Recently, I posted the weight loss success of three of our clients: Faith, Don and Cherie. While I’m not always as consistent with this visual/physical reminder, it’s cool to see the client hold up a 35 pound or 45 pound plate to show off the number and actually feel what used to be on their frame.

Because everyone loses weight at a different pace and everyone is inspired and motivated by different things, I asked all three clients 4 specific questions to get their take on what that’s been like.

Of course, my ultimate goal is to get all three of them on the podcast (and in Don’s case, to be joined by his wife, Amy who is also a client) so we can dig deeper and find out more about the process for each of them.

Aside from some very minor typos to fix, I kept all responses just as they were sent to me. I wanted everything unedited and to faithfully represent their personalities.

If you want to get some more insight on what’s helping these three succeed, you can start here.

Faith G. (down 45 pounds to date)

1. What was your original motivation to lose weight?

I always have had body image issues and have been pretty much always trying to lose weight, but I guess my original motivation to get really serious about losing weight and getting a personal trainer was due to my consistent failures to lose weight on my own. Additionally, I started to notice daily activities were getting harder for me, which made me realize if I don’t do something now, then I could possibly develop some health problems in the future.

I called you the day after Thanksgiving last year. I had taken a lot of pictures and saw a lot of people I hadn’t seen in awhile that week. I couldn’t even recognize myself in pictures anymore and was just embarrassed to see anyone I knew at that point. I could feel their judgement and disappointment. I hated how I felt. I knew that the hardest month of the year (December) was coming up and knew I would gain even more weight if I didn’t do something different.

2. Do you remember what the catalyst was after you started that made you feel confident you could reach your goal?

During the month of December, I lost 8 pounds. I knew if I could lose weight at pretty much the hardest time of the year to lose weight, I would be able to continue what I was doing. The best part about December looking back is I was still able to enjoy myself. I definitely was able to enjoy some sweets and also drink. I didn’t feel like I really missed out on anything, I just had to plan better.

3. What was the best advice I gave you?

When I came in for my initial consultation, you asked me to describe my eating habits and what I typically would eat every day. And even though what I was eating everyday was complete garbage, you didn’t judge me at all, which I really appreciate.

You asked me what my “must haves” were, which I was really shocked that you asked that. I love to drink Coke, so that was a must have. You were able to show me how I could work my must haves into my diet. Of course, the overall goal is to eat healthier foods, but iIthink you understood that most people aren’t able to just cut a bunch of food/drinks out of their diets at once. So in conclusion the best advice that you gave me was essentially the hashtag you always use, #itsnotmagicitsjustcalories

4. Is there any advice you would give to someone who is also trying to lose weight?

If there are foods/drinks you really love and must have, don’t feel like you have to cut them completely out. Labeling foods as “good” or “bad” and avoiding those “bad” foods when trying to lose weight is only going to make you miserable and want those foods more. Of course you can’t always eat whatever you want, but you can work certain things you want into your calories for the day/week.

I also think focusing more on what your body can do vs what the number on the scale is will keep you more motivated to continue trying to lose weight and developing healthier habits. I may not have lost any weight on a given week, but I may have gotten a new PR on squat, which is pretty fucking lit to me.

Don M. (down 45 pounds in the picture and 48 pounds to date)

1.) What was your original motivation to lose weight?

The motivation was my kids. I want to be around for them. I want to be able to throw the ball around with them and play on the floor and all the cool dad things. Things I never got with my dad. And of course, I was absolutely sick and tired of feeling like total hell all the time. Which I did. Everything hurt from my hair to my toenails. I still hurt, just in less painful ways.

2.) Do you remember what the catalyst was after you started that made you feel confident you could reach your goal?

I didn’t really set a goal for myself. It felt too ‘final’. I believe I said to you ‘if I lost 100 pounds, I’d still be a fat guy.’ So, the catalyst is different for me. 100 pounds seems like a good starting point, but let’s see what lies beyond that 100. If I can do that, I can do anything fucking thing I want.

3.) What was the best advice I gave you?

The thing that stuck out the most was the diet triangle, where we looked at what a typical day looked like for me. Zero breakfast, a little lunch, and HOLY SHIT YOU ATE ALL THAT FOR DINNER??? What hit home was taking the triangle shape that you eat and balancing it out. Make it parallel all day. The icing on the cake was the phrase ‘get comfortable being uncomfortable’. Once I figured that statement out, I knew how to work it.

4.) Is there any advice you would give to someone who is also trying to lose weight?

Advice? Me? Hahaha… seriously, I hate doing cardio. I hurt too damn bad for treadmills and elliptical. So if I didn’t have to do it, I didn’t want to. So I stuck with the diet plan- if that’s what you call it- less calories. I tried like hell the first week to stay around 1200 calories a day. Don’t know where that number came from. Just did it to ‘get comfortable with being uncomfortable.’ After that first week, it was easy. I found things I could eat that were less calories than the pizza and the pasta and the double cheeseburgers I was eating. Do I still want that stuff? Hell yes. Do I eat it? Hell yes! Just a lot less of it because I don’t want to erase the progress that I worked so hard for.

Cherie (down 35 pounds in the picture and 38 pounds to date)

1.) What was your original motivation to lose weight?

So August of 2016, my husband decides he wants to start planning my 40th birthday trip to Mexico in March 2017. I was excited but dreading it at the same time. I was tired of being heavy. People said I wasn’t heavy, but in my mind I knew I looked heavy. I had put 54 pounds on in 9 years. Mexico! My 40th! Time to celebrate! But I wasn’t excited for a bathing suit and pictures. I wanted to look beautiful, feel confident, not only for myself but for my husband, also be a role model to my young children who were athletes. So, one day this cool dude moves his gym into the plaza right next to my work. I saw he and his clients quite often in passing, saw what he was doing, and a girlfriend and her husband starting working out with him and singing his praises. I thought, he can help me! Once I went to talk to Jason Leenaarts, he became an instant friend and confidant, to me, my husband and then mother. Jason, you were a huge motivation/support for me!

2.) Do you remember what the catalyst was after you started that made you feel confident you could reach your goal?

There were a few things: A) interval training: I loved the 1 set reps, 30 sec cardio, rinse and repeat. B) because of the interval training I worked up a major sweat! That made me feel good about myself, accomplished C) you! You held me accountable for my actions. You were expecting me to be there when I said I would be and weighing in weekly. I didn’t want to disappoint you or myself.

3.) What was the best advice I gave you?

I hate cliches, they are the worst. You never said this exact quote to me, but in essence you referred to the fact, “slow and steady wins the race”! From the very beginning of me working with you, you explained that fast weight loss isn’t always the healthiest or most sustainable. Losing slowly, I was more apt to keep it off in the long run.

But it wasn’t only your advice you gave me, it was you encouragement, belief in me, and most importantly, your friendship… to not only me, but my family.

4.) Is there any advice you would give to someone who is also trying to lose weight?

I’m no expert in exercise and weight loss, heck, I even lack motivation most of the time! But my advice is to find a workout buddy! Someone to meet you there, hold you accountable, you can talk water consumption and calories with! You can bitch about your trainer together jk! I’ve had a few over the course of my 4 years and that’s what keeps me going, keeps me motivated, again holds me accountable. I’m a mother of 2 teenagers that are extremely busy, do I want to just want to give in some days and be lazy, yes I do, and sometimes I do! But more often that not, my friends are there waiting for me, so I go do my thing!

My sincerest thanks to Faith, Don and Cherie who have not only carved out their own individual paths to weight loss but knowingly and unknowingly inspire others as well. Thank you all for being an integral part of the RevFit family.

“We Make Great People Greater”