Amy Mackinnon runs facilities and office operations for Saatchi & Saatchi and Team One here in Dallas, as well as in Team One’s headquarters in Los Angeles and field offices in New York, Chicago and Atlanta. She lives in Coppell with her husband and two sons.
Q: What was your life like before joining the Get You In Shape Program?
I have been athletic my whole life, participating in various activities like track, soccer, cross country and swimming. After my 2 sons were born, I had to make decisions about how to streamline my time since I only had a few hours a week to put toward personal endeavors. My work is very demanding, and as moms know, there are only 24 too few hours in the day! I ended up the last 13 years swimming and running about five times/week. Since I would just have about an hour in each session, I would go very hard for that one hour to get the most out of my workout. I also started racing 5, 10 and 15ks with my older son when he was 8 (he is now 12), which got me back to running in my 40s! In 2016 I started running long distances with my friend and running partner Lissa in Los Angeles. We were getting up to 12 miles at a time, and doing some racing, but all of this hard work with no strength training resulted in multiple injuries including tendonitis in my feet and major strains in my neck and back. I have been in physical therapy for 3 years straight!
Q: Why did you decide to join the Get You In Shape program?
My company relocated us to Texas in July 2017. In between Jan and June I was working full time in both Dallas and Los Angeles, and our family was going through a huge transition, which met my husband and I were hanging on by the skin of our teeth! We had no time for each other. We met Brad and Cynthia through our kids’ sports and Brad invited my husband Ian to try it out. We joined GYIS so that we could try to take advantage of our new, slower-paced life, and get some nice time together after we got our kids off to school. I came to the first sessions for him because I’ve been dying to work out with him for 24 years, and this was the first time he expressed any interest! So really I did GYIS to spend time with Ian, and had very little interest in putting effort forth since I kind of had my own little routine going – even though I was so injured I was on my 2nd PT in Coppell!!! I had no idea I would like it, because I’ve always detested group workouts. I hate loud music and people yelling at me, and comparing myself to everyone else in the room. I guess that’s why I love the pool and running so much.
Q: What was your first impression from the Get You In Shape program?
I really loved all the people right away – both the community of trainers and the ones coming to the sessions. I couldn’t believe how weak I was in so many areas. I’d been told for years I was very strong in the wrong areas, and that I needed to work on my core, my quads, my hip flexors, etc. but I pretty much dismissed it because I didn’t have the time to work in any more stuff than was already on my plate. PTs would give me “homework” and I’d think to myself “this is never going to happen.” Right away it was evident I needed to strengthen my core – I couldn’t even get a plank going for 10 seconds. The instructors were amazing and helped me through every exercise so that I could figure out what I was doing. They still do (as does Mary at 5:30am!!!). I still have trouble with that kettle bell swing… but I’m hoping to get it down soon.
Q: What have been some of the tools you have used that have benefited you?
I started on the recommended nutritional products, and am loving Catalyst and Spark. Even though I consider myself a really healthy eater, I learned some new tips from the nutrition guide, and have been drinking water like crazy. Mostly I love the 30-day challenges, which I do at home with my boys (ages 7 and 12). We love getting out the mats in the living room and having push up competitions, running man, planking, etc.
Q: How is the Get You In Shape program different from other programs you have tried before?
No one at GYIS is in a competition to one-up you in class. The instructors are so helpful – I feel like I have five personal trainers! Everyone says “good job Amy” and I feel like I’m winning!!! I come from Los Angeles where group workout classes are survival of the fittest. I was always so intimidated. At GYIS everyone is cheering each other on, congratulating each other for their small personal bests. I see my progress and tell my GYIS friends about it and they are happy for me, and I feel the same for them. I love reading on the Facebook page when someone has a personal achievement.
Q: What results and benefits have you experienced in the Get You In Shape Program?
When I started I couldn’t plank, I couldn’t do a burpee, and I definitely could not do lunges with a kettle bell! My feet were suffering from major tendonitis, my hips were out of alignment causing quad pain. My neck and upper back had been locked from overuse of the wrong muscles for years. I was taking Advil every day along with some prescription anti inflammatories. My PT wanted me to roll on a foam roller a certain way for my calves. Honestly, I could not even do the exercise that was supposed to help the pain because it required core strength, which I didn’t have at all.
And, to be very honest, I was super lonely. I had a host of friends in Los Angeles from 24 years of living there, and all of a sudden I had no one to talk to and was missing my running partner every day.
Since I started in November, I am stronger in every area. I can plank 4 minutes!!! I can roll my calves on that foam roller like a boss… Just this past week I figured out I can do 24 burpees in a minute! My boys and are I doing pushups at night. I started swimming masters again and since November I’ve knocked 7 seconds off my 50 and 100 meter swim times. If you’re a swimmer, you know that’s a big deal… especially at age 47.
I’ve been running my whole life and definitely felt like I was doing pretty good when I hit a 9-minute mile pace. I am NOT FAST trust me. In the past few months my mile times keep decreasing, which is unbelievable. This month my mile run came down to 7:52 (I started at 9:30), which just makes me laugh and feel strong. GYIS is amazing!
I’ve lost about 2 inches total from everywhere, but I don’t really even focus on that. I just feel so happy coming to GYIS at 5:30a and 8:00a, if that’s a side benefit I’ll take that too.
The best result is feeling better and stronger, having significantly less pain and strain, and feeling like I can achieve even more goals as I get older. This helps me in every area of my life. As a working mom I’ve got to have mental stability and toughness to face whatever comes my way, either in the office or at home. When I know I can do physical things at my age now that I couldn’t do 8-10 years ago, I feel like I can handle anything! This program sets such a good example for our family of healthy eating and exercise. My older son Ian is 12 and he’s done (35) 5k races with me. Now since GYIS we’ve gotten my younger guy Eddie, age 7, out there running the 5ks and my husband too. Eddie is beating me without even trying… It’s become a real family affair, and the GYIS folks have welcomed us in full force! And, now I have a lot of friends in Coppell, which is a great feeling.
For more information about the Coppell Fitness program and getting started, go to http://CoppellFitness.com
If you live or work in Coppell, Valley Ranch, Irving, Lewisville, Las Colinas, Carrollton, Flower Mound, Grapevine, Addison, Corinth, Highland Village, Dallas, and Famers Branch, the Coppell Group Personal Training is just minutes away from you. Get You In Shape’s programs include the Get You In Shape Group Personal Training, 24 Day Challenge, sports specific training, weight loss programs, Corporate wellness plans, nutrition plans, core fitness training, strength training, toning and more. Clients include athletes (golf, basketball, tennis, football, track, baseball, baseball, volleyball, and softball) corporate executives, professionals, weekend warriors, cheerleaders, dancers, models, stay at home moms, and anyone looking for results.
Owner Brad Linder, has been featured in numerous newspapers and even as the fitness expert on the news 8 (ABC). Get You In Shape was also featured on The Doctor’s TV show as one of the top Fitness Companies in Texas. He continues to use the gifts that he has been given to help serve the needs others have when it come to being healthy, losing weight, sports, toning up, and overall fitness.
More information about Get You In Shape at www.getyouinshape.com
