"This program gave me my life back": hear directly from Lori, a recent Strength Training & Yoga for Osteoporosis graduate.
Lori came to us having received a devastating diagnosis of severe osteoporosis. Watch the video below to hear, in her words, how gaining strength and learning to move safely made all the difference.
Susan: "overwhelmed by the difference in my balance and strength", and delighted to play with her grand nephew once more!
Susan took part in the very first run of our Strength Training & Yoga for Osteoporosis program. Having never lifted weights, she was understandably nervous about the program would entail! However, thanks to pre-program guidance about strength training basics, as well as ongoing one-on-one support throughout, she soon gained confidence AND started seeing some major changes.
Susan wrote: "This is a picture of my progress. I got down on the floor to play with my great nephew, got up unassisted, and was able to carry him around."
"The last time I visited him, I needed help to get up, couldn't lift him, and was generally a mess. My niece and her husband were overwhelmed by the difference in my balance and strength."
"There aren't enough words to thank you for this program and for all the support you've provided."
"The instructors are very conscientious and encouraging- you get the feeling that they really care."
“This program was excellent, and I’m very happy with the outcome! I feel stronger and have denser muscles, especially in my arms. Both the instructors are very conscientious and encouraging- you get the feeling that they really care. It’s also clear that they have deep knowledge about osteoporosis and how to work with it - and they help you to actually do it!
I especially liked the yoga, maybe because I was familiar with it; strength training was new to me. I enjoyed the variety of exercises, and the way the program was structured into manageable components (10 or 15 minutes) made me feel a sense of achievement when I marked the exercises as completed. My thanks to Michaela for quick and thorough replies anytime I had a question!
I would certainly recommend this program to others. It’s definitely a big time commitment, but for anyone on the fence, I would just say to get started, stick with it, and you will soon feel the benefits.”
-JT
"My flexibility and strength have
improved so much"
“I can't even begin to tell you how much your whole program has meant to me. Each session, I end up feeling so much stronger and so relaxed. I love all your meditations. My flexibility and strength have improved so much and I'm able to do things that I never thought I could possibly do!”
My improved DEXA scan would not have been possible without your program."
“Thank you so much for listening to me when I came to you about my Osteoporosis and for caring so much about Women's Health. My improved DEXA Scan would not have been possible without your program.”
"My posture and strength have improved, and my spinal bone density has increased 8.5%!"
At 78 years old, ES had already enjoyed a long career in competitive swimming, and stayed active by regularly taking long walks with her dog. However, a routine DEXA scan revealed a decrease in bone density significant enough to warrant an osteoporosis diagnosis.
ES tell us: “Forty years of competitive swim training did not protect my bones, and in 2012 I was diagnosed with osteoporosis. I underwent 2 years of treatment with Forteo injections; 2 years later, my bone density had decreased to osteopenia. I then had a couple of infusions of Reclast but still had osteopenia according to my DEXA scan.
"I joined Sarah and Michaela's program. Although I still have osteopenia, my spinal bone density has increased 8.5%! My posture and strength have improved. I can now shovel snow without my back telling me to stop after a few minutes. The support and encouragement of Sarah and Michaela has helped me extend my weightlifting goals. Thank you all, this is a great program!”
ES's incredible consistency with her program - she stuck with it for an entire year!- helped her get these remarkable improvements in her bone density. She's planning to continue her strength training routine to keep the benefits.
"I am stronger, my balance is getting better, as is my flexibility. Both Sarah and Michaela are so knowledgeable in their field!"
BT is 74, and like many older adults, was anxious about starting a strength training program with zero previous experience lifting weights! She says: "Osteopenia generated my initial interest in the osteoporosis program. I was a bit nervous that I wouldn't be able to do the exercises because of hip and knee injuries. Sarah and Michaela are so encouraging and able to modify exercises that I was soon very comfortable in class and excited to make progress."
She adds, "I am happy with my improvements. I am stronger, my balance is getting better, as is my flexibility. Both Sarah and Michaela are so knowledgeable in their field that I feel very protected from injury and in the instruction videos we receive."
BT's strength training and yoga regimen also generated an unexpected bonus: faster recovery after surgery!
”I had hip replacement surgery and was able to recover quite quickly, I believe, as a result of the strengthening work I did pre-surgery. The combination of the weight training and yoga elements really suits me. I always feel better after exercising and I am grateful for it!”