Despite Shelby Buxton, 25, being an athlete for most of her childhood, her health plummeted when she began working as a sixth-grade STEM teacher. Shelby shares how taking group fitness classes at F45 reignited her love for movement and altered the course of her future.
From playing soccer in high school to opting for intramural sports and running in college, Shelby was finding it increasingly hard to feel motivated to exercise over the years. So, when the stress of being a teacher she had learned about in school became a reality, Shelby began relying on comfort foods to cope.
“Anytime I had a bad day, I told myself, ‘I have Oreos at home, it’ll be okay.”
Yet, her unhealthy relationship with food continued to worsen, affecting her ability to show up at the gym.
“I lost touch with wanting to be active.”
Although Shelby declined her chiropractor’s initial suggestion to try strength training, everything changed when she received a prediabetic diagnosis from her doctor.
“I texted my chiropractor and said, where are we working out?”
That’s when her journey with training at F45 Wolfchase began.
“After about a month or so, I thought, okay, maybe this isn’t punishment and is actually kind of fun.”
Now, Shelby enjoys going to F45 six days a week and is coming up on her one-year anniversary with the studio next month.
The teacher’s biggest dietary change was upping her protein intake with the help of F45 Wolfchase Owner and Nutrition Coach Vanessa.
Shelby also started using the F45 app and Facebook page to hold herself accountable and get recipe ideas. She now meal preps daily — breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
“If I don’t know what to cook, I can look at the app instead of just ordering McDonalds.”
Her current F45 workout routine consists of two days of resistance training, two days of cardio, and two days of a mix between the two styles per week. On Sundays, Shelby opts for an active recovery by running or walking a few miles with her Golden Retrievers, Moose and Max.
“My favorite is cardio because it’s high-paced, so you don’t have the chance to stop and think about it. Plus, the music and vibes at F45 are great; people push each other constantly to do more.”
With her love for fitness reignited, Shelby notices that late-night snacking doesn’t have the same appeal.
“I’m setting my alarm at 5:30 a.m. every day to get up and workout, which is when cravings set in, so I am not even worried about eating an Oreo because I’m just excited thinking I get to workout the next morning.”
Shelby has since dropped down from a size 18/20 to a size 10/12, lost 57 pounds, and has learned to feel confident in her skin.
“You’re stronger than you think you are. It took me a while to believe them,” Shelby confesses. “They know I’m stronger than I think I am, which has helped me mentally and physically.”
For more information visit F45training.com.
