Summer 2010 Issue
, co-founder Diane Heavin challenged readers to "let down your hair" and "do something you've always wanted to do but were afraid to try." On these pages, you'll meet 10 members who took Diane up on her challenge and shared the tales of their resulting adventures with us. 
As we read their letters, we soon realized that for many of these women, simply letting down their hair wasn't enough. They wanted to push their strong Curves bodies and courageous Curves minds to the limit. So they set out on some truly fun and exciting escapades. (That is, if you call swinging from treetop to treetop in the jungle rain forest or navigating a hot, slippery sand dune on a fourwheeler fun and exciting!) If you're on the fence about making your wildest dreams come true, you're sure to find inspiration in these postcards from the edge.
Fifty-one-year-old Terra Tarling has been a Curves member for almost five years. She joined the Green Valley, Arizona, club as part of her commitment to stay fit and healthy. The workout and the encouragement Terra found at her club have made her a regular. "Curves has helped me blossom and get in touch with my feminine side. I've formed wonderful friendships and am no longer a loner," she says. "Oh, and I can do cartwheels and Rollerblade with my five grandkids!"
Terra's Adventure
Last March, after weeks of sneaking away with her husband's quad (an off-road all-terrain vehicle) to teach herself how to ride it, Terra and her husband Gordon rode the at-times-treacherous dunes at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, near Yuma, Arizona. "I felt the wild thing in me emerge," she exclaims. "I tackled every challenge as I carved through the never-ending bowls and hills ... My friends think I'm nuts, but I love the freedom of being out in nature and the challenge of maneuvering the quad so I don't 'spill over.' "
Mary DeSantis, 76, joined Curves in Pennington, New Jersey, three years ago, following two knee surgeries. Almost immediately, she recalls, the flexibility in her knees and other joints improved. The workout has also strengthened her bones, not to mention her social ties. "Curves has helped me to stay active, and that's why I love it," she says.
Mary's Adventure
To say Mary takes the Curves program to heart is an understatement: Since joining, she says, she's gained the strength and stamina to ride a camel in Egypt, go hot-air ballooning, and, as of 2008, take up horse-riding lessons. But her longest-held dream was of going dogsledding. Last February, her husband surprised her with a day trip to Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains for a crash course in the sport (for information go to arcticpawsdogsledtours.com). "It was the scariest, most exciting thing that I have ever done!," says Mary, who plans to "conquer" horseback riding next. "But maybe I'll learn how to swim, too," she adds with a laugh.
Carmela D'Alessio's Curves story began almost five years ago, when she retired. "I had the time," recalls the 65-year-old from Hoboken, New Jersey, "and I knew I needed to do something to get in some sort of shape. I was close to 200 pounds." While the club's convenient locale was the initial selling point, Carmela says, she quickly came to enjoy the circuit and club atmosphere. "I've lost weight, and I've definitely gotten stronger. That makes me feel good about myself," she says.
Carmela's Adventure
Carmela's friend Courtney Gaertner, a member in Phoenix, invited Carmela to join her on a monthlong road trip to visit several national parks out west. However, "visit" doesn't accurately describe the journey. The two first climbed a mile and a half up to the top of Inspiration Point in Grand Teton National Park (near Jackson, Wyoming). "I was elated when I made it with stamina to spare," Carmela says. She "amazed" herself again when she trekked up to Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park. "I'd never been able to do anything like this, and I owe it all to Curves!"
Mary Meece joined Curves in Surf City, North Carolina, in March 2008 specifically to train for a biking and hiking trip that she was planning to the Virginia mountains. Not only did Curves get Mary, 63, in shape for that trip's frequent 25-mile bike rides and 5-mile hikes; it also got her thinking about what else she could get her body to accomplish. "It takes confidence in your physical ability to attempt things that require endurance, and Curves has given that to me," she says.
Mary's Adventure
Although Mary is a self-described beach bum—she and her husband live on a small barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Topsail Sound—she could never fully explore the beauty surrounding the island. That's because she didn't have the upperbody strength to paddle the many small creeks that are inaccessible by powerboats. "But Curves has given me that," she says. In July, Mary set out for the first time in a kayak, paddling 4 miles. "And I wasn't sore afterward!," she exclaims. "It really is encouraging to know that physically we can try new things and enjoy new successes after Social Security kicks in."
When Anita Ruest hit a weightloss plateau in 2005, her friends introduced her to the St. Boniface Curves in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. "It was Christmastime when I joined," the 64-year-old remembers, "but I lost weight and managed to get in shape, too." The best gift Anita says she's received from Curves, however, has been the ability to fully enjoy life. "I love Curves because I want to do things. I don't want life to pass me by."
Anita's Adventure
Curves has helped Anita feel like a kid again. In 2006, she went white-water rafting. A year later, she camped and ziplined in Nairn Falls Provincial Park, in the Canadian Rockies. And more recently she went spelunking in Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This involved climbing and crawling through some pretty tight spots and dark areas. During the summer, she eagerly climbed aboard the "thrill rides" of an amusement park. And in September, Anita treated herself to a retirement gift of zip-lining in the treetops of the Rockies in British Columbia. "I still have a lot of things on my wish list," she says. "As soon as I finish one adventure, I start planning the next one. The anticipation only adds to the thrill of the activity. With Curves helping to keep me in good shape, I plan to stay active for many more years."
Sisters and traveling companions, Madeline Herrmann, 83, and Inez O'Connor, 85, joined Curves six years ago to help them manage osteoporosis and to stay fit to lead their very active lives. (Madeline, shown above, belongs to the club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and Inez, at top, works out on the circuit in Greenlawn, New York. Both women are also cancer survivors: Madeline had breast cancer 17 years ago, and Inez lost part of a lung to cancer.) The two note that their energy and endurance levels have dramatically improved, and they're happy to report reduced joint pain and increased bone density. Adds Madeline, "Besides the physical benefits, there's incredible emotional support at our clubs."
Madeline and inez's Adventure
Intrepid travelers, Madeline and Inez keep their passports in action. One of their dream trips took them to the rain forests of Costa Rica and Guatemala, where they zip-lined from tree to tree high above the jungle floor, climbed volcanoes, and went horseback riding and white-water rafting. "Not bad for an 83-year-old breast-cancer survivor!" exclaims Madeline. "Each day, I got out of bed with no aches or pains andwas ready to run circles around the young folks." At press time, the sisters were off to Turkey, where they planned to do "whatever comes up," according to Inez. "Except we won't bungee jump," she says, laughing. But they were hoping to get to one of the Curves in Istanbul. "We're adventurous spirits. We have nothing to lose, and it's fun."
Michelle Sterling, 49, is the owner of two clubs in South Wales, United Kingdom. (One of her clubs overlooks the hill made famous in the film The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain, which starred Hugh Grant.) She opened her first club "on a whim" five years ago. Her husband had recently lost his battle with cancer, and to comfort herself, Michelle turned to food and alcohol. "Curves gave me the will to live," she recalls. "Having to get up to open my club and help all those women achieve their goals made me stronger." And fitter—she's now 44 pounds lighter. "I have a lust for life," she says.
Michelle's Adventure
Inspired by Diane Heavin's The Great Walk to Beijing (see diane, Fall 2008, page 30), Michelle decided to raise money for Plan UK, a charity that helps children in need around the world, by trekking the Himalayas (20 kilometers a day) as part of a fundraiser. Along the way, she visited some of the schools that the organization supports. "I was grateful every day for my Curves workouts. I know if I hadn't been doing the CurvesSmart endurance program, I would not have made it," she says.
In March 2007, Carol Koesel stood at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, watching hikers descend the steep trail. Unable to make the trek herself, Carol, 62, vowed to return fit and able to hike down, ride a mule, set up camp along the river, and raft. Two months later, she joined Curves in Monroe, Michigan, and got to work on her goal. "The staff has been so helpful," she says. "They help me set incremental, realistic targets to keep me motivated. And the occasional challenges push me to try harder to eat better."
Carol's Adventure
Having lost 30 pounds and no longer suffering with joint pain, Carol found herself back at the Grand Canyon in 2008. But this time, she was sleeping under the stars, hiking the side canyons, and covering 187 miles by raft. (Carol was part of an Adventure Women tour; adventurewomen.com.) She's gone on to book active trips to New Zealand, the Italian Lakes region of Italy, and Florida's Everglades, to name a few. Last June, she even saddled up and moved cattle to different grazing lands in Montana as part of an authentic cattle drive. "I love my active lifestyle," she says. "I'm not hoping to one day do these things. I'm doing them, because I'm strong enough, fit enough, and able to keep up with some who are half my age."
Forty-three-year-old Cherylen Thorndike joined Curves in East London, South Africa, a year ago, after reading Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir, Eat, Pray, Love (following a divorce, Gilbert finds peace and healing on her travels to Italy, India, and Indonesia). Cherylen was recovering from two failed marriages. While the mother and full-time worker couldn't take a year off to find herself, as Gilbert had, Cherylen learned that some family members were getting ready to climb Kilimanjaro. "They asked me to join them, and I decided to go for it," she says. But first she needed Curves to help her lose weight and get in shape.
Cherylen's Adventure
After a year of going to Curves every day, Cherylen finally found herself face to face with Kilimanjaro. Nervous but determined, she made it almost to the top. Just 775 meters from the summit, Cherylen came down with bronchitis and had to turn around. "I was a little disappointed," she admits, "but I still felt really confidant, happy, and extremely proud of myself. I didn't make it to the top; I didn't lose all the weight I'd wanted to before the climb, but I never gave up! ... I'm a new person and ready for my next challenge."
