The Results Speak For Itself

Most people during their lunch hour look forward to grabbing a bite to eat with friends or co-workers. Not Greg though…he comes to train at the studio working towards his fitness goals.

Prior to joining the Orangetheory (OT) family at Orenco Station, Greg worked out on his own and with a personal trainer to improve his health. After having a physical, Greg learned that he needed to lower his A1C number (blood sugar level) from 6.1 to a level within a normal range of 4 – 5.6 percent. If he didn’t try to take control of his health, Greg would eventually become a diabetic.

No matter what Greg did to improve his condition, nothing helped. He kept on yo-yoing and thought he’d give OT a try. He felt hesitant to join at first, but after joining and attending classes for a period of time and seeing his A1C number drop to 5.9 percent at his next physical, Greg was sold on OT. He stopped with his personal trainer and trained at OT exclusively.

“I enjoy the variety of workouts and know that each class will be different. The coaches are great as well as the staff and it’s great to hear encouraging words coming from them.”

Greg had a brutal first class as he climbed Orange Everest having his rear kicked in the process. Many members know how difficult that climb can be even for the seasoned OT member, but he persevered. He thanks Coach Persia for coaching him in his first class and AmyJae for reeling him in to join.

When he started OT, Greg wanted to simply survive classes and improve his cardio as his starting goals. He now wants to continue down the path of wellness in all aspects of his life from being there for his family to enjoying life to its fullest.

The primary force, which drives Greg to attend classes as often as he does, is his addiction to Orangetheory.

“I didn’t realize how addictive OTF is and the friendships I’ve made. OTF is not just a place to work out and classes to take, but rather, it’s a community and now an extension of my life. From the members to the staff and coaches, they have welcomed me into their lives and coming to class is not a chore but a privilege to be around great folks that push and motivate me,” said Greg.

 

“The only thing I can say is thank you OTF for being who you are.”

Greg has trained here for nearly a year now and has reached many milestones along the way. Since joining, he no longer has to take medication for high cholesterol and hypertension. He has one medication left, which he also wants to no longer take – this would be the biggest accomplishment for him – and to be med free.

In regard to classes, he said, “I enjoy the variety of workouts and know that each class will be different. The coaches are great as well as the staff and it’s great to hear encouraging words coming from them.” Greg added that Kim, Nick and Royal are great additions to the coaching staff.

Greg loves everything about Orangetheory from endurance classes to the community – the members are welcoming and non-judgmental towards anyone regardless of how long they’ve trained here for. “The only thing I can say is thank you OTF for being who you are,” said Greg.

Keep Burning Greg.

Advertisement

Finding Consistency and Motivation

Many members who come to Orangetheory (OT) come because they have specific fitness goals such as losing weight, gaining muscle or developing a fitness routine. However, there are individuals like Libby who are looking for consistency and motivation. She came to the right place and found what she needed.

Libby grew up playing a variety of sports her entire life. She also played volleyball as a collegiate athlete and continues to play in a league at Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District. She has experienced a wide range of workouts and training having worked with various personal trainers.

When she lived in the Orenco Station area, she worked out on her own feeling unmotivated and inconsistent with her workout routine. Before the studio opened, she stopped by to learn more about OT and spoke with Chad. The idea of OT had her intrigued, which led her to join as a founding member.

“I used to hate running. Running was not enjoyable because I would get tired so quickly and I have a lot of foot/leg injuries from the past. Since joining Orangetheory, I’ve been able to run multiple times per week without experiencing pain and without feeling completely winded.”

Libby recalls feeling nervous for her first class at the studio not knowing what she was getting herself into. “It was fun but I wasn’t the best at pacing myself. I was sore for the next four days! But I wanted to come back,” she said. When she first started, she had goals of getting back into shape, losing weight and toning her muscles. Every time she walks into the studio, Libby burns for her health and the food she loves to eat – she loves food – who can blame her?

She has attended classes now for nearly two years enjoying ESP and power days. She strives for the goals of improving her cardio and maintaining her strength. Libby loves how every workout is never the same, which keeps it exciting and challenging. The variety of exercises allows her to continually improve in different areas.

“The coaches here are the best – they have fun – they’re motivating and they challenge us. I appreciate that they take the time to get to know us as individuals and give us feedback about how to modify and improve.”

If you don’t power walk, then you’re either a jogger or a runner. Libby hated running in the past, but can now run more frequently as a milestone she has reached. “I used to hate running. Running was not enjoyable because I would get tired so quickly and I have a lot of foot/leg injuries from the past. Since joining Orangetheory, I’ve been able to run multiple times per week without experiencing pain and without feeling completely winded,” she said. Before joining OT, she would have not run on her own but she recently went on a run outside for the first time in years.

One of the things Libby loves about the community at Orenco Station is how everyone supports and encourages each other. Libby said, “The coaches here are the best – they have fun – they’re motivating and they challenge us. I appreciate that they take the time to get to know us as individuals and give us feedback about how to modify and improve.” She feels like she has a personal coach even though it’s in a group workout.

A major selling point at OT is the use of the heart rate monitor as a tool in class keeping everyone honest with themselves. She loves looking up at the screen and monitoring her heart rate. This allows her to listen to her body and she knows exactly how to push herself.

“OTF has been my most consistent workout routine. Even when life has been busy or stressful, I’ve gone every week since I’ve joined and love going. Plus, I’ve been able to complete workouts at other studios in town and while on vacation, which has helped me stay consistent. I’ve also noticed how OTF workouts have also improved my performance in volleyball,” she said.

Keep Burning Libby!

 

 

 

 

A World of Improvement

Aaron one year and 10 months of going to Orangetheory

A year makes a difference. Last year around this time we featured our member Aaron who had attended class at the studio since its opening. Fast forward to now and you wouldn’t believe how far he has come. He is fit and most importantly – healthy.

Aaron goes to class more often now ranging from five to six classes per week, which is impressive for anyone. Prior to ramping up his frequency of classes, he went to class three to four times per week. “I often say I replaced my addiction to food with an addiction to OTF. That is pretty accurate but really, I always want to be improving and that’s what we do,” said Aaron.

Aaron nine months of going to Orangetheory

“I’m faster, stronger, I’m happier, more confident, the list goes on and on. I’d say I’m a pretty different person from who I was year ago – a much better one.”

In addition to changing how many times he comes to the studio, he has also changed up his nutrition. He recently transitioned out of the Keto diet and has recently hit his goal of losing 60 pounds. However, the last 20 pounds he has lost has not been easy to lose but he has triumphed through his tenacity, commitment and discipline. He’s now on a normal diet and getting most of his food from ReadyFitGo.

Aaron before Orangetheory

Throughout the year, Aaron has seen improvements physically and mentally. “I’m faster, stronger, I’m happier, more confident, the list goes on and on. I’d say I’m a pretty different person from who I was year ago – a much better one,” said Aaron. When he first started Orangetheory, Aaron power walked and can now jog/run in class, which he didn’t feel confident about it in the past.

“Be consistent even if it’s small, you’ll see results. Fall in love with the process, it’s where all the fun happens.”

Aaron was recently invited to hike nine miles, which he completed without any issues where he would have hesitated about it in the past. He said, “I don’t have to let those physical challenges bar me from anything like the St. Jude5K we just did!” He’s now working on power lifting slowly improving on his bench press, squat and dead lift outside the studio, which Orangetheory helps with.

For those members who haven’t reached their fitness goals yet, Aaron says, “Be consistent even if it’s small, you’ll see results. Fall in love with the process, it’s where all the fun happens.” Wise words from a seasoned Orangetheory athlete – Keep Burning Aaron!

Get Started for FREE like Aaron by Clicking Here

Leading by Example

If you’ve ever taken a class with Kirsten, you’ll find yourself hearing from her, “Could you take me off the ‘black list’ please?” What does that mean? In Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) terms, it means to remove a person’s name from the previous class. Kirsten takes a back-to-back class every week and she’s one of only a handful of members who do it.

A small business owner, Kirsten bought the Gym-Nest (a gymnastics studio) more than 11 years ago. She considered herself at the time as “pretty chunky.” She didn’t put forth the effort in working out for a few years. A year into her business, she realized that she needed to set a good example for her athletes. She had to get back to the level of an athlete herself.

“I can definitely say the change in me has helped me to be a better coach to my gymnasts.”

Kirsten decided that she needed to shed some weight and transform herself into a stronger person. She wanted to lead her gymnastic students by example and not telling them to only work hard and be healthy. She needed change – a new challenge. She needed a community to push her further. OTF came along at the right time for Kirsten, which fulfilled her needs.

Like many others, Kirsten recalls how nervous she felt in her first class. She stated, “My first class was nerve wracking! I was worried I wouldn’t make it through the class because it would be too hard and everyone looked fit and ready to go!”

She started OTF when it first opened its doors in December 2016. The new studio helped her feel comfortable quickly with the fact that everyone else was new too. Kirsten’s first class left her exhausted but in the best way possible. She felt excited to go back because she knew she had much more to accomplish. “I can definitely say the change in me has helped me to be a better coach to my gymnasts,” Kirsten stated.

“I’d like people to look at me and see a fit person – not a ‘doughy’ person. I’d like to look like an athlete again and feel confident in my ability to do pretty much everything.”

In addition to helping achieving her goal with leading by example for her gymnasts, Kirsten loves OTF the most because of how every day is completely different. She said, “I hate running on a treadmill, but somehow I’m willing to do it here because it’s different almost every day. I love the variation and never knowing what’s coming.” She not only burns for her student, but she also burns for herself living as full of a life as she can.

When Kirsten started working out at OTF she had the goals of being and looking strong. Her goals haven’t changed much since she started. “I’d like people to look at me and see a fit person – not a ‘doughy’ person. I’d like to look like an athlete again and feel confident in my ability to do pretty much everything,” said Kirsten.

“OTF is an amazing group of people! The staff, coaches and members are all so friendly and welcoming. I feel supported and challenged every day and have made some fabulous friends!”

Since she began taking classes here, Kirsten has reached a milestone of increasing her base pace from 5 to 6 miles per hour. She has also increased the weights when she’s doing the floor workouts. Her favorite types of classes are strength classes (although she despises inclines) with endurance classes as the easiest for her. Power classes are the lowest on her totem pole, but they have grown on her.

Kirsten’s favorite things about classes are the coaches because she appreciates their encouragement and feedback. The smaller classes she attends have her feeling like the coaches know her by investing in her growth with personal attention. She loves to have her form corrected and suggestions to make things more challenging while in class.

When asked what she loves about the community at OTF Orenco Station Kirsten replied, “OTF is an amazing group of people! The staff, coaches and members are all so friendly and welcoming. I feel supported and challenged every day and have made some fabulous friends! We think you’re great too!

Keep Burning Kirsten.

Burning For Those Around Him

If you have ever met Rob, you know he loves chatting up a storm. Whether it’s talking about the upcoming class or what’s going on in your life, he genuinely loves to engage with other members, coaches and staff at the studio. He usually attends the lively 8 p.m. class despite it being the last class of the day.

“This is either the best idea I’ve had in years . . . or the stupidest thing I’ve ever done!”

For many people, life happens and they forget to take care of themselves and place their priorities elsewhere. Before Rob had a family and began having health issues, he practiced and taught martial arts for about 20 years. He also did weight training and hiked frequently.

Life caught up with Rob and before he knew it, he had turned into a couch potato. At that point in his life he had gained excess weight and developed Type 2 Diabetes. He also took medication for his high blood pressure.“I finally concluded that I needed to do something before my health got worse. So when I do something it’s all or nothing. When I saw a Facebook ad for Orangetheory, I thought, ‘That looks pretty intense.’ So, I signed up without even taking a class first,” said Rob.

Rob thought to himself in his first class, “This is either the best idea I’ve had in years . . . or the stupidest thing I’ve ever done!” Aside from health reasons, he burns for his family and friends. He wants to make a difference in the lives of those around him, but he can’t do that if he’s always getting sick.

“I love the fact that I don’t have to plan my workout! I love that anyone at any level can do this.”

He had one goal when he started working out at Orangetheory Fitness (OTF). Show up. He came to classes and survived the workouts. At the beginning he had doubts about staying committed, but now he has an addiction for OTF.

Since Rob has committed to the OTF lifestyle, he has reached a couple of milestones. He has lost fat and gained muscle while losing 25 pounds. Not bad for someone who could only lift weights only from the orange weight racks when he began. He also attributes his success by eating well and pushing his boundaries each time in class always lifting 25 pounds or more.

Some people have difficulties planning a workout by themselves, which isn’t the case here. Rob stated, “I love the fact that I don’t have to plan my workout! I love that anyone at any level can do this.” He likes the euphoric feeling when the endorphins kick in after pushing himself to the limit for one hour in class.

Rob enjoys classes that focus on strength and power (minus burpees) because he likes to see how much he can lift. He enjoys how each coach brings their individual personalities and flare to each class. In addition, he likes to encourage and help his fellow classmates because it helps him forget how much pain he’s in.

He likes that the OTF community is like no other gyms or studios. “I’ve never been to a gym where people acted normal and talked to you where they weren’t worried about performance or how they looked,” said Rob. He loves watching how friendships form and grow around him. We love how people act normal here too!

Keep Burning Rob!

Being The Best Version Of Herself

Most people can’t fathom waking up at 4:30 a.m. in general – especially for a workout. Although, there are some who will drag themselves out of bed no matter how warm and snuggly it is. Leslie is that type of person. She makes the effort to attend the 5 a.m. class at Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) knowing that she’ll feel better once she sees her morning squad.

Like many who join OTF, Leslie wanted to improve her health and she wanted to shed those last 30 pounds of “baby weight” after the birth of her second child. Her journey to OTF started with some frustrating news at her annual physical in late 2015. When her doctor said her weight and body mass index (BMI) classified her as obese, Leslie decided it was time to make a change.

“I think it was particularly great being part of the “founding” class of members at Orenco OTF because we all started together. We were all newbies together.”

She started with her nutrition, successfully losing 30 pounds in the first half of 2016. “I was feeling and looking better than I had in a very long time, but I knew that in order to maintain my health long term, I needed to also add more physical activity,” said Leslie. Towards the end of the year, Leslie started seeing OTF “coming soon” signs popping up in her Orenco Station neighborhood and heard the OTF “buzz” from friends at work. She decided to make the leap and sign up.

Anyone’s initial class can be daunting and unnerving as you learn the flow of the class. While challenging, Leslie was hooked from the start and credits the variety of people in her class – men and women, young and old, fit and those looking to shed a few extra pounds. It was clear to her that OTF provided a place where all types of people can come together for an hour each day to work hard and achieve their goals. “I think it was particularly great being part of the “founding” class of members at Orenco OTF because we all started together. We were all newbies together,” she said.

Hooked from the first class, Leslie knew she was headed in the right direction.

Unfortunately, a major family crisis propelled her to affirm her commitment to OTF. On December 23, 2016, Leslie’s mom suffered a massive stroke. One moment her, vivacious, 64-year-old mother was living a normal, healthy and active life. The next moment she was fighting for her life.

Leslie says she will never forget the call from her sister that came while she was wrapping presents and getting ready for their annual Christmas Eve party. Next came a frantic drive to the Salem Hospital, a quick decision by doctors to transfer her mom by Life Flight to Oregon Health Science University (OHSU), a rush consultation with the surgeon, and the three terrifying days with mom in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

She’ll also never forget the call she made to OTF Orenco Station on Christmas Eve morning to cancel her class. Leslie said, “Rachel answered the phone and she was just so incredibly kind and that when I started to tell her I was missing the class, that my mom had a stroke, I lost it and just started to sob.” Rachel was empathetic in the moment, and supportive when Leslie returned for her first OTF class a few weeks later. Her mom had been released from the hospital and she was thankful for her road to a full recovery.

Not surprisingly, the experience left an indelible mark on Leslie. She knew that she had to do everything possible to take control of her health and live her best life possible. And thanks to Rachel’s kindness, she had found her place at OTF Orenco Station. This wasn’t just a gym or just a workout – but a place that feels like family, a place that lifts her up. A place where she can push herself to be stronger and achieve more than she ever thought possible.

Leslie says she burns first and foremost burns for herself. While it may sound selfish to some, Leslie thinks of it as being self-full. She says OTF empowers her to be her best, strongest, fittest self – so she can be the best wife, mom, daughter, and friend for others. She burns so she can carry her, 55-pound 6-year old, daughter up the stairs – and maybe still carry her when she’s 65 pounds and 7 years old! And, Leslie burns because of her mom. She knows that while she can’t control the genetic factors that might contribute to a stroke, she can control how she takes care of her body, her diet, and her physical activity.

At the start of her OTF fitness journey, Leslie’s goals were to maintain her fitness and gradually progress in her weight loss while leading a fun life and enjoying great food. Working out was not a consistent part of her lifestyle prior to OTF, so she set a goal of   attending classes at least three times a week as part of her fitness maintenance.

Although she had modest goals in the beginning, she soon realized that she could do more. Leslie started as a power-walker and she began to entertain the idea of jogging, despite having some reservations about it. Her inspiration? Coach Shay! One day in class he said to Leslie, “If you can powerwalk that fast, you might as well run.”

The first thought she had in her head was “Shut up! I hate running, there’s no way I’m going to run…” and her second thought was “Well, I’ll take that challenge!” The next day, she started to jog – baby steps – with her speed and strength increasing a little each day.

When a few of the OTF squad, Christina, Katie and Megan, in her class approached her in early 2017 about joining their team for the 2018 Shamrock Run, Leslie started to seriously consider it. While a tiny bit scared, she dug deep, signed up with the team, and set a goal to run the 8K.

 

Then she started running more. She ran at OTF and outside in her neighborhood. She became faster and stronger and in March 2018 – she ran her first race and her first 8K ever! She ran the whole thing – a major milestone in itself – never walked and has OTF to thank for helping her accomplish that goal. She now looks forward to her next race and achieving her next goal!

In addition, inspired by the OTF Transformation Challenge, Leslie has increased her lean muscle mass by 2.4 pounds, increased her basal metabolic rate by 24 kcal, reduced her body fat by 4 percent, and has lost 6 pounds since January 2018. She also set the goal of completing last September’s Dri-Tri in less than an hour, which she did in 59 minutes and 22 seconds. She then, on her 46^thbirthday, smashed her previous Dri-Tri time by five minutes accomplishing her goal! She’s now working to increase her speed on the treads, increase her weights on the floor and come to class five days a week.

“The Halloween party was a blast – and I was so sorry to miss the 1-year anniversary party but I love that Orenco OTF takes the time to create these moments of connections with its members.”

According to Leslie, it’s the fun and friendly coaches, staff, and incredible member community that make OTF Orenco Station a great environment to take classes at and keep her coming back for more. She’s also forged new friendships with folks like Monica, Sarah, and the Shamrock Run squad (Katie, Christina and Megan).

“Orenco OTF has a special chemistry and magic that I’ve not found at any other OTF studio. AJ, Shay, Persia are my absolute ‘fave’ coaches. I still miss Chris and Chloe, but it’s so great when them come back to visit! And new additions like Jess, Taylor and Conner have brought new energy, which I love. AmyJae keeps the energy high and makes the whole place hum. And it’s always nice to see Jojoe’s friendly face when I come in the front door.” 

Finally, it’s the activity and accountability. She loves that there’s always a new competition, class or activity. From Hell Week to the Dri-Tri, Transformation Challenge to the Marathon Challenge, to Spirit Week, and to the guest DJ – there’s always something fun to look forward to and keep her motivated.

She also loves how OTF Orenco Station comes together to celebrate at after-hours social events. “The Halloween party was a blast – and I was so sorry to miss the 1-year anniversary party but I love that Orenco OTF takes the time to create these moments of connections with its members,” said Leslie.

Keep Burning Leslie!

Better, Faster and Stronger

Many join Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) to not only improve on their fitness and health, but to also improve their game whether it’s running long distances or playing sports. Anoop joined the OTF Orenco Station family for these exact reasons.

Since joining OTF in August of 2017, Anoop has made leaps and bounds in reaching his fitness goals. He has lost 14 pounds of fat by attending classes diligently and through a nutrition plan.

“I have become better at endurance already – all thanks to the tough workouts at OTF.”  

Before joining OTF, Anoop began his fitness path with focusing on his diet. He saw progress in his weight loss; however, it came with the loss of some muscle mass. He had the motivation of finding the right balance of exercise and nutrition, which would help shed his body fat. This led him to try his first class at OTF.

He recalls his first class as “intense” with Coach AJ leading the class. “I remember being given a heart rate monitor and I felt awed that you have to wear devices like this during the workout – almost felt like a professional athlete,” said Anoop. He had struggled in all facets of running, rowing and the floor exercises. Despite the struggle, he earned 16 splat points and soon realized that the OTF regimen would take time to adapt to, but it was the right program to help him achieve his fitness goals.

“OTF has been of great help to me in achieving my fitness goals. I like the staff, coaches and the workout and the different themes.”

Since joining, he has discovered his favorite types of classes are power classes because it has him using big bursts of energy for a short period of time. He also likes endurance and ESP classes, but looking to improve with strength classes.

Although Anoop has reached his goals of fat and weight loss, he strives to improve on his athletic performance too. During the summer he enjoys playing cricket, which is popular in India and similar to baseball. His games usually last about three hours and he wants to finish the entire game while swinging heavier cricket bats with more power.

In last month’s Dri-Tri, he completed the 5K in 24 minutes – a personal best. He shaved off four minutes in a 5K race that he ran last year, which is a testament of how his endurance has vastly improved. He said, “I have become better at endurance already – all thanks to the tough workouts at OTF.”

“I can tell they really want me to do my best and that makes things easier.”

Anoop loves the fact that he lives just “a stone’s throw away” from the studio. He can walk to the studio within a few minutes. He also appreciates how OTF has various events throughout the year such as the Transformation Challenge, ALS fundraiser, Dri-Tri, April Marathon, and parties to name a few – there is something interesting always going on. Anoop stated, “OTF has been of great help to me in achieving my fitness goals. I like the staff, coaches and the workout and the different themes.”

He describes OTF as “cool” not only because of the classes, but also because of the staff and community. He likes the fact that many of the members come from all walks-of-life. They go there to work hard, which motivates him to work extra hard.

Every time he comes to the studio, the staff greets him with a friendly smile. He notices how attentive the staff is and said, “When I had issues with my heart rate monitor on multiple occasions, they helped me out right away.” He also praises the coaches with their ability to coach class sizes with more than 30 people at a time, yet pay attention to his form and correct it if he doesn’t perform it properly. “I can tell they really want me to do my best and that makes things easier,” said Anoop.

Keep Burning Anoop!

Living a Long and Healthy Life

When Joe moved to Oregon, Joe wanted to find a gym or studio to work out at. Joe stumbled upon Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) while it was under construction. He met Persia at the time and thought of OTF as an interesting concept and wanted to give it a try.

Joe remembers feeling nervous for his first class. After a few 5 a.m. classes, he was hooked. Valeria felt a little intimidated about her first class and didn’t join right away like Joe, but eventually gave OTF a shot a few months later and joined. Both enjoyed and felt great after their first workouts.

“I dropped to 180 pounds and reached 14 percent body fat. I did it through constantly coming to OTF and eating healthy” — Joe.

The couple attends class frequently and burns to stay in mental and physical shape. Joe hit the ground running by participating in the Weight Loss Challenge, Peak Weak and Dri-Tri. “I am entering my 40s and I want to stay healthy by using proper diet and getting plenty of exercise. I want to ensure I live a long life,” said Joe.

Both had specific goals for themselves when they joined OTF. Valeria had the goals of consistently feeling strong and maintaining her stress levels. Joe, on the other hand, wanted to lose fat and drop his weight down to 190 pounds.

Since joining the OTF family, both have reached milestones for themselves. Valeria couldn’t run for long periods at a time when she began. She stated, “OTF had been the best thing for me. I was never able to run for more than a minute and can now easily run during classes. I feel much stronger than ever after joining OTF.”

 Joe came in second in last year’s Weight Loss Challenge and competed in two Dri-Tris. “I dropped to 180 pounds and reached 14 percent body fat. I did it through constantly coming to OTF and eating healthy,” said Joe.

Although they’ve both reached their goals, their new goals don’t differ much from their original goals. Joe wants to maintain between 10 – 14 percent body fat and gain more strength. Valeria wants to continue to build muscle mass. She said, “I have two beautiful babies and do not seek body perfection. My goal is to feel good about my body just the way it is.”

“I want to thank everyone at OTF for doing what you do. You inspire me and motivate me. Thank you for being you”– Valeria.

Both love attending classes at the studio because of the coaches and the challenges each class presents. Valeria loves the front desk staff and all the coaches especially AJ, Shay and Persia because of their inspiration and dedication. She loves the flexibility of the class schedule and how she feels after completing a workout.

Joe loves the fact that he can utilize OTF anywhere in the nation and around the world. He has visited locations in Seattle, Redmond, Lexington and other locations, which works well with his job travels.

The two of them love everything about OTF from the events to the 90-minute class. Every time they take class at the studio, both of them always feel welcomed by the friendly community because of its positive energy and support. “I want to thank everyone at OTF for doing what you do. You inspire me and motivate me. Thank you for being you,” said Valeria. Thanks for being part of our community!

Keep Burning Joe and Valeria.

Seeking Constant Improvement

Running like there’s no tomorrow is what you’ll see if you’ve ever taken a class with Christine. Anytime there’s an “all-out,” she runs as if her life depended on it and to the point of exhaustion.

Christine learned about Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) from her friend in Michigan who attends OTF frequently. Her friend was fit from attending classes and Christine thought it would be something worth trying.

“I’m going to compete in my first long course triathlon in June, and I’m excited to see what I can do in that race now that I’m starting training in great shape.”

She ran with teams and worked with a personal trainer in the past and always enjoyed the social aspect of it. Christine said, “Working out by myself just doesn’t seem to happen. So, I wanted to find something that combined a good workout with the accountability that comes with a group class.” When she saw that an OTF had a location opening near her, she signed up as a founding member.

Christine didn’t recall much about her first class at the studio other than feeling unsure about the water rower and being exhausted afterwards. In addition to the physical benefits, she burns for a balanced life and the consistency with classes helps her remain emotionally and mentally focused. The intensity of classes at the studio pushes her through the “rough” days preventing her from getting down.

Many who start their fitness journey at OTF have goals of losing weight, toning and shedding body fat. As an endurance athlete, Christine’s goals consisted of improving athletic performance to assist her with long distance running and competing in a triathlon. She also wanted a fitness regiment, which she could do consistently whether she specifically trained for something or not.

A year has passed since the studio opened in December of 2017 and her goals remain similar; however, she has added specific OTF goals. She wants to run a 1 minute “all out” at a 4 percent incline, which she admits for the first time. “I’m going to compete in my first long course triathlon in June, and I’m excited to see what I can do in that race now that I’m starting training in great shape,” said Christine.

Her diligent training has dramatically improved her running during classes. Christine’s base pace has increased by 2 mph this year and she ran her fastest mile of her life in the most recent Peak Week. She said, “Having coaches behind me believing in what I can do and pushing me to go faster has made a huge difference in that. Hearing ‘halfway done, add 0.1 to your pace or grab a heavier weight than you usually do,’ was scary at first and I was nervous to try, but I listened and gave it a shot.” Most of the time she can do it and if she fails, she shrugs it off.

“I love the positive feel I get every time I come in. The coaches and staff are always welcoming and encouraging to everyone and encourage members to do the same.”

Christine loves the many aspects of OTF. She enjoys the banter with friends she has met through OTF before, during and after class. Christine likes experiencing all the different coaching styles and personal flare that each coach shows during the class and through their personalized playlists.

Christine enjoys endurance and strength workouts since she trains for endurance events. She admits that power days can be difficult for her and she’s learning to enjoy the running portions on those days with the many “all-outs” that can occur. She also loves the variety of planned workouts and completing the class as a group.

Community and friends are a bi-product of having a membership at OTF. “I love the positive feel I get every time I come in. The coaches and staff are always welcoming and encouraging to everyone and encourage members to do the same,” said Christine. Seeing others in class acknowledging each other’s effort gives her an uplifting feeling. The encouragement during class often leads to chatting after class where she has met many amazing people.

She’s happy with her worthwhile decision joining OTF. The class has made a major impact on her life physically and she’s in the best shape of her life. It has also made a significant change for her socially as she has met coaches, staff and members that she connects with. Christine looks forward to many more years with OTF.

Keep Burning and crush your triathlon Christine!

2018 Transformation Challenge

If you haven’t heard about it, the Orangetheory Fitness Transformation Challenge begins January 29 and ends March 25. You have eight weeks to see what you can do to transform yourself into the person you want to be. Get engaged and start your new year off strong! You can sign up for the Transformation Challenge at the front desk. Click the TC Participant Handout for more details.