Brunswick Blog

January Athlete of the Month - Katie Soucy

1/6/2023

We are so excited to be celebrating our first Athlete Spotlight of 2023, Katie Soucy.

Katie started training with us in February 2021. She had signed up for her first marathon in Minnesota, where her family lives, and wanted to build strength and endurance to help her prepare for the event. Following the event, we were so excited to hear that not only did she have a successful first marathon, but her body felt good enough to enjoy time with her family after the marathon and in the days to follow. Being able to not only complete an incredible endeavor like a first marathon but also feel amazing afterwards is an incredible accomplishment.

An accomplishment like this doesn’t come without hard work and commitment. Katie was committed to her training program right from the start, and made time to get to her training session on a regular basis. Katie is a mom of a 3 year old and splits self care time with her husband as they both work full time jobs.

Throughout her training program she has remained focused on building strength. She’s willing to push herself out of her comfort zone, lift a little heavier, and challenge herself. Her efforts are evident when she does things like shoveling snow or portaging a canoe, which once felt like a struggle.

When Katie joined in February of 2021 we were just coming out of the thick of the pandemic. She was working from home and feeling like a hermit. She saw her gym time as a place where she could focus on herself, both from a physical point of view and also from a social point of view.

Getting out of the house and seeing other people after a year of relative isolation was important for her, and we couldn’t be more happy that she chose to join our community here at Wilcox.

Katie has been inspired by other members of our community, noticing the diversity in what brings people together at the gym with one common goal - a commitment to one’s overall health & fitness. The support of other people has kept her motivated, and I know that she has paid that forward by inspiring others. She admits that she loves the adrenaline rush of a box jump, and it shows in her willingness to challenge herself whenever we put that exercise into the circuit. We got a great photo of her doing a box jump (shared here) and when shared in our client facebook group the comments validated the inspiration that her tenacity and drive have on others.

Thank you Katie for being such a positive force within our community. Your positive attitude, kind demeanor and focused mindset contributes in meaningful ways to our gym culture and we just love having you in our community. We are so happy to inspire you each day and in turn to be inspired by you. Keep up the great work. We can't wait to celebrate the completion of your next marathon with you!

December Athlete of the Month - Martha Fogler & Irwin Gross

12/12/2022

We are so excited to be celebrating Martha Fogler and Irwin Gross as this month’s Athlete’s of the Month.

Martha & Irwin were members of the WILCOX Bangor location since April 2014 and before moving to Brunswick. They were the first members to join our community when we first opened in 2019.

Martha and Irwin inspire us every day. They support each other as a couple in remarkable ways. They most often attend their training sessions together, they travel together, they bike together, and they support their families together.

They are committed to their health & fitness because they want to remain active well into their elder years, biking, traveling, swimming with their grandkids and anything else that life has to offer.

This past summer Martha came into the gym and shared this photo of her playing with her kids on the lake. She credited her work in the gym for her ability to stabilize herself on the floating carpet. We were all so excited to see how her commitment to her health & fitness was benefiting her in her life.

Later that summer Irwin experienced a cycling accident that kept him away from the gym while he healed. Everyone was relieved to hear that his injuries weren’t as bad as they could have been, and we were thrilled to welcome him back to the gym.

Irwin started off working 1:1 with Bree while he rebuilt his strength & confidence in the gym. Over time he transitioned back into group training while occasionally scheduling a 1:1 with Bree to refine some of his skills.

Both Martha & Irwin commit to their regular training routine because they see how it benefits them in meaningful ways. And their attitudes in the gym reflect that commitment. Martha is always asking questions, making new connections to the movements, and considering how each movement will help her keep doing the things that she loves. Irwin, true to his background in clinical medicine, approaches each training session as an opportunity to better understand the mechanics of his body. He moves methodically through each movement with mindfulness around the smallest of details, understanding how his body moves.

This kind of commitment is what allows Martha and Irwin to live their very best life in defiance of their age. They recognize that their commitment allows them to move like they’re decades younger, but they don’t take it for granted. They know that a body in motion stays in motion, and a body at rest stays at rest. They both intend to stay in motion for as long as possible and have so much still to explore and enjoy.

It’s an absolute honor to be on this journey with Martha & Irwin. They give us the inspiration each day to be our very best so that we can support them and everyone else in our community in being active explorers of this great earth, whatever that means for each individual.

Keep up the great work Martha & Irwin! We’re proud of you and so happy to have you as a part of this community.

November Athlete of the Month - Kathleen Kelley

11/8/2022

Kathleen initially started training with us through our free trial program in February, 2021, and didn’t join until October of that same year. Kathleen will admit that she didn’t think that she needed the help at first, but after a busy summer filled with family obligations she realized that she could use some extra support and accountability and reached back out to talk about giving it another try, and boy are we glad that she did!

Kathleen brings an incredible positive energy to the Wilcox Community and for that we are so grateful. She is one of the most generous and caring people who I know. She will often bake delicious breads and other amazing healthy treats from her kitchen and bring a sample to the trainer team. She takes such good care of us, just as she does everyone in her life. Does this sound familiar to you? I know that Kathleen isn’t alone when it comes to giving, giving and giving some more until you’re so tired that you just have no more to give.

And that’s why it’s so very important to put yourself first even when you want to put everyone else before yourself. If you don’t take time to take care of yourself you just won’t have the energy to give all that you want to give to everyone else, and Kathleen has learned that over the past year that we’ve known her.

It makes us so happy to see how much progress Kathleen has made both in terms of the work she puts into the gym, the body awareness and stamina that she has built, and her ability to do everything that she wants in her life including giving to everyone who she loves.

We are so proud of Kathleen and everything that she has accomplished. Please join me in congratulating Kathleen, our November Athlete of the Month!

October Athlete of the Month - Kevin Bunker

10/6/2022

Kevin joined us in January 2021 after completing PT for his 2nd back surgery. His physical therapist at Accel PT recommended that he join a gym where he could focus on building core strength, learn how to move without using his back improperly, and build strength overall.

This next step in his recovery was a scary one, because he had been experiencing back pain for a while, and having just completed a 2nd surgery he didn’t want to reinjure himself. On the other hand, the idea of getting into a gym with a trainer who could provide him with the guidance and support that would allow him to build confidence in how he moves was appealing. Kevin had been an active person in the past, but the back surgeries had significantly impacted his movement and confidence for a long time and he yearned to regain both his activity level and confidence in movement.

As a father of two young children Kevin wants to be an active participant with his family, enjoying those opportunities to play with the kids, be active during family vacations, and enjoying time skiing as a family during the winter months.

Since Kevin started with Wilcox Wellness & Fitness nearly 2 years ago he has made consistent progress. When you see Kevin in the gym these days you’d never guess that he had a significant back surgery just 2 years ago. He moves with confidence and works hard. He embraces each movement as an opportunity to work hard, challenge himself and also to continually reinforce the details of his form and technique that he has learned, allowing him to effectively engage his core and protect his back.

Kevin will be joining Team Wilcox in the 2023 Tough Mountain Challenge at Sunday River.

We were so excited to see Kevin’s confidence in signing up for this challenge, knowing that he is feeling strong and confident about conquering the obstacles involved. He plans to bring his family to join him and we look forward to having him alongside the team and celebrating this next super fun accomplishment.

Congratulations Kevin! We are so proud of all of your progress and the impact that it has made in how you move both in the gym and in your daily life. Your hard work, consistency, and focus in every training session is to credit for your results and you should be very proud of your accomplishments! We love working with you and look forward to celebrating many more wins with you.

September Athlete of the Month - Mary Bouchard

9/13/2022

We are so delighted to be celebrating Mary Bouchard as our September Athlete of the Month. Mary has been training with us since the very beginning of the Wilcox Brunswick location back in January 2019 and we have just loved being part of Mary’s journey, and her a part of ours.

When Mary first joined she wanted to get back into a fitness routine as she prepared for a half marathon, a goal that was important to her for both physical and personal reasons. She wanted to build confidence, peace & balance, and be a role model to her family. She also wanted to learn how to lift weight safely in order to gain strength throughout her whole body.

Mary’s commitment has been an inspiration since the first day that she started in her training program.

Like many of our clients she is a mother, a daughter, and a dedicated employee. She is committed to the people who she loves and to being the best that she can be in all aspects of her life. This means that life can get busy at times, causing her to be a bit less consistent for a week or two, but she always gets right back on track as soon as the other needs of her life are taken care of.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Pick something small to change and stick with it. Eventually it becomes a habit and eventually you will feel and see the gains you have made”

When she needed extra help with nutrition she asked for help with accountability and took the initiative to keep a nutrition journal and make small tweaks to how she was eating to help her move down the path that she desired. While working through some knee pain she would ask for help with modifications, listen to the trainers, and adjust as needed so that she could heal her knee and stay consistent with her training program, returning to being pain free quickly.

Most recently Mary added a private training session once per week in addition to her group training program. She enjoys working with Bree and learns a lot about her body during her group training sessions.

Having the opportunity to work closely with Bree 1:1 each week provides her with the space to push herself a bit further out of her comfort zone and continue to develop new understandings of how she can challenge herself.

Mary has been a part of our community since the very beginning and has been a big part of the welcoming culture that Wilcox Wellness & Fitness has come to be known for. She is a part of the Wilcox family and not only is willing to ask for advice and support when she needs it, she is also an incredible source of friendship and support to the rest of us.

We are so honored to have Mary as a part of our community and thrilled to acknowledge all of her hard work and commitment. Way to go Mary! We look forward to many more successes and fun times in the years to come.

August Athlete of the Month - Bill Keleher

8/24/2022

We are so excited to celebrate Bill Keleher as our August Athlete of the Month. Bill started training with us in June 2021 and has made remarkable progress over the past 14 months.

When Bill first joined his #1 goal was to build a routine around exercise so that he could feel better overall, manage stress, maintain good brain health, and to prevent future health complications given that high blood pressure runs in his family.

Bill has worked hard to maintain consistency in his training program despite owning a business, working long hours, and traveling for work. We are so proud of how well Bill has done in overcoming the scheduling challenges when they present themselves. While he may be out for a period of time due to travel, he always gets right back into his routine as soon as he returns, and has successfully reached his goal of making exercise a regular part of his routine. Bill has commented on several occasions since starting about how this is the longest that he’s ever stuck with a training program. It’s something to be proud of for sure!

While we love hearing how the way that the training program is designed is a factor in the longevity of his commitment, it’s really Bill who is to be credited for his success. Bill decided that it was important for him to find something that would work for him so that he could reach his goal of creating and maintaining a routine, and from the start has worked hard to be consistent.

Over the past 14 months Bill has worked hard in the gym, listening to his coaches, and learning how his body moves. When he first started he experienced low back pain. As he gained more body awareness and understanding around how he was moving in exercises such as squats and deadlifts he quickly improved his form and noticed the benefits that these improvements have had on reducing any pain.

What really gets us excited about Bill’s progress is hearing stories about how his training program has impacted his life. There are parts of Bill’s work that can be very physical including a process that he and his team do that involves passing heavy salmon down a line of people for testing that his business does to ensure that our food is safe to eat. One day he came into the gym proclaiming how great he felt after doing this process the previous week. He shared how in the past this whole process would leave him feeling sore and tired, requiring a day or two of recovery afterwards. This time he felt strong.

Bill-Keleher-Wilcox-Brunswick-August-Athlete-of-the-Month-2022

It’s stories like this that inspire us as a trainer team! We are committed to helping our clients move in their daily lives without pain and without limitations. At the end of the day, the results that our clients see are due to their own hard work and commitment, and Bill is no exception.

Way to go Bill! We are so proud of your progress and love working with you in the gym. We look forward to many more years of success stories.

He was aware of how he was moving his body and lifting the fish, pivoting on his feet as he passed them down the line, which resulted in no pain and no need for recovery days.

July Athlete of the Month - Barbara Piccirillo

7/6/2022

This month we are celebrating our Athlete of the Month - Barbara Piccirillo. Barbara joined the Wilcox Community in February, 2021 and then when she was ready to up the ante with her focus on nutrition she joined the KickStart program in March, 2022.

Barbara is so much fun to work with. She is willing to get out of her comfort zone and learn new movements, recognizing that with each repetition she gets closer and closer to connecting to the movement and truly recognizing the benefits that it brings to how she moves in her daily life.

When Barbara first joined our community she was concerned about some limitations in one of her hips, and understandably she wants to avoid a hip replacement surgery for as long as possible. With this in mind Barbara would adapt movements with the modifications that the trainer team provided, allowing her to do each movement with confidence and building strength in her hip along the way.

As she has gained more strength & balance she has increased her confidence in the movements that we do in the gym allowing her to continue to push herself to places that she never expected in her health & fitness.

Earlier this spring Barbara joined the KickStart program. It’s not unusual for people to join our training programs and need to break down each piece of the commitment to their overall health & fitness long term. We talk a lot about the value of making small, incremental improvements over time, setting our clients up for success with long term and sustainable lifestyle change. For Barbara she wanted to focus on getting consistent with her exercise program, attending sessions 3 times a week.

Barbara is a regular in our early morning sessions, which allows her to start her day off on a positive note that will carry her through everything on her to-do list for the day. Once she felt confident that she had built consistency in her training program she looked to the KickStart program and the community that is made up by the other participants to get additional support and accountability around her nutrition. Barbara has always been mindful about what she eats, but through the KickStart program she made small adjustments that further shaped a positive mindset around nourishing her body with healthy nutritious foods the majority of the time, and recognizing that an occasional “splurge” doesn’t mean that it needs to lead to a downward spiral. When we make a choice to have a special treat it’s important that we enjoy this treat and not feel guilty about our choice.

Next, we get right back on track with our very next healthy meal. When we make conscious choices about enjoying an occasional treat we build balance in our nutritional habits that are sustainable and set us up for long term success.

Barbara has been an incredible role model both in her commitment to her training program, and in the insights that she shared with her KickStart crew as she found balance in her nutritional habits and consistency in her training routine.

We are so excited to be recognizing Barbara and all of her accomplishments over the past 8 months that she has been part of the Wilcox Community.

June Client of the Month - Kathleen Kelley

6/10/2022

Our June Client of the Month is a woman who is always working on getting better. Kathleen Kelley is such an incredible example of someone who recognizes how the ebb and flow of life’s responsibilities can impact one’s ability to be consistent with health and fitness, but that doesn’t stop her from working on it every day!

Let’s face it! Life is not easy. Being human is not easy. Showing up for ourselves each and every day is not easy. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth it!

I’m sure that plenty of us can relate to how challenging it can be some days to meet the expectations that we put upon ourselves. Depending on where you are in your life these expectations are different, but can be just as intense in their own right - expectations for how we care for our families, how we pursue our career path, how we commit to our volunteer engagements, how we respond to our friends particularly when they are in need. The list goes on. And when we feel all of these responsibilities pulling on us it can be easy to put our own self care onto the back burner.

As they say, the first step in getting better is to acknowledge the situation, and this is what inspires me about Kathleen. She quickly recognizes when she’s off course and the impact that this has on her ability to live her best life…and for Kathleen her best life is when she can be giving to others. Kathleen cares deeply for her family, and she’s a total giver. She takes care of everyone! Even the Wilcox Trainer Team! Katheen is an amazing baker and cook and she’s often bringing delicious, organic - whole food goodies from her kitchen to share with us. She’s one of the most generous and caring people that I know. And when we give, give, give it’s so easy to lose sight of what we need to do to take care of ourselves so that….we can keep giving.

I have this conversation with people all of the time who say that they don’t have time to commit to healthy living because they have too many responsibilities to other people. But if we aren’t taking care of ourselves we’ll get to a point where we can’t keep giving to those who we love.

Kathleen embraces the importance of taking care of herself, even though on some days she may give more to others than she gives to herself, which can tip things temporarily out of balance. When I spoke with Kathleen recently she reflected upon the reality that when she stays on track with her commitment to a healthy lifestyle she has more energy, she’s more positive, and she sleeps better. And of course, when we have more energy, feel more positive, and are fully rested we have so much more of ourselves to give.

Kathleen’s acknowledgement of how her healthy habits benefit her….and how straying off course leads to feeling like crap, sleepless nights, and lack of energy inspires her to get back on track ASAP. Sometimes it may feel like the gap between getting off track and getting back on track feels like a chasm, and that’s because time seems to slow down when we aren’t feeling our best. It can make us feel like we’re not getting back on track fast enough, but what is important is that we dig deep and find the reasons for getting back on track, and do it as soon as possible.

Kathleen consistently shows up to the gym, and with each visit she arrives with a big smile on her face ready to not only give herself that time to take care of herself but also with all of the generosity in her heart that she gives to the others who are in the session with her. Her positive energy is contagious. She works hard and has fun doing it. The more she sweats the more she smiles.

Kathleen is always exploring other ways to support a healthy body. She notices how she feels better when she is hydrated. She noticed recently that gluten and sugar don’t benefit her and so she explores new recipes and ways to fuel and nourish her body with the foods that make her body feel its very best.

When I asked Kathleen what her biggest accomplishment has been this is what she said:

“My biggest accomplishment is that I let go of the belief that I can do this on my own, and I came back to Wilcox for the support I truly need”.

And boy are we glad she did! Every day Kathleen learns something new that will benefit how she feels and how she can live her life feeling her very best, and right alongside her we learn something from Kathleen that inspires us to be our very best too.

We just love working with Kathleen and we couldn’t be more happy to celebrate Kathleen as our client of the month.

Celebrating our May Client of the Month - Julie Wagoner!

5/11/2022

This month we are so happy to be celebrating
Julie Wagoner as our Client of the Month!

When Julie first joined our community her number one goal was to gain strength, particularly bone strength. She has osteoporosis and her doctor told her that she needed to start strength training in order to support her bone health. He gave her until July to make some progress, and I just couldn’t wait to recognize her progress! And I also can’t wait to hear what the doctor says in July, because I expect him to be very impressed with her progress!

Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle, so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses such as bending over or coughing can cause a fracture, so this is a serious condition. Luckily, lifting weights can help protect your bones and prevent osteoporosis-related fractures. According to WebMD and other sources, studies show that strength training over a period of time can help prevent bone loss -- and may even help build new bone.

When Julie started training with us osteoporosis was starting to affect her posture, and over the past several weeks I’ve noticed Julie standing up taller, and maintaining better posture during exercise in the gym. Julie also came into the gym recently and proclaimed that she’s noticing how her training in the gym is affecting how she walks. She’s more connected to her body when she walks, aware of her posture, and more stable.
When I asked Julie about her favorite exercise it came as no surprise when she said the split stance row.

The split stance is a movement that we use in the gym to help us connect to our normal gait patterns, and bring awareness to compensations that impact how we move and eventually lead to injuries.

Committing to health and wellness has so many remarkable benefits, and Julie shares how she is recognizing many of these benefits after just 6 months in our training program.

"Exercising regularly and eating well has improved both my energy and strength. I have better balance and posture in my daily activities and I have more energy to move around and participate in activities. My ability to get up off the floor, stand up straight, stand longer and walk farther have all improved in the past six months of working out. I am also able to balance better, which makes everyday tasks easier".

Amazing! We are so happy to be part of this fitness journey with Julie. It’s not just about getting strong in the gym. It’s about the impact that it has on daily life, allowing you to do everything that you want to do in life, free of limitations! That sounds amazing, doesn’t it? I want this for everyone, but I also realize how hard it is to get started in a program. It can feel really intimidating to get started in a fitness program, especially if it’s something you’ve never done before. I think you’d be surprised by how many people struggle with making that first step, but I want anyone reading this to know that we’re here to support you every step of the way. Our community is so unbelievably supportive and will help you feel welcome from the second you walk through the door, and our trainer team meets each person where they are, providing individualized guidance and support in the gym so that you can train with confidence.

Julie offered up some encouraging words for anyone who is contemplating this same worry.

"I was nervous to start too. However, I knew that given my osteoporosis, I really had to give my bones a reason to stick around and that meant strengthening my muscles. The nice thing about the Wilcox Wellness model is that each person can adapt to their own fitness level and special considerations. The direct coaching from the trainers helps to improve form and therefore results. I tried the two-week trial to start and that gave me an opportunity to overcome my fear of beginning again".

And we’re glad you did Julie! It’s been such a pleasure working with you, watching your incredible progress, and celebrating all of your accomplishments with you!

We’d love to help you reach your goals too! Join our Free two-week trial just like Julie did. It’s a great way to make that first step with no long term obligation, and I’m confident that you’ll be glad that you did. For more information visit www.wilcoxwellnessfitness.com/gift.

Celebrating our April Client of the Month.- Melissa Wedge

4/6/2022

This month we are excited to be celebrating Melissa Wedge as our Client of the Month.

Melissa first began training with Wilcox Wellness & Fitness in Bangor where Mike & Paige Wilcox originally started the business. In 2019 Allison Hopkins opened the Brunswick location of Wilcox Wellness & Fitness with the support of Mike & Paige. Coincidentally, the opening of the Brunswick location coincided with Melissa and her husband Will’s move to the Brunswick area to be closer to their grandchildren. At first Melissa split her time between Brunswick and Bangor, and after their home was built in Brunswick she joined the Brunswick Wilcox Community full time.

Moving can be an incredibly stressful time, and to add an extra twist to Melissa’s move, she and her husband were also building a house and managing a business in the Bangor region. The commitment that Melissa made to herself, and to her overall health & fitness was admired by the Wilcox team right from the start!

Melissa remembers getting started at Wilcox in Bangor and feeling like she was just getting established when she and Will began their transition to Brunswick. Despite how hectic it was commuting back and forth Melissa knew that regular training was the key to her success.

Melissa has found that caring for her five grandchildren, all of whom are under 5 years old, is so much easier when she challenges herself in her training sessions.

“I have the confidence to run and play with them and feel confident in my balance. The last thing I want to do is injure myself and be unable to care for them. Every day, I'm moving in ways that have me thinking about the correct posture to lift, turn, etc. In addition to that, I'm thinking more about my food and water intake and how to treat my body well so I can live to be a healthy and vibrant 104 year old”.

There’s a lot to look forward to at camp this summer, knowing that she has the energy to play with her grandchildren and most importantly….keep up!

Over the past three years it has been so much fun supporting Melissa in her overall health & fitness journey, and observing her build her confidence, strength and technique inside the gym and how that benefits her outside of the gym. Her commitment is an inspiration to all of us including her husband Will who has followed Melissa into the Wilcox Community and provides support, motivation, and a little humor to keep us all on our toes.

At Wilcox Wellness & Fitness our mission is to inspire you to enhance your life by forming healthy habits that you can sustain for a lifetime. Sustainability is key to lifestyle change and Melissa, like many of us, has experienced that first hand. For her it can be easy to slip into an all or nothing mindset. She has done well in the past following strict nutrition and training programs, but hasn’t found them to be sustainable long term. Melissa continues to work on her biggest obstacle of feeling confident in relaxing her expectations and embracing a mindset around making good healthy choices the majority of the time, and not allowing the less frequent choices to indulge to slide into additional “bad choices”. Melissa works on this area by continuing to be gentle with herself, reminding herself that fitness is a journey and a lifestyle, and continuing to practice mindful indulgences without feeling like these occasional choices have ruined her progress.

We just love how honest Melissa is with herself and with us! Lifestyle change is a journey and it takes a lot of practice. It’s not easy committing to health & fitness habits, but it’s also not easy to face chronic health issues, lack of balance and stability, or worrying about injuring yourself when you play with your kids or grandkids.

Our biggest expectation of our clients is that they commit to getting 1% better each day, and Melissa has done just that! She has committed time for herself, shows up to each and every training session to work hard and to learn about how her body moves, and to getting a little bit better with every training session. Like James Clear talks about in his book "Atomic Habits", the commitment to getting a little bit better each day is like compounding interest. It grows little by little and before you know it you have a nice nest egg in the bank. There is no doubt that Melissa’s commitment to continual improvement is adding up and benefiting her in so many ways.

We are so proud of you Melissa! Thank you for being a part of the Wilcox Community and for being such an inspiration to us all. Keep up the great work!