When it comes to getting healthy and in shape, there’s no better time than the present, as three Berks County residents prove. Even during a pandemic, the journey of getting and staying fit takes time, energy and commitment – but it’s worth it.
Emily Orischak
27, Exeter Township
Emily’s fitness journey started last summer.
“I had a lot of stress in my life at the time, with most of it culminating at the start of summer,” she says. “The workouts started as a destressing measure — a one-hour slot every day where I didn't need to think about anything else but the exercise in front of me.”
The sessions became a great escape, and the 27-year-old Exeter Township resident says after a short while, she started to see some surprising changes in herself.
“I was more focused, sleeping better, losing a bit of weight and getting stronger,” she says.
It was at that time, towards the middle of June, that Emily, a community relations coordinator for the Berks County Public Library System, explains that she really focused on improving her overall self.
“I became committed to my workout schedule, exercising at least five times a week, and changed both what and how I ate to focus more on fueling my body to maximize my workout performance,” she says.
Emily used the Beachbody program called “80-Day Obsession” as her core group of workouts. Every evening after work, she turned her living room into a makeshift gym with dumbbells, resistance bands and strength slides at the ready while Autumn Calabrese guided her through two or three rounds of intermediate-level workouts.
“What really kept me motivated during my plateau periods was my Beachbody coach and friend, Jen Yutz,” she says. A fellow alumna from Emily’s college, Jen checked in with her every week and kept pushing her to stay on track.
“There were moments after the initial weight loss that I doubted my resolve,” she says, adding that she wondered why she should keep up with her diet when nothing seemed to be changing.
“Can I just skip today's workout?”
Jen talked Emily through those moments – mental walls she needed to push past – when she wanted to give up. “I definitely needed someone to hold me accountable, and Jen was my rock,” she says.
And her end goal?
“To become stronger, eat healthier, lose weight and improve bad habits,” she says.
Emily hit her first weight goal at the end of November by losing more than 50 pounds, and she achieved her strength goal by doing less modified moves in her workouts.
“I'm so proud to say I can do 15 curtsy lunges in a row while holding two 15-pound dumbbells, but I'm also looking forward to progressing to my next set of weights,” she says.
And, while she hit her first goal, Emily says she’s not finished.
“One quote Autumn Calabrese often says is ‘Fitness is a journey, not a destination,’” she notes, adding that she’s taking a small break after finishing the first program.
Her advice to others wanting to begin a fitness journey: Find what works for you and have fun doing it. It may require a bit of trial-and-error but finding a routine or eating style that helps you achieve results and keeps you wanting more will help set you up for success.
Donald Hirsch
46, Muhlenberg Township
Donald says he has struggled with his weight for most of his life.
Working as a paramedic/firefighter for most of his career, the 46-year-old Muhlenberg Township resident did not always have time to eat as healthy as he liked.
“I worked for Reading Fire, and the ambulance was always busy,” he explains. “Sometimes you only have time to eat something fast, which usually isn’t the healthy choice.”
Donald says he was exercising and doing well, when he somehow picked up a virus that damaged his heart. “I was originally told I would need a heart transplant in the future,” he says. “Working with a great doctor and getting on the right medicine helped heal my heart to about 85 percent of what it should be.”
A year ago, Penn State Health St. Joseph, where Donald works as an EMS liaison and community educator, held a challenge at Body Zone Sports and Wellness Complex in Wyomissing, and he entered.
“Working with the heart rate monitors that they provided, a group of us pushed each other to work harder,” he says. “If I saw someone beating me, I would go back to the gym to get ahead of them again. I am very competitive that way.”
Donald, who also works as a paramedic for Muhlenberg Ambulance, says this challenge helped him develop the habit of wanting to be in the gym every day. It also has become a healthy stress outlet for him.
But working out isn’t something new for him. Donald and his daughter, Sierra, started together. “About three years ago, we started working out together as something we did for fun,” he says.
Since he wasn’t sure how to work out in the best way possible, Donald signed up with a trainer who taught him about nutrition and how to work out in the gym.
“Life gets in the way and sometimes you fall off of what you have been doing,” he says. When Sierra left for college, Donald says it was hard to keep going since they spurred each other on.
“Entering the challenge at Body Zone got me focused again and created a good support system of coworkers who are now friends,” he says.
Prior to the challenge, Donald lifted weights but did not do a lot of cardio. “When I started that challenge, I could not do more than 10 minutes of cardio before I ran out of breath,” he says.
But Body Zone has a machine called the AMT machine that he likes. “It lets me do a running motion with no impact to my knee,” he says. “I can now do over an hour of cardio without even thinking about it.”
And best of all? His last visit with his doctor and testing showed that Donald’s heart is back to 100 percent.
“I will always be on medicine, but this has truly helped save my life,” he says.
When he started his journey, Donald says he was focused just on the scale and getting to 220 pounds.
“I have learned though that you can have someone who is very skinny but not healthy,” he says. “You can have someone who seems overweight, but they can be very healthy. My end goal is health. I have lost over 20 pounds and accomplished a lot, but I will never be done.”
Donald still wants to lose about 20 pounds, but it's not his goal. “The more muscle you put on, the more fat you can burn,” he explains. “I exercise for my peace of mind and for health.”
His advice for others trying to get fit?
“Don’t focus on what other people are doing or thinking,” he says. “We are all on our own journey and should focus on that,” he adds.
Develop a support system and lean on them. Learn about nutrition and what is good for you. Most importantly, understand that health is a life journey.
Jackie Hoffman-Wenrich
52, Muhlenberg Township
When Jackie turned 50, she realized, based on family heritage of great aunts and uncles living to see 100, that she still had 50 more years left. But the Muhlenberg Township resident, now 52, says, “I was tired, overweight, unhappy, and my clothes were too tight.”
And, even worse, Jackie says, all diets failed for her, and she lost her joy.
“I was always working out, but I ate whatever I wanted,” she explains. “I was taking blood pressure medication and antidepressants.”
Then Jackie, who works as a radio host of a mid-day show on T102 and as a certified health and wellness coach, says her daughter, Katie, invited her to a hot yoga class.
“I was very uncomfortable at [it] and really didn't like it, but I went again,” she says.
After Katie became a yoga instructor, Jackie continued to go and learn and grow in her practice.
“She inspired me to be mindful of my body and health,” she says.
In April 2019, Jackie dove into a program she found that dealt with lifelong transformations, one healthy habit at a time.
“Eating six times a day every two to three hours with lean protein, plenty of vegetables, moderate carbs and less sugar than I was used to eating while also watching my fat intake,” she explains.
Jackie had a personal coach and dropped 35 pounds in three-and-a-half months. She was finally able to run races and practice yoga as if she were 25 again. She found herself sleeping through the night and having more energy. And the bonus was she no longer needed to take any medication.
“I decided to become a certified health coach,” she says, adding that the most rewarding experience is helping others reach their goals.
Jackie says her journey is lifelong, and she continues yoga, attending Jenifer's Shanti Yoga Studio in Exeter Township with instructor Jen Kinder three days a week.
“I walk/run as much as I can,” she says.
And Jackie’s advice to those beginning the same journey? Do not start a diet, take pills or starve yourself. “Learning to grow with motivation and a healthy mindset is key,” she says. “Health and well-being are so much more than just weight loss. Become passionate with a greater purpose for living.”
And Jackie is there to help people maintain optimal health and wellbeing.
