Five years ago I took a new job and moved to a new place. I left a community I was a part of for sixteen years because of a hurricane. I lost everything in the hurricane and was working to help rebuild three school libraries when I decided to retire. I felt a little guilty because the community was suffering. I was able to leave my position with three disaster relief grants for each of the libraries. I knew this would be crucial in the recovery process. With that said, I had to do what was best for me at the time and that was moving on to something new.

After I moved and started my new job I had to take a hard look at myself. I know a lot of people are all about body positivity. Here is what I know for me. I will accept you wherever you are in your life, but I wasn’t feeling well. I knew I needed to really address my nutrition and exercise regime. Both were basically non-existent at this point.

I was fortunate to have a job where I was able to use the gym for free and had access to unlimited fitness classes, a major perk with the job. I took advantage of it. I could barely lift a ten pound weight and struggled throughout the workouts. I just kept trying. I then went to a three day fitness camp hosted by Nicole Wilkins. This was a game changer for me. I knew that weight training was important for me as I was and still am in my fifties. I took a chance and haven’t looked back.

I am one month shy of having moved five years ago. I continue to work out and everyday try to do better than the day before when it comes to my nutrition. There are days it goes better than others. I think the important thing is I am aware of how important it is and when I start to see myself back slide I address the issue and work to correct it.

For me I really enjoy weight lifting. I was doing cardio workouts a few times a week, but have found I prefer to just go for a nice walk or swim. I think each one of us just has to find what works for us and incorporate it into our daily lives. There are a lot of people who might not enjoy weightlifting. I never knew I liked it until I was 53 years old. It just shows it is never too late to try something new. I struggle everyday with my midsection. It just seems to want to stay with me. I just keep trying and feel better as a result.

Five years ago I was sad. My beloved oldest sister had passed away and then a month later a hurricane destroyed almost everything I owned. I had a choice and I chose to pursue happiness. I moved to a new community not knowing anyone. COVID lockdowns certainly didn’t help. The one positive I can say from the lockdowns is I now own enough weights that I can workout from home when I do not want to go to the gym. I also have one very close friend that lived one floor below me during the lockdowns. It was nice to have a friend during that isolation period of time.

I don’t know if writing about things that I have experienced are helpful to others, but I think we can all learn from one another. For me fitness is an important part of my life today. I enjoy working out and cooking. As I get older I have realized how important it is to feed my body with nutritious foods, build strength, and find time to go for a nice walk outside. I hope you all find things that bring you joy.

Always grateful,

Pammye

January 24, 2023