As part of my Best Shape Challenges, each participant gets a free one-on-one coaching call with me. And I must say, this is one of my favourite parts of the Challenges.

Here, I get to listen and help them over any sticking points, or answer any questions they may have. I’m always amazed at the rainbow of women I chat with.

Like one gal who spends half her time traveling between a tiny gulf island and the eastern arctic city of Iqaluit in Nunavut. Despite her unusual schedule, she is dedicated to working around it, despite having to train late at night when everyone else is asleep, and working the threat of bears (a ‘Bear Alert’ has kept her in her home on more than one occasion!)

Then there is another woman who got the call to duty – she was accepted into the Canadian Forces and is soon traveling to Quebec and Halifax for 5 months training, then onto her new life. She’s taking the Challenge with her, of course, and continuing the work! (No doubt it was that sense loyalty and commitment that got her into the forces in the first place!)

As usual, I have a few shift workers (tough go, you shift workers, but we always make it work), and several teachers whose day starts at 5 am when they make their way to the gym to train before work, the only available free time they have in their busy schedules.

And of course, there are the women struggling through health issues, whose strength and fortitude always amaze me. I was one of those women once, and I know the tough struggle they face every day. But their resolve is palatable and my hat’s off to each and every one of you. We do what we can do, and continue to build health in our own ways.

So when I hear an outsider say, ‘Well, I’d like to try the Challenge but I’ve got this-or-that coming up,’ I know she hasn’t made the switch yet, the one that that says that there is no perfect time to start a program.  The time is now, right now, because unfortunately, life never opens up a 10 week spread of blissful nothingness to allow you to train unencumbered. Not for us anyway. And these 30+ women on my Challenges are all living proof of it.

Through every Challenge, I am reminded of the strength of the female spirit in action. And once again, I am in awe of it all.

Thank you ladies for your generous time and belief in me, the program and yourselves. Onward into the next 5 weeks of self-discovery!

karen

PS My next sign up for the 10-Week Challenge and the 12-Week Advanced Challenge has started! We start January 7th! Get your spot TODAY! (Please note: prerequisite to the Advanced Challenge is for those who have completed the 10-Week Challenge or permission from Karen).