Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Parker.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Fitness has always been a part of my life – I was a three sport athlete in high school and went on to play softball at the collegiate level. When I graduated college I became a cardio junkie – kickboxing, hours on the elliptical; anything that would be a sweatfest.
Enter my first pregnancy and the 65+ pounds that came with it. After Emerson was here I was in the glorious, beautiful state of exhaustion and pile on top of that the frustration that all of the cardio workouts I had done before were not working.
It’s a funny thing how we trick our minds into thinking to get results we must EXHAUST our body – without really understanding WHAT we’re doing and WHY we’re doing it.
I started to think back to all the different kind of workouts I had tried; strength training, spin – I had done it all. A Pilates class I had taken years back stuck out to me because the class was SO different from what I was used to. The instructor was just an energy. It was this balance of delicate, yet strong; not to mention she could hold a boat pose for what seemed like HOURS. A friend suggested I try a similar workout she had loved called barre. I am FAR from a dancer, don’t even ASK me to hold an 8 count BUT I went and the rest is history.
Something happened in that first barre class. Physically it was a reality check because I was struggling through the 55 minutes and I KNEW I had a LOT of work to do.
Mentally it ignited something in me. Here I was, a brand new mom carrying a lot of extra pounds with absolutely NO self-confidence. Every time I’ve stepped into a class since I have become just a little bit MORE – through my fitness community I have found the confident, stronger me.
That is the feeling I became addicted to and it is the sentiment that fueled my decision to not only further my practice but to one day make it my JOB.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
In the health and wellness world there are a lot of internal and external struggles and those are ON top of being a mom and trying to run a household (clean the house, grocery shop and remember picture day) It’s a LOT.
The Culture of the Fitness Industry comes to mind first. It’s competitive. There is a huge emphasis on our aesthetics. I have never been a SMALL girl and it took a LOT of personal development and work on the mental side of things to actually come to a place where I feel strong, beautiful and confident.
Going on this mental journey and becoming a mom were PERFECTLY intertwined for me. I have always had a lack of self-confidence, ESPECIALLY with my body and here I am entering a profession where I am often judged on JUST that.
I am so lucky that in the process of becoming a mother I found this appreciation FOR my body. The same one that I had hated for SO long. How could I hate it? It created this perfect human being. It gained and lost 70lbs (TWICE NOW). And it allows me to do all the things I need to do on a daily basis. It’s funny when we come from a place of appreciation and love how things start to change.
And lastly I would say I constantly struggle with trying to do it ALL. Is this a woman thing? A mom thing? A me thing?
When we take on too much WITHOUT showing our body some love; proper nutrition, workouts, rest etc., it can take a toll. I have always used my workouts as a coping mechanism with life. My husband and I joke that I am always one workout away from a good mood, and it’s true. Working out is my therapy.
In a world where I am not in control of most things – that dedicated time is MINE and I am in control – of my body, the energy exerted – all of it.
The circumstances of our lives have been kind of hard in the past few years and my workouts became fewer and further between and the stresses of life kept adding up. My anxiety was through the roof and I never stopped thinking that I could do it all – and sometimes I would add more “just because.” I learned through medication, meditation, talking things out and finding a support system with similar experiences has been LIFE CHANGING.
This health and wellness journey is NOT just physical – in my opinion it’s MOSTLY mental. And shifting my focus to strengthening my mindset and accepting help has made ALL the difference.
Please tell us about B You Fitness.
I consider myself an accountability expert. I work mostly with ladies who want to become better versions of themselves – physically AND mentally. We work out together, we learn how to properly fuel our bodies and we constantly work on loving ourselves EXACTLY where we are; quirks and all.
I think what I am most proud of and what I’m known for are two in the same. I keep it REAL. I am a normal person. I like to say that I am fitISH. To me this means I LOVE eating clean and working out every day BUT I also love wine and tacos. A lot.
Diet is a 4 letter word to me. I am not going to suggest eliminating food groups or running your body into the ground with crazy workouts BUT what I will do is help you fall in love with treating your body well. We will find your soul mate workout, we will create family friendly clean eating recipes and we will start to fall in love with how that feels. I know for me, I am the best Wife, Mom, Friend etc. when I am taking care of myself.
Self-love isn’t selfish it’s necessary.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Ironically enough I don’t think I would’ve done anything differently because I am a big believer in every person and decision in my past has played a role in where I am now BUT I would have wished I started earlier. I spent too long doubting myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.byoufit.com
- Phone: 617.974.4911
- Email: byoufitinfo@gmail.com
- Instagram: @MrsBeckyParker
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bcullenparker
Image Credit:
Kaitlyn Fazio Photography, Nick Cosky Photography, Rebekah Kay Photography
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