Maureen Sikora

My passion for health and fitness began as a teenager and evolved into a lifelong pursuit of strength and confidence. After 25 years teaching fitness, I took on endurance challenges, but during perimenopause I gained weight and struggled to regain control. With diabetes common in my family, I turned to clean eating and consistent strength training, losing 30 pounds. At 54, calisthenics, weight training, and pole dancing fuel my drive to push limits and inspire women my age to see what’s possible

My favorite way to stay fit is mixing strength with play, especially outdoors. I weight train and do cardio, & practice calisthenics. I started taking pole classes 2 years ago and love pole tricks that demand strength and body control. I love playing on monkey bars at the gym or park, and enjoy movement outside whenever possible. I also love the simple joy of running outdoors with friends. Fitness, for me, is about strength, freedom, and fun.

I would use the money to invest in both experiences and growth. I’d love to travel, but I’d also put it toward earning my pole instruction certification and continuing to develop my skills to train others in fitness, pole dance and bodybuilding. Most importantly, I’d use part of it to create meaningful experiences and spend quality time with my family since all three of my children are grown up and moved out of state.