This Pilates Instructor Started Weight Lifting And Hit A 300-Pound Hip Thrust PR
My fitness journey started when I was 21. I graduated early from college and moved to New York City to work in media, and I had random roommates in a tiny apartment. It was the middle of January so it got dark at 4:00 p.m., and it was a very lonely place to be. I felt burnt out from the day-to-day grind of walking to work and going up subway stairs. That’s when I discovered Pilates…pretty much on accident.
I was not very active before then. In college, I made half-hearted attempts at exercising with running here and there. Growing up, I was the kid who hated gym class and being active. If you had told 10-year-old me that one day I would be a fitness instructor, no one would believe you—myself included. I was bullied for my weight growing up, but I wear that as a badge of honor now.
One day I stumbled into a Pilates class that kickstarted a totally new lifestyle.
I entered a New York Sports Club looking for something outside of my 9-to-5 job that gave me structure and community. When signing up for the gym, I knew I was interested in group classes to take the guesswork out of a routine. There was a mat Pilates class starting in 15 minutes, and I went. I didn't even know what Pilates was—I literally thought it was step aerobics like my mom did in the 90s. It turned out to be the catalyst for everything that came after.
I started going to Pilates two to three times a week. I was so shy and I felt so awkward and out of place. I loved one specific instructor's class, and I upgraded my membership to follow her around the city to other locations.
It was the first time in a workout class someone was teaching me about how my body and muscles worked instead of how my body could look. The instructor said things like, "You're going to push down through your hand and find your scapula and find your shoulder stabilizing so you can hold yourself up." To have someone educate me about how our amazing muscles and joints support us and help us live every day was revolutionary.
In every other fitness class I had done before, it always felt like I was being instructed to “do a triceps kickback so your arms looked good in a tank top.” That really didn't resonate for me. I didn't know what my triceps even looked like because I had never seen them.
I prioritized and invested in my fitness routine.
After three months of loving mat Pilates classes, I began reformer Pilates. The first time I used the machine, I felt like I never worked out a day in my life. In fact, I fell off the reformer during my first class. I was so embarrassed. That was a humbling moment.
I remember budgeting so carefully to spend $40 a week on groceries in order to afford a membership at a super trendy reformer studio. I made it work because I was committed and I loved it.
It kept me accountable to actually go to the classes too. I always booked a 6:00 or 6:30 p.m. class every evening as an escape route to leave the office and do something for myself before I went home. I felt connected to myself and others like me.
Then, I committed to teacher training while still working my 9-to-5. It took me about a year and a half to clock my 450 to 600 hours of in-person lectures and in-person practice hours. All my free time went toward completing it. Getting my Pilates certification was like grad school for me—it was the time of my life where it was all hands on deck, all the time.
My now-fiancé motivated me and introduced me to new workouts.
I started dating my now-fiancé six months after I moved to New York and we bonded over our pasts and getting into fitness. He got really into fitness on his own. He was such a wonderful support system and really big cheerleader along the way. He's been with me at pretty much every size I've ever been in my life, and he's always had my back and loved me for who I am.
He also taught me how to lift weights. I got hooked on strength training too. I started lifting heavy four to five times a week in addition to my Pilates practice. I went to the gym and used the barbell to do deadlifts, hip thrusts, squats, rows, pullups, and chinups.
Now, I do a strength building phase seasonally, November through March, and then I shift a bit to lower impact in the spring. I still want to maintain my one rep max for my deadlift, squat, hip thrust, and chest press, so I'll sprinkle that in twice a month just to get underneath the rack even if I'm not in a strength focused season and I'm primarily teaching/practicing Pilates. I could deadlift all day every day, they’re probably my favorite exercise.
These changes helped my strength journey be successful.
1. I prioritized myself and my well-being.
I work with so many moms, wives, and sisters—there's so much pressure on us as women to do it all, to have the great career, be that star employee, be that great friend, be a supportive partner, and be supportive daughter—whatever role we feel like we have to take on. Sometimes we lose that little piece of ourselves that says, "I'm going to do something for myself."
When I started prioritizing myself no matter how busy my schedule was, my wins inside and outside the gym came so easily to me. I learned that when I put myself first, it's not being selfish. It's about making sure that I am the best version of me so I can give to other people.
2. I found a type of exercise that I truly enjoyed.
What was best for me and making real progress was a workout I wholeheartedly enjoyed. Pilates is the movement that makes me the happiest. Prioritizing that joy was so important for me for longevity and staying consistent.
People who are 90 years old and still working out, getting out their dumbbells or doing step aerobics, or just walking—they're doing it because they find joy in it.
3. I got serious about my nutrition and hired a pro.
I learned that nutrition is just as big a piece of the puzzle as the workout, if not more.
A big part of my journey is limiting my alcohol consumption. In college, I was a binge drinker. It was exactly like the movies, probably worse. I likely averaged about 30 drinks per week if not more, which is so scary to think about now.
Today, I describe myself as sober curious—I'm not completely sober, but it's very rare for me to drink. As I learned more about nutrition and fueling my body and optimizing my health, alcohol doesn't really have a place for me and my goals.
I also learned what food my body needs to keep up with my active lifestyle. When I first saw visible abs, I fell into restrictive eating habits that were unhealthy. I realized it wasn't good for me, so I worked with a dietitian for around 18 months who helped me track macros (carbs, fat, and protein). It was probably the best thing I've ever done for my health, and I go back to tracking macros when I'm aiming for a specific goal now.
I added weight lifting and gained so much muscle. I'm so proud of what my body looks like and is capable of as a result.
4. I prioritized sleep for recovery.
Getting seven to nine hours of sleep is also a big non-negotiable for me. Most mornings I'm up between 3:45 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. That mean I'm in bed by 7:30 p.m. most nights. Yes, really. It's that important for me.
I don't think my body would perform or look the way it does without high quality sleep. I think people really underestimate sleep as a fitness tool and for our bodies to recover even if we're not necessarily working out like an Olympian.
I'm the proudest of my deadlift and hip thrust PRs.
When I started strength training consistently, I was using two 25-pound dumbbells as my heavy weights. The last time I tested my one-rep max on deadlift, I revved out 225 pounds. That was huge for me to have two plates on there. I also recently hit 300 pounds on my hip thrust—that's heavy.
Another huge moment for me was a barbell row at 115 pounds. When it comes to showing off my muscles, I'm definitely super proud of my back.
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