This week our member spotlight is Debbie! She has been a member for years now! We asked her the following questions.
What advice would you give someone who finds it hard to schedule fitness into their busy work/family life? What do you do on days when you don’t “feel” like going to the gym?
“My advice for someone with a busy schedule is to find someone that keeps you accountable. When I first started, I had a workout buddy (my husband) that came with me. If he was coming too, I knew it would be harder to skip class & we would keep each other accountable. I now do group classes without the hubby & enjoy the camaraderie & encouragement from other women in the class. No matter which day(s) I go, there is always a great group of ladies to work out & enjoy a little ‘me’ time together. I ALWAYS feel so much better after going to class that I rarely skip. On days where motivation is lacking, I hear a little voice (which sounds a lot like Trista) saying, ‘Do what you can today, even if it’s just a little. This is a major shift in my thinking. I was 100% or nothing & felt like I had failed if I didn’t go all out. Thanks to Flex Appeal addressing our mindset around a healthy lifestyle, I am more forgiving of myself these days.”
What were your initial goals when you first joined? How have they changed since starting?
“I came to FlexAppeal about 5 years ago after a back injury that put a stop to my workout routine. I wanted to get back in shape & wanted to lose the extra weight I was carrying around. I came in with the all-or-nothing mentality. That beat-down mentality wasn’t helping me. Over time, Flex Appeal has taught me how to recognize when I’m pushing too hard to avoid getting hurt and be kinder to myself mentally. It has been a journey to my current goal of continuing to be active & healthy in a way that doesn’t feel like a beat down every day & in a manner that I can avoid injury. I don’t want to be stopped from enjoying life because of physical limitations. I now practice doing what I can each day, even if it’s just a little. Ultimately, at 60 I feel great and can still enjoy skiing, hiking, & moving my body for fun. I can’t imagine where I’d be if I hadn’t found Flex Appeal.”