Meet IzzyFit's May Client of the Month: Meggie!

That's Dr. Meggie Smith to you! Meggie, who owns Chiropractic First in downtown Evanston, contacted me to help her get back into a workout groove because she wanted to get in shape and get a kickstart into a better wellness routine. 

When new clients come to me, most of them will initially tell me their goal is to lose weight. Sometimes as we dig deeper in the consultation, clients will also mention they wouldn't mind getting stronger. Then, when I ask if there's any exercise they've ever wanted to conquer, the answer is usually to do a pushup or a pull-up. And I LIVE for that! That's when my brain starts buzzing with the possibilities! Because when you start setting performance goals and make it a point to get better every day, you DO get stronger and you start appreciating your body as it is NOW which leads you to loving yourself more NOW which leads to taking care of yourself better NOW. Of course it's normal to also want to lose a few more pounds or get leaner-looking arms and legs but I can tell you from lots of experience that your physique goals will only happen and stick long-term if you love your body in the present tense.

I tell you all of this because Meggie is a perfect example of latching onto a challenging exercise and working hard inside and outside of the studio to get better and better at it. And guess what: She's stronger overall and appreciates what her body can do for her in the world and THAT is a gift you can only give yourself. 

So without further ado, meet Meggie!

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What were your initial goals when you started training?  
My main goal when I started training was to get back in the habit of working out. I used to love my frequent gym trips because they were great stress reduction and "me-time." As my schedule became less regular, I fell out of the habit and needed help getting momentum back into my exercise regimen.

How do you think your sessions have helped you out? 
I'm stronger, I'm able to do a lot of exercises that I couldn't do when Izzy first showed them to me and my sessions keep me on track.

What do you enjoy most about training? 
Learning new things and being able to do exercises that I initially couldn't do. 

Is there anything surprising that you've discovered with strength training? 
I've been surprised to "find" muscles I really didn't know I wasn't using. Now I really enjoy noticing how I walk and move differently when I use the muscles Izzy has helped me "find".

How would you describe your philosophy on working out and nutrition? 
Cooking, eating well and exercising make me happy. When I am sad or stressed, it is usually because I haven't been eating food I cooked or haven't been making time to work out. I eat a mostly Paleo diet, but as long as I'm cooking mostly for myself I don't get too worried about the occasional noodle or piece of cheese. 

What advice would you have for anyone just starting out? 
You can do it! Starting is hard. But it gets easy pretty fast. Even people who have been working out for years have times when they fall off their program and have to start again. We all feel like we are just starting out time and time again in our lives. So just start! It's not that big a deal. We all do it.

Anything else to share? 
I really appreciate Izzy's commitment to targeting muscles that I didn't know I had, didn't know I needed and took seemingly forever to start recruiting correctly. I had no idea what she was talking about for a long time or why it mattered so much, but she stuck with it and now I can move and be in the world much more powerfully! Yay.