As you have probably guessed by now, my name is Jazmine Shaw. I wear several hats; mom, physical therapist, content creator – and thus here we are! In the grand scheme of things, I’m just a person looking to stay committed to their fitness routine and inspire others along the way. 

I’m a military brat and thus have had several key values instilled in me from a young age. Hard work, dedication, and selflessness. I started playing sports around age 5 and continued throughout high school. While I got to experience the camaraderie of being on a team, pushing each other to be better, punctuality (or else extra suicides for everyone); I also saw the importance of self drive. I mostly did individual events in track & field, where my biggest goal was to jump further than I did the previous week. In hindsight, sports also help shaped my values that I would go on to carry into college.

While navigating next steps for my career, I decided to get a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science then a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) several years later. I would not have been able to get through my education without the mindset that has been brewing over the past 26 years. Despite my excellence throughout scholastics, I continue to find myself falling short of my fitness goals.

Why StayStrong?

When most people think of strength, they equate it to physical capability. But one can be strong in multiple areas to include emotionally, spiritually, mentally, etc. A bit of encouragement no matter what you’re doing is to stay strong. There will be days you don’t feel like showing up and those are the days we need to dig deep!

“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.”

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My goal with this blog is to spark encouragement, educate, and empower our community to take charge of their fitness and health. Our community is aging longer than ever before but it comes with consequences – cardiovascular disease, poor bone health, cancer etc. Some of the leading causes of death coming as a direct result (at least in part) of our activity, diet, and other modifiable activities.

Honestly, the only thing preventing us from achieving greatness is ourselves. Starting out with simple changes each day can have a significant impact on the future.

What can we expect?

This blog will contain a snapshot of my own fitness journey. I have started and stopped dieting and lifting many times in the past. Together, we will work on our mindset regarding what it means to be fit and healthy. I plan to continue writing blog posts at least once a week to maintain engagement and accountability for both myself and my followers!

Additionally, we will dissect some research in regards to import topics such as sleep, specific exercise, diet, mental health, etc. Some posts will have workout plans/idea, others will have recipes and meal plans. Check out my Instagram to keep up with me on a more regular basis @jshawstaystrong !

I’m open to feedback as we embark on this journey together. Thank you for all of the support, stay tuned for next week’s post on my road to DPT.