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Home / Fashlete™ of the Month / Tagged: Women's Fitness

Fashlete™ of the Month

Transformation

January 2011

Name: Sheron Smith

Age: 59

Occupation: Owner/operator of Nana's Nest, a daycare specializing in children with special needs.

 If Sheron Smith does not inspire you to conquer your goals in 2011 then I don't know who will. Sheron is a hero (though she is so humble I doubt she would ever admit it).  I am very excited to take this opportunity to share Sheron's story with you and give her a much deserved moment in the spotlight.  

My name is Sheron Smith. I am a mother, a grandmother, a wife. Until a few years ago I was on a downhill spiral of self-destruction. I was morbidly obese and my health was quickly becoming a problem.

The realization that I needed to drastically change my life hit me quite abrupt. I stepped on the scale on August 1st, 2007 and it broke at 300 pounds. I sat on the bathroom crying mostly out of shame but also out of despair! I didn’t know what to do or where to start but at that moment I knew that if I were to continue living I needed to do something.
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You Can Call Her Larrock!

December 2010

Name: Lorraine Browne 

Age: 42 

Occupation: English Professor at Nova Southeastern University 

Lorraine is also a mother of two, a CrossFitter, and a Triathlete. I know, you're already impressed... but wait, there's more. Here's her story....

I found out about CrossFit in a pretty roundabout way. I’ve been at it about a year now.  A couple of years ago, my daughter was diagnosed with a rare disease called Cholesteatoma. This is when cysts grow in the middle ear and in worst cases, can enlarge and become fatal by getting too close to the brain. Since Brie had a very large mass on her right side, something that was growing unbeknownst to us for her whole life, she lost her hearing on her right side and her ability to taste. Although we were extremely lucky we got it out in time, I was devastated for her.

During the year of her first two surgeries, which had to be done through the back of her skull, the only way I could think of to deal with the stress was to go to a gym. Prior to that, I had been pretty out of shape while raising my young kids in my 30’s. I began at Shondelle’s gym, which is right by my house. I worked out like crazy. The timed workouts there resurrected my old athletic self and made me want to compete at something again, so I began to train for triathlons. In 2009, I went from a size 16 to a size 8 and lost 40 lbs.

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Everything You Need Is Already Inside

November 2010

Name: Haley Sztykiel
Age: 23
Occupation: Graduate Student, University of Michigan School of Social Work

I am excited to announce the very first Fashlete of the Month!  A while back I asked the Fashletics Facebook fans to write in with their favorite motivational word or phrase. Not only did I receive a lot of great suggestions, but I received a lot of great stories too.  Stories of overcoming obstacles, losing weight, achieving goals, building communities... all things that have been achieved through an unwavering commitment to health and fitness in some capacity. This is my opportunity to honor all of the hard work being done out there by people like Haley who have made great strides in life as a result of testing their physical and mental strength... because that is exactly what it means to be a "Fashlete".

Before I tell you the quote that motives me, let me do a little explaining. The day I was born, the doctors told my parents “You have a beautiful (I may have added that) baby girl, but you might want to get those legs checked out.” And that is what I have been doing for the last 23 years, getting my legs “checked out.” If you were to see me, it would be obvious that I have a different walking gait then what is considered normal. To this day, doctors have never been able to understand why I walk differently. But, there has always been this underlying idea that something is wrong. Everything from clubfeet, scoliosis, and so many other medical jargon words have been tossed out and ruled out. For most of my life, doctors settled on the name “unknown neuromuscular disorder.” In other words, something was wrong with the nerve firings, and muscles were underdeveloped.

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