Juggling is Her Specialty!

Karen, Mother of Four, Transforms Lifestyle to Focus on Fitness and Health

Growing up, Karen never thought she’d be a juggler. But these days, with four beautiful children, a wonderful husband and a great job, Karen’s become skilled at managing multiple projects and meeting the demands of many.  Not only that – she’s recently committed to living a healthy lifestyle for herself and her family.

“After the birth of my third child,” reflected Karen, “I realized how important my health is to the overall well being of my family. I made the commitment to transform my life and make fitness a priority – so that I can provide a great example to my children and my husband. My family will share the benefits of our healthy lifestyle approach.”

Originally from Minnesota, Karen and her husband, Tom, moved to Naperville nine years ago and have no plans on moving. They have four children:  Emily, who is 13 and loves music and her friends; Kennedy, who is 6 and is enjoys many activities including dance and soccer; William, a busy 4 year old who just started hockey and the newest addition to the family, Presley, who turns 4 months old this month.

Karen started her journey toward fitness with the Studio in the fall of last year, before Presley joined the family.  “When I joined the Studio, I immediately felt a connection,” smiled Karen. “It reminds me of a song … Sometimes, you want to go where everybody knows your name … this is how I always feel when I come for my workouts.” She stared with weekly Spin/Reformer classes as well as Spin and Pump-Butts-n-Guts. Her body responded quickly, dropping inches and visibly increasing her endurance.  “I was amazed and very pleased at the difference in my body. My waistline shrunk, I looked better and felt fantastic!” she remarked.

This spring, Karen found out she was pregnant with Presley. “I decided that I wanted to continue exercising throughout my pregnancy,” she said. “I wanted to maintain my level of fitness and make sure my delivery was as easy as possible.”  She teamed up with Roxanne’s faculty member, Val, and continued her training with Spin Reformer. “Karen is amazing,” remarked Val. “She was motivated, energized and committed to her healthy lifestyle. With permission from her doctor, we worked together to develop a safe, fun and effective Spin/Pilates program.”

Karen kept up the great work until she ran into a challenge: one day, at home, she twisted her ankle and was put on bed rest from her doctor.  “This was a huge obstacle for me,” said Karen. “I was frustrated with the injury and disappointed that I had to pause my workouts for a while.”

That didn’t stop her, though. As soon as Karen delivered her precious Presley and was given clearance from her doctor, she jumped back into her fitness routine by joining Roxanne’s Biggest Winner program, an individually tailored program designed for lifestyle transformation.  “I decided to enroll in the program for both the fall and the spring (9 months) because I really want to see results and change my life. I want to make health and fitness the norm – not an afterthought or an occasional occurrence. My personal goal is to look and feel better than I did prior to the birth of my kids.”

As you can imagine, the biggest challenge that Karen faces is time.  “We are so busy with the kids, work and travel schedules that it’s sometimes hard to stay on track,” reflected Karen.  “I miss workouts due to travel, which is tough. Also, I haven’t “lost” weight, so it’s been hard to stay motivated because I want to see results through weight loss. However, I know results will come in time.  And the support I feel from the Studio community is an integral part of my success.  The entire team has done so much to accommodate me throughout my pregnancy and post pregnancy. Roxanne’s really has a vested interest in my success. It’s a family – I feel my extended family – and one that I don’t want to let down.”   

When asked for some gems of inspiration that may help others, Karen took a minute and responded:

• Becoming unhealthy didn't happen over night, and becoming healthy won't either.  It is important to have a strong support group.  That is one of the elements of Roxanne’s that I like best.  They truly care about me and keep me honest!! If you want to be successful, find a support group that genuinely cares!
• Water....Water....Water.. and more Water.. Did I mention you should drink tons of water?  Seriously this makes a huge difference.

Karen, we are proud of you and are delighted that you are part of the Studio community.  Keep up the great work – you are truly an inspiration!

“Becoming unhealthy didn't happen over night and becoming healthy won't either”