Kristal Gray
February 2018
What did life look like before you focused consistently on nutrition and fitness?
I have never been what you would call ‘athletic’, but growing up and in my young adulthood, I was frequently involved in sports and exercise. I enjoyed playing basketball, softball, biking, skiing, ice climbing, rollerblading, and occasionally running and taking a fitness class. But after having three kids, these activities became less and less prevalent in my life as did my attendance at the various big box gyms I would join. Family meals ended up being boxed side dishes and prepackaged meats, with a vegetable side dish as an afterthought. More recently, cooking became a hobby, searching for new, delicious and elaborate meals to prepare. This combined with a more and more sedentary lifestyle was not a good combination.
What made you decide to make a change?
I can’t really pinpoint what instigated the change in my nutrition and fitness – just call it karma. I had recently cancelled my most recent gym membership – once again due to lack of attendance – when I saw in one of the ISD 196 Community Education booklets a class called “Tank Top Arms” at The Warehouse. It intrigued me, so I signed up. With time, I ended up ‘sampling’ other classes too – Combat HIIT, CardioStrength, Bootcamp and Yoga Sculpt (I affectionately call Lakoda’s class ‘Military Yoga’). I finally made the decision to join as a member and I haven’t looked back.
What has changed (race times, blood work, attitude, etc)?
So what has changed…..first off, I now plan out my entire week on Sundays so I can figure out when and what Warehouse classes I can attend. I strive to attend 5 classes each week and will share some of the exercises I learned in class with my family. My Sunday planning session also includes planning my meals and the family meals for the week. I still enjoy cooking, but now focus on incorporating more plant based meals into my diet. As a Flexitarian, I try to limit my meat intake to a couple meals a month. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed eating meat. But plant based alternatives are also tasty and I don’t feel deprived at all. The last thing that has changed is that I no longer focus on that number on the scale – instead I focus on my journey and where I want it to take me next. The Warehouse has been a fantastic place not only for me, but for so many others. I love how the staff nurture so many people in so many ways. Thank you to all the trainers and everyone who motivates me in all of the classes I attend.