Best Bodies: Patricia Payette

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Patty Payette 
AGE 51
JOB Executive director of the quality enhancement plan at University of Louisville
WORKOUT SPOT Baptist Health/Milestone Wellness Center 



HER PASSION In my twenties and thirties, I was an avid exerciser. I loved high-impact cardio classes like aerobics. When I hit 40, and I had two small kids and a demanding job, exercise fell off the radar. By the time I was in my mid-forties, I was feeling draggy and missed exercise but I could never find the time to do it. Five years ago, I was desperate to get back to it and I joined an accountability and exercise program in which I took 6am boot camp classes. It was rough at first, but I came to love waking up at 5:30am, throwing on workout clothes, and getting done with a challenging class by 7am that left me feeling strong and accomplished. After two months, I no longer needed the accountability piece: I was hooked on early morning workouts.

"Kickboxing gives me a workout for my mind and my body. I have to stay focused and think about my form, the sequence of punches and kicks, and it keeps me fully present in the moment, so I’m not just going through the motions."Photos by Melissa Donald

MOTIVATION I make sure to keep my schedule clear so it doesn’t interfere with my exercise classes. I prioritize that as part of my week as much as possible. Additionally, I make sure I go to bed by 10:30 the night before my early workouts and that my workout clothes are at arm’s reach so I’m committing to the workout the night before, which helps get me in the right state of mind when the alarm goes off so early.

Do you want to start some new healthy habits? Add one or all of these into your fitness regimen.