Submitted by: Creed Harkless
This week’s member spotlight is on Dana Jergenson. Dana’s been a close friend of ours since before we started Next Level, and in two and a half years, I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen him leave class with a dry spot on his shirt.
Q: What drives you?
A: In health and fitness I am driven to never go back to what I once was;
the 17 year old kid who weighed 318# and had hit a point where life could either pass me by or I could make a change for me and my health and my life and those that cared about me then and would in the future. The change to be successful couldn’t just be about weighing 120# less and then being content, but it had to be a mindset and a lifestyle, day in and day out, and in a way I can never be satisfied or content, because that is when I start slipping or falling back. I feel the mindset of honest self-evaluation and being in control of my mind and direction of my health and fitness is something that I apply to my life as much as I have my fitness and health changes.
In life I am driven to both get the best out of myself and be as giving as possible. I feel I always need to be looking at where I fall short and can get better and be satisfied, so that I don’t get complacent, can improve and grow in all areas of life. And I always hope I am giving as much as possible with what I have received and been blessed with.
Q: How has fitness in general made a difference in your life?
A: Fitness and health is just a lifestyle for me now. It has become a normal part of life and I don’t like it when I don’t workout for a few
days or the way I feel when my diet gets too far off track. Yes I have had many peaks and valleys in the journey and learned with a lot of trial and error to find what works best for me. But for me it is something I can take ownership of, while people have helped me, the final success or failure falls on me. Do I go to the gym when I don’t want to? Do I choose the chicken breast or apple when I want a fries, cookie or ice cream? Do I push myself when I want to quit or take an easier route? And do I get rid off all the excuses? Again the mindset to stay in shape and be healthy and reach new goals can be applied to all areas of life to be successful.
Q: What role has Next Level played in your fitness journey?
A: The role of Next Level? Well I can remember thinking no way will I like this the first time Ryan talked to me about it nor did I ever
think I would sign up. Obviously I did and Next Level has been a big role in both my fitness and life journey. First in fitness, to try things I never would otherwise in the gym, mainly because what choice did I have?! To do exercises I dislike and try to get better at them. To push myself to new limits. To be a leader, when I used to go to the back of the room. To find a love for kickboxing that I didn’t think I would have. And to without question get in the best overall shape of my life and fitness journey with the help of Ryan, Creed and a lot of encouraging people; well with Ryan it is more about him knowing how to get in my head at just the right time to get a little bit more out of me.
Now to talk about Next Level I must always go beyond the fitness only part. Because the people that have come into my life and the relationships that have come out of it far outweigh the fitness side and are some of the most meaningful of my life. And I always laugh because they originally just came out sharing in sweating profusely, pain, frustration, some encouragement and complaining about not being able to walk properly after a Tuesday workout! I have been there since Day 1 of Next Level and when you combine the aspects above
I can’t imagine always not somehow being around and working out at Next Level.
