Jayne Scherrman jokingly admits she was pretty good at talking herself (and just about anyone else) out of exercising. She finally caved, however, when a friend suggested they join Fitness Plus and work out together. Now, almost a year – and 11 dress sizes – later, she's thankful for good friends and Shawn Taylor, the personal trainer at Fitness Plus who helped change her life.

"I knew I wouldn't stick with any type of exercise program if I tried to go it alone," says Scherrman, a pediatric dentist in Cape Girardeau. "I'd been down that road many times before and always had an excuse for quitting. I signed on with Shawn and somewhere along the way, something just clicked. I knew this time was going to be different."

Scherrman was held accountable by Taylor and his "go hard or go home" workout philosophy from the get-go. But before long, the results from her efforts were all she needed to keep coming back for more. "He wouldn't accept any of my excuses early on," she says of working with Taylor. "When I wanted to quit or protested too much, he'd just say 'finish what you started' and made me believe I could. It was tough at times, but it was exactly what I needed."

Her commitment to improving her fitness level also gave Scherrman the strength to make other healthy lifestyle changes. She began regularly eating breakfast, started shopping and eating healthier, and learned to love fruit as a snack. Today, Scherrman works out five days a week at Fitness Plus, doing both cardiovascular and weight training. The back pain that plagued her for years is gone, and now she loves running with her kids. "Fitness is no longer just a goal," she says. "It's a lifelong journey for me."

For more information or a tour of Fitness Plus, call 573-331-3355.

From Weekly Health Page: Dec. 31, 2006