In 2012, Barbara Wiebe was very worried about her health—she’d just suffered a stroke and though it wasn’t severe, she says it was “worrisome enough for her family to get her to start looking after herself better.”

Though Barbara frequently exercised before her stroke, she mentions that her high blood pressure and the medication she took to alleviate symptoms caused her to step back from her normal exercise routine nearly 15 years ago.

“I had walked every morning for 25 years, but when I developed high blood pressure in 2000 and the medication made me quite unsteady on my feet, I stopped walking outside,” Barbara said. “I purchased a treadmill, but didn’t always use it as diligently as I should have. I was lax about exercising.”

Now, at age 74, Barbara says she’s feeling great—and she’s glad Mary Ann from Higher Level Fitness has been there every step of the way to help her get on track and work through her health issues.

Word of mouth was the best form of advertising. Barbara’s daughter Janet began working with Mary Ann at Higher Level Fitness several years ago and was so satisfied with her own personal progress, she recommended that her mother get in touch.

“My daughter had great success working with Mary Ann and recommended her highly,” Barbara said. “Since working with her over the past year, I’ve already seen many changes.”

Barbara credits Mary Ann’s open minded and holistic approach to fitness for getting her on track. At her age, Barbara says finding a working diet and an exercise program aren’t as easy as they used to be. However, Mary Ann worked very hard to develop a customized plan to help Barbara regain her health.

“Mary Ann not only helps me with exercising the proper way, but has given me lots of good advice about eating properly,” Barbara commented. “It’s not just dieting, but eating better and healthier.”

“At my age my knees are not what they used to be and will eventually have to have replacement surgery,” Barbara added. “Mary Ann has shown me what exercises are good to strengthen the muscles in my legs to support my knees, and it has helped tremendously.”

Now, after working with Mary Ann for more than a year, Barbara not only feels better, but looks better, too. She’s gained necessary muscle tone and even had to shop for new clothes recently—because her old clothing quickly became too roomy.

“It’s not a bad thing,” Barbara joked. “I can go shopping for new clothes now! And, as vain as it sounds, I like it when people compliment me on how much better I look.”

Barbara is also enthusiastic about working with Mary Ann because she is not just a personal trainer, but a fitness nurse. Mary Ann brings a level of expertise to their training sessions at Higher Level Fitness that Barbara hasn’t experienced elsewhere.

“Because Mary Ann is a nurse she knows how to work around my health issues, and I trust her to make sure I am doing things properly,” Barbara said.

Ultimately, Barbara has experienced great personal results—and that keeps her motivated through each and every challenging workout. And she says she’d recommend Higher Level Fitness to anyone looking to make a lifestyle change, regardless of their age.

“Mary Ann stands apart from others because her goal is not making money, but making people healthier,” Barbara concluded. “That was evident during the first couple of sessions I had with her.”

Want to learn how Higher Level Fitness can help you reach YOUR goals?  Contact us today to get started.