December Member Spotlight: Mary and Samantha Simpson

Mary and Samantha Simpson are coming up on their 1-year anniversary at Ola Kai next month. They joined together as accountability partners—and they’ve truly lived up to that. This mother and daughter-in-law duo takes classes together every week, and we absolutely love seeing it. Having family members who not only support each other but also show up and do the work side by side is such a beautiful thing. They work hard in every class, and watching their strength and confidence improve month after month has been so fun to witness.

Now let's hear from them:

Mary:

What brought you to Ola Kai? 

My Daughter-in-law! She and my son were committed to embracing a healthier lifestyle and after a few health blips of my own, I realized I needed to as well but I was lacking motivation. Sam suggested we work out together to motivate each other. It’s certainly helping me to get moving and I get to spend time with one of my favorite people.

What is your favorite thing about Brigantine?

That most of my family is here. It makes for crowded, chaotic holidays that are loaded with laughter and love.

How do you feel like the type of training you do at Ola Kai helps you in your personal life?

It certainly is helping me to get out of my comfort zone and try new things. It also helps me realize I don’t have to do everything perfectly, I just have to “do”.  I’m a bit more patient with myself.

What physical benefits are you seeing (sleep, work, eating, mental, etc).

I am sleeping better and working off stress has helped with anxiety. 

What are some of the biggest benefits you have felt since you started at Ola Kai?

I’m slowly getting back my mobility after a knee injury. I’m hoping the continued strength training will allow me to continue to see progress.

What class(es) do you enjoy the most?

I’m really enjoying the strength training that we are currently doing.

What’s one thing you’ve achieved since becoming a member? 

I have stopped believing that I was stuck lifting 5 lb weights for the rest of my life and that small victories are still victories. 

What is one fitness goal you have in the coming year?  

I’m retiring in just a couple of weeks and with more time, I want to focus more on healthier eating and weight loss.

What are some of your favorite things to do on the island?

I love the beach but even more, I love barbecuing in my backyard and hanging out by the pool, surrounded by family and friends.

Samantha:

What brought you to Ola Kai? 

I was finally in a place where I could start focusing on myself, and finding the right gym was a priority for me. I followed Ola Kai on social media since they opened so I was always intrigued to try it out. I've known Christina's family for a long time, and seeing the environment her and Jimmy have created seemed like a place I wanted to become a part of. Mary and I decided to sign up together so that we could be each other's "accountabili-buddies" and help each other stay motivated to go. We're coming up on our one-year-aversary and I don't see myself stopping any time soon!

What is your favorite thing about Brigantine?

That's very hard to answer! Both my husband and I were born and raised here, so it's hard to pick one thing. But for me, being raised on the South End, the Jetty and Cove beaches hold a really big place in my heart. There are no other beaches like them!

How do you feel like the type of training you do at Ola Kai helps you in your personal life?

I feel like it's brought more discipline to my life. It's helped me stay accountable for myself. I know if I want to continue my progress, I have to keep attending! 

What physical benefits are you seeing (sleep, work, eating, mental, etc).

Bettering my mental health was a driving force behind starting Ola Kai and I definitely notice improvements. My eating habits have also been changing, even my sleep! I also feel like I have more energy all around, I'm getting through my work days a lot easier and not relying on coffee like I used to.

What are some of the biggest benefits you have felt since you started at Ola Kai?

This has been a really great outlet to release the frustrations of the day. Being a teacher comes with a big layer of stress that can sometimes be difficult to effectively work through. The circuit training class in the evenings give me the outlet to release that stress through physical activity and helps regulate my mental health.

What class(es) do you enjoy the most?

The 5:30pm circuit training, piloxing, and yoga! 

What’s one thing you’ve achieved since becoming a member? 

Confidence! The atmosphere of Ola Kai is sincerely the most judgment-free gym environment. With the support of the trainers, it's helped me build confidence in myself to try things or push myself without the pressure of feeling like I may do something wrong or embarrass myself. (Also, I've achieved being able to do pushups now!)

What is one fitness goal you have in the coming year?  

One goal I have for myself is that I really want to bump up my dumbbell weights. I'm steadily using the 20lbs and 25lbs, but I want to transition to using 25lbs and 30lbs by the time summer rolls around. 

What are some of your favorite things to do on the island?

My husband and I love supporting the local businesses. We love connecting with other people on the island and building those relationships. You can probably catch us at Mission Cafe or Sandy Jacks on the weekends! You can also catch me chasing sunsets. I have to get the perfect picture!