“The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable: they are often wounded and sometimes destroyed” – Ernest Hemingway
It’s inevitable. Life will eventually give all of us a nice swift punch in the stomach to gently remind us we are all mortal. Some of us will be lucky. We’ll just receive a sucker punch, stunning us for only a few days. Others will have a little less luck. Life will add a little more gusto behind its punch, knocking us to our knees for several months. And then there’s the select few that life appears to have have a particular vendetta against. Its blow is thrown with so much force and causes so much residual damage, most of us never recover from it. Some wounds are just too big to heal, some scars too vibrant to fade, and some souls too fragile to be put back together. Or so we thought…
Gyms are an interesting paradox. At first glance, they seem very superficial. – mirrors, bicep curls, cutoff t-shirts, and yoga pants. Even the ultimate measuring stick, strength, is particularly deceiving. Ask anyone who the strongest member in the gym is, and the answer will almost always be the guy that benches 400lbs or squats 500lbs. Of course, that’s at first glance. A little deeper digging reveals an entirely different answer.
The strongest member of our gym is a 52 year-old lady that on a GOOD day benches 45lbs and squats 65lbs. Some days, simple body weight squats make it hard for her to crawl out of bed the next day. Don’t let that deceive you though. She’s as strong as they come. She’s been through more trials and tribulations than most of us could ever imagine. God has literally drug her through hell.
Almost 35 years ago, Betsy experienced a parent’s worst nightmare, an atrocity that even death pales in comparison to. A house fire took the lives of her children.
The pain was so paralyzing it consumed her mind, body, and spirit. Most days, just making it from the bed to the couch was an accomplishment. Life had thrown her the ultimate haymaker, completely destroying her world. For a long time love, happiness, laughter, and joy seemed so distant she didn’t know if she’d ever experience them again. She was numb from the inside-out. Depression quietly raged, even in the face of antidepressants. She was 70lbs overweight, constantly sick, and had zero energy. She had become so out of shape that she’d lose her breath just going to the mailbox. She was a shadow of the woman she used to be. It seemed as though Betsy would never be Betsy again. Or so we thought..
In today’s world, computers have built walls of cables and modems between friends and family, drug companies have mastered the illusion of the quick, artificial fix, and employers with the help of shoppers have created the 7 day workweek. All of these changes have led to a world that has forgotten about the medicinal value of the hug, become too fast for small talk, and diluted precious family time. We’ve never been more connected, yet at times, we’ve never felt lonelier.
Betsy did become Betsy again. She found her cure in one of the most unlikeliest of places a 52 year-old woman who never exercised before would – the gym. According to Betsy:
Since Ageless opened, I discovered regular exercise and had the support and encouragement of the staff and members. I not only get up and hit the ground running, but I have also (with Dr. approval) been able to stop all depression medications. I’m happier, healthier and more fit than I have been in 15+ years. Regular exercise is THE best antidepressant there is. I truly feel like a new person. I found the ME I used to be.
She found a community. She found friends. Most importantly, she found a family. She wasn’t beaten. She was just waiting for someone to lift her up. And that someone was a bunch of “someones” at Ageless. She found the healing power of friendships, a positive environment, and exercise. She found what humans have always yearned for- belonging. John Donne was right- “No man is an island.”
Today, Betsy has lost over 80 pounds since she joined Ageless. Rarely does she miss a bootcamp or spin class due to sickness. She’s bubbly, energetic, and confident. Most importantly, she’s stronger than she’s ever been – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The shadow is gone and the sun is shining….
Betsy’s Beginner Fit Tip:
For those just starting out, I would say start slow, just move, and when you just know you can’t take one more step or do one more rep, do 3 more. You will be amazed at how quickly you see results. Set goals, but be realistic. Set one big goal and several small ones. I set a big goal of losing 70 pounds in 18 months (I actually lost 80 in 11 months), and I set small bi-monthly goals of 5-10 pounds.
Side note; The point of this article is not to devalue modern healthcare. Antidepressants work. You should never stop your antidepressants without your physician’s approval Its intent is to remind you that there is value in love, friendship, laughter, and the good, old-fashioned hug.
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