December 2007 GOal Getter
The Passage To a Healthier Body, Mind & Spirit
Once upon a time, there was a woman named Rosemary Schaedler (age 61), and she had a daughter named Antoinette (Anta) Mandich (age 35). Both of these women have had numerous challenges to overcome in their lives, and they found great strength and support in an all-women’s health club by the name of Momentum.
Here are their stories...
Antoinette
From the time I was 12 years old, I have always struggled with my weight. I am the epitome of a “yo-yo” dieter, yet through all of the different “diets” I have tried through life (many of them weren’t very healthy choices), I still always tried to make exercise a part of my routine. In 2004, I moved back to the Harrisburg area, and my mom told me that I should join her health club, Momentum. I was more than willing to listen to her, especially since I was in a “heavy” phase of my life. As soon as I walked into Momentum, I knew that it was exactly where I needed to be. I have belonged to many different health clubs in my life, and none of them ever came close to providing the feeling of support and camaraderie that I feel at Momentum… I immediately began taking all types of classes, with Body Combat and Body Pump being my favorites.
Although I am a very active person, and was coming to the club religiously (5 to 6 days a week) and was watching what I was eating, I began getting frustrated, because I was still not losing any weight. On top of that, my father had been diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away in November 2005. My frustration, depression, and anger then turned to near despair when a few months after my dad died, I re-ruptured a disc in my lower back that I had already had a minor surgery on 6 years before. I ended up having to have a spinal fusion of my L4/L5 vertebrae, and now have titanium cages and screws in my spine. Throughout my recovery (both physical and emotional), my motivation was to get back to Momentum as soon as the surgeon would allow…I needed the club’s support in so many ways, now more than ever.
Upon my return, I decided that “something had to give,” and I was tired of “feeling sorry for myself” on so many levels. I decided to join Weight Watchers which was having weekly meetings at the club (the Weight Loss Revolution had not yet been “born”), and soon after that I began training with Maribeth. Thanks to Maribeth, Maryann from Weight Watchers, and so many of the instructors at Momentum (I could list them, but it would pretty much be the entire staff), I finally started to see some results. I truly feel that until I came to Momentum, no one took the time to listen to ME, as an individual, and really listened to my specific issues and challenges. My weight loss (25 pounds) and the changes that I have seen in my body (down 3 pants sizes, and not quite as mortified to wear a tank top) are due to the combination of things that Momentum’s recently launched Weight Loss Revolution teaches: mindset, meals, muscle, and motion. I still have a way to go in order to get to my weight loss goal, but I have to say that I have never felt HEALTHIER in my life.
My other main motivation during this “journey” in my life is my mother, Rosemary Schaedler, who at 61 years of age, is one of the most energetic and “in-shape” people I know. Whenever I hit a plateau with my weight loss, or get frustrated during a workout, I think about her, and how I want to be as healthy as she is when I am her age…
Rosemary
For those of you who are of my generation (I’m 61) you will recognize the name Gail Sheehy and her famous book entitled “Passages”. Looking back on my life I can really see the transition from one phase or “passage” to another. Unlike Anta, I didn’t get serious about healthy lifestyle until I was 40. I became a dedicated speed walker, and actually went from a 20-minute mile to a 12-minute mile at my pinnacle (now, my speed is about a 13-minute mile). In addition I attended exercise classes 6 or 7 days a week. Just as Momentum opened, the club that I had been attending for so many years closed. After touring Momentum’s facility, it was the obvious choice to join. Who wouldn’t want to go to a place where you are always greeted with a smile, with instructors who know you by name, and staff who are very knowledgeable about health and fitness? I enjoyed all my classes and things went well until my husband was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. While caring for him, I found little, and then no time for Momentum or exercise at all. Yet the friends I made at Momentum were so supportive, with cards, phone calls, and flowers throughout that difficult ordeal. After my husband’s death, I returned to Momentum, and as I entered yet another “Passage”, I realized that I had put on about 15 pounds, (I’m only 4’10’’) which I couldn’t understand, since I had been eating less and less and was exercising more and more. Anta persuaded me to join the Weight Loss Revolution Program and I began meeting with Charlene in October. She taught me that it was necessary not only to eat more, but also to eat a well-balanced diet with more protein and less carbs. I also began adding some fat into my diet, since I was eating practically no fat at all. Although weight training is necessary for strong bone health and weight loss, I didn’t care for it. Charlene taught me that it was necessary to “balance” my exercise regime with both aerobic and strength training classes. WOW! It works!! I’m eating much more than ever and I am losing a pound a week. In fact, since October, I have lost over 7 pounds, my bodyfat is down 3% and have lost over 7 inches total.
My daughter is a great inspiration to me especially since she has had some very difficult obstacles to overcome, especially her spinal fusion. Although we have always been close, since we joined Momentum, we are even closer. We sometimes take classes together and we have even run (walked) several 5K races together.
We would like to thank Momentum, Leighann and all of the wonderful instructors and staff members here for helping us get through some very difficult “passages” of our lives.