TODAY, I AM SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT ON MEMBER LEIGH McARTHUR.  I FIRST MET LEIGH ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR AGO.  SHE HAD SIGNED UP FOR AN INTRODUCTORY PACKAGE OF PERSONAL TRAINING SESSIONS.  SHE HAD NEVER REALLY WORKED OUT IN A GYM – OR WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER -AND SHE WAS A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.  WE WENT SLOWLY.  I SHOWED HER HOW TO SET UP CERTAIN MACHINES, HOW TO FOCUS ON FORM AND HOW TO STEP A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE HER COMFORT ZONE.  I ALWAYS OFFER MY PERSONAL TRAINING CLIENTS “CHEAT SHEETS” OF OUR WORKOUTS FOR THEM TO HOPEFULLY USE ON THEIR OWN THE REST OF THE WEEK (BECAUSE 1 HOUR WITH A TRAINER -EVEN THE GREATEST TRAINER -AIN’T GONNA CUT IT!).  SOME CLIENTS DON’T WANT THE CHEAT SHEET.  SOME TAKE IT BUT NEVER USE IT.  AND THEN THERE IS LEIGH.  2 DAYS AFTER OUR FIRST SESSION, I SAW LEIGH COME INTO THE GYM WITH HER CHEAT SHEET IN HAND.  AND I KNEW….THIS WOMAN WAS COMMITTED TO MAKING A CHANGE!  SHE USED HER CHEAT SHEETS, SHE WAS IN THE GYM AT LEAST 2-3 DAYS A WEEK WITHOUT ME AND SHE GAINED SO MUCH CONFIDENCE.  IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO WATCH FROM THE SIDELINES!

NOW, A YEAR LATER, LEIGH IS A DEDICATED HOMEBODIES FITNESS MEMBER.  SHE TAKES SEVERAL CLASSES A WEEK AND I CAN SEE SO MUCH IMPROVEMENT.  SHE HAS GOTTEN STRONGER.  SHE HAS CHALLENGED HERSELF WHEN SHE CAN AND SHE HAS LISTENED TO HER BODY WHEN SHE SHOULD.  SHE IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF THE BENEFITS OF STEPPING OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.  I ASKED HER ABOUT HER FITNESS JOURNEY AND HERE IS WHAT SHE SAID:

Q: HAVE YOU ALWAYS EXERCISED OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAME TO MORE RECENTLY?

A: I HAVE USED REGULAR WALKING (AT A BRISK PACE) AS MY MAIN FORM OF EXERCISE FOR MANY YEARS, BUT DECIDED LAST YEAR THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH AND WANTED TO EXPLORE SOME NEW ASPECTS OF FITNESS.

Q: WHY DO YOU EXERCISE?  WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT IT?

A: I EXERCISE BECAUSE, HONESTLY, I FEEL I NEED TO AS IM GETTING OLDER!  TO STAY HEALTHY, TO IMPROVE MY FLEXIBILITY AND TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.  I FEEL BETTER AND MORE ENERGIZED AFTER WALKING OR DOING A FITNESS CLASS AND ENJOY TAKING THAT TIME FOR MYSELF AND SEEING THE PROGRESS I’VE MADE.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EXERCISE?

A: GOOD QUESTION! IT’S HARD TO PICK JUST ONE BUT I THINK I WOULD PICK THE CHEST FLY.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE EXERCISE?

A: I WOULD HAVE TO SAY BURPEES ARE MY LEAST FAVORITE…

Q: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS YOUR BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT?

A: MY BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT IS PROBABLY HOW MUCH STRONGER I’VE GOTTEN.  WHEN I THINK BACK TO THE FIRST TIME I MET MARIT FOR MY FIRST EVER PERSONAL TRAINING SESSION AND ASSESSMENT, I AM AMAZED AT HOW FAR I’VE COME IN ONE YEAR SINCE THEN!

Q: WHAT IS YOUR NEXT PERSONAL FITNESS GOAL?

A: MY NEXT PERSONAL FITNESS GOAL IS TO INCREASE MY ENDURANCE.

Q: HOW DO YOU STAY MOTIVATED?

A: A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS HELP ME STAY MOTIVATED. MY PROGRESS TO DATE IS A BIG MOTIVATOR, AS I CAN FEEL MY HARD WORK AND CONSISTENCY IS PAYING OFF!  PARTICIPATING IN THE LIVE FITNESS CLASSES IS ALSO A BIG MOTIVATOR AS I FEEL ACCOUNTABLE TO MYSELF BY JOINING THEM.  THEY KEEP ME ON TRACK.  FINALLY, THE VARIETY OF CLASSES AND EXERCISE SEQUENCES IN THE LIVE AND VAULT CLASSES ALONG WITH MARIT’S ENERGY AND PASSION FOR FITNESS KEEPS ME MOTIVATED!

Q: TELL US ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF WE MIGHT NOT KNOW!

A: ONE THING YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME IS THAT I AM ORIGINALLY FROM CANADA.

THANK YOU LEIGH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY WITH US! YOU HAVE DEFINITELY MADE PROGRESS OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE…KEEP IT UP!