After a diagnosis of osteopenia, Mary S. knew she had to do something drastic. That’s when she found Discover Strength.
“Between the ages of 25 and 55, my main activity was running. I ran almost every day, often before dawn when I was working. I felt good, generally, and had a couple of injuries along the way which derailed running temporarily a few times, but was able to keep up a fairly steady running schedule year-round. I also tried other activities including cross-country skiing, spin, kettlebells, and swimming. In my early fifties, I was diagnosed with osteopenia. Given my mother’s history of osteoporosis, it became urgent to find a way to fight that condition. In late 2012, I saw a short article about Discover Strength in Minnesota Monthly magazine. I was curious and convinced my husband to try it with me. The rest is history. We’ve hardly missed a week at Discover Strength since that time.
Running had been solo and solitary. What I learned about it came from books and magazines. For the other activities, if I had a teacher, I often felt that what they were telling me to do was not safe which made me doubt their credentials. At Discover Strength, I’ve had a totally different experience. I was taught how to perform safe exercises on machines and with free weights which made a dramatic difference in my strength over time and also my weight. In addition to that, as I got to know each trainer I worked with, I observed a remarkable consistency among them. They’ve been highly professional, encouraging, and a lot of fun.
In ten years with Discover Strength, the workouts have never caused injuries; the aches and pains I do have are normal for my age. When I come to a workout feeling stiff, I always leave feeling better. I do 2 – 3 Body Comp Challenges per year which show I’ve maintained a healthy muscle/fat ratio. I monitor the osteoporosis with a doctor (He always asks if I’m still doing strength training). Dexascans show that I am maintaining bone health. Also, I believe, the advice and information from Discover Strength about the role of protein and diet has been essential in my progress. Now that I’ve incorporated this knowledge into my everyday life, I feel more fit than at any time in my life which at age 73 is something to celebrate!”
-Mary S.