FEATURED MEMBER: Lynn

I've been meaning to ask Lynn to be a Featured Member for at least a year, and I finally got the chance to do so.  You can often spot her at evening Pump and Step classes, and she seems to smile through the whole class even though she's working really hard.  She's a friendly face and enthusiastic member - exactly the kind of person who motivates others to keep returning to classes!

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am married to my wonderful husband John and have 3 adult stepchildren. I work full time so the gym is great for stress release.  During the summer my husband and I like to go on long bike rides whenever we get the chance.

What is your usual weekly workout routine?
I do Step three times a week, Pump twice a week and CX twice a week.  I would love to do Combat, but it doesn't fit into my schedule.  I also want to add yoga Thursday evening, but cannot always stay after Pump, and cannot stay the entire hour at this point.  I am hoping to find more time in the fall to fit that into my schedule.

What are your go-to snacks and meals?
Nuts are something that I will eat when I start getting hungry, but don't have time for a meal.  They are great to help fill me just enough so that I don't overeat when it is time for lunch or dinner.  We don't have much time to cook meals during the week so we eat a lot of salad, fruits and vegetables.  Sounds like I am so disciplined right?  Well, I have my weaknesses too and have to try to stay away from sweets.  Once I start on a bag of Skittles, I have a hard time stopping.

How do you balance being active with the demands of your daily life?
Fortunately, I am able to leave work at 5 so I can make it to the gym for the 5:30 classes.  My husband works late most nights so we still get home around the same time.

What is a fitness or healthy living goal you have for yourself?
My ultimate goal is to keep working to stay fit and healthy even as I get older.  I definitely want to find the time to make some healthy meals and do better with my nutrition.

What do you like about being a member at SWAT?
I love the positive energy of SWAT.  I feel so fortunate to be around people who are serious about health and fitness and enjoy sharing that with others.

What is your favorite class at SWAT? Why?
It is hard to pick favorites, but Step is my first love.  I was so scared to try step when I first joined the gym because I am (was) terribly uncoordinated.  The first few classes just emphasized how right I was about the coordination deficit!  By some miracle, I had the drive to stick with it and keep trying.  Now it is a class that I will do almost anything to not miss.  Marta always says that it challenges your body and your mind.  That is so true and both of those things are necessary for staying fit and healthy.  CX is a very close second to Step for me.  It only fits my schedule twice a week and I wish I could do more.

Do you have a person who is your healthy living/fitness inspiration? Who and why?
There isn't just one person.  I love all of the instructors at SWAT. They have such a passion for fitness and enjoy bringing out the athlete in all of us.  I am also inspired by all of the other members as well. Seeing them working so hard all around me motivates me to work harder.

Anything else you'd like to say?
As I mentioned about starting Step, I was a disaster - with a capital D! I strongly encourage people to do the group fitness classes, even if they feel they aren't coordinated enough or fit enough.  If you stick with it, you will achieve a level of coordination, balance, fitness and strength that is so worth the effort, and the initial embarrassment! :)