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."

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 and 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 train at PowerSource and both came in with the goal of building some muscle and strength.

Robin is the mother of Ted, age 13, 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 and 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 grand- mother 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 affect- ed 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 dead- lift without losing her balance, now she can squat 65 pounds, dead lift 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 hest 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!

Kari Trains for Wedding and to Shape Up After Baby

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 Power Source. Jeff is 48 years old. He 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 is 46 years old. She 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 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 Power Source. 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.