The Foundation of Strength: Family, Health, & Fitness

June 11, 2022 is Family Health and Fitness Day. All three topics are important because they help shape a life for prime success* (success being individually defined). The beauty of family, health and fitness are that all are personalized for optimal support. This support creates a purpose that humans, as social creatures, thrive on. In our local community, Mandie Crates Bayliff has taken this mindset to heart and made it a goal for her personal, career, and outreach lifestyle.

Mandie and her husband, Joe, created Baylifft Gym and Box in 2015. Their goal was to bring health and fitness to the community using the best equipment in a supportive environment. Although the gym was established in 2015, Mandie has long been a part of the fitness industry and supporting the community. Mandie started weight training in high school leading her to get her undergraduate degree in Exercise Science. With her passion and focus in nutrition and fitness, Mandie started competing in figure competitions in 2006 and attained her Figure Pro Card in 2015 from WBFF (World Beauty Fitness and Fashion).

With all of Mandie's accolades and drive to be a support system to her community and focus on a healthy lifestyle, we wanted to interview and ask her thoughts on what concentrating on Family, Health, and Fitness really means. We asked Mandie what her thoughts on fitness were and her response was:

"My definition of fitness is not limited to a small definition. For me, I love to lift weights, heavyweights. I love bodybuilding, cross-fit, trying new things like Strongman and always love to run. But I love that fitness is your own and whatever it is that you love, do it! Zumba, walking, rowing, orange theory, kickboxing just do you and enjoy it. Get your heart rate up and have fun doing it!"

The outcome and results Mandie stated she loved from her lifestyle is that being active made her better, "Better wife, a better mom, better business owner, better at it all!". She said the importance was giving her a positive outlet to decompress and refocus. Out of Mandie's fitness lifestyle, she is very proud that she attained her Pro status with WBFF but it shows in her everyday life. She is a 46-year-old mother of four who still has the energy and stamina of a 16-year-old.

What is the key to being a part of the fitness community? Like most everything, the key is balance. Balance starts with the emotional and mental clarity that compliments physical and spiritual health. Mandie's balance comes from going to the gym and on Fridays participating in throwing barbells, drinking coffee, and praying with her community which is her much-needed fix. This is in addition to her routine schedule of starting her day around 5:15 am or 6:15 am by training High Intensity or Body Building classes with concentrated leg days on Saturdays. When the weather allows, Mandie also does short runs.

In Mandie's opinion, the hardest part of balance and fitness is nutrition. While it is harder than the fun of working out, it is important to not only gym but life in general. Nutrition is the base of how you will feel, think, and perform. Figure out what you need and concentrate on those nutrients as nutrition is geared for individual needs. The thing to remember is that nutrition is the single change that makes the biggest difference to your health.

So, after hearing all this you are hyped up and ready to start transforming your life and taking control but unsure where to start? Mandie states to set up attainable goals, both short and long-term. Once you hit goals, create new ones and never stop making goals. Some examples are weights to lift; mastering skills; body shape; etc. An important step to remember about goals, make them visual and write them down. Read them daily. Then after you create individual goals find your people, your circle, that will support and help hold yourself accountable. Having a community behind you makes a huge difference and Mandie is available to assist every step of the way! She understands whatever you set your mind to, you can achieve and is ready to help.

Awesome news on how to start and who will help, but need to know where to go? Baylifft Gym and Box is located at 23535 Township Road 68, Dunkirk, Ohio*. (click link for directions)

Hours of Operation (keycard access)

Monday - Friday: 5 am - 9 pm

Saturday & Sunday: 9 am - 5 pm

Classes to take advantage of:

High Intensity Classes (45 minutes long)

Monday- 4:30 am / 5:15 am / 6:15 am /

5:30 pm

Tuesday- 5:15 am / 6:15 am / 5:30 pm

Wednesday- 4:30 am / 5:15 am /

6:15 am / 5:30 pm

Thursday- 5:15 am / 6:15 am / 5:30 pm

Friday- 4:30 am / 5:15 am / 6:15 am

FLOW Class

Wednesday @ 6:15 pm