Testimonials

“37 years of providing nursing care in a variety of disciplines took its toll on my back! After a year and half of medical interventions, I decided to have lumbar spinal fusion. My husband and I had already planned a trip to the Swiss Alps before my surgery. I left for Europe as planned and hiked almost 2 miles up the side of Jungfrau, “the top of Europe” mountain in the Swiss Alps through 8-12 inches of snow and 30 degree weather. I was exhilarated and felt a heart full of gratitude to Sensible Fitness for helping me attain this feat, not even 5 months post- surgery!  I feel so blessed that I had Sensible Fitness to turn to for help in getting my life back!”

Patti McElroy

“I have struggled with my weight and fitness level all my life and have been up and down many times. At the beginning of 2015 I was approaching my highest weight and body fat… once again. With some blood work results also showing my numbers going in the wrong direction and my physical strength at a low, I realized it was time to make a change or really face a future of poor health.  It has been a journey so far and along the way I have gained muscle mass and strength, lost weight and the doctor just stopped some medication! I’m not at the finish yet, I still have a lot of work in front of me. But it is worth the effort and I would encourage anyone who feels like I did a year ago to just get started – wherever you are.”

Lisa Olson

Dick Thomas.  Started exercising at 91 years old!

Dick Thomas came to us after his daughter thought it would help with his mobility.  At 91 years old, you just don’t get around like you used to!  Dick’s doctor agreed and thought that exercise could help his COPD (chronic onset pulmonary disease).

Although Dick had never performed strength training in his 91+ years, he decided to start.After a short time, Dick reported that “life is just easier” with the strength that he gained. He especially noticed the difference in his legs, which was where we put a little more emphasis.  Many of the exercises we gave him were very challenging, but he never complained and did everything we asked.  I can’t say that for most that is half his age without COPD!

“I was officially diagnosed with Scoliosis at age 16 and I was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis at age 25.  This impacted my daily activities by requiring frequent rest breaks due to pain.

I turned to Sensible Fitness. For the first time in the past 5 years, I feel like I am able to stand taller, and like my body is finally strong enough to accommodate the imbalances that my back conditions have imposed. My posture has really improved and my back is becoming stronger and rarely aches unless I am on my feet too long. I feel like a new person. I actually stepped backward, downhill, onto the uneven pavement, and stumbled while visiting the zoo on Sunday….it is amazing that I was able to regain my balance and prevent myself from falling. I assure you that I would have landed on the ground if I were not training with Sensible Fitness.

While strength, posture, and balance are all important to me, so is wearing heels. Wearing shoes with heels greater than 1 inch was not an option before I began training at Sensible Fitness. Recently I was able to successfully walk in 3.5-inch heels, with confidence. Now that is worth celebrating!”

Farah Robinson

Trevor Phelps.  Lost 90+ pounds and quit smoking.

Trevor had been living a sedentary lifestyle when he came to Sensible Fitness as a semi-private client. He habitually enjoyed many of the “usual’s” such as soda, junk food, and eating out. He also had very little physical activity. Like many people, he got moderate activity such as walking or lifting while at work but lacked real exercise in his life.

Trevor had extraordinary results by simply sticking to the basics. He did not have a crazy, intense exercise program with us. He had a sensible one that addressed added muscle tone to increase his metabolism, with bouts of cardiovascular exercise mixed in to keep his heart rate up. Being committed to his goal, Trevor also walked an additional 20 minutes after each of his 55-minute workouts. Trevor’s nutrition program was not strict. He did not eat tree bark and bean sprouts, as our approach is not to deprive people of food or have them follow trendy diets. Trevor enjoys a variety of foods that he likes.

Trevor is a testament to the huge changes a person can make by committing themselves to change their lifestyle. He turned to Sensible Fitness for the added guidance and accountability that a trainer offers, but the amazing discipline and commitment he displayed is what won the battle against the 90 pounds he lost. The battle against yourself is usually the biggest battle in changing one’s lifestyle.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.  Angela Nickel suffers from MS and came to Sensible Fitness, choosing private personal training, to improve her quality of life.

“In the past, I had an exacerbation of MS that caused me to leave my job. For three months I could barely get out of bed and needed assistance with basic daily tasks. I am so grateful to the team here at Sensible Fitness who has helped me on this journey of returning to a normal life. When I started the first session I could only work out for 15 minutes and I had to rest for 2 days. Now, I am able to go twice a week (most of the time) and work out the entire hour.  I just walked a mile in my first 5K.”

Angela Nickel

Ryan Davis.  Facing the challenges of dwarfism.

Ryan faces the challenges of dwarfism head on, and certainly does not let it hold him back. Besides being an Eagle Scout, and a Rescue Scuba Diver, Ryan played football through his entire high school years. As a senior, he received the Award of Courage from the National Football Foundation. Although in a sport that was full of giants, Ryan persevered and inspired all.

Ryan Davis also competed in powerlifting and placed 2nd at the 2013 World Dwarf Games, held in East Lansing, MI. Ryan has never competed in powerlifting before, and he jumped right into an international competition. This guy has guts!