On last week’s episode we aired our grievances, so this week, we’re flipping the coin and talkin’ ‘bout the shit we DO like!

COMMUNITY 

One of my very favorite things about this space is when you find your people. The amount of hype you get from the people you surround yourself with is fantastic.

1. PRs – nothing feels better than doing something the best you’ve ever done it before.. find people that will celebrate that with you.
2. Support outside of the gym
3. Friendships that are one of kind because you know the pain you put yourself through to get to where you want to go

PHYSICAL THERAPY

As someone who is currently undergoing PT to come back from knee surgery a couple of weeks ago, I now know that the good things they tell us about physical therapy aren’t bullshit. There are a few reasons why PT is really great, let’s discuss.

1. It can lower the risk of re-angering an injury. After you get hurt, moving the wrong way can put additional stress on your injury… a physical therapist will assess you and then teach you about what movements you can do safely without causing any more pain or inflammation to an already aggravated area.
2. It can improve your mobility and balance. Don’t we all need that? PT can be preventative care, even though most of us view it as a type of recovery. There’s evidence saying that PT can help older people move around without the need for walker or canes while helping them avoid falls, which can be catastrophic.
3. It can reduce chronic pain. If you have an injury or a disease like arthritis, a therapist can assess you and help create a plan to reduce pain. Science shows that people with some type of musculoskeletal pain benefitted from just one session of PT shortly after diagnosis can reduce the amount of pain meds needed. 
4. It can help you recover from a traumatic event. PT can reduce symptoms of injuries or sudden events like a stroke or car accident… PT not only helps the patient build strength, flexibility, and get back to health… but it can also help some people avoid surgery.
5. It can improve athletic performance. Again, PT isn’t just for training injuries. It can help people that want to be more explosive or efficient by pinpointing the muscles to focus on and using exercises to improve strength and mobility. Regular PT for athletes can reduce the risk for injury by training the muscle groups that are being used repetitively in sport.

SELF COMPETITION

Community is great, but so is the competition with yourself. I’ve learned so much about myself and what I’m capable of because of fitness that I don’t think I would like myself near as much if  I didn’t keep with it. 

DIVERSITY

I love how diverse the social media fitness spaces are becoming, it’s long overdue. It used to be you’d only see a certain type of body on your instagram feed, now you’ll see BIPOC bodies, fat bodies, trans bodies, hairy armpits, and ladies who aren’t afraid of cellulite. Give me more of that. I love seeing someone being completely comfortable in their meat suit.

1. Remember that your voice matters, and we are all different, so share your experience. It may really help someone else in the future.
2. You don’t have to be a cookie cutter version of somebody you aren’t just to make friends online. Be yourself. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with being weird, baby… I’ve made a career out of it.
3. Shit’s rough out there and we are all doing our best. Don’t beat yourself up for being you, you’re fucking awesome, don’t change. If someone says they don’t like you for unapologetically being you, that’s their problem, not yours.

https://www.stlukeshealth.org/resources/top-5-benefits-physical-therapy