Lynn

What inspired you to begin your lifestyle transformation?
I wasn’t happy with my physical appearance, and I knew that I needed to make some serious changes soon or being miserable in my big jeans would be the least of my problems if I developed weight related health issues. My youngest son was only two at the time I joined Inspirational Life, and I knew that I needed to get into shape to be able to keep up with him and to set a good example. Years of going on and off Weight Watchers (losing 20 lbs. just to gain back 25 lbs.) just wasn’t working for me anymore.

How did Inspirational Life help you achieve your goal?
Brian and Cathie were not what I expected when I attended my first boot camp class back in June, 2012. They were so welcoming, upbeat and supportive. It was impressive how much one on one attention I received in a group class. Instead of dreading exercise, I began to look forward to working out. I did wonder more than once what Cathie was really drinking in her water bottle, but seriously, they somehow made a group boot camp classes feel like a personal training session. I experienced results in my strength and endurance within months of attending Inspirational Life. I was sore all the time from using muscles I hadn’t used in years. In addition to classes and nutrition meetings, it’s like we have our own life coach in Brian. He has been where many of us are now or have been in our journey to fitness, and he shares so many inspiring and motivational tools with us. I incorporated so many of his suggestions into my daily routine over the past few years, such as drinking the equivalent of ½ my weight in ounces of water, adding omega-3’s, keeping a food journal, writing down my goals, and watching motivational video clips. All of these new habits improved my health, but I have to admit that it took me almost three long years before I really focused on nutrition. I saw the “You cannot out train poor nutrition” sign a few times a week, and we all listen to Cathie say it over and over and over again. Then, one day in June, 2015, when I was frustrated with my weight and the way my clothes still fit, I took a picture of the sign and made it my screen saver. I had to look at it every time I opened my phone. It wasn’t until I incorporated good nutrition and made serious lifestyle changes that my weight loss journey began. I modified what I ate by first eliminating bad carbs and processed foods; I increased my protein intake; and I completely stopped eating after dinner. Thanks to my friend Rebecca, I also started using a Fitbit to track my steps and worked up to 12,000 steps daily. It’s a great tool to get moving! It took me years to gain my weight so I knew that it was going to take at least a year, if not longer, to lose it and reach my goal. One of the most inspirational tools I borrowed from Brian is the book, “The Compound Effect.” He has written in his emails about this book a few times over the years and its impact on his life. I have read that book a few times myself now and have applied its theory to so many aspects of my life. It is possible to make small changes each day, each week. All those little changes I made over the past few years, especially over the past 10 months, have compounded into a 77 pound weight loss for me since June, 2015.

How have the results affected your life?
All the good habits that I added, one at a time, have become part of my new lifestyle and who I am today. I am healthier, more energetic and happier than I’ve been in years. My weight loss journey is not yet complete, but I’m confident for the first time in forever that I will reach my goals. I’m making small changes and finding ways to improve my routine; for example I exercise with my husband on the days I’m not at Inspire, and I recently added a TRX class to my weekly routine (so now I’m sore more days and in even more places!)

Aside from the health benefits of my weight loss, I have to admit that 1) throwing out my oversized jeans and replacing them with size 8 jeans and 2) wearing a bathing suit for the first time in many years, have probably been two of the most amazing bonuses of my weight loss. Buying clothes is fun again! I go back through my old journals where I track my food intake, my exercise and my weight, and I have pride in my accomplishments. I set my goals in 5lb increments and make myself lift a 5lb bag of potatoes every time I reach a goal to really appreciate the reality of weight lost. I have been pleasantly surprised to find that as I continue to lose weight, the muscle I’ve worked so hard to build at Inspirational Life the past few years, was there waiting to be uncovered! Keep Inspiring!

Describe Inspirational Life in one word.
PAINFULLYREWARDING