What Members are Saying about the 'Spark Your Life' Convention

By , SparkPeople Blogger
If you haven't heard by now, SparkPeople's next "Spark Your Life" Convention will take place in Cincinnati—SparkPeople's hometown—this September. Of course, everyone here at SparkPeople is excited about this fun day of fitness, motivational stories, inspiring weight-loss accounts and in-person meet-ups with your fellow members and coaches. Personally, I had a BLAST meeting members and leading workouts at the first convention and I can't wait for the next one! But don’t take MY word for it.

When we surveyed the attendees of our first Convention in San Diego (this past May), 100% of them said they would attend another SparkPeople Convention. In fact, many are traveling across the country to attend the next one, too!

If we haven't yet convinced you that Cincinnati's "Spark Your Life" Convention is worth the time, travel or cost (just $49.99 if you register before August 31), then take our members' words for it. Here's what convention attendees had to say about their experience.


"I am SO glad the first convention was near my home. Being disabled (and overweight), it's difficult for me to travel. With the convention just two hours' drive away, I HAD to go! The overriding reason I attended the first Convention is that I wanted to be a part of something special – SparkPeople – at the beginning; I know SP will become an important resource for people all over the world someday. I didn't know exactly what to expect, but it was much more than I imagined. So many aspects stick with me and encourage me to this day: 1) Meeting Chris and the Spark staff, seeing their dedication and enthusiasm in person, and being able to hear their personal stories. 2) San Diego may have been the first Spark Convention, but our Spark staff organized and ran it as if they've been at it for years! 3) There was an excellent variety of activities and topics, good written materials, a nice tote bag full of goodies, and a very pleasant and efficient set-up (the Spark Store, a SparkPoints Wheel, and the Huddle Banner were nice touches). 4) Meeting the other Sparkers who attended showed me I’m not alone. No, it’s more than that. I knew from Sparking online that I wasn’t alone. It showed me I’m NORMAL. There are a lot of people out there from all over who are just like me. 5) Finally, every single person there was SO incredibly friendly, SparkPeople staffers AND attendees!" – Elizabeth (MIMAWELIZABETH)


"Just when you think SparkPeople cannot motivate more than it already does, attending this convention just takes you to a whole other level. You meet so many great SparkPeople and SparkStaff (who are also SparkPeople!)! They are real people who are more motivational and inspiring, because you meet them and they are genuine! Think you have a lot of SparkFriends now? Attend the conference and you will be surprised how much your friends list grows! So motivating to have actually met the people you interact with everyday online! So many great ideas and thoughts exchanged and friendships formed. Is SparkPeople real in your life? Come spread the SPARK with SparkPeople and see how real it is to everyone. I attended the first convention and now am attending the second one. Hope to see you there!" – Greg (KSIGMA1222), pictured here with Coach Nicole, traveled from Kansas to San Diego for May's Convention. Read his blog post about May's convention here.


"I attended the first convention with my mom, and the most amazing thing was seeing her Sparked before my very eyes. She was already a member, but until the convention, she never really got what it was all about. I have seen such a change in her determination since the convention. She finally realized that there is no difference between her and the people on the stage telling their success stories. My mom and I are hoping to attend the Cincinnati convention as well. And like others have said, I found that the online connection I had with other members is real. Spark members and staff are real, sincere, genuine, authentic people. What you see is what you get. It was like a family reunion! My favorite part about the convention was hearing Chris's message that the Spark is about more than weight loss. It's not over. It has just begun. Weight loss is just the beginning." – Michelle (OUTOFCONTROL) also blogged about her experience at May's convention.


"I would LOVE to attend the convention in Cincinnati! I got so much out of the first conference in San Diego and I'm sure this one will be just as good or better. I met some really great people! This is a good way to meet people who are going through the same struggles as you are, and it is well worth the price of travel and hotel. It is a good thing to get out of your own environment and meet people from different parts of the country and world to get a different perspective on fitness, weight loss and life. My trip across the country was well worth it!" – Cindy (CAOMAGIC) traveled to San Diego from Connecticut to attend the first Convention.


"I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the 'Spark Your Life' Convention in San Diego. I travelled across the country, and it was worth it. Listening to all the SparkExperts share their stories and their wisdom, and especially listening to Chris tell about the birth of SparkPeople and its growth leading up to his new book, was an incredible opportunity. The store was amazing as well, and so nice to be able to be hands on with the SparkPeople merchandise! But I have to say, the BEST part of attending the convention was sharing a face-to-face connection with new and old SparkFriends and spending time with people who are 100% on the same page with me. We may all be at different stages of the journey, but being able to be with someone who has the same goals and aspirations of living a healthy lifestyle and is working toward those goals in the same way was truly motivating and I would even say sustaining. Oh, and the goodie bag was awesome!" –Dana (ZIRCADIA), who lives in Alabama, also wrote a convention recap blog post about her experience at San Diego's convention.


"Participating in the first ever SparkPeople Convention was one of the highlights of my year! Connecting with people who are sharing the same journey is priceless! The convention affected my life in such a positive way. I bonded with some wonderful people, met the spectacular SparkPeople staff/experts, and got a HUGE dose of motivation. What more can a person ask for? " – Leah (SPRING4FAL) wrote a blog post about the Convention, too.


"I expected a good time and to hear some great stories at the 'Spark Your Life' Convention in San Diego, but I walked away with SO MUCH MORE than that! I walked away knowing that my online friendships were REAL friendships. I walked away with a renewed sense that I can do ANYTHING I set my mind to AND that I can aid others to accomplish their goals along the way. I left the Spark Convention with a renewed sense of self, and a new belief that I am and will always be capable of accomplishing and living a life I never dreamt of." – Robin (KASHMIR)

The next Spark Your Life convention is scheduled for September 26, 2009, in Cincinnati. If you think you can't afford to make it, think again! These members agree that you can't afford to miss it! To learn more about the daylong event and to register, click here. Hurry! Register by August 1, and you'll be entered to win a one-on-one consulting session the day of the event with me, Coach Nicole! And if you register before August 31, you'll save $30. After that day, the Convention rate goes up, so reserve your spot for this memorable event today! I hope to see you there!