"I had quit my job 6 months prior to starting at Encompass from burnout. I’d been very active through work and didn’t really find the need to exercise. But after being at home, I found I wasn’t able to stay on top of things, had no self-discipline and gained 30 pounds. I was trying to be active but wasn’t successful. I tried to go to a 'regular gym' but kept wondering “Am I doing this right? What’s this machine for?" I just didn’t know what I was doing and wasn’t motivated to work out once I got there.

So, I signed up and started coming to classes at Encompass. I had no idea what it was going to be like. I found the classes hard at first.

But it got easier and I quickly got to the point where I was looking forward to coming to class."

But despite attending classes regularly, Elaine wasn’t able to lose the weight she wanted. Her husband had always struggled with weight loss, so she thought if she joined the Balanced Habits Kickstart program, she’d be able to help them both. And the first thing she learned was how much nutrition affects weight loss and that it can’t be done by exercise alone.

“All the pieces fell in to place for us with the Kickstart. My husband didn’t fight me on it so we went through the process together. We thought we’d been eating 'good food' but we weren’t aware of the importance of timing and portion sizes. That’s where the value and powerful knowledge is....eating the correct portions at the right times. My husband has now lost just about 70 pounds since January and has so much more energy, better moods, is more active, and able to do more at work himself. Our nutrition isn’t always perfect but it is more balanced. We know we can easily get back on track if we have an 'off' meal or day. It’s just so powerful to acknowledge the changes Balanced Habits have made in our life. We are both happier, more balanced and have a better life.

I even noticed huge improvements in my workouts once we started eating better. I’m seeing definition I never thought I’d have and I’m building muscle, which is pretty significant at my age.”

Once summer hit, Elaine thought she would take some time off from classes to work in her yard, planning on keeping up with her workouts on her own. She soon changed her mind.....

”I started coming to Encompass for the fitness but I missed the social part of it when I was away. I’ve made so many connections and missed everyone, so I had to come back sooner than I planned.”

This Grandma has also been training for Femsport, a women’s strength and fitness event coming up later this month in Moose Jaw.

“A new friend from Encompass convinced me to do it and initially, I thought it was going to be a good excuse to hang out with her. But I’ve been loving the training sessions and getting to know other ladies. And I can’t wait for this experience to flip tires and push a car.”

Elaine knows starting a fitness journey can be intimidating but has these words of advice for others:

“Just do it. Just throw yourself in. Everyone at Encompass has just been so welcoming, encouraging and so positive. Everyone feels comfortable there.

There’s different fitness levels all working out at the same time, each person doing the best that they can do. It’s so uplifting, plus, you know each time you leave that you’ve accomplished something. We all encourage each other - it’s so motivating to see others on their journey and to see what they’ve accomplished. It’s so important to know that you can join at any point in your life and still get great value. I can’t imagine these classes not working for everyone.”

We are so excited and proud of the changes Elaine has made with her fitness and nutrition, and it’s rubbed off on her husband, as well. Starting out is never easy, but feeling comfortable and welcome makes it so much easier. And the bonus? Friendships built from trying something new!