I SAW THIS QUOTE A FEW DAYS AGO AND FILED IT AWAY TO USE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.  THEN, YESTERDAY I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM HOMEBODIES FITNESS MEMBER KAREN LEVINE.  IT WAS A VIDEO OF HER DOING OUR BIRTHDAY BURPEES IN CELEBRATION OF ANOTHER MEMBER.  I REALIZED THAT I HAD FILED THAT QUOTE AWAY FOR A REASON…AND THAT REASON WAS KAREN.

I MET KAREN 5 OR 6 YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED SUBBING AN EARLY MORNING CLASS AT A LOCAL GYM.  THE CLASS WAS SMALL AND THESE MEMBERS DIDN’T KNOW ME AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER MEMBERS.  KAREN WAS INSTANTLY WARM, WELCOMING…AND HYSTERICAL!  (I ENDED UP TAKING OVER THAT CLASS AND GROWING IT THANKS TO THE SUPPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF KAREN AND OTHER MEMBERS).  SHE IS A STRAIGHT SHOOTER, SHE IS FULL OF LIFE AND SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE PEOPLE I KNOW.  SHE’S THE KIND OF PERSON WHO WILL DO THE BIRTHDAY BURPEES AND THE NEXT DAY WEAR A SHIRT THAT SAYS “BURPEES HATE YOU, TOO!”  I ASKED KAREN ABOUT HER FITNESS REGIMEN AND I’D LIKE TO SHARE HER ANSWERS WITH YOU.  SO, LET’S SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON KAREN LEVINE…

Q: HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE?

A: I HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE. IN COLLEGE, I GOT A MEDICAL EXCUSE TO GET OUT OF FIELD HOCKEY.  I’VE ALWAYS LIKED WALKING BUT THAT’S ABOUT IT.  OVER THE YEARS, I WENT THROUGH SHORT BURSTS OF BEING ACTIVE BUT NOTHING LASTED VERY LONG.

Q; WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO STAY IN SHAPE?

A: CRAZY DIETING AND GOOD GENES HAVE KEPT ME IN SHAPE.

Q: WHEN DID YOU START GETTING INTO EXERCISE?

A: I STARTED GETTING INTO EXERCISE ABOUT 20-25 YEARS AGO.  A FRIEND GOT ME TO JOIN A GYM AND I LOVED SPINNING…FROM THERE, I STARTED DOING OTHER EXERCISES.  LOVED THE FUN OF BEING IN CLASSES.

Q: WHY DO YOU EXERCISE? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

A: I ALWAYS CALL EXERCISE MY HEALTHIEST ADDICTION.  I FEEL BLAH IF I DON’T DO SOMETHING ACTIVE EVERY DAY.  IT COMPENSATES A LITTLE FOR MY OTHER ADDICTION…SWEETS!  I ALSO FIND IT’S A GREAT STRESS REDUCER.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EXERCISE?

A: I DON’T KNOW IF I HAVE A FAVORITE SINGLE EXERCISE.  I LIKE THE VARIATION.  I LOVE THE STRENGTH CLASSES AND BARRE.  I LIKE ALMOST EVERYTHING EXCEPT…

Q: WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE EXERCISE?

A: OH MARIT…YOU KNOW THE ANSWER!  BURPEES…THE UP/DOWN SOMETIMES MAKES ME DISZZY AND I JUST DON’T LIKE THEM ANYWAY.

Q: HOW DO YOU STAY MOTIVATED?

A: I THINK EXERCISE IS A HABIT…I JUST DO IT. THERE’S A GUILT LEVEL IF I TAKE OFF.

Q: TELL US ONE THING WE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU.

A: I COLLECT COOKIE JARS.  I HAVE ABOUT 60 OF THEM.  NOT A SINGLE ONE HAS A COOKIE IN IT!

THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US!  I HOPE YOU ARE ALL AS INSPIRED BY KAREN AS I AM.

OH…AND DID I MENTION THAT KAREN IS 72 YEARS YOUNG???!!!  AND SHE DRIVES AN ADORABLE RED CONVERTIBLE!  I WANT TO GROW UP TO BE JUST LIKE HER!!!