Exercise for a clear mind

Deja Brown, 23, of Farmington Hills, uses her workouts as stress relief. Brown is active military, serving in the Air Force.

“I use working out as a form a stress relief,” she said. “It’s how I get my day started and prepare myself to take on the day. Working out helped me through a lot of personal issues. It’s taught me discipline, showed me how to work towards accomplishing a goal and how to hold myself accountable. It’s become part of my everyday routine, and without some form of a good workout, my day feels incomplete.”

She said she’s always surprised at what her trainer, Christopher Huff, at Performance 80 Training, has in store. “You never know what to expect,” she said. “You always get a good cardio and every day is leg day.”

She says she tries to drink a lot of water and makes sure to eat in moderation.

“I eat pretty clean,” she explained. “No beef or pork and I try to drink a lot of water. I go for a gallon a day but I don’t usually consume that much. I do indulge on snacks though; chips are my favorite. Usually, when I get the urge to cheat, whether it be on my diet or a workout, I try to remember my end goal and purpose. Or the guilt I’d feel from cheating usually stops me.”

She said there’s only one real way to start getting into shape.

“Just get up and do it,” she said. “A lot of people want to wait until they’re ready to work out and that becomes their excuse for never starting. You can start at your own pace and go from there, but the first step is to start.”