Massive shout out to Deya, winner of September's Marathon Challenge! She walked over 55 miles, more than twice the goal.

You go, girl! So proud of you! Enjoy your bands and the endorphins from your exercise.
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Keep a look out for the next challenge - you could win prizes by getting your endorphins flowing, too. Winning!

#fuertefitness #septemberchallenge #marathonchallenge #endorphins #winningwomen #fitforlife #dailyexercise

From World Kickboxing Champion at age 17 to the first woman to win first place overall in the Race Across America (RAAM) at age 52, Leah Goldstein has lived an extraordinary life marked by grit, perseverance, endurance, and drive.

This is a woman who sets her mind and does whatever it takes to reach her goals. In high school, she dedicated herself to kickboxing. No social life, no drinking, no breaks. She later joined the Israeli Military, becoming an instructor for the Elite commando unit before joining the Special forces. Her next step was to become a professional cyclist. 

In 2005, she endured a high speed crash in the Cascade Classic in Oregon. It nearly ended her life. The doctors told her it would end her career, that she would never get back on her bike again, and that she may not ever be able to walk properly. She promised herself she would recover, and was race ready only 8 months later.

I listened to Leah's fascinating story in this podcast, and encourage you to do the same. In particular, if you have ever been in an endurance race or are thinking about it, she provides valuable insight into what it takes. I had no idea how gruelling RAAM is. This article gives a great synopsis, but I liked hearing Leah tell it herself. When Leah won in 2019, she cycled across the country through the "heat dome." What is normally a punishing race was amplified by extreme temperatures which reached over 120 degrees. Only 3 people were able to finish the race; Leah herself was nearly unable to complete the last few miles. She walked most of the way and got back on her bike to cruise across the finish line hours before her competitors. 

There is nothing I can say to do this justice, you have to hear it for yourself. I kept asking myself, "Could I keep going?" I don't know if I could. I don't know if anyone else could. Leah Goldstein is an absolute legend.

Photo credit: https://leahgoldstein.com/

We are so proud of Caroline!  She only did the Bridal Bootcamp, she really developed some life goals! It was a great honor to be part of Carolines' team and to see her change.

We asked Caroline to share her inspiring story:

In early October 2018, I finally picked a venue for my wedding. I've always struggled with weight and have lost weight in the past, only to put it back on quickly. Since moving to Seattle in 2016, I had not been feeling my best and I knew I needed to get back to the gym for my own health. I found Fuerte Fitness through a Google search and after thinking about it for a month, I reached out. Adriana responded quickly and we started with 5 sessions. The first few sessions were geared toward building my core and increasing my flexibility to prevent injury. Slowly we started getting into more and more difficult movements and I decided to sign-up for her Bridal Boot Camp. My initial goals were to lose 20-30 lbs and to tone my upper body. However, as time went on, I changed my goals to being able to run a mile and do a pull-up. Adriana helped me develop a sustainable workout schedule and meal plan. I was challenged not to get discouraged by the amount of time it took me to reach my initial goals. 2 months into first training with Adriana, I had an appendectomy, which set me back by 2 months and caused me to lose a substantial amount of muscle mass. I remember feeling so frustrated, but Adriana helped me get back on track. My biggest successes included surpassing my weight goal by losing 32 lbs, building muscle mass and tone, being able to do an assisted pull-up, and developing a love of running. As I continue my journey, I keep reminding myself that I want this to be the last time I lose weight. I keep reminding myself of the great feeling I have after each workout and that the number on the scale isn't everything. 

We also asked her to answer a few specific questions:

1. Why or what got you seek out help from a personal trainer and what did you seek to accomplish, what were your goals?

I had started planning my wedding and I knew I needed to get toned for the big day. Over the past 2.5 years I had gained a significant amount of weight and hadn't been working out. I missed the feeling of being strong or having accomplished a really tough workout. My initial goals were to lose 20-30 lbs and get my upper body toned. However, as time went on my goals changed. I wanted to do be able to do a pull up and run a mile. 

2. How often did you try to do this on your own and why would you gave weight again or go back to old ways?

I have been struggling with weight loss for my entire life. I've never been one to be naturally skinny. On multiple occasions I've lost weight, often through drastic dieting. I've never been able to sustain the weight loss because it was hard to develop healthy habits. I've also struggled to set up boundaries to prioritize exercise and reduce stress. 

3. What were your success and challenges this time around?
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My challenges this time around was not to get discouraged by the amount of time it took me to reach my goals. I had an appendectomy 8 months before my wedding, which put me out of commission for 2 months and caused me to lose muscle mass. I remember feeling so frustrated, but Adriana helped me get back on track. 

My successes were developing a love for running, losing enough fat to drop 4 pant sizes, being able to do a pull up, and feeling more confident. 

4. What is a piece of advice you are giving yourself to continue your health and fitness journey and to other from your personal experience?

Don't go back to old habits. I want this time to be the last time I have to fight to get healthy. The weight on the scale isn't everything. When I first started this, I thought my goal was to reach a certain number on the scale. However, as time progressed I realized that my goal should be more about muscle mass, BMI, and how strong I felt. 

Congratulations to Adriana who took 4th in Fitness category at the Emerald Cup this year! She had been out of fitness since 2012 even though she made a figure appearance in 2013 and 2018.  It was a challenge for her with a toddler and juggling a business and full training schedule, "I did it for you mamas out there, I know its hard but do what you love, set some goals, get support, and exercising gets easy. I have to keep up with a 3 yrs. and feel like I'm old. But we can still do it, we just have to warm up and stretch more often!" For more check out out our facebook, instagram and twitter.  www.facebook.com/pg/fuertefitness/posts/