We love when fitness and health is a family affair and Andrea & Tad are role models for health beyond just exercise with us. Although, Andrea admits she did not have a good understanding of nutrition, she (they) have had some of the best, realistic and consistent nutrition habits that have become even more well-rounded over the past 4 years. Moreover, both Andrea and Tad get ample outdoor time gardening, walking, yard work amongst other recreational pursuits outside including snowshoeing or cross country skiing.

Andrea started working out with us after a bout of physical therapy. She wanted to get stronger in order to avoid further physical therapy in the future. Although she had taken some strength training classes in the past, she was not currently engaged in a structured exercise routine when she join BE. Tad joined BE months after Andrea and had been active off and on depending on the season with interests in many areas including playing tennis, volleyball, and juggling, all of which we had adapted to do some activity with when we were working out in person. Upon starting exercise with us, Tad was feeling fragile and frustrated by challenges when trying to do different activities and was not feeling very strong. As a person with Parkinson's, he has learned how to move his body again, in a manner that allows him to maintain balance and build strength and endurance so he can continue activities of daily living at home including gardening and snow shoveling to name just a few. He also has improved his quality of sleep as a result of increased exercise. Likewise, Andrea is stronger and can easily complete yard work tasks, go hiking and shovel snow without exhaustion.

Both Andrea and Tad excelled at working out multiple times per week in person utilizing mixed methods of cardio and strength and various training methods like Spinning, TRX and traditional strength training. They love the variety of options and opportunities to challenge themselves to continue growing and learning not only in their exercise but also thru educational workshops with outside speakers that are offered several times throughout the year. It is worth noting that they workout separately in order to have their individual needs met with their coaches. Both participate in one on one training and Andrea takes some group fitness classes as well and they both attend most of the specialty events that we host.

Both Andrea and Tad push one another to stay active and healthy outside of their sessions at BE but are thankful for the support and knowledge of various BE coaches keeping them on track and dedicated to their weekly workouts, 3 times per week for Tad and up to 6 times per week for Andrea. Both have maintained their frequent workouts since we moved our services online in March of 2020. They already had a remarkable basement space that was perfect for working out at home that was well-outfitted with equipment to seamlessly transition to live Zoom sessions. Andrea and Tad want to continue to improve their fitness thru their weekly workouts. Andrea, becoming more proficient with Spinning class and comfort on the bike and Tad wants to continue getting stronger so he can participate longer in other activities outside of his training sessions like riding his mountain bike, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

They encourage others to consider all aspects of health when looking for a program to opt into. They feel that exercise and nutrition as well as emotional well-being are all important components in addition to coaches who can adapt to specific physical needs and challenges. They love the convenience of working out from their home and the variety that we offer. "Every workout is different and very effective, so it never gets old!

Both have made significant contributions to our community as well. Andrea got certified as a personal trainer and coached clients and lead fitness classes for two years before deciding to retire.....again and fully this time! She has such calm and kind demeanor that her challenging workouts would sneak up on us during a session and the day after! As a retired math teacher, Tad has never stoped teaching! Whether teaching us how to juggle or handle a tennis racket with more finesse he has always had something new for us to learn over the years! Keep up the great work you two! Our community would not be the same without you!

I like the structure of the programs I participate in here. Before starting I had become too sedentary and knew I was not practicing a healthy lifestyle. Now, everything is so easy but still takes effort and commitment. The exercise in addition to nutrition has helped me be so successful but the exercise has helped me maintain my weight loss allow me to get stronger and I do not know where I would be without it.”

Before joining Body Essentials I was living a fairly ordinary & sedentary lifestyle. I was feeling fat, achy and my knee was really bothering me in addition to my “big” clothes feeling tight. I was also tired more of the time and ashamed of myself for getting to this point. I knew I had to make a change and that starting to exercise and working on my diet was going to be my best option in order to stay out of the Dr’s office and prevent long term health issues. I love the support I get here and the simplicity and structure of everything. Nutrition wise, I was able to create a lifestyle out of what I was learning. The structure and support of a group was very helpful. Now I feel amazing and have a lot of energy and can navigate all the ups, downs and events in life that in the past would take me off track but now it is easy to stay inspired on track with my new healthy and active lifestyle. It is easy to get up in the morning and get moving and I stay much more active in my daily life than I did before! I think exercise is really the “star” of it all. Moving and strengthening my body has made all the difference. My knee doesn’t hurt and my results and change in my body have been great.”

Christie provides a holistic approach encompassing weight training, nutrition and stress management. As a senior, she studies my strengths and weaknesses. Her methods of motivation are positive and encouraging. I feel so much better.”