I found Aspire when they first opened in Suwanee. After meeting Anthony at the ribbon cutting, I knew this place was going to be special. I was just entering my 40s and had tried other local gyms, but I couldn’t find my consistency. Working out always felt like a chore — and on top of that, I was spending precious mental energy just figuring out what workouts to do each day, which classes fit my schedule, and how to work around some of my physical limitations.

I had struggled with dozens of surgeries throughout my 20s and 30s. In my 40s, I had finally overcome a lot of those challenges, but I was left with a weak core and insecurity about my health and fitness. I was a busy, working mom with 4 kids. I needed something that would work with my schedule, and more importantly, I needed someone to believe in me, empower me, and hold me accountable — someone who would help me become the healthy, capable person I knew I could be.

I began working out with Coach Anthony, and I think I had all of the excuses in the book for why I couldn’t do this plank or that pull-up. But for anyone who knows Anthony, he doesn’t take kindly to excuses — he responds with humor and a bigger challenge than you thought you were capable of. The funny thing is that I was always able to rise to the challenge. As I got stronger, my confidence improved, and so did my consistency. My excuses eventually faded away, but not necessarily my complaining… but that’s half of the fun. A little good-natured whining while dead-lifting an 88lb kettlebell is what keeps it interesting!

Speaking of fun… the best part is the community of other women. We’re all at different stages, different ages, different starting points, but we’re all there for the same reason: to become a stronger version of ourselves. We share jokes, recipes, travel advice, and stories. We celebrate and encourage each other through the toughest workouts. I’m constantly inspired by women who overcome physical limitations and difficult seasons of life — they show up and work hard to be their best, and that keeps me motivated and consistent too.

I’m now 50 and I am stronger than I was when I first walked through those doors in my 40s — and I’m not stopping here. My goal is to keep building strength for the long haul. I’ve now added 3 grandchildren to my family, and I’m going to continue to be strong so that we can play together and make fun, healthy memories for decades to come.