by Rachel Tallant
Margaret Flanagan, owner of Aunt Margaret’s Antique Mall in Newark, Delaware, has been on a remarkable fitness journey over the past year. For nearly a decade, she devoted herself to caregiving—first for her father, then her sister, and most recently her mother. After her father passed in 2017, her sister in 2022, and her mother in 2024, Margaret had a stark realization: “I’d been caring for everyone else but me.” This year, that finally changed.
After experiencing so much loss in such a short period, Margaret decided to go to counseling. “What are you doing for you,” she remembers being asked. Her answer: “Nothing.” Her counselor continued prodding: “What is something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the opportunity?”, and Margaret revealed that she’d like to try personal training. Having identified a goal, only one question remained: “What’s stopping you?”
Around the same time, Margaret began taking blood pressure medication. As soon as she was on the new medicine, she was eager to get off of it. Her doctor recommended that she try to lose weight and start moving, and the advice was a clear wake-up call. Margaret needed a change in her life, and she knew what she needed to do.
So, Margaret signed up at the HAC and started working with Personal Trainer Musulain “Mus” Toomer. Since August 2024, Margaret has been working with Mus twice a week and working out at the gym or at home regularly. “Yeah, she’s great,” Margaret says. “She knows exactly when to push me to the next level.”
Taking the first step toward regular movement can be hard, but exercise can be grounding—especially after loss. Margaret’s commitment to training offered her a healthy outlet as she focused on herself for the first time in years.
For the first three months of her fitness journey, Margaret didn’t talk to anyone about it. She wanted to see if it would work first. “I didn’t tell anybody what I was doing,” she explains, “because I need to make it for me, not anybody else”.
Now over a year into training, Margaret continues to be very dedicated to her physical and mental well-being and always has a good mindset during her sessions with Mus. “I was brought up with a good work ethic all around,” Margaret explains. That ethic has paid off – she now happily reports that she’s back off her blood pressure meds.
The biggest challenge Margaret has faced throughout this fitness journey is believing she could do what Mus asked her to. “She would show me an exercise, and I would look at her and just crack up like, ‘you want me to do that!?’” But Mus always reassured her she could do it. “And she was right; I could do it,” Margaret says. Mus has always admired Margaret’s commitment to her fitness goals and understanding of the part she must play in her own journey.
Another inspiration for Margaret has been reading the Enhance articles about other members finding success on their own fitness journeys. No matter how different their experiences may be, Margaret can always take away something relatable from their stories. “There always something in there that’s like, ‘Oh my god, yeah. I get that,’” she says. “I love those articles.”
Since starting in August 2024, Margaret has lost between 45–50 pounds. She admits that the scale still gives her anxiety, especially now that she’s gaining muscle and seeing the numbers go back up—but she knows better than to let that define her progress.
Looking ahead, Margaret’s goals include selling her mother’s house and taking advantage of more amenities at HAC. With a new outlook, a healthier body, and the confidence to put herself first, she’s just getting started. Margaret’s story is a reminder that movement can be a meaningful part of healing—helping you process difficult emotions while building strength for the future.
