Healthy Living • Y Stories • YMCA Health and Fitness • YMCA Volunteers
Stephanie’s decade-long commitment to her community
03 December 2017 - by Nicole Meredith
Stephanie has been part of the Markham YMCA family for the past ten years. Her steadfast commitment not only to improving her own health, but also that of her community, makes us proud to have her as one of our Sweat For Good Ambassadors. Every day, Stephanie breaks a sweat to show her support for new friendships, for pushing boundaries, for learning new things, and for her community. Here’s Stephanie’s Y Story:
Ten years ago, I made the conscious decision to start my fitness journey as a member of the Markham YMCA. After spending countless hours in the weight room, I realized that I needed some variety to address other aspects of fitness, including cardio, flexibility, and endurance. Fortunately, there were a number of group fitness classes available, including Barre, MuscleFit, CycleFit, Bootcamp, and CardioFit Box that provided me with the change I needed.
These classes showed me that there is a lot more to fitness than just weights and feeling good. You build a bond with all of the participants in the class because you are all there for the same reason: to have fun and challenge each other. Of all the classes that I had tried, CardioFit Box was my favourite — I loved attending these classes so much that I started volunteering to teach them! Leading a group fitness class continuously challenges me to grow as an individual, and has allowed me to “get my sweat on” while encouraging others to be active and most importantly, have fun working out together.
For me, the Y is all about the people. I have built so many connections with regulars in the weight room, and with people who participate in the group fitness classes. Making connections is key to achieving a healthy, active lifestyle, and to staying accountable. This is where the Y really shines: I’ve made many friends here, and we are always excited to work out and challenge each other to become better versions of ourselves. The members at the YMCA come from all walks of life, and with them all conveniently gathered under the same roof, there are plenty of opportunities to learn new things from so many different people in the community. I am excited to continue to give back to the YMCA.
Check out our brand new Sweat For Good video to see Stephanie in action!
Ten years ago, I made the conscious decision to start my fitness journey as a member of the Markham YMCA. After spending countless hours in the weight room, I realized that I needed some variety to address other aspects of fitness, including cardio, flexibility, and endurance. Fortunately, there were a number of group fitness classes available, including Barre, MuscleFit, CycleFit, Bootcamp, and CardioFit Box that provided me with the change I needed.
These classes showed me that there is a lot more to fitness than just weights and feeling good. You build a bond with all of the participants in the class because you are all there for the same reason: to have fun and challenge each other. Of all the classes that I had tried, CardioFit Box was my favourite — I loved attending these classes so much that I started volunteering to teach them! Leading a group fitness class continuously challenges me to grow as an individual, and has allowed me to “get my sweat on” while encouraging others to be active and most importantly, have fun working out together.
For me, the Y is all about the people. I have built so many connections with regulars in the weight room, and with people who participate in the group fitness classes. Making connections is key to achieving a healthy, active lifestyle, and to staying accountable. This is where the Y really shines: I’ve made many friends here, and we are always excited to work out and challenge each other to become better versions of ourselves. The members at the YMCA come from all walks of life, and with them all conveniently gathered under the same roof, there are plenty of opportunities to learn new things from so many different people in the community. I am excited to continue to give back to the YMCA.
Check out our brand new Sweat For Good video to see Stephanie in action!
