February Member Spotlight
I am so excited to announce February’s Member Spotlight, Julia Noble!
When asked about why health and fitness is important to her, Julia responded, “As we age, we see our friends and family members age as well. It’s easier to see others change than to see ourselves changing. With that in mind, I decided I needed to take a more proactive stance on health and fitness. I don’t have a goal to run a marathon, but I have a goal to do something active every day.”
While her husband Ben was in Bolyard’s (an awesome Butcher shop in Maplewood) he saw a flyer for Forward Fitness. What perfect timing! Julia had been getting her activity from salsa, belly dancing and walks with co-workers, but she was looking for something new and wanted to join a gym. Not confident in doing exercises in good form, Julia knew she wanted a place with private lessons. In November of 2019 Julia became part of our Forward Fam!
With her new routine came an earlier wake up time. Julia knew she wanted to get her workout in before work meaning a 7am workout time most days. When I asked her about what allowed her to be successful with this challenge Julia responded, “I knew someone was waiting for me at the gym and I couldn’t just stand them up. I had to hold myself accountable and make it happen. Plus, once I was there, I’d have a good time and feel great afterwards – completely having forgotten about the cold car ride there as I sing in my car on the way home with extra energy.” Julia was a quick study and picked up deadlifts, kettlebell swings, squats, and so many other movements quickly.
Julia was in her groove and then COVID hit presenting a new kind of challenge. Workouts were now remote via Facebook live stream. It’s a lot easier to get your workout in when it must be done at a certain time and there is someone there coaching you. However, Julia rose to the challenge. Myself and the other coaches were blown away by her consistency. She joined in to do her workout at the same time each day keeping her workouts as part of her routine. AMAZING! “It gave me something to look forward to in the mornings (even if it was just down the hallway). It’s hard to describe how it’s helped, but I know the last year would have been harder without it.”
Julia is an active part of our Forward Fam remotely and has really taken ownership of her health and fitness. She participated in the summer and winter Forward Fitness Games, joined in our book club during quarantine, and completed the 100 Workout Challenge this year! Right when Julia joined people were beginning to finish their 100 Workouts. “I couldn’t wait to participate the next year. I taped my 100 Workout Challenge card to my wall and looked at it every day. I loved the feeling of checking off the days and turning the card in once it was complete. I never really realized how much you can do in 5 months! This helped me realign my 2021 goals, and I can’t wait to see what I accomplish this year.”
Julia’s advice to anyone considering adding a fitness routine to their life: “It can be daunting to think about starting a new routine or carving out the time for new activities. As much as people try to sell the idea that it gets easier, it doesn’t always get easier once you start. Some weeks you really feel motivated and some you don’t. Sometimes you have a lot of free time and sometimes you don’t, or you’re traveling for work. To anyone considering adding fitness to their life, I say do what you can when you can. Set reasonable goals to fit your lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be daunting or super hardcore. Movement is movement, and that’s a win.”
We are so glad Julia is part of our Forward Fam! She has really put in the work to get the results she wants. She built one healthy habit at a time. First it was her workouts and then nutrition. She is a prime example of consistency in both areas. It’s these daily habits that end up making a huge difference down the line and this couldn’t be more true for Julia. We can’t wait to see what 2021 will bring!