FEATURED MEMBER: Merle

This week I'm featuring Merle, who has been a member at SWAT for a long time!  You can catch her and her husband, Dale, in the gym most mornings, taking classes or doing cardio together.  Dale will be our featured member next week!

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a registered nurse working as the Director of Client Care for Hospice of Southwest Michigan.  I’ve been married to Dale for 35 years and have 2 married children, Kristie and Layne, with 3 grandsons.  Dale and I love to travel, camp and are active in our church along with many community organizations.

What is your usual weekly workout routine? 

Monday, Wednesday and Friday 6:00am Body Pump, Tuesday cardio with Thursday a bit of cardio then Yoga.  An occasional bike ride on the weekends but most often running around helping with our grandsons ages 6 weeks to 4 yr.

What are your go-to snacks and meals? 

Almonds, nuts, fiber bars and plain Greek yogurt.  I do love Nacho chips.  I used to love potato chips but found the nacho chips are just as good with fewer calories and fat.  I eat lots of veggies, salads most often for lunch, and for dinner I eat whatever Dale has on the table when I get home from work.  I try to stay away from bread and limit cheese.

How do you balance being active with the demands of your daily life? 

I am a planner so most things have a time and place.  Waking up and going to the gym first thing in the morning woks the best for me.  I have everything ready the night before and that includes packing a lunch and plenty of healthy snacks for the day at work.  If not, the candy jar or other snacks at work are just too tempting

What is a fitness or healthy living goal you have for yourself? 

I have a body weight limit that I will not go above.  When I get close I cut back on food, make sure the food I eat is healthy, drink lots of water and a do a bit more aerobic exercise.  My true goal for fitness is to grow old gracefully and strengthen my heart.  My mother died of a stroke, and when I think of going to McDonalds, I think of her and by-pass the fast food.  I didn’t inherit great healthy genes so it is up to me to change that lifestyle.

What do you like about being a member at SWAT? 

It is all-inclusive—classes are readily available, staff and members are friendly and caring.  I feel that I am "part of the club.”

What is your favorite class at SWAT?  Why?  

BodyPump.  As I age it gives me what I need—strengthening for my bones along with cardio.  I’m trying to increase my weights right now

Do you have a person who is your healthy living/fitness inspiration?  Who and why?   My husband Dale.  He is so healthy it can be hard to live with him at times.  He loves to exercise, eats very well and when he snacks it is on fruit!  Who uses fruit as a snack and enjoys it?  At the gym, Marta is an inspiration.  She always is an encourager, upbeat and pushes to the maximum just when I need it.