CLIENT(S) OF THE MONTH

When Bethany and Leora contacted me last fall about getting into shape for their wedding a year in advance, I could tell I had two very determined people on my hands. And then I found out that we'd be training through their last year of law school, including finals and the Bar Exam!

As a personal trainer I've seen how difficult it can be for some people to stay motivated during periods of stress and change. But Bethany and Leora are each not only succeeding in school and work -- they trained for and did extremely well in a road running race this spring, have stayed almost 100% on schedule with their workouts, and feel so good they are already thinking about their next fitness goals. Can exercise help you stay energized even when you're over-scheduled? Just ask them - they're a testament to the benefits of exercise.

As we prepare for the final stages of their pre-wedding training, I can't wait to see how beautiful they will look on their big day. But then again, they already look pretty amazing now.

What does exercise mean for you? Why did you decide to hire a personal trainer?
For us, exercise is about having fun and being in shape enough to do whatever it is we feel like doing on any given day. It has also been a great way to get to know people.

We decided to hire a personal trainer because we wanted to get the most out of the limited amount of time in our schedules that we have for exercise. We each have different strengths, weaknesses, and ultimate goals but were looking for a way to address those together. Our workouts with Natalie have allowed precisely that. Personal training gives us our best shot at efficiently reaching our individual goals together. We also really love the accountability working with Natalie provides. Being able to check in regularly about our progress and have a reason to put in a really hard workout even on days that feel hectic has been wonderful.

What is your favorite way to work out?
We just finished our first organized race together, the Shamrock Run. Leading up to that we did a lot of running, which we really enjoyed. Now that we are no longer training for a running event, we are integrating more biking into our exercise routine, which has also been a lot of fun. Bottom line: we love working out together and we love being outside.

What is your greatest challenge?
Our greatest challenge is time. There never seems to be enough of it. However, over the last several months, we have managed to re-balance our schedules and have learned to work in exercise most days of the week.

How often do you do cardio vs strength training?
As often as Natalie recommends. Leading up to the race we just completed, we were running or cross training 4 days a week and strength training 2 days a week. Now that we are in a more hectic part of the year and are not training for an event, we are running or biking 3 days per week and strength training 1 day a week.

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting an exercise program?
Take the plunge. It may seem like a big step to take initially, but it is remarkably rewarding. It doesn't take long before things that once seemed hard or impossible are well within reach.

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