Before finding us, what was your struggle? What were your biggest frustrations?
I was a part of Guilford Athletic Center years ago, but stopped after going back to school and starting a new job with longer hours. For 5 years or so, I wasn’t doing much in the way of exercise at all.
How did your struggle and frustrations affect your life?
In the last few years, I’ve had a tough time with my health (I have Crohn’s disease). During this time, it was difficult to be active or eat healthy, and I spent an extended period of time on steroids. I gained a lot of weight, my blood pressure was high, and I felt terrible. About a year ago, I finally got my Crohn’s under control, and realized that it was time to be proactive about my health again. I started counting macros and convinced a friend to join Guilford Athletic Center with me, knowing from experience that I would enjoy it, and that it would give me the results I was looking for.
How did our program help you?
Being back at Guilford Athletic Center has been amazing. The 5am class is great, because it allows me to get to the gym in the morning before work, and you can’t beat the community. In the past year I’ve lost 40 pounds, 10 inches on my waist, and gotten my blood pressure back to normal.
How is life different for you now?
I feel like I’m in control of my health again, which can be really hard when you suffer from a chronic illness. I think staying active and fueling my body properly has helped me to recover more quickly when I’m having crummy health days.
