Nora came to Body + Soul Fitness looking to get stronger, lose weight, and prevent injuries. As a business owner, avid runner, and woman over 50, Nora knew she needed an experienced trainer to help her improve her overall health and fitness. After training with Saghar for eight months, Nora lost weight and can run a half marathon without pain. Keep reading to learn more about Nora’s inspiring training journey.
About Nora
Fitness had always been a part of Nora’s life. She was generally active but didn’t do strenuous, high-intensity activities. In 2016, Nora became an avid runner, but the more she ran, the more pain and injuries she experienced.
“I was going to physio a lot and spending so much money to focus on only one area at a time,” Nora explained. I started looking for someone who could help me rehabilitate and prevent injuries throughout my body.”
By the time Nora came to Body + Soul Fitness, Nora had a shoulder injury and a goal to lose weight. That’s when she met Saghar, a trainer with more than ten years of experience specializing in corrective exercise and rehabilitation.
The Challenge
From her first session, Nora knew she wanted to get stronger to prevent injury, become a better runner, and lose weight. These were good goals to start with, but to make sure Nora could celebrate her progress, Saghar needed to set specific goals.
To better understand Nora’s starting point, Saghar guided her through a fitness and lifestyle assessment. Saghar discovered that Nora had a limited range of motion in her shoulders due to a rotator cuff injury. She also dealt with knee pain and muscle tightness in her lower body.
The Program
With a better understanding of Nora’s fitness level and previous injuries, Saghar designed the first phase of the program to restore the range of motion in Nora’s shoulders. Nora could see Saghar carefully and intentionally designing her program. She explained, “Saghar focused on my personal abilities at that moment. She took it step by step, helping me improve in all areas.”
Overcoming Change
As for her goal to build muscle and lose fat, Nora found it challenging to fit the new, necessary habits into her lifestyle. As a business owner who actively manages her team, she worked long hours and struggled with sleep.
“I didn’t have a regular bedtime. I would often work late or wake up in the middle of the night to finish any work I had on my mind,” Nora explained. “Now that I have to be at the gym at 8:00 AM four days a week, I’ve been able to stick to a better sleep routine. It gives me the accountability I need to truly log out of work.”
Another challenge Nora faced was eating healthy while travelling for work. To help her stay on track, Saghar offered advice on what to bring on the trip and what to order while at restaurants. “Even now, she encourages me to stay on track and make healthier choices,” explained Nora.
Noticing Change
While it was challenging at the start, the new routine brought a shift in perspective. As she adapted, Nora lost weight, could move pain-free, and stuck to a sleep schedule. Unexpectedly, her sessions have given her the opportunity to focus on herself. Nora explained, “Saghar gives me that focus, so I wanted to make sure I was too. Now my sessions are my guarded ‘me’ time.”
After eight months of consistent sessions, Nora absolutely loves strength training. “I look forward to it. I love how it makes me feel and how it has transformed the way I look in clothes I haven’t been able to wear in years.”
Nora’s newfound confidence is just the beginning of the results she’s achieved on her journey.
The Results
Nora started achieving her goals in just four months. She felt less self-conscious in sleeveless dresses and swimsuits, had more work-life balance, and accomplished huge feats in her endurance running and cycling.
Her inspiring accomplishments start with running 15 kilometres without getting tired or experiencing pain. Before training with Saghar, she couldn’t run more than five kilometres without pain. Nora says she “feels so much better” and is training to run a half marathon.
Nora’s results don’t end there. She cycled 50 kilometres for the Ride the DVP Bike for Brain Health and “did it all with no problem.” She shared, “I didn’t even really train leading up to it. All the strength and conditioning I had done in the gym made me feel like I could have ridden even longer.”
All the work she has put into her training sessions has paid off. Nora says she feels “amazing, energetic, happy to be alive.”
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