A BALANCING ACT

These 3 girls have been inspiring me all winter long. Emily Chessell, Lesley Upshall & Jaimie Montgomery are busy moms - each having 2 or 3 kids - they work, keep their lives in order - plus find time to exercise. They have been joining me for TRX class every Monday through the winter. These 3 inspire me because I know what it's like to walk out of a house with kids everywhere and go and do something for yourself. It's not easy and there can be a million excuses and other things you could be doing. 

But really exercising helps you create that balance in your life. If you feel good you handle stresses better, you keep yourself feeling and looking great, and you are being a great role model for your family. 

Thanks girls for joining our classes (and for the laughs on the side) you are all inspiring for all moms out there. 

Cheers to all those moms who join us every week! Have a wonderful weekend!

BRAND NEW BOB!

Bob Harris was a brand new gym member at LiveWell4Life just a couple months ago. Bob hadn't exercised on a regular basis for a few years and decided it was time to start. After only a few days (and a bit of help from some of the morning gym crew and his daughter) he was feeling comfortable with his workout. 

Now he is down 7lbs, feeling amazing, has more energy, and curls at bonspiels without stiffness and pain. I think it's safe to say he is hooked. And he is an inspiration for everyone- but especially men who are not sure what to do to stay fit. It's worth a try to decrease stiffness, increase strength & feel amazing.
Thanks Bob for letting us share your story! Keep up the great work and you will continue to see results. 

LIFE SAVING STRENGTH

Over the past year or so we have seen an amazing transformation in Jake Biggelaar. Maybe you've seen him working in the gym - sometimes twice a day!  When we asked Jake why exercise is important to him we found out some surprising information...

At the age of 19 he got really sick thinking it was pneumonia and was sent to the hospital and put into an induced comma at one point. When he woke up he had no strength and was essentially paralyzed. Over the last 3-4 years, Jake has found that healthy eating and exercise has literally saved his life! 

He says:  "I want to push my body (myself) to new levels and go further than I did the day before. It's turned into a hobby; I feel great after a workout. I would come on and off before and usually take summers off. But got back into it last fall, now want to keep going all year and see where I can go."

What an inspiration this is - thank you Jake for reminding us that our health is so important and that we should strive each day to reach new levels. Keep pushing yourself everyday!  We love to see your smiling face everyday!!

READY FOR CHANGE

In 2015 Dwayne Bryant decided that he was going to get rid of all life's excuses and change his life. He is very similar to many of the people we see come into LiveWell - wanted to feel better, lose weight - he had the equipment at home but wasn't using it, his kids were busy in sports and other engagements, he works and travels for work, enjoys spending time with family and friends. But he put all this aside and he started with a gym membership and then tried out our StrengthFit and Jacked Up classes. It was then he started to see amazing results and began to feel that energy come back into his life. He recently commented to me "I had a couple of days were I ate bad and didn't exercise and I felt terrible!"- when people say this to me I know they have changed their life for good. They know the energy that comes from eating healthy and exercising and don't want to go back to the way they felt before. Congrats Dwayne on putting all excuses aside to live a healthy life - your commitment and dedication to exercising and healthy lifestyle have definitely paid off!!

FIT FOR LIFE

Being fit and healthy is important throughout your whole life. Our inspiring gym members this week Blythe & Fran Lannin are proof of this. Blythe & Fran have just finished celebrating their 50th anniversary but you would never guess that as you see Blythe doing a few pull-ups and Fran making the paces on the treadmill. They have made fitness a priority in their lives - attending the gym about 3 times a week to keep strong and active. Their fit bits motivate them as they try to reach 10000 steps everyday. When they come to gym first thing they say they already have about 8000 by lunch. 

Blythe brought up a great point "exercise is good for the brain". Sometimes we forget about all the other areas exercise impacts our life. This couple inspires me to continue daily fitness routines and to motivate others to try and do the same. Some claim gyms to be intimidating and that they are unsure of what to do. LiveWell is friendly, welcoming and for people of all ages and ranges. We all need to work together to keep our community healthy and active.

Thanks to Blythe & Fran for inspiring us. You should be proud of what you do to keep yourselves healthy on a daily basis. We always look forward to seeing your smiling faces!!

COMMITTING TO HEALTH

Andrew Medhurst was one of the first gym members we had at LiveWell4Life and he has been there every week since. He is a father of two great kids, a local paramedic, baseball, hockey and soccer coach, husband, plays fastball and hockey himself, and probably many other things I don't even know. His drive and determination with each of his workouts is motivating and inspiring. He may have just finished a 12 hour shift or hasn't slept in days but finds the energy to push his body to remain healthy and strong.  

As a paramedic his job is very physically and mentally exhausting. He has found, as have many other first responders, that exercise is necessary in order to keep his body and mind as strong as possible to assist others that are in need. We would be lucky to have Andrew assist us in an emergency, if ever need be, and we are also thankful for the energy he brings to LiveWell. At LiveWell4Life we encourage first responders to stay fit physically and mentally which is why we offer a First Responder discount on membership rates. 

Thanks Andrew for all you do for our community!

DRIVEN TO SUCCEED

Our personal profile this week features an amazing lady by the name of Gerdina Goodyer. If you are looking for inspiration she is it!! Gerdina owns her our hairstyling business, has 3 kids (2 of them twin boys) - that all play sports, eats clean everyday, finds sometime for exercise everyday, and always looks amazing!! Gerdina has been a runner, a heavy weight lifter, a triathlete (where she actually learned how to swim to take part) and various other exercise forms. After a few injuries Gerdina found that working with one of our trainers taught her how to build her core to strengthen her whole body and now she is stronger than ever.  

Talk with her for awhile and you will also see that she is an awesome cook making clean and healthy meals for her family everyday. 

Creating this balance takes sacrifice, trial and error, early mornings, late nights and everything inbetween. But she has found this balance and wow does it ever make her one strong, healthy, beautiful lady!! Finding balance to fit being healthy into your life can be tricky but the benefits in the end are so worth it. Being a role model for your kids, family, community, and feeling like you can tackle each day ahead. She is an inspiration to me and those close to her and now hopefully to you too!! So proud and happy for you Gerdina!!

HARD WORK = HEALTHY LIFE

Marissa Bertens is a great person to begin our presentation of amazing clients at LiveWell4Life with. You may have seen her in the gym swinging from the bars doing pull-ups or sweating her butt off while she reaches another personal best on the weights. Whether in the gym or in a class her dedication, attention to form, and that drive in her eyes makes me and the people around her want to succeed even more. She does this for herself day in and day out and has this to say: "Body shapes/sizes tell you nothing about someone's health- it's the healthy behaviours on a regular basis that determines someone's health. I run and come to classes (almost everyday) because it makes me happy, increases my energy levels, excites me to feel how dynamic and strong my body has become, plus it's my hope that this hard work helps me live a long, healthy life!"

What you may not know is that Marissa is getting married in September - but she started this healthy journey long before to live a great life - not just to get in great shape for her wedding. At LiveWell4Life we talk about balance and living a healthy life all the time. Not just because your getting married or had a baby or need to quickly lose 20 lbs, or for a big event. Being healthy is a life adventure that takes place everyday- not just for a month or two at a time. 

Marissa we love having you as part of our LiveWell family and wish you the upmost happiest as you start a new chapter of your life.