Strength isn’t a number on a dumbbell. It’s being able to get up off the floor without that little groan and the hand on the knee (hehe sometimes we groan). It’s still having energy at 3pm instead of feeling completely exhausted by the afternoon. It’s sleeping well and waking up actually feeling good. It’s carrying all the shopping in one go, every bag, up the stairs if you need… because you can.
That’s strength.
It’s strength that allows you to live life better… as in pain free, and ease full.
For years the fitness world told us the whole point was to look a certain way. Get smaller, push harder, earn it to eat it, no rest, earn the right to feel okay in your own body and then there is still more to ‘fix’.
So many of us did all of that, we did the punishing workouts and the restricting diets and the “no pain no gain” thing, a lot of us ended up tired, sore and run down, yo-yo up and down weight. Tiring thinking back to that!
Doing all the “right things” and still not feeling good. Because the goal was never actually about feeling good… it was about looking a certain way, and that’s a very different thing.
It’s time to measure strength and wellness by how you feel and how you function now. Yes, of course we can still care about our looks… but if we do it alongside with how we are feeling… well… watch out!
But how do you feel? Because let’s be real… a number on a scale or an amount of weight you are lifting is an easier form of measurement than “how the hell do I feel?!”.
Questions to ask yourself:
Can I keep up with my kids?
How do I feel at 3pm, tired or ok?
Am I sleeping through the night?
Can I get through a long flight or a big travel day without my back hurting?
Will I still feel strong and capable and steady on my feet at 40, 50, at 70, at 90?
Our Mum is 67 and she still moves every day. She does Yoga and Pilates, walks at least 4-8 km a day. She gets down on the floor to play with her grandkids and she gets back up again. She has energy. Watching her is the clearest reminder that the way we move and exercise now is a gift we’re giving our future selves. Not a punishment for what we ate… a gift.
And when you start to see movement that way, everything feels better. You’re not chasing a number or a size. You’re building a body that can do the things you love, for as long as possible. You’re choosing the kind of strength that shows up in real life. The energy that lasts all day. The sleep that actually restores and rejuvenates you. You feel that deep confidence of feeling capable and proud of yourself… just as you are.
This is the whole reason MerryBody exists.
It’s Yoga, Pilates and Meditation built around how you want to feel and function, not how you think you should look. No earning it, no punishing yourself. No before-and-after photos. Just movement that helps you feel strong, energised and at home in your body, today and for all the years ahead.
If that’s the kind of strength you’re after, come and move with us. You can try MerryBody for free and feel the difference for yourself.
Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla