Every step of the MSF way
At MaxStrength Fitness, you aren’t cut loose in a gym to fend for yourself. Client Crystal Pullen feels the training support is a big reason why she’s at the top of her game—at age 69.
Crystal Pullen (left) has been working out at MaxStrength Fitness for five years and attributes the fantastic shape she’s in to the trainers like Cassie (right) and MSF protocol. (Photograph: Francis Angelone)
Over a lifetime that’s seen serious yo-yo dieting (she’s lost the same 50 pounds and regained it and then some six times), and knee injuries that required surgeries after working out at a big-box gym, Crystal Pullen credits resistance training as the secret sauce that finally led her to keep the weight off for good. She’s currently celebrating what she’s dubbed her 25th anniversary of wellness.
“At one point after super-restrictive dieting, my doctor said my metabolism was down to zero,” says the energetic, fast-talking 69-year-old grandmother of two. “I’d also lost a lot of muscle, too. In 2001, when I weighed more than 200 pounds, I joined Weight Watchers and lost 51 pounds. I vowed this would be the last time I ever needed to lose 50 pounds.”
She’s been working out at MaxStrength Fitness for five years and attributes the fantastic shape she’s in to the trainers and protocol.
“It could not possibly be more convenient, efficient or highly focused,” she says. “Just 20-minute, trainer-supervised sessions twice a week and I can come in wearing whatever I feel like. You don’t get sweaty and can go out wherever after.”
Crystal says she’s a mindful person when it comes to training, and that’s a great fit with MSF.
“The workouts are not easy, you have to lean into them,” she says. “It’s a really concentrated form of working out. I feel my trainer Cassie is with me every step of the way.”
When Crystal’s 70-something husband Steve underwent cancer surgery earlier this year, and his doctor mentioned strength training would be helpful in the recovery journey, she was thrilled he wanted to join her at MSF.
“Though he’s never really worked out in his life, he’s loving the program here,” she says. “He told our friends recently, ‘This is the best thing I’ve ever done.’”
Family is the biggest reason both Pullens want to stay in the game. They live near their daughter and two grandchildren, spending Sunday dinners together, just like on the television show Blue Bloods.
“I plan to remain an active and engaging part of my grandchildren’s and daughter’s lives,” she adds. “I don’t want to spend the last years of my life sitting around and saying goodbye to my independence.”
Pass the Potato Salad
Founder Jeff Tomaszewski is a master at researching exercise science to offer healthy tips to MSF members that he shares through educational content. Recently he debunked the myth that potatoes come with negative health repercussions. The much-maligned spuds actually have a hidden health benefit: resistant starch.
“When you cook potatoes and let them cool, something interesting happens,” he explains. “The starch changes structure and becomes resistant starch, which acts more like a fiber than a carb. So, it moves through your digestive system without spiking your blood sugar, feeds the good bacteria in your gut and helps you feel full longer.”
His suggestion for fall picnics with potato salad? Swap out the mayo with a one-two-three knockout punch of olive oil, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard. To get his killer recipe, sign up for his newsletter at MaxStrengthFitness.com.
MaxStrength Fitness
13500 Pearl Road, Strongsville
4212 State Route 306, Willoughby
2211 Crocker Road, Westlake
Simplify Your Protein
Protein plays an important role in supporting muscle and recovery, but getting enough consistently can be challenging when meals become repetitive, time-consuming or bland. Our free “Chicken Breast Cheat Sheet” e-book shares three simple methods for making juicy, flavorful chicken, along with the fundamentals for getting it right every time—get your copy at Maxstrengthfitness.com/chickencheatsheet/.
Mimi Reader Special
Find out which movements, customized to your goals, will set you on a path to better health. Schedule your complimentary consultation—plus two free workouts—at MaxStrength Fitness. Offer good through Saturday, October 31, 2026.
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