SEE THE CHANGE

Lori LaBrie

April 2008

Getting Started

Workouts help me with my emotions. Stressed and eating out of stress, at night my chest used to feel heavy. Now I’m able to burn some of the hostility off, and I’m resting better.

Prior to my membership at the 24 Hour Fitness Pearland Shaq Active, I used to work out in spurts. I’d run and jump rope and then get lazy and stop for 6 months. Now that I’m working with a trainer, Veronica Swearingen, I’m learning to use weights for the first time. I enjoy it way more than I thought I would. During weight training I feel my muscles contracting and working in different ways. There’s a new tightness in my body and things are pulling together and taking shape. At first I was nervous because my pants started to fit tighter as my muscles bulked out. But my trainer encouraged me to keep going. She was right: While I haven’t lost any weight yet, I’ve trimmed inches in my hips and butt and I’m noticing some definition in my arms.

What I love most about 24 Hour Fitness is that it stays open so late. My grad classes end at 8 p.m., and I still have time to go home and prepare a meal for my son before I go work out.