Lauren Davis: Journey into the Unknown

I began training with MM Team Fitness® in May of 2013 following an Internet search for personal training. I was interested in doing some kind of personal training and I had heard about TRX®. So I did what I always do, began my research to see where it would take me. I found a location that offered TRX® training once a week but it was far from my home and I was going to spend more time on the road than I was training. As I continued looking for places closer to home with TRX® training, I came across locations that offered a variety of other training services and one style that intrigued me was CrossFit™. I had never heard of CrossFit™ before and had no real idea what it involved. I found MM Team Fitness® and I liked the philosophy of the CrossFit™ based training. Not as intense as the competitive CrossFit™ you might see on ESPN, but still far more productive than the traditional personal training one usually finds in most regular health clubs and gyms.

Never-the-less, when I saw the “action” pictures and the list of equipment that the MM Teams used, I was intimidated. I filled out the on-line form for a free assessment several times before I actually submitted it! Finally, after a week of contemplating, I got over my fear and hit “enter”.

Wow, was my assessment an eye opener!! I had completed a triathlon prior to turning 50 and 3 years later I was struggling to do squats, lunges and other basic assessment movements. As Olivia, Mark’s summer intern said, “I was a hot mess!!” I began attending sessions 3 times a week and it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. Trying to learn the lingo was like learning a foreign language. I had no idea what a WOD, AWUW or DB Burbee was. Luckily, I had Olivia to act as my translator. She was my lifeline during those first few weeks.

I am now doing things that I never, ever thought I would be able to. When I first began this journey, I couldn’t jump rope for more than 15 seconds, doing 500m on the rower would have taken me all day, and lifting weights was something that I only dreamed about. I still have a long way to go, but I am getting there step by step. The people that I train with are a large part my success. They have been where I am and keep encouraging me to do even more.

MM Team Fitness® has helped me to do two things that have truly transformed my life. One, I quit smoking about 3 months ago and two, I now love to exercise! If I miss one of my sessions, I feel like I have missed an important part of my day.

Last week I had a follow up iDXA with Dr Jackie Buell at The Ohio State University. After 6 months of training, I was concerned that the 5 lbs of weight I put on since I stopped smoking was fat. Mark told me to relax and see what the results of my second iDXA were. As it turns out, I’ve dropped my body fat by 2%, added almost 6 lbs of muscle to my frame and have begun to increase my bone density.

It will be interesting now that I can actually lift more intensely, what the next 6 months will bring. I’m very excited!

- Lauren Davis, age 53