How my journey started

After 21 years of crawling in cobwebbed-filled basements and hopping across poorly-constructed open floor joists in attics, I finally called it quits.  At the end of 2022 and just over 3 months after turning 60, I retired my structural engineering business.  I love the old homes and shepherding people first-time renovators through the process from design, to permitting, to construction.  However, three very different events came along at the same time that were going to make it more complicated for me to run this small business...

• my husband wanted to travel further distances, for longer periods, a few more times a year,
• my insurance guy I had since the beginning stopped returning my calls, because he also wanted to retire, I find out later, and
• Apple, in all its wisdom, decided it would no longer use an intel processor – I could no longer run my Virtual Machine, which powered the operating system, Microsoft XP, which ran a very old version of Autocad, used to do all my graphics. All that to say, it just got more complicated.

I really enjoyed my work but I didn't want to jump through all the hoops to make it work. But what next?  COVID was in the rear view and my own house had just had a massive renovation in 2019-2020.  I didn't pay too much attention to how much I ballooned out myself – I was feeling less "retired superhero" and more "lumpy leftover".  I wanted to work with a personal trainer, but like anyone who’s spent the better half of their life behind a desk—I had no idea where to start. Enter my friend and neighbor, Gretchen, who told me about her neighbor’s trainer, Amy Cunningham. I figured, “How bad can this go? At least she’s local, her neighbor really liked her a lot, and I had no other prospects.

I saw Amy's picture on Facebook and thought, "What have I got myself into?" Blonde, muscles that could open a jar of pickles with a glare, and tattoos all over the place. 

I asked Amy if I should start personal training with her before or after I return from an upcoming 2-week trip – she suggested I start before. I squeezed in 3 sessions. My first session with Amy was April 20, 2023 at a new outdoor fitness park that included bars, benches, and a rope climbing thing.  Amy brought some dumbbells with her - I think she brought a couple 8 lb weights and maybe a couple 5 lb. dumbbells.  I was definitely out of my comfort zone.  I remember she had me do body weight dips for triceps (you have your hands behind you on a bench with your legs out front – you lower and raise your body keeping your arms close to your sides) –  I  did maybe 4.  I don't remember other exercises I did at that 1st session but I do remember what she said, "You may feel a bit sore."  I can't believe that never crossed my mind beforehand – I panicked!

I came back from our trip and started right up again. Amy suggested I join the local Y as a supplement to our 2 sessions a week. I did – I took one group exercise class a week at the Y starting May 18, 2023. My first class was TRX, which I had no idea what that was (it stands for total resistance exercises). Courtney was the trainer and very kind to my first time experience. There are 2 straps that hang from the ceiling with handles you hold onto. Courtney demonstrated what you do and then you follow along – it uses your body weight to create resistance. I remember one of the moves she called the Superman Fly – it starts in a squat then you push yourself forward by straightening your legs and send your arms out straight in a diagonal using your 'core' muscles to support you – my first flight ended up in a face-plant!

I kept going though. Amy then suggested I consider having a body composition scan. The Y provides free scans using the InBody scanner. It's a scale-like device that you step on then hold these handles. It uses bioelectrical impedance to provide an estimate of your fat mass and lean muscle mass. It's not an exact tool, but it provides great information and how your body changes over time. My first scan on May 30, 2023 told me I had a C-curve. I'll explain that more in a future blog post.

Come August 2023, I was a full-fledged group exercise junky - mostly strength with a bit of cardio. Amy said a good combination of classes was a yoga class after a strength class. I started taking yoga classes at the Y in January 2024. Now I'm taking sometimes 2 classes a day. I started keeping track of the trainers that worked for my goals - yes, I now had goals and my favorite trainers. I couldn't get enough. I was 142 lbs in April 2023. By January 2024 I lost 10 lbs. and at the beginning of 2025 I was down a total of 20 lbs.

At this point, I'm obsessed. I want to learn which muscles I am working, macros I'm eating (you learn a whole new language in the fitness world), and how it translates into body tissue. I took a personal training course at Bunker Hill Community College this past year. I joined a larger gym. Now I want to tell of my journey going forward. There is a labyrinth of information in the fitness world and some of it is fantastic and some snake oil. As I wade through, I want to share what I've learned. In addition to the continued learning, I have a new fitness goal – to get a 6-pack! I don't know if it will happen, but I'm going to give it a try.