Family Training
It was sheer happenstance that I ended up working with a family of three generations, and at first, I wasn’t even aware of it. That’s what makes their story worth mentioning.
Herb recently moved here from upstate New York to be with his kids and grandkids. Exercise has always been a part of his lifestyle, but as he aged, he wanted to be able to keep up with his grandkids and set a good example, so he decided to hire a trainer to get him in better shape. I was fortunate to have met Herb at his gym, and the trainer needed to hand off a few of her clients, one being Herb. After our first session, I noticed right away his need for guidance on his form to avoid injury and for someone to hold him accountable to exercise on a regular basis. He’s a demanding 77 year old, but for all good reasons: he is on a mission to stay healthy. His heart isn’t in the best of shape, so exercising has kept his immune system and ticker strong. Making healthier nutritional choices has helped him shed a few pounds. His wife joined us for some of the workouts, but it was best for him to work out alone, but both encourage and support each other with staying in shape.
During one session, we were chatting about his family. He kept talking about his daughter Anna, her kids, and her husband who he was worried about because they were getting overweight. He also mentioned her involvement in a local choir. I said, “your daughter wouldn’t happen to be Anna Kaye?” “Yes!!” What a small world! Interesting enough, Anna was a private running client 10 years ago.
A week passed, and I received a text from Anna inquiring about personal training. She decided to join a few group sessions. With it being ski season, though, she bailed on her training. Almost six months passed, and she came back. What lit the fire was wanting to train with her husband for 10 sessions as her 50th birthday present. After two sessions together, she stopped, and he started full time.
At the time, Gordon was tipping the scale and bordering obesity. Coming from a family with metabolic diseases, he knew something had to change, or he was going to end up just like them. After two sessions, he realized he was in bad physical shape, and started setting small weekly goals. A few of those goals were to start using the Peloton daily, lose 30 pounds, strength training 1-2 times a week, and stretch regularly. He just met his major goal of riding 300 miles for the month. What an accomplishment! He has dropped 50 pounds. Stretching has done wonders for his performance on and off the bike and it’s become a daily habit. (Anna might have had an alternate motive for letting him use her birthday present:)
Anna decided to return to training privately, and is now bringing her daughter. She has had posture problems for years, and working with a physical therapist wasn’t helping. The goal of having her work with me was to develop strength, flexibility, and balance to help improve her posture. Within a few weeks of training, I’ve seen improvements in her strength and mobility. She walks with confidence standing tall, shoulders back and chest out. I also noticed she feels comfortable in her own skin, which is so important for a high-schooler. They both are trying to change their eating habits to trim down, feel more energetic and happier as well. The daughter is following in her father’s footsteps riding the Peloton on a daily basis and shedding pounds.
There have been a few times Gordon and Herb have trained together, but since they are at different stages and levels of ability, working out privately suits them best. Anna and her daughter are happy with just training together, but everyone is on the same page with diet and exercise. Life works in mysterious ways to bring them all together working with me and towards attaining the same goals - making healthier nutritional choices and staying fit to live a long and healthy life.
This family benefited from exercising together or within the family unit. It strengthened the family bond and taught them the importance of goal setting and accomplishment both as the individual and family. Although, fitness tends to be a solitary pursuit, it does benefit when others are cheering you on or doing it with you especially when it comes to family. Research has proven when family members become an obstacle to your success, the likelihood of the person quitting is high. “When mom or dad start adopting certain health behaviors, it metastasizes to the rest of the family,” says Dr. Ron Eaker, author of “Healthy Habits for the Fit Family.” When one or both parents exercise, the rest of the family is more likely to do it with them or by themselves. Genetics may play a role in a lot of health issues, but it’s more about the environment and behaviors. The effects of healthy behaviors can be passed down to generations, and Herb helped shape the culture of his family.
Michelle Golla