Meet Tammy and Todd Byers- one of our husband and wife member power couples. They are the proud parents of 4 adult children and grandparents of 6!
Todd, who’s known for his title as the ‘King of the Sled’, joined us first back in 2016 after his son Tim joined us. Then Tammy joined in on the family fun shortly after in 2017. These two are each others biggest cheerleaders and are a great example of a loving marriage. Not only are they cheering along each other, but they are constantly cheering on and supporting all the other members too (and sometimes even egging others on to help motivate a little more)! We love to see their competitiveness pop out and its fun to see a very lively father son challenge take place too.
Since joining OS Institute, Todd and Tammy have consistently showed up, worked hard, and went the extra mile to be a part of the community. What a great example of being all in on the OSI Family and their commitment to a long and healthy marriage. I mean… the couple that sweats together, stays together, right?
Anyways, enough of our rambling… meet Todd and Tammy ????????
What do you do for work?
Tammy: Preschool Teacher
Todd: Instructional Designer for Sensus (I create educational tutorials for the technology equipment utilities use)
What ELSE do you like to do? 🙂
Tammy: Love and play with my grandchildren, sing, swim, hike, and drink really good coffee with friends
Todd: I work part-time as the student pastor of the Point Church here in Fuquay. I love working with students and coaching.
How did you hear about OSI?
Tammy: Through some friends in the community who loved it
Todd: OSI let us use their facility to host the student ministry on Sunday mornings back in the day.
What has your fitness journey been like in the past?
Tammy: have always tried to stay as physically fit as possible due to a traumatic past injury to my right leg. I wanted to keep it strong and keep my weight under control to not put more strain on my leg. The problem is that I would end up with other serious injuries or cause inflammatory responses in other body areas. It became so discouraging and caused me a lot of medical surgeries and expenses.
Todd: I was very active when I was a student, playing varsity football, wrestling, and track. I tried to stay active as an adult, doing recreational teams such as volleyball, basketball, and softball. It has been hit or miss though, going through a good stretch and then falling off the face of the earth.
What positive impact has OSi had on your life?
Tammy: I am so grateful for trainers who have so much knowledge, care, and can help you with modifications. The fact that they are there to encourage as well as prevent injury has helped me keep moving, increase my strength more than I ever imagined I could. My right leg is increasing strength and building muscle where there was once atrophy. I am learning to let go of my fears of over protection and anxiety to step out in faith to try what seemed impossible to me before like pushing a 250 pound sled, moving a barrel I could not even budge before, or crawling off my knees across beams in the air! This has built my confidence and made me feel like what God calls me, an “Overcomer!: OSI has provided me a foundation to set up healthy habits for life whether they be physical, spiritual, or mental. The environment is so positive that I look forward to the 5:30 am sessions and being in fellowship with what has now become my life group, a second family of cheerleaders doing life and health together. It has also developed my marital relationship with Todd because we have so much fun working out together and holding each other accountable towards being healthy. As the Bible says, “a cord of three strands is not easily broken.”
Todd: I would say there are two important impacts with OSI. The most important part is I am not doing this alone. I enjoy the people I work out with. It is even better now Tamora (Tammy to most of you) is working out with me. This keeps the workouts fresh in a way doing them alone could never accomplish. The other is how the coaches help you moderate yourself. It is easy not to pace yourself properly. I appreciate how the coaches guide this process.
What is your daily schedule like and how do you find time to fit in movement throughout your day?
Tammy: Since I work with infants, teach music and chapel at a preschool with long hours, I find that putting my OSI session first thing in the morning really helps. Also, I have found that I can get in a good, brisk twenty minute walk on my lunch breaks two days a week. I love to have fun activities with Todd hiking or having us play with our grandkids on the weekends. In the summer, I try to swim a few days a week. Every morning, I start the day with resets which warms up my body to move by relaxing tight muscles and decreasing anxiety. I find that doing them during stress at work or after a hard day before bed, really helps me relax to rest, too.
Todd: I work in North Raleigh, near Six Forks and Strickland. I get up for the 5:30 class. This allows me to go home, get showered, and make it to work at a decent time.
What has been one of your biggest obstacles when it comes to sticking to your game plan in the past?
Tammy: Continuously getting injured where I would just have to stop moving because of pain and inflammation
Todd: Consistency. It is easy to miss a day, and let the day become a week, or even weeks. There is an accountability when you are working out with friends.
How has OSI helped you redefine that obstacle?
Tammy: I am becoming more aware of how my body is feeling in movement to learn where my boundaries are, when to modify, when to push harder, and when to slow down. Also, the trainers help me modify so I can keep moving in a way that will not cause me injury. Todd watches out for me, too, because he knows I have a tendency to push harder than my body may be able to handle. He reminds me to listen to my body and be wise about how I am moving.
Todd: Same as above.
What achievements are you most proud of since joining OSi?
Tammy: Every time I finish a station during a session, I thank God because I was able to move another day. Getting my name on the board for five minutes on the Versa, winning the last Health Challenge, moving the barrel, crawling off my knees on the beams when I was terrified to do that, and doing REAL push ups. But, my favorite is encouraging everyone that I can at the sessions! That’s my biggest goal that I love to get to do every day!
Todd: There are several. From a team perspective, I have had the privilege of being on two winning challenge teams. These are cool since you can’t do them on your own. I was able to win one of the challenges, but I think the team win was bigger. I would love to co-win with Tamora one time. I think that would be really cool. The other is simply some of the WOW board challenges. I worked really hard last summer with a lot of help from the coaches to do the Zercher squat. Jessie encouraged me through a 10 minute crawl. I want to get to the point where I can do every challenge on the wall.
What is a new goal that you would like to achieve?
Tammy: I would really like to ring that darn bell with the rope and not lose what I have achieved so far.
Todd: I want to get to the point where I can do every challenge on the wall. This will mean enough core strength to do 5 minutes of dead bugs. The ability to do pull-ups and the upside-down wall push-ups. A fifteen 15 crawl, and the dreaded 10 minutes of jump rope.
What motivates you to continue showing up, even on days you would rather throw in the towel?
Tammy: The stronger I become, hopefully, the less chance I have of losing movement with my injured leg. I want to be able to enjoy life with my family, particularly my adorable grandchildren. I have a son with severe autism who I need to be there for to advocate for him. I believe I was created for a mission and that God promises to complete it through me. My part is caring for this temple he put me in to do that and daily surrendering to Him.
Todd: Friends, and now Tamora.
What is your favorite movement and reset? Why?
Tammy: I love hitting the tire. It releases a lot of stress and has made my upper body, especially my arms stronger. That makes my work easier with lifting infants off the floor and carrying them when I am trying to help them with development.
I love the rocking with putting my leg out to the side. I have pioformis and IT band syndrome. This reset really helps with the muscle strain and inflammation of these areas.
Todd: Rolls, I am very tight, and really need to loosen up before I work out.
Do you have any advice for newbies or for those interested in trying OSI?
Tammy: Find a time that is best for your biological clock to do your sessions, do it with a friend, and make it a priority. This is not a comparison, all about you place. This is truly an all for one and one for all kind of place where you want everyone to succeed.
Todd: Give yourself a lot of grace at the beginning. At first it seems like you are so inadequate. The coaches and other people encourage you, but you wonder if they are just being nice. If you come from an athletic background like I did, it can be discouraging to not be able to do certain tasks. Give it time, it will come.
Tell us 3 fun facts about yourself?
Tammy: I met former President Gerald Ford when I was a little girl. I did my ultimate dream since I was seven, to go on the mission field to Honduras twice! Todd and I have been married 36 years and have five grandchildren with number six due in June.
Todd: I was on the same wrestling team as the kid brother of the Ultimate Warrior (and I always kicked his butt). I love working with students, in part because there is still a middle school boy lurking barely below my surface. Tamora and I were both music majors when we first met. I played and she is an excellent singer. I struggle to play due a finger injury.
What is your favorite jam to workout to?
Tammy: I love the song, Good Morning and You’re An Overcomer, and any of the great old pop, rock songs from the sixties and seventies.
Todd: Classic rock (from the 70’s mostly). Bonus points if there are horns.
Do you prefer the mountains or the ocean?
Tammy: Wow, that’s tough!! I love the beauty of the grandeur of the greenery and fall colors of the mountains. But, there is such an Awe over looking out over the waves at the beach and wonder of the ocean. I would have to say that I probably love the mountains, because that’s where I get to visit my son, Nathan each month. I love hiking with him through beautiful Pisgah Forest.
Todd: Mountains. Ocean is nice for short spurts, but I burn too easily.
Favorite food?
Tammy: Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream or Watermelon
Todd: Mexican, I can resist a lot of goodies, queso isn’t one of them.
What would you tell yourself if you could go back in time to the day of your first visit to OSI?
Tammy: Forget the past and press on towards more than you could even imagine!
Todd: I don’t know if I would tell myself anything. I am very happy with my journey and would not change a thing
Anything else you’d like to share with us or tell us about? We’d love to hear about it!
Tammy: I can not thank God or OSI enough for how my life has changed for the better! From where I started to now is just amazing! I can’t wait to see what is ahead for OSI, for the staff, for all my friends there, and for myself! It is going to be mind blowing!!!!!
Todd: Just a huge thank you to OSI for making all of this possible. Tamora has some physical limitations due to an accident a long time ago. Every time she has tried to work out it has failed. I knew OSI would be able to get her past these issues, and they have. Their hard work has been a huge blessing to our family.
If you’d like to learn more about OS Institute and work alongside Tammy, Todd and the rest of the OSi Family, come check us out. Set up your 2 Week Trial for $29 and we’ll get you in and feeling better in no time! No contracts, no enrollment fees, tons of small group sessions to choose from, we have lots of fun… oh, and we get results!
Contact us at 919.346.6016 or email us at info@os-institute.com. You can also see more about OS Institute at www.os-institute.com.
