Client Stories...Intro
Client stories….
I asked some of my old and current clients if they wanted to participate in a weekly blog for the month. I thought it may inspire some so that you see that your struggles are not uncommon. That some of your thoughts and situations are dealt with by others as well. I also felt that maybe blogging would help these gals as well, as they would also need to be accountable to those of you who are reading.
So here are their stories….
Week 1
1) Leizel
“I’ve struggles with my weight all my life. Food was always my weakness. I basically lived for steaks, sweets, and carbs. I’ve tried dieting, I’ve tried exercising, but I could never keep the weight off. My weight got to the point where I found out I was borderline pre-diabetic. I needed to lose weight ASAP. A friend came to me and asked if I wanted to join a fitness class called DoU Fitness. Tired of the way my body looked and how I was feeling health wise, I said yes to joining. That has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I finally found a system that I could see myself sticking with in the long run.
Almost a year within the program, I’ve lost a total of 18# and I can feel my body getting stronger and stronger. I can now look at myself in the mirror with confidence and shopping for clothes is no longer dreadful. Through calorie counting and exercise, the program has taught me how to change “Dieting” into “living a healthy lifestyle”. With all the weight I’ve lose, I asked my doctor to do another blood test, and I’m glad to say I’m no longer in the red zone to pre-diabetes. It’s not an easy journey, some days is a struggle, but this is just the beginning and I’m excited to share my story with the rest of you.
Goal: Lose 2-3” from arms, legs, and midsection. The biggest challenge will be sticking to my calorie count. Whenever the weekend comes, I find myself in indulge mode. I just need to keep reminding myself what do I want more? Lose the weight or a never ending one more bite….”
2) Christie
‘Exercise to be fit not skinny, eat to nourish your body and always ignore the haters, the doubters, and the unhealthy examples that were once feeding you, you’re worth more than you realize.’
“My name is Christie, fulltime working mama of 4. Before finding DoU Fitness I was sluggish and didn’t care what I ate, at time starving myself thinking I would lose inches. Since attending classes I now have more energy and confidence. Best me time I could ever ask for, I used to think I couldn’t’ do it but It’s always a challenge, accomplishment and most of all an addiction!, fit for all levels of fitness Melisa will always have modifications to fit your needs. It’s really for all walks of life who are looking to let off some steam and get a great sweat on!, fitness and fun for one hour what more could you need? Come join the FIT-diction.
Goal: Lose 5” and stay fit. Get back into tracking. Get in 3 classes, 1 extra lifting day and 1 extra cardio day 30-45 min per week.”
3) Shorty G
“When I moved to Kaua‘i in 2019 I was 140lbs. I’m in my 50s and excited with this life change. I’m happy...my husband is retired, we adopted a dog, I found a job that I like…we are finally in the place where we dreamed to be. I was not worried about my weight nor was I worried what being in my 50s would do to this body. I’ve always exercised so in my mind ‘Nah, I won’t gain weight.’ So, there I was enjoying all the chicken wings and li hing mui margaritas, Cheetos, and brownies. One day I woke p and BOOM!! Suddenly my bones are achy and why did all my bini8ki bottoms shrink? I stepped on the scale again after a month and it was 152lbs. That’s it!!! Melisa, HEEELLPPP!
I started my weight loss journey on April 1, 2019. I was scared because I haven’t been in any exercise programs EVER! I was intimidated with the ‘count your calories’ thing. I don’t wan to give up any of the food that I eat and what if I look silly doing the exercises that were put together for me? What if I cannot commit to it? What if I go over my calories? …..WHAT IF I FAIL?
Through this journey, Melisa held my hand. We would text each other. She always checked on me. I am honest with her. I trusted her. I had a mind shift. Not only did I want to lose weight, I wanted the achy bones to go away and understand how this 53 year old body works. I followed all her instructions to the dot. My food choices changed. I watched my calorie numbers. I like numbers. They don’t lie.
I once saw this quote about exercising and having a weight loss goal. It goes…’In two weeks you’ll feel it. In four weeks you’ll see it. In eight weeks you’ll hear it.” I told myself that will be my test. Will I feel it? Will I see it? Will I hear it?
I started at 150lbs on April 1 and on August 10 I met my goal. 130lbs!! I haven’t seen that number in 23 years. Did I pass the test? Hell yeah I did! I feel the weight (my achy bones no more), I see the weight loss (my bikini bottoms are now back to their normal size, actually, they are bigger now :)) and I hear it too. Nothing is sweeter than hearing your husband say ‘Baby, you look super great. Your body changed and it doesn’t look like the same body. I feel like I’m cheated on you.’ HA HA HA
The goal now is to maintain my weight and hold strong at 130lbs. Who knows maybe that number will go lower but that is a discussion for another day. :)
Thank you Melisa! Now, can I have some brownies and Cheetos?”
4) Kona’s Mommy
“I began my workout journey December 2017 when I was 42 years old. Started with DoU Fit classes twice a week for several months before being paired with a partner in 2018 and working a program together (till today). Upon my return, after taking off from the gym for two weeks. I’ve found my biggest struggle to be - focusing on and engaging the intended muscle. Though my lack of strength was immediately apparent, i think the main reason for my inattention to focus with due to all the noise in my head. Will make a conscious effort to clear my mid prior to entering the gym. Will see how that works for me next week.”
5) Azul
“I’m a female in her late 40s who is trying to better her life by being balanced in mind, body, and soul. My fitness journey started around 2016-2017 when I weighed my heaviest at 147 lbs. I was tired of my clothes feeling tight and I just felt like I was growing old and heavy. I didn’t like how I looked back then, so I decided to do something about it. I took up yoga when my work place offered yoga classes. Yoga helped me focus mentally and it did great wonders with my flexibility and strength. Then, I wanted to work on my body and lose some weight (at least 10-15 pounds). So, I seeked advice from the DoU Fitness guru, Melisa. She helped me attain my goal weight and changed my daily routine by incorporating strength training and diet. I did reach my goal weight (it took about a year and a half) but I was still not satisfied with how I looked. I have a picture in my mind of my “ideal” body shape and I’m at this point where I feel too tired to achieve this new goal of mine. For the past month, I’ve been trying to track my food but have been failing miserably. I notice I’m not as motivated as before. I feel like I need something to spark my motivation. I’m not sure if I should take some time off of tracking but I’m afraid that if I do that, I’ll go over board and gain more weight. The good news is that going to the gym has become a routine for me now and I discovered that I do enjoy working out in the morning even though I still have a hard time getting out of bed at 345am-400am. Btw, I’m still working on trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep.”