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Name and age: Melanie Fisher, 35

Member at: Farmgirlfit Spokane

Occupation: College Advancement Director at EWU

Tell us about how your journey led you to Farmgirlfit?

Well, honestly, I used to drive down Sherman to and from work every day, I started seeing ladies running in the morning and on my way home and thought what on earth are they doing? I realized they were running in and out of a building with a big purple wall and, in that neighborhood, it stood out to me. I stopped by on my way home one day and watched the ladies working out, Jaunessa explained The Grind and invited me back to try it out. I was super intimidated when I went to my first class and remember thinking, I might just die on my way home in the car …but I went back again and again and I haven’t looked back since! This is the longest time, in my life, that I’ve ever been committed to any one particular type of workout or exercise, and I absolutely love it!

What has been your greatest fitness (performance) accomplishment so far?

There are so many!! When I started I couldn’t even lift the 35-pound bar off of the rack without help! That says something about my strength. I’ve improved my strength, mobility, agility and even my attitude about working out. But the one thing that sticks out is when I ran my first mile under 8 minutes, I never thought these little legs could move that fast and because we were challenged to run mile after mile it happened! I was thrilled!

What are your next health and fitness goals?

I really want to be successful with the no sugar challenge in February. I have a sweet tooth as big as Texas, so cutting back will definitely be hard but I’m going to give it a try and hope that it rubs off on my family too. I don’t necessarily need to lose weight, I’ve always been small but it’s important for me to be healthy so I can have a good life for years to come!

Favorite exercise at FGF is: I don’t have one favorite in particular, but I do like AMRAPS that keep us moving and give us the opportunity do a different combination of exercises in one workout. I usually work out in the evening, so I always check out how many rounds other girls have done at my level and make that my personal goal to beat.

Least favorite exercise at FGF is:  I really don’t like Turkish Get-Ups, it’s not an exercise that seems or feels natural to me but I do it and I have actually improved! I also don’t love burpees. I don’t know anyone that thinks it’s a good idea to hurl yourself on the ground, do a push up, jump back up and do it again!

My favorite thing about Farmgirlfit is: I love the camaraderie you feel with the ladies. No matter if you’re on your first day or your 400^th day, everyone is friendly and encouraging. When you’re struggling to power through or lift just a little more, the encouragement you feel somehow makes it all possible. The ladies are awesome, when you need a little extra “umph” it’s so common to hear a “you can do it,” or “you’ve got it,” in your ear — and sure enough, we do! We’re all just real women working hard to make ourselves better, not to impress anyone, and that makes this gym really special.

I’m proud… to be part of such an amazing group of ladies. I was proud to put my FGF sticker on my car and represent that I belong with these amazing women!

Who inspires you to be fit?

My fiancée and his boys, I want to be healthy so I can be a part of their lives long into the future. And I want to be a good healthy role model for them so they can be a part of my life too!  And of course, the ladies at FGF, we’re all continuously challenging each other to work harder and be better — there’s nothing better!

When you're not pumping iron at FGF, what does the rest of your life look like?

Right now I’m busy planning my wedding for the spring of 2015 and looking forward to being a wife and a step-mom for the first time. My three guys keep me on my toes. I love to be outside hiking, biking, gardening, enjoying a lake, camping, golfing and we’re huge sports fans so we can often be found at a football or baseball game too. It’s also really important for me to volunteer and be involved with organizations that make a difference for those that need it most. I have time and resources that some people don’t and if I can make someone else’s life better, then the end result makes my life better too.  

What advice do you have for new members?

You’re in the door — that’s the first step! Just keep coming back! It’s totally OK if you need to modify or stay at one level until you get it right — no one is judging you and likely we’ve all been there, or still are. The most important thing is that you keep trying and before you know it you’ll be surprising yourself with your strength and confidence!