It’s been a challenging eight months for Lovelock’s fitness club. In mid-March, due to the coronavirus, they shifted from in-person to Zoom meetings. With the help of technology, they still meet at 5 am every weekday morning – even on Thanksgiving Day.
“We are holding strong,” says Stephanie Jaramillo, the instructor. “At first, it was an adjustment. You don’t get the same energy and push as when we were all at the gym together.”
For one class member, that wasn’t a problem. Jill Steele’s grandchildren motivated her to keep going.
“I love being Mae Maw, and they are a big reason for me wanting to lose weight and stay in shape,” she says. “I want to spend time with them and see them grow.”
Steele’s three grandchildren have a lot of growing to do. They are Audrina, 6, Olivia, 4, and Rogelio, 11 months. Steele has seven more pounds to lose before reaching her target weight of 170.
Research shows that she’s on the right track, especially now.
“People may not realize this, but obesity in and of itself is a risk factor for being hospitalized or placed in the ICU as a result of COVID-19,” says a spokesperson from Houston Methodist. “And this is particularly concerning since we also know that about 42% of adults in the United States are obese.”
A high BMI may also render vaccines less effective in preventing disease. It’s linked to a host of disorders that land people in the high-risk category, like diabetes and heart disease.
Unfortunately, during the shutdown, the COVID-15 padded many waistlines. Instead, Steele dropped 38 pounds. How did she do it? She attributes a large part of her success to the fitness class, even during its temporary exile from the high school weight room.
“Working out with these amazing ladies has helped me so much,” she says. “Losing weight is about eating right, exercise and a healthy mindset. Having the support of my family, friends and workout crew is truly a blessing.”
Rene Childs and Shirley Reeves have been with the club since Jaramillo started it in June 2011. Steele joined up a few years later. Other core members include Cassie Fuller, Anne Mitchell, Lisa Clark, Lisa Booth, Tammy Montes and Sandra Arias.
Age-wise, the class spans decades – from twenty-somethings through seniors.
Members persist through personal ups and downs, encouraging and supporting one another. They’re retirees, students, mothers, grandmothers, teachers and other busy professionals.
Arias is a legal secretary at the 11th Judicial and has been attending the class for six years.
“I appreciate Stephanie’s hard work in providing us challenging workouts, enabling us to interact with one another virtually and keeping us safe during these uncertain times,” she says. “Our virtual workouts allow us to maintain our health and fitness even though we can’t get together in person.”
Anne Mitchell is the learning strategist at Lovelock Elementary School. She’s attended the class for three years, often with her daughters, Cassie Fuller and Kendra Mitchell.
Mitchell likes to post inspirational messages at the end of each Zoom class. A recent one said, “Feelin’ good in the neighborhood – Always blessed, never stressed.”
“It starts the day off right,” says Jaramillo.
The instructor dedicates Mondays and Wednesdays to cardio.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, the class works with weights. Friday, yoga eases everyone into the weekend. “We’ll be doing our traditional workout on Thanksgiving,” she adds. “We call it Earn your Turkey.”
To join the fitness club, contact Stephanie Jaramillo through Facebook.
