Meet Marie: IzzyFit's Client of the Month!

Marie came to IzzyFit this past January. She was hoping personal training could help her regain control of her body after confronting several health setbacks throughout her college career. I consider myself SO incredibly fortunate to have had these last six months with Marie because she works SO HARD to get to her goals with an incredibly positive attitude. If she gets knocked down, she can show you ten ways to get back up and I find that super inspiring. I am going to miss her terribly but am really excited to see what the future holds for her.

Please tell me a little bit about yourself!
I'm a senior at Northwestern University, majoring in Biological Sciences and about to graduate!!! I'm from the teeny tiny town of Maple Hill, Kansas, population 400. I will be heading back to the heartland to attend Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine starting in August. I've loved Northwestern/Evanston, but I'm super excited to start vet school. But really sad to be leaving IzzyFit :(

What were your initial goals when you started training?
When I started training in January, I just wanted to get in shape. Throughout college, I've battled continuous health issues from 6 stress fractures in my feet to severe mono to scarlet fever to frequent surgeries. I'd gotten so out of shape since high school, and I just wanted to feel healthy and strong again. 

How do you think your sessions have helped you out?
My sessions have helped me tremendously to become more comfortable with my body, to learn how to move and lift things, to make big strides towards my goals of feeling healthy and stronger. To be honest, I've never felt so healthy in college as I do now. Obviously some of the health challenges are still - and might always be - present. But it's kind of cool to be at my healthiest right before graduation! No, I haven't instantly dropped a few jeans sizes. But I finally feel like I'm having more control over the way my body feels, over the aspects of my health that I can affect. 

What have you enjoyed the most about your training?
Well, yes, I've absolutely enjoyed getting in shape and the feeling of accomplishment I feel every time I move up to a heavier weight that I can lift. But I think if I'm really honest, the thing I've enjoyed the most about my training is getting to be friends with Izzy. 

Do you have any fitness goals for the rest of this year going into the next?
My fitness goals over the next few months are to maintain all the success I've made since January in terms of my body, my mind, my nutritional choices. I also want to continue pushing myself in the ways I've learned to push myself in training. I will be moving away at the end of this month, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop getting fit or that I'm going to stop making better nutritional choices. The way I look at it is this - this has just been a wonderful foundation for me. Working with Izzy has opened my eyes to a new way of looking at working out, at my body, at nutrition. And it's kind of exciting to think that I can spend the rest of my life continuing to get more fit. As I start my new (and probably really challenging) academic curriculum, I know that keeping training an important part of my routine is going to be huge. 

How would you describe your philosophy on working out and nutrition?
My philosophy on working out and nutrition is this - it's always a work in progress. And moderation is the best. Baby steps are still steps. No, I'm not going to never eat a piece of pizza for the rest of my life. But I did the detox with Izzy last month and I'm so much better prepared now to make good choices about nutrition. I keep finding myself looking at food now with the thought "what is this going to do to my body or for my body?" Sometimes, I might decide that the piece of pizza isn't gonna do wonders for my body, but it's worth it. But a lot of the times, I'll opt for a healthier choice instead. 

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