Member Spotlight: Sabine Robinson
We are very excited to feature Sabine Robinson as our Member Spotlight this month. Sabine has been a part of our Fit Fam for the past two years and the consistency she has put into her workouts is evident just by looking at her. We are very excited to share her story with you.
“I was born in Bayreuth, Germany, hence the name “Sabine” which is a common German name. In German, the “e”is not silent, so you say it “Sa-bean-ah.” It’s been a conversation-starter my entire life! My dad was in the Air Force, so we moved quite a bit. From K-12 I went to 9 schools in 5 states and thought for a long time that was just what people did. We often moved in the middle of the school year, so I spent most of my school years as the introverted new kid. I often get asked which place was my favorite and the answer is without a doubt, Hawaii where we lived in the late 60s-early 70s when it was not really a big tourist place yet. While all that moving around made me more introverted it also made me very adaptable so you could drop me anywhere in the world and I’d figure out how to make it work. Moving that much also made me a traveler. I’ve been to 22 countries on 4 continents and 47 of the 50 states. I’ve been fortunate to have had some amazing global experiences like sampling snake wine on the Mekong Delta, riding on the back of a motorbike during rush hour in Saigon or being in a wedding in Botswana. Learning about other cultures fascinates me. My goal is to visit all 7 continents and 50 states. I’ve worked for myself for the past 26 years, so I have plenty of flexibility when it comes to planning trips”
We love it when our members refer new members to us and we thank Denise for brining Sabine to Forward Fitness. “Denise Johnson made me join Forward Fitness, for which I am eternally grateful! I had been part of another gym for a few years until they eliminated their semi-private training. Denise knew I was looking for a similar experience, and she encouraged me to talk with Suzanne and give Forward Fitness a try. I love semi-private training because it allows me to work at my own pace (which is usually that of a 100-year-old tortoise.)”
Sabine has this to share about why health and fitness are important to her. “I was never athletic or sporty – I could barely pass the old President’s physical fitness test you had to take in grade school. So, I always saw myself as a nerdy, non-sporty person. As an adult, I would challenge myself now and then with something physical to see if I could do it, but it never translated into a consistent fitness program. When I turned 40, I completed a marathon and hiked the Grand Canyon mostly to prove I wasn’t getting old and then thought “ok, check that off the list” and went right back to reading on the couch. Health and fitness are much more important to me now as I’m getting older because being strong equates to independence, which is important to me. I’m thankful to be aging at a time in our culture when women are encouraged to be strong, not skinny.”
When we asked about challenges that she has faced Sabine shared, “I had breast cancer in my early 40s and fortunately they caught it early, but I still had to go through surgery, chemo, and radiation. I’m a control freak who hates letting things just happen to me, so when my hair started falling out, I took charge and shaved my head right down to the scalp. It was kind of liberating. I joined Forward Fitness in November 2024, two months before my hip replacement because I wanted to build up some strength before surgery. Then I came back the day after the surgeon released me and started to rebuild. The first few months were really challenging but I’m wired for consistency, so I kept at it week in and week out. Doing my first 100 workout challenge last year really helped. I had missed most of July due to traveling (Norway this time) and so had to do it in 5 months. It helps that this challenge is so public – that kind of accountability keeps me moving forward! Plus, I’ll do a lot for a free T-shirt.”
She also shared what she is most proud of accomplishing, “There are a lot of things I can do now that I couldn’t do 2 years ago but what I’m most proud of is sticking with it consistently, showing up even when I didn’t feel like it, and working to improve at every session. A quote I’ve come to love says “Consistency looks like nothing is happening until everything changes.” That really sums it up. There aren’t always dramatic gains at every workout and sometimes it feels like you’re going backwards, but overall continuing to show up consistently pays huge dividends in the long run.”
Sabine let us know how she keeps fitness a priority in her life, “I’m officially addicted to working out and now it feels weird not to be at the gym at least four times a week. A big part of it is the relationships you build with the other members and the coaches. I walked in as the new kid once more but the difference this time is how warm, welcoming, and encouraging everyone is. When anyone accomplishes something, everyone cheers. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
This is the advice that she would give to someone who is thinking about adding a fitness routine to their life, “Start right this minute regardless of your fitness level. I didn’t get serious about strength training until much later in life and I can say that at age 65, I am stronger now than I’ve ever been at any other time in my life. It is NEVER TOO LATE to get started and if you stick with it consistently, you will be amazed at the results. I’m sharing my first and most recent InBody scans (which is way out of my comfort zone) because even though I’m not where I want to be yet I want to encourage others by showing in a measurable way what 2 years of consistently showing up for yourself looks like. It’s not always easy but it’s always worthwhile.”
Thank you Sabine for being willing to share your InBody information so that people can see the results that come from consistency!
We always ask if our members have a fun fact to share and thanks to Sabine I have a new quote to work towards! “By standard measurements of height/weight and BMI I’m still considered “obese” but now instead of being embarrassed or ashamed I can sass back with confidence by saying, “Shut up, I could deadlift you.”
Thank you Sabine for being willing to share your story and for being such an awesome part of our Fit Fam!