[PHOTOSTORY 2: MOTION] A weight loss mission

 By: Samaria Fields

A small set of individuals walk into the gym motivated with their own determination. They are regulars at planet fitness, coming every Tuesday and Thursday in hopes of achieving their weight loss goals.

One of the woman scans her membership pass at the front desk. She has been coming every Tuesday and Thursday evening, So this is her usual routine.

One of the group members laces up her shoes Just before starting her exercise routine. She says that you always have to check if your shoes are tied so that no accidents can happen.

The group members begin to do light stretches to prepare their bodies for their workout. Stretching is a vital part of exercising in order to prevent injuries..

One of the women grabs two dumbbells and finishes her final wraps of bicep curls.” I used to hate bicep curls because I never felt like I was accomplishing anything, however, now I have started to see results and I love it”.

Sweat has started to form on one woman’s forehead and neck as she slowly pushes the handles of the chest machine outwards. She states that she is working towards doing push-ups correctly and consistently.

The group has now moved on to Lateralexercises, focusing on their shoulders and upper back. One of the group members admits that this machine is not her favorite.

One of the women carefully executes dumbbell presses.” I never would’ve thought that I would have made it to a point where I can even pick up a barbell, my goals don’t seem that far off now.”

One of the group members uses the handles of the upper body ego meter to quickly exhaust their joints without using an excessive amount of pressure. This exercise can help lymph endurance, especially for those who are trying to lose weight.

A woman Holds her breath, but quickly exhales as she presses down on the leg press platform with a good amount of force. Leg strength Is a good area to focus on when needing to take a break from upper body exercises.

One of the group members fills up her water bottle to receive a much needed hydration. Hydration is necessary and encourage in order to maintain energy and strength during workouts.

Another participant decides to take a try at the seated roll machine. The rose help to straighten back posture and helps to build their core.

A woman keeps her eyes focused in front of herself as she completes her set of slow crunches.“ I can’t even think about abs, but hopefully after using this machine for a while, I can slowly reach that point”.

The elliptical machine helps the group members to cool down as they slow their pace during their workout. This machine is often used when the end of a workout approaches.

One of the participants perform slow and steady lunges while on the treadmill. These lunges help to strengthen her legs and help her strengthen her balance while still utilizing her cardio workout.

A woman shifts onto her stretches to help relax her arms and upper body. This helps her to cool down while releasing her pent up muscles.

One group member counts out loud how many steps she takes as she eagerly waits for her time doing step ups to end. These exercises help her to make activities like climbing, stairs or hills easier while improving her balance.

A woman carefully wipes down the equipment after finishing her exercise, assuring that the machine is clean for the next user. Cleaning machine machines at the gym after using is respectful and mindful towards others.

One member gets ready to clean out her locker. Using the locker to store her items her gym experience easier, before she doesn’t have to carry everything with her.

The group finally finishes their workouts, making sure to smile at the workers as they tirelessly head towards the door.” No one ever talks about how nice it is to find people who are going through the same problems as you”.