Trainer: Janelle Martens
Goal(s): Confidence, Independence and Modeling a Healthy Lifestyle for my Children
Age: 50
Date: April 4, 2025

When I joined F.R.E.E. Fitness, I was looking to develop more confidence and independence with my workouts, and increase the frequency of my training to support my decision to make fitness and balanced nutrition a lifestyle—not just another round in the cycle of toxic diet mentality or striving for a thinner aesthetic. My goals shifted to building muscle, reducing body fat, improving my vitals and health markers, and modeling a healthy lifestyle for my teenage children. I felt I had made some mistakes as a parent by modeling negative body image standards… and I was starting to see that mindset in my kids too. I wanted to turn that around—for myself and for them.

Initially, I hired a coach for accountability, to learn, and to take some of the fear out of the gym environment. Training with my coach 1–2 times a week, along with working out on my own 1–2 times a week, has been a recipe for success for me over the past three years. I’ve never stuck with anything fitness-related this long. I began to admire the women in the gym community who are powerlifters and started following the sport. I find lifting heavy weights incredibly empowering and motivating—I became obsessed with the pounds I could lift, not the pounds on the scale.

In Fall 2024, I decided I wanted to try a powerlifting competition. I wanted a goal rooted in performance and athletic pursuit, so I began working with Coach Janelle in mid-November. Since training with her, with a focus on competing, I’ve increased my strength, hit significant new PRs, learned a lot about the rules and technical requirements for competition, and—most importantly—gained more self-confidence and love for my strong body.

I participated in my first powerlifting competition on March 29, 2025. My goal was to complete successful lifts in terms of technique and rules (three white lights), and I hoped to hit my current gym PRs on the competitive platform. But, deep down, a little part of me hoped I might even qualify for Provincials—assuming I enjoyed the experience and wanted to continue. And… I loved it!

Janelle is an inspiration. I’ve admired her strength and dedication to the sport since I first saw her at the gym and began following her progress. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about what it takes to successfully compete—and she’s so enthusiastic, encouraging, and always smiling and laughing. Janelle helped me find more confidence in myself than I ever imagined possible. She helped me see that I could and should believe in myself as an athlete… a term I had NEVER associated with myself, and certainly never expected to identify with at the age of 50!

Fitness has helped my mental health as much—or more—than it’s helped my physical health. I’ve reduced my body fat, increased my muscle mass, cut my antidepressant medication in half, no longer suffer from acid reflux, and have far less joint pain than I once did. One of the most meaningful outcomes is that my youngest child has joined me in athletic pursuits—working out with F.R.E.E. Fitness trainer Matt weekly and joining the running club at school.

When I walked into my first powerlifting competition, I was freaking out! But not only did I complete 7 out of 9 successful lifts and finish first in my category (okay, yes, I was the only one in my category), I also qualified for Provincials and hit the totals required for Westerns and Nationals. I did that! I’m incredibly proud—and it appears I’m a powerlifting athlete now!

Get a trainer! Find a gym with an inclusive environment (I recommend F.R.E.E.—obviously!). If you ever catch yourself wishing you could do fun, athletic things—even if they’re outside your comfort zone—do it! Push yourself, no matter your age. Do it for yourself. Make the time. I work full-time, volunteer in my community, and have a busy family life. I hate mornings… but I’m typically at the gym by 7:30 a.m. (which still blows my mind). You won’t regret trying—but you might regret it if you don’t.