Name: Bonnie Murphy, Owner of BFit & Well
Location: Anchorage, AK
Website: www.bfitandwell.com
Member Since: 2015
Occupation: Fitness Professionals, Gym Owner
How did you hear about MFN?
Dan Ritchie of FAI.
How do you or your business help those with chronic disease/medical conditions or who need pre & postnatal care?
We specialize in the older population so we are usually dealing with some form of the aging process. We are now offering EWOT (exercising with oxygen therapy) and it has been very well received. A patient/client comes in 3 times a week for 15 minutes at a time and while exercising on a treadmill, bike, stepper, or elliptical wears a mask where they are 
breathing in 10L of oxygen per minute. This protocol is known to help with sleep disorders, joint aches, asthma, auto immune and diabetes, to name a few! Getting oxygen to the mitochondria is the purpose of this therapy and by doing this, the cells can recoup from all the years of abuse from whatever. By doing 8 weeks of this program, the user can assume that his base energy cells will be restored to those of a 20 year old. After completing this program, many of them go on to enter either our group exercise sessions or our small group personal training offerings.
What course work have you completed and would you recommend to other professionals to work with those populations?
There are a lot of offering out there for senior fitness certifications. I have searched for years for senior programs that were challenging, progressive, and actually fit the fully functional mature adult. I was sadly disappointed until I found the Functional Aging Institute and its offering of the Functional Aging Specialist. What I discovered, as I prepared for my exam, was that I was doing all the right things according to two very knowledgeable and informed PhDs; confirmation is always comforting.
What makes you different from all the other fitness professionals out there?
Experience is the best teacher and I’ve been in the Health and Fitness Industry for more than 25 years. I was Fitness Manager at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center for 9 years. While working at the Senior Center, I found out that there is really no malady that can’t be helped by regular, consistent, and progressive exercise.
I have always targeted my private fitness training to the older adult. Sometimes, though, I would teach group exercise classes at our University (UAA). I would go teach a class at the Senior Center with very fit older adults and then go to the college to teach late teens and 20 year olds. My seniors could almost always outdo the young college kids! I loved it and I would tell each group what I was observing!
What is your favorite activity or class to participate in?
My favorite fitness workout is anything with Kettle Bells!
What is one piece of advice that you would give other fitness professionals about working with special populations or those who need pre & postnatal care?
They are very loyal and they always show up. Exercise is the main part of their day because they realize that without it, their lifestyle would disintegrate really fast. One of my MS clients told me that if it wasn’t for her workouts, she would just be in a tight ball where she would be unable to move.
What is one of your favorite memories involving working with someone that has a health challenge or disability?
My most memorable client is Bob. The reason that I consider Bob my most memorable is because he was a male. Up until that point, I had made a practice of only working with female clients. Bob’s caregiver brought him to me in my first few months of opening my own studio, BFit & Well. I was in need of clients and money, so I agreed to work with Bob. He was a 76 year old stroke victim. When Bob came to me he was unable to tie his own shoes and numerous other activities of daily living. He was walking with a walker and when I use the term walking, it was more of a shuffle.
Bob always seemed up and my other clients really enjoyed talking to him when he was in the studio. He had a great smile and made others feel really good about themselves.
Bob’s eye hand coordination was almost nonexistent and when we played catch it was pretty much a waste of time. I was throwing and catching if you can picture this. At the end of our time together, Bob was able to play catch with a 10 pound medicine ball 50 times. I was worn out before he was!
Bob left me about a year later—he moved back to San Francisco. He was then a healthy and fit 78 year old with the ability and strength to walk all over San Francisco (he was still using a walker) and even teach some fitness classes at the Senior Center there.
What would you like to see change/develop/emerge in the future of healthcare and the fitness industry?
I’d like to see Insurance companies understand how important prevention intervention is and pay for that rather than catastrophic events only!
And what are you doing to make this happen?
We keep applying to different insurance companies to reimburse our clients, and one of these days, it will happen!
What is your favorite fitness/inspirational/motivational quote?
“Aging is mandatory, but getting old is optional!”
Anything else we should know about you?
I care about my clients more than the dollars that they pay me. I need the money to operate the business—but I want to help them. I will text, email, or call if they don’t show up. I want them here—they can’t get stronger, increase their balance, or improve their stamina without doing their part by showing up! I’m not just about selling memberships!
Here is a testimonial from one of my clients!
A little over two months ago I felt I had hit rock bottom. I was very unhappy with myself. I was overweight and I had not exercised in over twenty-five years. I thought, “I’m 69 years old. I am a heart attack waiting to happen!” Then one day I was watching TV and saw an advertisement for an exercise program designed for people like me. It was called “BFit & Well”. I decided to call about the program and it was the smartest thing I’ve ever done.
When I went to my first class I was extremely nervous. I didn’t know anyone and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up. My fears were totally unfounded. The other ladies in the class were all very welcoming and supportive. I found I could work at my own pace and only do what I was comfortable with. No criticism, no pressure, just hard work and a lot of fun! I couldn’t wait to come back.
In the two months I have been going to classes I have noticed a lot of changes. I’m happier, I sleep better and I’ve lost 10.25 pounds and 15.11 inches. My BMI has gone from 31.1 to 29.4 and my body fat % has gone from 48.4 to 46. I’m still a work in progress, but I feel wonderful! I told Bonnie she saved my life, and I’ll be forever grateful to her and all the wonderful ladies that struggle along with me. Betty C—age 69
View Bonnie’s MFN profile »
