Some jobs allow people to travel all over Canada. That's the case for Dora Taillefer, a flight attendant from Ottawa, who says GoodLife helps her stay fit no matter where she is in the country. 

“I’ve been a GoodLife member for at least 15 years now. I love that I can use my membership nationally, and will regularly find myself a gym on my layovers between flights.” 

Dora says staying fit is one of the most important aspects of her life, and going to the gym helps her maintain her fitness between long hours of work. 

The gym isn’t the only way Dora stays in shape. She’s always played sports, and was playing in a recreational ball hockey league before the COVID-19 pandemic restricted her access to gyms, as well as group sports.

It’s been painful to not only be away from the gym, but also the friends and connectedness I found playing ball hockey. I really miss the community of sports and the gyms.

Dora has found other ways to stay active through the pandemic, including cycling, public outdoor fitness equipment, as well as at-home workouts – though she says finding the motivation to work out at home can be a challenge some days. 

“The roller coaster of closures has definitely affected me. I’d be excited and then disappointed all over again, and I think that translated into more stress and less motivation at home. It was especially difficult during the winter months, where I couldn’t get outside and found it far easier to eat and watch Netflix.” 

Dora says that even through the hardest of times during this past year, she’s been able to pull through and use fitness as a way to keep her grounded. She says her circle of friends has been very helpful, and that they all motivate each other to stay active. 

Dora is thrilled to be back at the gym, where she says cleanliness, community, and a commitment to safety from associates helps her feel more than comfortable. 

“I hope people are more motivated to get active after all this. I want to advocate for people to use fitness for so much more than just weight loss. It releases so much tension and frustration, and can completely clear your mind and aid your mental health. The gym helps me sleep better. My quality of life is better, and I hope more people can tune into that and realize the benefits for their own lives.”