Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Goedde.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Amanda. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I wasn’t always into fitness. Especially when I graduated from college. The Monday after graduation, I headed straight to work – I had three jobs right out of college. I became a full-fledged workaholic. My health was the last thing I focused on… I was too worried about deadlines, networking, and outworking everyone to spare time for myself. It wasn’t until a few years after graduation that I got tired with being tired. I was overweight. I was working in the beer world and doing my fair share of “product testing”.
I was also broke. So, I started my blog (under the name “A Road To A Healthy Life”), as a way to keep myself accountable. My workout of choice? Running.
Blogging was a way for me to keep track of what I was doing, and soon, I had people commenting and sending messages with advice, “good jobs” and “I’m going to join you virtually.” Soon, my first 5K turned into a 10K, 10K turned to 1/2 marathons, and 1/2 marathons transformed into 26.2 miles.
I quickly developed a passion for the fitness world, and after a trip in 2015 to BlogFest, I promised myself that I would become a fitness instructor in the next year. September 6th, 2016, I taught my first ever TRX Bootcamp and I haven’t looked back since. I’m now currently a Master Instructor and Events/Partnerships lead at Sweat Fixx in Wakefield.
One thing that I learned throughout this journey, is that I needed to advocate for myself. No one else was responsible for me but me. So, I gravitated towards the mission of Ladies Get Paid, because why wouldn’t I want to learn how to better myself and learn how to negotiate better? In 2017, I became a committee member of Ladies Get Paid Boston and we work to give professional advice to women in the greater Boston area, in order to help everyone get paid what they deserve!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When I first started working, I worked my heart out. My goal was to always be the hardest worker in the room. The first time I interviewed for a promotion, I was told by the interviewer that “You are a really good rookie, but I’m looking for a starter.”
Heart. Crushed. I left that job about three months later.
That statement has stayed with me – through layoffs, terrible companies, negotiations, and promotions. For a long time, that statement was the reason why I did things. “I need to prove him wrong.” After a while though, the sentiment changed – the need to show myself that I the strongest and best that I can be, means more than anything else.
There are always moments of self-doubt. There are people telling you that you are crazy for working virtually 2.5 full-time jobs. And yes, it’s tiring. But it’s so fulfilling and I wouldn’t change a single thing.
Please tell us about The Sweat Life Boston.
The Sweat Life Boston is a blog and place to have a one-stop shop for inspiration & advice on all things wellness – mental wellness, physical wellness and financial wellness. All of these things have one thing in common – they make people sweat. As my tagline says, “The best things in life get you sweaty” – so let’s have fun with it.
Not only am I a fitness instructor at Sweat Fixx, but I also am a body positive blogger.
The biggest hurdle for me, even as I ramped up my working out and runner, was actually liking how I looked. It took a long long time before I switched my thinking from working out as punishment to working out as a celebration of what my body can accomplish at any certain point. You’ll read and see real photos and stories from me about coming to terms with finding my strength, my heart and how you can work to find yours.
Financial wellness is something that is still very taboo – no one likes to talk about money, and I’m shattering that. Along with being a Ladies Get Paid Boston committee member, I’m also a Ladies Get Paid certified negotiation coach, and host workshops in the city every six weeks. My first workshop of the year will be 2/27 – where not only will talk about knowing your numbers, but also learning how to OWN your space and really ask for what it is you want.
What sets me apart? I want you to leave knowing that you can accomplish what you want. The best feeling is when I get a message from someone saying that because of them “I did… because you didn’t give up on me” – whether it was hitting that rowing PR, not talking negatively about themselves in a bathing suit, or asking for that raise. Knowing that I was able to affect positive changes in someone is what I’m most proud of.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I don’t know. I’m a big believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason. I learned something from every stumble, every fall, and every frustrated argument. If I hadn’t been called a rookie when I asked for my first promotion, there is a good chance that I probably wouldn’t have ended up where I am right now.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thesweatlifebos.com
- Email: thesweatlifebos@gmail.com
- Instagram: @thesweatlifebos
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesweatlifebos/
- Other: www.sweatfixx.com
Image Credit:
Nick Cosky, Ladies Get Paid Boston, Nicollette Petersen
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
