‘It’s worth it’: Grandmother of four stays healthy at women-owned gym
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — When many are winding down for the day, others are hard at work. At 6:45 p.m. on May 14, Agnes Bryan was doing curls, shoulder presses and stationary lunges at a local nonprofit gym.
A grandmother of four, Bryan is one of a few clients who have joined woman-owned Transformations Mind Body N Soul Fitness Inc. since it opened in January.
“Before, my exercise was going back and forth to the refrigerator and going back and watching TV. But now I don’t do that anymore,” said Bryan during National Women’s Health Week, which runs May 12 to 18 this year.
Her blue shirt sweaty from her workout, Bryan added staying active helps her do something other than her day-to-day routine. The workouts, training and nutrition plans offered at Mind Body N Soul require registration with the gym but are otherwise free.
“It’s better for me to be active as far as getting exercise in, doing something and knowing that my life is about more than just, you know, ordinary,” Bryan said. “I need to make a difference as far as being healthy.”
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Currently, Bryan trains at Mind Body N Soul about three days a week. On other days, she fits in daily walks and other workouts with local nonprofit All About Fitness Family.
Bryan is also working with coach Cheryl Harrison of Mind Body N Soul to make healthier dietary choices.
Harrison, an Army veteran runs Mind Body N Soul alongside fellow Army Vet Delonda Ramsey and current Air Force servicemember Sheikela Ford. The team said it is important to stay healthy, especially as women.
“As women, we wear so many hats,” Harrison said, listing off titles like “mom,” “caregiver” and “workforce member.”
The Mind Body N Soul team emphasized that even a quick walk can help improve women’s quality of life and help them to show up better for themselves and their families. Lifting weights has also been shown to support bone density.
This can reduce susceptibility to osteoporosis, a disease which disproportionately affects women. According to the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation, 80% of Americans with osteoporosis are women.
The CDC reports the prevalence of osteoporosis affect women aged 50 and over at a rate of 19.6%, compared to men in the same age range at a rate of 4.4%.
Harrison said, “The body is made to be in motion and as women we need to continue to stay in motion.”
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For Bryan, switching to a healthier, more active lifestyle hasn’t come without growing pains. She remembers being sore and uncomfortable when she started her workouts. These days, her body is used to a new normal.
“It’s not meant to be easy. You know, it’s a consistent thing, you have to do it constantly. It’s not something that you do one time,” Bryan said.
She added, “It’s worth it. It’s really worth it.”
Bryan plans to maintain her fitness routine for the foreseeable future. She’ll return to Mind Body N Soul later in the week to hit another of her three weekly workouts.
Mind Body N Soul will also be hosting a community wellness event on Saturday, May 18 which is free to attend and open to all. It will include health screenings, light snacks and refreshments.
The event will take place at the Mind Body N Soul gym located at 4454 Warm Springs Road from noon to 2 p.m.
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