“I first walked into Life Time in January 2015,” says Sheri Larson.

Her goal wasn’t to lose weight — she had already done that.

“I had actually lost about 70 pounds after topping the scales at almost 200 pounds,” says Larson, now 54, of Eagan. “I had thought by losing weight that I was ‘healthy.’ That was not really the case. While I didn’t have any major illnesses, two years ago my husband and I decided to make some major changes in our lifestyle.”

Why?

“Because we have three grandchildren now,” says Larson.

The grandkids are now ages 4 and 2 (twins).

“I walked into Life Time shortly after the twins were born,” she says. “My husband and I both smoked, but we decided to quit because of the grandchildren. We canceled cable and decided to make some major lifestyle changes. Life Time is only about a mile from our house. I didn’t grow up athletic at all — my dad is a music teacher, so in fact sports were frowned on because they take away from music programs. So it was intimidating, the first time going into a gym. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, we’ll walk on a treadmill and that’s it.'”

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“At the time we signed up, I saw some 90-day challenge posters,” says Larson. “I decided I was going to do that.”

The health and fitness challenge involved getting off the treadmill and checking out the weights with a personal trainer.

“When the trainer walked me over to the free weights, I saw a lot of people who were not 52-year-old women like me,” Larson says. “It was intimidating and I thought it was going to be horrible.”

It wasn’t.

“I fell in love with strength training,” says Larson.

In fact, it transformed her.

“It’s been two years of a lot of changes,” she says. “Not just the workouts, but it’s the food, too — changing the way I was eating. I eat so much chicken now … I feel better than I have in my whole life.”

She also starts most days at the gym — and she doesn’t dread this.

“It’s almost like my therapist,” she says.

Now, in 2017, she might take her trainer’s advice and try a strength sport: Powerlifting.

Sometimes, she can’t believe this is her life.

“This has surprised the heck out of me,” she says. “I didn’t think it would take, I thought it would be something I’d try for a month and then quit, like every other time.”

Why did it “take” this time?

“I think it’s because of the grandkids,” Larson says. “I have three granddaughters who I want to see grow up. I want to be close and active with them. I want to be at their weddings. My own grandmothers were wonderful, but I picture them as old. I want my granddaughters to picture me as strong.”

FYI

Life Time’s Commitment Day Weekend: On Jan. 1 and 2, all Twin Cities’ Life Time destinations are open to the public. Group fitness classes and other special activities will be taking place for people to start 2017 out on the right foot. Also, registration for Life Time’s Spring 60-Day Challenge opens Jan. 1 and runs Feb. 11 through April 8. More info at www.lifetime60day.com.