Trainer Sam McLean recently shared a story with me about one of his long-term client.

Probably my biggest success story is one of maintenance. Marianne Riebel is a long time client of mine.  Her husband Alan invited me to dinner on Thanksgiving Day this year. There, he toasted his wife.

Alan recapped the last few months: Marianne had a series of small strokes back in August, and her stroke specialist hasn’t seen someone her age come through such an event in such good shape. When they met with the doctor at OHSU, he pulled Alan aside and said, “If she hadn’t been resistance training to stay strong and healthy, your wife wouldn’t be here right now.”
Al was in tears when he said in front of his whole family “Sam, I thank you for saving Marianne’s life.”

A story like this encourages me to ask questions like why stay healthy? Why move? Why pursue fitness?

With Alan and Marianne in mind, I think the answer might go something like this: because life is better when we are strong enough to face the unexpected.

Because, like John Donne said, no man or woman is an island. Because we have people we care about and who care about us. Because it is easier to care for those people when we take care of ourselves.

Because life, like fitness, is better together.