“I grew up as an athlete, playing volleyball in high school and college. After that, I continued to play volleyball and added half-marathons and sprint triathlons. Along the way, I even had a personal trainer for a while and got into weightlifting for about a year. But the obsession that others had just didn’t click with me. For over 40 years, I was happy to put my family and my career as a pediatric and neonatal flight nurse first.

Then, about two years ago, I was 62 years old and about to retire. Over the past five years, I had watched my parents decline, and eventually both of them died after falls. I was determined not to put my kids through that experience. Plus, it was a time when I felt I could put myself first for a while. I knew what I wanted to achieve. My ‘inner athlete’ was calling!

When I mentioned this to my son, he reminded me about his buddy Steve Taylor. They met in kindergarten, and over the years, Steve would show up at our house to hang out with the guys. I remembered him as the kid that brought his own food! Even then, he had begun to develop a love for lifting and nutrition and talked about the benefits of his labor in his sports. 

Steve had created a program for my son that he was very happy with. With my son’s recommendation (“Mom, you need to do Steve’s program!’) and those memories, I had found the perfect retirement gift for myself.

In March 2024, I started my journey. My goal: Build Strength, Endurance and Increase Mobility. 

Our weekly video meetings were great! Who knew that virtual training could work so well and be so enjoyable?

Each session we covered topics like food (reviewing pictures of meals I had prepared and eaten), my workout log, and exercise technique (looking at videos of me doing various exercises). I had some back issues, so Steve helped me modify exercises to get the same outcomes. And I bet in every session he told me to “TRUST THE PROCESS.” I can still hear him saying that! It takes time to put the weight on, and it takes time and consistency to take the weight off. 

A very important part of every meeting for me was that we created goals for the coming week. I left with a plan so I could walk into the gym with confidence and know exactly what I needed to accomplish. 

I’ve had some notable positive experiences since I started with Steve. About a year into my program, a random man at Walmart came up to me and said, “Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it because you look great!” I was still seeing rolls and fat in the mirror, but this person saw something else. 

In the gym, a middle-aged lady asked me a question about the leg press. We reviewed her log and what she was doing. This gave me an opportunity to tell her about progressive overload. 

A gentleman asked me about my form. He said, “I watch you and you put so much effort into your form. How long have you been lifting?” It had only been about a year, which reaffirmed what Steve and I were doing together in my program. Form is discussed without exception at every meeting while analyzing the exercises. 

Also, two people made a point to comment on my push-ups. I’ve worked so hard on those push-ups! This was encouraging for me. Now I’m working on my pull-ups. 

Another benefit: I get ‘in the zone’ at the gym and don’t really notice that people are watching. I want to be the person that provides encouragement and motivation to others. I want to be approachable. And that’s happening for me.

Weightlifting and logging my progress is part of my DNA now. I’ve built habits that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. I’m building strength and endurance to get me down the road into my elder years. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. 

I highly recommend Steve’s program. He knows how to push his clients to achieve success. Not only that, I’m glad the kid I met so long ago is now a trusted resource and my friend too.”

(Edited by Shaun Young)