Prom Dresses and Free Yoga: An Honest Account of How I Became a Fitness Instructor

There is this illusion that some people grow up inherently fit and driven towards athleticism.

That was never me.

I want to talk about how I integrated fitness into my life, because I started where I know a lot of people start- trying to get into a dress.

The first time I fully committed to working out, I was 18. It was the end of senior year, we had to wear uniforms everyday of highschool and I was known as a starch academic. So...I bought a red dress from Guess that was short enough to stop traffic and told my mother I was wearing it to the dance.

My mother shrugged her shoulders, and said, “I guess you’re only young once”.

I’ll be the first one to tell you that working out because you want to fit into a dress is NOT the best ways to pursue physical health. But, I’ll admit that walking into prom felt damn good.

The next time I started getting into fitness was because my ex-boyfriend was really into fitness. He'd spend more time at the gym than with me and was not in any way apologetic about the fact that he was really into his arms.

So, I went to the gym once and awhile out of vanity. I’d lie on the mat, shift through my playlist and flip through Instagram until an hour had gone by. I would pat myself on the back for a quick jog well done and head home.

This is the kind of fitness I see people talk about every day. The occasional kind of fitness that is harder to start than initially anticipated.

Being productive at the gym is not easy and it really takes practice. I did not practice.

But when the gym membership got too expensive, I began trading at a yoga studio. I’d work three hours a week and get free unlimited classes (ask your local studio if this is an option).

In a way, this helped put things in perspective for me. My financial justification for this was that the three hours I worked a week would be “paid off” by going to three classes. Therefore, the labour was worth it if I ended up practicing yoga and barre at the studio.

Initially, I did not like it at all. I sweat a lot and couldn’t hold a pose and did not realize you needed to bring a towel. There was a lot of slipping and it was very embarrassing.

But this is normal, I told myself. I was beginning and this would take time.

I started going more. Eventually, with school, it became too much and I begged my parents to buy me a monthly pass. The financial impact of this really got me going. I had to prove to them that this (relatively expensive) membership would be used in full. It was a privilege that needed to be earned.

I went five times a week. Six, if I could. I started planning my life around going to classes because eventually I got better.

But, I didn’t keep going just because I got better at yoga and barre. I stayed because I began to feel better about myself.

Rather than rant, I’ll make a short list of everything that changed for me:

•I learned how to breathe. It seems easy, it’s not.

•I changed my diet. I craved healthier foods (much more water) and had to limit my alcohol intake because being hungover and dehydrated in a 38 degree room is a terrible idea- trust me. Besides, this was also great for my skin.

•I learned to schedule my life more effectively and efficiently. Now that my time was accounted for each day at the studio, I became accustomed to managing my schedule to the minute.

•I became stronger. Not just physically, but also emotionally. I learned how to push through pain and discomfort and to discipline myself towards a goal. That’s a life skill I’ll always appreciate.

•I became happier. I felt good. And when I don’t feel good, fitness is a coping mechanism I’ll always have that helps me relieve stress and manage anxiety.

The most important thing to remember, if you want to get into fitness, is to do this for you. Dieting, working hard to fit into a dress for one day or going to the gym and spending all the time on your phone are never going to be the answer.

One day, a year or two into this routine, I got tapped on the shoulder by an instructor I'd come to love. She told me straight that I was good enough to teach the classes I was taking.

She gave me a textbook, guided me to the best certification program and took me under her wing to sit in and apprentice in the studio for three months until the owner felt comfortable with me taking over some classes.

I've been teaching for three years now and I love it. I'd do it for free.

People ask me how I got into teaching all the time and I tell them. I was never a dancer. I wasn't raised doing yoga and eating incredibly healthy meals. I was the farthest thing from an athlete.

All it takes it a little motivation, however you find it, and the right community to help drive you towards your goals.

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Follow my fitness journey and blog on instagram at @deannaduxbury!