{"id":64876,"date":"2018-01-17T07:15:50","date_gmt":"2018-01-17T12:15:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=64876"},"modified":"2021-11-18T07:14:50","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T12:14:50","slug":"inspiring-stories-fitness-motivation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/inspiring-stories-fitness-motivation\/","title":{"rendered":"How Exercise Changed These 7 People\u2019s Lives"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_64888\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64888\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64888 size-full\" title=\"Fitness Motivation: 7 Inspiring Stories of How Exercise Changed These 7 Lives\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010215\/Exercise-Changed-Life-Pin.jpg\" alt=\"Fitness Motivation: 7 Inspiring Stories of How Exercise Changed These 7 Lives\" width=\"620\" height=\"930\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010215\/Exercise-Changed-Life-Pin.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010215\/Exercise-Changed-Life-Pin-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64888\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photos (clockwise from top left): Stephanie Laska \/ PowerBar, Heather Laptolo \/ Michael Lambert, Mike Ergo \/ Tony Svensson, Krista Meinert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Exercise has <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/mental-benefits-of-strength-training-exercises\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">countless benefits<\/a>. Of course, there\u2019s the weight loss and muscle gains \u2014 the aesthetic changes that people tend to notice the most. Then, there\u2019s the physiological advantages of <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/guide-better-sleep-beat-exhaustion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">better sleep<\/a>, more energy, disease prevention and enhanced immunity. Finally comes the mental side \u2014 a boost in <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/boost-confidence-trainer-quotes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">self-confidence<\/a>, a new joy for life, and even a drive for stronger social connections. All of these powerful pay-offs can come from taking it just one step at a time. And these seven women and men provide living proof.<\/p>\n<p>Let their inspiring stories of struggles and triumph, heartbreak and resilience drive you to sign up for that <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/5k-training-plan-beginner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5K<\/a> you\u2019re nervous about, to take that strength class you\u2019ve always wanted to, or even just to <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/outdoor-adventures-health-benefits-nature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">take a walk outside<\/a> this afternoon. All you need is a little reminder about how good it can feel \u2014 for your body and mind \u2014 to keep moving forward.<\/p>\n<h2>7 Inspiring Stories on How Exercise Can Change a Life<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64889\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64889\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64889 size-full\" title=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Stephanie Laska\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010213\/Stephanie-Laska.jpg\" alt=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Stephanie Laska\" width=\"620\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010213\/Stephanie-Laska.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010213\/Stephanie-Laska-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64889\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Courtesy of PowerBar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>1. Stephanie Laska: Small Steps, Big Benefits<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cExercise for me is not about running a <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/best-marathons-in-the-world\/\"   title=\"marathon\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"304\">marathon<\/a>, it\u2019s about those daily decisions to just go outside.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Growing up, Stephanie Laska, 44, never worked out. She chose music class over P.E., and had Kool-Aid and Froot Loops every day. It wasn\u2019t until her 40s, weighing around 300 pounds, that she decided she need a lifestyle reboot. A few <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/healthy-lifestyle-hacks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">simple diet changes<\/a>, like dropping sugary soda and limiting beer and desserts, helped her lose 50 pounds. But she quickly hit a plateau and knew it was time to start moving.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe details [of a workout schedule] stressed me out at first,\u201d says the Californian. \u201cWhen do you exercise? Who takes the kids to school? Who makes <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/recipes\/30-minute-meals-dinner-ideas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dinner<\/a>?\u201d After a few months of putting it off, she decided to just walk. Not long after, when she was walking her typical route around a tennis court, she decided to pick it up and run the length of one side. Then, she ran two sides, then three, then a full loop, until she ran her first mile in 2014.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was keeping it a secret at this point and I remember taking my kids to the park one day. They were on the bikes and got far ahead of me, so I decided to run to catch up,\u201d Laska recalls. \u201cThe look on my daughter\u2019s face when she saw me running was like she saw Santa Claus.\u201d That\u2019s when Laska started taking her one-mile jogs up to a 5k, 10k, <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/the-50-best-half-marathons-in-the-u-s\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">half-marathon<\/a> and eventually, marathon distance.<\/p>\n<p>Laska ran her first 26.2 in 2015, scoring first place in her age group. She completed her second this past fall in NYC, as a member of the PowerBar Clean Start team, just one year after having major surgery.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat motivated me to keep going was that it wasn\u2019t as hard as I made it out to be,\u201d says Laska, who lost a total of 140 pounds and has kept it off for four years now. \u201cPeople tend to make these huge decisions \u2014 like joining a gym or signing up for bootcamp \u2014 but I just made a tiny choice to take a walk around the block. I always try to remind myself that those little decisions snowball, positive or negative.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The idea of taking life one step at a time has led Laska to make more time for herself, and say no to responsibilities that don\u2019t improve her well-being. This has also improved her relationships with her husband and kids and even brought on a promotion at work, she says. \u201cPeople always ask the hardest thing about losing weight, and I respond that it was saying no to buttered popcorn at the movies,\u201d Laska says. \u201cExercise for me is not about running a marathon, it\u2019s about those daily decisions to <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/outdoor-adventures-health-benefits-nature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">just go outside<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/running-inspiration-real-runners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why I Started Running \u2014 And Never Stopped<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/inspiring-stories-fitness-motivation\/2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click HERE to Read Mike Ergo&#8217;s Story of Resilience Post-Military<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64890\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64890\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64890 size-full\" title=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Mike Ergo\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010210\/Mike-Ergo.jpg\" alt=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Mike Ergo\" width=\"620\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010210\/Mike-Ergo.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010210\/Mike-Ergo-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64890\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of Tony Svensson \/ Ironman World Championships<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>2. Mike Ergo: Something New to Fight for Every Day<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cIt\u2019s about making peace with discomfort, and that translates into everyday life.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>A soldier in the Marine Corps Infantry, Mike Ergo served two tours in Iraq, much of which he spent fighting on the front lines. When he returned to the U.S. in 2005 having lost so many close friends, he had no idea where to go next. \u201cI didn\u2019t expect to come home alive,\u201d he says, \u201cso trying to plan a whole new life was difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ergo ended up turning to drugs and alcohol to deal with his PTSD. \u201cI think I was just living for that next good feeling, which for me, usually came in a bottle,\u201d says Ergo, who married his wife, Sara, shortly after returning from Iraq. It wasn\u2019t until July 2012 that Sara sat Ergo down and told him he wasn\u2019t the man she married. She challenged him to make a change. \u201cI had a moment of clarity&#8230;and just quit cold turkey,\u201d Ergo says.<\/p>\n<p>In search of something to turn his attention to, Ergo started doing <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/beginner-crossfit-workouts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CrossFit<\/a>. Then, a friend asked him to join for a half-marathon, so he laced up and started <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/best-adult-running-camps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">running<\/a>. He immediately fell for his experience on the road. \u201cI remember thinking, \u2018I&#8217;m putting my body through stress, and my body&#8217;s handling it. I have all these internal resources to deal with this \u2014 I don&#8217;t need external chemicals to regulate my mood,&#8217;\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Not too long after, a friend invited Ergo to an Alcatraz swim in the San Francisco Bay. Within that same year, on vacation in Hawaii, Ergo watched the <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/ironman-champion-chrissie-wellington\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ironman World Championships<\/a> \u2014 where competitors complete a two-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a marathon-distance run. He signed up for a half <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/ironman-triathlon-training-time-saving-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ironman<\/a> as soon as he got home.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have a history in the Marine Corps of putting myself through discomfort, and finding satisfaction and purpose in that, as opposed to just looking for easy and comfortable,\u201d he says. He figured a <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/beginners-guide-triathlon-training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">triathlon<\/a> would be no different, and he completed that first race in 2015. He then did a few more half Ironmans in 2016, and by fall 2017 he committed to a full Ironman back in Hawaii.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to the <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/periodization-marathon-triathlon-training-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tough training sessions<\/a> and grueling Ironman courses, Ergo has also learned to be OK with things not being 100 percent all the time and has taken a softer approach to dealing with hardships. \u201cAt first, I think I approached it with a sense of \u2018I&#8217;m going to beat this, I&#8217;m going to overcome it,\u2019 \u2014 a really aggressive attitude. It&#8217;s more like what I&#8217;d say as a CrossFitter,\u201d he says. \u201cBut it&#8217;s hard to crush something for 13 hours. [My new approach] was really just <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/easy-ways-practice-gratitude\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gratitude<\/a>, and acceptance of where I am. To think about being on the finish line and being done after 12 or 13 hours, that&#8217;s mentally taxing. That means for 12 or 13 hours, you&#8217;re not where you want to be&#8230; So, I\u2019m always coming back to, \u2018This is okay. I can hurt. That&#8217;s fine,\u2019\u2019 Ergo says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s about making peace with discomfort, and that translates into everyday life \u2014 not needing things to be ideal all the time, because they aren&#8217;t,\u201d he continues. \u201cIf you can have the discipline in whatever the workout routine is, and put yourself through some adversity and some discomfort, then when that comes up in other avenues in life, you&#8217;re ready for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/strength-numbers-fitness-community\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Strength in Numbers: How to Find Your Fitness Tribe<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/inspiring-stories-fitness-motivation\/3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click HERE for Felicia Hall&#8217;s Story About Finding Happiness in Movement<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64891\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64891\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64891 size-full\" title=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Felicia Hall\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010207\/Felicia-Hall.jpg\" alt=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Felicia Hall\" width=\"620\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010207\/Felicia-Hall.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010207\/Felicia-Hall-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64891\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2D3n6SV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Burn<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>3. Felicia Hall: A Necessary Dose of Happiness<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;I\u2019m comfortable in every part of my skin.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>During the holiday season in 2015, Felicia Hall found herself looking forward to drinking more than anything else. She was battling depression and turning to wine in the early afternoons and McDonald\u2019s late at night. \u201cI was miserable, overeating and just not really caring for myself. I wasn&#8217;t active and I was tired \u2014 just exhausted,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t until the New Year that Hall decided to make a change. A friend mentioned <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2D3n6SV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Burn<\/a>, and Hall decided to sign up. If it didn\u2019t work out after 30 days, she thought she&#8217;d just quit. \u201cI signed up and I put a reminder in my calendar to cancel the day before the free trial ended,\u201d says Hall, 36, who kicked off with the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2D4dabw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">True Beginner\u00a0<\/a>program. \u201cWithin two weeks, I took that notification out of my phone. I was not stopping.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The confidence she gained from <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2D3n6SV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Burn<\/a> also got her running. \u201cI love the sound of my feet hitting the ground, knowing that my body is capable of doing that,\u201d she says.\u00a0\u201c[Running is] my time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To fuel her new active lifestyle, Hall overhauled her late-night fast food sessions, too. She started <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/recipes\/30-minute-meals-dinner-ideas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cooking healthy meals<\/a> and packing portable, nutritious <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/recipes\/healthy-snacks-for-kids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">snacks<\/a> like sliced rotisserie chicken and fresh fruits and veggies.<\/p>\n<p>After five months, Hall lost 20 pounds \u2014 and gained a new perspective not just on exercise, but life in general. She consistently turns to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/452378534949617\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Burn community group<\/a> for pick-me-ups and cheers of support. And she even started teaching group fitness classes in her hometown of Asheboro, North Carolina. Most importantly, she learned the power of setting a positive example and gaining self-confidence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo be physically able to exercise and to go on and continue to grow with it and pass it on to my children \u2014 it\u2019s an amazing gift,\u201d she says.\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t have the perfect body, but I love what I have, and I\u2019m comfortable. I\u2019m comfortable in every part of my skin&#8230; People don\u2019t understand what something like this can do for a person\u2019s soul. It\u2019s not just a physical change \u2014 it\u2019s mental, it\u2019s emotional. It\u2019s everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/success-stories-non-scale-victories\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">11 Non-Scale Victories So Much Better Than Weight Loss<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/inspiring-stories-fitness-motivation\/4\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click HERE to Read How Katherine Lauria Found Fun and Friends Through Fitness<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64892\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64892\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64892 size-full\" title=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Katherine Lauria\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010204\/Katherine-Lauria.jpg\" alt=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Katherine Lauria\" width=\"620\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010204\/Katherine-Lauria.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010204\/Katherine-Lauria-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64892\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of Katherine Lauria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>4. Katherine Lauria: A Built-In Friend Finder<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Exercise is a universal interest and I\u2019ve learned that people love sharing it with each other.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Katherine Lauria never gave exercise a second thought. Though her friends would go to group fitness classes on the weekends followed by <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/recipes\/healthy-brunch-recipes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">brunch<\/a>, she\u2019d skip the workout and join the dining. Her only exposure to breaking a sweat was high school gym class years ago. \u201cI think I actually got a C in it just for being uncooperative,\u201d Lauria laughs. \u201cIt was never my hobby.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That is, until she and a friend decided to sign up for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.soul-cycle.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Soul Cycle<\/a> in her New Jersey hometown. \u201cWe were laughing about it, saying it was going to be so hard and we weren\u2019t going to keep up,\u201d says Lauria, 26. \u201cBut after that first class, I felt very accomplished when it was over. I mean it was hard, but me and my friend looked at each other and thought, \u2018We just did the same thing as those people and we fit in.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Two years and 150 classes later, Lauria has shed 65 pounds, along with her disdain for fitness. In fact, a few months after taking regular Soul Cycle classes, she felt confident enough to give other workouts a try, like running, <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/db\/pilates-exercises-transverse-abdominis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pilates<\/a> and personal training. But Lauria&#8217;s favorite pay-off of all that sweat: the connections she\u2019s made with others \u2014 especially after her recent move to London from D.C.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[When I moved to London], I\u2019d meet a friend at a fitness studio and then make a date to go try a new workout. Exercise is a universal interest and I\u2019ve learned that people love sharing it with each other,\u201d says Lauria. She recalls when working out wasn\u2019t even something she considered doing, and now it\u2019s one of her favorite ways to spend the day. \u201cI exercise just because I enjoy it now. It\u2019s a great way to feel productive with your alone time or to meet other people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/instagram-positive-affirmations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">19 Positive Affirmations That\u2019ll Change the Way You Think<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/inspiring-stories-fitness-motivation\/5\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click HERE to Learn How Heather Laptolo Destroys Physical Barriers<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64893\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64893\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64893 size-full\" title=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Heather Laptolo\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010201\/Heather-Laptolo.jpg\" alt=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Heather Laptolo\" width=\"620\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010201\/Heather-Laptolo.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010201\/Heather-Laptolo-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64893\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of Michael Lambert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>5. Heather Laptalo: Defying Odds<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;When I started moving and running \u2014 even though it wasn\u2019t fast or far \u2014 I felt free.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Thirteen years ago, doctors told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=CL0498047hY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Heather Laptalo<\/a> that she\u2019d never <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/best-running-routes-us-cities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">run a mile<\/a>. She had an extreme case of scoliosis and kyphosis \u2014 both of which affect spinal alignment \u2014 and had three major back surgeries because of it. The first occurred when she was 13 years old and then two more at age 19. She had played soccer up until that point, but because she was missing ribs, she couldn\u2019t risk the contact and had to stop. What\u2019s worse, the spinal fusions meant she didn\u2019t absorb shock well, so even walking felt painful.<\/p>\n<p>While you might think rest was in order, none of this kept Laptalo from eventually <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/love-running-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">running<\/a> circles around her peers. After the final operation, she got in the pool as soon as she got the go-ahead. And, after endlessly asking doctors when she could try running again, she began alternating 100 meters of walking with 100 meters of running. The push paid off: A cross-country coach from San Jose State University recruited her to join the team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think growing up as an athlete and then not being able to do it [after the surgeries], made me feel weak and horrible. <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/power-walking-treadmill-workouts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Walking<\/a> was hard and exhausting at first and I couldn\u2019t raise my arm to brush my hair,\u201d Laptalo, 32, says. \u201cBut when I started moving and running \u2014 even though it wasn\u2019t fast or far \u2014 I felt free. And the more I did it, the freer I felt. Also, the more I felt like me, instead of this person trapped in a body that only resembled me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Laptalo continues to break through her so-called limitations. Despite limited lung function due to her missing ribs, she started skiing and <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/ice-climbing-how-to-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">climbing mountains<\/a>, and prefers <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/beginners-guide-trail-running\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trail running<\/a> to taking on roads. \u201cIt makes me feel powerful and confident that I\u2019m getting to see a part of the world that people don\u2019t get to see unless they have this physical ability,\u201d she says. She even <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/best-hiking-trails-world\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hiked<\/a> to the Everest base camp at nearly 18,000 feet. \u201cI was in awe of my body \u2014 just really excited to be alive and energized.\u201d And just this summer, she ran 50 miles doing the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI still have a lot of pain and discomfort, but I feel like when I\u2019m active, the pain disappears. Maybe I don\u2019t notice it, because I\u2019m enjoying the experience so much,\u201d she says. \u201cBut when I\u2019m having a bad day, when my body is bothering me and I\u2019m struggling physically or mentally, I just realize how lucky I am to be able to do this \u2014 even when I wasn\u2019t supposed to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/best-trail-races-trail-running-events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The 15 Most Epic Trail Races Across the U.S.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/inspiring-stories-fitness-motivation\/6\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click HERE to Read Nicole Schuman&#8217;s Story of Discovering Self-Confidence<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64894\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64894\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64894 size-full\" title=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Nicole Schuman\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010158\/Nicole-Schuman.jpg\" alt=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Nicole Schuman\" width=\"620\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010158\/Nicole-Schuman.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010158\/Nicole-Schuman-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64894\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2D3n6SV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Burn<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>6. Nicole Schuman: Feeling the Self-Love<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;For the first time in my life I love my body.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t until Nicole Schuman had her baby daughter in 2015 that exercise crossed her mind. A self-proclaimed exercise hater, she decided keeping up with her kid at the park \u2014 and not worrying about people looking at her \u2014 was a solid reason to <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/how-to-get-back-in-shape-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">start moving<\/a>. \u201cI wanted my daughter to know she can do anything and if I can\u2019t prove that, who\u2019s going to?\u201d says the 26-year-old. \u201c[That would be like saying], \u2018You can do anything you want to, but mommy can\u2019t\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/not-losing-weight-surprising-reasons\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lose weight<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After trying a few Pinterest fitness challenges, she came across <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2D3n6SV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Burn<\/a> and decided to sign up for a free trial. It only took a few sessions for her to get hooked. \u201c[<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2D3n6SV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Burn 365<\/a>] is just fun to watch \u2014 it\u2019s like reality TV, but not,\u201d Schuman says. \u201cYou know the people in the background and the trainers. My husband even knows most of the trainers because I talk about them all the time,\u201d she laughs.<\/p>\n<p>Ten months since she started \u2014 and post 60-pound weight-loss \u2014 Schuman still tunes into <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2D3n6SV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DB365<\/a>. But it\u2019s the benefits she\u2019s noticed off the scale that have really stuck with her. While depression and anxiety used to stop her from being social, she now seeks out ways to get involved in her <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/social-media-workout-motivation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">community<\/a>. She also feels more energetic and <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/instagram-positive-affirmations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">positive<\/a>, and less achy and stiff.<\/p>\n<p>The best part about her newfound love of fitness, though, is how she feels when she catches her reflection.\u00a0\u201cToday, I woke up and looked in the mirror and thought \u2018wow,\u2019\u201d Schuman says. \u201cNot because I spent hours getting ready, not because my hair looked good and not because I put makeup on. I stood in my mirror with no makeup, normal clothes, no shower \u2014 I have a one-year-old now! \u2014 and I just thought \u2018wow.\u2019 For the first time in my life I love my body. I think I look amazing and I feel so good about what I have accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/fitness-goals-workout-resolutions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">8 Fitness Goals to Set for 2018 and How to Crush Them<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/inspiring-stories-fitness-motivation\/7\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click HERE to Read How Krista Meinert Found Joy in Life After Loss<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64895\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64895\" style=\"width: 620px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64895 size-full\" title=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Krista Meinert\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010155\/Krista-Meinert.jpg\" alt=\"Inspiring Stories for Fitness Motivation: Krista Meinert\" width=\"620\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010155\/Krista-Meinert.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn-life.dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/10010155\/Krista-Meinert-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64895\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo courtesy of Krista Meinert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>7. Krista Meinert: A New View on Life<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;The effects of exercising and mountaineering is that I actually have a life now.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Krista Meinert never exercised regularly, though in her adult life, she started adding daily <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/easy-yoga-poses-happy-go-yoga\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">yoga<\/a> sessions to her schedule. She loved the mind-body connection and how it seemed to slow things down, while also <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/best-ab-exercises-core-workout\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">strengthening her core<\/a>. But that all changed on January 10, 2010.<\/p>\n<p>While her son, Jake, was serving in Afghanistan, he stepped on an explosive device and died. \u201cNothing is the same after that. Jake\u2019s death changed many aspects of my life,\u201d Meinert says. \u201cMy firstborn was gone. I didn\u2019t know who I was anymore. At the same time, I didn\u2019t want to be labeled as the mother of a dead son.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fast-forward a few years when Meinert found herself looking through old photos. \u201cI noticed in the pictures I was in since Jake\u2019s death, that I had been smiling in them, but it was an empty smile \u2014 there was no feeling behind it,\u201d says the 47-year-old. She did spot one photo, though, from 2013 with her daughter and niece, standing on the top of Mt. Cloundry in Colorado. \u201cThat was the first real smile I had after [my son] died.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not long after finding that photo, Meinert received an email from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.taps.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TAPS<\/a> \u2014\u00a0 an organization that offers support to people who lost a loved one in the military. They were hosting an expedition with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/adventures\/trips\/weekend-getaways\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">REI Adventures<\/a> to Mt. Shasta in California. Meinert knew she had to go.<\/p>\n<p>She started researching <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/athlete-training-plan-30-days\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">training plans<\/a> to prepare for her trek. Upper and lower body workouts soon became a regular to-do, and she began carrying a 40- to 60-pound backpack wherever she could. \u201cIt got me out of my comfort zone and thinking about other things besides how miserable I was,\u201d Meinert says. In 2016, she reached the top of Mt. Shasta.<\/p>\n<p>Besides the beauty of seeing the stars at night and the sunrise as she reached the summit, Meinert made life-long friends during that climb and found something that brought her real joy. \u201cI love the planning of it and I love the experience of working with a team and the focus on survival,\u201d she says. And because she was with a group of other TAPS members, she had great listeners to share her story. \u201cI think we all felt really comfortable talking about our broken hearts,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Since the Mt. Shasta climb, Meinert has summited 19 of the 50 U.S. state high points. And she has no plans of stopping. \u201cThe effects of exercising and <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/camping-hiking-tips-packing-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mountaineering<\/a> is that I actually have a life now. After I lost my son, I felt like I wasn\u2019t living,\u201d Meinert says. \u201cExercise and mountaineering let me <a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/mindfulness-tips-mindful-eating-meditation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">be in the moment<\/a>. If I miss my step, I\u2019m going to slide. So I have to make sure I\u2019m present, not in the past being sad. I\u2019m not in the future, wishing things were different. I\u2019m right there and I\u2019m excited and I\u2019m nervous.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meinert says this has translated into her being a better mother to her other children, too. \u201cEven mothering my other kids, I was in a haze, a grieving haze,\u201d she says. \u201cThe climbing got me out of that haze. It got me out of that dark place and it made me be back to who I was. It\u2019s also gotten me excited about a future.\u201d Two things she has to look forward to? Summiting Mt. Hood in Oregon and Half Dome in Yosemite National Park this summer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read More<br \/>\n<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/women-climbing-mountains-nature-heals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How Climbing Mountains Helped These 7 Women Heal<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/trainer-mantras-positive-self-talk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Push Through Any Workout With These Trainer Mantras<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/calorie-counting-weight-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Is Weight Loss Really As Easy As Calorie Counting?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meet seven real people who overcame heartache, trauma, injury and life-long unhealthy habits to find happiness \u2014 and healthfulness \u2014 in exercise. They\u2019re the ultimate fitness motivation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":64896,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6,14,19],"tags":[430,313,289,103,108,212,281,341,343,156,100],"class_list":["post-64876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","category-yoga","tag-daily-burn","tag-daily-burn-365","tag-exercise","tag-motivation","tag-running","tag-spinning","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-triathlon","tag-workout"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64876"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64876\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64896"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}