Congratulations to our August Fitness Instructor of the Month, Gemma Francis!

Check out her story here:

‘How, Why and the Reward’ of what you do – Gemma Francis

I didn’t grow up athletic at all, I grew up in the U.K and remember dreading P.E class especially the long jump and high jump!  I started to find my groove playing field hockey and netball which I began to enjoy.  When I was 11, we moved to Tokyo, Japan where I was exposed to American sports and the comradery and team focus as I went to the American School in Japan.  Fast forward few years, I moved to Littleton, Colorado for high school and joined the swim team to stay active and meet people. I loved practice—but when it came to meets, I’d find just about any excuse to get out of them!  I moved back to Japan for my senior year of H.S which devastated me and as a result, I wasn’t exercising at all.

I longed to return to the U.S and applied to a variety of universities, ultimately deciding on Colorado State.  I quickly became best friends with my dorm neighbor, Quinha and after indulging in CSU’s cafeteria for a few months we started going to the gym together and running.  Quinha completely changed the way I saw fitness. I started to genuinely enjoy what we were doing—she challenged and motivated me, and we kept each other accountable. It was an amazing shift.  At age 21 while at CSU, I got pregnant with my son, this wasn’t in my ‘life plan’ at all and I quickly gained 50 pounds, becoming a mother shortly after turning 22.  Quinha was by my side the entire time and the moment I had given birth I jumped back into running, got a treadmill and worked out harder than I had ever before.  From that moment on fitness became a staple in my day to day, I went on to have my daughter 3 years later, ran Horsetooth Half Marathon twice and participated in other races and group fitness classes all with the encouragement of my friend.

Quinha took her fitness passion to another level, opening a cycling and fitness studio in Fort Collins.  I was living in Thornton at the time and attending the cycling classes regularly, so she encouraged me to get certified.  I am a big believer of ‘things happen for a reason’.  So, when I moved to Frederick and bumped into Suzi who remembered me from Thornton, it all came together, and I knew I was ready to teach.  I absolutely love the community in my classes. Whether you’re a regular or it’s your first time, you’re always welcome. I value the time you're choosing to take for yourself, and I want to make it count. This is a space to leave everything else at the door, have fun with fitness, and do something positive for your health. I always say—you’ll feel better walking out than you did walking in. The energy in the room fuels me, and it’s the amazing people who show up that inspire me to keep showing up too

Fitness has become my anchor—it keeps me grounded and clear-headed. I truly believe movement is medicine, and I’m thankful for every chance I get to move my body.  I say frequently that I am going to live to be 100 like my Grandfather, the only way I can do that is with a healthy lifestyle inclusive of good fitness and food habits.  I am a sales executive for a Data Center/IT Technology company.  My job comes with lots of travel and a schedule that laughs at the word 'routine.' But moving my body every day is non-negotiable and it truly makes me a more productive and happier human being.  I tell my classes that walking through the door is the hardest part, the rest is easy, well kind of .  My friend had a profound impact on helping me find balance and strength—both in fitness and in life—especially during difficult times. I hope to be that same kind of positive influence for others I encounter.