Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

Tami is a determined woman.  She began as a secret exerciser doing her own thing.  She is now a bold woman with confidence willing to try everything she can.  She actively recruits co-workers to join her for exercise sessions at the onsite corporate fitness center in their workplace and is always game to try new exercises.  It has been fantastic to be able to get to know Tami during the past few years.

Turning a Resolution into a Lifestyle

It was the end of December 2011 when I saw a picture of myself from Christmas that year and I was horrified. I couldn’t believe that I had let myself get so out of control with my weight gain, eating habits, and lack of exercise. My face was round and my stomach was larger than it had ever been. At that moment, I decided that I was going to make a lifestyle change, I had to. I just prayed that I would have the desire to stick with it as many past New Year’s resolutions had not been successful.

That Christmas, my daughter had received a Wii console system and I decided this was going to be my mode of getting fit. I started by weighing in and found myself to be 225 lbs. at a height of 5’5 and according to the console, I was obese. That was not going to do it for me, a change had to happen!

My exercise routine started out by playing the activity games, step aerobics, yoga, stretching, “running”/jumping in place, etc. for approximately 5 days a week for 45 minutes or more. I also had access to a gym, which after a month or so of the Wii, was my next mode of exercise. I would wake up at 3:50 in the morning in order to make it to the gym, make it back home in time to wake my daughter up for school, and get to work by 7:30 am. It was hard at first, but the weight was starting to really come off and I loved seeing the results and feeling good. By April, I was jogging on the treadmill with a 12 minute mile. Wow! I couldn’t believe I was “running”! At that point I was hooked….I loved running!

Not only did my exercise habits changed, but so did my eating habits. We read so many articles about eating a healthy breakfast, 2 small snacks a day, portion control, low carbs, good carbs, fruits and veggies, well, I put it into practice. And it worked. I was starting to really know my body and what worked, what made me feel good, and how to get results. Education is key in obtaining a healthy weight loss goal.

I can’t really say that I’ve had any setbacks, which is amazing since it’s been over 3 years since I’ve started this lifestyle change. It’s a decision that I made back then and have not wanted to turn back. Since 2012, I’ve lost 63 lbs and have dropped 5 pant sizes. I’ve recently completed my first ½ marathon, although I didn’t finish in my goal time, I finished a measly 13 minutes over my goal. That just means I need to train a little bit harder next time. By no means am I finished with my goals that I keep setting for myself. Once I set a goal and meet it, I set a new goal for myself and keep going!

My advice to you….make the decision to make a better you! Strive to be healthy and you will succeed!

*Weight loss claims or individual results vary and are not guaranteed.

Mandy Kisamore was a little reserved when we first met. She is not a jump in the front of the room type of person. She came to a few classes and then became more of a regular.  After a while she started to hang around after class and ask questions that began with her and then shifted toward her children, and her family. She has done a lot of work from when she started and it hasn’t stopped with her.  Check out her story about how she transformed herself and her family.  It has been extremely rewarding to be able to be a part of Mandy’s success. 

Transforming Myself and My Family

Exercise was not one of my favorite things to do.  It was never fun; I would never look forward to it, or hate to miss a class. Today is a different story.

Three years ago I started to get serious about taking care of myself.  This transformation has been, and continues to be, a struggle that I have to work on at every class, at every workout, and every time I exercise.

Here is my story.  In the beginning, my family and friends would always tell me that I needed to find some “me” time.  Having a husband and two kids at home, finding “me” time was the last thing I thought was a possibility.  After thinking about this “me” time that I apparently needed, I decided that I would start checking out the gym at work and the classes that were offered.  I thought that would be something positive for me, mentally and physically.  That could be my “me” time, one night a week for 45 minutes. 

Of course going to the gym itself is overwhelming, and joining a class for the first time was terrifying for me.  I found myself frustrated during the past three years because the scale did not tell me the number I wanted it to. I have had to shift my thinking to look at the inches I have lost, the new pants I have had to buy, the muscles I have built, and the confidence I have gained.  During the past three years I have had some setbacks which were frustrating, but I know that I cannot stop now. I feel that I have come so far that giving up and going back to where I was is not an option for me.  I started with a lower body class, it was only 30 minutes and who doesn’t want a better back side? A few friends and I started going to the class together. It was definitely a good decision to start with people I knew.  To my surprise, I ended up enjoying the class and started going once a week.  I attended this class for a month, and then added two classes a week for the next month, then three a week the next month. I soon found myself going to as many classes as I could fit into my schedule. As time went on, I could feel how much better I felt inside, and I could see the changes that were happening to my body.  These helped me stay motivated and continue trying different exercise classes.

My motivation to keep pushing through and continuing to make this more of a lifestyle change than what started as just a way to find “me” time is definitely my family.  To see the changes and the positive thought process this “me time” has brought to my family is amazing to see.  At one point during this journey my son said he was proud of me.  That was such a motivator for me to keep going no matter how hard it was, or how much I didn’t think I could keep up with it.  Since then, my kids have started paying attention to their eating habits, and exercising because they want to.  My husband, sister, and father have been making changes to be healthier as a result of what I have started.  It is wonderful to see that what started as one group fitness class has turned into a positive change for my entire family.

To me, every positive change you make is a success, whether it is stepping foot in the gym, joining your first class, or trying a healthier meal out on your family.  These changes can lead to so many more positive changes in your life. Although I haven’t reached my initial goals yet, I have found the smaller goals I have made are just as important.  I have to remind myself of what I’ve already accomplished, and that I am a work in progress.  I am going to keep trying to be a better healthier me, for myself and my family.   

Interested in helping your employees make great strides in changing their habits to live healthier lives?  Checkout NIFS Fitness Management Services to see how we help your workforce.

*Weight loss claims or individual results vary and are not guaranteed.

Sherri Pryor came to me in our corporate fitness center after starting this journey on her own.  She was determined to continue to make positive changes in her life.  She was definitely apprehensive about talking to me at first.  However, she has overcome her own insecurities to become a stronger and more confident version of herself than the woman that first came to me three years ago. There have been goals set, goals achieved, and goals missed, but through it all she has always kept a positive attitude.  This attitude has helped her become the best version of herself she can be.  Here is her story!

My Success: Making exercise a part of my life

I started this process in early 2012; I was committed more than I had ever been in my life to making changes, exercising more and improving my personal wellness. I was tired of feeling like I had no control over how I felt and looked. There are so many things in life that we truly can’t control. Making time for exercise and doing things to improve your overall health are not on that list. It was hard at first; but it got easier with time.

Two things were always in my head: 1) It’s hard! It takes time and effort and my plate was full with a family and a full-time job. I was convinced I couldn’t fit it in and still get everything else done, 2) I can’t stick to both exercising AND making better food choices. I had always been able to be successful at one or the other but only for a limited amount of time.

One step at a time worked for me… I started making better food choices. I lost a few pounds and started feeling better. Sixty days later, I started going to the gym. And finally…I asked for help. Working with a personal trainer made such a difference. I learned so much about how to maximize the time I spend there. I felt accountable because he was putting in the time to help me every week, but I did not feel pressured.

I’ve experienced one set-back along the way; but instead of giving in to the negative feelings that came with that I tapped into the positive feelings I had become familiar with to that point. I kept going to the gym. I kept hitting the salad bar at lunch, even if I had had a chocolate chip cookie the night before.

In the beginning, it was about losing weight more than anything. Today, I consider success making exercise part of my life; not just a means to an end, like losing weight or training for an event. Those things are awesome and have definitely played a part along the way for me. But it’s how it has improved the quality of my life. I would say the same for wellness. Success comes when the changes you make become part of your life/lifestyle. They stay with you.

I enjoy exercising now and I WANT it to be part of my life; the same with wellness in general. I want to feel healthy and energetic. And those things have come because of the changes I made starting in 2012.

Interested in helping your employees reach their goals in regard to living a healthier lifestyle.  Checkout our webinar series and learn how you could have a successful corporate fitness center.

*Weight loss claims or individual results vary and are not guaranteed.