#WholeFitCo Helps You #RuleWellness

I find myself smiling all the way through class. That is a great thing, Aarika. I have had a wonderful life of athletics and thousands of miles walking, jogging, etc. Then to break both feet AND have serious back issues really took me out of my game of a great life. But God is always so good to me. Putting you before me is a major gratitude gift. Your passion is not at all just about exercise. You are very educated about caring for the body. You put much time and thought into everything you do. When I went on a job interview for a top attorney in Palm Beach, at the end of the interview he paid me, what to this day is my highest compliment. He said, and I now, 35 years later, say it for the first time to you… YOU ARE DELIGHTFULLY REFRESHING! Thankful our paths have crossed on life’s journey!

First PLYOGA class today, and I loved it! Aarika is dynamic, bubbly, firm and encouraging all while teaching us plyometric moves and rest poses from yoga. She has the wonderful ability to engage you while keeping you on beat to excellent music. Loved the moves the music the personality! It has been a while since I have worked out and I feel really encouraged that this class will challenge me and motivate me!

For several years, I have been prediabetic, borderline high cholesterol, high triglycerides and generally obese. I had been on and off blood pressure medication for 10 years and was content that my life going forward was similar to the past. I had become a master of every excuse possible why I was so heavy, but changed nothing. My last doctor visit was in October, where he told me that he would not give me a prescription for what I cold control with the right effort. He gave me a goal of weight to lose by my May appointment. I realize this is a lot of backstory but I need to explain why this program has truly meant so much to me. Working with Aarika and the entire team that makes up our class, I learned the things that I could change. I did have the ability to become the parent I needed to become. I needed to be a role model for my boys and also be able to enjoy them growing up and not just sit on the sidelines and watch them be active. I have learned that missing one goal or one meal or one exercise session will not make me fail. I learned that small changes in what I already do can make a continuous impact on my fitness and weight. It has been 4 months since the inception of this program. I am in better shape now than when I was 30. I have not weighted 210 pounds in 20+ years. I am not where I want to be yet, but I am on a path to get there. I control my future and I control the change. None of these things would have EVER occurred without the [YMCA program brought] to AFL and the amazing job Aarika has done teaching us how to migrate to a more healthy lifestyle.

I recently celebrated a milestone birthday. However, I feel much more comfortable with and confident about myself and my physical fitness – mentally and physically – than I did earlier. I can get “up and down” (and especially “up”) much more easily and don’t have to hope that no one is watching. My clothes are beginning to fit again, and that is a fabulous feeling. I am more aware than ever of what I should be eating each day. Therefore, I am making much better choices about food. I have realized that I probably have been deficient in protein my entire adult life. After my first trainer left to take a full-time job, I thought I could continue with exercise on my own. It took me a year finally to admit to myself that I had fallen back into old habits and was not exercising at all. I am fortunate that I found another trainer who is awesome. Aarika is more than a physical trainer. She has made me aware of how and why I should take care of my “whole self” and how everything is related. She is an encourager but more importantly, she holds me accountable! The beginning of each training session includes talking about my health, the choices I have made and the difficulties and successes I have had during the week. She has a specific plan prepared for me during each training session and also gives me homework for the coming week. If I could age backwards, I would want to be like Aarika when I “grow young!”