2018 Fitness Series Wrap-up with The Gym's participants: Jamie & Morgan

Jamie and Morgan’s fitness series wrap-up interview was nearly identical to our introduction interview a full year ago. None of us could believe how quickly the time had passed; yet there we were, same restaurant, same two best friends, and me, but not with the same notebook, ready to see where the year had taken them.
The indistinguishable start and finish was fitting for the steady-stride of their year-long journey; young women, fitness minded, nutrition conscious, trying to make and keep a place for healthy bodies in their busy lives where a perfect diet wasn’t going to happen. The ladies did exactly what they set out to do; make health and fitness in their personal lives a regular priority. They went faithfully to see their personal trainer, Andrea Johnson, at The Gym LLC on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. They kept fitness on the list day-in and day-out. They didn’t let their schedules or weather or business keep them from getting to the gym. They met their goals, to strengthen and maintain and Morgan personally, to choose, and wear, a pair of shorts last summer, something she hadn’t done since high school!
Each woman wanted to strengthen and tone and both, upon consideration, were proud of their improved abilities. Activities, movements and lifts that used to be a challenge, weren’t so difficult. Reflecting on how their bodies had changed opened their minds to acknowledge and appreciate their increased abilities. It happened in a year, but slowly, a little at a time, over months; a slow, positive progression in the direction of being stronger than they were when they started. Neither was particularly obsessed by numbers or percentages or body fat/muscle mass comparisons, but in its own way, their year’s health and fitness trek was successful.

Over the year the best friends vacationed together, worked together and sweat together but realized there were some things that, no matter how close they were, just weren’t the same for their individual bodies. One of the routines Jamie and Morgan tried included more weight intensive workouts and though Jamie’s body didn’t respond at all, this is when Morgan reports noticing the most dramatic changes for herself. They were both thankful for a personal trainer who worked with them individually to provide exercises that worked best for their bodies and preferences.

The ladies admitted, as they did in the beginning, that diet and nutrition was their Achilles heel. They have men in their lives who enjoy “regular” food; a restrictive diet wouldn’t be ideal for their relationships. They also have lives full of quick trips here and there, and Morgan has to manage children’s sports events and sometimes fast food happens. Instead of beating themselves up over it, they have accepted it for what it is and made concessions were they can. At work they like to partner together to make healthy, nutritious low-calorie lunches and good snack choices so the evenings are open to a more relaxed menu that accommodates their lifestyles better. In the coming year, and beyond, they want to focus on meal prep in hopes that it can help with their diets.

There was one big difference between that first meeting and the last. Each lady’s personal body image score, on a scale of 1-10 increased. Jamie originally a six, “maybe” seven, rated herself a confident seven and Morgan, whose new perspective and positive outlook on fitness and workouts got not only her brother, but also her dad into Andrea’s gym, rated herself a four when we first met. At our wrap-up interview, with only a slight pause, she decided to go with a five, because, though she’s got a lot of room for improvement, she identifies how much better she did this year than years past.

Together the dynamic duo will continue to live fit and make their health a priority and I’ve no doubt, encourage and influence many more friends and family to stop in and see their personal trainer.

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