“I Call It a 401K for My Body” : How Martine Found Her Spark at Studio ME

We all tell ourselves, “I should really do something about my health.” For Martine, that thought had been swirling around for years. But actually doing something about it? That was another story.

Martine loving life!

“I wanted to start a ‘401K’ for my body,” she told us. “I realized I hadn’t prioritized my health. I’d been thinking about it for a LONG, LONG, LONG time.”

And yet—like so many of us—life, convenience, and fear got in the way. “Proximity is a big deal for me. I don’t want to drive 15 minutes to work out. And then there’s the spark… That’s a thing. That elusive spark.”

She tried things over the years—Bally’s in the late ‘90s (briefly), Pilates (pricey and not engaging), a learn-to-run course (hurt her back), even yoga, which she stuck with for a decade. But it still wasn’t quite enough. She needed something new. Something that challenged her and fit into her life.

Enter Studio ME.

“I spied the new location, made a call, and within 6 days I was in bootcamp,” she said. “I needed movement. The snow wasn’t coming, so cross-country skiing was out. And honestly—I needed the spark.”

Martine deadlifting some heavy sh**!

She came in with one goal: make it 3 months.
Not to lose 20 pounds. Not to get shredded. Just to show up.

“Every time Sami would ask me about goals, I’d say I didn’t have any—other than making it to class. So I guess you could say, making it to class was the goal.”

At the time, Martine was feeling out of shape, tired, and in need of a boost. And that first stretch? It wasn’t easy.

“I didn’t know what any of the moves were. I was winded, slow, discouraged… and I HATED rowing. SO MUCH.”

But something shifted…

“After the first couple of weeks, I decided my job was to do my best on any given day. I was there for me. And it didn’t matter what anyone else thought.”

That mindset has carried her ever since. Today, Martine is crushing kettlebells, signed up for a powerlifting competition, and even hiking mountains in Colorado.

“I guarantee I would not have pegged myself as someone who would do either of those things three years ago.”

Martine PR in the Mighty ME Powerlifting Meet May 2025.

What helped her keep going?
“The group. The proximity. The support. The challenges. Honestly—Studio ME welcomed me, and they’ve always supported me. And seeing other people at the gym doing well gave me a framework I could see myself in. Like, ‘With a little effort, I bet I can do that too.’”

She’s now a Myzone fan (“I need to see the proof—it’s a great tool”), a Studio ME evangelist, and a firm believer in strength training. Especially for women over 40.

“Once I learned how amazing strength training is for menopause? Yowza! I keep telling my peeps to get moving and lifting.”

Martine’s Advice to Anyone on the Fence:

“Give it a try. It took me a long time to figure out what I needed, and I want to give others that grace too. But seriously—just start.”