This is the 4th time I have successfully completed Life Time’s 60day Challenge. Each time I have learned something new to help me on my healthy journey of life. Like most people when the pandemic started my healthy habits went out the window. Where I lived the gyms were one of the first places that closed. This was very challenging for me since I frequented Life Time at least 5 days a week. I had a trainer with a plan to get me to my goals but when I couldn’t get there I turned back to my old bad habits. I gained weight, got depressed and mentally was not in a good place. I tried working out at home but I didn’t have all the equipment nor the space. What I realized during this time that it wasn’t just about the equipment or space but it was about the people that I saw everyday that encouraged me. From the front desk personnel that knew me personally to the cafe barista that knew I wanted almond milk in my smoothies all the way to the trainers that I was training with to do my first half marathon. Life Time was my happy, healthy place. So when we moved to Omaha to be closer to family, I told our realtor that we needed two things: to live in a good school district for my kids and be close to a Life Time. Needless to say we live in a great school district and live 1.2 miles away from Life Time.

What I love most about doing Life Time’s 60day Challenge this particular round is connecting with people. So much so that even though our Omaha group is small, half of them are related to me! The pandemic made it impossible to make personal connections and that is what this is all about. A bunch of people getting together all with the same goal of getting healthier and encouraging them when it gets tough. Jeff, my GTX coach, has been such a great motivator as well as my GTX group. I would never do the workouts he gives us on my own but with our group we all get it done. Sometimes a little more sore than we wanted but we always leave stronger than when we started. Even my 5 and 7 year old have noticed some healthy changes at home and wanted to be involved in classes at the gym too! Luckily for us on Saturday mornings, my husband and I go to our 60day Sweat Session and the kids go to their very own Shred class. We always compare workout stories when we meet back up and always show off our new muscles by having a flex off! It has gotten so serious that there are sweatbands involved!

I was so motivated during this challenge that I decided to push myself even further and take up running again. I was also able to complete running 100 miles for the month of February. Not only that but pushed even harder and ended up completing 120 miles! I definitely would not have been able to achieve this feat without Life Time, especially during Omaha’s brutal winter months!

Although Life Time’s 60day Challenge has ended for now, I am walking away with  20 less pounds, 6% less body fat, new friends to cheer on for their health journey and a great kickstart to my next health challenge.  Maybe that half marathon I never go to run?  Who knows, but at this point, I have a healthy base physically and mentally to take on whatever challenge comes my way. Thank you Life Time!