October ‘26 + Lucy & Koop

October has arrived and between packed calendars, changing weather, and all the fun that comes with fall, this month can be a great reminder to make time for the things that keep you feeling good. A little movement, quality time with the people you love, nourishing food, and intentional recovery can all add up to a healthier, happier month.  Let’s dive in!

🎃  Monthly Wellness Tip: Slow Down and Enjoy the Season

Take advantage of the crisp fall weather and changing leaves. Instead of rushing through your next walk just to get your steps in, slow down and enjoy it. Notice the colors, take a different route, put your phone away, and give yourself a chance to enjoy some fresh air and a little time to clear your head. 

📝 Monthly Challenge: Trick or Treat

Pull a card from the cauldron and complete the task pulled. Then write your name on either the trick or treat column on the board in the gym. Happy picking! 

💪 Shoutout Time! Feel free to congratulate your fellow members in person when you see them. 

Leonel Atencio and Foyz Khatun - Both the 100 training session milestone last month! 

Andrea Kafka  - Earned another gold star last month!

Jenny Mayfield, Anne Quinn, Amanda Yu, Eddie Q, and Pouneh Nouri - All completed all countries on the passport challenge!

✨Member Features with Lucy Dana and William Kooper

What does your daily training mean to you?  

Lucy- I run my own business and work from home so daily training gives me a routine that gets me out of the house and away from my computer. It’s an hour where I’m not thinking about work, and I always leave feeling more energized and clear headed, ready to take on the day.  

Koop- Ambitious has changed how I look at fitness as an adult. For years, I viewed exercise as something I needed to do to achieve a result—lose weight, improve my heart rate, or check another health box. Those things matter, of course, but exercise still felt like work, not something I looked forward to.

The mental shift I’ve experienced through Ambitious is that fitness is no longer something I HAVE to do; it’s something I GET to do. Every gym visit feels like a gift I’m fortunate to give myself. I think that simple change is why this program has worked so well for me—and why I’ve seen results after years of wondering why nothing else seemed to make a difference.

When the gym sparks joy, you bring more energy to the workouts. And, incidentally, that carries over into the rest of life.

How do you balance training, nutrition, and recovery? 

Lucy- I try not to overcomplicate it! I train consistently, eat pretty intuitively, and prioritize sleep. I recently read an article (read: watched a TikTok) about the difference between motivation and discipline, and it really resonated with me. I’ve found that setting a workout schedule and sticking to it falls firmly into the discipline category. I don’t wait around for motivation to strike. Working out is just a non-negotiable part of my routine. 

Koop- I wish I could say I have a grand, carefully coordinated strategy, but I don’t. For me, it’s about making a lot of small decisions and stringing them together consistently.

With training, I try first to listen to what my 62-plus-year-old body is telling me and respond accordingly. I follow the plan in the app, focus on doing each movement well, and ask the trainers questions whenever I want help with form or execution. The goal is to build strength gradually rather than rush the process.

With nutrition, I have health considerations that keep me focused, particularly a family history that motivates me to stay ahead of potential issues. I still have cheat days, but I believe in moderation.

For recovery, I stretch regularly. And when a workout leaves a particular area especially sore, I give it more attention with some extra foam rolling. Nothing revolutionary, just trying to be consistent, pay attention, and make good choices most of the time.

Tell us about an adventure you were on where you thought, “man, I’m happy my body performs like this.” 

Lucy-  I’m pregnant with my first, and it feels like one of the biggest adventures my body has ever been on. I’m SO grateful I have a fitness foundation going into pregnancy, and I’m hoping to keep moving and feeling strong throughout all nine months. This journey has already given me a whole new appreciation for what my body is capable of. Definition of strong > skinny 😂.  

Koop- My partner, Liz, and I love active vacations. Don’t get me wrong, I also enjoy sitting oceanside in a beach chair with some frozen drinks that have  those little umbrellas, but getting out on a mountain trail is a big part of what we seek out.

Last May, we spent four days hiking Japan’s Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail. There were some long, steep stretches, and we were traveling with another couple. We weren’t sprinting up the hills, but I never really struggled.

That absence of physical difficulty gave me the freedom to fully enjoy a trip of a lifetime. Instead of being consumed by exhaustion, I could appreciate the deeper spiritual nature of the Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines along the route. It would have been a shame to travel that far and miss that side of ancient Japan because all I could feel was fatigue. 

What’s the one metric you keep an eye on that tells you if you’re slacking or not? (Think a particular lift, exercise, run, medical data, vo2, body fat). 

Lucy- Steps! I’m a steps fanatic. It’s the one metric I consistently keep an eye on, and if my step count is low, I know I haven’t moved enough that day. Even if I get a workout in, I still want to make sure I’m moving throughout the rest of the day. Not to brag but I am in the top 2% of dog walkers on Whoop...   

Koop- I keep an eye on a few health measures because of my family history, and last summer some concerning numbers prompted me to make meaningful lifestyle changes. Thankfully, those concerns are now behind me.

I’m also focused on reaching and maintaining the weight my doctors recommend given my age and overall health goals. The good news is that I’m within a couple of pounds of that target after losing 25 pounds since last Labor Day.

But if I’m being honest, the metric I think about most is frequency. At the end of the week, I’m always pleased if I’ve made it to the gym three or more times. I love going into a weekend with that feeling of accomplishment, and I always give myself a little pat on the back. 

Thank you for being part of the Ambitious community! We’re here to help you achieve your fitness goals, whether that's lifting heavier, running longer, or feeling your best every day.