The Gym Bag Journal

Hi there! My name is Brandy and I am a 36 year old recovering yo-yo dieter.

After years of repeatedly fluctuating between under and overweight, I finally came upon the truth about sustainable health and fitness.

In 2017, I walked into a CrossFit gym for the first time in my life, and at 29 years old, I lifted my first barbell… ever. I have learned an incredible amount about the benefits and lasting results that come along with adopting a healthy lifestyle versus crash dieting, and am here to share as much as I can.

While I am still on my own path to finding my best self, I hope you find The Gym Bag Journal to be a valuable resource for motivation, inspiration, advice, and knowledge in your own journey.

My Journey So Far

Growing up, I had the common misconception taught to me that women should be thin, and in order to achieve that, food restriction was key. I never cared to learn how to cook for myself, and was mostly raised on boxed and frozen dinners. I did not play sports (but I was in marching band), so I never learned how to workout.

While working on my bachelor’s degree, I gained approximately 40 pounds. After graduation, I landed my first teaching job and continued to gain an additional 20 pounds. I was extremely unhappy with my body image, but had no idea how to undo the damage I’d done. I sought help from a doctor who ran a weight loss clinic, and he prescribed me a prescription for weight loss medication. This worked! Well, for a while anyway. I lost a bunch of weight, but noticed that I was experiencing heart palpitations.

I decided to discontinue taking the pills because I was afraid for my heart health, and had already reached my weight loss goal. Can you predict what happened? After stopping the pills, my weight came back. I had not changed my eating habits (I didn’t know how!) and besides running here and there, I wasn’t really exercising.

This vicious cycle continued until a CrossFit gym opened right across the street from my home. For weeks I would watch people lift massive weights, do pull-ups and muscle ups on the rig, and run down the street. I literally creeped on them through the blinds of my windows! Finally, I had enough. I was tired of loathing my body. I knew I would need to try something different if I wanted a different outcome than before. So, I stuffed my fear of rejection way down into the pit of my stomach and marched myself through the door and asked the owner if they’d be willing to teach me how to do “that.”

Of course he said yes! That’s the beauty of CrossFit. Your level of ability and experience doesn’t matter if you have the willingness to show up and coaches ready to guide you. Every movement is able to be modified to match your current ability!

Learning how to be strong became addictive and fun. I quit focusing on what my body looked like, and honed in on what it could do. As cliché as it sounds, I fell in love with the process of becoming healthy and the aesthetic that came along with it was just a bonus.

Now

When I first walked through those doors, I had accepted that pull-ups (or anything harder than that) would probably not ever be achievable for myself. I told myself that people who could do that probably grew up athletic. I am happy to report that I was wrong! If you show up and do the modified movements, you build the muscles required to do what you once thought was impossible. That’s how the whole thing works! You just start and you get better with consistency.

I couldn’t run an entire 400 meters without walking when I began. I couldn’t climb a rope. I couldn’t do real push-ups. The coach had me lifting a PVC pipe for weeks before letting me touch a 35 pound barbell. Now? I can do all those things and more. More than I ever thought possible. And while my journey is no where near finished, I couldn’t help but share my excitement about health and fitness with others in hopes to show them the way.

In 2022, I earned my Level 1 CrossFit certificate and began coaching. I’ve attended gymnastic seminars and have since earned my Level 2 CrossFit certificate. Besides coaching, I began this blog to be the resource I once wish I’d had when I began my journey.

The most important thing anyone beginning their journey needs to understand is that there is no such thing as a “quick fix.” Anything that doesn’t take time and consistency is not going to give you lasting results. The Gym Bag Journal is here to help you adopt a lifestyle, not slim down for special occasions. The combination of movement and proper nutrition can and will revolutionize your life physically, mentally, and emotionally. You can be proud of your appearance and strength while developing mental toughness.

We are here to live long, healthy lives!

To see more of my own journey, follow me on IG: @b______dy

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