Have you ever made a purchase that you later regretted? I once splurged for a very fancy purse that was on a closeout sale. It was a gorgeous, spacious bag that had a soft leather exterior, silky interior lining, plenty of pockets for organization, a special chain to keep keys accessible, and shiny leather hardware. The problem was, the bag by itself was probably three to five pounds. By the time I added my extra pair of shoes, water bottle, wallet, phone, snack, lotion, book, and whatever else I was hauling that day, it probably weighed closer to ten. At the time, I wasn’t doing any kind of strength training and I thought that it was much too heavy for me. Hauling that heavy bag around all day was quite the challenge at first, but then it got easier. I got stronger.

I tell you this story not because I recommend purchasing a heavy handbag and filling it to the brim; I tell you this story because we often underestimate our strength. Only by challenging ourselves in a safe manner can we continue to get stronger. If you regularly carry around a 8lb purse, grandkid, pet, or bag of groceries, lifting a 3lb weight at the gym probably isn’t challenging enough for you. If you need some help challenging yourself, I encourage you to reach out to myself or another fitness professional. 

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy month.