Posts by x3sports
Why You Should Start Kickboxing Class
A kickboxing class is an intense cardio workout that builds lean muscle and endurance with a martial arts foundation. When practiced consistently, kickboxing builds real-world self-defense skills while accelerating fitness goals.
When you join a kickboxing class at X3 Sports, you will be participating in a high-energy group activity that boosts your metabolism, builds lean muscle throughout your body, and enhances cardiovascular health. Every kickboxing class meshes components of heavy bag work with strength and endurance conditioning, resulting in a well-rounded workout bursting at the seams with mental and physical benefits.
Did you know that by participating in a kickboxing class you’re participating in one of the fastest-growing workouts in Atlanta? Kickboxing is designed for people of all fitness and experience levels. Check out some of the most exciting benefits of kickboxing below:
1. Lose Weight
You heard that right. Kickboxing is one of the most effective cardio workouts out there, helping participants burn more calories than less-dynamic types of cardiovascular exercise, such as running, cycling and swimming, in the same period of time.
During X3’s one-hour kickboxing class, the average person can burn between 700-900 calories, which means you can lose weight up to four times faster than a traditional workout. Of all the newcomers we’ve talked to, we can tell you this: when paired with the right nutrition, it’s not uncommon to drop up to 10 pounds in one month with consistent kickboxing practice.
Kickboxing is considered high intensity interval training, which is defined by bursts of maximum energetic output in between brief periods of rest. HIIT workouts are extremely effective at burning calories, shedding unwanted fat, and toning muscles because they force your body to dig into its fat stores in order to amass the energy you need to make it through the next high-intensity burst. This type of training elevates your metabolic rate and can keep your metabolism burning for hours after class.
2. Boost Your Mood
What better way to alleviate stress than by hitting a heavy punching bag? In an X3 kickboxing class, take out all your aggression in a safe and healthy way on a 120lb inanimate object. Kickboxing class is an effective mood booster because of all the feel-good chemicals that are released in your brain during exercise. You’ll boost endorphins as you sweat your way through endurance training and be lifted even higher by your supportive classmates and instructors. Kickboxing class can elevate your mood and build a confidence that you’ll carry with you throughout the day and in your life.
3. Learn Self Defense
Since every X3 Sports class is taught by experienced professional fighters, you’ll learn some of the same techniques that are used in mixed martial arts competitions. Not only is proper form critical to making sure you’re reducing the opportunity for injury, it also teaches important self-defense skills. Knowing how to kick and punch effectively increases empowerment and self-esteem, and gives you a base foundation should you ever see a real-life altercation. At kickboxing class, you’ll build muscle memory so that you’ll more easily and subconsciously be able to spring into protection mode.
Kickboxing builds the core muscles and agility you would need to protect yourself in a combat situation. Importantly, it also boosts awareness of your surroundings, increasing the chances that you’ll be able to identify danger and preemptively remove yourself from a situation before it turns sour. Your instructor may sometimes even incorporate moves from other types of martial arts, giving you a well-rounded knowledge of self-defense while sculpting your muscles from head to toe.
4. Change Your Workout Routine
A lot of people can get stuck doing the same workout routine because it becomes convenient, familiar and easy. But you will hit a plateau at some point with static exercise and stop seeing results. In order to kickstart your workout and begin charging once again towards your fitness goals, consider a kickboxing class.
No one class at X3 Sports is ever the same. We are constantly changing the routines to add an element of surprise and keep you mentally and physically challenged. With so much variety, you’ll prevent a plateau, even if you’re engaging in consistent kickboxing practice. A constantly evolving exercise routine will prevent you from getting bored, which increases your chances of keeping up with it for a longer period of time. Plus, as your body is pushed in new and different ways each kickboxing class, your body will be forced to work harder, helping you to burn more calories.
5. See Results
Our goal in every kickboxing class is to maximize the effectiveness of your workout routine so that you’re moving confidently toward your fitness goals. Our professional instructors will guide you through the class at your own pace and help you to turn up the notch on the intensity when you are ready for more of a challenge. Even if you have never worked out before, it’s never too late to start. You will be seeing results and be well on your way to feeling lighter, stronger and happier as early as the first month!
What to Expect in Kickboxing Class
Whether you’ve never taken a fitness class or are seasoned in combat sports, you will be able to find a kickboxing class that works for your fitness and experience level. We provide everything you need for a successful kickboxing class; all you have to do is show up ready to sweat.
During your kickboxing class, you can expect foundational kickboxing instruction and drills to be intermixed with more traditional strength and conditioning training, such as pushups and burpees. Your instructor will take time to teach proper form so that you’re building a solid foundation, and offer individualized instruction throughout class to keep you on track. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if you’re feeling lost. And feel free to show up early to talk with our professional team on-site about the equipment.
Each one of our classes begins with a brief warm-up and ends with a cool-down, but we encourage you to come before or stay after class and take advantage of the gym’s ample free workout space and cardio machines.
Visit X3 Sports And Take A Kickboxing Class
With so many benefits, it’s clear why kickboxing has become one of the most popular fitness classes among men and women. X3 Sports has world-class trainers, clean facilities and a vibrant fitness community, which is why we’ve been voted best kickboxing in Atlanta! With five locations spread across Atlanta, Marietta and Athens, and an assortment of convenient class times, X3 Sports meets you where you are, on your time.
Book your first kickboxing class with X3 Sports for free today to see if a membership is right for you!
Increase Strength With Kickboxing: How an Avid Athlete Transformed Her Fitness With Kickboxing
Increase Strength With Kickboxing: How an Avid Athlete Transformed Her Fitness With Kickboxing
Kickboxing is an incredible full-body workout that can help you lose weight, increase strength, and reach your fitness goals faster than more static cardio or weight lifting regimens. In this article, learn how one of our members – a mom of three and lifelong athlete – was able to transform herself by building “me time” into her week at X3 Sports.
Meet X3 Warrior and Goal Smasher: Kim
We love when our members reach their personal fitness goals and started this spotlight series as a way to celebrate our community’s achievements at X3 Sports. Kim is a member in Marietta. Unlike many of our success stories, her goal was not weight loss related, though that was a natural outcome of her efforts. Her goal setting out on her journey was simply to increase strength and endurance. Read her success story below:
We recently had another member reach her fitness goal at X3 Sports. Kim is a member in Marietta and unlike many of our success stories her goal was not weight loss related. Read her success story below.
“I joined X3 in November of 2012. I was very active already but wanted something extra to help me reach the level of fitness I desired. The only goal I had was to increase my strength and endurance. I did not have a weight loss goal, but I did incorporate a weight loss supplement in my diet. Over a 12 month period, I lost about 10 lbs and 14 inches overall (4 of that in my waist, 3 from my hips). My body fat also decreased from 23% to 18%. My strength, endurance, and even agility has improved drastically by taking X3’s Kickboxing classes almost daily.
As a 35 year old, mother of 3 with a full-time job, I look forward to going to workout each day…it’s my, “me time.” Im always looking for ways to make my lifestyle healthier, I use therapy and supplements to increase my body health. You can check out this Mind Lab Pro review if you are interested in trying a new brain supplement.
Kickboxing is a huge stress-reliever and the health benefits (losing weight, toning muscle and increased energy) I continue to receive are absolutely worth the time, money and effort.”
Thanks X3!
-Kim
Want to be our next success story? To get started sign up for a free class here or fill out the form on this page.
How Does Kickboxing Increase Strength?
Kickboxing is a form of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which is one of the most effective workout formulas to increase strength and burn calories. HIIT workouts are defined by bursts of maximum energy output in between brief rest periods, which force your body to dig deep (and siphon off your fat stores) in order to amass the energy it needs to get through the next stretch of intensity.
To help you increase strength, we build high-energy classes that vary immensely each week in order to keep you constantly challenged and your body on the edge of its comfort zone. Variety stops you from plateauing so that you’ll be able to increase strength and lose weight faster than more traditional (and dare we say more static cardio and strength workouts, such as running).
With anaerobic and aerobic benefits, kickboxing is highly effective at burning calories and you can expect to burn up to 900 calories in a single hour! As Kim experienced, weight loss can be a natural part of your journey even if it’s not your intended goal. But as Kim also experienced, kickboxing classes are a highly effective tool to build lean muscle all throughout your body. When kicking, punching, pivoting, ducking and lunging around your heavy punching bag, you’ll build arm, core and leg muscles. You’ll increase strength and stamina while improving reactivity, coordination and balance.
Increase Strength With Kickboxing at X3 Sports
Do you want to experience the unique benefits of kickboxing? Do you want to increase strength and lose unwanted flab? Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or have never set foot on the mat or in a group workout class before, you’re welcome at X3 Sports. Our professional trainers build classes for all fitness and experience levels. They’ll train you on kickboxing fundamentals and provide personalized feedback to help you along on your fitness journey. With five convenient locations in the Atlanta Metro Area, between Atlanta, Marietta and Athens, we meet you where you are when you’re ready to shred. Book your FREE class today and see if you want to be a part of our vibrant fitness community long term. Would you like to be our next success story? Fill out the form on this page and start working toward the newer, more improved version of yourself. You can smash your fitness goals just like Kim did, and we can’t wait to help.
The Value of Building a Fitness Community And Its Importance
Building a Fitness Community
When it comes to achieving your personal health and fitness goals, it helps to be part of a fitness community. In fact, research shows that group training allows you to achieve your fitness goals faster.
That’s a big reason why, from day one, we set out to create a sense of community at all of our gyms. No matter where you are on your journey, a fitness community can be instrumental in elevating your training so that you are able to unlock new personal achievements. X3 Sports has taken a unique approach to cultivating a fitness community, from our high-energy group workout classes to community events and training workshops held at our gyms and in town after class is over.
Motivation and Inspiration
When you work out with other people, whether it’s a small or large group, your comrades can keep you feeling motivated and inspired. When you build a fitness community, you can feed off the energy and enthusiasm of the instructor and your fellow classmates during the workout, and build valuable friendships with like-minded people, which can help to shift your overall lifestyle for the better.
If you’re struggling to get through a workout, seeing other people push themselves can help keep you going. Hearing an instructor you have gotten to know and trust that is encouraging you to push past your comfort zone, can inspire you to give just a little bit more. You can also benefit from challenging yourself to keep pace with the class, which can cause you to push harder than you might on your own.
If you’re just getting started, there are always people in your fitness community who will encourage and cheer you on, or even show you how to perform a move they once struggled with themselves. We were all beginners at some point, so we know how to help you get to that next step of your fitness goal—and the next and the next!
Accountability and Commitment
The people in your gym community can help you stay accountable and committed as you move along your fitness journey. For example, when you need someone to keep you from slacking off or slowing down, they will be there for you (just like you are for them) in a way that holds you accountable to your personal goals and dreams.
Working out in a group training environment also increases your sense of commitment. After you start regularly attending a class or exercising with a fitness group, your workout buddies will expect you to show up. It’s human nature not to want to disappoint people who are counting on you. As you make friends, you’ll be able to communicate with them before and after class to encourage each other to attend class and commiserate about your sore muscles the day after.
Ultimately it’s a win-win, because by showing up for them, you also show up for yourself.
Guidance and Tips
When you take a fitness class, you have expert trainers there to ensure you’re doing each exercise, move, or stretch correctly. This helps you avoid injury and enables you to progress more quickly on your fitness journey. Trainers can also show you ways to fine-tune your technique so you can get even more out of your workouts.
At X3 Sports, in addition to a large list of classes and personal training options we offer every week, we also plan broader seminars, tournaments and certification classes. Our seminars bring instructors and Warriors together for large group sessions in which you’ll benefit from knowledge-sharing with our top experts and meet more friends on a similar journey as yourself. Our certification classes enable you to further your development and prepare to one day teach the very classes that you’ve come to love at X3 Sports.
The tournaments we host and participate in outside of the gym can motivate you to treat your fitness community like a team where you’re all working toward a common goal.
Check out all of our upcoming events here.
Progress and Achievement
Research shows that when you work out with a group, you work out harder. And when you work out harder, you reach your fitness goals faster. Exercising with others who are more advanced than you can also help you progress more quickly.
Seeing what a person in your fitness community is doing, how hard they’re working and how they’re showing up for class even when they’re having an off day, helps you push past your own mental barriers to reach that next personal milestone. They can also inspire (and help!) you to try new, more complex moves and exercises.
Certain types of group training programs or fitness classes have built-in “check points,” where participants can track their progress over the past few weeks or months. In our PowerTrackTM weight-training class, for example, we have a leaderboard that allows our members to monitor, document, and celebrate their weight lifting goals.
This is a great way to stay motivated, because simply seeing how far you’ve come can encourage you to keep going and—most importantly—go even further. Plus, we all love a little friendly competition. Pretty soon, you’ll be that seasoned class member who’s inspiring others in your fitness community to hit their next big goal.
Community and Belonging With Group Classes
One of the biggest benefits of being part of a fitness community is the word “community” itself. Humans are social creatures. So when you’re part of a group of people who are working toward the same thing, it creates a sense of belonging. You all get to play a part in helping one another to succeed.
Setting goals together is a big part of our culture. That way, if one of you is struggling to get through that last set of squats, your whole group is there to cheer them on. And when you or someone else in your crew hits a huge milestone, everyone celebrates together.
At X3 Sports, we’re proud that our team of Warriors hang out both inside and outside the gym. We’ve been known to watch tournaments together and to do other extracurricular events around the Atlanta area. At our unified Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai classes, we bring people from all five of our gym locations together in one setting to train and then have a large potluck after to build community!
Team X3 Helps Create a Fitness Community
At X3 Sports, we understand the importance of building a fitness community. It’s so important to us, in fact, we’re extending that effort beyond our club workouts through Team X3.
Team X3 is a fun way for our members to compete in events outside our clubs. Any X3 member who wants to participate in sporting events like fundraising runs, field sports, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu matches, and more can get in on the action with us! It’s a fun way to get together as a community and share our warrior spirit outside of the club.
Experience Group Training at X3 Sports
If you’d like to experience firsthand the benefits of being part of a fitness community that’s vibrating with energy and excitement, book your FREE class today and see if a membership is right for you! Our instructors are waiting to welcome you into our fun, motivated and unique fitness community.
The Benefits of Hiring A Personal Trainer
Are you just starting your fitness journey and wondering what the benefits of hiring a personal trainer are? Do you already have experience exercising but want support and tips to reach your goals? Are you a fitness pro who’s hit a plateau and could benefit from the strategy of a professional trainer for continuing education to reach your goals?
There are many reasons why you might consider hiring a personal trainer; these are just a few. The “why” behind this decision may vary widely, but the desired result is always the same: Hiring a personal trainer can vastly enhance your health and wellness.
By working with a trainer, you’ll get expert guidance and support to unlock new levels of growth toward achieving your personal fitness objectives, whether you’re simply looking to look and feel better, increase your confidence, or if you are training for a boxing fight, ultramarathon or another kind of strength and endurance activity.
If you’ve been thinking of hiring a personal trainer and wondering what one would do for you, this post is for you. Read on to learn more about our members’ favorite perks of private personal training to see if this route is right for you.
IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU
A personal trainer’s job is to get to know you. This extends beyond the initial stages of a personal training assessment or discussions in which you share your desires about losing weight, gaining muscle, increasing endurance, or training for a specific event. When hiring a personal trainer, these professionals will look at other aspects of your life that can affect your health and fitness, such as your day-to-day routine, your stressors, your diet and nutrition, and more, to give you an all-encompassing picture of your health and wellness. They’ll be able to work with you and this information to build a clear 360-degree plan that will take forward towards your short- and long-term goals.
Whether you are looking to reduce your body fat, get regular fitness assessments so you can see the data behind your progression, or focus on high intensity interval training that can help you build lean muscle and burn calories fast, personal trainers will design exercise programs that are highly customized for you! By assessing your dreams, goals, and current fitness and nutrition status, they’ll gain an intimate understanding of what you need to do to get to where you want to go.
Let’s take a step back: what if you are not even sure what your fitness goals are or what they should be?? Not a problem! Your personal trainer can talk this through with you to help you figure out what you really want out of all this effort.
CUSTOMIZED TRAINING PLAN
Every single person who sets foot in the gym is at a different stage along their personal fitness journey. By hiring a personal trainer, you’ll work hand in hand with an expert who will help you develop a personalized workout plan that can take you from where you are (Point A) to where you want to be (Point B). Don’t worry, your trainer won’t pile on unattainable goals that will feel overwhelming. Personal trainers know how to create a training plan that pushes you enough to get results without pushing you over the edge.
Hiring a personal trainer and receiving a customized plan can make a world of difference when trying to stick with a workout routine. Trainers can be the catalyst that helps you keep pushing for your fitness goals, rather than abandoning them. When thinking about hiring a personal trainer, talk to them about your fears, hurdles and challenges so they’ll be able to set measurable, reachable milestones along the way.
PERSONAL TRAINERS TEACH PROPER FORM
When hiring a personal trainer, you’ll learn expert information to help you fine-tune your techniques, learn new ones, and ensure, perhaps most importantly of all, that you’re performing each exercise correctly. Personal trainers are eagle-eyed at identifying bad habits, including improper form, that you might have learned along the way.
The importance of proper form is to prevent injury, which can set you back a lot longer in your fitness journey. The correct form can also help you get more out of each rep and exercise so that you’re working out more efficiently.
This is extremely important if you’re new to exercising or exploring a new type of workout or class, like boxing, kickboxing, weight training, or a high intensity interval training class like our Fastrack Class.
This is extremely important if you’re new to exercising or exploring a new type of workout or class, like boxing, kickboxing, or weight training, where you’ll be pushing new muscle groups harder than you have before. Plus, in a physically intense training program, such as boxing, correct form safeguards your muscles and bones so that you can fight safely and effectively.
KEEPING YOU ON TRACK
When you’re having a great workout, your personal trainer is there to cheer you on and keep you going. And when you’re having a challenging workout . . . your personal trainer is there to cheer you on and keep you going.
When hiring a personal trainer, you’re literally hiring someone who will be there for you, to hold you accountable, and to help you obtain that next fitness milestone even if you don’t want to get out of bed that day. The longer they work with you, the better they get to know you — and more intimately they know what keeps you motivated, focused, and on track. Sometimes it’s hard to push ourselves out of our comfort zone. Your personal trainer is a friend and ally who will keep you inspired through the ups and downs.
YOUR TRAINING PLAN EVOLVES WITH YOU
With every fitness goal you achieve, however large or small, your personal trainer can tweak your workouts to get you to the next level. Say, for example, you wanted to run your first 5K. Maybe the next goal is to complete a 10K, or even half marathon.
When hiring a personal trainer to be with you throughout the process, they’ll know exactly what you need to hit each successive milestone. And if you’re not sure what the next goal should be, they will help you adjust and discover on an ongoing basis, just like they did on day one.
X3 SPORTS TRAINING IS ALL THAT AND MORE
At X3 Sports, we offer all of the standard benefits that come with personal training, as we’ve already discussed, but we also take it a step further. First and foremost, we offer ALL our members a free, one-hour private session with a personal trainer so that you can see what the hype is all about. During your session, your personal trainer will work with you to evaluate your current fitness level, help you establish measurable goals, and get you started on your fitness journey.
X3 SPORTS UNIQUE TRAINING AND CLASS STYLE
When it comes to workouts and exercise, the personal trainers at X3 Sports cover all of the foundational stuff — like cardio, strength training, mobility, and nutritional guidance — but also provide X3-specific training, like boxing, kickboxing, Fast Track™, Power Track™, mixed martial arts (MMA), Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), Muay Thai, and yoga. So if you ever get bored or just want to try something new, we’ve got you covered. By hiring a personal trainer at our facilities, you’ll receive strength and conditioning training while tasting a wide variety of activities, each with their own unique benefits.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT PERSONAL TRAINING OPTION
If you do end up hiring a personal trainer at X3 Sports, we give you a variety of options so that you can choose a flexible plan that meets your individual needs. For example, you have the option for one-on-one sessions, group classes, or both. You can invest in just one training session or a series of sessions, and they can be either 30- or 60-minutes each. We will work with you to determine which route or combination works best for you, both physically and fiscally. We’re your fitness partners, and we want you to succeed because you’re so worth it!
Interested in learning more about X3 Sports, our personal training program, group personal training classes and our equally awesome lineup of classes? Visit our website, read about our personal training program, and — when you love what you see and think, “I wanna give this a try!” — book your first free class with us.
If you’re already a member and thinking about hiring a personal trainer, get started by signing up for our free body and performance assessment! Today is the day to set yourself down a path toward a happier and healthier life. We’ll see you there!
Group Boxing Classes: A Beginner’s Guide to Fitness and Strength
If you’re interested in trying group boxing classes in Atlanta, X3 Sports is the perfect place to start. Boxing is a fantastic way to burn calories, lose weight, tone up, improve coordination, boost energy levels, and build confidence. And let’s not forget, it’s an excellent way to relieve stress—what better way than hitting a punching bag?
Overcoming Your Nerves About Group Boxing Classes
While you may dream of throwing powerful punches, that nervous feeling as a beginner might be holding you back. It’s completely normal to feel hesitant. Taking your first group boxing class can seem intimidating, especially if you’re new to the area or unfamiliar with boxing. But rest assured, whether you’re a longtime X3 Warrior, a runner trying something new, or someone who’s just looking for a fun fitness challenge, group boxing classes are for everyone.
At X3 Sports, people of all fitness levels come together to work towards their personal goals and relieve stress. Our group boxing classes offer a combination of strength and cardio, all while helping you learn boxing techniques. It’s a dynamic, full-body workout that will make you feel better and stronger, no matter your fitness journey.
Why Choose X3’s Group Boxing Classes?
So, why are X3’s group boxing classes the right choice for you? Here’s why we think you’ll love them:
1. Beginner-Friendly Environment
If you’ve never thrown a punch before, don’t worry! Our trainers were once beginners, too. Our classes are filled with people just like you, and our trainers are here to bring out your inner Warrior.
When taking your first group boxing class, arrive a few minutes early and let your trainer know you’re a beginner. Our front desk staff will provide you with boxing gloves and hand wraps, and if you need help wrapping your hands, our team is happy to assist.
Once the class begins, our trainers will walk you through each boxing and conditioning move, helping you learn proper technique while keeping you injury-free. They’ll offer tips and pointers to make sure you get the most out of your workout.
2. A Full-Body Workout with Group Boxing Classes
Our group boxing classes are an excellent way to engage your entire body. Boxing is a form of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), burning up to 800 calories per hour. Each class combines boxing drills with strength and cardio exercises to help you build lean muscle and improve cardiovascular health.
You’ll work muscles throughout your body—arms, core, legs, and more—as you duck, pivot, lunge, and punch. Whether you’re practicing heavy bag work or shadowboxing, you’ll feel the burn and see the results quickly.
3. Constantly Evolving Workouts
To avoid fitness plateaus, it’s important to keep challenging your muscles. In X3’s group boxing classes, you’ll always experience something new. Our classes mix formal boxing training with strength and conditioning exercises, keeping your body and mind sharp.
Each class might include:
- Bag Work: Punching a heavy bag helps build muscle memory and stamina.
- Shadowboxing: A great way to warm up and practice technique.
- Focus Mitt Drills: Improve your reflexes and accuracy with pad drills.
- Strength and Conditioning: Squats, push-ups, and more to build muscle and endurance.
Try Your First Group Boxing Class for Free
Remember, everyone starts somewhere. Be patient with yourself and don’t hesitate to ask for help. At X3 Sports, we’ll support you every step of the way. Sign up for your first group boxing class for free at any of our locations in North Marietta, Marietta, Inman Park, West Midtown, or Athens. Discover if a membership with our motivated Warrior community is the right fit for you!
FAQ about Group Boxing Classes
Are X3 Sports’ group boxing classes suitable for beginners?
Yes! X3 Sports’ group boxing classes are designed to be beginner-friendly. Whether it’s your first time throwing a punch or you’ve never set foot in a gym, our trainers will guide you through each move, ensuring proper technique and helping you feel comfortable. Everyone starts somewhere, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
What should I expect from a group boxing class?
Expect a full-body workout that combines strength, cardio, and boxing techniques. Each class includes boxing drills, such as bag work and shadowboxing, as well as strength and conditioning exercises like squats and push-ups. The class is fast-paced, but our trainers will make sure you’re learning the correct form to avoid injury while getting an effective workout.
What are the fitness benefits of group boxing classes?
Group boxing classes offer a range of fitness benefits, including burning up to 800 calories per hour, building lean muscle mass, improving cardiovascular health, and enhancing coordination. It’s a dynamic workout that engages your entire body—arms, core, legs, and more—while also boosting your confidence and reducing stress.
Do I need any prior experience or equipment to join a class?
No prior experience is required! X3 Sports provides everything you need for your first class, including boxing gloves and hand wraps. If you’re unsure how to wrap your hands or use the equipment, our trainers and staff will show you the ropes. Just bring yourself, and we’ll take care of the rest.
How can I sign up for a free group boxing class at X3 Sports?
Signing up is easy! Visit our sign-up page or stop by any of our X3 Sports locations in North Marietta, Marietta, Inman Park, West Midtown, or Athens to claim your free group boxing class. It’s the perfect way to see if our classes and community are the right fit for you.
4 Mental Health Benefits of Exercise and Training
Chances are you know a lot about all the physical health benefits of exercise — losing weight, building strength, increasing your metabolism and improving your stamina, to name just a few. But how much do you know about the incredible mental health benefits of exercise? From increasing energy and improving sleep to reducing depression and anxiety, regular physical activity does as much good for your mind’s wellness as it does for your body. In this article, we’ll discuss the most vital mental health benefits of exercise and how exercise can help improve the way you feel in your body and brain.
Improve Your Mood
One of the best mental health benefits of exercise is that it enhances your mood. Along with improving your physical health and wellness, exercising regularly can help you feel more positive and content overall. When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins, a natural “feel-good” chemical that boosts your mood. Regular exercise also increases your energy, improves your sleep, and even helps you think more clearly. Together, these benefits help improve your mental outlook, sense of well-being, and quality of life.
Increase Self Confidence
Research shows that setting and achieving goals builds self-confidence and self-esteem. So, in addition to improving the way you look and feel, exercise also makes you feel more capable. And you don’t have to set big goals to experience this benefit. Even something as simple as agreeing to show up to class once a week can cause your mental health to soar because you’re setting off the award system in your brain for achieving a goal.
Sometimes when goals are massive – such as “I want to lose 50 pounds” – you can feel burdened and overwhelmed. By setting and achieving these minor goals of showing up to a fitness class when you say you are, you’ll be enhancing your confidence in your own capabilities and building self-esteem.
This is especially important to remember if you’re new to exercising, just getting back into working out, dealing with a health condition, or recovering from surgery or an injury. Working out at your own pace for 30 minutes a couple of times a week can be a great first step. Then, once that becomes a regular habit, you can set a new goal.
Of course, it goes without saying that an active lifestyle also makes you feel better in your body. There are amazing mental health benefits of exercise like being happier with the way you look and feel, which carries with you through the rest of the activities in your life, whether you’re asking for more money at work or going out on a new date.
Manage Anxiety and Stress
Take a second and think about how your body feels when you are anxious or stressed. For most of us, our muscles tense up, especially in our shoulders, neck, and face. Some of us also experience physical side effects like headaches, stomach problems, a pounding heart, difficulty breathing, dizziness, insomnia, heartburn, and more.
Important mental health benefits of exercise are that exercise releases the tension that causes these issues to build up and become unbearable. As you’re working out, you’re sweating out all the built-up anxiety of the day and becoming more relaxed and at ease.
Natural chemicals like endorphins and serotonin, the body’s “feel good” hormones that contribute to feelings of euphoria, also come into play here. In addition to helping increase your blood flow and relax your muscles, exercising releases naturally occurring chemicals that help relieve stress and pain, and also boost your mood. In a literal sense, exercise makes both your body and your mind feel better, serving as a natural combative for anxiety and depression.
Improve Your Mental Focus
Do you sometimes struggle to stay focused on one task at a time? Do you find yourself mentally scattered and pulled in a bunch of different directions? One of the best mental health benefits of exercise is it helps improve mental focus. Physical activity increases the amount of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine in your brain, which has a positive impact on your ability to concentrate and pay attention. They also help improve your memory, mood and motivation, making it easier to focus on a variety of tasks.
Studies have shown that exercise builds brain cells and can contribute to overall brain performance. With regular cardiovascular exercise, you’ll find that your memory improves, learning becomes easier, and focus is not as difficult as it once was.
Learn to Practice Mindfulness
One way to boost the mental health benefits of exercise, even more is to practice mindfulness while you’re working out. Mindfulness is a kind of meditation where you focus on what you are sensing and feeling in the present moment.
Yoga, tai chi, and Fight & Flow are good examples of workouts that integrate mindfulness into their movements and exercises. When taking a Fight and Flow class, you’ll be focusing on guided imagery while combining elements of Tai Chi and other breathing exercises. As you become more accustomed to the class, you will be able to really focus on your breathing, inhaling and exhaling to create the most effective routine and slip deeper into meditative focus.
But you can practice mindfulness during any type of physical activity or workout by simply trying to focus and clear your mind of outside distractions. For example, if you’re jumping rope to warm up for a boxing or kickboxing class, try paying attention to the rhythm of the rope hitting the floor or the way your feet feel as they jump.
By focusing your awareness on what your body is experiencing in the moment, you can give your mind (and yourself) a break from the constant buzz of thoughts and worries that busy most of our brains. Mental Health is such an important aspect of our daily life that it is vital we try to remember life is all about balance.
Access All the Mental Health Benefits of Exercise
Now that you know more about the valuable mental health benefits of exercise, you can begin to establish an exercise program and figure out what types of physical activity and workouts you enjoy the most. As you get more experienced with exercising, you can begin exploring and trying new workouts to add to your routine. Including workouts of varying intensity, say yoga and kickboxing, will ensure that you have an assortment of options to balance your physical and mental health needs.
At X3 Sports, we offer a diverse array of classes to keep you active, engaged, motivated and — most importantly — happy. If you are interested in starting an exercise program but don’t know where to begin, we would love to help you discover which activities (or combination of classes) maximize the mental health benefit of exercise for you. Book your first class with X3 Sports for free today to see if a membership is right for you!
Fight & Flow: A Yoga and Kickboxing Workout That Benefits Everyone
Are you looking for a full-body workout that builds strength and flexibility? No matter your personal fitness goal, whether it’s to lose weight, build lean muscle, increase your flexibility, improve your mobility, get healthier or even just “start exercising,” there’s one class that can help you knock a lot of those off your list: Fight & Flow at X3 Sports, which meshes elements of yoga and kickboxing.
Fight & Flow combines bodyweight calisthenics with basic martial arts, marrying some of our favorite sequences from yoga and kickboxing. By integrating movements from Mixed Martial Arts and yoga poses, you’ll learn tools that help you manage stress, improve your mood, increase flexibility, boost endurance and get stronger.
Our Fight & Flow class incorporates the anaerobic and aerobic intensity of kickboxing but with the breath and deep stretching of yoga. It provides a variety of health benefits, such as bringing your attention to your breathing. Did you know that mindfulness and breathing can slow down your breath and your mind, helping to relieve stress and stabilize your blood pressure?
Imagine a fitness class that intentionally keeps your mind from wandering, your state calm, and your attention focused, all while you’re leaping toward your workout goals and discovering new tools to better navigate the ups and downs of life. This is Fight & Flow.
WORKOUT ROUTINE FOR ANY FITNESS LEVEL
Whether you’re a beginner who’s just getting into fitness or a seasoned athlete looking to diversify your workout, this combination of yoga and kickboxing is for you.
Fight & Flow has something for everyone. For beginners, finding a new workout routine can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Perhaps you want a cardio workout or to build lean muscle. Or maybe you really want to stretch and focus on mindfulness. Since our Fight & Flow class incorporates both yoga and kickboxing fundamentals, you’ll be able to dip into both words at the same time.
If you’re just setting out on your fitness journey, you will be able to explore the intensity of exercise, while maintaining ample time for ease through stretching and breathing. You’ll learn new yoga and kickboxing techniques with Fight & Flow, and even discover what kind of exercises you enjoy, whether it’s the bang of intensity that kickboxing or another kind of martial arts offers, or the ease and flow of yoga and meditation.
If you’re a more seasoned athlete or fitness class regular, Fight & Flow can help you fine-tune your yoga and kickboxing techniques and pay attention to the foundational elements of your fitness, like flexibility and mobility.
FULL BODY WORKOUT AT HOME WITHOUT EQUIPMENT
One of the great things about this unique class is that it’s accessible to anyone and everyone. When you come try our yoga and kickboxing mesh at X3 Sports, we’ll provide everything you need so all you have to do is show up. The only thing you need to bring to your Fight & Flow class is your body and a willingness to learn. The simplicity of this class alone is a great stress reliever if you’ve had a rough day, but it also means that you can incorporate some of what you learn in this intentional practice into your lifestyle outside of the gym.
Check out all our virtual classes at our X3 Sports Virtual Studio.
IMPROVE EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE
Fight & Flow weaves together poses, movements, and exercises from yoga and kickboxing that are designed to help you get more flexible while improving cardio and strength. During the 45 minute session, you will focus on mobility to keep you balanced and learn how focusing on your breath can help push through even the hardest challenges of life, whether it be upsetting personal news or a physically demanding activity, such as hiking or taking a new kind of fitness class out of your comfort zone.
By going inward and focusing on your breath while undergoing physical challenges, you’ll gain critical tools to help improve your fitness routine and your life in general.
INTRODUCTION TO NEW CLASSES WHEN GETTING STARTED
Fight & Flow combines exercises and moves from other types of workouts and classes, such as boxing, yoga and kickboxing. In that sense, Fight & Flow serves as a great petri dish of discovery, where you will explore a variety of maneuvers and tools, some that you might really enjoy. As an X3 Sports member, you’ll have access to a wide range of classes with a diverse set of mental and physical health benefits. Before you know it, you may have 2 or 3 other workouts added to your exercise routine and health plan. Or, perhaps you’ll decide that you want to dive into yoga and kickboxing individually.
WARM UP CLASS OR A COOL DOWN ROUTINE
Another great benefit of Fight & Flow is it can serve as an excellent warm-up or cool-down class before or after another class at X3 Sports. It’s so easy to adjust the level of intensity of your Fight & Flow workout, which means that you can treat it as your workout for the day or use it as a way to prepare for or recover from another class.
Fight and flow does not focus on a single muscle group so you can take the class as a standalone full-body workout if you choose to up your own personal intensity. Or, you can relax into the yoga and kickboxing moves and simmer your effort.
Since you control the reins of your workout at Fight & Flow, the calories you can burn in a single session vary widely between 250 and 750 calories. If you want to shoot for the higher range, you can give each move your all with greater intensity and weight. If you want to supplement another workout, you can practice the yoga and kickboxing moves with ease so that you keep your energy output low while still benefiting from stretching and intentional breathing.
MINDFUL BREATHING AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS
As you begin to explore Fight and Flow, you’ll find that we use guided imagery through a combination of elements of Tai Chi and other breathing exercises. As you become more accustomed to the class, you will be able to focus on your breathing, meticulously inhaling and exhaling to effectively perform each yoga and kickboxing technique.
Mental Health is such an important aspect of our daily life that it is vital we try to remember life is all about balance.
X3 SPORTS FULL BODY FITNESS CENTER
In addition to Fight & Flow, we offer a variety of other full body workout classes designed for people at all fitness levels. Dive into our website to check out our full lineup of class offerings. If you’re still not sure where to start, consider working with one of our personal trainers. All of our members receive a free body assessment that can determine your current fitness level so that you can set a baseline from which you can achieve your personal goals. A trainer will work with you based on your current fitness levels to develop a custom training plan. To learn more about the benefits of personal training, read our tips for hiring a personal trainer.
Follow the Instagrams of our Fight & Flow class and of instructor Matt Thomas to learn more about all the health benefits of this unique yoga and kickboxing class. Take your first class for free at any of our five locations to learn if Fight & Flow and the vibrant fitness community at X3 Sports are right for you!
5 Easy Steps to Get Started at the Gym
Whether you’re looking to start exercising after an extended hiatus or begin for the very first time, it can be difficult to get started at the gym. Yet, exercise has so many scientifically proven physical and mental benefits that can really enhance your life.
One great way to get on track toward reaching your health and wellness goals is to assess your current fitness level and set realistic and reach goals. By getting real with yourself about where you are and where you would like to go, you’ll light up a path that makes it easier to get started at the gym.
In this article, we offer five easy steps that can kickstart your fitness journey and help you keep up with it long term. Are you ready to start looking and feeling amazing? Do you want to boost your confidence and improve your life overall? Let’s get started!
1. Assess Your Personal Fitness Level
To get started at the gym, begin by assessing your current fitness level. You will want to break this down into four key areas of focus: cardio, strength, flexibility and body composition. We’ll go into a little more detail about each to help you understand why this process is so important.
Cardio
You can assess your cardio by recording your pulse immediately before and after you walk or run a mile. These are your baseline cardio numbers. You can also gauge your cardio by doing another aerobic activity for a set amount of time, such as jumping jacks or jogging in place for 60 seconds, and recording your pulse immediately before and after you do the activity. This will help you understand where your current heart rate is during cardio so that you can see where you need to improve based on your target heart rate.
A trick to find your target heart rate is to subtract your age from 220. Generally speaking, the lower your heart rate is at resting the more efficiently your heart is working. If you find that your resting heart rate is not optimal and you’re way off your target heart rate, you’ll have motivation to improve your cardiovascular health.
Strength
Calisthenic exercises, such as pushups, use your own body weight and gravity to build muscle. These are the easiest way to assess your strength because they only require one piece of equipment: you.
Pushups (standard or modified), situps, squats, and lunges (alternating, single leg) are a great combo because they can help you determine the strength of your upper, middle, and lower body. To complete your strength assessment, simply do as many of each exercise as you can at one time before failure. When you’re done, write those numbers down so you have a foundation to build upon. If you can only do two pushups, not to worry! That’s a great motivator to get started at the gym. After a consistent exercise regimen, you’ll look back at those numbers and feel proud of the progress you’ve made.
Flexibility
To assess your flexibility, first select one or two standard stretching exercises, such as bending over to touch your toes from either a seated or standing position. Write down in detail how far you were able to comfortably reach your arms, lean forward, extend your body and stretch your limbs. This will show you which of your muscles are tight and serve as your baseline flexibility record.
Body Composition
Notice we didn’t just say body “weight.” That’s because what your scale weight says is only one slice of a much bigger, more informative picture. Sure, feeling overweight can be a motivator alone to get started at the gym. But your body is composed of fat, bone, and muscle, the latter two of which are even heavier than fat. Therefore, percentages of each are much more telling when it comes to determining your current fitness level.
Unfortunately, assessing your body composition can be challenging because standard tests, like the Body Mass Index (BMI), can be misleading. The best way to establish a general baseline is to record your body weight and then use a measuring tape to track the size of specific areas of your body, such as your waist, chest and thighs (as though you’re getting fitted for an outfit at the tailor). With these measurements of weight and composition, you’ll have a solid base of understanding of where you currently are so that you can more accurately track your progress when you get started at the gym.
2. Set Your Long-Term Fitness Goals
Fitness goals are one of the biggest tools to help you get started at the gym. However, it’s important that you make them specific and measurable. Instead of generically jotting down “weight loss,” for example, detail the amount you’d like to lose. Instead of “improve my cardio,” go with “run a 10k with my family.” In addition to providing you with a specific target, you’ll have a better understanding of when you’ve reached a goal, which helps to release feel-good chemicals in your brain and gets you excited about moving on to your next fitness goal.
Be sure to set goals that will inspire, not overwhelm, you. For example, if you’ve never been a runner, but your goal is to complete a marathon, start by aiming for small goals (like running a 5k) that will get you there. To get started at the gym, it’s important to have reachable milestones.
3. Lean on Tools at the Gym to Stay Motivated
When looking to get started at the gym and form a consistent practice, lean heavily on all the tools available to you at the gym. These tools can include personal trainers, who can provide you with targeted exercises based on your specific fitness goals and hold you accountable, to cardio equipment and group classes. It’s always helpful to incorporate yourself within the gym community so you feel motivated and inspired.
For many, becoming part of a fitness community, like X3 Sports, is a great way to stay motivated. Experiment to see if you like exercising alone, with a friend, in a small group or larger class. Oftentimes, you’ll find the energy that you receive from your interactions in a group or one-on-one with a trainer will give you the support you need to keep your fitness journey on track.
While not gym-provided, fitness apps and activity monitoring devices can vastly aid in your process. These not only log your activity, but also display and record stats like heart rate, duration and calories burned, so that you can better track your short- and long-term progress based on actual data. It’s much easier to get started at the gym when you are able to see the results in number form.
4. Create a Fitness Plan
The best way to get started at the gym and to hold yourself accountable is to create a fitness plan, which is a roadmap that helps you set and achieve goals along your fitness journey. When creating this plan, it’s important to be both thoughtful and thorough, realistic and goals-oriented, if you want to fast track achieving your fitness goals.
Write down the specific types of exercise that you want to include in your plan, whether it’s hiking, jogging, biking, taking group glasses or lifting weights. Maybe you’re interested in learning a new sport, like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, muay thai, boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts (MMA). Get creative so you have a variety of activities to choose from. This will help you stay motivated, interested, and engaged.
Once you know what workouts you want to do, it’s time to make a training schedule. Take an objective look at your schedule and determine where they fit into your weekly routine. If you’re particularly busy, you may need to do some rearranging to create space for exercise. If this feels overwhelming, start small. Remember, the most effective way to get started at the gym is to create reachable goals that you can hit and then keep hitting – baby steps style – until you’re finally summiting the mountain.
To begin, it’s helpful to carve out dedicated time each day for even just a 10- to 15-minute workout. For days when you can’t get out and about, consider doing an online class at home, such as those offered through X3 Sport’s Virtual Studio.
Remember, the important thing is to just get started. Once you build some momentum and get to know your “exercising” self better, you’ll be able to continue to make adjustments until exercise becomes part of your everyday life.
5. Track Your Fitness Goals and Progress
About six weeks after you set your fitness plan in motion, repeat the assessment you did in step one. Compare your new results to your initial ones. Then, based on what you see, make any adjustments you need.
Continue to check in like this every few months. And, as you do, you may want or need to repeat steps 2 through 4. Remember, your fitness plan will evolve as you do, in terms of the goals you have, the workouts you enjoy, and the milestones you achieve.
Now if you’ve read all of this and thought, “This is great but is there an even easier way to get started?” The answer is yes. Working with certified personal trainers is one of the easiest ways to establish, begin, and maintain a fitness plan.
Not only are they there to help you through every step, their expert knowledge of health and fitness is hugely beneficial.
Dive Into a Fitness Routine at X3 Sports
Are you ready to get started at the gym and begin working toward the body of your dreams? At X3 Sports, we specialize in helping people at every fitness level develop personalized training programs to help them stay focused, motivated and committed. With five convenient locations in Atlanta, Marietta and Athens, as well as an assortment of class times and gym hours, you’ll have every reason to get started on the path toward a newer, more confident, and healthy you.
Book your first class with X3 Sports for free today to see if a membership is right for you!
Trainer Spotlight: Rica Grandison
For the last 4 and half years, Rica Grandison has shared her knowledge and skills of Mixed Martial Arts with people all over the Metro Atlanta area. From teaching self-defense tactics to coaching youth boxing, Rica has done it all.
From a young age, Rica was participating in some sort of sport whether it be a mixed martial arts class, boxing, or a team sport. She got her start in mixed martial arts at a very young age. At the age of 6, she started taking Taekwondo. It wasn’t until her uncle, who was a professional boxer, came along that she started getting into boxing realm. Rica started participating in youth boxing at her local YMCA. When she was 18, she decided to join her uncle in Japan for 2 years where she learned the ends and outs of mixed martial arts.
“I studied a Japanese style of kickboxing while I was in Japan. I loved it over there. I started to fight while I was over there, I went to Hong Kong and all of Brazil, with my team. I enjoyed it so much. I received my 3-degree black belt in Taekwondo at the age of 28.”
Rica came back to the states and attended the University of Minnesota, where she played 2 years of NCAA basketball for the Golden Gophers. Once finished, she started working for Lifetime Fitness, which she helped develop in the area. Moving around the country, Rica finally found home in the Bay Area of California where she worked for 24-hour Fitness and started to return back to her passion for Mixed Martial Arts. With the help of Ken Shamrock and the Lion’s Den, Rica started to find her passion again.
“I got noticed by Kenny Shamrock and the Lions, for being one of the first females to start this MMA world out here, where it wasn’t even sanctioned yet. Once I started working under him, I was in Vegas a lot fighting and did that for a while, but then I slowed down. It was a lot on my body. So, I stopped, and I started teaching mixed martial arts. I went to Colorado and started a Girls on Guard program with the Colorado Police Department. When I moved to Atlanta, they linked me up with the federal building doing self-defense with DA officers and then that’s when I found X3 Sports.”
Eventually finding her way to Atlanta, Rica started out at the Inman Park location and after time, she moved over to the Marietta club and became the training manager. Yet, teaching people was her passion. She loved being in the gym and working with people on a daily basis. So, she moved back over to the Inman Park location and started teaching pretty much every class except for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
“I love to teach. I want to be involved and that’s why I came back to teach. I can teach just about every class except Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I’d say kickboxing is my favorite to teach. I keep the class fun, we move a lot, burn a lot of calories, but I’m also teaching these members self-defense tactics so that they can always have them just in case.”
Another one of her passions is working with the X3 Foundation. Though the X3 Foundation boxing program, our trainers and coaches are working with teenage boys at high schools around the Atlanta area to teach discipline and bring structure and responsibility into their lives.
“We talk to them, find out what’s going on in their day, and then we’ll box for about an hour. Once a month we do a show where they get to compete against each other. The boys love it. It keeps them off the streets, it keeps them from doing things they are not supposed to. It teaches them how to be discipline and how to be successful and from the time that we start with them, their maturity level has grown so much. We help them understand that there’s a purpose in life.”
Alongside of working with the foundation, Rica also teaches and trains clients daily, something that she says is one of the most rewarding things about this job.
“Changing lives is the most rewarding thing about this job. I love this so much that it is hard for me to defer to anything else. Making a difference in someone’s life, that’s so special.”
X3 Sports is not only a training facility but it’s a family.
“I love X3 Sports. This is family. I have been here for a long time and they are good to me. I’ll always tell people to come here. I don’t think that there is a better gym anywhere else in the state of Georgia that does Mixed Martial Arts better.”
X3 Sports Helped Me Lose Weight and Find My Confidence Again
Labor Day weekend, 2017, Carolyn Wright decide that she wanted to change her life for the better. Carolyn is a former nurse, and worked for a spell of time at one of the reputable hospitals in the region after having graduated from https://www.hashtagnursing.com/career-guide/. Overtime, she noticed she had gained a lot of weight and after going to donate blood, they told her that her blood pressure was way too high. Shortly after this, Carolyn sustained an injury at work which left her on a medical leave. She knew that she could not continue on with this lifestyle, she needed to lose weight in order to stay healthy. Scrolling through Facebook, she saw an ad for X3 Sports and thought the facility looked interesting so she wanted to check it out. She came into the Inman Park location, took a Kickboxing class and fell in love.
When Carolyn came into X3 Sports she weighed in at 219 pounds. She started training with Rica Grandison, taking kickboxing classes as well as personal training sessions. Rica and Carolyn made huge progress in short time, losing 60 pounds in 5 months. In March 2018, Carolyn was able to return to work and because of her schedule change, Rica referred her to start training with Jan-Michael Coke. With his help and cbd oil, she continued losing weight. According to Matt Hansel, CBD influences molecules in a human body to block them off. By shutting these receptors off, it helps in reducing appetite and can prevent overeating and obesity.
“Overall, I wanted to be healthier. That was the main goal. High blood pressure runs in the family and I’m not someone that will take medication, so my health was my main concern. I wanted to look better and feel better at the same time.”
From mid-November 2017 to May 2018, Carolyn was down to 130 pounds.
“All the trainers would see me and say, ‘oh my gosh you look so good!’, they saw the difference in the body and everything. I am completely happy with the results and I just want to continue to maintain this. I won’t stop.”
Carolyn worked hard to get where she is at now. She is in the gym five days a week taking 1-hour sessions. “I’m still taking both. I’m weight training and taking kickboxing classes while using the best fat burner supplement. I love kickboxing!”
But it wasn’t always easy.
“People were always saying that I was getting too small and I kept telling them, ‘hey don’t knock it until you try it’. A lot of those people have started working out at X3 Sports now and they see that a toned body is going to make you look smaller. I’m doing it in right way. I’m strong, healthy, curvy, but I am doing it the right way.”
Progress made in the gym only works if you do the right things outside of the gym to maintain it. She changed her diet, started eating clean, drinking more water and holding herself accountable.
“I started cutting back and eating clean, drinking plenty of water, taking vitamin supplements. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I’ll have a cheat meal because I want it but I feel like I deserve it after all the hard work I’ve put in, but as long as I don’t go back to my old ways, I can continue on the right path, losing weight and toning my muscle.”
With a smile on her face and her head held high, there is nothing stopping Carolyn now.
“I feel like a better person, every day I wake up and I’m so happy, I’m a go getter now, I feel confident. I step out of my comfort zone a lot now. I don’t want to be that person when I get older and not be able to do anything. I don’t want to say, ‘I wish I would have done this or that’. Knowing that I am living my life to the fullest, I can be happy every day.”
Break out of your comfort zone, try something new, and live your life to the fullest! “You have to depend on yourself. Go small with everything, start small with your diet, cut back on things but overall, live life to the fullest, be healthy, and be happy!”