Pilates & Overcoming A Toxic Mindset – A Sisterhood Spotlight on Erin McKernan

Every day in The Sisterhood online community I see and hear inspirational stories from members who have transformed not only their bodies, but also their perspectives and attitudes.

I was recently inspired by Erin’s post in our Sisterhood Facebook group, and invited her to share her journey here on the blog.

I hope this leaves you feeling inspired, motivated and encouraged!

Hi Erin! Will you start by telling us a little bit about yourself?

Hi! I’m Erin. I’m 29 years old and I’ve been married to my forever boyfriend for almost 4 years. We have two sons, ages 6 months (Evan) and 4 years (Cam). We live in western Missouri. I am blessed to be able to stay at home with our sons for this season of our lives!

Will you give us a summary of your fitness journey leading up to The Balanced Life? What was your thought-life like towards your body? Your daily workouts? Your attitude towards food?

Before I found Robin and The Balanced Life, I had such a different and unhealthy view of my body, my health, and working out. It felt like punishment for eating “bad” food, and I had to force myself to do any workout (and hated every minute). I had such a toxic relationship with food, fueled by an addiction to sugar which seemed to rule almost every minute of my thoughts.

How did you discover Pilates and The Balanced Life?

I am SO grateful that I stumbled across Robin, and The Balanced Life back in March 2015!

I honestly can’t even remember how I found you, maybe someone liked it on Facebook? All I know is I feel like I was divinely guided to TBLS.

How has membership in The Sisterhood, and doing Pilates, changed your perspective on working out, eating, and leading a balanced life?

The Balanced Life Sisterhood has completely changed my whole thought process when it comes to eating, working out, and loving myself. It’s no secret that one of the biggest things talked about in the Sisterhood is GRACE. It has been so freeing for me to give myself grace in place of guilt. Where in my past I might’ve been totally thrown off course by a “cheat day,” now I know that a day doesn’t define my lifestyle as a whole. I am now able to give my body what it needs – whole foods, and proper hydration – as well as giving it what it wants- pizza on Friday’s with my husband and sons, and the occasional ice cream or other treat. If I try to completely cut out those “fun foods,” I will fail, because I will feel like I’m depriving myself. Robin has helped me to learn that you can have those fun things, and not feel guilty because the majority of the time I’m nourishing my body with healthy foods that fuel my body.

How has having a community to lean on inspired your health journey?

This Sisterhood has become a place that I go to daily (and multiple times a day!) for inspiration, encouragement, wisdom, and friendship. I fully believe that my health would not be at the point that it is if it weren’t for this community. On the days when I just don’t feel like it, I know that I can turn to these ladies for the gentle push I need. And more often than not, there is someone in the exact same boat as me, and it further solidifies in my mind that this is the place to be. A place where we can be real, share our struggles, and encourage one another on hard days.

What healthy tips for success would you like to share with others who are struggling to see results or stay motivated?

I would encourage anyone who has yet to see results to stay the course. Pilates works, and you will get out of it what you put into it. Since I started putting my whole heart into this, I have seen very real results (physically, but also mentally and emotionally!). Find a friend, even someone you may not know, and hold each other accountable. That has been one of the biggest factors for me staying on track. Knowing that someone else is counting on me to do these workouts with them, helps give me that nudge to get them done. And let’s just commit to giving ourselves at least 10 minutes a day (especially if done in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up!). You would be pleasantly surprised what that short amount of time will do for your whole day.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Clearly, I could go on and on about this incredible space Robin Long has created. But I feel like I can’t appropriately put into words what she has done for me. I just hope she understands what an impact she has made on my life, and how I thank God for her and the Sisterhood!

Thank you so much, Erin! We are so grateful to have you in our community. 

If you are interested in joining The Sisterhood, please join our wait-list to be among the first to know when we open enrollment – you’ll also receive a free workout!