Bob started his fitness journey with personal trainer, Brian Wingert. Brian suggested Bob try group personal training 3-4 days per week. “Getting started was the hardest part,” he recalls. Mary Lynn added, “I dreaded being that person in the room who was least in shape! Without my husband, Bob, encouraging me, I wouldn’t have made it to the first class.” It’s a good thing she did. “Now group training is part of our weekly routine,” Bob explains. “Plus it’s an integral part of our social life.”
Steve and Ann each rediscovered their love for physical fitness and started working out on a regular basis. They attended group personal training classes and did private personal training. In the process they encouraged their parents to combine exercise with healthy eating habits. The kids are in college and grad school now and are dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle. “Ann helped us to change what we eat,” notes Mary Lynn. “We modified our portion sizes, ate more vegetables and eliminated the junk.” Now when the Meriman’s eat out they look at the menu online ahead of time. Their commitment to healthy eating combined with regular exercise has made a huge impact on their results. Mary Lynn observes: “One without the other would not have been as successful for us.”
Bob credits group personal training and the challenging workouts that were consistently fun, for keeping his interest high over the years. “We would never have worked out as hard or for this long on our own,” he says. “Now I have Boot Camp with Lori and Bosu with Catiana. We’re never bored. All the trainers go above and beyond the call of duty. They encourage, challenge, and educate us while helping us to pursue a balanced lifestyle.”
The results of their efforts speak for themselves. Bob’s extended family has a history of serious heart disease. His desire to avoid this path led to a weight loss of 25 pounds. He toned up and rediscovered his love for running. Mary Lynn avoided the weight gain that so many women struggle with as they age. “I’m down to my driver’s license weight, which I lied about at the time—but kept as a ‘goal’ weight. I never thought I’d get there,” she confides, “but I did.”
As a family, the Merriman’s run the Bloomsday Race each year and have also completed the Club’s Summer’s End Challenge for the past several years. “We look forward to seasonal fun runs as a family. Plus,” adds Mary Lynn, “Bob and I set fitness goals such as triathlons, half marathons and marathons. Just a year ago activities like that seemed beyond the reach of two middle aged parents.”
Key Training Tip: Just Start! That was the hardest thing for us. We knew we had a long way to go to get back to a good fitness level. But, we knew it was important for us. We
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