What does working out have to do with your business?

Weight a minute...would you agree that success in any area of your life follows certain patterns? Now that I'm at level 44 (much more fun to talk about age as an achievement rather than a bummer), I've had great highs and lows on both personal and professional fronts. I'm sure you have too.

Despite being chronically reflective, a persistent learner and brutally self-aware, the patterns of success in physical fitness and self-care were elusive. The more success I found in my career, and as my family started and grew, the demands on my time added layers of stress like sediment on a river bank. 20 years later, I found myself buried alive in my own body.

Before going any further, you should know that I have collected and diligently followed every diet book, fitness DVD and app on earth. Points, powders, bars, farm boxes, special meal deliveries, vitamins, hypnosis, prayer, lotions, potions...I've done every program on earth. After a couple of weeks, I would lose 8-9 pounds and stall HARD. I was at the point in my life where I truly believed weight loss was not possible. I was resigned to life with an extra 100 pounds on my frame.

It was no longer baby weight. My third "baby" was 11.

I try so hard to help others, but it felt truly impossible to help myself.

About a year and a half ago, I was asked to be a guest speaker at a women's retreat to reprise my TEDx talk "Need a Digital Detox?"

I'm a sucker for workshops, and wanted to support my friend who was launching her new business, so I stayed and put my heart into the exercises. I decided to focus on the one goal that would change everything in my life...my weight. I nervously scribbled my outrageous goal in my fancy green journal that I bring to conferences and events. My heart was heavy because I knew this goal was utterly impossible. I knew I had only ever achieved 10% of the brazen result I was pledging in writing. And then it happened.

My friend wanted to get people talking, and she knew I would play along. She asked me to volunteer to stand and tell the other women my goal. Now these were mostly COMPLETE STRANGERS, and a couple of close (and very slim) friends. I was completely mortified...my body was on fire, my eyes were leaking, but I stood and chokingly told this room of women that my goal was to lose 100 lbs. The rest was a blur. I think they were supportive. They also had mortifying and difficult goals. They knew I could do it.

But did I know?

All I did know was that I didn't have all the answers. I had tons of books, DVDs, eBooks, and bags upon bags of Chia Seeds in my pantry, but no answers.

I decided to approach it like a science experiment...tackling 10 pounds at a time.

Should I see a doctor? Yup. I found a medical weight loss specialist on Yelp and showed it to my husband. I was scared. He called for me. That was very helpful and helped me address some pesky health concerns that were making weight loss especially difficult. It also helped me simplify and structure my eating habits.

Now for the exercise.

A friend dragged me to a fitness bootcamp in a local park. Intellectually, I knew I should go, and even needed to go, but...the excuse engine was pumping overtime. Because I'm a people pleaser, I went to be compliant with my friend's request. Over the course of the next 8 weeks, I pushed myself beyond my self-inflicted limits and felt like I was finally on a fitness roll. Although I was not as fast as others in the bootcamp, I was pretty strong and getting stronger. And at least I was showing up and doing the work. My trainer even volunteered to help me prepare meals one weekend, encouraging me to measure everything and have the whole week set up and ready to go which decreased my constant worry over food.

The bootcamp was over, and my trainer was looking for another location, but I knew that I needed to keep going and craved a consistent physical outlet for my stress.

I saw an ad on Facebook for "Orangetheory Fitness". Heart rate monitors with large displays. A variety of exercises - both cardio and weights. Close to home.

Eew. Treadmills (I have always loathed running - even now I'm more of a jogger).

Eew. Orange. Not my favorite color.

Ok, those were lame excuses. I clicked the ad and Facebook sucked up my contact information and asked permission to share it with Orangetheory.

I hesitated...and clicked yes.

A woman called me. I don't like unexpected phone calls.

Could I stop by for a tour soon? I agreed.

When I arrived, the storefront location was under construction, with equipment arriving and wood still showing. They assured me they would be open in a week, and I signed up for a trial class. Could I afford to wait a whole week? I needed this now.

The class was great - challenging, but exhilarating. I felt strong and confident, not clumsy and awkward like I would at a Zumba or Yoga class. There was one coach for the class (typically between 12-24 people), so I didn't feel like I was under a microscope like I would have in a private training session or smaller group session. Because I could watch my heart rate, and the coach gave good instructions, I knew I was working at my personal best throughout the class. No one had time to gawk at anyone else. Everyone was staring at their own numbers. After class, my results were emailed to me complete with colorful charts and statistics. I could schedule classes with an app. It was nerdvana.

I became friends with the owner of my Orangetheory Fitness location, who was one of the original trainers at the first studio in Florida. He picked a point on the map called "Santa Clarita, CA" and moved his wife and children across the country, putting everything on the line to open this fitness studio. He shared stories about the founder, Ellen, and how she combined her knowledge of exercise science with the measurement and accountability of the heart rate monitors and simple routines to create a really efficient workout. I learned more about the early franchising days, and through a fluke, connected with another early team member who ramped up and supported all of the new locations in their marketing efforts. I love dissecting business success stories, and I loved the workout, so this was fascinating to me. OTF is the fastest growing Woman-owned business in America, so I wanted to soak it all in.

I put almost everything that was optional in my life on hold as I was slimming down. When I lost 70 lbs, and was at my lowest adult weight, I began to dream about reinventing and rebranding my consulting business. I saw the owner one day and he asked me how this was going and I explained my vision in a way I thought he would appreciate...I said, "It's like a gym membership for entrepreneurs who want to work on their business not their bodies."

In his characteristic enthusiastic voice, he immediately gushed that he thought that sounded awesome. I ran into class (next goal to tackle: be 5 minutes earlier for everything) and hopped on one of the Orangetheory Fitness signature orange water rowing machines.

As I sunk into the rhythm of the work out, I started to imagine...how could we pull this off? How could we challenge entrepreneurs to push their business to new heights of health and fitness? And the answers have been downloading ever since.

I'm so excited to jump into this new phase of my business, layering on the good habits and practices that have helped me to transform my life in so many ways. And I'm even more thrilled that I can pay forward the gifts and lessons that Orangetheory Fitness, the founder, the owner and coaches have given me. Entrepreneurs need each other, and need mentors, coaches, experts and measurement to thrive.

We are going to deliver all of that and more.

This week, on Wednesday, July 12 from 1-3 PM, I'm inviting my fellow entrepreneurs in Santa Clarita (and beyond if you'd like to travel) to take an Orangetheory Fitness class with me, experience the gym that inspired my health and business journeys and hear about our exciting new business growth studio venture, Steamwork Center.

Oh, yes, there will be sweat. And there will be tacos. And purple. Because I like purple better than Orange, but Orange is now cool with me too.

We only have room for 22, so I need to know if you'll be there!

Please RSVP to join me on Wednesday and grab your ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/work-out-wednesday-with-the-steamwork-team-tickets-36048279374

Can't make it on Wednesday but want to stay tuned for the big announcements?

https://SteamworkCenter.com | 661-269-7595

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