Keeping the Streak Going-870+ Days

We first featured Cheryl and Jess Schlicht in the fall of 2023, when they were celebrating over 400 consecutive days of exercise since September 2022. Fast forward to now, and their streak has skyrocketed to an impressive 870 days—and they show no signs of stopping! Cheryl reflects, “It feels amazing and empowering to have kept it going this long.”

What keeps them pushing forward? Neither one wants to be the one to break the streak, and their workouts have become part of their daily routine—it’s no longer a question of if they’ll work out, but when. They regularly attend Body Combat and Zumba. They’ve also added WERQ, a hip-hop dance class, to their repertoire. Cheryl says, “It’s so much fun! Your mind works just as hard as your body trying to keep up with the choreography. The hit songs make you feel like you’re ready for the dance floor!”

Maintaining their streak hasn’t been without challenges. They’ve faced illness and a chronic knee injury. They have to get creative on how to squeeze in exercise on holidays. Even on days when the pain bothers her, Cheryl takes it down a notch in class but keeps going. Sometimes they take a brisk walk outside. They even have treadmills and walking pads at home for those days when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Their dedication has paid off, and they’ve made memorable milestones along the way. Last year, they traveled with a local group to the Dominican Republic to enjoy a “Fit-cation”, where they attended daily Zumba and Aqua Zumba classes in a tropical setting. They also returned to Las Vegas two years after starting their streak, setting a goal to complete 100,000 steps in 7 days—and they achieved it in just 6!

The changes they’ve seen are both physical and mental. Cheryl has lost 66 lbs through consistent exercise and portion control. Combined with a high-protein diet, Jess has lost 78 lbs. Their strength and stamina have improved significantly, and knowing they’ve completed nearly 2.5 years of daily workouts without missing a single day has shown them just how mentally strong they truly are.