About Jamie
When Jamie was diagnosed with osteoporosis, it completely changed the way she saw her body.
“I was so fearful of sustaining another fracture and felt like a frail old lady. I lost my sense of confidence and emotionally I was at an all-time low in my life.”
But Jamie wasn’t willing to let her diagnosis define what she could and couldn’t do. With a master’s degree in Nutrition and Biochemistry, she understood the importance of nutrition but also realized that her own habits weren’t doing enough to support her muscle and bone health. Through her own research, she learned that resistance training and adequate protein could help her build strength and support her bones.
The next step was finding someone who had deep knowledge working with osteoporosis and knew how to help her train safely.
What drew Jamie to Body + Soul Fitness was its specialized osteoporosis personal training. After being paired with Gus, she finally felt confident that she had found the right support to get stronger without fear.
The Challenge
For Jamie, the biggest challenge was fear. After fracturing her right patella and her right tibia, as well as being diagnosed with osteoporosis, she was suddenly worried that one wrong move or fall could lead to another fracture.
The diagnosis of osteoporosis made me feel frail and I was afraid that I would injure myself if I lifted any heavy weight.
Jamie wanted to rebuild her confidence, but she also had very clear goals.
Jamie wanted to:
- Build strength and protect her bones
- Improve her balance and reduce her risk of falls
- Safely increase her ability to lift weights
- Continue rehabilitating her knee
- Feel confident and capable in her body again
For someone living with osteoporosis, the right kind of exercise can be an important part of protecting bone health. But Jamie knew she couldn’t simply walk into a gym and start lifting on her own. She needed a program and trainer that understood her diagnosis, previous fractures, and specific needs.
Her personal trainer, Gus, was the perfect match. With more than 25 years in the fitness industry, and extensive training in strength, functional and corrective exercise, Gus had the knowledge to build a program that was both safe and effective.
The Program
Gus built Jamie’s training around one goal: getting stronger.
She trains three times a week, following 12-week programs focused on progressive resistance training. Each session builds on the last, gradually increasing the weight and intensity as Jamie’s strength and confidence grow.
The program started with functional movements and the basics of proper form. Jamie never felt overwhelmed, and instead, each session gave her a little more confidence that getting stronger was within reach.
That confidence has translated into some impressive numbers. Jamie has consistently increased her one-rep max at the end of each 12-week program, including her way up to a 130-pound deadlift.
Her remarkable progress is even noticed by other members who ask about Jamie, and mentioned that watching her train has motivated them. Her hard work throughout her training is visible, and so is the progress she’s made.
But getting stronger hasn’t always been easy.
From the beginning, deadlifts were one movement Jamie found particularly intimidating. After straining a muscle while performing them, she took two weeks off and returned to the movement with even less confidence than before. Gus didn’t push her to pick up where she left off. Instead, they went back to the basics, rebuilding her form and strength one step at a time. As Jamie regained her confidence, Gus gradually increased the challenge again.
That’s the balance at the heart of her program: knowing when to push, when to adjust, and when to take a step back so she can keep moving forward and getting stronger.
The Results
I feel strong and gone is that sense of frailness. I am proud of the changes I see in my body.
Being diagnosed with osteoporosis changed the way Jamie saw her body. However, training with Gus has helped her change that perspective. She saw her body as frail, and something she needed to protect. In its place is strength and confidence in what her body can do.
Jamie has built noticeable muscle and definition, particularly in her arms – something that has changed the way she feels about herself. For the first time in years, she no longer hesitates to wear a sleeveless top.
However, the most meaningful changes show up in everyday life.
Jamie is now the one lifting the 50-pound bag of dog food out of the car and carrying it into the house. She’ll intentionally carry multiple bags of groceries at once, simply because she can. Everyday tasks that once required more thought or effort now feel easy.
For Jamie, these moments are reminders of how much has changed. As a physician, she also faces difficult moments and demanding days, and she feels that the challenges she’s taken on in the gym – and the accomplishments she’s continued to build – have made her feel stronger and more resilient in other areas of her life too.
I sincerely feel that my quality of life has improved since I started at Body + Soul, and I’m so grateful to have met Gus.
And she’s not finished. Jamie feels like she’s made tremendous progress toward her goals, and she’s extremely motivated to keep going.
Conclusion
Jamie’s story is a reminder that a diagnosis doesn’t have to become a definition.
When Jamie walked into Body + Soul Fitness, she was afraid of what her body could and couldn’t do. She wanted to feel confident in her body after her osteoporosis diagnosis and trust that she could move through life without constantly worrying about falls or fractures.
With a specialized osteoporosis program and Gus’s guidance, she learned that getting stronger didn’t mean ignoring her limitations. It meant understanding her body, challenging it safely, and recognizing that progress could happen one step, one lift, and one accomplishment at a time.
Today, Jamie doesn’t see herself as frail. She sees herself as capable. And she’s not the only one noticing. Other members have watched Jamie’s progress, asked about her training, and told Gus that seeing her push herself has motivated them. The woman who once worried she was too fragile to lift is now inspiring the people around her with just how strong and capable she has become.
And perhaps most importantly, that confidence has followed her far beyond the gym. Jamie is carrying that same resilience into the rest of her life—and proving that getting stronger can change much more than what you’re able to lift.
Start Your Own Story
Sometimes, the hardest step to take is the first one. If this story has made you feel hopeful for your future, we would love to meet you. Reach out to our team to get started with one of our personal trainers.