4
min read
Karen's Challenge To A Healthier Life
At The Edge, our goal is to help our members achieve their personal best! Our Edge Challenge is an 8-week contest designed to provide lasting fitness results. What we have realized over time is that this challenge is so much more than losing weight. It's about learning to love your body, appreciating it, and becoming BETTER than you were yesterday. As our most recent challenge comes to a close we've gathered some AMAZING stories from our members! Check out Karen's amazing story below, by shifting what she does in the gym, she's been able to increase her bone density & help with her osteoporosis. Read her amazing testimonial below.
"People ask why I lift such heavy weights. Well, besides it’s a challenge & changed the look of my body, & that I want to get stronger and define my muscles…the main reason for me - is to increase my bone density.
I’m a 15-year breast cancer survivor, who underwent 4 months of chemotherapy, 3 surgeries, 2 months of daily radiation, & 5 years of hormonal therapy.
Chemo put me into early menopause & basically wiped out my hormones, messing up my metabolism, adding to my bone loss & putting me at great risk for osteoporosis and fracture. My oncologist ordered me to get a bone density exam every 2 years. I had osteopenia from my last test back in 2013, but my recent one showed such a decrease, I had to meet with an endocrinologist. I now had osteoporosis so we increased my calcium intake & weight training. Exercise, especially weight-bearing and resistance exercises, are most effective for building bone.
About 1 year ago I started training with a personal trainer & we really upped my game, hitting a new PR each week, like 155 lb squats or today’s PR of 175 lb deadlift!! Considering I only weigh 100 lbs, that’s 1.7x my weight - and as my Coach James says, pound for pound I lift more than some guys!
Last night was the finale of The Norwalk Edge 8-week Challenge and I spoke about how much my daily commitment changed my body. Even my endocrinologist was shocked that my numbers improved this much in a year and he never saw such a reversal & increase in bone growth. I explained what I did (think I need to show him my squat videos).
Here are my numbers for Lumbar Spine:
Dec 2013 was -1.4
Dec 2019 was -2.3
Dec 2021 was -1.1 (even better than they were 8 years ago!)
Femoral and Hip density also improved - I now have a 10% risk
For the past 15 years, I’ve been fighting against weight gain, aging, osteoporosis & have done a lot of research on different products to find what works. Now you see why I do/eat/take what I do. I’m a proud example that you CAN control certain things about your body, health, & aging by taking the right preventative measures, using products that yield results, and eating cleaner/ healthier to eliminate pain & inflammation caused by certain types of food. It’s doable, & takes time and discipline, but you’re worth it.
My cancer has made me a different person. I’ve learned a lot & helped lots of breast cancer patients. So far I’m winning the battle. Please…reach out if you need help, have questions, want advice…about anything and everything. Be sure to do things for YOU.. what makes you healthier, feel better, or look better. You've only got one life...let's live it! ❤️" - Karen, Edge Member, Norwalk
Congratulations Karen on all that you have achieved & keep up the GREAT work! You are an inspiration to all of us here at The Edge.
