Health, it’s been a very important topic in my life since my early teenage years. It all started with confidence issues surrounding my physical appearance. I never would say I was extremely overweight, but had slight self esteem issues. I’ve always been into sports my entire life and that helped me become physically in shape. After high school though, I became more stationary, so I decided to join the local gym, Stayin Fit and Lovin’ It. That was the start.

For a couple weeks it was just a gym to me, I would swipe my card, get my workout in, and perfectly was satisfied. After awhile though, since I went in at my specific time that I was going, the other gym members there started saying “hi, good afternoon.” Then after awhile more conversation started up with small talk. Within the first couple months I noticed it wasn’t like all the other corporate gyms. The gym had a family atmosphere. No where else had that.

After awhile though I got myself into the same routine which created no improvements, so I sought out a personal trainer there. Paul and Linda (the gym owners), had provided me with one that knew what I needed. His name was Justin and he gave me my fire back. I found physical improvements in strength and stamina. With that, my trainer also had asked me to try out the Crossfit classes he was teaching, so I did. It was held at the other gym facility the Stayin Fit and Lovin’ It owners owned as well. Holy smokes, in those classes I gained strength that I never thought was possible for a person my size. For the few years I did that, the people there were so encouraging and friendly. It wasn’t like the other Crossfit gyms you hear about with all the judgement. The Crossfit gym then switched over to their own LIFT (Lovin’ Intensity Fuctional Training); just as amazing!

Again, LIFT made me step up my game. Linda and her personal trainers she has on deck, has personally made my fitness journey improve throughout the 5+ years of going to both of her gyms. Whether it was personal training or classes. Once LIFT began Linda knew from previous conversations that I had with her, I dealt with exhaustion during mid day and still wanted to get that last extra where I wanted with my physical appearance. These past 2 years I haven’t felt more physically fit and emotionally happy in my life. She had customized a meal plan specifically for me and that worked for my schedule. I’m not gonna lie, it was a drastic change to what I had been eating before, but I needed it. It was hard, but I could feel Linda truly cared about me and wanted me to succeed. Linda tweaked some things here and there that I was having a hard time, so I could accomplish what needed to happen. Along with making it work for me, her text messages to me asking how everything was going was nice. A person who truly cared and kept me accountable makes a huge difference and that’s what I got.

The results just aren’t physical, but most of all my energy had changed. As a 24 year old I shouldn’t be having to take 2+ hour naps in the middle of the day, she changed that just by the switch of how I feed myself. I now wake up earlier and feel like I always have enough steam to keep myself going throughout my long day.

I thank the gym for giving me a place where I feel no judgement and a family that relates to me. I thank the trainers there to help push me to train my body harder so I can get the body I love. They believe in me, which makes me believe in myself.

I thank the meal plan for giving me the energy to just keep going and not feel laggy.

I thank my teammates in class for being incredibly supportive and a person I can hang out with outside the gym.