Strong mind, strong body: why I lift

I lift. I move. I get stronger. That's the simplest way I can explain what the gym means to me.

People often assume fitness is about how you look. For me, it has always been about how I feel, and about who I get to be the rest of the day.

What lifting gives me

• A stronger body: I can carry my own groceries, my own suitcase, and my own weight, literally and otherwise.
• A calmer mind: whatever is stuck in my head, a good session unsticks it.
• More energy: the days I train are the days I get the most done.
• A happier me: it's an hour that belongs completely to me.

Fitting it around a busy life

Research, deadlines, and moving cities don't leave much free time. What helped me most was to stop treating workouts as extra and start treating them like any other important meeting. It goes on the calendar, and I show up, even when the session is short.

If you're just starting

• Start with the basics: squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows cover most of what you need.
• Learn form before adding weight. Ask a trainer, or film yourself.
• Go consistently rather than intensely. Three honest sessions a week beat one heroic week a month.
• Eat enough, sleep enough, and be patient. Strength builds quietly.
• Ignore the mirror for the first few months. Notice how you feel instead.

Because a healthy me makes everything else possible. Strong mind, strong body. ♡