By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Amanda Villarreal believes that anyone can improve their physical fitness, regardless of their age or body type.
Every summer for the past few years, Villarreal has hosted an event called Workout in the Park in Zeeland to encourage people to move their bodies.
On July 18, Villarreal will hold her 10th Workout in the Park at Lawrence Street Park. The event runs from 10 to 10:30 a.m.
“What started as a simple idea to encourage people to get moving has grown into a celebration of health, wellness, and community, and I'm excited to see what this year's milestone event will bring,” said Villarreal, owner of AVWellness, a local business that promotes fitness and nutrition.
Villarreal, 49, has overcome significant challenges to become a fitness and wellness advocate. At birth, she was diagnosed with a rare vascular disease called Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS).
“When I was born, it looked like I was burned on my left side from the neck down,” she said. “My whole left side is smaller than my right, by almost an inch and a half … I should wear a whole size-and-a-half difference in my shoes.”
The doctors had no idea what type of life Villarreal would have or what her life expectancy would be. Despite the physical challenge, she played basketball and softball.
At age 12, Villareal met with a vascular surgeon at the University of Michigan Hospital. She received some devastating news.
“He told me I needed to stop all physical activity, (that) I needed to keep my leg elevated as much as possible, and I needed to have an inch-and-a-half lift built on the bottom of my left shoe to accommodate my leg difference, otherwise I was going to have major back problems my whole life,” Villarreal said. “The only kind of shoes they had at that time were these ugly blue (orthopedic) shoes.”
Villarreal was also told by that same surgeon she would never have children and that she would lose her leg to amputation by the time she turned 18.
Villarreal decided to prove that surgeon wrong. She continued to play sports at West Ottawa High School and later at Muskegon Community College, where she began her collegiate studies. She has undergone 18 surgeries in an attempt to increase the circulation in her body.
“There’s nothing they can do for this. It’s just a matter of minimizing the pain,” Villarreal said.
At 18, Villarreal was working at Prince Corporation in Holland when she was offered an opportunity to fill in for a midnight aqua aerobics class at the company’s People Center. It would be a life-changing event for her.
“(The original instructor) went on maternity leave and I covered her midnight class,” Villarreal said. “As terrified as I was, I kind of realized … God put me a in a place of (using my) weaknesses to help others.”
Villarreal went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in corporate fitness and wellness at Grand Valley State University. She also has earned about a dozen different certifications, covering areas such as personal training, group fitness, Pilates and yoga, she said.
Villarreal was fitness director at the Prince People Center for 12 years before moving full-time into her own business out of her Zeeland Township home in 2008. She met her husband, Art, in a kickboxing class at the Prince center. Today, the couple have five children, ranging in age from 8 to 21.
Villarreal began Workout in the Park in 2017 as a way to try to connect with the Zeeland community. She had 10 participants the first year of the program, and it has grown ever since then to about 80 participants last year.
“It’s been just a really neat experience to see how much it’s grown … we have now in the past 10 years had (participants) all the way from age 2 up to 94 show up to this Workout in the Park,” Villarreal said.
Workout in the Park is free and open to everyone, regardless of age, body type or fitness level. Exercises and modifications will be provided, making it accessible for beginners, while still offering a fun challenge for more experienced participants, Villarreal said.
“The idea is to get people together. We want it to be fun, but yet very inspirational for people,” she said. “We want to say, ‘hey, wherever you’re at in your health and your (Iife) journey, it’s never too late to get started.’ Movement is medicine.”
For those who may be out of shape and are looking to improve their fitness, Villarreal recommends starting small.
“I would probably have you start out with even a five-minute workout, something very simple – whether it’s on-demand (through an app) or here,” she said. “I don’t start a new person out, saying you’re going to work out an hour with me. We do very small pieces. Part of getting people to be consistent with (fitness) is learning it’s not about perfection, it is trying to just start.”
Workout in the Park will also include giveaways, sponsor booths, healthy samples, and opportunities to connect with local businesses that support wellness and community health. In addition, Harvest Stand Ministries will host a fresh produce food drive, where participants are encouraged to bring fruits and vegetables to support its food bank.
Zeeland Record
Amanda Villarreal believes that anyone can improve their physical fitness, regardless of their age or body type.
Every summer for the past few years, Villarreal has hosted an event called Workout in the Park in Zeeland to encourage people to move their bodies.
On July 18, Villarreal will hold her 10th Workout in the Park at Lawrence Street Park. The event runs from 10 to 10:30 a.m.
“What started as a simple idea to encourage people to get moving has grown into a celebration of health, wellness, and community, and I'm excited to see what this year's milestone event will bring,” said Villarreal, owner of AVWellness, a local business that promotes fitness and nutrition.
Villarreal, 49, has overcome significant challenges to become a fitness and wellness advocate. At birth, she was diagnosed with a rare vascular disease called Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS).
“When I was born, it looked like I was burned on my left side from the neck down,” she said. “My whole left side is smaller than my right, by almost an inch and a half … I should wear a whole size-and-a-half difference in my shoes.”
The doctors had no idea what type of life Villarreal would have or what her life expectancy would be. Despite the physical challenge, she played basketball and softball.
At age 12, Villareal met with a vascular surgeon at the University of Michigan Hospital. She received some devastating news.
“He told me I needed to stop all physical activity, (that) I needed to keep my leg elevated as much as possible, and I needed to have an inch-and-a-half lift built on the bottom of my left shoe to accommodate my leg difference, otherwise I was going to have major back problems my whole life,” Villarreal said. “The only kind of shoes they had at that time were these ugly blue (orthopedic) shoes.”
Villarreal was also told by that same surgeon she would never have children and that she would lose her leg to amputation by the time she turned 18.
Villarreal decided to prove that surgeon wrong. She continued to play sports at West Ottawa High School and later at Muskegon Community College, where she began her collegiate studies. She has undergone 18 surgeries in an attempt to increase the circulation in her body.
“There’s nothing they can do for this. It’s just a matter of minimizing the pain,” Villarreal said.
At 18, Villarreal was working at Prince Corporation in Holland when she was offered an opportunity to fill in for a midnight aqua aerobics class at the company’s People Center. It would be a life-changing event for her.
“(The original instructor) went on maternity leave and I covered her midnight class,” Villarreal said. “As terrified as I was, I kind of realized … God put me a in a place of (using my) weaknesses to help others.”
Villarreal went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in corporate fitness and wellness at Grand Valley State University. She also has earned about a dozen different certifications, covering areas such as personal training, group fitness, Pilates and yoga, she said.
Villarreal was fitness director at the Prince People Center for 12 years before moving full-time into her own business out of her Zeeland Township home in 2008. She met her husband, Art, in a kickboxing class at the Prince center. Today, the couple have five children, ranging in age from 8 to 21.
Villarreal began Workout in the Park in 2017 as a way to try to connect with the Zeeland community. She had 10 participants the first year of the program, and it has grown ever since then to about 80 participants last year.
“It’s been just a really neat experience to see how much it’s grown … we have now in the past 10 years had (participants) all the way from age 2 up to 94 show up to this Workout in the Park,” Villarreal said.
Workout in the Park is free and open to everyone, regardless of age, body type or fitness level. Exercises and modifications will be provided, making it accessible for beginners, while still offering a fun challenge for more experienced participants, Villarreal said.
“The idea is to get people together. We want it to be fun, but yet very inspirational for people,” she said. “We want to say, ‘hey, wherever you’re at in your health and your (Iife) journey, it’s never too late to get started.’ Movement is medicine.”
For those who may be out of shape and are looking to improve their fitness, Villarreal recommends starting small.
“I would probably have you start out with even a five-minute workout, something very simple – whether it’s on-demand (through an app) or here,” she said. “I don’t start a new person out, saying you’re going to work out an hour with me. We do very small pieces. Part of getting people to be consistent with (fitness) is learning it’s not about perfection, it is trying to just start.”
Workout in the Park will also include giveaways, sponsor booths, healthy samples, and opportunities to connect with local businesses that support wellness and community health. In addition, Harvest Stand Ministries will host a fresh produce food drive, where participants are encouraged to bring fruits and vegetables to support its food bank.
Participants stretch out at last year’s Workout in the Park at Lawrence Street Park.
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