| Copyright © 2005. Ice Chamber - Athletic Performance Training. All Rights Reserved. ICE CHAMBER and ICE STORM are trademarks of The Ice Chamber. Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. |
| Motherhood & Fitness by Mayachela Garcia, CSCS |
What some of you don’t know about me is that a pregnancy that ended in an early miscarriage many
years ago initially led me into physical training in the first place. As strange as this may sound,
surviving both a birth and death in the same moment made me feel oddly powerful and inspired me to
shed the negative self-image that plagued most of my teen and college years. I ended up using that
miscarriage as a life changing opportunity. I did what many of you did; I found a trainer and never
looked back.
But not just any trainer--a maniacal champion bodybuilder who made me puke all over my new leather
car seats the first time I trained with him. In fact, I puked and nearly passed out on their filthy
bathroom floor the following six times. (No free t-shirts either!) Coming from a completely sedentary
background, it is no wonder I ached like a post-surgery patient and limped around town for the first
two months of the training program. I still remember the stench of my bodily toxins like it was
yesterday, but those early memories mainly encompassed emotions like self-doubt and
embarrassment. I wore huge oversized sweatpants and large men’s t-shirts that I thought
camouflaged my thickness. My trainer’s public humiliation didn’t help either. He purposely called me
fat in front of other gym members; the worst was when he belittled me in front of my own husband. I
cried at least once a week in those early days. I prayed for invisibility, but I’m sure I stood out in those
hot and stuffy outfits while putting up with his theatrical ridicule. To make matters worse, there were
mirrors everywhere in that gym! It was a brutal and sometimes dangerous challenge of the mind,
body, and spirit, but I persevered three times a week without ever missing a session.
After three months however, I began to develop a genuine interest in resistance training as it was an
unexpected outlet for my infamous temper. I discovered how closely tied my emotions were to how
much weight I could lift. I soon fell in love with the back squat and the overhead presses! Within a
year I dropped two dress sizes, gained lean muscle mass, and felt like a different, more confident
woman. I grew courageous enough to tell my trainer off on occasion, but the truth is that aside from
his neurotic propensity for pain, he was a dynamic and masterful trainer. He was the first person to
encourage me to become a trainer once I graduated from his school of hard knocks. It was around
this time that I began working out with local fitness buff, Jessica Cort who--lucky for me--would become
my loyal training partner for the next seven years.
years ago initially led me into physical training in the first place. As strange as this may sound,
surviving both a birth and death in the same moment made me feel oddly powerful and inspired me to
shed the negative self-image that plagued most of my teen and college years. I ended up using that
miscarriage as a life changing opportunity. I did what many of you did; I found a trainer and never
looked back.
But not just any trainer--a maniacal champion bodybuilder who made me puke all over my new leather
car seats the first time I trained with him. In fact, I puked and nearly passed out on their filthy
bathroom floor the following six times. (No free t-shirts either!) Coming from a completely sedentary
background, it is no wonder I ached like a post-surgery patient and limped around town for the first
two months of the training program. I still remember the stench of my bodily toxins like it was
yesterday, but those early memories mainly encompassed emotions like self-doubt and
embarrassment. I wore huge oversized sweatpants and large men’s t-shirts that I thought
camouflaged my thickness. My trainer’s public humiliation didn’t help either. He purposely called me
fat in front of other gym members; the worst was when he belittled me in front of my own husband. I
cried at least once a week in those early days. I prayed for invisibility, but I’m sure I stood out in those
hot and stuffy outfits while putting up with his theatrical ridicule. To make matters worse, there were
mirrors everywhere in that gym! It was a brutal and sometimes dangerous challenge of the mind,
body, and spirit, but I persevered three times a week without ever missing a session.
After three months however, I began to develop a genuine interest in resistance training as it was an
unexpected outlet for my infamous temper. I discovered how closely tied my emotions were to how
much weight I could lift. I soon fell in love with the back squat and the overhead presses! Within a
year I dropped two dress sizes, gained lean muscle mass, and felt like a different, more confident
woman. I grew courageous enough to tell my trainer off on occasion, but the truth is that aside from
his neurotic propensity for pain, he was a dynamic and masterful trainer. He was the first person to
encourage me to become a trainer once I graduated from his school of hard knocks. It was around
this time that I began working out with local fitness buff, Jessica Cort who--lucky for me--would become
my loyal training partner for the next seven years.
As many of you know, I just reached my fourth month of pregnancy with our first baby. The reality of
being a new mother has taken over my life and in order to learn about prioritizing health while
balancing parenthood.
being a new mother has taken over my life and in order to learn about prioritizing health while
balancing parenthood.
Abs that once belonged
to me - after many years
of hard work. Photo taken
on 8-25-06.
to me - after many years
of hard work. Photo taken
on 8-25-06.
Gladly traded the abs for
my new round belly (now
home to Baby K.) Just 2
months later on 10-22-06.
my new round belly (now
home to Baby K.) Just 2
months later on 10-22-06.
My fervor for physical training led me to study anatomy, kinesiology and various weightlifting
techniques in the fitness industry. Eventually I grew out of bodybuilding, with its inherent obsession
with mirrors, machines, suntans and steroids. I was introduced to real strength and conditioning
methods by talented and innovative coaches who taught me to focus on human performance rather
than body image. After igniting a spark of belief in my own athletic abilities, I was determined to give
other women--particularly those like me who’d never trained before--the same sense of personal
empowerment.
While I’m proud of what I accomplished since my miscarriage, I am most grateful for the days when I
wake up feeling like my old self, but I peel out of bed and go to the gym for another dreaded workout
anyway (especially if I’m PMSed and craving chorizo & eggs w/ homemade flour tortillas). Whether I
like it or not, I learned to adopt this habit as a regular part of my life. I hope that as a new mom, I
inspire my child to be active not only for the thrill of performance, but for the overall sense of physical
and emotional wellness that is the direct result of a healthy diet and regular exercise.
techniques in the fitness industry. Eventually I grew out of bodybuilding, with its inherent obsession
with mirrors, machines, suntans and steroids. I was introduced to real strength and conditioning
methods by talented and innovative coaches who taught me to focus on human performance rather
than body image. After igniting a spark of belief in my own athletic abilities, I was determined to give
other women--particularly those like me who’d never trained before--the same sense of personal
empowerment.
While I’m proud of what I accomplished since my miscarriage, I am most grateful for the days when I
wake up feeling like my old self, but I peel out of bed and go to the gym for another dreaded workout
anyway (especially if I’m PMSed and craving chorizo & eggs w/ homemade flour tortillas). Whether I
like it or not, I learned to adopt this habit as a regular part of my life. I hope that as a new mom, I
inspire my child to be active not only for the thrill of performance, but for the overall sense of physical
and emotional wellness that is the direct result of a healthy diet and regular exercise.
