have been an equestrian for pretty much my entire life. I started riding horses at the age of 6 and have been riding ever since, up until recently. In 2019 I lost my horse of a lifetime very suddenly and in 2020 my life started going down a bit of a different path. I got married, moved a thousand miles away from home, a pandemic hit and needless to say, my life completely changed. After doing long distance and barely seeing my boyfriend, now husband, we are now living together, happily married and I devote my time and attention to him and our little family we have created.

When I was riding, it was a huge part of my routine – 6 days a week, first thing in the morning. As that came to a halt in fall of 2020, I felt lost in my routine. Riding has always been my main source of exercise and I really value physical activity, more than I actually thought I did. When I stopped going to the barn, not only did my body feel it, but so did my mind. Exercise, at least to me, is so much more than a ‘workout.’ It is an outlet, personal time and something that I get to work on for my own health and well-being and that is extremely important to me. Especially at a time in my life when so much is changing, I knew I needed to find a way to get my body moving.

Finding the Gym

Finding a gym is like picking out a jar of peanut butter at the grocery store. There are so many options. But, they do all offer something different in some kind of way. There are your typical gyms like LA and Planet Fitness and then there are your more specialty type gyms like Purre Barre and Orange Theory. I personally have never belonged to a gym that has a ‘class’ structure with a trainer, but have always gone to more of your typical gym. When I was in college, I did take advantage of the yoga classes that were offered and fell in love with that. I kept going back and forth between what I wanted, trying to justify the cost and what would make the most sense or me. Here is what I knew:

• I knew I wanted a gym community where I could meet people
• This wouldn’t be a once or twice a week venture, I wanted to incorporate it into my daily life
• I was ready to invest, but wanted to make sure it was the right choice for my overall health and well-being

I Found the Gym

After a lot of research, I found the gym. I have been sharing a lot of my experience there on Instagram! Are we friends there yet? It is truly perfect. It’s not a typical gym, it’s considered an athletic club, so it’s a monthly membership but it couldn’t be more perfect for what I was looking for. It truly is a health club – as soon as I walk in the door I feel like I am able to work on my entire person. There are a few different gyms, a HIIT zone that is similar to a F45 Training that gives you workouts at each station, a yoga studio, barre classes, a pilates studio, swimming pools, an indoor track, cycling studio and so much more. They even extended into a wellness lounge for skincare, facials and more. I have been able to schedule my week with different classes, some days I do heavier lifting, other days I opt for a stretch yoga class. It’s the perfect balance that I was looking for and it works for me.

Ever since I started going, I have noticed such a shift in my headspace. Even my husband noticed it. I have been more motivated, noticeably happier and I just feel so much better. I feel more confident and have really enjoyed pushing myself to get to the gym every morning. Throughout this process I have really learned just how big of a role physical activity plays in the way I feel, physically and mentally. I have always been a strong advocate for health and wellness and even went as far as getting my Health Coach certification.

Everyone’s story is different, but I don’t think moving your body could ever be a bad thing. I truly believe it is the best thing for you. I hope today’s blog post inspired you to find that outlet you may be missing in your life, even if it isn’t the gym. I’d love to hear what that is for you!

Thanks for stopping by!