Hello everyone!
We are so excited to bring you our next edition of our Member of the Month series, where we feature some of the amazing people who are part of our Loyobo FIT family. We think it is important to share their stories to help inspire others and to celebrate their amazing accomplishments!
This month that member is Brenda Van Esch, who is one of our VIP Members. Our entire team loves Brenda and truly appreciates her enthusiastic support of and participation in our community. Her consistent approach towards achieving her health and fitness goals is so inspirational and we couldn’t be prouder of her journey.
Our members adore Brenda as well as she brings so much joy and positivity to our classes!
This month, BRENDA, we celebrate YOU! We are so grateful to know you. Thank you for being a part of our family and for sharing your story with us!
How long have you been coming to Loyobo FIT and what initially inspired you to try a class?
I have been a member since June 2019. I attended an open house with one of my girlfriends and was looking for something different. I had been a member of one of the larger gyms in town and I always felt intimidated going in by myself and the classes I loved were always very full, so if you didn’t arrive at least half an hour before class, you didn’t get a spot! I liked the fact that Loyobo FIT had most of the classes that I enjoyed at my old gym. I also liked that the class sizes were small so everyone had space to move.
What are your top 3 health and fitness goals?
As I get older, I am noticing that injuries I experienced through figure skating, downhill skiing and dance have started to affect my joints and ligaments, so my goals are to:
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Keep moving and keep any discomfort to a minimum
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Improve my endurance and strength
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Maintain a positive mental outlook (which is more easier when I am exercising regularly!)
What is one of the challenges that you have faced in your health/fitness journey? What have you found most helpful in working to overcome it?
Motivation was a big challenge, especially during the winter months. The idea of layering up and cleaning off the car to go to the gym for an hour was not appealing. I found that if I worked my other errands into the class schedule it was easier to go. So I have attended classes before heading into work, gone grocery shopping after an evening class and met a friend for coffee after a Saturday morning class.
Physically, my knee joints have been especially bad over the last five years, so I have had to find classes that don’t overwork them or ones in which the movements are easy to modify. I feel very lucky because I can do this with all the classes at Loyobo FIT!
What was your life like before you started at Loyobo FIT? How did you feel about your body?
My life has always been pretty busy and the last few years have revolved around my son’s activities. I’ve always been overly conscious about my body, especially my weight. I have really let other people’s comments about my weight and appearance dictate my behavior, which has lead to a lot of fluctuations in my weight over the years. I once responded to a comment about my weight with, “the reason I have so many shoes is because my shoe size is the size that never changes!” I never really thought about my body in any other terms.
What has changed since you joined the Loyobo Family and started coming to class regularly?
I am definitely more positive about my body and I think about it differently. I also look forward to my classes. I can’t always complete all of the poses/exercises perfectly, but I do get them done and I do see myself improving with practice. I feel really rejuvenated after class, even if it’s a short one.
What is your favorite memory or achievement of your time at Loyobo FIT?
My favourite memory of my time at Loyobo FIT was my first yoga class. It was just me and Sobia. I think it was the first class she taught at Loyobo FIT.
And I was blown away the day that Courtney told me she had something for me and it was my 50 class band. That was special!
What advice would you give to someone just starting their health and fitness journey?
Try everything once and then stay with the classes that make you feel your best.
What is your favorite class and why?
To be honest, I like all the classes I attend. If I have to pick one, it would be LoYoga. It has definitely helped me regain some of my flexibility and it is relaxing. It is also very restorative mentally because I am clearing my mind of all the stuff that is going on around me and I am just focusing on the poses and my breathing. I will be honest, though, and say that I have started a mental grocery list during savasana a couple of times, lol.
What is your favorite inspirational quote?
Maya Angelou is one of my favourite writers and this quote stayed with me the first time I read it, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Anything else you would like to share?
I want to say THANK YOU to my Loyobo family. You are all amazing! It has been such a blessing seeing all of your smiling faces these past few months. I really miss seeing you face to face and chatting after class either in the studio or in the parking lot and can’t wait till when we can do it again!
Congratulations Brenda! You deserve this moment in the spotlight as we celebrate the awesomeness that is YOU. THANK YOU for including us as part of your journey and for sharing your story. Your positive spirit, perseverance and determination inspires us all and we are so grateful to have you as part of our Loyobo Family!
Feeling inspired? You can become part of our loving and supportive community that will enable you to make a lasting lifestyle change.
The doors to our membership will be opening soon! Book a Meet & Greet with one of our coaches to learn more about Loyobo FIT, discuss your needs and find out if we are the right fit for you.
We can’t wait to support you in your health and wellness journey!