Julie F. Fitness Journey

"I always thought I just wanted to look good, until I realized what it felt like to be STRONG". -

Anonymous 

I came upon this quote a few days ago when I was scrolling through the gram and could not think of a better way to describe my fitness journey into the world of AMRAP Fitness.

I have been working out regularly since I was about 15 years old and one could definitely say that the way I view health and fitness has come a long way over the years. I believe that AMRAP Fitness and Coach Ray are definitely the reasons my mindset has changed for the better. 

I started my AMRAP Fitness journey in January of 2016, a few months after I started working next door at USIS. It was at this time my company started its Wellness Program, which was offered twice a week to its employees. I have to admit I was pretty stuck in my ways as far as my workouts went, which consisted of an hour run and maybe some crunches. I had been doing this same routine for years at this point and even though I was bored to death of it, my mentality was, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. With a little encouragement from one of my coworkers I finally decided to give the wellness program a try, after all, what did I have to lose? Little did I know what a blessing the next 3 years would be. Not only did I become physically stronger but more importantly mentally stronger as well.

When I was a teenager and even into my early 20's if you were to ask why I worked out daily, my response would have been "because I want to be thin". If you were to ask me the same question now at 28 years old, my response is “because I want to be HEALTHY".  I am not so much concerned with the number on the scale anymore but more so how my body feels and operates.

Since joining AMRAP Fitness my body has become more toned and that is certainly a plus but my new mentality has been the biggest gain. Through AMRAP and Coach Ray, I have learned to step outside my comfort zone and what it truly means to believe in myself and what I am capable of.  I have learned that in life the only person I am in competition with is me, whether it is in the gym, the workplace or just life in general.  It may sound cliché but you only have one body so treat it with respect, be kind to yourself. As Coach has mentioned numerous times before, change starts with your thoughts and then your actions. I would like to thank Coach and the USIS Wellness program for helping me grow as a person as well as the bonds I have created through this journey. My peers have gone from being just coworkers to teammates and that is something I am so grateful for.

Thank you again to Coach Ray and my AMRAP Fitness family for everything!

-Julie