FEATURED MEMBER: Barb

 This week's featured member is Barb.  Now that I'm off for summer vacation, I see her around the gym a ton.  She is super fit, and she always seems so happy when she's working out!  

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a stay-at-home Mom of three kids under the age of six, which keeps me very busy. We have a family business that my husband owns and operates called Penn Station East Coast Subs. We have three locations in Kalamazoo and one in Grand Rapids.  I enjoy spending time with my family, running, working out, and hanging with friends.

What is your usual weekly workout routine?
M: 9:15 Combat
T: 9:15 Pump (or weights and cardio on own)
W: 9:15 Attack
Th: 9:15 Pump (or weights and cardio on own)
F: 9:15 Step (or weights and cardio on own)
Sa: 7:00 H.I.I.T - my new fave that took place of Step 
Su: off

(Sometimes I take off another day in the week it just all depends on our schedule or if my kids get sick)

What are your go-to snacks and meals?
Snacks: cheese stick, yogurt, fresh fruit
Meals: I try to eat healthy but mostly I do portion control.  I don’t buy low fat or fat free of hardly anything I just eat less of a portion of the real stuff.  I find that more enjoyable.  We grill out often with baked potatoes and have fresh veggies.

How do you balance being active with the demands of your daily life?
Honestly, one way is I have a very reliable workout partner, Bobbi Jo.  So on those days I don’t feel like I can make it she drags me, and I do the same to her in return.  Also, we usually talk at least the day before and make a plan for when we will work out. 

What is a fitness or healthy living goal you have for yourself?
I try to work out at least 5 days a week at the gym.  I am one of those people who enjoys working out, weird I know. I am also trying to set a good example for my kids to live healthy lifestyles.

What do you like about being a member at SWAT?
I love the LES MILLS classes.  I think that they are very challenging and, most of all, fun!

What is your favorite class at SWAT?  Why?
I love ATTACK.  Every time I take Attack, I feel challenged in one way or another.  I love that I walk out of that class dripping sweat!  I also LOVE the H.I.I.T class that Marta teaches on Saturday morning!  It is very challenging but only 45 minutes!  I would recommend that class to everyone who is up for a different challenge once a week.

Do you have a person who is your healthy living/fitness inspiration?  Who and why?
I guess there is inspiration all around the gym of people who are working hard and achieving goals daily.  I think sometimes just walking around the gym is very inspiring!

H.I.I.T. by a Truck

I took Marta's H.I.I.T. (High Intensity Interval Training) class yesterday (it's on Saturdays at 7 am), and WOW, what an amazing workout!!!  I am pretty sure it's the hardest class offered at SWAT, but don't let that scare you away - I think people of all fitness levels could be successful and really see some benefits.

I woke up that morning dreading the class.  I have taken Marta's H.I.I.T. class before, but it was over three years ago, when I was nowhere near the fitness level I am now.  Every time she described what we were going to do next, I remember thinking, "She wants us to do WHAT?!?!?"  So, I had an idea of what I was walking into yesterday, and I knew it wouldn't be pretty.

There were only four of us there - Barb, Bobbi Jo, Lisa, and myself.  I'm hoping more people will come in the future (come on, blog readers - please?), but with only four of us there, it was still awesome because it felt like a personal training session.  

I can't remember every single thing we did, but I'll do my best to describe some of it (I know Marta will change it up every week anyway).  We began with a warmup, which was going up and down the floor in Studio 1 doing various things (shuffles, skaters, jogging, jumping over steps, etc.).   We went out on the weightlifting floor, where she had us alternate mountain climbers on a Bosu with jumping over a bench.  Then we alternated jumping up onto the bench with crunches.  

Back in Studio 1, we pushed plates up and down the floor, alternating that with squat jumps.  We did bear crawls, walking lunges with a plate over our heads, and a really fun move (insert sarcastic voice) where we had to put our feet on a plate and use our arms to drag us down the floor (this one killed my lower back for some reason; I only made it halfway, but Barb, Bobbi, and Lisa nailed it!).  

After the work up and down the floor, we moved to the steps, doing various moves jumping on and off the steps.  We did some pushups, and we ended with core work in the form of planks off the step (of course, Marta couldn't leave it at just planks; we did walking planks both with our feet and hands, and we jumped our feet out and in).  

By the end, all of us were drenched in sweat.  I remarked how that was the longest 45 minutes of my life, but I definitely felt great!  I was glad to have the company of those three women - they are all rockstars!!  

I had already planned to jog after class that day, so I went home and did 4 miles.  My legs felt like they were made of lead!!!  I take that as a good sign.  

So, I really encourage you to give this class a try.  Marta will push you more than you would push yourself, and you will feel amazing afterward, I promise.  

CXWORX: Core-tastic

I have taken CXWORX three times now, and I really, really like it.  I think it will definitely improve my functional strength.  Some of the exercises remind me of the functional strength work in Vive, but with better music!  The class sails by; it's only thirty minutes long, six songs, and just as you're at muscle failure, the song is over.  One of the most valuable features of the class is that it strengthens your hips, which is something that doesn't really happen in any other class except Vive (and maybe a little in Flow, but it's not as specifically targeted as it is here).  Another feature I really like is that it alternates between isolation moves (targeting only one muscle group) and integrated exercises (designed to use two or more muscle groups).


The class is offered by itself a few times per week, and it's also offered in combination with other classes - for example Pump/CX and CX/Step.  Personally, I prefer to take it by itself or combined with a cardio class; I'm not a fan of the Pump/CX combination.  When I take Pump, I need more than just the squat, chest, and back tracks, which is all you get when it is a combo class.  I wish that it was tacked on at the beginning or end of a FULL Pump class, which would be an amazing workout! 


Here is the track breakdown, with my feedback about each (the Les Mills description of the track is in italics):


1. Warmup -  "Connects you with your core muscles and teaches you how to engage these muscles."

This track begins with what I feel is the single most important part of core work: focusing on anchoring your lower back down to make sure you are bracing your core.  The instructor has you put your hands under your back, in the spot straight through your body from where your belly button is located as you're lying down.  Then you focus on keeping that part of your back down, pushing it into your hands, and you have to keep it like that for the whole class.  Trust me, if you get this right, it makes the class twice as intense!   After having three babies, and with a history of lower back problems, this is really hard for me to do and maintain, but I think I will get much stronger and able to sustain that muscle contraction the more I take the class.  During this warmup track, you do some lower and upper ab crunch work and combine moves in the C-crunch (we've done that before in other Les Mills classes).


2. Core Strength 1 -   "Increases the challenge on your lower and upper abs and begins activating your muscular slings."

This track's featured move is the hover.  The CXWORX instructors all had to do a five minute hover as part of their training, so they are hover pros!  This track, however, has two variations on the hover that give us mere mortals a big challenge.  The first is a walking hover.  You begin in plank position on your forearms, then "walk" up to your hands and back down to your forearms, something like twelve times in a row.  The trick is to keep your hips and shoulders level; if you find yourself wiggling or leaning side to side, then try this move on your knees until you can stay level.  It is a killer!  Just as you are congratulating yourself for getting through that part, the song ends with a holy-crap-how-long-do-I-have-to-do-this move, the salute.  From the forearm hover, you salute one hand to your forehead, again keeping the hips level.  

3. Standing Strength 1 -  "Trains your glutes, abs, and sling muscles in standing and improves your awareness of hos these muscles function in daily activities."

Once you get to this track, you will need an exercise tube.  Get to class early enough that you aren't stuck with a blue tube your first time trying the class!  Actually, I recommend trying a green tube the first couple times at least so you can learn to execute every move correctly and with full range (there aren't a lot of green tubes available, so get there early if you can!).  In this track, you do some lunges, some wood choppers, and some twists, using the tube as resistance.  You also do lunges while raising a plate over your head, a combination move that really tests your core muscles as you try to balance.  This track isn't as difficult as track two, but if you have a tube with challenging resistance, you'll definitely feel the muscles the next day!


4. Standing Strength 2 - "Increases the demands on your glutes, using squat and hip pulse moves."

This track also uses the tube, and I think it's more difficult than track three.  I really felt like this one pulls together all the muscles we use in everyday activities; a track like this is designed to keep us healthy and functioning properly well into old age.  I especially like the one-legged squats; as a runner, it will help strengthen the areas that take a pounding every time I hit the pavement!


5. Core Strength 2 - "Trains your obliques in three patterns of movement - lying twists, side hovers, and mountain climbers in a plank position.  This is 'superset' core training."

I hate this track.  I hate it the same way I hate the squat track in Pump; I know it's really good for me because it's super hard!!  There is one part when you're on one side (on the meaty part of your hip/butt) with legs off the mat, and you extend them out and in at a 45-degree angle.  If you are doing it correctly (i.e., bringing the knees to the chest, not bending your legs back in kind of a hamstring curl), it gets tiring quickly.  This is followed by a side plank with a pulse.  This is not a normal pulse, mind you; you are supposed to keep pulsing higher and higher.  Talk about exhausting!  After the walking planks in track two, this is the one I need to work on most.

6. Core Strength 3 - "Brings your focus to the back muscles to improve trunk extension."

This combines some tube-work (on hands and knees, tube looped around shoe, pushing the leg back and to the side) and some more traditional extensions (lying on tummy, lifting upper body off the mat).  Like track four, I think this one will really help improve everyday function, including posture.  I was shaking during this one while trying to keep my hips level, which tells me I really need to gain some strength here.



I would love to hear some feedback from other members about CXWORX!!  Leave comments below!!

Speed Demon?

I just got home from the Portage Northern track, where I did my first speed workout.  Yes, that's right, I skipped the 5:30 am Attack class - one of my favorite things in the world - in order to subject myself to that burning-in-the-lungs-holy-crap-I'm-going-to-puke feeling one gets when one isn't used to running fast (you get the same feeling in Attack, but at least it's accompanied by techno music and super fun leg kicks).

The Kalamazoo Area Runners (of which I'm a member) and the Gazelle Summer Safari program meet at the track every Tuesday, either at 5:45 am or 6:00 pm (with a heat index like today, I'm betting the evening workout will be canceled).  Each week, they tell you what your workout should be, depending on your level of experience and what you are training for.  Since I'm not really training for a race, and since this was my first workout, I chose the easiest option: 1 mile warmup, 4x600 meter speed intervals around the track with a 400 meter recovery in between, and a cooldown.  

Before going to the track, I printed out my training paces using the McMillan Running Calculator.  It is an amazing tool - you enter your best race time (or approximate time if you're not a racer), and it gives you training paces.  The printout told me I should be doing my 600 meter intervals somewhere around a 9 minute/mile pace.  I ended up doing them between 8:04-8:34/mile pace, with my fastest pace being 7:46/mile and my slowest being a 9:03/mile pace when I was getting tired near the end.  Thank goodness for my Garmin watch; I would never push myself that much if I couldn't look down at the numbers!  

I definitely think I need to keep doing speed workouts; I have gotten too comfortable at my long run pace.  Unless it's in a group fitness class, I don't push myself to that really uncomfortable place.  Time to kick it up a notch.

Double Digits

Today was my first run in two and a half years where my mileage broke into the double digits - 10.15 miles to be exact!

My good friend Laura is part of Gazelle's Summer Safari half-marathon training program, so she does long runs every Saturday with a group, increasing the mileage weekly to prepare for an October race. We have a friend's wedding in Manistee tomorrow, however, and she was worried about tackling her longest run yet all by herself!

My feet have been feeling pretty good lately, so I volunteered to run with her...keep in mind, the longest run I've done lately is five miles, but hey, what's another five? I reminded myself that there was a time in my life when I once said to Asa, "Ten miles is the perfect distance for a run." Plus, my usual long run pace is 10:30/mile, and Laura, being a very new runner, tries to stick to around 17:00/mile, so I knew I could walk if necessary.

We decided to go on the Bicentennial Trail in Portage for two reasons. First, we could get to the trail from my house, which is only 0.4 miles from the Milham entrance. Second, each of us has had three babies, and the availability of restrooms was an alluring perk.

Our friend Kate (in town from New Jersey to attend this wedding with us) joined us for the first hour of the run. To pass the time, we went grade by grade and shared stories and memories from our elementary school years. It was a fun thing to do, and it helped Laura make sure she was going the correct pace (for long runs, you should be able to keep up a conversation).

I had no problem jogging the ten miles at that pace aerobically speaking; as I said, I could walk at that pace. However, I really put myself at risk of injury by jogging so much slower than my natural pace. My gait was completely off, and though the slower pace theoretically should have allowed me to focus on good form running, I definitely didn't pay attention enough: my right knee, the last joint in my body to be injury free and functioning normally, was screaming right about mile nine. I'm back on my diet of ibuprofen, I'm icing it, and I'm crossing my fingers that it is temporary and not a sign of a bigger problem!

Previously, I had blogged about how when my podiatrist suggested I quit running, I started crying. Despite the knee pain, today was a great reminder of why his comment affected me so much. I loved the beautiful weather, the smiles and good mornings from passers-by (and an occasional round of applause - yup, that happened!), the cute doggies and kids and deer and turkeys and turtles and various other wildlife out on the trail, the smell of the fresh air, the overall sense of peace, and the ability to just be lost in yourself for awhile.

I'm SO incredibly proud and in awe of my friend Laura. A couple years ago, I don't think she would have believed she could run even a block, much less ten whole miles! She made a conscious decision to change her fitness level, no matter how hard it was, and look at what she did today!! The world would be an amazing place if everyone would take that chance and believe in themselves.

Functional Fitness

Functional fitness = dropping your car off at Tuffy to get some work done and being able to jog the two miles home in 95 degree heat without it being a big deal...and maybe tacking on another couple miles just for fun. :-)

Diary of a Decathlon

We made it through the SWAT Group Fitness Decathlon - five hours of exercise!  I have 800 mg of Motrin in me, there is Biofreeze all over my muscles, my workout clothes were so sweaty and gross that I soaked them in vinegar before washing them, and I'm ready for bed at only 6:30 pm, but it was still worth it.  

The morning started with Jessica's Power Yoga class.  My favorite pose was the "Wild Thing" at the beginning; it was a great way to open up the body and prepare for the day.  I really enjoyed how she could walk around and give everyone tips on how to improve our poses.  

The second class was Pump.  If you've been stuck on the same squat weight for a while, this would be a good time to increase your weight.  I really enjoyed the squat track, even though I don't think a techno version of Adele's "Someone Like You" should even exist in this world.  My heart dropped a little before the tricep track when Emma announced we didn't need a bar because that means we'll be doing tricep dips and pushups, but it actually wasn't so bad!

The third class was Step, which I've been taking (and loving!) lately.  Marta said during class that Steppers are the happiest people in the gym, and it may be true - everyone was having a good time.  Well, that is, until I missed the step in the last track and twisted my ankle.  So far, it seems to be okay; we shall see in the morning!

Next, we moved over to the RPM room, where we did the first five tracks of the new release.  It is a really good release.  Even the speed work, which is usually my downfall, was challenging but doable.  I thought track five, the interval track, was awesome.  Sometimes in track five, you do the same thing a bunch of times; this time, they changed things up almost every round.  

The fifth class of the day was Zumba.  Okay, this may be completely un-American or it may come across like I don't have a soul or something, but I just don't like to dance.  That's not entirely true; give me a few drinks at a wedding, and my amazing natural dancing talent is apparent to me and everyone else at the reception.  However, turn the lights on and put mirrors all around me, and I cannot just relax and have fun!  (It didn't help that there was a gaggle of people staring in at us from the doorway and the window; you know who you are, and I hope you got a kick out of us all shaking our behinds.)  Zumba is also a class where the instructor doesn't call out choreography, and I have a hard time with that.  Although, there was one song where we did a Zumba version of the Dougie - that was the highlight for me.

Next, the entire Combat team took the stage and led us through a few tracks of that.  It just feels so GOOD to kick and punch!!!  I haven't taken Combat in a long time (my foot injuries tend to get inflamed), and I forgot how much I like it.  

The seventh class was Flow.  There are so many parts of that class that I love; the sun salutations, the standing strength, the balance, and the glorious swan pose.  I thought this was a great release!  Mostly, though, I love the feeling of grace and beauty; it's not a feeling I often have in my daily life, but if I really focus on myself, my breathing, and my body, it's amazing.

Next was Vive.  By this point, I was dragging.  I could barely squeeze that purple ball or tug on the resistance tube, but it was still a great strength workout (and Julie had spiked her hair into an awesome faux-hawk for the occasion, which kept me happy).  I love that Vive works the hips so much.  That is an area we all need to focus on, but we don't really do that in any of the other classes (stay tuned for CXWORX, though - we will work our hips in there).  

The ninth class was, of course, my FAVORITE since it was Attack.  I am an Attack addict; I just love it and couldn't stop smiling the entire time.  The music is great.  The moves are so challenging and high-energy.  I like that there were some new moves thrown in there this time.  I feel like an athlete when I take that class.

Jill lead us through a Pilates workout at the end of the day.  We used big exercise balls, which were so comfortable that I would have slept on one at that point if she didn't know me (however, since she does know me, I'm pretty sure she would've called me out if she saw me sleeping).  It was a challenging, yet peaceful, way to end the day.  

I'm amazed at all  the people who participated in the Decathlon.  We are so lucky to have a gym that provides these opportunities for us, and we're even luckier to have peers who are willing to participate with us.  As I was looking around the room during each class, I didn't see anyone slacking off; instead, I saw people trying their hardest, supporting each other, improving their health and fitness, and enjoying the experience.  Wow.  I'm so glad Asa likes to exercise with me; when I was exhausted during the Attack pushup track, I looked at him next to me, and he was on his toes doing chest pushups.  That gave me the inspiration I needed to get off my knees and onto my toes too. 

If you have any thoughts about the Decathlon or about any of the new class releases in general, please share them in the comments section!  Below are some pictures Asa took of me and Jessica.  The first is before the Decathlon began, the second is after it was over (we don't look too horrible, but I'll just say that it's good these pictures aren't scratch n' sniff), and the third is after the after, when we were all cleaned up and back in the real world.

My Favorite Kind of Weekend

It's my favorite time at the gym - Launch weekend!!!  Starting tomorrow, and for the next 3-4 weeks, we'll be doing the new releases in all the classes.  Friday and Sunday schedules will be the same, but the Saturday schedule is a little different - be sure to check it out.


I love Launch because of all the energy it brings.  The instructors are pumped up (pun intended), the members have new challenges in all the classes, and everyone seems to be having such a good time.  It always renews my commitment to fitness.

Asa and I are part of the group of crazy people who signed up to do the decathlon.  The blitz in January was super fun; I'm sure the decathlon will be as well!  I'm pretty sure I can make it through the decathlon...it's our training session with Jill the next day that has me worried! 

Remember, you're welcome to bring non-member friends this weekend.  It's the perfect time for people to give the group fitness classes a try since the material will be new to everyone.

What Launch classes are you going to attend?  What do you like about Launch?

Cruel Summer or Summer Lovin'?

Maybe you've noticed, maybe you haven't, but I have not been posting as much as usual.  So much has been going on: end of the school year chaos, a week-long graduate course, a decision to move (followed by me and Asa having a cleaning frenzy, garage sale, and our house on the market all within a week...by the way, do you know anybody who is looking for a 4-bedroom ranch with a finished basement in the Portage area?), and all kinds of summer fun (beach trips, 5k races, cookouts, soccer camp).  Yup, that about sums up my list of excuses for not posting as much.

Here's the real reason: I am not in a good place right now as far as being a healthy person, and it mainly has to do with food choices (as usual).  I have been working out a lot, and I feel great in that area.  My foot is doing okay - I know it'll never be 100% better, but I don't think it's getting worse.  Asa and I just started training with Jill, and I really enjoy that (both for myself, since I know she'll help me reach some fitness goals, and for me and Asa together - our training session is a fun couples thing to do!).

So, during the time I'm working out, I'm focused, committed, and driven.  Then it all falls apart.  

Every day begins with the best intentions; I log my healthy breakfast into My Fitness Pal and tell myself to just make it through today - one day - within my calorie goal.  By about noon, I've given up, and I'm back to old habits of overeating and making poor food choices.  

I am so sick of this being a struggle for me.  It is such a burden.  I'm really happy in the other aspects in my life (family, work, relationships), and it just doesn't seem to make sense that I can't get a handle on this and make the changes to do what I really want to do: lose about 25 pounds and maintain that weight.  I've set goals and failed at them, and that leaves me feeling even worse about it all.  I can't envision myself as 25 pounds lighter, and maybe that's the problem...I haven't given myself the chance to believe I can make it happen.  


What happened to the girl blogging two months ago, the one who was losing weight each week and meeting new fitness goals?  The one who would see people she hasn't seen in awhile and they'd say, "You look great.  What have you been doing?"  The one who thought that maybe, just maybe, she'd be in a single-digit pant size by fall?


The voice of self-doubt in my head has a lot of Schadenfreude (warning if you click that link: it's an excerpt from the musical Avenue Q and has lots of swearing!) about this situation: "Hah!  I knew you couldn't do it!  You're going to yo-yo back to where you were before!"  I need to kick that idiot voice in the teeth.


Has anyone else been in this rut?  What did you do to get over it?

FEATURED MEMBER: Jamie

This week's featured member is Jamie.  I'm so excited to feature her - she was a seventh grader my very first year of teaching, and it's awesome to see her so sophisticated, beautiful, and living an active, healthy life!  (Funny how she has grown up but I haven't aged a bit...wait, isn't that something old people say?)  She has a great attitude and an amazing support system - her answers below left me smiling and feeling positive!  Congrats on your recent engagement, Jamie!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I recently graduated from Western Michigan University in April 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Medicine and am working on getting my Masters as a Physician’s Assistant. I am also newly engaged to my fiancé Joshuah, and we hope to get married in the near future. He also attends SWAT classes with me. We are a very active couple and we enjoy biking, swimming, running and exercising together. We also plan to travel to Europe and take a vacation to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico soon.

What is your usual weekly workout routine?

I usually attend the Monday and Wednesday 5:30 Body Step and 6:30 pm Body Pump classes every week, as well as the 8:10 Body Pump and 9:15 am Body Step classes every other weekend. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I enjoy cardio and work on my core from 2:30-4:00 pm. I also attend other classes throughout the week after work or before beginning my day. Every class at SWAT is unique and inspiring. They seem to become more challenging with time, and I could not ask for more helpful, motivational, and enthusiastic instructors. I get an excellent workout at every class, and I can’t thank the instructors enough for their hard work.

What are your go-to snacks and meals?

Most of the food that I eat in between meals consists of fruits. I enjoy eating mangoes, papayas, star fruits, kiwi, pomegranates, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, apples and bananas. I love trying new fruits whenever I can; the more exotic the fruit the better. I also enjoy nuts, yogurt, granola bars, pudding, cheese sticks, pretzels and all types of vegetables. I tend to stay away from salty snacks when going to the grocery store so that they don’t end up in my cabinets or cupboards. When it comes to meals I’ll try just about everything once, as I’m not a particularly picky eater. When I cook for myself, my meals usually contain pasta, fish, chicken, steak, and rice.

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

During middle and high school I had always been very petite because I was involved in various sports and extracurricular activities. Between the time I started college and finished I had gained about 25 lbs, and wasn’t satisfied with my appearance. While I was already a member at SWAT, I knew I needed to increase my level of physical activity. It has been a little over a year now, and I feel I’m back to the weight and fitness level I had when I graduated high school. SWAT has made me feel so much better about myself, and I truly enjoy attending every class that’s offered. While I work as a Nurse’s Aide and have many obligations in my personal life, I always make it a point to work out 5-7 days a week. I know that if I want to stay in shape I have to stay active, so I’ll make time wherever I can. If that means being at the gym late or waking up early to attend a class it’s always worth it. At first getting back into shape was rather tough, but my level of dedication and motivation has increased over time.

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

My current goal is to become more fit and toned throughout the year. I still plan on losing a little weight, but I’m now focusing on trying to gain muscle mass. I’m always looking for new ways to work out and exercise, and try to involve myself in public events, such as Borgess’ Run for the Health of it. Going shopping and fitting into good looking clothes only goes half the way when feeling great about my self image.  The other half is what it makes me feel on the inside.  To know that I have decreased my risks of obtaining a health problem in the future is pretty good since a few health problems run in my family tree.  

What do you like about being a member at SWAT?

I truly am honored to be a member at SWAT fitness center. The staff and atmosphere are both very inviting! The staff greets you with a huge smile when you come in, and the amazing personal trainers and instructors go out of their way to talk to you before and after classes. I would not be able to find the motivation to come in day after day if it wasn’t for all the dedicated staff at SWAT. I definitely feel like we are all a family and have common goals for ourselves.

What is your favorite class at SWAT? Why?

I equally love Body Step and Body Pump. Julie, Marta, Ian and Doug’s classes are what keep me coming back week after week. The classes keep getting more challenging, but the instructors motivate you to give it your all. Still, I find myself eager to start once I walk through the door and the results I’ve seen have been fantastic! Words cannot describe how I feel about my body lately, and how much more energy I have compared to last year.

Do you have a person who is your healthy living/fitness inspiration? Who and Why?

There are two people that inspire me to be healthy and fit. My fiancé Joshuah and my sister Haffiza help me realize how all the hard work and dedication pays off. I like to receive advice and encouragement from them when it comes to making healthy choices for my meals and workout routine. They are also both there when I need someone to go work out with, and we motivate each other to stay in shape.