By Nina Silberstein
Sometimes circumstances in life help give a person perspective and push them to make changes. For personal trainer Lori Vance, a breast cancer diagnosis in 2018, along with a poor management situation at work, helped influence her decision to start her own business.
As a result, she officially opened Body Image Fitness, LLC, on January 1 of this year.
Vance specializes in functional training for all levels so whether you’re young, middle-age or senior, she will create and modify workouts to fit your current and future needs and goals.
“Functional training helps you perform better in activities of daily living and any sports you might enjoy,” she explains. “I make sure that you are using your muscles synergistically and also working on core and balance.”
Vance has been an American Council on Exercise (ACE)-certified personal trainer since 2003 and is also certified in Silver Sneakers, Silver & Fit, and Tabata (high-intensity interval training).
She loves working with seniors in particular. “It’s very rewarding to see them gain strength and increase their function and ability.”
Her senior classes are always low impact and can be modified for any level. Different tools are used to make the classes fun and engaging.
“We focus on balance and agility, as well as cardio and strength, and there’s the option to do the exercises seated or standing,” she says.
“I often work with my clients’ physical therapist to ensure they get the best symbiotic care. I enjoy doing both one-on-one personal training, low impact cardio and strength classes.”
For her one-on-one classes, clients’ workouts are tailored to their current abilities, health issues or injuries, and designed to help slow the aging process. She has many clients who have been with her for nearly 10 years.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused Vance to close her business in mid-March. While traditionally her clients come to her, during the quarantine she created free YouTube video classes that can be viewed from the safety of their homes.
In early July, she reopened with social distancing, masks and sanitation protocols in place as per Phase 1 guidelines.
“While many of my seniors are not comfortable coming back at this time, I’m fortunate to have several younger and middle-age folks who are willing to return to their exercise program with the appropriate modifications. I also have the option of doing house calls or FaceTime workouts for anyone who has some equipment available at home,” she adds.
Vance has lived in the Portland metro area her whole life, raised in Milwaukie and currently residing in Vancouver, WA. She is married and her husband has kids and grandchildren of his own. Her parents, sister and brother-in-law also live locally. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2018.
“Fortunately, my cancer was caught early enough to be treatable,” she says. “Since then, I have worked with several fellow breast cancer survivors as clients.”
The sole owner of the business, Vance enjoys working for herself. “I worked at my last job at a gym I really enjoyed for many years, but was forced to leave due to a very poor management situation I could no longer tolerate.”
She only wishes she would have made the jump sooner and can’t wait for the business to be up and fully running again.
Body Image Fitness, LLC
1115 SE Salmon
503.351.6476
Photo by Lori Vance