If I could choose only three words to describe what I do on a daily
basis, they would be: inspire,
motivate, and encourage. I love my job!
Many people
come to me with their self-esteem in the basement; and yet, after just
a few weeks of working on themselves, they emerge with new hope and a
zest for living. As they challenge their strength, flexibility and
balance, they are able to regain control over their body, mind and
spirit.
For example, a
90-year-old lady recently told me that because she’d lost all
strength in her legs she was not able to get out of a chair without
assisting herself with her arms. Although I let her get away with this
belief a few times, I eventually asked her to sit on one of the
stability balls that we use in training. She was reluctant at first
because of her balance issues, but I assured her that I was right
there and that the hand rail was within easy reach.
After having
her warm up with a few minutes of pelvic-flexing exercises, I asked
the woman how she was going to get up off the ball.
She answered by saying that she guessed she’d just have to
stand up. And so she did! I
reported to her that she wasn’t sitting any higher on the ball than
in a chair. To prove this point, I made her sit in the chair and told
her to get up without using her hands. And, once again, she did!
Belief systems
are powerful things. Because this woman hadn’t been able to exercise
for a full year, she believed that the muscles in her legs had
deteriorated. I sensed that she had a lot of muscle left; she just
needed to be told—and believe—that she could do this. She repeated
the exercise a few more times to reassure herself, and left feeling
like she had accomplished so much.
I love being a
cheerleader. And I especially love to see such marvelous
transformations on a daily basis. As I am fond of saying over and over
again: “You are never too old to exercise, but not exercising makes
you old.”
My inspiration
comes from my “higher power” and the marvels that I have
experienced through this work. Ever since an initial transformation I
witnessed while working with a girl in high school who had a head
injury, I’ve had the same opinion—everyone is fixable!
I’ve also
learned that inspiration often comes to us at just the right time. For
example, this past spring I was asked to give a talk about exercise
for folks who are undergoing chemotherapy treatments. This required
that I do some research into how the body responds to chemotherapy.
Just two short days after I did this research, a woman asked me to
help her regain the strength she lost while undergoing chemo. I
realized that I may not have felt so confident in accepting this
challenge had I not learned so much through my recent research. To top it off, the talk I was asked to give never occurred.
This caused me to note how inspired it was to have the research
information I needed just when this woman came to me. Now, where do
you suppose that inspiration came from?
I am blessed
with a creative mind. When someone with an unusual condition wants to
improve her fitness level, I come up with unique solutions that help
to bring her to a better place in body and mind. As I talk to mature
women, I find that quality of life is the primary factor for embarking
upon an exercise program. After all, we all want to be the best we can
be at this time in our life—no matter our age.
Okay. Since I
motivate, inspire and encourage so many people—what keeps me going?
In short, I get my support and fulfillment from watching, listening
and seeing the changes in the clients that I am so blessed to work
with. It’s a win-win situation.
I often drive
home with a big smile. It’s there because I’m reflecting on two or
three incidents in the day that showed me once again just how much
influence a regular, consistent exercise program can have on a
person’s attitude and demeanor, let alone on the physical body. To
see weak and depressed people transformed into healthy, happy,
enthusiastic individuals makes my heart sing.
Rheumatoid
Arthritis, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Cancer, high cholesterol and high
blood pressure—and the list goes on. All of these ailments can be
made better with the right kind of exercise. Exercise is the most
widely prescribed and under utilized drug there is. So, don’t be one
of the people that sit back and wait for some debilitating disease to
find you—get up off the couch and move your body now!
Bonnie
Murphy
is a certified Personal trainer. She owns BFIT and Well Personalized
Fitness Training Studio in Anchorage. Bonnie transforms mature bodies
through exercise and food education. Call: 907.229.7652; E-mail: bonnie@bfitandwell.com;
Website: www.bfitandwell.com
