Before

After

 

Diane

Age: 45
Height: 5 Feet 2 Inches
Starting Weight: 224
Ending Weight: 147
Pounds Lost: 77
Goal: 130-138

No more excuses

The day the doctor told me I may have chronic asthma was a turning point for me. I had just turned 45, so how could this suddenly happen now at this age?  Even before I asked my doctor I knew deep down that weight was a given factor.  For a period of time I was feeling very unhealthy, tired and lethargic and stopped wanting my picture to be taken.  Friends and family had been hinting that I needed to do something about my weight for quite some time.  Deep down I knew I needed to do something too, but with everything else going on with family, work, school activities and sports I had absolutely no energy left and taking care of myself got lost in the shuffle.  

Since the birth of my son 9 years ago I was constantly starting my diet on Monday and ending it on Wednesday. The sad part is that I had been paying for a gym membership and had not walked into the gym for the last 2 ½ years. I was always going to go the gym the minute I had a chance. It finally caught up with me at 224 pounds.  One of my friends had been losing weight and was looking toned so I asked her how she was doing it.  She suggested I check out Average Joe’s. I did just that the next day.  

I needed a healthy life style change not a diet and gym

When I first walked into Average Joe’s it was smaller than the big gyms I have been familiar with but it had all the major equipment I knew I would use. I also did not feel intimidated nor did I see a gym but a place where people of all ages were supporting one another and participating in a variety of activities to get or remain healthy.  I am an outgoing person, but when it comes to my weight I was always concerned about how I looked working out compared to the next person.

I felt so comfortable after talking to a few people at Average Joe’s that day that I signed up immediately for the next weight loss boot camp.  After Joe learned my story he recommended it might be a good idea to work out a few weeks prior to the boot camp to get my body acclimated to exercise again since the boot camp would not be starting for a few weeks.  At my starting weight it was a challenge just to do the basic leg lifts and walking let alone run a mile. I quickly realized that it was important to do my best and forget the rest. So what if I couldn’t run a mile.  If I kept building on my routines and building stamina I would eventually get there.  

All I had to do was supply the commitment

I lost my first 30 pounds those first five weeks.  It was hard but also a lot easier than I anticipated. The hardest part for me was carving out an hour a day for myself. The easier part was eating healthier and following Joe’s and his fitness team’s instructions, which led to burning calories and building stamina.  Suddenly the vision of me being healthier was possible. With a plan to get there, the right facility and support network from family, friends and Average Joe’s, all I needed to do was supply the commitment to making it happen.

Boot Camp arrives

I knew my next 10 weeks in the Boot Camp would be challenging, but I also realized that if I could be successful in the first five weeks imagine how I could change my life in another 10 weeks and beyond.  After all this was a journey I planned on for the rest of my life.

Once boot camp started the workouts were intense and continued to increase in intensity.  We used equipment like resistance bands, kettlebells, weights, kick boxing bags, treadmills, bikes, stairmasters, etc.  We performed our workouts both indoors and outdoors and made use of the town sidewalks for running and the school fields for activities. It was never dull and never boring.  Always a surprise in store! What I liked most about the Boot Camp was that we did fun activities too that were just as intense as working out with equipment.  It taught us that we could get as good a workout playing a game of soccer or frisbee football as running or weight lifting. These are exercise choices outside the facility that can be done anywhere and anytime with our kids, family and friends.

Our Boot Camp Transformation

Over the next 10 weeks an incredible and exhilarating transformation took place each week for the Boot Camp participants.  There were twenty of us and we never looked the same week to week.  We were dropping pounds and our body shapes were changing.  The only unfortunate/ fortunate part was many of us had to keep updating our wardrobes so our pants would stay up during our workouts. Don’t get me wrong, it was not that easy and some weeks were harder than others.  One of the benefits of a good Boot Camp are the instructors and participants who continually challenge and motivate you. My final weigh in after 10 weeks resulted in a loss of 39 pounds for a 20.06% total weight loss since the start of Boot Camp.

I lost a total of 69 pounds in 15 weeks and I didn’t have to live in the Average Joe's facility or starve to do it

All I had to do was stay committed to 5 simple activities: (1) Follow a healthier eating plan and drink plenty of water; (2) Listen and follow the instructor(s) during Boot Camps, they really do know best; (3) Do my cardio (walk, run, bike, swim, kickbox, etc) 4-5 times per week; and (4) Continually challenge myself each week to do a little bit more.   Not everyone will have the same results in such a short period of time since factors such as starting weight and metabolism will have an impact. However, if you do these things you should see your body begin to change.

The journey continues

At the beginning of September 2010 I weighed in at 147 pounds. I still have 15-20 pounds I would like to lose and am working towards losing those pounds by the New Year.  I continue to run between 3 and 5 miles at least 5 times per week, attend kickboxing sessions 2 times per week and have graduated to the Average Joe’s regular boot camp sessions.  I still find it challenging to stay committed and make time for me but I have actually gained more time in the day since I have more energy.  I also have no excuses since Average Joe’s is a 24 hour facility.

I often run into people I have not seen in a while who do not recognize me.  It makes me feel great and proud of myself that I have made this transformation. When asked how I did it I simply say commitment and the support of my family, friends, Average Joe’s fitness team, Joe and the others I would meet when going to the Average Joe’s facility.  For those of you reading this don’t miss out like I did all of those years. It is a personal and financial commitment but when I figured what impact being unhealthy had on my longevity, cost of potential medicines for health issues and the money I spent in coffee and unhealthy foods more than paid for itself in the first few months. I may have also added another 10 years to my life just through making these healthier lifestyle changes. I have a wonderful supportive husband and two wonderful children who I want to be there for as long as possible.

Thank you to my family, friends, Average Joe’s instructors, Joe and all of the wonderful people I have met and worked out with side by side at Average Joe’s.  This support network has been my lifeline to a healthier new me. Thank you all!


Before

After

 

Mark

Before I started at Average Joe’s, I would have to say that I was really not doing well, mentally or physically. I was obese, my attitude toward life was poor, and my relationships with my family seemed very strained at times. I was anxious and depressed. I couldn’t play with my kids the way a father should because I was tired all the time: the littlest things would exhaust me and make me more anxious and more depressed. Because I was depressed, I turned to the only thing that I thought could ‘help’ me: eating. But that only made my weight worse, making me more tired, more anxious, more depressed.

I realized I had to do something because I was caught in a never ending pattern, a circle that could only have an unfortunate ending.

I decided to focus on my health and fitness as I realized it was my one hope to break this cycle.

I heard about Average Joe’s from a friend of mine and his wife who were participating in the boot camp. They seemed to be losing an incredible amount of weight. I also saw an article in the Berlin Citizen about it and liked the idea of a local, 24 hour gym I could get to within 5 minutes (I would have no excuses that ‘I didn’t have the time to work out’).

I met with Joe in early November of 2008 and we went over everything. I liked the atmosphere, and everyone that was there seemed very supportive of each other. He talked to me about the boot camp. At first it seemed a little intimidating but the next one wasn’t due to start until January: I had time to train for it. I decided to join.

Joe started me off at a pace that was good for me (nothing too intense; nothing I couldn’t handle). I started with walking, dynamic stretching exercises, some lifting, pushups, and of course abdominal work. He helped drive me to push myself when I needed it. I found myself wanting to come more and more.

I lost 6 lbs right away. Then the holidays hit. However, I kept up with the workouts, steadily improving all the while, and I actually maintained that 6lb loss through them.

In January, the boot camp started. The diet was hard at first. The workouts were intense, and increased in intensity. We did some fun activities too, not just staying in the gym (bowling, laser tag, indoor rock climbing). But the results were dramatic! I had to buy new workout pants after the 1st two weeks because the ones I had were literally falling off me and I couldn’t tighten them anymore.

During the boot camp, I also learned a lot about my body and the food I had been eating. I learned how quickly that kind of food can translate to unwanted weight (the hard way!) and the importance of better nutrition. I learned how important it is to continue to work out on your own, not just as part of the boot camp sessions. I really found that the only way to achieve what I want to achieve is to work for it: something we all know but I had forgotten: but relearned.

My life has now changed (for the better). People I haven’t seen in a while barely recognize me. Even people that I do see regularly have noticed a change, not only in my weight but in my behavior and outlook on life as well (again, for the better!). I have more energy and approach things with a vigor I haven’t had in a long time.

To date, I have lost 49 lbs since I started in November, 43 of them as part of the boot camp. I still have a little way to go to reach my ultimate goal but I am incredibly close now: closer than I thought would have been possible. From starting with walking in November, I am now running 3 miles a clip, and increasing my pace every week. Pushups and abdominal work are much easier now (don’t get me wrong, they are still hard, but I can do more of them than I ever could). My overall strength and stamina have dramatically improved.

All I have to say is, thanks Joe for helping me help myself!