"You are Too Fat to be a Stripper"

I bet that got your attention!  Cara was brave enough to share her story of SuCceSs with us.  Read below and see if you can relate.  I know that I can!

I wasn't going to do this but here goes............... sorry if it's long! You know I am wordy!

I’ve always struggled with the proper motivation for exercise. It’s something I have always done, and have always gone through the motions, with various periods of life laziness and (in my eyes, morbid obesity!).

During a period of unemployment in 2008, I knew things had gotten out of control when I made the joke of “Maybe I will just be a stripper,” and my father responded very seriously, “You are too fat to be a stripper.”

So I found the gym again. And the ever entertaining land of treadmills. And weight loss. And knee pain. And plantar fasciitis. And physical therapists. And boredom.

Group fitness had always bored me to tears, so I never considered it an option. One day on another 7 mile excursion on the treadmill I heard a party emanating from the Cycling room at my gym. It sounded like way too much fun to be exercise! So I worked up the courage to join them.

Clearly encouraged by loud pop music and an ability to sing aloud while working out and an ever-changing variation on a single apparatus was my ticket out of Dullsville and into a land of healthy addiction.

My body changed, my abs got flatter, the world was asking me “what do you do??” And the response was always “Indoor cycling!”

I made friends there, I had fun there. I rarely dreaded a trip to the gym.

And then they closed on me. It sounds strange, but after that, I felt kind of lost as far as my physical fitness. I couldn’t find a “home” at the Y, and stopped going. I tried to start running again. 

And then I busted my hamstring. So much for my only form of exercise.

And then I broke up with my boyfriend. And so I spent my summer partying away the sadness. 

And drinking. And eating. And slowly my favorite clothes were too tight. I was depressed, I was bored and I was getting fat again. I kept telling myself “You need to go to Angela’s place.”

I finally came in – terrified! I’d taken cycling classes millions of times in my life, but this was new people. New bikes. What if I shouted, or sung?

SCS welcomed me with open arms. Quickly I made friends and slowly started to gain my self-esteem back. I started to gain a purpose beyond rushing home from work to go to Happy Hour or binge on my latest Netflix addiction (this is reserved for after class!)

Friday night’s aren’t spent out on the town all night, because I actually have something to do on Saturday morning. I’m drinking less, eating healthier. It’s been a long struggle through the fall and the winter, but my clothes are fitting better. My energy is up. I look forward to seeing my SCS friends each day.

I feel inspired to do more, and would maybe even consider certification.

SCS helped me find my physical and mental health again. I couldn’t imagine exercise without the 

SCS Team and the beautiful inspiration you inspire each day. I couldn’t imagine any other studio putting up with me the way you all do!!! And THAT makes you unique in itself.

~Cara~