"Heading into my mid 40’s I was getting to be pretty stout and taking some medications for high cholesterol. I’ve spent my whole working life as a professional chef and I just accepted my condition as a price for my profession. Being around delicious food all day, every day can be a blessing and a curse. I also spent a lot of time telling myself that I didn’t have time to exercise. I was out of shape and getting big enough that finishing the last couple of days of my week in the kitchen was pretty difficult physically. Sore back and hips were another price for this wonderful profession. Then the doctor told me about my high blood sugar and metabolic syndrome. That was the trigger for me. Being fat and having high cholesterol were okay but I didn’t want anything to do with diabetes.

I joined a gym, paid for three years so that I would be financially as well as emotionally committed and got on the elliptical. I lost some weight and gained some fitness on my own but working with a trainer took me to the next step in fitness. I’ve been working with Remy at NW Personal Training for the last six months or so. She’s helped me to get farther along in my fitness than I had for the last three years on my own. She keeps the workouts varied and challenging. Just when I start to get full of myself she shows me something new that keeps me moving forward. I’m learning and getting some joy from the idea that this is a lifelong process and not an end to reach. I turned 50 this year and am stronger and more fit than I’ve been for at least 20 years. My back doesn’t hurt anymore, my blood sugar is down, my cholesterol is down, my blood pressure is down, my weight is down (still more to go) and my body doesn’t hurt at the end of my work week any more. It feels good to fill out the top of my t-shirt more than the bottom of it. As important as all of that, I feel good about my health and fitness now. All day baby!"