July 2020 IDEA Member Spotlight
Meet three idea members who truly shine.
Lisa Lorraine Taylor
Member Since 1995 :: San Diego
Inspiration can come in unexpected ways. Just ask Lisa Lorraine Taylor. “After I had knee surgery, I noticed a guy ‘training’ a woman,” she says. Lisa asked him if he was related to the woman, and he “said he was her ‘personal trainer.’ I had never heard of a personal trainer!” Unimpressed with his methods, Lisa made her own move. “I decided then and there to go to school, become a personal trainer and save the world!” Now a fit pro, health coach, holistic nutritionist and group exercise instructor, she loves both “teaching and learning from all my clients and students, from age 5 through 101! Every day is different, and I’m so blessed to be able to encourage, empower and inspire the world!”
Amanda Scales
Member Since 2016 :: West Linn, OR
Amanda Scales finds joy in helping others learn and grow. She is not only a K–12 substitute teacher and an instructor for TRX® and Les Mills; she’s also a multicertified group exercise instructor with her own devoted class participants. “I love helping others discover their full potential,” she says. “This connection with others is what gets me out of bed in the morning.” She also connects with IDEA’s mission to Inspire the World to Fitness®. “It resonates greatness—greatness for all,” she says, “whether you are working to excel in your craft, starting something new, working toward achieving a goal or [seeking] to live a happier life. Being involved in any form of fitness builds community. When people feel good, they do good. The more we can connect with people on a level of fitness, the kinder this world will become.”
Chris McKenzie
Member Since 2016 :: Suwanee, GA
“It was excruciating. My shins were on fire. It was unbelievable pain.” That’s how Chris McKenzie describes his first foray into fitness. But he kept at it. Riddled with back pain and other health problems, he began his journey slowly. “My mother passed away of cancer, and I know part of that was a health reason,” he explains. “One of the things I wanted to do in her honor [was] to say, ‘I don’t want to pass away at an early age. I want to be healthy.’” That decision led to a 130-pound weight loss, multiple certifications and the creation of his mobile training business, Make a Step Fitness. His experience gives him special empathy for his clients—and great advice for other trainers. “Be patient with clients who are overly obese, because the journey is [about] more than just overeating. It is emotional also. You have to find the pain to relate to clients and get them started.”
We’d Like to Put the Spotlight on You!
If you would like to be featured in this section or know an IDEA member who stands out in the fitness crowd, email a brief description of your (or your colleague’s) fitness activities and achievements and a high-resolution digital photograph (at least 300 dpi, in focus, well-lit and at least 3″ × 3″ in its original digital format) to content@ideafit.com. Please include your IDEA member number, if possible. You (or the colleague) must be an IDEA member to be considered for this section.
