Meet Caroline, IzzyFit's Client of the Month!

It's hard for me to write an intro for Caroline because she is many things: She's mega smart and studying to be a health documentation specialist; she's an incredible baker who makes the most intricately-decorated cakes (and kick-ass chocolate chip cookies you could never tell are gluten-free); she has helped me become a major Harry Potter fan (and if a Harry Potter class is ever offered in college, she should teach it); and she was a force to be reckoned with in high school when she played volleyball.

Life since volleyball got incredibly complicated when a surgery went awry at 19. I won't go into details -- it's not my story to tell -- but what I will say is that the grace with which Caroline exudes day to day given what she's had to go through is awe-inspiring. I've learned a lot from her in the last year I've had the honor to coach her and can't wait to see what 2017 brings to her (other than an adorable puppy!). So, without further ado: Meet Caroline!

My rad client Caroline on the right with her mom :)

What were your initial goals when you started training? 
My initial goals were to lose weight and get stronger/healthier overall. This helps me deal with my chronic pain condition CRPS. The winters are the most difficult for me, and the healthier I am when the pain hits the better I can get through it.

How do you think your sessions have helped you out?
My sessions have not only made me stronger but also made me a lot prouder of my body and
what it is capable of.  I think a lot less, “There’s no way I can do that!” but rather, “How can I do
that?” even if it’s not perfect and I need to adjust the exercise to work for me. It has helped me feel connected to my body which is sometimes hard for me to do with the pain and surgeries I have had.

What do you enjoy most about training?
I love the work honestly; I love getting sweaty and tired.  Even the soreness after I love because
it reminds me how hard I worked.  

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Is there anything surprising that you've discovered with strength training?
I think what has surprised me most is how quickly my body can adjust to training.  I was afraid I 
would be stuck in the same place for a long time and that hasn’t been the case.  If I put in the 
work I get more out of it than I thought was possible.

Do you have any fitness goals for this year?
My fitness goals for this year I have purposely made less concrete because I can get caught up in 
numbers alone instead of progress. My goals are to overall become stronger and more 
consistently active.

How would you describe your philosophy on working out and nutrition?
My philosophy with nutrition is to eat as healthy as possible 5-6 days a week.  I give myself one 
or two meals on the weekend to enjoy take out and time off from cooking.  I love cooking but 
doing it every meal three times a day gets exhausting. For me working out is a double edged 
sword, if I work out too much I’ll hurt myself, but at the same time if I don’t work out enough my 
pain gets worse.  The biggest thing for me is pacing myself and not pushing myself too hard.  
Some weeks that means I can work out 5 times a week sometimes it’s nothing.  Being okay with 
both of those possibilities is the most important thing for me.

What advice would you have for anyone just starting out?
I think the biggest thing for me, with weight loss being one of my goals, is that I paid less attention 
to the numbers on the scale and focused more on the changes I could see and feel.  My other 
advice would be to be patient with yourself at the beginning, it is hard and at times frustrating but 
gets better and incredibly rewarding.