Using Strength Training to Heal: How Thinner Leaner Stronger Helped Me Process Grief

Grief has a way of coming at you like a storm. It doesn’t ask permission, and it doesn’t follow a predictable timeline. When my dad passed away last year, I felt as though my whole world had been turned upside down. The pain was overwhelming, and it seemed impossible to find a way to move forward. In the midst of my sorrow, I found myself turning to something unexpected: strength training.

I’d always been active, but I’d never considered how transformative a consistent fitness routine could be—especially during a time of intense grief. I started following Thinner Leaner Stronger by Michael Matthews, a program designed for women looking to build muscle, lose fat, and develop strength. What began as a physical pursuit quickly became so much more. It became my anchor.

Grief and the Need for Control

Grief can feel like a tidal wave. It swells, pulling you under without warning. It’s unpredictable, messy, and sometimes, you can feel completely powerless. But in the gym, I was in control. I could decide how much weight to lift, how many sets to do, and when to push myself harder. Each rep, each set, was a tiny victory against the weight of sadness.

In the early days of my father’s passing, I felt disconnected from everything. Strength training gave me a physical challenge that mirrored the emotional struggle I was facing. As I increased the weight on the bar, I felt a sense of accomplishment—like I was fighting back against the helplessness that came with grief.

The Power of Routine

One of the most healing aspects of strength training was the routine. Grief can make everything feel chaotic. Some days, getting out of bed felt like a victory. But knowing that I had a program to follow, with structured workouts to complete, provided a sense of normalcy and consistency when everything else in my life felt in flux.

Thinner Leaner Stronger isn’t just about physical results; it’s about building mental strength as well. The program emphasizes progression, not perfection. And that’s exactly what I needed during this time: a reminder that growth takes time, that healing doesn’t happen overnight, and that there will be setbacks along the way. But just like in the gym, with patience and persistence, you can come out stronger on the other side.

Strength in Both Mind and Body

Strength training gave me the chance to challenge myself—not just physically, but emotionally. Every workout became a way to release the heaviness I was carrying. There were times I felt the tears welling up while I was lifting, the emotions surfacing when I pushed myself to hit a personal best. But instead of retreating from those feelings, I learned to channel them into my workouts.

As I became stronger physically, I also felt stronger emotionally. I had moments when I’d look in the mirror and notice the change in my body—not just in terms of muscle definition, but in the confidence that was growing inside me. The program gave me tools to physically transform, but it also helped me rebuild parts of myself that grief had shattered.

The Healing Power of Focus

Grief can often feel like a constant noise in your head—thoughts racing, memories flooding, and emotions overwhelming. Strength training allowed me to focus on something else, to be present in the moment. There’s something about the rhythm of lifting weights—the repetitive motion, the focus on form, the mind-muscle connection—that cleared my mind and allowed me to be fully immersed in the task at hand.

Each set became a form of meditation. When I was pushing myself through those last few reps, the world outside the gym faded away. It was just me, the weights, and my breath. It was a release. It was therapy without words.

Finding Strength in Every Rep

I may not have been able to control when or how grief would hit, but I could control how I responded. Every workout, every drop of sweat, was a way to honor my dad and channel my grief into something positive. The Thinner Leaner Stronger program helped me rediscover my own strength—not just the physical strength to lift heavier weights, but the emotional strength to keep going, to keep living, and to keep healing.

As I continue my fitness journey, I’m reminded that healing isn’t linear. There are good days and bad days, but each rep, each set, each workout is a small step toward becoming stronger, both inside and out. Strength training gave me something to hold onto when everything else felt uncertain, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.