It’s hard to believe there was ever a time when fitness wasn't part of my life – but I found it at exactly the right moment.
After giving birth to my third son at 35, I didn’t feel like myself. I was constantly exhausted, had little muscle and was struggling with my weight. I was also experiencing premature ovarian failure – meaning my ovaries had stopped working normally – and going through early menopause.
Because of this, my doctor told me I was at greater risk of developing osteoporosis. The thought of losing bone density, strength and mobility as I got older scared me, so I started researching what I could do to protect myself.
One recommendation kept coming up: strength training.
Since I’d never set foot in a gym before, I was pretty intimidated. So I started small.
First, I began walking for 40 minutes every day. Six months later, I added a group circuit class focused on high-intensity cardio once or twice a week, which helped me build confidence.
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Around six months later, my sister-in-law invited me to a group personal training class. There, I learnt how to perform foundational lifts including overhead presses, squats, lunges and deadlifts using dumbbells and barbells.
By the end of that first class, I was hooked. I couldn’t believe how strong and powerful I felt. For the first time, I was genuinely excited about exercise.
Strength training completely changed my relationship with exercise
I continued going to the group personal training class four days a week alongside my regular walking, and exercises that once felt daunting gradually became staples of my routine.
Before long, I no longer saw myself as someone who was intimidated by the gym. I was someone who belonged there.
At the same time, I started paying more attention to my nutrition, following the 80/20 approach by eating nutritious, whole foods around 80% of the time while staying flexible with the remaining 20%.
Protein became a key focus to support muscle growth and recovery, so I built meals around foods including seafood, lean meats and protein oats. I also ate more fruit and vegetables for fibre.
For me, creating a healthier lifestyle meant learning how to fuel my body well while still making room for foods and drinks I enjoyed, including cake and cocktails.
I stuck with the same group class for the next five years, until my gym eventually transitioned into a CrossFit facility.
I gave it a go and loved it. Through classes and one-to-one coaching, I learnt gymnastics-based movements including handstands, ring exercises, pull-ups and other calisthenics exercises.
Over the course of my fitness journey, I’ve built significant muscle, lost more than 50lb (around 23kg) and become the strongest version of myself, both physically and mentally.
I even became a personal trainer so I could expand my fitness knowledge and help other women develop the strength and confidence that changed my life.
Now, at 47, I combine strength training and calisthenics
I fell in love with calisthenics and gymnastics-based skills because they require more than strength alone. They challenge my coordination, balance, body awareness and patience, while constantly giving me new goals to work towards. So they remain the foundation of my routine today.
I strength train three days a week, with each session centred around full-body compound lifts – exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once – and bodyweight movements.
My workouts include exercises such as squats, pull-ups, handstands, triceps dips and deadlifts to build strength and control.
Because I’m constantly working towards new skills, I change my programme throughout the year.
When my goal was to do a pull-up, for example, I prioritised back and upper-body strength with exercises including ring rows, scapular pull-ups, dead hangs and band-assisted pull-ups.
Right now, my focus is on mastering a press handstand – an advanced gymnastics skill where you place your hands on the floor and lift your legs into a handstand without kicking off. So I'm spending more time developing overhead pressing strength, core stability, shoulder mobility and handstand progressions.
I’ve never been a fan of traditional cardio, but I still incorporate walks into my week. I also `axe` and do mobility work daily to improve my flexibility and maintain a healthy range of motion.
The 3 lessons that transformed my fitness
1. I commit to one goal at a time
When I first started my fitness journey, I didn’t try to overhaul my entire lifestyle overnight.
Instead, I focused on one small goal that contributed towards a bigger one. Walking became my foundation, which led to strength training, eating more healthily and eventually becoming a personal trainer.
That same mindset applies to my training today. Whether I’m working towards a new strength milestone, improving a gymnastics skill or helping my clients reach their goals, I focus on the next step in front of me.
Breaking bigger goals into smaller, achievable commitments has allowed me to stay consistent, build confidence and continue making progress over time.
2. I stay consistent, even when I don't feel motivated
Balancing my own training, coaching my clients and being a mum isn’t easy. But I’ve learnt that showing up matters, even on days when I don’t feel like it.
There are times when I’m tired, overwhelmed or tempted to skip a workout, but I remind myself that motivation isn’t always reliable. What keeps me moving forwards is the discipline I’ve built and the commitment I’ve made to my goals.
Some days that means training hard and pushing my limits. Other days, it means slowing down, focusing on technique and working through the basics. Both count and help me improve.
Motivation comes and goes, but the strength, discipline and confidence I’ve built through training are what continue to carry me forwards.
3. I find ways to keep fitness fun
I’ve learnt that finding a workout routine I love means staying open-minded and exploring different styles of training to discover what genuinely interests me.
When I first started my strength journey, I tried everything from circuit classes and traditional weight training to CrossFit and, eventually, calisthenics. Each experience taught me more about my body, my strengths and the types of movement that keep me excited to show up.
Today, my training continues to evolve because I love learning new skills and finding new ways to challenge myself.
After all, the secret to fitness success isn’t finding the ‘perfect’ workout – it’s finding something you enjoy enough to keep coming back to.
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Andi Breitowich is a freelance writer who covers health, fitness, relationships, beauty, and smart living. She is a graduate of Emory University and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her work has appeared in Women's Health, POPSUGAR, Food & Wine, What To Expect, Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, and elsewhere. As a former collegiate pole vaulter, she loves all things fitness and has yet to meet a group workout class she doesn't like.
