One Step At A Time

Music pumps out of the speakers, the walls are painted in uplifting colors, and it appears to be a regular Tuesday at a local gym. However today, something is different. Today, three people you may have once passed on a Philadelphia street struggling with homelessness are now working out on the treadmills next to you. They’re all veterans of the US military who, after their service, found themselves homeless and struggling with mental health challenges.

Pathways found them a place to call home and helped them to manage their health. Now, they're expanding on that concept and learning to build healthy lifestyles one step at a time in our new program "Fitness and Fun". Led by Pathways Certified Peer Specialist Ken Wilson, every Tuesday and Thursday Ken and the Pathways participants head to the gym for a one to two hour workout. There, the participants run on treadmills, lift weights, and interact with fellow gym-goers.

Gary, a Pathways participant, has struggled with issues of substance use and homelessness in the past, and says that after working out, he feels “like a million bucks”. He says also,

“I'm amazed at myself. I haven’t walked 2 or 3 miles in a long time.“ Gary says that he feels like "a million bucks" after working out.

According to Ken, “Fitness and Fun” is effective in helping participants with their mental and physical health. He says it helps to get them in the routine of taking care of themselves and opens up a way for them to become more health conscious.

“My hope is that they start going Tuesday and Thursday, but decide that maybe they want to go Saturday too, because they like the way they feel after they work out,” Ken says.

Another Pathways Participant is Frank. Frank is a former marine that faced homelessness in Philadelphia for many years. However, Frank has continued to make positive changes in his life after six years at Pathways. He says that "Fitness and Fun" has made a positive change in his life and that,

“This is a step in the right direction for anyone who wants to get their life together."

According to Ken, "Fitness and Fun" grew from his own struggles. He had been diagnosed with severe depression and placed on two different medications. However, one day, at a group for people with depression, he met a friend that never had to be on medication. He said it was because he jogged wherever he went. Ken began jogging with him and soon realized that he not only felt better physically, but mentally as well. Ken says he realized, “If it can work for me, then it can work for participants, too."

"Another one of the benefits of going to the gym is that it helps our participants replace negative habits with positive ones. Sometimes when someone is without a home, they can pick up negative habits such as drug use that can lead them towards destructive behavior. Additionally, once people decide to make a recovery from drug use, many people fail because they have not replaced the habit with a positive one. Going to the gym fills that need and does so in a constructive way."

"You go to the gym thinking of all the issues in your life, but by the time you're done, the issues are gone. You've walked, or ran, or lifted them away."

Another exciting aspect of the program is that it helps integrate people back into the community. Because some participants might be reluctant to go to the gym by themselves, Ken goes to the gym and works out right beside them. This helps them to build confidence and to build relationships with other people at the gym as well.

“The gym is in an environment where they can begin to surround themselves with like-minded people that can support them on the road to recovery,” said Ken.

“I’ve got him beside me, we’re yelling at each other - how much weight you got? You feel so good,” said Gary.

Finally, Frank says that for him, this is part of making a new and lasting lifestyle.

“I’ve seen the change in myself. I want to be around for a long time. All the rest of my family has lived into their 90’s. I want to try and beat their record,” he says laughing.