Recently, I have gotten to know a facebook friend named Margaret. I knew she had made a transformation, but after interviewing her, I didn't realize the huge changes she went through. It is really quite amazing! I hope you find part one of this interview inspiring and invigorating. Enjoy!
Mike: I've noticed you have made quite a transformation, especially with your strength. Tell me a little bit about what got you started. Why did you want to make such a change?
My Dad was my inspiration to not give up. I knew after seeing him in the hospital that I couldn’t give up. So I kept searching for something to really click with me. I decided to give a DVD workout program one last shot. I had a whole collection of DVD workouts that just didn’t work for me. I had a friend that got great results from the P90X program. I was VERY skeptical but thought “one last time”. Within a month I dropped two sizes and I didn’t really follow the program exactly. I FINALLY found what works for me, STRENGTH TRAINING!!!!!! Not only did it work for me BUT its something I came to LOVE doing! I finally found a workout that I didn’t dread doing.
Why did I want to make the change? I wanted to be happy with what I saw in the mirror every day. I wanted to look like Jillian on the Biggest Loser. I wanted to be happy with myself. I thought if I was happy with myself physically, I would be happy with ME. Well, I’ve learned that it doesn’t work that way. Being happy with yourself is a whole different area. Fitness and losing weight gave me the confidence to work on those internal issues I have with myself but it wasn’t a cure. Even to this day I still have my internal struggles of self-worth and confidence but I am a million times better than I was before losing weight. I am on the road of truly being 100% happy with the person that defines ME.
Now I am going to talk about the “why” with strength. Push for strength really didn’t come into the picture until after a year of maintaining what I lost after starting the P90X. I reached my size and weight goal so why push for anything else, right?? To make a long story short, I met a friend through some of my youtube videos. He totally put the bug in me to get stronger. At the time, I knew very little about women being strong. He sent me videos and such, telling me if I wanted to I could get stronger I could do be. It opened a whole new world for me. It’s funny because he said he would give me $5.00 for every pullup I could once I reached 10 pullups in a row. At the time I could only do like 2 pullups (this was just 2 yrs ago!) but he said I could easily get myself to 10 pullups. I totally thought he was crazy. Me do 10 pullups?? Yeah, whatever buddy!! Well, I ended up making over $50.00 on that bet! Now it’s an addiction for me because I love how getting stronger makes me feel. I have set new goals for myself and I realized that I will always continue to do so…..no more “maintaining” for this woman!!!!!
Mike: The other day, I saw you post a video of doing 1-arm push-ups. First of all... WOW. Second of all, WOW. I know I said it twice because that's how I roll. But seriously, do you remember how many regular push-ups you were able to do when you first started?
Margaret: I like how you roll Mikey! (-: Oh gosh, how many regular push-ups I could do when I first started?? Well, I started off with modified (NO they are NOT girlie!! Hahaha) pushups. When I moved into regular pushups, I could only do a few. At the time, I didn’t even think I knew there was such a thing as a one arm pushup. I think I saw Jillian do a few when I watched the Biggest Loser after being able to do about 10 regular ones and thought “wow” BUT it never was a goal of mine. One day I just did like one or two but it was tough and sloppy. I think someone asked me if I could do any so I think that’s why I tried them.
Mike: From your blog and posts, it looks like you eat whole, natural foods. Do you think this has made an impact on your strength gains (or should I say freakish strength gains)?
Margaret: Yeah, I’ve been told I’m a freak of nature…hahaha! I do give my eating HUGE credit. Its not just whole, natural foods but its beyond that. Example is the eggs I eat. I eat organic eggs BUT I buy them from a local organic farmer who let their chicken roam to eat grass, bugs and they are fed a special mineral diet. I also listen to my body and give it what it needs to function. I know what I function well on.
It is not just in the food either. I feel I train smart as well. If my body needs a break, I give it. I hear about people that don’t take rest days. I know people that train every single day. I can’t do either of them. I might train 2 days in a row but I feel if I listen well to my body and give it a break when its begging me for one, my strength increases. Training is great but its that rest time that works wonders for strength gains. When I come off a rest day (or two..haha!), I feel much stronger.
So basically it’s a combination of my natural diet, training smart, and listening to my body. I honestly think people would be shocked that I can gain so much strength without following a set “schedule”. I know people that will do things on certain days of the week. I have strength training day “routines” (3-4) but what I do on what day depends on my mood and body.
And that's just part 1. Part 2 to come... I was really excited about Margaret agreeing to do an interview because I find it inspiring and I hope you do, too.
To follow Margaret on her journey, check out her blog at:
http://thenaturalpowerhouse.blogspot.com/
Be on the lookout for part 2!
To your success,
Mikey, CFT, CFNC
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