If you\u2019re familiar with Oxygen, you know that five inspiring women are selected to be featured in the print magazine\u2019s Future of Fitness column. Think you have what it takes? Send us your story.<\/p>\n
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
\n44 \u2022 133 lb \u2022 5\u20195\u201d
\nCertified personal trainer<\/p>\n
Fettuccine<\/b>\u00a0Fiasco.<\/strong> Kimberly Kenney had been on high blood pressure medication for 15 years, and by age 40, she tipped the scales at 206 pounds. She was so out of shape that a moderate hike was nearly impossible, and it was clear that she had no idea what healthy food was: Once, Kenney served her family a meal of fettuccine alfredo that was so rich and heavy that they asked her never to serve it again.<\/p>\n Re-freshing Her Nutrition.<\/strong> \u201cI read up on processed foods \u2014 I really didn\u2019t know what they were!\u201d Kenney admits. She learned how to cook using fresh ingredients and started hitting the gym. Now, four years later, she is 85 pounds lighter and includes lifting, rock climbing and backpacking trips in her fitness rotation.<\/p>\n Moved to Move.<\/strong> Because her life changed so dramatically as a result of working out, Kenney wanted to share her journey. \u201cI could move my body and do things I was never able or confident enough to try before,\u201d she says. \u201cAll I wanted to do was share this hope with others.\u201d And so Kenney left her career in health care to become a certified personal trainer.<\/p>\n Lemons to Lemonade.<\/strong> Like many trainers, Kenney found herself jobless in 2020, but she persevered: She built a home gym in her garage and currently handles a stacked roster of clients every week. \u201cI hope I can help people make more informed decisions about food, nutrition, exercise and general well-being,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Thornhill, Ontario, Canada Fitness Factor.<\/strong> Sara Factor was always into sports, from ice hockey and flag football to basketball and more. She even played varsity ice hockey in college, so becoming a trainer and opening her own studio after college was only natural. According to Factor, fitness is the outlet that gets her through anything and everything, and it\u2019s her goal to share it with everyone, especially women.<\/p>\n Iron Maiden.<\/strong> To get in her daily cardio, Factor enjoys running, rowing and rollerblading, but at heart, she is a weights gal. \u201cI like to test my strength, push my limits and of course [enjoy] the physical aesthetics,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n It\u2019s Not Cheating.<\/strong> When it comes to nutrition, Factor keeps it clean most of the time but releases the reins when she has a craving. \u201cIt\u2019s not a weekly thing, but when my body wants bread or anything else we tend to categorize as \u2018bad,\u2019 I allow myself to have it,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s all about balance and moderation.\u201d<\/p>\n Judge Ye Not \u2026<\/strong> Factor\u2019s biggest piece of advice for fitness newbies? Ignore the naysayers and know that most people are cheering you on. \u201cNo one, and I mean no one, is judging you,\u201d she says. \u201cWe have all been there. Just give yourself time and take baby steps.\u201d<\/p>\n Eulenbis, Germany Operation: Fitness.<\/strong> Rachel Lackey had always been active, but it was during a 2009 deployment to Afghanistan that she got into a serious gym routine. A co-worker challenged her to run a 5K, and even though she had not run since high school, Lackey placed first in the women\u2019s category. \u201cI feel like I came alive from that experience and became addicted to pushing myself,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n A Tough Diagnosis.<\/strong> In 2015, Lackey discovered she had fibromyalgia. \u201cMy doctors said I should completely avoid impact activities, which began a war within my head and heart and led to a major identity crisis,\u201d she says. \u201cMy first goal was to separate myself from being a \u2018runner\u2019 and make fitness a way of life.\u201d Lackey traded her high-impact cardio for a stationary or outdoor bike, added yoga to her routine, and used battle ropes for strength and cardio.<\/p>\n Smoothie Queen.<\/strong> Smoothies are a staple in Lackey\u2019s diet, thanks to their versatility and portability. \u201cI love fresh fruit, but I also geek out over the idea of packing a ton of nutrients into one situation,\u201d she says. She also admits that she blends things into her smoothies she might not eat otherwise, such as maca, wheatgrass, spirulina, kale, turmeric and chia seeds.<\/p>\n Flexible and Fit.<\/strong> Lackey maintains a consistent regimen but changes things up to avoid boredom. In any given week, she might lift weights, do yoga, throw in some plyometrics and hit at least 10,000 steps of walking, jogging or running each day. \u201cMy main goal is to do something intentionally physical every day,\u201d she says. \u201cNever let circumstance cancel your goals.\u201d<\/p>\n Ormond Beach, Florida Fitness Pays It Forward.<\/strong> Jenn Labonte has been passionate about fitness her whole life. She was a dancer and state-level high jumper throughout high school, and her early investment in fitness paid o in an unexpected way: At age 19, Labonte contracted spinal meningitis and was hospitalized for a month. \u201cThe only thing that kept me alive was my physical strength and health,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Change of Pace.<\/strong> In her 20s and 30s, Labonte competed regularly in triathlons, but shortly after turning 40, she felt the impact of those activities. \u201cI was experiencing severe knee pain and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, a torn rotator cuff, and other nagging aches and pains,\u201d she says. After a downward spiral during which she neglected fitness for a few years, Labonte turned to strength training to help her recuperate. \u201cGetting strong has helped me fight through the injuries that I thought would bring exercise to a halt long term,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Squatting 2.0.<\/strong> Squats are Labonte\u2019s go-to exercise, but she had to start from scratch after her osteoarthritis diagnosis. She incorporated lighter weights and focused on building strength and stability in her lower body. \u201cSquats are one of those power moves that exhaust and excite you at the same time,\u201d she says. \u201cThe feeling of satisfaction when I\u2019ve completed my squat goals is undeniable.\u201d<\/p>\n Dress for Success.<\/strong> Labonte\u2019s secret to getting pumped before a workout is having the right outfit. \u201cI have a huge closet full of athleisure wear, and putting together an outfit that makes me feel good starts me off right!\u201d she says. No arguments there!<\/p>\n Kingston, Jamaica Pregnancy Scare<\/strong>. In 2015, someone asked Patrice J. White when her baby was due \u2014 but she wasn\u2019t expecting. White had been insecure about her belly since the birth of her daughter Makayla in 2003, so the question struck a nerve. \u201cIt triggered me and became my driving force to transform my life,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Rapid Reduction.<\/strong> White made fitness and nutrition her priorities, and in just three months, she dropped from 205 to 138 pounds. \u201cI ate five to six meals a day, which were mostly protein and vegetables,\u201d she says. \u201cMy training consisted of HIIT and Tabata-style workouts mixed with strength training.\u201d<\/p>\n Marathon (Wo)man.<\/strong> Fast and furious isn\u2019t the only kind of cardio White enjoys. \u201cI\u2019ve been a marathon runner since 2016 \u2014 that\u2019s my \u2018me time,\u2019\u201d she says. And while she used to travel the world to run races, the pandemic made that virtually impossible. Undaunted, White simply spent more time in the weight room. \u201cStrength training for me is a must,\u201d she says. \u201cI love a sculpted body and being strong.\u201d<\/p>\n Burpees for Days.<\/strong> White regularly includes bodybuilding, Tabatas and CrossFit WODs in her workout week. And though you might not believe it, she is a burpee enthusiast to the core. \u201cI love doing them because they build muscle strength and endurance in your entire body,\u201d White says.<\/p>\n Think you have what it takes? Submit your story HERE.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you\u2019re familiar with Oxygen, you know that five inspiring women are selected to be featured in the print magazine\u2019s Future of Fitness column. Think you have what it takes? Send us your story. Kimberly Kenney Winston-Salem, North Carolina 44 \u2022 133 lb \u2022 5\u20195\u201d Certified personal trainer Fettuccine\u00a0Fiasco. Kimberly Kenney had been on high blood pressure medication for 15 years, and by age 40, she tipped the scales at 206 pounds. She was so out of shape that a moderate hike was nearly impossible, and it was clear that she had no idea what healthy food was: Once, Kenney […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2429,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[114,204,205,206,203,207],"class_list":["post-2428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-womens-health","tag-healthy-living","tag-mind-and-body","tag-motivation","tag-style-and-beauty","tag-womens-fitness-personalities","tag-womens-health","post--single"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2428"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2428\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2841,"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2428\/revisions\/2841"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/high-end-life.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Sara Factor<\/h2>\n
\n27 \u2022 155 lb \u2022 5\u20195\u201d
\nOwner, Fit Factor Fitness<\/p>\nRachel Lackey<\/h2>\n
\n38 \u2022 155 lb \u2022 5\u20198\u201d
\nU.S. Air Force (retired)<\/p>\nJenn Labonte<\/h2>\n
\n46 \u2022 128 lb \u2022 5\u20194\u201d
\nDirector of marketing & public relations<\/p>\nPatrice J. White<\/h2>\n
Oxygen Elite Ambassador<\/h3>\n
\n41 \u2022 135 lb \u2022 5\u20195\u201d
\nGym owner and trainer<\/p>\nCALLING ALL FIT WOMEN<\/h2>\n