Some fitness journeys take years to be realized, some take months. No matter the timeframe, achieving your fitness goals is something to be proud of. For Erin Rehn, her story began in the waning months of 2020 when she joined Xperience Fitness with her friends, Jackie and Jessica. After being teased for her short, “weak” physique, Erin wanted to get serious about improving her strength.
With Buff Bunny Heidi Somers serving as her inspiration, Erin set out to build her muscles while losing body fat. She partnered with a personal trainer at Xperience in January 2021 and started to see results after just a few weeks. By March, Erin had dropped her body fat percentage by eight points to just 19 percent.
The journey, like for most people, hasn’t always been smooth sailing. When working out on her own, Erin would face frustrations with her weight fluctuating for unknown reasons and contradictory advice from various sources. It wasn’t until she embraced all of her supportive resources like friends and trainers that she really made strides. “I cannot stress enough the importance of a support group, workout buddies, measurable goals, positive reinforcement. and giving yourself grace,” she said.
As for the Xperience Fitness staff, their role was paramount in Erin getting to where she wanted to be. “(The staff) have always been super supportive, friendly, and really make you want to be there,” she told us. “They make you feel like you belong there. Our trainer keeps us accountable, honest, focused and constantly laughing.”
Overall, losing body fat and building up muscle has resulted in Erin feeling healthier, to the surprise of no one. “I feel healthier, stronger and more confident in my own skin,” she said. “Being able to open a jar for myself is priceless and I don’t have to ask someone for help anymore. It’s a silly thing to be excited about, but when you’re tiny, weak for your whole life, being able to open a jar all by yourself is a fun and exciting first.” She’s right! It’s little things like this that make the hard work worthwhile.
As for advice to those starting or working through their own fitness adventure, Erin said, “put away the scale. There are so many things that can make the scale fluctuate up and down. I know for me weighing myself everyday really triggered me and was a cause of frustration and despair, instead focus on how you feel in your clothes.” She also expressed the importance of workout buddies, planning out meals, and avoiding peer pressure.
We’re very proud to have Erin as a part of our fitness family and we can’t wait to see what else she is able to accomplish! Way to go, Erin!