YWCA Silver and Fit Member goes from Pre-Diabetic to Excellent Health
Hello, my name is Judy Vickberg. After growing up on a farm in southern Minnesota and graduating from college, I moved to Minneapolis in 1967. I moved to the Nokomis Village neighborhood in 1975 with my husband where we raised our son and daughter. Both of my children are married and live in the Twin Cities. I have four grandchildren, ages 4 – 10, which makes me a busy, happy grandma.
Pursuing a Healthier Lifestyle in Retirement
I have wanted to belong to the YWCA Midtown since it was built in 2000. I retired on my 65th birthday and spent the morning there as a guest of a friend. We've been coming together ever since and that was over seven years ago. Having access to this facility as part of the Silver and Fit program is one of the best things about retirement!
Staff Who Welcome - and “Lift Spirits”!
Satenik at the front desk is the most welcoming, caring person! On days when I debate about going to the gym, she is a real motivator for getting myself there just knowing she’ll help get my day off to the right start. I brought her flowers from my garden and she left them on her desk. She let me know everyone who worked there enjoyed them. That inspired me to bring them every week when I had them in my garden - I loved arranging and sharing them with the staff.
Kim, a facilities employee, is such a great person, too! Just a quick exchange with both of these super women always lifts my spirits. I’ve had too many great fitness instructors at YWCA Midtown to mention them all, but Russ who teaches the chair yoga class is just incredible and 45 minutes in his class leaves me feeling my best every week.
Losing 50 Pounds and Looking Forward to Future Goals
When I retired, I was pre-diabetic. Since coming to YWCA Midtown three times a week most weeks, I lost 50 pounds. I am no longer pre-diabetic and am in “excellent health” according to my physician. My future goals are to continue on this wellness path and increase the number of times I visit YWCA each week once my youngest grandchild is in school next year.
Inspired by My Peers to Continue an Active Lifestyle
I always knew exercise was the best “fix” for most of my aches and pains, but I never expected to enjoy exercise so much. I didn't realize how inspiring it would be to see so many seniors (older than I am) working so hard to stay healthy. It chases away any negative thoughts on aging and makes me plan on staying active for a long time to come!
YWCA is Helping Create Stronger Communities
I recently had the opportunity to visit with three people from my neighborhood that I would not have seen if I had not come to YWCA Midtown to use the pool and take a yoga class. These are the kinds of encounters that make our neighborhoods and our city strong. I so appreciate all that YWCA Minneapolis does to make this possible.