Success Stories
Single Mom Wins Weight Loss Challenge #2
Elise, 37, single mom, came to PowerSource in January to sign up for the weight loss challenge. She had tried for a year to lose weight and couldn't. She joined Curves and tried other things with no success.
In mid January she weighed in with 22 others and began lifting weights for the 1st time in her life. Elise started the challenge at 232lbs and a size 18. In only 5 weeks she won 2nd place losing 17lbs. By the end of the 1st challenge on May 12th, Elise took 2nd place overall with a total loss of 32lbs.
Elise immediately signed up for the 2nd Weight Loss Challenge. She took 1st place in Weight Loss Challenge #2. From January 27th to August 25th (only 7 ½ months) she lost 52lbs and she's still getting stronger.
Now Elise is down from a size 18 to 8-10. She is able to do more activities with her son because she has a lot more energy. She feels better about how she looks but her goal is still to lose another 20 to 30lbs.
Elise wore a skirt that she hadn't worn in 7 years and felt great! She feels that she can live a healthier life on her own and will never go back to the bad eating habits.
Training tip from Elise - "Get your protein in the morning, take your training one meal at a time, and let yourself relieve cravings in a controlled way."
Tuned Up and Toned Up Together!
Julie, 47, and Dean , 49, joined the PowerSource Weight Loss Challenge in January to get buff for their son's wedding in June. Besides getting ready for the wedding, their goal was to get a good nutrition and exercise lifestyle change in place for the future.
Julie said the nutrition information from PowerSource really was the most valuable piece of getting the results they wanted. Julie was also training for a marathon at the same time.
In fifteen weeks, Julie went from 147lbs to 130lbs and got tone and definition she never had before. She dropped from a size 10 to a size 6 and enjoyed having to buy new clothes! Dean went from 210lbs to 180lbs and his waist size went from 36" to 32".
They say the most valuable part of the training at PowerSource is blending the sports nutrition program with the weight training. They have found that they are able to continue both in their daily living.
They loved the Weight Loss Challenge because of the camaraderie, the group sharing of goals and celebrating together each person's success!
Training tip from Julie and Dean - "Nutrition is critical to one's success!"
Training Partners and Partners in Life!
Barbara, 49, President of Dental People, Inc and Barry, 47, Owner of Rosenzweig Law Office, are parents of three children ages 13, 11, and 8 years old.
Barbara began training at PowerSource thirteen years ago, right after her 1st child was born. After each baby, she came back to train to get back in shape.
When Barbara decided she wanted a training partner, Barry decided to join her. They workout each week with trainer, Steve Jerik. Their goal is to start young, stay healthy and to build stamina to keep up with their active kids, their businesses, and with life in general.
Both Barbara and Barry love the discipline of having to meet with their trainer each week. They like the focus, intensity, and efficiency that Steve brings to their workouts. He pushes them to work harder than they realized they could, and teaches them new exercises to keep things new and keep their love of training efficient, intense, and fun.
Barbara and Barry enjoy kidding each other and having quality time together with no distractions. They also enjoy having the trainer make the decisions and give the direction on what they do each week.
Both of them are seeing way more tone to their bodies. Barry feels his posture has improved and feels a lot stronger than he's ever been.
They say that lifting weights is a good addition and as Barbara says their training session is "something that they dread to look forward to. Barry says the workouts "give them a high, more focus and help them feel more relaxed."
Most Senior Trainee
Roland, age 86, is the most senior trainee at PowerSource. He has worked out with Judy on and off since 1990.
Since Roland retired from Minda & Associates Public Relations and Advertising, he went on to produce a cable TV show "Strictly Seniors" for ten years and now writes a blog called "Retirement Dance" (www.retirement-dance.com).
Roland and his wife, Merle, are also world travelers. He says he's gotten much better posture as well as regained muscle mass and strength since he has put more structure into his workouts.
He is now working out more regularly with a three times a week, 45 minute training workout. He is also focusing on increasing the lean protein in his diet which has helped create fuller muscles.
Roland is constantly setting new goals. He is already training for the National Senior Summer Olympics in Minneapolis in 2015.
Roland's Training Tip for You: To stay young and healthy, always keep setting new goals.
Gina Wins First Trophy!
Gina, age 28, is this year's winner of our PowerSource Weight Loss Challenge. She originally came to PowerSource to do post rehab on a shattered knee cap and a broken shoulder that she had suffered in an accident.
Gina started training with Michelle, our sports rehab specialist, for the injury but she had gained weight following her accident due to her inability to exercise for an extended period of time. She decided to do the Weight Loss Challenge which required her to train twice a week at PowerSource and once more on her own, all while keeping a strict food log.
Gina has not only rehabbed her injuries, but has lost 13 lbs and lowered her body fat by 3 percent.
Gina says the WLC trophy is the first trophy ever won in her life. She is also fitting into all her old skinny jeans again. She is continuing to train at PowerSource to lose more weight and reach her goals.
Gina's Training Tip for You: The Pure Protein products (shakes and bars) from Target are very helpful in keeping her diet on track.
Vintage Chick
Judy is 61 years old and proud of it. She is (in her own words), "A vintage chick," and business owner.
Judy came to PowerSource Personal Training to "get strong." She makes training a regular part of her work week. She runs in from work in her business suit, changes to sweats, and lets her trainer, Michelle, beat her up for an hour each week. She keeps up her training diet and her extra workouts on her own.
Judy has lost 12 lbs, firmed up, and gone from a size 10 to a size 4 - she looks hot! Her positive energy brightens up our gym every time she walks through the door.
Judy's Training Tip for You: "Do your sessions with your trainer and do your home workouts. Exercise makes you feel better, so even when you feel bad, work out!!"
Heather Conquers Her Inner "Wimpy Kid"
After training hard with trainer Michelle encouraging her, Heather has dropped two pants sizes and ten pounds - and has reached her big goal - CHIN-UPS! She has competed in the Iron Girl competition in the past and is doing it again this year, but she plans on cutting 20 minutes off her time. Heather feels this is a realistic goal, as now that she has her evenings free, she wants to conquer the last 10 lbs.
Heather inspired her mom to come train at PowerSource this year, too. Her mom has lost 30 lbs so far. Heather feels strength training has been the key to reaching and getting stronger and keeping those gains permanent.
Congrats to Heather from all the PowerSource staff on Graduating, Looking Great, and Making Us Proud!
Heather's Fitness Tip:
"When you don't feel like a workout, tell yourself you only have to do 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, if you're still dragging, you give yourself permission to stop. Ninetey-five percent of the time, it will feel so good you will want to keep going. In time you'll find your workouts to be as much of an escape as the spa. Workout with music you like and clothes you like on your body." - Heather
A New Lease on Life!
Jane Wolf, Realtor for CB Burnet, decided to come to PowerSource to reshape. She had been weight training one day a week for years with some results. In 2007, she decided to take her training up a notch.
Judy told her 80% of getting the results you want for body shaping is nutrition. Jane followed her trainer's advice and increased her protein. She ate every two to three hours (five to six meals a day). This plan increased her metabolism and stopped her food cravings by controlling her volitale blood sugar.
Also, she increased the intensity of her workouts. She worked out 3x a week with weights. Her weight training and nutrition gave her energy to start running. Jane is training for her first 5k race. She has lost 25lbs since January and is still reshaping her body. For body shaping, Jane does lunges to narrow hips and bench press and military press to open up chest and tone shoulders.
Jane says it feels so good to take such good care of herself everyday. She is feeling lots more energy and plans to make this new training program a way of life.
Training tip from Jane - "Believe you can do it!"
Son and Mom Muscle Up!
Robin, age 46, and her son Ted, age 13, both came in to PowerSource with the goal of building some muscle and strength.
Robin is the mother of Ted and Charlie, age 11. She felt she wanted to get firmer and develop her muscle tone. Since she's been weight training she's had no colds, greater energy and in only one month was much firmer and more toned.
Ted, who plays baseball, basketball, and football for Edina, wanted to "get muscles" and to get stronger for sports, especially football and baseball. He also said he "wants to look like his trainer Tom!"
Since beginning his workouts, Ted has gained 20 pounds of muscle, slimmed his waist, made bigger shoulders and is much stronger. He can pitch the baseball faster and tackle harder in football!
Thanks to Robin and Ted for showing how great it is to make more muscle!
Seventies and Stronger Than Ever
Claire, 74, and Dwight, 77, saw PowerSource in the yellow pages. They felt they needed a totally individualized fitness program. Claire has Osteoporosis and is at high risk for a back fracture. Physical therapy hadn't helped her strengthen her abs and back, so she was afraid to move.
Dwight knew he had to exercise because he has one shoulder that has only two of the four tendons that help move the shoulder. He wanted to learn to get more movement in the bad shoulder to reduce the pain.
Both wanted a home strength training program. They have only done three lessons and already they feel physically a lot stronger, more in control, and have less pain.
Training tip from Claire and Dwight - "Age is no barrier, you can get strong at any age."
Second Half Vitality?!
Richard Leider, 65, is the founder of the Inventure Group, which provides executive coaching to top executives worldwide. He is also the author of six books, his best sellers being the Power of Purpose, Repacking Your Bags (available in 15 languages), Whistle While You Work, and soon to be released Claiming Your Place at the Fire: Living the Second Half of Your Life With Purpose.
Richard came to train at PowerSource about four years ago to build up his strength for leading executive safaris up Kilimanjaro in Africa and for his hobby, running. He wanted to maintain muscle for all his sports; climbing, roller blading, and hiking, but he also wanted "to be able to run with his shirt off and feel great about his body."
In Richard's work of coaching top executives in the second half of life, it became obvious to him that we live in three domains-we live in our bodies, we live in language or story, and we live in moods or emotion. He says that in the second half of our lives our bodies begin to define our stories and our moods.
At 65, as Richard continues training twice a week with his long time trainer, Steve, his goal is vital aging. He and Steve have been working on building his core strength. Now that he has achieved the look of strength, what motivates him to continue is that he feels more vitality and feels more I resent in the world.
Richard says anyone that is at the top of their game in any field has two things: a game plan and a coach.
Richard is a coach and he values having his own coach, Steve, who has continued to help him implement his game plan for several years. Look for an interview featuring Richard Leider in up coming Men's Health.
Tracey Builds Strength, Beats Childhood Polio
Tracey, 55, is the mother of four children and grandmother of three.
When Tracey turned 50 she said "That's it!", she wanted to lose weight and be strong. In her line of work, Tracey sees many older people that can't open a heavy door or stand up out of a chair, it scared her.
Tracey wanted to be strong as she got older. Another factor was the after affects of childhood Polio, which left her left leg and arm much weaker and smaller than the right.
As Tracey began training with weights, she grew much stronger. She started doing squats with 15 pounds and is now up to 175 pounds, on bench press she went from 15 to 85 pounds. Tracey noticed her balance was much better and she built some size and shape to her left leg. Tracey is now more toned then she has been in years, she has lost 25 pounds and has gone from a size 12-14 to a size 8.
Tracey has brought both her daughter and granddaughter in to train with her trainer, Tom. She is proud that her granddaughter became the 400-meter record holder for track in the state of Wisconsin.
"TIGER" Wood Overcomes Effects of MD and Osteoporosis
We would like to introduce our own PowerSource "Tiger" Wood. At size 2 and 98 pounds, Terri Wood looks feminine and dainty, but she is a real tiger and a true survivor. Terri is married, 46 years old, and is a mortgage broker with Burnett Home Loans.
When Terri came to PowerSource she was looking for a way to develop balance and strength. When Terri was eighteen, she was stricken with Muscular Dystrophy, which affected her balance and stability. She lost muscle on the top of her feet which resulted in drop foot and trouble with balance and walking.
Terri had tried pilates and other workouts but nothing helped her like weight training. At first it was hard for her to do a squat or deadlift without losing her balance, now she can squat 65 pounds, deadlift 60 pounds, and bench press 50 pounds for 12 reps. She says she has much more strength in her legs now and can do stairs more easily.
Terri was also diagnosed with Osteoporosis in July of 2002. After one year at PowerSource, she's had a 15% increase in her bone density through supplements and weight training, she has impressed her doctor. Terri says the best benefit from weight training is that her husband and sailing companion Bob says she looks "damn good" with her new muscle!
Way to go little Tiger!
Jeff and Connie
Jeff and Connie have been married 19 years. They have three children (ages 9, 11, and 13) and are realtors together for Edina Realty.
Recently, Connie gave a gift to Jeff and herself of personal training sessions at PowerSource. Jeff, 48, needed to rebuild after major surgery he had for throat cancer. He needed to build neck, chest, shoulders and legs. He noticed a difference in only 2-3 weeks and is still making progress. His chest is bigger, his waist smaller, and his energy way up.
Connie, 46, wanted to firm up and lose weight. Within six weeks, she was down a full size and was 8 pounds lighter. She hasn't reached her goal yet, but knows she will.
Connie and Jeff enjoy working out together, making good food choices together, and helping each other improve.
Connie's main goal is to have the strength to ski with her kids for the first time in 15 years. She says this is the best gift she's ever given Jeff and herself.
Carole and Russ
Carole and Russ came to Power Source as a team. They work as a team in the winter as ski instructors at Hyland Hills. Carole, 52, dragged Russ in to train with us. Russ, 78, was skeptical. Carole, who is also an RN, ski instructor, and Master gardener, had several reasons for coming to PowerSource. She was going to be vacationing with friends in a few months and wanted to look good at the pool. She also wanted to keep her level of fitness up for ski season.
Carole got fast, visible results, she kept the food log and really dug into the weight training routine. In 6 weeks, she dropped from a size 8 to a size 4, and stayed the same weight.
Russ, a retired anesthesiologist, dropped from 36 to 34 in his waist, noticed an increase in his overall strength and endurance, and opened up his posture. He built up his shoulders, biceps, triceps and legs. Our thanks to Carole for making Russ come in to train.
Kari Trains for Wedding and to Shape Up After Baby
Kari, 35, her 8 month old daughter Makenzie, and her trainer Steve - October 2007
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