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iFIT Member Meets Tommy Rivs Puzey

Meet iFIT member Stephanie Brewer, who purchased a NordicTrack X11i, loves it, and has been working out with iFIT ever since. Recently, she went on her first real-world hike and had the lucky chance to run into iFIT Trainer Tommy Rivs Puzey, who also happened to be in the Grand Canyon that day, training for an upcoming race. iFIT was able to interview her about her experience!

Q: What trail were you doing in the Grand Canyon?

A: We went down the South Kaibab Trail to Skeleton Point—about 3 miles down and back.

Q: Were you hiking or running?

A: Hahaha! I'm no Tommy! Definitely just hiking and trying not to die in the process.

Q: Have you ever done anything like this before?

A: No, this was my first ever true hike, something I truly never imagined myself doing. I've always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon but never thought about hiking it until I did iFIT Trainer John Peel's walk down the Kaibab Trail and back up Bright Angel Trail. After doing the iFIT workout, I knew hiking the real Grand Canyon was something I wanted to do.

**Hike the Grand Canyon with iFIT Trainer John Peel**

Q: What made you decide to buy a NordicTrack X11 incline trainer?

A: I had been looking at several treadmills, but when I came across the iFIT programs, I knew this was the one I wanted. I wish now I would have gone with the bigger screen, but I'm still happy with this one.

Q: Do you use iFIT every time you use the machine?

A: Yes! If I'm on the treadmill, I am doing a program. I like to find one and stick with it until I finish before moving on to another.

Being able to feel like you are in a location that many of us would never be able to go makes it so much more fun and makes me look forward to getting on the treadmill.

Q: What is it about iFIT that keeps you motivated?

A: Having the videos really distracts you and keeps you going through the workouts. Being able to feel like you are in a location that many of us would never be able to go makes it so much more fun and makes me look forward to getting on the treadmill. One of the reasons John Peel and Tommy are my faves is because they are both so knowledgeable and really keep you interested in what they are talking about during each and every workout.

Q: Do you think you could do these workouts without iFIT?

A: I could do them, but probably wouldn't. The trainers and videos make all the difference.

Don't get dead

Q: Describe your fitness journey...did you have a specific Grand Canyon adventure goal in mind?

A: Having been fit enough to do fitness competitions and then putting weight back on, I’m at a point in my life where I work out for the pure ability to be active. Sure, losing weight would be nice, but it's more about heart health, emotional and mental health, and just keeping active for me. I weight train and do the iFIT programs for cardio, along with getting in a bike ride on Saturdays with our group for about 25–30 miles. For the Grand Canyon, the only goal was to not give up and “Don’t get dead” as Tommy says. I knew going back up was going to be difficult, so I made sure to push myself the 3 miles to Skeleton Point, knowing I'd have to go back up. It was far from easy for me, but worth every ounce of pain.

Q: Are you on your fitness journey with others in your home or friend group?

A: I work out at home. My husband and I converted one of our rooms into a home gym when we bought our house last year.

Q: What's the biggest difference in your life now that you are fit enough for activities like Grand Canyon adventures?

A: It pushes me to see that I am stronger than I believe, and makes me want to do more things like it. I really enjoy nature and the beauty that it holds, so I see more vacations like this in my future.

I want to express to the coaches just how much they mean to us. In our world, they are rockstars.

Q: What are some of your other favorite trainers and workouts?

A: So far my favorites are Tommy, of course, and John Peel. Although I just finished the Mt. Kilimanjaro Trek with Jake Norton and really enjoyed that one. I used that one as my training for the climb back up the Grand Canyon. I loved Tommy's Swiss Alps series where it was climbs and runs. I'm not really a runner, so it was great having the combo and not just running all the time. My first workout when I got the treadmill was John Peel's Swiss Alps series. I was hooked from that moment.

Q: Anything else you want to tell the teams at NordicTrack and iFIT?

A: I want to express to the trainers just how much they mean to us. In our world, they are rockstars. We connect with them in a way most can't understand. I've always hated being on a treadmill (or dreadmill), but now I look forward to listening to them and learning from them in every workout.

Thanks for taking an interest in my chance encounter with Tommy. He will never know what it meant to me and just how much he motivates me and all the other “iFitters!”

Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFIT assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article. Always follow the safety precautions included in the owner’s manual of your fitness equipment.

Opinions of iFIT members are not necessarily the opinions of iFIT.

Don Schintz- iFit User

My iFit story - Don Schintz Before iFit, I had been a casual jogger for quite a few years. I enjoyed getting outdoors and a good run. We even purchased a treadmill in 2011, but during the winter, I rarely found time to use it. In the summer, it was just too nice out to be inside. On March 28, 2014, I reached a record weight. I didn’t have time for exercise, but my body was telling me that I needed to do something. I read someone’s blog post about how they worked out at 4:30 in the morning, because they couldn’t make time during the day. That seemed like crazy talk! I could not imagine getting up that early. I even doubted that my body would let me exercise at that time of the day. Having a full-time job and being a part-time basketball coach, I knew that my schedule just wasn’t going to ever let me exercise consistently at night. I really had to do something drastic. So on March 31, 2014, I decided it was time to commit to 4:30 a.m. workouts. I started by using the programs that were standard on my treadmill. By mid-June, I was looking for a way to keep track of my running stats and discovered that my treadmill could log into iFit and automatically keep track of my runs. By mid-September, I was really starting to get tired of the same old treadmill programs. I decided to really investigate what iFit could do. I also started to check out the iFit community site, and found the people there to be very welcoming, friendly, helpful, and encouraging. I finally decided to sign up for a year of iFit. It wasn’t long before I was running maps all over the world! iRun4Ryan It was also in September of 2014 that I found a Facebook group called “I Run for Michael” (or www.whoirun4.com). It is a non-profit organization that matches runners with “buddies” who can’t run for physical or developmental reasons. It serves as a support for the buddy and their family, and it’s an inspiration for the runner. It also fosters great and meaningful friendships. I was matched with my buddy Ryan in the spring of 2015. Ryan has many physical and developmental challenges that keep him from being able to run. It has been a pleasure to communicate with him and to support him with the miles that I run. Since June 2014, I have done over 700 workouts, run over 300 maps, and logged over 2,500 miles. Thank you, iFit, for supporting and enabling me to continue on my fitness journey and for helping me support someone who can’t run. WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.