This spotlight is a longer one, but it details an amazing accomplishment that I think you will really enjoy reading about, plus some amazing pictures from Howard.  Howard

Howard Roever has been coming to GetFitNH for over three years. This past November he decided to take an adventure outside of Concord and New Hampshire when he traveled to Tanzania to explore the country and also climb to the roof of Africa, up the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. The idea was born via a group text among childhood friends. One of these friends knew of a small Florida based non-profit called Project Change that had organized a charity climb to raise money for the organization. Howard was immediately drawn to the idea and even after all of his friends decided not to go, he still had the bug. Although an avid hiker throughout New England, he had never climbed higher than Mount Washington. In contrast, the entry gates to the Machame Trail leading up to the summit of Kilimanjaro was just shy of six thousand feet.

To train for his effort Howard climbed throughout 2017. As the calendar pages turned Howard and his yellow lab, Phin, logged many miles while bagging peaks across New Hampshire and Vermont. They also did quite a bit of trail walking on Concord’s trail network. Oftentimes Howard would hike with a thirty pound plate in his backpack to get used to carrying weight on and up trails. He was also at GetFitNH nearly every day possible. “When I decided that I was going to do Kilimanjaro last spring, my workouts took on added importance. I tried to keep up a solid effort each morning and limit slacking. Slacking wasn’t going to help me get to 19,341 feet. My workouts at GetFit definitely helped keep me at a good fitness level. Then I just had to put in the time on the trails.”

According to Howard, early November and his time to fly over to Tanzania came around fast. “When I first committed around Easter, it felt like I had nothing but time on my hands. The next thing I knew October was here.” On November 3, 2017 Howard flew from JFK in New York to Doha and then on to Kilimanjaro.  At the same time he began his regimen of malaria and altitude sickness prevention. While Howard felt that he was ready for the climb itself, the one wild card was the altitude and what effect it would have on his body. The last thing he wanted was to have to turn back due to acute altitude sickness. Arriving on a Saturday afternoon, Howard had a day to acclimate to the area before beginning the climb on Monday. He met his fellow climbers who were all from Florida and explored the town of Moshi with them. While in Moshi for dinner early Sunday evening, Howard got his first glimpse of the mountain which had previously been shrouded in the clouds. He was impressed but its prominence on the landscape and still couldn’t believe that the next day he would begin the long trek to the summit. After dinner the group met with two of their guides back at the hotel. There they went over the route they would take and what challenge each day would bring. There was truly nervous anticipation among the group of six climbers.

Monday morning they took a small bus to the Machame Gate where they met with their team of porters. There were twenty porters to carry the camp essentials up the mountain; the various tents and food stuffs and other materials needed for a successful climb. This group of men were mainly in their twenties and thirties and would strap on a backpack full of gear in addition to balancing another parcel on their shoulders or head. Howard said that he marveled at not only the ability of the porters to carry this gear up the trails, but also their pleasant demeanor throughout. A cheerful “Jambo” (hello) would constantly be heard on the trail with porters passing on their way up or down the mountain. Due to a computer glitch at the  gate the first day began later than planned which caused the first day to go into the night, and the rain. The trek through the rain forest was supposed to begin in the late morning and end at around 5 pm. However the group was hours behind the scheduled start and as a result the last few hours of the day were headlamp assisted and wet from the rain. Howard recalls getting to the first camp and thinking, ‘what have I gotten myself into?’  “That first day took a  lot out of me. I was happy when we finally got to camp and was hoping that a night of sleep would ready me for what Day 2 would bring.” The group was at approximately ten thousand feet elevation after Day 1.

Howard did wake up refreshed (“I slept like a rock!”) and sipping his fresh cup of instant coffee (“that’s what the locals drink – and it’s quite good!”), he got a great view of Kilimanjaro in the distance. They had not been able to see it the night before due to darkness. But from the campsite clearing he took it all in. “I began to look at the mountain each morning as my Moby Dick. There it would be with its glacier and snow-topped summit each morning. And I wondered if we would ever get there.” But with each passing day the group did get closer. As they made their way they would pass through changing terrains and climates. From the rain forest, to the plateau, and the alpine desert, before finally the summit. On Day 2 it rained nearly the entire time. At least six of the eight hour trek were wet. And it was a cold rain. After several thousand feet of elevation gain they were finally at the second campsite. Howard remembers it being a rugged day. “The rain was killer. Not only wet, but cold. It zaps the strength right out of you.” One of the other climbers quit after this day saying that it was too much for her and she was escorted down the mountain.

From Day 3 on, the group made their way through the alpine desert. Howard recalls it being a landscape so very foreign to him. “There were all of these exotic looking trees and shrubs in some areas and then just nothing but rock. Piles and piles of volcanic rock. He also recalls the pace of the climb oftentimes being excruciatingly slow. The locals have a term they use; “Pole, Pole.” Translated to English it simply means “Slowly, slowly.”  Howard will tell you that (even for an old guy) he is not the most patient hiker on the mountain and will often keep a brisk pace while hiking in the White Mountains. He said that the “pole, pole” thing drove him crazy during the first few days of the climb and he had to be reminded more than once by the guides to be patient. “You will need this pace above 15,000 feet” he was told.  Howard discovered that they were right.

The group first hit 15,000 feet on Day 3 and then after going down in elevation for a day, camped at above 15,000 feet on Day 5. This would be their base camp. During these days Howard did notice the elevation taking its toll on his breathing. Doing the pole, pole pace he was just fine. But on occasions where he would stop to take in a view and a photo, he would notice that the not so pole, pole walk to get to the back of the still moving line would leave him breathing as if he had just sprinted forty yards and would take about a minute or more before his breathing was again normalized. By Day 6, summit day, Howard was happy for Pole, Pole.

Wakeup call was 2 am on Day 6 morning. Howard didn’t need a wakeup call however as he was up with anticipation of what lie ahead. “We had gone to our tent and had light’s out by about 8pm. I fell asleep pretty quickly but recall being woken up by the wind and snow on the outside of the tent at about 1 in the morning. I just lay there after that thinking about finally getting a close up view of Kili.” After breakfast (“the hot porridge hit the spot!”), backpacks and headlamps were readied and the group was off into the snowy shadows. It was windy and cold, requiring all of the layers Howard had packed. Howard recalled that he was glad he was from New Hampshire as his Floridian climbing partners complained about the temperature, wind and snow. Meanwhile he thought, just another winter day in New Hampshire. The wind would leave it’s mark however as he suffered from a pretty severe wind burn for days after the climb.

Howard recalls the seemingly endless switchbacks as they made their way toward Stella Point and finally Uruhu Peak. How many more he wondered? A hundred? More? Definitely more. “Your mind has lots of time to just go places during a climb like this. Or go nowhere at all. I did think about a lot of different things. It was actually very therapeutic in many ways.” Not wearing a watch and having no other way to tell how long they were climbing, Howard remembers thinking that he would know when it was around six in the morning (or so) when the sun would come up above the clouds behind him. The stars in the southern hemisphere are magnificent and on clear nights there was quite a show. Thousands and thousands of stars twinkling above. This night (morning) was one of those times. In a darkest before the dawn moment Howard recalls one of the guides at the back of the line pointing out the “Southern Cross” constellation as he looked back in awe.  Then the moment finally came; the light of the sun coming up somewhere over the Indian Ocean appeared to the East. Then the sun itself appeared above the clouds. Morning had broken, somewhere around 17,000 feet (Howard thought). Simply glorious, he thought at the time.

The climb continued but the altitude began to take hold of the small group. Two of the remaining climbers, a woman and a man, had to rest as the exertion in the thin air became more demanding. The head guide, Alex, had planned for this contingency by having seven guides with the climbers on this day, rather than the usual three. Four of the guides stayed behind with the two overwhelmed climbers and the group of now three continued on. “At this point it was a hard trek. I just tried to focus on other things rather than how much further we had to go. It was hard to leave our two friends behind. We had all become very close. I remember the rocks having faces and looking like famous people and seeing what I thought looked like hieroglyphics on the rocky landscape. All the while putting one foot in front of the other.”

Switchback after switchback the journey continued. As they got closer to the top things became clearer; like the size of part of the glacier that can be seen from miles away. At about 10 am (or so) the group made it to Stella Point. This was the first piece of the summit of Kilimanjaro. Here there was a minor celebration but as Howard looked to his right he was anytyhing but celebratory. He could see the rocky terrain where they still needed to go to get to the top of Kilimanjaro, Uruhu Peak. It was about an hour of so trek away. It may as well have been ten hours. “Everything became so difficult at that point. We were right about 19,000 feet and even the flat areas took effort. Inclines no matter how slight, even more so.” One of the three remaining climbers was wiped at this point and began saying she couldn’t go any further. Having already seemingly lost two of our partners this day Howard recalls not wanting to hear any of this talk. “From the back of the line I let out a loud ‘Woooooooo!’ which scared the crap out of her. I’m not sure where it came from, but I’d like to think it got her attention and helped her press on.”

At this point they were close. Nearly eight hours into their summit day, they were almost to the sign that marks the highest point in Africa. As they approached ever closer, they got a view of just how massive the glacier was; (at least) several hundred yards long and what looked like hundreds of feet thick. Howard recalls it being awe inspiring. The snow from earlier in the morning had all but melted as the sun heated up. The layers of clothes that kept him warm earlier were now causing Howard to sweat. Finally coming around a bend they saw it – the sign. They were there. Just another hundred yards of so to go. They had made it! At the sign there were celebrations and hugs, and lots of photos. They got to look down into the massive crater from which  Kilimanjaro was born and view the other glaciers along the rim and into the crater itself. It was a crystal clear sunny day which allowed them to linger and enjoy the moment before heading back down to base camp and beyond. Oftentimes this is not the case and the weather sends climbers hurriedly back down. They were able to bask in their achievement and Howard recalls sheading a few tears in a quiet moment alone. About forty-five minutes after their summiting they were overjoyed when one of their lost partners labored up the trail towards them. He was walking ‘pole, pole’ with a guide on each side of him. They were told later that he refused to quit. “That was a pretty inspirational moment even after our own summit. Nick showed such a strong will.”

After about twenty minutes more the guides gathered the group together and prepared for their decent. After already putting in over eight hours to get to Uhuru they now had about five plus hours of down-mountain trekking to do. Howard’s quads would soon ache like never before in his life. “When we finally got to camp for our last night, I don’t think I have ever been so tired in my life. Emotionally and physically. Just eating our last supper was a chore. After dinner I slept from 8 pm straight through until 6 the next morning.” Remarkably, upon awakening the next morning Howard found that his body had recovered quite well (some thanks to Alleve).  After breakfast the group of remaining climbers gathered with the guides and porters for some photos with Kilimanjaro as a distant backdrop. With Moby Dick now in the rearview mirror the photo op turned into a spontaneous Swahili singing and dance session with the porters. “Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Matata.”  Rough translation – “No worries, there are no problems here.”

Congratulations Howard, I can only imagine after reading this how much of an awe-inspiring moment it must have been at the top.  

-Coach Adam

This spotlight is an important one, especially for those of you who, like myself, struggle with back pain and are frustrated at not making progress or constant pain.  It is a longer spotlight but it is 100% worth the read, find the time to sit down.  I’m extremely proud of Sarah and how far she has come, read her story here:

“Pain sucks.  No one wants to physically be in pain and that’s been me for the past three years.  I am not a person who wants modifications or to bother someone to ask what I should be doing since the workout provided causes me pain.  I want to be that person who walks into the gym for the first time and just grabs 75 lbs. to do a goblet squat without a second thought because why not but unfortunately that is not where I am at these days.  I started working out at Get Fit NH two months before I got pregnant in 2014.  I was overweight and willing and ready to make a life style change to fix that and get healthy.  I worked out all throughout my pregnancy which threw the healthy journey I started on a little curve ball when all the normal pregnancy quirks set in like food aversions, nausea for days, back pain, etc.  But I continued to show up every morning at 6:15am and chalked up the severe discomfort and pain I started to feel in my back in my second trimester from moving a certain way, sitting, riding in a car or really anything to what I thought was normal back pain that would go away once I gave birth.  Birth.  Well that’s a story for a different day but it was not good.  48 hours of labor that ended in a not great C-section.  So…there I was, baby out and in way more pain than when I was pregnant. 

I found new challenges in life I had never thought about after birth; walking in general but also while carrying anything in my hands, sitting or getting up out of chairs, stairs, lying down in bed or getting myself up from bed.  All these things I had always taken for granted I now needed help to do and caused me considerable pain.  Maybe it would have consumed me if I didn’t have a sweet little baby girl to show for it or maybe that made it even harder because I really didn’t feel like I should care for myself and try and recover.  I went back to working out eventually, though it was not 6 weeks out as planned as I was not recovered enough then.  It took at least a few months to even feel like I could move semi-comfortably. Once I did go back I remember my husband telling me to “cool it” and me thinking what did he know -  I wasn’t pregnant anymore I could do anything!  I was SO excited to be able to do a squat thrust again after not having that huge belly that I tried and fell flat on my face – I had a C-section, I had no abs, what was I thinking?  Idiot.  However, things that I should have been able to do without pain still gave me pain.  For instance, just being able to get up off the floor didn’t happen without back pain.  I finally came to the realization that something was not right and sought out a physical therapist that specializes in woman’s post-partum back, neck and pelvis pain and was given the answers to my questions.  My hip and pelvis on my right side were considerably out of alignment and rotated as compared to my hip/pelvis on my left side.  There were some definite complications during my C-section on my right side so it made sense they were not in alignment – quick fix I thought.  After quite some time of physical therapy, and these parts not staying in place as they should, it was determined that this had been an underlying issue that was just exasperated by pregnancy weight gain and the eventful birth of my daughter but it was not caused alone by childbirth.  It now made sense why I was in pain so early on in my pregnancy.  This was not going to be a quick fix.  I was not going to be able to go into the gym and just do all the trainings without modifications.  Modifications where going to be my life for a while.  

The last two years I’ve spent seeing my PT weekly but I am in communication with her multiple times a week; we’re best friends at this point!  I was waking each morning doing my PT exercises and ending each night before bed with exercises. You might have heard me and my friend Stacey, who has similar struggles, joking about making sure to “tuck” our hips/pelvis to hold ourselves in the right position to protect our lower backs and sharing stories of all of our PT exercises and how to hold our positioning. It wasn’t until recently that I didn’t need to do those PT exercises anymore to stay in relative alignment.  This spring I was starting to feel better, my abs where strengthening and I was doing a better job about keeping myself in alignment.  It made sense to start working towards doing the exercises I had been staying away from for years so that I could progress.  Wouldn’t it be lovely if that’s where the pain story ended?  It was at this time that I digressed and anything I tried to do at the gym caused me pain.  Adding in even the smallest unilateral movement blew up my back and made even the exercises that I used to do without pain, very painful.  My PT and I talked about me taking a short break from working out as I was losing my mind.  The pain just kept getting worse, especially after experiencing a time when I had started to get better to go backwards was just heartbreaking.  In a mere month, I went from downgrading my PT visits to twice a month to upping them to twice a week just to correct my alignment so I could try and function properly with some relief.  I was getting so frustrated that I wasn’t getting better and it just seemed like I was getting worse every time I tried to do something to progress back to the point where I used to be.  Coach Adam noticed this and pulled me aside to ask if I could have my physical therapist write him an email explaining to him, from the beginning what was going on with me.  He wanted more than what I could give him which was “I can’t do anything unilateral” or “I know I’m out of alignment and that hurts my back; I need a modification”.  He wanted to know in more technical terms what was going on so he could try and help me progress without pain. I think he thought if I could progress it would help to keep me more positive about continue to recover and in turn more accountable about coming to class.

So, for the last four months, my PT and the Coaches at Get Fit have been in communication about my progress, what has set me back and what I need to avoid for now or what I can slowly add in again to build up my tolerance.  Coach Adam has been drafting up training modifications for me (if you all have seen me with a white piece of paper in hand!) and has also had me do exercises at the gym to keep my positioning in check, using a DS band to get my glutes to fire as they should and taught me breathing exercises to additionally learn to tuck my ribcage.  I remember the day not long ago that I felt my abs fire while doing a regular body weight squat and I got so excited.  That meant I had finally found the right positon to be in and my abs had finally come far enough along to support and hold me in that correct position so that my back wasn’t in pain.  I totally downplayed my excitement but I made sure to tell Coach Adam because I wouldn’t have got to that point had he not worked on the breathing exercises with me that enforced tucking my ribcage to engage my abs.  Breathing, we all do it - seems silly to teach or talk about, right?  Well it taught me how to hold myself properly and move without pain.  Not silly to me now.  

Now to the point.  My pain journey has been all about stepping stones.  I progress, push myself a little too much and I digress and re-asses with a lot of help.  I think the hardest part about all of this for me, besides the pain, is that I couldn’t be doing what everyone else was doing and I have learned I have to be ok with that.  I needed to hone in on certain parts of my body and build them up so that I could support myself properly and I just needed to show up to training because people were there to support me.  I needed to essentially re-train my body and the coaches have been so great at making it happen (had to throw that one in – right?).

These days you can find me at 6:15am (or sometimes 8:30am class) happily ‘trying’ to do all the things I could once try without a second thought.  I won’t be “making poor life decisions” (like that Coach Meagan?) by pushing my body too much but I will be trying to progress to get back to a new normal.   I still will have pain some days as I retrain my body how to do certain exercises that will allow me to progress and get healthier.  I have to be ok with that fact and keep at it to work through it the best I can. Through the help of several amazing Coaches and an amazing PT (my very own dream team!) I’m progressing and starting to feel better.  It’s seemed like such a long road for this perpetually impatient person but I’m showing up and I’m feeling better than I have been in several years.”

-Coach Adam

One of the BEST parts about being a coach is building relationships. One of the HARDEST parts about being a coach is when those relationships are broken. Sometimes people move, like Paula, but it still feels like a tough break up whenever someone decides to leave.

 Paula was in the area a few weeks ago and popped in to train. We had a chat about how hard it was for her to find a new training facility after her move. It struck me pretty hard and I asked her to share HER experience and HER thoughts on the Get Fit NH difference. This is what she said…

When I joined Get Fit in March 2015 I was new to the state and struggling to find community and a new fitness regimen during the polar vortex. Winter 2015 turned out to be the most frigid winter in generations and I was in shock at how brutal the darkness and cold was. For years I pieced together a fitness program running with my dogs and dropping into power yoga and YMCA classes periodically. Aside from the occasional spin or aerobics class, I hadn't experienced small group or personal training.

I trained with Meagan and the team for over two years. Although my work and school schedule made it challenging to commit to one time each day, I was accountable, my membership at Get Fit was a significant investment of my pocketbook, endurance and time. I used MyZone and the Fit 3D Scan religiously. Even after I broke my arm I was back in the gym in a matter of months.

I left concord last Summer to build out a new career path and my fitness regimen hasn't been the same. My schedule is harrowing, splitting my time between RI and NH. It hasn't been for lack of willingness invest in high end gyms in Portsmouth and Providence. At times I've paid significantly more, sometimes $25+ per class but have not found a training experience like Get Fit NH. Although most of the gyms offer more flexibility with drop in classes and al a cart TRX, strength, kick boxing, yoga or boot camp style classes in small group settings, none of them offer hands adjustments or enthusiasm. They lack the excitement and commitment to a bigger picture of health and improvement. They also didn't offer the same type of nutritional or monitoring programs like MyZone or a 3D Scan for full body health.

My work will bring me back to Concord halftime for the next few months and although it is logistically challenging with my schedule, I'm re-committing to Get Fit to ground me in a regimen that will keep me honest and help me re-center. Their methodology around consistency and coaching is the secret sauce that most swanky gyms lack. It's good to be back.

This note is so powerful. Group exercise classes are NOT the same as training and they are not the same as group PERSONAL training. NO ONE else does Functional Movement Screens in this area. Hands on coaching and cueing is the standard here. Knowing your name and things about you is the standard here. Holding you accountable to be here and be better is the standard here. You are not a number. It is our job and our calling to help you be the very best version of yourself.

Thank you, Paula, for taking the time to write this note about your experience since Get Fit NH. We are thrilled to have you back!

Tutu Tuesday started years ago at 6:15 in Epsom. Santa visiting every year is now a tradition. These are just two of the inspirations Stacy has given back to Get Fit NH. 

But Stacy is following in the footsteps of others when it comes to her attendance at training. You see Stacy didn't miss one training time all year. She made it happen. There were days she had to get up earlier in order to train. She had to rearrange her schedule other days so it would fit in. It was that important to her that she Made It Happen- no matter what. 

In 2017 Stacy didn't miss one training. She is following in the footsteps of others in her training time. They've made it such a way of life that if they aren't there, it is STRANGE. 

Here is my challenge to you; who is going to follow in Stacy's footsteps? Who is going to be known for consistency and determination? Who will have perfect attendance in 2018?

The spotlight is shining bright on 6:15 one and only Kerrie Diers! I asked Kerrie to be in the spotlight, because over the past year I have watched this woman transform. Not only has she lost 20 pounds, but she has also gained so much strength and confidence! I am so proud of Kerrie. Her consistency has truly paid off. I remember calling Kerrie when she was still in her 2 week trial. She was so flustered about not being able to make it she was ready to say this was not going to work for her. I was proud of her for walking back through the door and I am just as proud of her now for keeping at it! Here is what she has to say…

What made you decide to join Get Fit NH?

I was no longer successful in working out on my own.   My trusted recipe of working out on my elliptical machine in my basement had lost its appeal.  I had been doing the same workout and same routine for about 10 years.  At the beginning, I had made a lot progress in losing the "baby weight" I gained when I had my children. Over time, I became less engaged. I tried motivating myself by only watching Netflix while working out, but I became less and less consistent to the point where I really was not working out and gained the baby weight back.  I had heard about Get Fit from my friends in the neighborhood and saw how successful they have been.  I decided to give it a try because I needed to do something different and needed to get myself moving. 

What did you learn after your first 2 weeks?

That I needed to give it more time.  My first two weeks were kind of a disaster because my husband was called out of town unexpectedly for a few months, making me a single parent overnight. I wasn’t sure I could continue, but Meagan encouraged me to give it a few more weeks. It was a struggle but I found that creating a routine helped me to feel better and relieve some of my anxiety.

What keeps you coming back?

There are a lot of reasons I keep coming back. First, all of the coaches know me by name (even Brian – I think ) and I work out with a great group of people at 6:15 am.  Second, I am held accountable. I know that the coaches know when I miss my workout, and if I don’t let Meagan know, she will send me an email asking where I was! Third, it is part of my morning routine. Even if I am tired, my class helps me to wake up and I know that I will feel better afterward. It also helps that I can roll out of bed and drive down the street to get to class, so I have very few excuses not to be there. Fourth, I am definitely not bored. I love that each class is engaging and designed to have us make progress. I feel like I am a work in progress, and the coaches and program at Get Fit challenge me to be stronger and better.

What results can you share so far?

I have lost almost 20 pounds and am down several inches. Most importantly, I recently had some routine bloodwork done and the results were normal, which was a huge relief.  I had previously tested in the pre-diabetic range which was a red flag for me since diabetes runs in my family.  I knew that I could avoid type-2 diabetes by changing my diet, and I thought that my family ate fairly healthy.  However, this past March I participated in the 21 Day Ticket to Health Challenge, and I gave up added sugar, dairy and grains.  After the sugar withdrawal subsided, I found that I felt so much better and made significant progress with weight loss. I am still adhering to that plan, and although I will occasionally have sugar, grains and dairy, it is not the norm. An added benefit is that my family is eating better too.

What encouragement would you like to share with someone who may be on the fence about starting?

Get Fit NH is a place where all are welcome, you are encouraged and challenged to be stronger and healthier, and you will never be bored!

Thank you for sharing you story with us, Kerrie! Keep making it happen.

Coach Meagan

It has been about three months being here at Get Fit NH. The work ethic I see daily from everyone that walks in the door has been amazing! No matter what the time, day, or location I am at everyone is always working hard! It is truly inspiring for me and has helped light a fire back in me!

 With all the hard work I see I would like to take a moment to shine a spotlight on Melanie Kenney! Melanie has been super consistent making her training, is always in a good mood, and is always up to any challenge a coach throws her way! I was able to talk to her about her experience with Get Fit NH so far to see how she is feeling! This is what she had to say:

What brought you to Get Fit NH?  

My good friend who trains at GetFit recommended it to me. Her and I used to work out together at another gym when I lived in town a few years ago. After I moved up north, I fell out of the routine of going to the gym. When my friend heard I was moving back to the area, she was quick to recommend this gym! 

What changes have you noticed since starting? 

​ I have noticed a big change in my stress level. Being a teacher is a tough job because it doesn’t just end when you walk out the doors. You are constantly thinking about lesson planning, meetings, how the day just went, how tomorrow will go, the kiddos and their home lives, everything!! Being able to take an hour of my day to just focus on myself and the training helps reduce and manage my stress levels. It’s been such a positive part of my routine throughout the week!

What have some of your favorite thing been?

I love the individual attention that the coaches offer. Now that I’ve been training there for a couple months and the coaches have gotten to know me, I love how you all push me! Whether that be by switching out my weights/bands or by modifying the exercises. This is something that was not available to me at the gyms I used to go to.

What are you most proud of? 

I’m most proud of how dedicated I’ve been to the training. I try so hard to make sure that I make all (or mostly all) of the classes. It’s part of my schedule and I make sure that it’s a priority.

What would you tell people who do not go to Get Fit NH? 

​I would recommend GetFit to anyone who was like me and needed the accountability factor. When I was paying for a basic gym membership, it was so easy for my to rationalize not going or putting off a workout. Having a specific class time and coaches who are just as invested in your training as you are helps tremendously! I look forward to seeing the coaches and the other people who train at GetFit!

Way to go Melanie! Consistency and hard work every day is such a strong building block to success! This is a spotlight well deserved!

​-Coach Brian

Did you catch that? Don has done the 48 4,000 footers twice. There is no doubt that once Don puts his mind to something, there isn’t much that will hold him back. 

He has a sense of humor that tends to sneak up on you. I emailed him the day he climbed Mt. Isolation. This is what he wrote me back: “Thanks for the note and your concerns. I am OK, just schedule challenged. Yesterday I spent 14 hours climbing my last 4000 footer which made me miss class (I was going to wear my Tu Tu on the hike but my backpack got in the way)”.

As his coach, I didn’t need to learn about his climbing 48 different peaks twice in his life so far to know that though. He has tackled getting to his goals in the last year. When he first came to Get Fit NH he wanted to a.) lose some weight and b.) increase his ability to be active at a higher level. 

In less than a year he has done just that. In his first six months he lost the weight he had desired. HIs goal for the summer was to maintain his weight while he had a bit more of a relaxed mindset and traveled. He did just that. 

Don has also accomplished gaining more energy to do more - hello, 48 peaks! 

I want to take this time to say congratulations to Don. Being a member of the 48 Footer club takes dedication, time, energy, and grit. 

The 5am crew asked Don if they could go hiking with him on his next hike. He said; “Sure, I’m going Saturday.” 

Keep Making It Happen!

Honored to be his coach,
Nancy

The one and only Deb Kaitz! I asked Deb to be in the spotlight because for 8 years she has been consistent, she works her butt off, she is competitive, she is strong, she is supportive and she keeps us on our toes! I would say Deb is one of the top 10 most competitive people in the gym. We love that about her! Her story is fun, because we weren't all here when she started to see how far she has really come. This woman never turns down a challenge and she rocks her goals. I am so proud of her and she is a true joy to coach! Here is what she has to say...

​"I had actually read about Get Fit when it first opened. I was hesitant to do it because I knew I needed to commit and for me the timing just wasn’t right. When they opened in Concord I thought I would give it a try. They had the two week free trial but I also made sure I was going to commit to giving it a good trial so I prepaid for the following month. 8 years later I am still going strong. In my 8 years I have never missed a day of class just because I didn’t feel like going. For me this is the first training/exercise program that I love. I never get bored as it is ever-changing. Unlike when I was at my other gym. I would go walk on the treadmill and maybe lift weights but never saw any differences in my strength or endurance. 

When I started at Get Fit I had really no upper body strength to speak of. I remember when we used to do testing in class. When we did the pushup test I got 0. I couldn’t do a pushup and in my life I had never been able to do one. Determined to get one I worked on this. And by the second testing day 3 months later I could do more than one pushup. When we moved into the “new gym” that had a pull up bar - again I couldn’t do pull ups but again I set a goal that I would get one pull up by the end of the year and I did. I have always been strong willed and if I set a goal I don’t like to fail. I feel like I set reasonable goals for myself and have been able to hit them. In the most recent movement challenge I set myself a goal of 50 movements during the month. I looked at what we had to do, did the math and knew exactly what I needed to do to reach that goal. The results for me can’t be measured by my weight because I think I weigh exactly what I did when I started. My results are measured in my strength. I play golf and had to relearn all my distances since joining as each club hits so much further. I am excited to say my Iron’s go about 40 yards further than previously. The other benefits for me would be my skiing improved dramatically and I can climb hills on my bike so much better than before training. If you are going to try it, commit - buy a month. 2 weeks free trial will make you sore from muscles you haven’t used, but too short to see results. COMMIT!

8 years strong! Can you remember what you were doing 8 years ago? She is one of many who have been here for over 8 years and we are SO lucky to have these people train with us. Thank you, Deb for you incredible commitment and fantastic competitive "can-do" attitude. You are a rockstar!

-Coach Meagan

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