tephanie had never planned on joining a gym. She’d always maintained a healthy weight, thanks to good genes, a high metabolism and a moderate diet. On top of that, intense exercise just didn’t appeal to her. "I was never very athletic or coordinated, even as a kid. I always felt like working out and being a part of gym was for athletes...not for someone like me.”
 

But after two children, a decade at a sedentary desk job and a few too many trips to the new bakery down the street, Stephanie was starting to see changes in her body and her energy levels—and she decided it was time to take her health more seriously.

“I wanted to fit into my favorite jeans again and I wanted to lose the extra weight before it got out of control.”

So Stephanie joined Fit Factory, where her best friend had been a member for over a year.

“The idea of working out in front of other people freaked me out! But my friend promised me that I didn’t need to worry about that at Fit Factory and she challenged me to try it for just one month.”

Here’s how Stephanie changed her daily habits, made fun workouts a regular part of her life and chose to make lasting health changes.

Goals

Stephanie was ready to shift her eating habits and make exercise a regular part of her weekly routine, but she didn’t know where to start. So, even though she was nervous about joining a gym for the first time, she knew that she needed the extra support and accountability to help her create new habits.

During her first week at Fit Factory, she consulted with a personal trainer to create a simple, easy-to-maintain plan. Here’s what they came up with:

• Eliminate her daily trips to the corner bakery (and enjoy a single special treat on the weekend instead)

• Start getting at least eight hours of sleep every night

• Engage in group classes and personal training at Fit Factory at least 3x/week

• Enjoy outdoor activities (hiking, biking, jogging, etc.) or light cardio at Fit Factory on weekends

With this plan, Stephanie was prepared to begin her fitness journey, take control of her health and start losing the extra weight.

REASONS

Stephanie knew it was time to reassess her lifestyle when she could no longer fit into any of her favorite clothes. For her, it was about more than the number on the scale—she wanted to feel confident in her own skin again.

“I’m not a big believer in weighing yourself all the time, but I wanted to lose a couple inches off my waist and feel good when I looked in the mirror.”

Since Stephanie had never been a member of a gym before, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to tackle her ambitious health goals alone. “I wanted motivation and encouragement from people who’ve been through this before and that’s what Fit Factory has been for me.”

EXCUSES & CHALLENGES

Stephanie faced many excuses and obstacles along her fitness journey. For years, she’d lived a sedentary lifestyle and indulged in sweets and snacks without thinking twice.

“This was a whole new world for me and this lifestyle change felt overwhelming and discouraging at first.”

Nevertheless, Stephanie stayed committed to her goals. She found new, healthy snacks to enjoy and instead of stopping for a croissant on the way home from work, she stopped at the gym for an hour of exercise.

“Before Fit Factory, I never understood when people talked about being ‘addicted’ to exercise, but now I get it! I love how I feel after a workout and I always think about that when I’m tempted to skip my gym session.”

SUCCESS STEPS

When Stephanie joined Fit Factory, she made it a priority to find fun ways to exercise. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to stick to her plan and make lasting lifestyle changes unless she enjoyed her workouts.

So, in order to lose weight, build lean muscle and supplement her dietary changes, Stephanie engaged in the following exercise plan:  

• Interval Training with a personal trainer: 2-3x/week (There’s no way Stephanie could get bored with this high-energy combination of strength training and cardio!)

• Group Fitness Class: 1x/week (To keep her workouts fun and interesting, Stephanie cycled between a variety of engaging classes, including Zumba, Cycle, Yoga and Barre)

• Outdoor Exercise: 1x/week 

After one month of hard work and dedication, Stephanie is already seeing progress—in her body, her energy levels and her mindset.

“I don’t know why it took me so long to try out this gym! Now, my workouts are the highlight of my work days!”

Stephanie says that the best part of this new lifestyle is knowing that she’s making the right choices for her health...but the second best part is rocking her favorite skinny jeans again.