What happens when your body suddenly forces you to slow down… and your entire life changes overnight?

In this episode, I sit down with Rita Honeycutt, author, ultramarathon runner, Air Force veteran, and advocate for adaptive fitness, to talk about resilience, healing, and refusing to give up on yourself.

After heart complications, a pacemaker, and a severe back injury left Rita barely able to walk at just 35 years old, she found herself battling chronic pain, depression, anxiety, and the fear that life would never feel normal again.

But what started with simply trying to walk for 15 minutes slowly transformed into something much bigger.

Today, Rita runs ultramarathons, competes in endurance events, and helps advocate for accessible fitness spaces for people with mobility challenges and disabilities.

This conversation is honest, motivating, and deeply relatable for anyone who has ever felt stuck physically, mentally, or emotionally.

We talk about:

· rebuilding confidence after injury

· overcoming mental roadblocks

· body image and self-worth

· why movement became medicine

· nutrition and inflammation

· creating sustainable habits

· and learning to stop focusing only on the scale

Most importantly, Rita reminds us that transformation doesn’t happen all at once. It starts with one small step… and the willingness to keep going.

00:02:40 – Rita’s backstory and health struggles begin

00:03:40 – Heart issues, pacemaker complications, and back injury

00:05:00 – Depression, anxiety, and losing mobility at 35

00:06:20 – The first steps toward recovery

00:07:10 – Walking her first 5K and rebuilding confidence

00:08:30 – Learning to create healthy habits

00:10:40 – “I’m not going to compete, I’m going to complete”

00:12:40 – Weight loss, strength training, and changing goals

00:14:30 – Living and competing with a pacemaker

00:16:00 – The ultramarathon experience

00:17:40 – Preparing for a triathlon

00:19:20 – Why Rita refuses to give up

00:21:00 – Building community through fitness

00:23:00 – Adaptive fitness and accessibility in gyms

00:25:00 – Why CrossFit isn’t what people think

00:28:20 – Realizing she was inspiring others

00:30:20 – The emotional side of body transformation

00:32:00 – Measuring progress beyond the scale

00:33:30 – Mental strength vs. physical strength

00:35:00 – Rita’s book and helping others through their journey

00:37:20 – Nutrition, inflammation, and healing the body

00:41:30 – Functional medicine and autoimmune healing

00:43:00 – Sweet potatoes, nutrition shifts, and healthier living

00:45:10 – Where to connect with Rita

✨Connect with Rita Honeycutt:

Website: https://flufftotuff.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mudmaidens2/

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rita.Marie.Honeycutt

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
LinkedIn: Michele Simms
Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

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