NIMBLE CO-OWNER AND MASTER TRAINER, KEITH PAINE, TALKS WITH NIMBLE CLIENT, SAMI CASANOVA, ABOUT HER INSPIRING TRANSFORMATION AND WHAT KEEPS HER MOTIVATED!
KP: How long have you been training at Nimble?
SC: Since June of 2021, so 4 years now!
KP: Could you talk a little about your fitness journey? You’ve gotten remarkable results—what is working for you?
SC: I started at Nimble right after the COVID lockdown ended. The lockdown was… not my friend. I had struggled with my weight in the past (lots of yo-yo dieting), despite always being fairly active. I grew up playing sports, I ran and cycled in my 20’s, and started lifting in my 30s (even doing a few powerlifting meets). I never paid any attention to my diet. Youth and activity made sure my weight never got too out of control. But during the lockdown, I became completely sedentary. No lifting, maybe 2000 steps a day. My diet also got much worse – I was ordering a lot of takeout, fast food, donuts for breakfast, etc. I gained over 50lbs. Getting back to the gym helped me to gain back the strength I had lost, and I did get a bit smaller, but I didn’t really start losing significant weight until I started tracking my calories and getting my step count up. The real secret has been consistency and patience. Instead of restrictive diets or super low calories, I eat in a small deficit and make room for small treats every day. The weight loss is slow, but it’s sustainable, and I’m down 70 lbs with confidence that I can keep it off.
KP: You’ve achieved legendary status at Nimble because you appeared on Jeopardy!—what was that experience like?
SC: It was so much fun! The crazy thing I learned being there is that it’s almost all about buzzer skills. All the contestants know a lot of things. The GOATs who are in the Jeopardy! Masters and other invitational tournaments do know a *little* bit more (maybe 85% of the questions), but most contestants could probably answer 75% of the questions on average. But you need to be able to ring in before you can answer! My buzzer skills were not what I hoped they would be (and it didn’t help that I was up against two great champs), but I still had a blast.
KP: What’s your favorite workout?
SC: I like powerlifting-style workouts with heavy weight and low reps on the big lifts. I also love functional moves like pushing the sled, throwing the medicine ball, and loaded carries.
KP: Least favorite workout that you do anyway because it’s good for you?
SC: Honestly, all the Zone 1 and 2 cardio that you need to build and maintain your general fitness base is a slog. When I do cardio, I always have to fight the urge to sprint the whole time!
KP: How does fitness impact the rest of your life?
SC: Fitness is all about getting out of your comfort zone. And all the changes happen when you’re extremely uncomfortable. The mental toughness that you build carries over to all the non-physical challenges that life throws at you.
KP: Is there an ultimate fitness goal you are training for?
SC: I do the Chase Corporate Challenge run every year, but I always end up mostly walking with a bit of running, and it takes me about an hour to finish the race. I have about 5-6 years left before I retire – I would love to finish this race running the whole way (including over the huge hill on 110th street, which is part of the course) and do it in under 35 minutes. I also recently learned about Hyrox races. I’m pretty far from being able to do that now – just the idea of burpee broad jumps fills me with dread – but maybe in 2027!
