Anne LaFex has a story that might sound a lot like your own: she struggled to find the fun in fitness, so it never stuck! We have watched her transform both her body & her perception on exercise, diet, and a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Read on and be inspired to make changes in YOUR life! Be sure to scroll down for her after photo :)
"Method has helped me find the fun in workouts again. Like a lot of folks, I played sports growing up, including Division I athletics in college, but since I graduated, I haven't participated in group fitness or really any team activity.
Method has reintroduced the team aspect to my fitness. I never minded going to practices every day (or twice a day) in college because I loved my teammates and the sport.
Method is similar to me in that way – the people that attend the 5:30am classes are focused, have a sense of humor about themselves, & show up because they like the program. Method has also helped me learn about the best workouts for my body, which consequently has helped me shed some weight. I didn't go into Method thinking it would teach me so much about fitness in general or what my body needs specifically, but it's inevitable if you listen to the trainers for any amount of time.”
"Method has helped me find the fun in workouts again. Like a lot of folks, I played sports growing up, including Division I athletics in college, but since I graduated, I haven't participated in group fitness or really any team activity.
Method has reintroduced the team aspect to my fitness. I never minded going to practices every day (or twice a day) in college because I loved my teammates and the sport.
Method is similar to me in that way – the people that attend the 5:30am classes are focused, have a sense of humor about themselves, & show up because they like the program. Method has also helped me learn about the best workouts for my body, which consequently has helped me shed some weight. I didn't go into Method thinking it would teach me so much about fitness in general or what my body needs specifically, but it's inevitable if you listen to the trainers for any amount of time.”
My running and yoga practice have both improved. For years (years!) I stayed steady at a 10:00/mile pace, despite different training routines. Without implementing anything new, within six months of starting Method, my pace was down to 9:00/mile. This is still not fast (I've never wanted fast), but it's amazing to see how much adding Method helped. And yoga! I know yoga isn't supposed to be about the pose, but I'll tell you it's ALL about the pose when you get up into headstand or handstand for the first time. :) Method helped me get into poses I had admired only from a distance by building my core strength . . . and courage.
Method 360 is really smart fitness. Every day is different based on whatever the focus is that day, but you can modify the script based on what feels best for you. The best part about Method is that the trainers have given me (us!) the necessary information and freedom to modify the workouts based on what is best for my body without feeling weird or like I'm going to stick out. I also love that Trish created Method with yoga in mind. You can see and feel the aspects of yoga in the designs of her classes. They're properly sequenced, really thoughtful, and each exercise is designed to complement another.
I love learning from the trainers. They explain the "why" of the exercises & offer new ideas for modifying that make sense for me and my body, and all of the trainers give me the confidence to try new things. I think this is particularly remarkable given that I don't individually train with any one of the trainers – everything I've learned is through the group classes, listening to the trainers, and paying attention to their offerings for modification.
I've learned cardio isn't the best way to become leaner. I've learned that my body needs it all – cardio, resistance, stability, yoga – and Method classes provide a space for it all. I've learned to stop internally rolling my eyes when any of the trainers offer wild exercises because either (1) it will be hard as hell and I'll eat humble pie or (2) even if it is wacky, I know how (and why) to modify it and make it work for me. I've learned why I need to pay attention to how I'm feeling during my workouts so I don't let my heart rate get too low or too high. I've learned to think one or two stations ahead in a circuit so I can plan the most effective workout for me. I've learned to identify my boundaries and the right methods for pushing them. Mostly, though, I've learned just trust myself and what the trainers have taught me.
Method 360 is really smart fitness. Every day is different based on whatever the focus is that day, but you can modify the script based on what feels best for you. The best part about Method is that the trainers have given me (us!) the necessary information and freedom to modify the workouts based on what is best for my body without feeling weird or like I'm going to stick out. I also love that Trish created Method with yoga in mind. You can see and feel the aspects of yoga in the designs of her classes. They're properly sequenced, really thoughtful, and each exercise is designed to complement another.
I love learning from the trainers. They explain the "why" of the exercises & offer new ideas for modifying that make sense for me and my body, and all of the trainers give me the confidence to try new things. I think this is particularly remarkable given that I don't individually train with any one of the trainers – everything I've learned is through the group classes, listening to the trainers, and paying attention to their offerings for modification.
I've learned cardio isn't the best way to become leaner. I've learned that my body needs it all – cardio, resistance, stability, yoga – and Method classes provide a space for it all. I've learned to stop internally rolling my eyes when any of the trainers offer wild exercises because either (1) it will be hard as hell and I'll eat humble pie or (2) even if it is wacky, I know how (and why) to modify it and make it work for me. I've learned why I need to pay attention to how I'm feeling during my workouts so I don't let my heart rate get too low or too high. I've learned to think one or two stations ahead in a circuit so I can plan the most effective workout for me. I've learned to identify my boundaries and the right methods for pushing them. Mostly, though, I've learned just trust myself and what the trainers have taught me.
| I'm so grateful to Jen, Leslie, and Trish for putting themselves out there with Method 360. We are lucky to have them and their support on our journeys. Their honesty and transparency is refreshing and simple, and it has created a beautiful, safe place for people to just be themselves. Method 360 really is more than a gym for me. It was a doorway to a healthier habits. It helped me access failure and, consequently, growth. Occasionally, it's the most fun hour of my day, but it's always the best way to start my day. And it's a constant source of inspiration. Seeing and hearing others' stories, workouts, failures, and successes keeps me engaged, curious, and committed." |  |
We asked Anne a few questions to help people understand what Method 360 is all about. We included her husband Dan, who regularly comes to class with her, to see how Anne’s experience has motivated him to come to Method 360.
How is Method 360 different from other things you have tried?: For me, the people at Method are why I keep coming back. When I first called to ask some questions about Method, Jen answered the phone, & she was so approachable. She, like Leslie and Trish, are down to earth and instantly make you feel at ease. And then I took class, and even at that first one, I didn't feel like I stood out or that people were looking at/judging me. I love the classes where my husband attends, but even if he's not there I feel at home and myself because of the people around me. And I'm not necessarily a social butterfly – I like to stick in the back – but the energy of everybody else in the room reminds me I'm not alone and we're all in it together.
What goals have you achieved since starting M360? What do you hope to achieve in the future?: I went down a pant size in the first four months of starting Method, and since then, I've dropped another size. This is kind of a big deal for me because I had been the same exact size/weight/shape since my freshman year of college and was convinced I'd stay that way forever. (To illustrate this point, when I found out the Gap was discontinuing the only style of jeans I'd ever fit into, I bought five pairs in my size so I'd have them for years to come.)
More importantly, though, I have adopted a consistent, sustainable, healthy lifestyle. Since starting Method, I've gradually let go of feeling like I'm required to workout in some particular way. My eating and drinking habits have changed based on my Method workouts. I go to Method nearly every weekday because it's now a part of my personal fabric and it's what makes me feel good. This lifestyle change means that I forfeit a couple happy hours here and there in exchange for getting home, eating a good dinner, going to bed on time, and working out in the morning. I've realized, though, that the feeling of being healthy provides more fulfillment and happiness than staying out/up late. Also, and not least things, I bought the enhanced body assessment in January, and I learned that, while I ate pretty well and exercised enough, I could be tweaking just a few small things to really make difference. Trish's suggestions for workouts and Lisa Yarah's suggestions for my diet were easy to implement, and a month later, I see and feel tangible changes.
As for future goals, it may be unattainable, but I'd love to be a fast enough runner to go out for a run with my sister, Margaret. Between me getting a little faster and her getting older (ha, ha), this seems finally (maybe) possible.
How has Anne’s experience influenced you Dan?: At first, for me, M360 was about supporting Anne. I would come, but my interest and my presence were predicated on her goals. To some extent, that was sustainable. M360 is infectious, and Anne’s enthusiasm for the program—and her results—motivated my participation. But what I’ve learned is that my support for Anne has become more meaningful and more sustainable as I have found my own reasons for participating. Instead of being there merely for her, often now I am there for us—and that’s made a sizeable difference in how I approach fitness, how I motivate myself, and how I set and accomplish goals.
Since that reorientation, I’ve committed more fully to the program and I feel all the better for having done so. I’ve been able to learn actively from Anne’s experiences, whereas previously I was a passive observer of those experiences. And, as a result, classes have become all the more pleasurable. Albeit silently—we’re working too hard to talk!—in class we communicate through sharing experiences, motivating each other, and offering encouragement. That sense of mutual responsibility—that desire to take care of one another as we take care of ourselves—has shaped my approach to fitness, making it more purposeful and viable as an element of my well-being.
How is Method 360 different from other things you have tried?: For me, the people at Method are why I keep coming back. When I first called to ask some questions about Method, Jen answered the phone, & she was so approachable. She, like Leslie and Trish, are down to earth and instantly make you feel at ease. And then I took class, and even at that first one, I didn't feel like I stood out or that people were looking at/judging me. I love the classes where my husband attends, but even if he's not there I feel at home and myself because of the people around me. And I'm not necessarily a social butterfly – I like to stick in the back – but the energy of everybody else in the room reminds me I'm not alone and we're all in it together.
What goals have you achieved since starting M360? What do you hope to achieve in the future?: I went down a pant size in the first four months of starting Method, and since then, I've dropped another size. This is kind of a big deal for me because I had been the same exact size/weight/shape since my freshman year of college and was convinced I'd stay that way forever. (To illustrate this point, when I found out the Gap was discontinuing the only style of jeans I'd ever fit into, I bought five pairs in my size so I'd have them for years to come.)
More importantly, though, I have adopted a consistent, sustainable, healthy lifestyle. Since starting Method, I've gradually let go of feeling like I'm required to workout in some particular way. My eating and drinking habits have changed based on my Method workouts. I go to Method nearly every weekday because it's now a part of my personal fabric and it's what makes me feel good. This lifestyle change means that I forfeit a couple happy hours here and there in exchange for getting home, eating a good dinner, going to bed on time, and working out in the morning. I've realized, though, that the feeling of being healthy provides more fulfillment and happiness than staying out/up late. Also, and not least things, I bought the enhanced body assessment in January, and I learned that, while I ate pretty well and exercised enough, I could be tweaking just a few small things to really make difference. Trish's suggestions for workouts and Lisa Yarah's suggestions for my diet were easy to implement, and a month later, I see and feel tangible changes.
As for future goals, it may be unattainable, but I'd love to be a fast enough runner to go out for a run with my sister, Margaret. Between me getting a little faster and her getting older (ha, ha), this seems finally (maybe) possible.
How has Anne’s experience influenced you Dan?: At first, for me, M360 was about supporting Anne. I would come, but my interest and my presence were predicated on her goals. To some extent, that was sustainable. M360 is infectious, and Anne’s enthusiasm for the program—and her results—motivated my participation. But what I’ve learned is that my support for Anne has become more meaningful and more sustainable as I have found my own reasons for participating. Instead of being there merely for her, often now I am there for us—and that’s made a sizeable difference in how I approach fitness, how I motivate myself, and how I set and accomplish goals.
Since that reorientation, I’ve committed more fully to the program and I feel all the better for having done so. I’ve been able to learn actively from Anne’s experiences, whereas previously I was a passive observer of those experiences. And, as a result, classes have become all the more pleasurable. Albeit silently—we’re working too hard to talk!—in class we communicate through sharing experiences, motivating each other, and offering encouragement. That sense of mutual responsibility—that desire to take care of one another as we take care of ourselves—has shaped my approach to fitness, making it more purposeful and viable as an element of my well-being.
Thank You Annie for being our Success Story for February! We would like to thank you by giving you a free session of life coaching by Jess Ryan. We look forward to seeing you and Dan every morning at 5:30 am!
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