Making changes is difficult. They challenge you, they push you and they make you uncomfortable. We often know what it takes to make ourselves feel better, to take it to the next level, but it can take a few “rock bottom” moments for us to actually take the steps in the right direction.
Stefania Pomponi, a loyal Palo Alto uforia client since the beginning, can attest to those “rock bottom” moments that doubled as fuel to the journey of her best self. After a difficult and shattering divorce she decided that it was time to make herself, her health, and most importantly feeling great a priority. That’s when she stumbled across uforia, lost 35 pounds and got into the best mental and physical shape of her life– ALL in her 40’s. Read her story below to see the secret to her successes and find out her “secret” uforia formula. #inspo
Six years ago, at 42, I went through a difficult separation and that ultimately led to divorce. I had spent so much of my life, my time, being extremely unhappy and not living the life I had imagined for myself. I decided it was time to take my life back. The first step in owning my worth was to recommit to fitness and health. I had always been active. I was a lifelong dancer, but in the last years of my marriage, I lost myself and the things that had brought me joy. In the beginning of this new commitment, I started running. I would find myself struggling up the hills at the Stanford Dish, but each time growing stronger and more empowered when I got to the top. I started HIIT workouts using a variety of apps to tone my muscles and bring them back to life. I took an empowering weekly burlesque class in San Francisco. The best part about the beginning of my journey was that I had learned to love my body again–no matter my age or size. That’s when I decided that I needed to start dancing again.
Five years ago, I started to look for Hip-Hop classes; they were what I loved when I was younger, they had diversity. Every class I stepped into had dancers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds. What really resonated with me however, was that they had different body types. This embracing of differences helped me feel the most free I had ever felt; feelings I didn’t experience after years of technical and uniformed ballet. I started researching studios in my area and decided to try the one closest to my house: Uforia. At that time, the hip hop classes that are popular today weren’t on the regular class schedule. I was lucky enough to take a few of these “early” Hip-Hop classes, but after a few months the instructor left. I took the initiative and e-mailed Sarah (uforia’s CEO) and said, “if hip hop became a regular offering, I would be there.” Well, several months later, a team of teachers were added to the schedule. From there I became a regular Uforian and never looked back.
I don’t know what I would do without Uforia. Post-divorce, it gave me my life back. I have always felt clients of any age are welcome. Through any challenge–no matter what I look like or feel like–I feel encouraged and supported. I want everyone to know that even if you are 48, you never have to stop doing what you love. In hip hop, I shake my booty harder and flip my hair more than I ever did when I was 15, because now I really know what it’s like to feel free! There is always time to live the life you want—don’t wait. And, finally, everyone deserves to be happy. I have made friends at Uforia who are like sisters to me. GRIT and Rev Rockstars have literally transformed by body. The dance Rockstars give me a place to express myself and be uninhibited. For all of this, I am deeply grateful, and I know the true meaning of #uforialove.
SO, what are Stefania’s secrets? Read below to find out!
I love a double workout! My favorite it the GRIT+Rev combo. Fellow Uforian Amanda Sibley told me at the beginning of 2017 that that particular combo completely transformed her body. I started doing back to back classes soon after and I credit that combo with doing the same for mine. Cardio is great, but women, especially, need to lift weights for a variety of reasons. Like most women over 40, I can’t lose weight (anymore) just by doing cardio. Weights (as in GRIT) are the key to burning fat and building muscle. That’s the #1 reason why I push myself to lift the heaviest weights I can in GRIT and then give myself a break with 3 lb. weights in Rev. (BTW, Amanda will KILL YOU with 3 lb weights in Rev. Her arm segment is SO hard!)
Here’s my breakdown of the classes I take, come join me in Palo Alto: