March Member Spotlight
We chose Angela Leahmann as our March Member Spotlight. She has been a part of our Forward Fam since we opened and even trained with us before Forward Fitness existed. We love Angela! She works her butt off in the gym, is so thoughtful, and has a great since of humor. She’s completed the 100 Workout Challenge, has been a trivia night ACE, a huge point contributor in the Forward Fitness Games, and a slugger on the Forward Fitness softball team!
When Angela isn’t working out or working, you can find her reading, knitting, cooking, baking, or gardening (when in season). Before COVID she would always bring amazing dishes to any Forward Fitness gathering. No matter the dish, it would be gone by the end of the night and the recipe would be requested. She is particularly known for her kale salad! Angela loves cats and has been volunteering at the Chowder House Foundation, a cat shelter for 12 years. She is also proud to be working at the same company for 29 years! When we’re not in a global pandemic Angela loves to travel. In the past five years she has explored Turkey, Croatia (pictured), Spain, France, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates, and has even been on a vegan Caribbean Cruise!
With diabetes and cancer running in her family, health and fitness has always been an important aspect of her life. She ran and played field hockey, softball, golf, and racquetball. She has continued to make her health a priority by incorporating strength, conditioning, and mobility training, walking, and yoga into her life. Now she is more motivated than ever to stay strong and flexible so she can live comfortably and independently as she ages.
We all face challenges and Angela faced a pretty tough one. In 2006 as she was training for a half marathon, Angela was diagnosed with cancer. She had to get radiation and it took a lot out of her. With the help of her amazing neighborhood, good job, and tons of great friends and family she made it through. While she couldn’t continue her usual workout routine during radiation, she was able to do yoga. She embraced it and it is still something she enjoys today.
As I mention, Angela has been training at Forward Fitness for over six years. She explains, “I like the small gym environment and trainers who really pay attention to form.” When asked about what helps her stay consistent with her fitness, Angela replied, “I make decisions all day and sometimes I just need someone to tell me what to do. This is why semi-private training works for me. That, and signing up for my classes in advance. My program takes into account my goals as well as my shortcomings, and I have seen measurable results! I really love the addition of mobility classes and I think we desk-sitters see a lot of improvement after incorporating it regularly. But I like to mix it up too and I walk and do yoga as much as I can.”
She can’t wait for the world to open again! Trivia nights, bar crawls, baseball games, softball, people, and travel are all calling her name. In the meantime she is rocking her workouts!
If you are considering adding a fitness routine to your life Angela says, “that anyone can see improvement, regardless of their age, fitness level, or experience. I think sometimes in this day and age there are just too many choices and it causes people to choose nothing! Give it a try.”