Congratulations to Char Bryan our March 2024 Fitness Patron of the Month.

I have never been very athletic. I didn’t do sports in high school, or any serious exercise in my 20’s. I moved to Colorado in 1985 and found a whole new world of fitness enthusiasts, a far cry from what I knew in my Michigan life. I felt guilted into trying running (twice) then found Jane (no pain, no gain) Fonda videos, so I joined her in front of my TV in my leg warmers for several years. When Jane disappeared, I retired to mostly walking as my physical outlet. Then, in my early 50’s I discovered Yoga, and I never looked back. This was something I could do, and I loved it. The discipline, the focus, the results! I did classes 3 times a week until 2018 after having a knee replacement, followed by a knee revision. And then, Covid happened. My routine ended and I became, like so many others, a homebound recluse. Not doing much at all. All the years of being fit were undone in just months. In the summer of 2022, I fell. It was not my first fall, or my last, but it was the most significant one. I broke my jawbone and lost a lot of time in recovery and suffered a lot of pain, including losing a tooth. I vowed it was time for me to be in charge of me again. In the fall of 2022 I met Personal Trainer, Amanda Webb. She literally and figuratively has changed my life. She keeps me accountable, challenges me, encourages me, and she makes me laugh. We have fun on the TRX and the balance balls, circuit weight machines, etc., and she is now introducing me to free weights. We would do yoga poses at times at my request, which encouraged me to get back to my favorite again. Karen Dittman teaches the senior yoga class, which I attend at the new Community Center on Monday’s and is also my private yoga instructor. I have been doing private yoga for about two months now. My biggest challenge is balance, although we are slowly making progress and I am falling back in love with Yoga. Our sessions are challenging, but also relaxing and I appreciate her patience so very much! She also makes me laugh! I am so glad I took that first step getting my senior membership with Carbon Valley Recreation Center. I am not giving it back!

P.S. I will be 74 in June. When I am not getting fit, I enjoy reading, gardening, and my grandchildren.