orangetheoryfitnessorencostation

The Results Speak For Itself

Posted on December 5, 2018January 15, 2019 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Blood sugar level, Fitness, Improvement, Prioritizing yourself, transformation

Greg Chang

Most people during their lunch hour look forward to grabbing a bite to eat with friends or co-workers. Not Greg though…he comes to train at the studio working towards his fitness goals.

Prior to joining the Orangetheory (OT) family at Orenco Station, Greg worked out on his own and with a personal trainer to improve his health. After having a physical, Greg learned that he needed to lower his A1C number (blood sugar level) from 6.1 to a level within a normal range of 4 – 5.6 percent. If he didn’t try to take control of his health, Greg would eventually become a diabetic.

No matter what Greg did to improve his condition, nothing helped. He kept on yo-yoing and thought he’d give OT a try. He felt hesitant to join at first, but after joining and attending classes for a period of time and seeing his A1C number drop to 5.9 percent at his next physical, Greg was sold on OT. He stopped with his personal trainer and trained at OT exclusively.

“I enjoy the variety of workouts and know that each class will be different. The coaches are great as well as the staff and it’s great to hear encouraging words coming from them.”

Greg Chang_3

Greg had a brutal first class as he climbed Orange Everest having his rear kicked in the process. Many members know how difficult that climb can be even for the seasoned OT member, but he persevered. He thanks Coach Persia for coaching him in his first class and AmyJae for reeling him in to join.

When he started OT, Greg wanted to simply survive classes and improve his cardio as his starting goals. He now wants to continue down the path of wellness in all aspects of his life from being there for his family to enjoying life to its fullest.

The primary force, which drives Greg to attend classes as often as he does, is his addiction to Orangetheory.

“I didn’t realize how addictive OTF is and the friendships I’ve made. OTF is not just a place to work out and classes to take, but rather, it’s a community and now an extension of my life. From the members to the staff and coaches, they have welcomed me into their lives and coming to class is not a chore but a privilege to be around great folks that push and motivate me,” said Greg.

Greg Chang_2

“The only thing I can say is thank you OTF for being who you are.”

Greg has trained here for nearly a year now and has reached many milestones along the way. Since joining, he no longer has to take medication for high cholesterol and hypertension. He has one medication left, which he also wants to no longer take – this would be the biggest accomplishment for him – and to be med free.

In regard to classes, he said, “I enjoy the variety of workouts and know that each class will be different. The coaches are great as well as the staff and it’s great to hear encouraging words coming from them.” Greg added that Kim, Nick and Royal are great additions to the coaching staff.

Greg loves everything about Orangetheory from endurance classes to the community – the members are welcoming and non-judgmental towards anyone regardless of how long they’ve trained here for. “The only thing I can say is thank you OTF for being who you are,” said Greg.

Keep Burning Greg.

Finding Consistency and Motivation

Posted on October 28, 2018November 7, 2018 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Fitness, Improvement, running, transformation, Weight loss

Libby_1

Many members who come to Orangetheory (OT) come because they have specific fitness goals such as losing weight, gaining muscle or developing a fitness routine. However, there are individuals like Libby who are looking for consistency and motivation. She came to the right place and found what she needed.

Libby grew up playing a variety of sports her entire life. She also played volleyball as a collegiate athlete and continues to play in a league at Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District. She has experienced a wide range of workouts and training having worked with various personal trainers.

When she lived in the Orenco Station area, she worked out on her own feeling unmotivated and inconsistent with her workout routine. Before the studio opened, she stopped by to learn more about OT and spoke with Chad. The idea of OT had her intrigued, which led her to join as a founding member.

“I used to hate running. Running was not enjoyable because I would get tired so quickly and I have a lot of foot/leg injuries from the past. Since joining Orangetheory, I’ve been able to run multiple times per week without experiencing pain and without feeling completely winded.”

Libby recalls feeling nervous for her first class at the studio not knowing what she was getting herself into. “It was fun but I wasn’t the best at pacing myself. I was sore for the next four days! But I wanted to come back,” she said. When she first started, she had goals of getting back into shape, losing weight and toning her muscles. Every time she walks into the studio, Libby burns for her health and the food she loves to eat – she loves food – who can blame her?

She has attended classes now for nearly two years enjoying ESP and power days. She strives for the goals of improving her cardio and maintaining her strength. Libby loves how every workout is never the same, which keeps it exciting and challenging. The variety of exercises allows her to continually improve in different areas.

“The coaches here are the best – they have fun – they’re motivating and they challenge us. I appreciate that they take the time to get to know us as individuals and give us feedback about how to modify and improve.”

If you don’t power walk, then you’re either a jogger or a runner. Libby hated running in the past, but can now run more frequently as a milestone she has reached. “I used to hate running. Running was not enjoyable because I would get tired so quickly and I have a lot of foot/leg injuries from the past. Since joining Orangetheory, I’ve been able to run multiple times per week without experiencing pain and without feeling completely winded,” she said. Before joining OT, she would have not run on her own but she recently went on a run outside for the first time in years.

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One of the things Libby loves about the community at Orenco Station is how everyone supports and encourages each other. Libby said, “The coaches here are the best – they have fun – they’re motivating and they challenge us. I appreciate that they take the time to get to know us as individuals and give us feedback about how to modify and improve.” She feels like she has a personal coach even though it’s in a group workout.

A major selling point at OT is the use of the heart rate monitor as a tool in class keeping everyone honest with themselves. She loves looking up at the screen and monitoring her heart rate. This allows her to listen to her body and she knows exactly how to push herself.

“OTF has been my most consistent workout routine. Even when life has been busy or stressful, I’ve gone every week since I’ve joined and love going. Plus, I’ve been able to complete workouts at other studios in town and while on vacation, which has helped me stay consistent. I’ve also noticed how OTF workouts have also improved my performance in volleyball,” she said.

Keep Burning Libby!

A World of Improvement

Posted on October 1, 2018October 5, 2018 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Fitness, Improvement, Prioritizing yourself, running, transformation, Weight lifting, Weight loss

Aaron Staggs_5 — Aaron one year and 10 months of going to Orangetheory

A year makes a difference. Last year around this time we featured our member Aaron who had attended class at the studio since its opening. Fast forward to now and you wouldn’t believe how far he has come. He is fit and most importantly – healthy.

Aaron goes to class more often now ranging from five to six classes per week, which is impressive for anyone. Prior to ramping up his frequency of classes, he went to class three to four times per week. “I often say I replaced my addiction to food with an addiction to OTF. That is pretty accurate but really, I always want to be improving and that’s what we do,” said Aaron.

Aaron Staggs_1 — Aaron nine months of going to Orangetheory

“I’m faster, stronger, I’m happier, more confident, the list goes on and on. I’d say I’m a pretty different person from who I was year ago – a much better one.”

In addition to changing how many times he comes to the studio, he has also changed up his nutrition. He recently transitioned out of the Keto diet and has recently hit his goal of losing 60 pounds. However, the last 20 pounds he has lost has not been easy to lose but he has triumphed through his tenacity, commitment and discipline. He’s now on a normal diet and getting most of his food from ReadyFitGo.

Aaron before OTF — Aaron before Orangetheory

Throughout the year, Aaron has seen improvements physically and mentally. “I’m faster, stronger, I’m happier, more confident, the list goes on and on. I’d say I’m a pretty different person from who I was year ago – a much better one,” said Aaron. When he first started Orangetheory, Aaron power walked and can now jog/run in class, which he didn’t feel confident about it in the past.

“Be consistent even if it’s small, you’ll see results. Fall in love with the process, it’s where all the fun happens.”

Aaron was recently invited to hike nine miles, which he completed without any issues where he would have hesitated about it in the past. He said, “I don’t have to let those physical challenges bar me from anything like the St. Jude5K we just did!” He’s now working on power lifting slowly improving on his bench press, squat and dead lift outside the studio, which Orangetheory helps with.

For those members who haven’t reached their fitness goals yet, Aaron says, “Be consistent even if it’s small, you’ll see results. Fall in love with the process, it’s where all the fun happens.” Wise words from a seasoned Orangetheory athlete – Keep Burning Aaron!

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She’s Going the Distance

Posted on August 30, 2018January 15, 2019 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Fitness, Improvement, Races, running

Kelsie_1

Many members who come to Orangetheory (OT) come maybe 10 – 15 minutes early. There are some members who come 30 minutes early, like Kelsie, excited for class to start. She arrives at the studio ready to go and to chat with friends and staff.

Prior to joining the OT Orenco Station tribe, Kelsie ran for about two years on her own but hit a wall in her training. She didn’t feel well during and after her runs because she had no strength – Kelsie wanted to fix this.

“I love that it is attainable for everyone. It is possible for everyone to get a good workout no matter what their skill level is.”

She wanted to improve herself as a runner and luckily learned about OT at a 5K she ran. “I saw an OTF tent at one of my 5Ks, talked to the staff for a couple of minutes, and had a feeling I would love it. I’m not very self-motivated, so knowing that there was going to be a coach made me feel like it was something I could be successful at,” said Kelsie. This catapulted her to try her first class at Orenco Station.

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Kelsie remembers feeling exhausted after her initial class, which had a familiar feel to her. Growing up, she figure skated competitively and also competed in track and field as a jumper in high school. The coaching aspect in class and having her pushed to her limits felt similar to the sports she loves. At that moment – she was hooked immediately. Kelsie said, “I love that it is attainable for everyone. It is possible for everyone to get a good workout no matter what their skill level is.”

When she first started coming to class, she burned for her running. While still true, Kelsie burns for more now. She burns for stronger muscles, heavier weights, and accomplishing more now than what she thought possible from a year ago.

“I absolutely love that the workouts are ever changing; it keeps things interesting and keeps me on my toes. I also think that we have the most amazing coaches here at Orenco and their positivity keeps me so motivated to finish every workout strong.”

She started OT last year with a goal of improving her running game and now has more goals she wants to reach. Kelsie wants to lift heavier weights, run faster and longer than before. She said, “Persia recently taught me how to utilize the bike for a very good workout, so I would like to try to incorporate this into my workouts every once in a while as well.”

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Since joining, Kelsie has reached a milestone and can now perform multiple sets of push-ups and sit-ups where she could only do one or two of them before joining OT. Her running has definitely improved. She felt drained after running a 5K in the past, but had completed a 10K in May and will run a half marathon in September.

As an endurance athlete, the runner in her loves endurance classes but she also holds a special place in her heart for endurance, strength and power (ESP) days because she had it as her first class. “I absolutely love that the workouts are ever changing; it keeps things interesting and keeps me on my toes. I also think that we have the most amazing coaches here at Orenco and their positivity keeps me so motivated to finish every workout strong,” she said.

Kelsie loves coming to the studio seeing it as a home away from home. The place has a family vibe every time she walks through the door with all the hugs and smiles that she receives from staff. She appreciates all the support from other members and coaches during class especially when she feels like she’s not able to finish the last 15 seconds of an all-out – and the life advice and injury support from AmyJae and Jess.

Keep Burning Kelsie!

Making Himself a Priority

Posted on July 30, 2018January 15, 2019 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Fitness, Improvement, Prioritizing yourself

Members who attend classes regularly at Orangetheory (OT) Orenco Station like to arrive 10-15 minutes early to either stretch, socialize or both. However, there are some who arrive just a tad late scrambling to get into class. Paul is one of those who arrives to class just a minute or two after class has started, but in his defense, the class is at 5 a.m. We’ve all been there before.

Before joining the OT Orenco Station tribe, Paul ran a marathon in 2007 but took a long hiatus from training afterwards. Between work and raising two daughters, he found difficulty taking time for himself as a priority.

“I spent most of the first few classes out of breath and in the red zone. I was reminded of how it felt to be sore after a workout, and it felt great!”

Fast forward to 2016, Paul saw many new businesses going in at Orenco Station and was thrilled to see a workout facility slated to open. His curiosity led him to stop by and learn more about it eventually becoming a founding member of the studio.

Paul normally takes classes four to five times per week and he not only does it for the physical aspects, but also for his mental well-being. Before OT, he felt tired all the time and didn’t want to feel like that anymore. Paul said, “I was never really overweight, but my metabolism was slowing down and I was anxious to tone up my new-found belly.” He essentially wanted, as a goal, to not feel these effects.

“I love that no two workouts are alike. OTF provides plenty of variety in the workouts to keep things fresh, and we get to challenge ourselves to reach our fitness goals.”

He recalls his first class during the first two trial weeks as intimidating like many others and he had a hard time keeping up. “I spent most of the first few classes out of breath and in the red zone. I was reminded of how it felt to be sore after a workout, and it felt great!” said Paul.

Now that Paul has trained for almost two years, he has new goals of gaining more muscle development and definition. He also wants to push himself by lifting heavier weights on the floor and increasing his push pace wattage on the rower. Since joining, Paul has reached the milestone of attending at least four classes per week at 5 a.m., which allows him to get his daughters to school on time.

Most members have a particular type of workout they enjoy most – not Paul though. However, he likes when a class has the “tornado” format with its frequent switching. Paul stated, “I love that no two workouts are alike. OTF provides plenty of variety in the workouts to keep things fresh, and we get to challenge ourselves to reach our fitness goals.”

Paul enjoys the camaraderie and support given both by the coaches and other members. “There is always a smiling face behind the counter and the coaches take the time to make me feel welcome. So many of the founding members are still active and it’s so much easier to motivate myself in the morning when I know I’ll see my friends at the 5 a.m. class.”He also appreciates that OT Orenco Station celebrates its members with parties and events, which makes it feel more than just a boutique workout studio.

Keep Burning Paul!

Leading by Example

Posted on June 30, 2018January 16, 2019 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Fitness, Improvement, running, Setting an example, transformation, Weight lifting, Weight loss

Kirsten G

If you’ve ever taken a class with Kirsten, you’ll find yourself hearing from her, “Could you take me off the ‘black list’ please?” What does that mean? In Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) terms, it means to remove a person’s name from the previous class. Kirsten takes a back-to-back class every week and she’s one of only a handful of members who do it.

A small business owner, Kirsten bought the Gym-Nest (a gymnastics studio) more than 11 years ago. She considered herself at the time as “pretty chunky.” She didn’t put forth the effort in working out for a few years. A year into her business, she realized that she needed to set a good example for her athletes. She had to get back to the level of an athlete herself.

“I can definitely say the change in me has helped me to be a better coach to my gymnasts.”

Kirsten decided that she needed to shed some weight and transform herself into a stronger person. She wanted to lead her gymnastic students by example and not telling them to only work hard and be healthy. She needed change – a new challenge. She needed a community to push her further. OTF came along at the right time for Kirsten, which fulfilled her needs.

Kirsten and Jordan

Like many others, Kirsten recalls how nervous she felt in her first class. She stated, “My first class was nerve wracking! I was worried I wouldn’t make it through the class because it would be too hard and everyone looked fit and ready to go!”

She started OTF when it first opened its doors in December 2016. The new studio helped her feel comfortable quickly with the fact that everyone else was new too. Kirsten’s first class left her exhausted but in the best way possible. She felt excited to go back because she knew she had much more to accomplish. “I can definitely say the change in me has helped me to be a better coach to my gymnasts,” Kirsten stated.

“I’d like people to look at me and see a fit person – not a ‘doughy’ person. I’d like to look like an athlete again and feel confident in my ability to do pretty much everything.”

Kirsten G_2

In addition to helping achieving her goal with leading by example for her gymnasts, Kirsten loves OTF the most because of how every day is completely different. She said, “I hate running on a treadmill, but somehow I’m willing to do it here because it’s different almost every day. I love the variation and never knowing what’s coming.” She not only burns for her student, but she also burns for herself living as full of a life as she can.

When Kirsten started working out at OTF she had the goals of being and looking strong. Her goals haven’t changed much since she started. “I’d like people to look at me and see a fit person – not a ‘doughy’ person. I’d like to look like an athlete again and feel confident in my ability to do pretty much everything,” said Kirsten.

“OTF is an amazing group of people! The staff, coaches and members are all so friendly and welcoming. I feel supported and challenged every day and have made some fabulous friends!”

Since she began taking classes here, Kirsten has reached a milestone of increasing her base pace from 5 to 6 miles per hour. She has also increased the weights when she’s doing the floor workouts. Her favorite types of classes are strength classes (although she despises inclines) with endurance classes as the easiest for her. Power classes are the lowest on her totem pole, but they have grown on her.

Kirsten G_3

Kirsten’s favorite things about classes are the coaches because she appreciates their encouragement and feedback. The smaller classes she attends have her feeling like the coaches know her by investing in her growth with personal attention. She loves to have her form corrected and suggestions to make things more challenging while in class.

When asked what she loves about the community at OTF Orenco Station Kirsten replied, “OTF is an amazing group of people! The staff, coaches and members are all so friendly and welcoming. I feel supported and challenged every day and have made some fabulous friends! We think you’re great too!

Keep Burning Kirsten.

Burning For Those Around Him

Posted on May 31, 2018January 15, 2019 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Family, Fitness, Improvement, transformation, Weight lifting, Weight loss

Rob_1

If you have ever met Rob, you know he loves chatting up a storm. Whether it’s talking about the upcoming class or what’s going on in your life, he genuinely loves to engage with other members, coaches and staff at the studio. He usually attends the lively 8 p.m. class despite it being the last class of the day.

“This is either the best idea I’ve had in years . . . or the stupidest thing I’ve ever done!”

For many people, life happens and they forget to take care of themselves and place their priorities elsewhere. Before Rob had a family and began having health issues, he practiced and taught martial arts for about 20 years. He also did weight training and hiked frequently.

RobandSam copy

Life caught up with Rob and before he knew it, he had turned into a couch potato. At that point in his life he had gained excess weight and developed Type 2 Diabetes. He also took medication for his high blood pressure.“I finally concluded that I needed to do something before my health got worse. So when I do something it’s all or nothing. When I saw a Facebook ad for Orangetheory, I thought, ‘That looks pretty intense.’ So, I signed up without even taking a class first,” said Rob.

Rob thought to himself in his first class, “This is either the best idea I’ve had in years . . . or the stupidest thing I’ve ever done!” Aside from health reasons, he burns for his family and friends. He wants to make a difference in the lives of those around him, but he can’t do that if he’s always getting sick.

“I love the fact that I don’t have to plan my workout! I love that anyone at any level can do this.”

He had one goal when he started working out at Orangetheory Fitness (OTF). Show up. He came to classes and survived the workouts. At the beginning he had doubts about staying committed, but now he has an addiction for OTF.

Since Rob has committed to the OTF lifestyle, he has reached a couple of milestones. He has lost fat and gained muscle while losing 25 pounds. Not bad for someone who could only lift weights only from the orange weight racks when he began. He also attributes his success by eating well and pushing his boundaries each time in class always lifting 25 pounds or more.

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Some people have difficulties planning a workout by themselves, which isn’t the case here. Rob stated, “I love the fact that I don’t have to plan my workout! I love that anyone at any level can do this.” He likes the euphoric feeling when the endorphins kick in after pushing himself to the limit for one hour in class.

Rob enjoys classes that focus on strength and power (minus burpees) because he likes to see how much he can lift. He enjoys how each coach brings their individual personalities and flare to each class. In addition, he likes to encourage and help his fellow classmates because it helps him forget how much pain he’s in.

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He likes that the OTF community is like no other gyms or studios. “I’ve never been to a gym where people acted normal and talked to you where they weren’t worried about performance or how they looked,” said Rob. He loves watching how friendships form and grow around him. We love how people act normal here too!

Keep Burning Rob!

Being The Best Version Of Herself

Posted on May 8, 2018January 15, 2019 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Family, Fitness, Improvement, Races, running, transformation, Weight loss

Lelsie Hui_1

Most people can’t fathom waking up at 4:30 a.m. in general – especially for a workout. Although, there are some who will drag themselves out of bed no matter how warm and snuggly it is. Leslie is that type of person. She makes the effort to attend the 5 a.m. class at Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) knowing that she’ll feel better once she sees her morning squad.

Like many who join OTF, Leslie wanted to improve her health and she wanted to shed those last 30 pounds of “baby weight” after the birth of her second child. Her journey to OTF started with some frustrating news at her annual physical in late 2015. When her doctor said her weight and body mass index (BMI) classified her as obese, Leslie decided it was time to make a change.

“I think it was particularly great being part of the “founding” class of members at Orenco OTF because we all started together. We were all newbies together.”

She started with her nutrition, successfully losing 30 pounds in the first half of 2016. “I was feeling and looking better than I had in a very long time, but I knew that in order to maintain my health long term, I needed to also add more physical activity,” said Leslie. Towards the end of the year, Leslie started seeing OTF “coming soon” signs popping up in her Orenco Station neighborhood and heard the OTF “buzz” from friends at work. She decided to make the leap and sign up.

Leslie Hui collage

Anyone’s initial class can be daunting and unnerving as you learn the flow of the class. While challenging, Leslie was hooked from the start and credits the variety of people in her class – men and women, young and old, fit and those looking to shed a few extra pounds. It was clear to her that OTF provided a place where all types of people can come together for an hour each day to work hard and achieve their goals. “I think it was particularly great being part of the “founding” class of members at Orenco OTF because we all started together. We were all newbies together,” she said.

Hooked from the first class, Leslie knew she was headed in the right direction.

Unfortunately, a major family crisis propelled her to affirm her commitment to OTF. On December 23, 2016, Leslie’s mom suffered a massive stroke. One moment her, vivacious, 64-year-old mother was living a normal, healthy and active life. The next moment she was fighting for her life.

Leslie says she will never forget the call from her sister that came while she was wrapping presents and getting ready for their annual Christmas Eve party. Next came a frantic drive to the Salem Hospital, a quick decision by doctors to transfer her mom by Life Flight to Oregon Health Science University (OHSU), a rush consultation with the surgeon, and the three terrifying days with mom in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

She’ll also never forget the call she made to OTF Orenco Station on Christmas Eve morning to cancel her class. Leslie said, “Rachel answered the phone and she was just so incredibly kind and that when I started to tell her I was missing the class, that my mom had a stroke, I lost it and just started to sob.” Rachel was empathetic in the moment, and supportive when Leslie returned for her first OTF class a few weeks later. Her mom had been released from the hospital and she was thankful for her road to a full recovery.

Not surprisingly, the experience left an indelible mark on Leslie. She knew that she had to do everything possible to take control of her health and live her best life possible. And thanks to Rachel’s kindness, she had found her place at OTF Orenco Station. This wasn’t just a gym or just a workout – but a place that feels like family, a place that lifts her up. A place where she can push herself to be stronger and achieve more than she ever thought possible.

Lelsie Hui_3

Leslie says she burns first and foremost burns for herself. While it may sound selfish to some, Leslie thinks of it as being self-full. She says OTF empowers her to be her best, strongest, fittest self – so she can be the best wife, mom, daughter, and friend for others. She burns so she can carry her, 55-pound 6-year old, daughter up the stairs – and maybe still carry her when she’s 65 pounds and 7 years old! And, Leslie burns because of her mom. She knows that while she can’t control the genetic factors that might contribute to a stroke, she can control how she takes care of her body, her diet, and her physical activity.

At the start of her OTF fitness journey, Leslie’s goals were to maintain her fitness and gradually progress in her weight loss while leading a fun life and enjoying great food. Working out was not a consistent part of her lifestyle prior to OTF, so she set a goal of attending classes at least three times a week as part of her fitness maintenance.

Although she had modest goals in the beginning, she soon realized that she could do more. Leslie started as a power-walker and she began to entertain the idea of jogging, despite having some reservations about it. Her inspiration? Coach Shay! One day in class he said to Leslie, “If you can powerwalk that fast, you might as well run.”

The first thought she had in her head was “Shut up! I hate running, there’s no way I’m going to run…” and her second thought was “Well, I’ll take that challenge!” The next day, she started to jog – baby steps – with her speed and strength increasing a little each day.

When a few of the OTF squad, Christina, Katie and Megan, in her class approached her in early 2017 about joining their team for the 2018 Shamrock Run, Leslie started to seriously consider it. While a tiny bit scared, she dug deep, signed up with the team, and set a goal to run the 8K.

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Then she started running more. She ran at OTF and outside in her neighborhood. She became faster and stronger and in March 2018 – she ran her first race and her first 8K ever! She ran the whole thing – a major milestone in itself – never walked and has OTF to thank for helping her accomplish that goal. She now looks forward to her next race and achieving her next goal!

In addition, inspired by the OTF Transformation Challenge, Leslie has increased her lean muscle mass by 2.4 pounds, increased her basal metabolic rate by 24 kcal, reduced her body fat by 4 percent, and has lost 6 pounds since January 2018. She also set the goal of completing last September’s Dri-Tri in less than an hour, which she did in 59 minutes and 22 seconds. She then, on her 46^thbirthday, smashed her previous Dri-Tri time by five minutes accomplishing her goal! She’s now working to increase her speed on the treads, increase her weights on the floor and come to class five days a week.

“The Halloween party was a blast – and I was so sorry to miss the 1-year anniversary party but I love that Orenco OTF takes the time to create these moments of connections with its members.”

According to Leslie, it’s the fun and friendly coaches, staff, and incredible member community that make OTF Orenco Station a great environment to take classes at and keep her coming back for more. She’s also forged new friendships with folks like Monica, Sarah, and the Shamrock Run squad (Katie, Christina and Megan).

Lelsie Hui_2

“Orenco OTF has a special chemistry and magic that I’ve not found at any other OTF studio. AJ, Shay, Persia are my absolute ‘fave’ coaches. I still miss Chris and Chloe, but it’s so great when them come back to visit! And new additions like Jess, Taylor and Conner have brought new energy, which I love. AmyJae keeps the energy high and makes the whole place hum. And it’s always nice to see Jojoe’s friendly face when I come in the front door.”

Finally, it’s the activity and accountability. She loves that there’s always a new competition, class or activity. From Hell Week to the Dri-Tri, Transformation Challenge to the Marathon Challenge, to Spirit Week, and to the guest DJ – there’s always something fun to look forward to and keep her motivated.

She also loves how OTF Orenco Station comes together to celebrate at after-hours social events. “The Halloween party was a blast – and I was so sorry to miss the 1-year anniversary party but I love that Orenco OTF takes the time to create these moments of connections with its members,” said Leslie.

Keep Burning Leslie!

Better, Faster and Stronger

Posted on April 4, 2018April 6, 2018 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Fitness, Improvement, transformation, Weight loss

Many join Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) to not only improve on their fitness and health, but to also improve their game whether it’s running long distances or playing sports. Anoop joined the OTF Orenco Station family for these exact reasons.

Since joining OTF in August of 2017, Anoop has made leaps and bounds in reaching his fitness goals. He has lost 14 pounds of fat by attending classes diligently and through a nutrition plan.

“I have become better at endurance already – all thanks to the tough workouts at OTF.”

Before joining OTF, Anoop began his fitness path with focusing on his diet. He saw progress in his weight loss; however, it came with the loss of some muscle mass. He had the motivation of finding the right balance of exercise and nutrition, which would help shed his body fat. This led him to try his first class at OTF.

He recalls his first class as “intense” with Coach AJ leading the class. “I remember being given a heart rate monitor and I felt awed that you have to wear devices like this during the workout – almost felt like a professional athlete,” said Anoop. He had struggled in all facets of running, rowing and the floor exercises. Despite the struggle, he earned 16 splat points and soon realized that the OTF regimen would take time to adapt to, but it was the right program to help him achieve his fitness goals.

“OTF has been of great help to me in achieving my fitness goals. I like the staff, coaches and the workout and the different themes.”

Since joining, he has discovered his favorite types of classes are power classes because it has him using big bursts of energy for a short period of time. He also likes endurance and ESP classes, but looking to improve with strength classes.

Although Anoop has reached his goals of fat and weight loss, he strives to improve on his athletic performance too. During the summer he enjoys playing cricket, which is popular in India and similar to baseball. His games usually last about three hours and he wants to finish the entire game while swinging heavier cricket bats with more power.

Anoop Before and After.jpg

In last month’s Dri-Tri, he completed the 5K in 24 minutes – a personal best. He shaved off four minutes in a 5K race that he ran last year, which is a testament of how his endurance has vastly improved. He said, “I have become better at endurance already – all thanks to the tough workouts at OTF.”

“I can tell they really want me to do my best and that makes things easier.”

Anoop loves the fact that he lives just “a stone’s throw away” from the studio. He can walk to the studio within a few minutes. He also appreciates how OTF has various events throughout the year such as the Transformation Challenge, ALS fundraiser, Dri-Tri, April Marathon, and parties to name a few – there is something interesting always going on. Anoop stated, “OTF has been of great help to me in achieving my fitness goals. I like the staff, coaches and the workout and the different themes.”

He describes OTF as “cool” not only because of the classes, but also because of the staff and community. He likes the fact that many of the members come from all walks-of-life. They go there to work hard, which motivates him to work extra hard.

Every time he comes to the studio, the staff greets him with a friendly smile. He notices how attentive the staff is and said, “When I had issues with my heart rate monitor on multiple occasions, they helped me out right away.” He also praises the coaches with their ability to coach class sizes with more than 30 people at a time, yet pay attention to his form and correct it if he doesn’t perform it properly. “I can tell they really want me to do my best and that makes things easier,” said Anoop.

Keep Burning Anoop!

Living a Long and Healthy Life

Posted on March 3, 2018April 9, 2019 by orangetheoryfitnessorencostation in Accountability, Couples workout, Fitness, Improvement, transformation, Weight loss

Joe and Valeria_1

When Joe moved to Oregon, Joe wanted to find a gym or studio to work out at. Joe stumbled upon Orangetheory Fitness (OTF) while it was under construction. He met Persia at the time and thought of OTF as an interesting concept and wanted to give it a try.

Joe remembers feeling nervous for his first class. After a few 5 a.m. classes, he was hooked. Valeria felt a little intimidated about her first class and didn’t join right away like Joe, but eventually gave OTF a shot a few months later and joined. Both enjoyed and felt great after their first workouts.

“I dropped to 180 pounds and reached 14 percent body fat. I did it through constantly coming to OTF and eating healthy” — Joe.

The couple attends class frequently and burns to stay in mental and physical shape. Joe hit the ground running by participating in the Weight Loss Challenge, Peak Weak and Dri-Tri. “I am entering my 40s and I want to stay healthy by using proper diet and getting plenty of exercise. I want to ensure I live a long life,” said Joe.

Joe and Valeria_2

Both had specific goals for themselves when they joined OTF. Valeria had the goals of consistently feeling strong and maintaining her stress levels. Joe, on the other hand, wanted to lose fat and drop his weight down to 190 pounds.

Since joining the OTF family, both have reached milestones for themselves. Valeria couldn’t run for long periods at a time when she began. She stated, “OTF had been the best thing for me. I was never able to run for more than a minute and can now easily run during classes. I feel much stronger than ever after joining OTF.”

Joe came in second in last year’s Weight Loss Challenge and competed in two Dri-Tris. “I dropped to 180 pounds and reached 14 percent body fat. I did it through constantly coming to OTF and eating healthy,” said Joe.

Although they’ve both reached their goals, their new goals don’t differ much from their original goals. Joe wants to maintain between 10 – 14 percent body fat and gain more strength. Valeria wants to continue to build muscle mass. She said, “I have two beautiful babies and do not seek body perfection. My goal is to feel good about my body just the way it is.”

“I want to thank everyone at OTF for doing what you do. You inspire me and motivate me. Thank you for being you”– Valeria.

Both love attending classes at the studio because of the coaches and the challenges each class presents. Valeria loves the front desk staff and all the coaches especially AJ, Shay and Persia because of their inspiration and dedication. She loves the flexibility of the class schedule and how she feels after completing a workout.

Joe loves the fact that he can utilize OTF anywhere in the nation and around the world. He has visited locations in Seattle, Redmond, Lexington and other locations, which works well with his job travels.

The two of them love everything about OTF from the events to the 90-minute class. Every time they take class at the studio, both of them always feel welcomed by the friendly community because of its positive energy and support. “I want to thank everyone at OTF for doing what you do. You inspire me and motivate me. Thank you for being you,” said Valeria. Thanks for being part of our community!

Keep Burning Joe and Valeria.