AGE:  32

PROFESSION:  Advertising Sales, Real Simple magazine

BACKGROUND:  I always considered myself an athlete growing up, playing volleyball competitively in-door and on the beach.  But once I graduated college and started working I found it harder and harder to make time to exercise.  I continued to participate in active things in 6-month stints with big hiatuses and nothing truly consistently until I found Sonki Fitness.

How long have you been working out?  A friend told me about it and she was doing it and I decided to give it a try.  It really worked for me, 18 months later I’m still pulling myself out of bed every other morning and I love it (at least once I’m up).  I have always loved being outside and never really enjoyed the gym but went because I thought I had no other options. Sonki Fitness is an incredibly supportive environment, I love that there are people at all levels of fitness and truly can make it as tough as you want.  I have to travel for work and my hours are not consistent but I still have almost always made it to at least 3 Sonki classes a week for the last year and a half.

What is your current exercise routine?  Boot camp is my constant now and it makes everything else I do less consistently so much more fun because I’m in shape for it.  I still play volleyball, an in-door league once a week and beach volleyball on the weekends and sometimes after work (but that is seasonal) and I also periodically run and hike.  Boot camp makes all the other active parts of my life that much better.

What is your motivation to stay in shape?  I feel as healthy as I did in high school, which I honestly never thought would happen.  I don’t think I’ve necessarily lost weight since I’ve been doing Sonki Fitness boot camp but I have lost inches.  I don’t weigh myself; I have always just gone by how I feel.  And I feel better.  I enjoy life in general more when I’m in better shape; I feel better, clothes fit better, my back hurts less, I can eat what I want and it makes other sports like volleyball much more fun.  It seems to keep my moods a little more in check too.

What is your greatest challenge to staying in shape?  Consistency.  I love doing active things but it has been hard with my job and traveling to do something on an on-going basis.

What is your key to success?  Only hitting snooze once.

How long have you been doing Sonki Fitness Boot Camp?  About 18 months.

What do you like about Sonki Fitness Boot Camp and how has it affected your life?  I have never been able to work out in the morning but there is something about meeting up with a group of people at a certain time that has worked as a great motivator for me (and of course seeing my friend Angie’s bright and cheery mug).  I like the combination of the structure mixed with the changing regimen of activities – the big hike each session is great.  I love that it is outdoors and when the weather gets a little colder and less desirable it makes me feel that much more accomplished when I do it.

What advice would you give to others about fitness?  I don’t know if I really am in a position to give out advice about it but my thoughts are that it is annoying when anyone is overboard obsessed about fitness or eating so if you can do both in moderation then I think you are able to enjoy life more.  Sonki has helped create this balance for me and that I am incredibly thankful for that.