Member’s Success Stories

Meet Cheryl, one of our online rockstars

Running quickly to an online format for our fitness programming started out as a survival mechanism when the pandemic hit. It is so much more than that now.

Cheryl is one of our online rockstars. Soon after we started our group classes and training sessions online, Cheryl became a member of our early morning community and she has not looked back for 9 months, showing up consistently 4 mornings a week. She strength trains 3 times per week, does TRX suspension training 1 time per week and spinning (on her elliptical trainer) 2 times per week. It is a perfect mix for improving all aspects of her fitness to thrive in her personal life that was by no means sedentary. Working out in person was not a sustainable option for her due to the rigors of her career and commute.

Before BE Cheryl spent summers hiking and winters downhill skiing but she started to learn that it was not enough to out pace her sedentary desk job. She began to notice that she had to take lots of breaks when hiking and was having trouble getting all of her ski gear from the car to the lodge. Cheryl knew she had to regain strength and stamina she felt she was losing year after year. Despite the remote format, Cheryl says she is very motivated to persist and she loves the class format, working out with others. She loves the support of the coaches and her peers in the early morning tribe and says it has been a huge game changer because she has so much more energy and manages stress better and even says getting up at 5am to being in class for 5:30am is an easy habit now.

As you can see from the photos Cheryl is a transformed woman! Just by increasing her exercise and staying consistent and tracking her nutrition (no fancy diets), she has lost 25 pounds just since August. Going forward she hopes to maintain the weight loss, keep her BMI in the healthy range and keep fitting into clothes that she thought she would never fit into again. AND her resting heart rate has reduced by almost 15 beats per minute. Cheryl will for sure feel her improved benefits when she hits the slopes on Christmas Day. What a gift she has given herself in an otherwise challenging year. We love that her husband thinks we have too much fun with all the laughing at some workouts but having fun even when it is hard is all that matters!


Meet Tami, on a one woman wellness mission

Meet Tami. Almost as soon as she started working with us, the pandemic began and we went digital. She never threw in the towel and has been making progress ever since and expanding her practice far beyond just exercise! she has not only been making progress herself but also inspiring me with her self-selected exercise of writing down all the things she was grateful for in 2020 despite everything the pandemic took away!
If you need a little inspiration for this year take part in that exercise of physically writing down with a pen or pencil everything you have to be grateful for in 2020 because 2021 will be even better!
It is important to note that Tami was finally taking time for herself by committing to this journey after letting her health suffer for years overworking for everyone instead of herself including at her job (she is retired now) and as a caregiver for her mom prior to her passing. Sound familiar? We all struggle with these characteristics of serving others before ourselves.
Some of Tami’s Highlighted Accomplishments & Advice to Others...
-She stuck with exercise & additional amazing health & lifestyle changes throughout 2020 despite being a self-proclaimed workout drop out the rest of her life. We are thankful that her daughter directed her to us knowing a traditional gym would not work well for her
-She has been able to decrease the amount of medication she was on from 15 to 6 including getting off insulin to treat her Type 2 diabetes. Dropped some pounds and changed the overall feel of her body.
-Walks at least 40 min per day outside and 2-3 strength training workouts per week, increasing how much she can complete confidently and comfortably over time on her own. She loves working out at home, just going to her own space and getting it done!
-Improved the quality and longevity of her sleep by improving her overall evening routine and now working on making her start of the day as strong as the end 

Tami recommends letting go of past failures and take responsibility for your future health. Don't waste time focusing on where you used to be or how hard it was getting started. Just focus forward on a fresher, fitter and overall healthy you. She wants everyone to realize that your journey does not have to look like anyone else's. Only compare yourself to the old you and the new you that you are becoming on your journey. She believes that being fit and healthy will always be a moving target. The first step is always the most difficult and she encourages everyone to make yourself your strongest why and just keep pushing thru at every difficult moment!

Tami loves working out from home and not having to make a commute. She highly recommends that dedicating a space for exercise in their home is helpful and a time saver and that creating a structured time to complete workouts is also important in order to not get swept up in the rest of the day and miss a workout!

Tami also says that her coach Christie is the magic but as the person who is typing this, I always give credit to the client. I simply show up to support, inspire, listen and teach but the real work has always been done by Tami, day in and day out working thru pain from joint issues, choosing more than just exercise but nutrition and overall wellness in her health improvement plan knowing that all the other "ailments" will continue to fade away as she continues to improve her mind and body and make time for all the important stuff that she loves. Moreover, like so many, she has proactively stuck with it thru a world wide pandemic and all the emotions and restrictions of being separated from family including grandchildren and just getting sick of being stuck at home and sacrificing traditional holiday celebrations. She has done it all while seeing the bright side and connecting back with herself and personal hobbies.


Meet one of our long time member’s Lisa

At the end of March when we duplicated our spunky in person fitness studio to a Zoom Studio, it was anyone’s guess how long it would last, whether or not everyone would persist with their fitness, or how well could we coach everyone over a screen and keep it safe and results oriented. Over the last eight months so many different stories have evolved.

Long time member, Lisa is one of those great stories who has truly flourished in every way since life as well all knew it changed. Lisa recalled that prior to joining BE she had been inactive for about 10 years causing her weight and clothing size creep up. As she got restarted on her fitness journey, Lisa was apprehensive about whether or not she could stick with her program because in the past she would get burned out or not notice any progress which not surprisingly would cause frustration and quitting. Furthermore she found the traditional environment to be intimidating.

Lisa has not thrown in the towel. Through steady guidance and gentle pushing of multiple coaches Lisa’s fitness has greatly improved and persisted in person and now online! Pain points in her foot and achilles tendon has disappeared, she is no longer on medication for hypertension and she has found a nutrition routine that gives her the weight loss results she desires while not feeling deprived. She believes that slow and steady wins the race and that trying to change too many things at one time makes change even more difficult to sustain over the long term. As we all have learned in 2020 Lisa echos that life has its ups and downs and everyday is not perfect but we just have to be ok with it and just keep working on small goals over time and watch those quick wins add up which keeps you motivated to stay consistent and not throw in the towel.

Lisa has been working from home since March which has given her lots of flexibility to enhance her exercise schedule with less commuting to and from work and then to the studio. She has gained more free time being able to fit in more lunch time workouts instead of having to wait until 5:30 or 6pm every night of the week. She finds the workouts just as effective with the trainers making great suggestions for making each exercise work with whatever equipment she has at home. Just a few basics are needed.

Instead of gaining the COVID – 19 lbs, Lisa has lost 19+ since her new at home lifestyle has taken hold. Truly remarkable. She says she wants to lose 8 more lbs but is not hung up on the number on the scale. She just wants to feel good in her clothes, her skin and loves the feeling of being strong, firm and in control!

Lisa encourages people to JUST DO IT. Making the decision is the hardest part but everyone at BE makes everyone feel confident and comfortable and she is so happy she found the courage to join.


BE Power Couple, Andrea & Tad!

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!


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Read more stories with real results...

Julie C.
Member since 2019

Before I started working out with Christie at Body Essentials, I had slacked off my usual exercise regimen. My former gym closed and I was working long hours with little time to exercise. One day after weeding my flower gardens I could barely move and I knew I had to do something to get back on the right path. I began working one-on-one with Christie and also attending her classes. It didn’t take long before I was feeling like I was back on the right course. Thanks to Christie and Body Essentials I don’t think twice about doing all the activities I enjoy, and with no aches or pains. Her one-on-one sessions are tailored to exactly what each person needs, and her classes are small and personal and tons of fun, with new exercises being introduced all the time (and it isn’t just burly football players who can push a sled around!). I highly recommend that you check out Body Essentials in the Howe Center. Meet Christie and quickly see that her enthusiasm for exercise is contagious, and well worth your time!”

Laurie L.
Member since 2019

After decades of no physical activity whatsoever, I realized I needed help. I had difficulty getting out of a chair, had pains in my hips if I sat too long and my largest paints were now too tight. Not being one to ever go to a gym, I realized I needed to do something before it was too late. I liked the concept of one on one training that Body Essentials had to offer, so I figured why not give it a try. The hardest part was walking in that door the very first time because I was embarrassed at how out of shape I was. I immediately felt comfortable and knew that this is the placed I needed to be. Christie kept pushing me but never more than I could handle. As each month passed I was getting stronger and stronger and she kept pushing me further and further. Now I feel l can keep up with the “best of them!” I actually love going to my one on one sessions so much, I started going to the group classes too, where I have met some great people. Thanks Christie for everything!! You gave me the push I needed, you showed me a way to find joy in exercising and how to believe in myself!!”

Andrea M.
Member since 2019

Since I have been working out at and participating in various types of classes at Body Essentials, I have more strength and energy to do other things like yard work, bike riding, and walking. I really appreciate the design of the workouts and the focus on my individual need like improving my balance.”

Susan D.
Member since 2019

When I began working out at Christie’s I felt I was fit. I didn’t realize how “fit” I could be. I have been challenged and realized I can do anything a 20 year old can do. And I have several years on them!!! Just ask me now how I feel about myself. I would highly recommend Christie and all the people at Body Essentials.”

Lori A.
Member since 2019

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.”

Dawn C.
Member since 2019

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.”

Mary Lou M.
Member since 2019

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.”

Joyce C.
Member since 2019

People connect with personal trainers for different reasons/goals. Earlier in my life, my goals would have been focused on “looking good” by having tight abs and burning off excess weight. Now, in my life, due to a diagnosed health condition, my goal is on maintaining core strength and physical flexibility to reduce chances of progression of the condition. Thanks to Christie’s positive attitude and skilled repertoire of exercises, I am doing quite well. She helps me remain positive even at times when I am discouraged or fearful of my condition progressing. She listens carefully and cares deeply about meeting my needs. She tailors my program and also makes helpful suggestions and approaches to restore my strength and flexibility. Weekly, I leave her individual session with more confidence and hope. I also leave with a smile on my face after receiving a caring hug. Thanks Christie, from me, and from my entire family.”

Meg G.
Member since 2019

I started my workout journey with Body Essentials about a year and a half ago. And to be honest I questioned whether this was going to be yet another failed attempt at getting into shape. As soon as I started, I realized I made the right choice in choosing Christie. I was looking for a small studio setting that was attentive to my goals and needs. Also, I was looking for a trainer that cared about me as a person and listened to what I wanted. Her energy and passion for helping people was evident early on. Christie is always going above and beyond to make sure she is doing everything she can to make sure I succeed. Body Essentials is a place that offers a fun and realistic approach to exercise. I thoroughly enjoy coming to my sessions every week because it’s never boring. No two sessions are ever the same, which makes working out more exciting. One of the biggest lessons (so simple too!) that I have finally learned is that there are no short cuts if you are looking for long lasting results; you need to put in the time, you have to be willing to find the perfect balance that works for you (it is trial and error) and you have to be able to believe in yourself. If you are willing to invest in yourself and your health, Body Essentials is the place that will get you on the right path.”

The Irreverent 3 (Ros/Maria/Marleen)
Member since 2019

A renewed commitment to self, weight loss, improvements in strength, balance, and tone are all part of the Body Essentials experience. We appreciate the knowledge, professionalism and competence of the coaches and training philosophies in place including addressing pain points and limitations and providing modifications as needed for the benefit of each client. The holistic approach that is in place to support more than just the fitness but also the nutrition and general lifestyle strategies help keep us on track, off the couch and motivated to persist even on the busiest of work days. We have so much in the judgment free zone while making new friends and achieving a greater work-life balance. Try it, you will like it! Just do it! There is no comparison to a regular gym!”

Marleen C.
Member since 2019

In January I decided to take charge of my health and well-being. I needed to sign up for an exercise program and restart my healthy eating. I found Body Essentials on Facebook and they were offering both a fitness and healthy eating program for 8 weeks. Some of my friends were engaged in Body Essentials and their programs worked so I decided to contact and soon after, I was contacted by Christie and before I knew it I was meeting with her about finding a fit. I was immediately comfortable with Christie and the studio is not a traditional gym. I signed up for a 28 Day Nutrition Kickstart and the 8 week fitness program. What I learned as a result was that it is not just about the number on the scale but about losing inches and overall well-being and how you feel physically as well as emotionally. I gained so much strength and mobility and lost a lot of inches and my nutrition and shopping habits have changed for the better. I am still learning but love it. I decided to continue my training after my initial experience. The support I have received from each of the coaches, Nicole, Maresa, and Christie is awesome. I got modifications when I needed, an extra push and a lot of support beyond my workouts and coaching sessions via facebook and text messages. Amazing ladies is all I can say. I have told many people about my experience with the team at Body Essentials and continue to encourage people to try them out. You will not be disappointed. They really care and it shows!”

Stacy L.
Member since 2019

14 months ago I was in a car accident that took away most of the “active” parts of my life. My physical therapist recommended I call Body Essentials and meet with Christie – best recommendation EVER! In the past my activity had been life, not an official workout or class with a trainer. After missing an entire summer of golf, walking my dog, and just plain moving freely, I felt I had nothing to lose and everything to gain! I met with Christie for an initial fitness assessment where she spent time with me and listened to my concerns about my back injury and what I wasn’t able to do physically because of it. I left the initial meeting feeling like I could, with hard work, regain my active life back! On my 46th Birthday I took my first class and went on to complete a 5 week (3x a week) Fall Fitness Kickstart where we worked to build up my stamina and my confidence. At the end of 5 weeks I set up a weekly semi-private personal training session and committed to taking as many classes a week as I could. It’s been challenging but I’m proud to say that over the last 3 months I’ve made almost every class (3 a week) plus my personal training session. My mobility has improved and I feel stronger every class! I find Christie to be very knowledgeable, encouraging, and caring. She has a “can do” attitude that is contagious and has helped me see that with hard work and good worth ethic I CAN get back to being active. I’m excited to see where I could be a year from now!”

Lisa N.
Member since 2019

Training at Body Essentials helps me feel accomplished. I have been coming to Body Essentials for almost a year. I can’t imagine doing a wellness program without them. I always feel supported. Even during the times when I lost some motivation I felt like they made it a priority to help me get back on track. I get pushed further than I knew I could work and it helps me reach my goals! Now I tell myself “I can do anything for 1 minute” and keep going! They keep things challenging but fun.”

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