Michele Harman

I grew up in a family of addiction and lost my mother to suicide at age 8. Determined to break the cycle, I still faced my own battles with depression, anxiety, binge eating, and addiction—reflected in years of weight fluctuations. True healing came when I addressed past trauma and learned to love my body. Strength training showed me that mastering hard things physically gave me the confidence to heal emotionally.

I train using a push/pull/legs split at Iron House, but I believe in movement—period. I’ve explored running, boxing, yoga, CrossFit, HIIT, powerlifting, hiking, kayaking, and pickleball. As I approached 40, I refused the narrative of “going downhill.” I trained for powerlifting, entered a meet, and still hold a 165-lb bench record in my division. The best moment? Hearing my kids say, “Look what my mom did.”

Keeping it real—any income I earn as a single mom helps pay down debt and provide stability. It also means helping my soon-to-be 16-year-old twins get a vehicle, giving them independence and opportunity. It may not sound “noble,” but it’s meaningful. Building a better life for my kids is how I help them move forward and accomplish more.