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Rye resident Patti Whalen is successful in many ways: She’s raised two kids, works at a job she loves, is active in the community, and has a happy marriage. But until recently, she’d forgotten one thing: Fitness. “I had not done any exercise since the birth of my daughter, who is now 19,” Patti says.

Patti had made some attempts to deal with the 30 pounds she’d put on over 20 years. “I tried Jenny Craig and lost weight but gained it all back,” she says. She went on Weight Watchers, joined the Y and started walking. “Nothing worked,” she says. Weight became more of a struggle when Patti was diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer 10 years ago: She retained a lot of fluid due to the chemo.

Then in late 2009, Patti’s cousin, Dr. Howard Sichel, made a comment. “He told me, ‘Movement heals,’” she says, “and that rang the bell.” The statement made sense for Patti: It was motivating without being punitive, and it was about the process, not a pie-in-the-sky end result. Howard told her about APOGEE and suggested she start private Pilates sessions with Dorothy Polanowska.

In January, Patti walked into her first class. “I told myself, ‘I don’t know where I’ve been for 20 years, but now it’s time to take care of me,’” she recalls. She began Intro to Mat classes with Dorothy, then added Intro to Tower with Lisa Klasner and Beginner Mat with Deborah Slade. When Patti balked at trying a cardio class, Dorothy walked her to the Cardio Circuit class and rode on the bike next to her. Patti tried her first Pilates group class during the Open House in March. “It was helpful because I broke out of my safety zone and did a group class on the Tower and the Reformer. I had only done those privately. I now know that I am capable,” she says. “It was a whole new level for me!” Now Patti is taking three or four Pilates classes a week and fitting in at least one cardio session.

Pilates makes Patti feel “taller, stronger, thinner and more toned,” she says. “I’m more grounded on my feet; I feel more symmetrical.” In March, Patti slipped on some ice but didn’t fall—with her strong core, she was able to regain her balance quickly. “When I walk outside I feel lighter, I don’t have that exhausting feeling,” she says. Emotionally, she’s healthier, too. “I feel more relaxed,” she says. “Maybe it’s because I’m doing something for myself.”

By early May, Patti had lost 11 pounds—“without dieting!” she says. “I’m just making better choices.” Upon joining APOGEE, Patti met with APOGEE nutritionist Jennifer Vagios, who gave her a handout detailing high-energy snacks such as nuts and yogurt. Patti has also learned a lot from the APOGEE Café: she now drinks lemon water and green tea at home. “I take my cues from APOGEE,” she says. “It’s such a peaceful place, it even smells good. It’s like a spa!”

Patti feels as if she’s reclaimed her body and her life. She’s introduced her daughter to Pilates and they’re both “addicted,” she says. She hopes to be a model for others who have gotten in a rut. “I felt sad,” she says. “I hope I can inspire someone who felt sad like I did.” Her own inspirational phrase might just work: “No matter what you do, keep moving!”