As many women know, the transition to motherhood can be tough. Not only have you endured nine months of pregnancy and all that it does to your body, but you now are responsible for a tiny new human – one that needs you, a lot.
This type of life transition often leaves new moms exhausted and feeling limited in their ability to engage in the day-to-day activities from their pre-child life. And for many, this includes a regular exercise routine. Add to the mix the inevitable baby weight that seems to hang around for a while and new moms often sort of “give up” on a return to their previous physical (and mental) selves.
This was a familiar situation to Dana Colwell. After her first daughter was born, the busy, working mom, and event manager for Washington State University, just didn’t feel like herself. A former accomplished wake-boarder, Colwell knew what it felt like to be strong and have a body that could do what was asked of it. Yet, she wasn’t sure she’d ever feel that same way again.
Like many of us, she went to the gym, telling herself she was exercising regularly and working toward her fitness goals. But, truly, 45 minutes on the treadmill watching HGTV isn’t really working out. And when faced with the machines and apparatus at the gym, she was intimidated and didn’t know where to start.
In 2013 a friend posted a photo on Facebook from a Boot Camp Class at Edge Fitness near South Puget Sound Community College in Tumwater. Seeing the tires, ropes, kettlebells, and, well, sweat, Colwell thought it was beyond her skill level – something she just couldn’t do. Yet, something nagged at her to try it, to see if she could.
She decided to stretch outside her comfort zone and give Boot Camp a try. “I fell in love with it,” Colwell shares. “It was such a challenge, but it was different every day and I never got bored. And, I could really see the results.” She committed to three times a week and having the schedule, knowing personal trainer and owner Amanda Price-Salazar was expecting her, made her stick to her schedule.
Was it easy? Heck no. “It’s really hard and I admit I was intimidated at first because I was so used to the easy way out at the gym,” says Colwell. “I really wasn’t sure it was going to be right for me after the first few sessions because it challenged me and I wasn’t used to that. Amanda was great, though, and told me that my body just didn’t understand yet how to do everything. It was my job to teach my body and to help it to learn to be strong.”
And learn it did. Colwell started only able to do a few knee push-ups and a few burpees. “I can now do full pushups and probably 20 burpees in a minute if I really push,” she shares. The best part? “Participating in Boot Camp has entirely changed my body and what I’m able to do.” Colwell cites increased stamina, energy, and muscle tone as direct results of her training at Edge Fitness. Not to mention a body she loves and feels strong and capable in – an important thing when chasing a toddler around.
Her daughter, Rylan, is now four years old and is just as well known at Edge Fitness as Colwell. “Amanda has no problem with Rylan coming along with me and I really like that Rylan sees fitness as a normal part of life. She tries the exercises and learns the routines right along with me,” explains Colwell.
Classes are offered most days at 6:00 p.m. with Saturday morning classes as well. Personal training sessions can be set on an individual basis. Amanda Price-Salazar is herself a new mom and knows how tricky schedules can get with little ones. She works with clients to find a time that works.
As Colwell’s journey back to fitness continued, she experienced, as many people do, a bit of a plateau. She talked with Price-Salazar who recommended three weeks of nutrition counseling to help Colwell get to the next level of her training. “She helped me know what to eat prior to my workouts to get optimum energy and what to eat afterward to best fuel my body,” she says. And, reminders about what Colwell “should” eat versus what she “wanted” to eat helped her refocus towards her goal. “I’m not on a diet,” she’s quick to say. “I still have a glass of wine or piece of cake and don’t worry about it. Boot Camp is part of a healthy lifestyle, not a diet that will someday end.”
Colwell knows Edge Fitness helped her find her “old self” again. “What I love about Boot Camp is that I see people of all different shapes and sizes in each class. Amanda learns what each of us can do and knows our limitation and where to push us,” explains Colwell. “She really pays attention to every person in class, knows them well, and cares about their success.”
To learn more, visit Edge Fitness online or call 360-790-6767.
