I met Jo a year ago through Momstown (which is another great mommy business that I owe a ton to!). We started the Get Fit Club, a group of moms who wanted to challenge, motivate and support each other in getting healthy. I won a month of personal training from Jo and because life was busy for the both of us, we only got together twice. I was very much stuck at home at the time. I had a baby who was napping twice a day, I didn't drive or have a car and to get anywhere would eat up all the 'awake' time. I barely left the house. I was very overweight. OK, who am I kidding, I was obese and very unhealthy. I was lonely and bored and overwhelmed and depressed. Jo came to me for those personal training. She looked in my cupboards (and gave me sh-poop), she gave me workouts that would work and not get me evicted from our apartment. And although I wasn't really ready to fully commit to something, it did start the ball rolling. I started playing Wii Fit and then EA Active more often and trying to get into some sort of routine. I tried to make it to the Get Fit workouts. I started walking lots more. I even tried running last summer (big fail, but a try none the less). Through out all this I watched from a distance what was happening at JDFT. I saw this wonderful community starting. I saw women make meaningful relationships. I saw a place where everyone was welcomed with open arms no matter what. I wanted to be a part of that, but was scared to make the move.
In March I was given the opportunity is be a part of that community. I won 6 months of personal training with Jo. I was ready this time to make more of a commitment. I was ready this time to continue to make changes. I was ready to become JDFT. I wouldn't have just joined on my own. I was afraid of not fitting in, of not being welcome. I have no money of my own; I have to prove to my husband that something is worth the money if he's going to give me the a-ok to spend it. I don't have a car so getting to the gym and back either means trying to carpool (thank goodness for good friends who don't mind) or busing (which takes 40 minutes each way). I was fat and out of shape and worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up. I was scared. I had excuses out the wazoo.
But I tried it. I was welcomed. I am proving every day that a gym membership is well worth the money. I am finding ways to get to and from the gym and if that means the bus, then Trent and I just suck it up and do it (which I must say is much nicer now that there's no snow to trek through on the way to and from the bus stops). I may still be fat, but I am much healthier, I can keep up in most activities, I discovered I'm strong. I never would have figured this stuff out if I hadn't tried. I never would have tried if it weren't for Jo and her voice in the back of my head telling me to be better (and her compassion, offered a poor fat girl like me personal training). She has taught me so much about what it means to be healthy, in and out, and what it means to be a part of something bigger.
Some members of the gym put together a video for a contest to win $25,000 - this money would be used to continue to grow our community and to bring Jo's vision to more women and families in Central Alberta. Please take a second to check it out on facebook: JDFT VIDEO - please 'like' Urban Mortgages and then 'like' our video. Thank you!!
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