A Body in Motion
Seven years ago, Janine’s family moved to the area and didn’t know anyone. So, she brought her son with her to the Y.
“I was a stay at home mom for the first time, and I felt like we really wanted to connect with the community,” she said.
Janine decided to try a dance fitness class because she’d enjoyed dancing as a kid. Little did she know, she would be teaching the class a few years later.
“Everybody was so friendly, and it got a little easier,” she said. “From there, I started trying other classes and doing different things, and I met people and made friends.”
When SH’BAM instructor training became available at the center, Janine told the staff member in charge that she was interested but didn’t feel fit enough.
“She said, ‘Of course you are! Come on, you’d be great!’” Janine recalled. “So that was my first class I started teaching.”
After that, she became certified to teach SilverSneakers, water aerobics, and other classes.
“I like encouraging people to move and to not feel like you have to have it perfect. You don’t have to look a certain way to move your body.”
Janine motivates members to enjoy exercise instead of thinking it has to be painful and torturous.
“I tell them, ‘It’s your workout, and you have to make it work for you. So, come. Have fun. Do you. Move your body, and everything else will follow.’”
She also serves as a daily, tangible example that health transformation doesn’t have to be quick and dramatic. It’s a process.
“It’s taken me seven years to get to where I am now. You know, comparison is a thief, so don’t let it steal your progress, and don’t let it steal your joy. Do you and your path,” she said.
Looking back, Janine feels proud of how far she’s come. She says she’s not just physically fit, but she also eats healthier and is more outgoing. She looks forward to whatever new surprises the future holds, as long as she can keep moving—not just for herself, but for her family as well.
“Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion, and I want my body to be in motion,” she said. “I feel better, and I have two little kids I gotta keep up with.”