It’s time to get your swagger back!

Heather Dumas
4 min readNov 16, 2020

A bit about where I’ve come from and why I’m so passionate about coaching others.

I’ve always enjoyed exercise. Clear back to when I would tag along with my mom to aerobics class. I did the home workouts on TV in the 80s. I just loved it. Then I became an athlete playing soccer and ski racing. I ski raced all the way through to NCAA D1 level.

What’s important to note here is that I never thought about the vanity part of exercise.

I just knew I loved how it felt to move.

I also loved the idea of being strong.

About 10 years ago I was battling back from having baby number 2 and decided to start teaching group fitness. I was going to classes every day, multiple classes, and I just wanted to know more.

After teaching for a while I began to see some of my ladies making huge life changes. I found, and still find, so much joy in watching women transform their lives. Watching them find the happiness that comes with feeling healthier. I love encouraging them, sharing in their struggles, and triumphs. I cry with them when they break through barriers and when they achieve new goals.

Diving deeper into the world of fitness

Four years ago I again wanted more, I wanted to dive deeper into understanding how our bodies work so I could better help these women (and men) in my classes. I also was starting to get frustrated with my own lack of progress.

I have been told that as you age, you gain fat, your metabolism slows, etc. I refused and still refuse to accept that. I have mentors and friends who are well into their 70s who still bike, run, lift weights, ski, and play hard!

After getting certified as a personal trainer, I knew I wanted to help more people, and I did. What I found though was that most of my clients struggled with the same thing. They didn’t have time for themselves.

There was a long period of time when I felt like time for myself was impossible, too. I was managing restaurants and working insane hours. I worked late into the night, had a baby, and my husband worked opposite hours of me to minimize daycare time. However, I still managed to squeeze myself into my schedule. I made it a priority to get to the gym every single day. I made sure I was eating well even though I was often eating standing up or at weird hours. My sleep wasn’t ideal but you do what you can.

I have discovered that this is my little zone of genius. I am a master at manipulating schedules and squeezing every ounce of productivity out of a day.

So regardless of the demands of your schedule, it is possible to prioritize your self-care.

I know that so many mothers in leadership roles struggle with this issue. You just can’t see how you could possibly fit one more thing in. And you likely feel guilty if you do take time away from work or from your kids to take care of you. The struggle is REAL!

We hear a lot of talk about work-life balance but not a lot of help getting there. We also have been conditioned to believe that we’re supposed to do it all ourselves. We’re supposed to be the involved, hands-on mom, the inspiring and productive leader at work, and we’re supposed to do it with a smile (and probably in heels). Let’s be real, that isn’t possible. We all need help!

Everyone needs a coach

I sought out a coach a few years ago because I recognized that I was missing a major piece of the puzzle. I was burning the candle at all ends, and down the middle too. I was trying to be Wonder Woman without any weapons.

After I began to understand my own mindset and thoughts, I knew that this was critical for my clients. I went and got another certification for behavioral change.

The deeper my understanding of our bodies has gotten, the more I see the need for all women, but especially women who are leading their companies and raising kids, to put their own self-care first. Battling stress, hormonal changes, and this crazy world will take you down if you’re not taking care of you!

I love nothing more than watching as one of my clients starts to lose fat and gain energy. She starts to smile brighter, stands taller, gets her swagger back and you can see her coming from a mile away. She projects confidence, power, and beauty because she feels like a new person!

It’s amazing!! If this is resonating with you, let’s get on the phone to talk about bringing your swagger back! Click here to schedule a discovery call https://bit.ly/HDTconsult.

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Heather Dumas

As an author, speaker, and coach, I help fierce women free up time to lose fat and gain energy through personal training, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching.