From Michelle Bauer

Fitness Professional/Gym Owner in Chalfont, PA

Well, I may be the wrong person to ask because I have been called crazy at times.  Most say I am addicted to exercise, well heck…I own a gym!  Working out and teaching group fitness has been part of my daily life for over 20 years now.  The only break my body has had is a few vacations and usually I still find time to workout. I try to reach new levels in my fitness all the time by setting goals for myself to keep growing and pushing forward.  I believe there is great empowerment in challenging yourself physically and mentally towards a goal, training for it and then meeting or exceeding those goals.

I believe in pushing the body, challenging it every way we can and going beyond our comfort zone!  I say it in my classes very often, “I want you to feel uncomfortable!  Not to the point of throwing up, but uncomfortable!”  Pushing your body to that level will increase your fitness level, get past plateaus and mentally make you stronger.  Just when you think you want to quit, knowing "You're fine" makes you realize that you are not dying, you are alive and very much capable of pushing a little harder and getting those last few reps in!

How great does it feel to complete a race that you didn’t think you could do or set a goal and accomplish it? There is no better feeling in the world, it’s a sense of empowerment and no one can give it to you, you earn it!

I feel the body is meant to move, meant to be challenged.  Approaching 50, I refuse to say am too old to do anything when it comes to fitness. I am going to push to be in my best shape yet, do the Spartan sprint, run a few 5k’s, and possibly a half marathon and even get another triathlon under my belt this year.

As we age, balancing out your regimen with stretching and yoga will help tremendously.  Train hard but be kind to your body by constantly working on flexibility and mobility. Listen to your body, be smart and don't over train to avoid nagging and/or even acute injuries.

What goals are you setting for yourself this year? 

Come on, I know you can do it and I believe in you :)  

Comment below!