September is back to school month, when learning resumes. I like to think I am always learning and reading about new things, but somehow September gives me renewed interest in exploring new concepts. With Labor Day suddenly upon us, this year is no different.
As a FitCoach, I feel I am supposed to be an example to my clients. I should look “fit” and “strong”. I know that to build muscle and shave body fat I have to lift heavy things and put them down. I know strength is measured by how much weight I can lift now as opposed to a year ago. I know that it is important to do this consistently to keep making progress.
In my head I know all this, but then there are those days that I feel tired and really don’t want to lift heavy things. There are days when my back gives me an issue from doing something stupid like picking up a heavy Adirondack chair and carrying on my chest with my back bent backward. I know I need to rest my back before weight training for a few days. Then there are the precious days my family is visiting that I do not want to take the time away from them to go lift heavy things. It’s times like these that leave me feeling like I am somehow not meeting my expectations of being “strong” and “fit.”
Today I read a quote that made me stop and think about what it really means to be strong. Measuring strength solely by the number of pounds lifted is a very narrow definition of strength. We are so much more than the number of pounds we lift or the number on the scale. We are people – humans – and there is a lot more to us than numbers. I came across this quote from the book Pressing Reset,Original Strength Reloaded:
That quote summed up the true meaning of strength. I now realize that even though I must lift heavy things, it does not define how strong I am. For me, strength means being able to push my furniture around to clean behind it. It means being able to lift my two-year old grandson out of the crib and safely carry him downstairs. It means being able to clean and organize my whole house, spending the day going up and down three floors. It means a daily bike ride around the neighborhood. It means walking up the beach path and not feel my heart pumping out of my chest (like 6 years ago.) Strength is me out there passionately living my best life.
As we move into the new month of September, take a moment to consider what strength means to you. Please comment below (on Facebook post) and let me know how YOU define strength in your physical life.
Happy September! Be Strong + Well!
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