Watching her mother become a prisoner in her own body changed everything. Why Rhonda built a fitness army and will never stop moving.
The Last Two Years: Why Watching Her Mother’s Decline Fuels Every Workout
Listen to the episode here…
The Image That Haunts Her
Rhonda Goode’s mother spent the last two years of her life unable to walk from her chair to the car. The car was parked right at the bottom of the steps. Just three or four steps away. Through one small room.
She couldn’t do it.
She became a prisoner in her own body. And then a prisoner in her own home.
What “Housebound” Really Means
For almost two years, Rhonda’s mother couldn’t leave the house at all. Not for doctor’s appointments. Not for family gatherings. Not for anything. She eventually couldn’t even make it to the bathroom, so they had to set up a porta potty inside the house.
At the end, there were bed sores from sitting all the time. She dislocated her shoulder trying to clean herself after using the bathroom. Her stomach was so large it would almost touch the floor when she sat in her recliner. She had no stomach muscles left at all.
She needed a lift chair just to stand up.
Drugged Out on Medication
Between all the medications for all her ailments, Rhonda’s mother was often out of it. Sometimes Rhonda would bring her food and couldn’t even get her awake enough to eat. Her blood sugar would drop so low that she was completely unresponsive.
One time it was 54. Rhonda had to call EMS because she couldn’t get her mother to even acknowledge she was there.
Rhonda explains this is what happens when you try to manage everything with medication instead of addressing the root causes.
First comes the high blood pressure medication. Then the diabetes pills. Then the insulin. Then more insulin. Then all the side effects from all the medications.
It compounds until you’re drugged out of your mind.
Living Longer But Not Better
Here’s the thing that shocked Rhonda. Her mother lived longer than most of her family.
Her father died at 69. Her uncle at 65. Almost all her mother’s cousins died younger.
Her mother was the weakest of all of them health-wise. But she was also the most stubborn.
That stubborn streak probably kept her alive. But alive doesn’t mean living.
The Last Six Months
The final six months brought mental decline on top of everything else. Her mother’s mind started to go.
But before that? Her mind was mostly okay.
She was mentally aware enough to know she was trapped. She knew she couldn’t leave. She knew she couldn’t do anything.
Can you imagine being mentally present but completely unable to control your own body? Unable to make choices about your own life?
We all have days where we don’t want to leave the house. But to not have the choice at all? That’s a different story.
Why This Drives Everything Rhonda Does
Dying doesn’t scare Rhonda. She’s made peace with that.
What terrifies her is living like her mother did.
Being dependent on others for everything. Having your entire life built around medications. Feeling terrible all the time. Having no energy. Being physically incapable of doing basic tasks.
This is why she’ll never stop moving. Never stop working out. Never stop showing up for herself.
She’s seen exactly what happens when you don’t.
From Working Out for Herself to Teaching Others
Rhonda didn’t set out to become a fitness instructor. She started working out just for herself. But a few years after she began her fitness journey, people started asking her to teach classes.
At first, she said no. Teaching wasn’t her thing. But people kept asking. They wanted what she had. They wanted her energy, her no-nonsense approach, her consistency.
Finally, she said yes.
Building a Fitness Army
Now Rhonda teaches classes where people show up like it’s church. They come even after working 12-hour shifts. Some do two to three hours with her in a row. They choose her over the new, pretty gym in town.
Why? Because they know she’ll be there. No matter what. If they’re working split shifts or switching schedules, they can count on Rhonda showing up.
And here’s what she tells them: you’ll feel better if you show up. Even if you’re exhausted. Even if you think you can’t do it. You’ll still usually feel better after.
The Community That Forms
When people spend time working out together, they become interested in each other’s lives. Accountability builds naturally. If you’re always there and then you’re suddenly gone for three days, people notice.
They check in. Where are you? Is something wrong?
That’s the community Rhonda has built. They’ve watched each other go through really bad stuff. Life happens to everyone. Deaths, divorces, diagnoses, job losses. The fitness community becomes a support system.
People don’t just want to belong. They want commonality. They want to be around others who understand. Who have the same goal. Who know we’re all going to get old.
Age Ain’t Nothin But a Number
Rhonda has a mantra she shares with everyone: No matter what age you walk in the room, there’s somebody in that room who’s 15 years older than you.
Look at them. Look at the shape they’re in. Now think about where you are. If you’re 25 and you see someone at 40. If you’re 40 and you see someone at 70.
How do you want to live when you’re their age?
One of Rhonda’s students, Marilyn, is almost 72. She can lift 20-pound weights.
Genetics play a role, sure. But a lot of it is choosing your own future.
The People Who Changed Their Lives
Some of Rhonda’s students have gotten off blood pressure medication. Others have gotten off diabetes medication. They’ve reversed what they thought was inevitable. They’ve told their pharmacy to suck it.
That’s what keeps Rhonda teaching. Seeing real health improvements. Watching people take back control. Knowing they’re choosing a different path than what their genetics suggested.
The Holidays Shouldn’t Sabotage Your Fitness
When the holidays roll around and people worry about weight gain, Rhonda has a surprisingly balanced take.
Once you stop being addicted to food, once you stop looking at food as a crutch for every emotion, the holidays aren’t as big of a deal. You no longer approach parties and family gatherings like a cow at a trough.
You can have a bite of this. You can enjoy your favorite things. But here’s the key: don’t eat it if you don’t like it. Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to eat it. Just because Aunt Sue made it doesn’t mean you’re obligated to eat it.
And if you take a bite of something and it’s not as good as it looked? Throw it away. Don’t finish it out of obligation.
Focus on what you really like. Have some of that. But don’t take a bite of everything just because it’s in front of you.
It’s Okay to Gain a Few Pounds (But…)
Here’s Rhonda’s honest take on holiday weight: it’s okay to gain 3 or 4 pounds during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Really. It’s okay.
But here’s the deal. If you’re at the gym the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, you better be there the Friday after. That weight will come back off. You just have to stay consistent.
The problem isn’t enjoying holiday meals. The problem is when people use the holidays as an excuse to quit entirely. “I’ll start in January” becomes the lie they tell themselves.
When You Have Multiple Family Gatherings
Rhonda remembers when she was newly married and all her grandparents were alive. Six meals between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You had to go to everyone’s house because everyone cooked and everyone would be offended if you didn’t show up.
For Thanksgiving, sometimes they’d split it between Thursday and Friday. For Christmas, they always split between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Six big meals. No way around it.
If you’re in that situation with big families and multiple gatherings, you have to make choices. You can’t eat like it’s the last supper at every single one. Pick your favorites. Enjoy them. But be strategic.
Action Items for Your Fitness Life
- Ask yourself the hard question: Do you want to be a prisoner in your own body later? If not, what are you doing about it now?
- Find your fitness community. Working out alone is hard. Group fitness provides accountability and support.
- Show up even when you’re tired. You’ll almost always feel better after. Your fitness community needs you just like you need them.
- Look at people older than you who are fit. That can be your future if you choose it.
- Break your food addiction. Stop using food to deal with every emotion. Happy, sad, stressed, bored – food doesn’t need to be the answer.
- During holidays, eat what you love. Don’t eat out of obligation. Don’t finish things that aren’t delicious. Don’t eat everything just because it’s there.
- Stay consistent through the holidays. A few pounds of holiday weight is fine if you get right back to your routine.
- Choose your future. Every single day, you’re making choices about what your later years will look like.
Find Your Motivation – Let it Fuel Your Workouts
Watching someone you love decline like Rhonda watched her mother is brutal. But it crystallized something for her. She knows exactly what she doesn’t want. She’s seen it up close for two years.
Being a prisoner in your own body is worse than dying. Having no choices. Depending on others for everything. Being mentally aware but physically incapable. That’s the nightmare.
So Rhonda shows up. Every single day. Not just for herself anymore, but for her fitness army who needs her. Who counts on her. Who’s choosing a different future.
Key Takeaways
- Being housebound and dependent is a real possibility if you don’t take care of yourself
- Medication can manage symptoms but doesn’t solve the root problem
- Finding a fitness community creates natural accountability
- People will show up even when exhausted if they know you’ll be there
- Breaking food addiction changes how you approach holidays and gatherings
- Small holiday weight gain is fine if you stay consistent
- You’re choosing your future health with every decision you make today
- Group fitness is more effective than going it alone
Rhonda’s mother’s story is heartbreaking. But it’s also a powerful reminder. Every day you move, you’re investing in your future freedom. Every day you show up, you’re choosing independence over dependence.
That’s why Rhonda will never stop moving. And why she’s building an army of people who won’t either.
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