Meet Helen of SLAM Monterey

It’s hard to fully explain the extent to which SLAM has truly made me into the best version of myself I have ever been. I started SLAM in December 2015, my son was just about six months old and I was getting back into the swing of being back at work full time as the local director of the American Heart Association and personally I was about to enter into a year of uncertainty on many levels.

I have always been an active person. I grew up in the pool as a competitive swimmer and water polo player, continuing to play polo past my college career.  I also got the bug to do a half marathon or two every year. Regardless of how active I was or how diligent I ate I never seemed to lose weight, since my teen years I always felt I was still trying to achieve a look that wasn’t happening.

Throughout my pregnancy I gained the normal(ish) 30-40 pounds – which lead to the delivery of a ten pound beautiful baby boy. I had also been very active those nine months allowing me to recover quickly and get back to my “normal” body. But having moved further from my gym and lack of child care left me feeling limited and unmotivated.

Besides by 5am spin classes (yes, I am that person), I hate workout classes – I have about a 45 minute attention span and am very particular on my instructors. Luckily for me ILOVED Alexa and her class from day one.

In the last year I have only missed a handful of classes and look forward to each day I get to show up, push my body (and mind) as hard as I can, and set that example for my son. On those days I feel unmotivated or a bit down my SLAM Mom Tribe gives me that boost I need to do another set, run a bit faster, put in more.  I am very fortunate that my company allows for me to make SLAM part of my routine. From time to time you will see me on a conference call during a set of burpees or planks, but like with most the juggling I do – I make it work.

A life changing moment for me came during the SLAM Ten Week Challenge. For the first time in my life I lost weight – I dropped below that weight I always seemed to hang around, and just seeing what my body could do, how I finally was saw that healthy athletic body I always strived for was exciting. Over the course of the challenge I was also going through what could have been the most difficult time of my life, but SLAM helped me focus on me and being the best version of myself, and mommy, I could be.

Since the challenge things have changed, I have gone back up in numbers and I still feel like I have work to put in, and goals to re-meet but I know I have the support of all the SLAM Fam. I constantly text my accountability friend Sydney my “weak” moments, and we share workout and inspiration ideas to put us in the right frame of mind. I have even made to classes in my home town of Los Angeles and visit SLAM LA and Eliza. I can’t tell you how it warms my heart when someone from another SLAM location relocates (or visits) and they have the open arms of her SLAM Fam to welcome her somewhere new and get her working out.

It feels like I have been doing SLAM for more than eleven months – I couldn’t imagine my life without Alexa’s classes or my SLAM Tribe. I am truly grateful for all that SLAM stands for, the moms who put themselves first right alongside me, and have become lifelong friends, team mates and cheerleaders.