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Why do some people stick with a fitness routine for decades while others burn out after a few weeks? For this edition of Sally's Hotline, host Sally Hed Dahlquist shares the secret that transformed her own health: when movement becomes self-care, you will always come back for more.

Sally, globetrotting marathoner and cancer-research fundraiser, opens up about how she went from feeling tired and scared about her health to running marathons all over the world. Spoiler: she didn’t start as a runner. She started as someone who just wanted to feel better.

This episode is packed with gentle motivation, relatable stories, and practical ways to find a routine you can actually stick with.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why fitness gets easier once it becomes a safe haven, not a chore
• How Sally’s running became her moving meditation and emotional anchor
• The life-changing moment she experienced doing her first chest fly
• Why your workout should never feel like punishment
• Why trying lots of different activities is the real key to consistency
• Simple mindset shifts that make exercise something you get to do, not something you have to do
• How community classes (and one unforgettable teacher) helped Sally build lifelong confidence

Quick tips to make fitness stick:

• Try many activities until one feels good to your soul
• Schedule the thing you actually look forward to
• Find instructors who lift you up... not drill sergeants
• Treat movement as therapy, not a task
• Focus on how you feel, not how you look
• Celebrate every bit of progress
• Remember: you are your #1 priority

A personal dedication

This episode is lovingly dedicated to Kathy McMillan, Sally’s first weightlifting instructor at Bloomington Community Education. Kathy’s welcoming, supportive class helped Sally open up, physically and emotionally, and set her on the path to lifelong health. Her influence changed everything.

Join Sally in saving lives

If this episode encouraged you, please consider donating to help fund cutting-edge medical research—including a first-in-kids clinical trial for deadly childhood brain tumors.

With NIH budgets being cut, your donation matters more than ever.

Donate today at UnstoppableStoriesThatMove.com

Every dollar helps fuel discoveries, support families, and bring hope where there is none.