Success Story: Tara
I have been overweight, albeit active, all my life.
I was the cute chubby kid with the pinchable cheeks who then evolved into the not-so-cute overweight teenager and the weight kept creeping on into adulthood. After having finished the second of two university degrees in 2005 and a total of 9 sedentary years of studying and eating a student’s diet, I was really seeing and feeling the effects on my body and energy levels. With my 30th birthday coming up this spring I convinced myself that this was the milestone to just get it done already! I want to enter the 4th decade of my life healthier, happier, and let’s be honest, hotter! And I am only losing this weight once, so I told myself that I am going to do it the most effective way.
In the past, I had all the excuses in the world for not exercising, the biggest one being that I had to study for school. With school done, there were no excuses left. I have a mentally demanding (and rather sedentary) job as a process engineer-in- training, so at the end of the day I just did not look forward to trying to figure out a work-out for myself, constantly questioning if I was challenging myself enough, never knowing when to increase weights or reps. A dear, similarly inactive, friend inspired me to try one-on-one training at Defining Eve this last September after seeing some significant results herself.
When I started working out at Defining Eve, I wanted to lose the first 10 pounds that I never could to lose on my own. The 10 pounds came off and then my motivation soared. The decreasing numbers on the scale and in my clothes size have been pretty good motivation to keep going. I have also been motivated to workout between my sessions at Defining Eve as I want to be able to do that little bit more the next time - hold a plank for 15 seconds longer or increase to the next weight on bicep curls or do one more set of lunges. When I first started doing cardio on the days in between on my own I pretty much walked the whole way (but I kept at it!). Now, I can run the full way and keep going to see if I can decrease my 5 km time. I keep on track by setting challenging, yet achievable fitness and nutrition goals for myself weekly and monthly. Numbers keep me motivated! I am in a technical career for a reason!
My experience has taught me a number of things, including, but not limited to:
1. Keep a positive outlook – negative, “can’t do” thoughts are not an option. The trainers know what they are doing so when you think that they are crazy to make you do a certain exercise, just go with it and give it your all.
2. You are supposed to feel uncomfortable and challenged when working out. That’s when you know you are working yourself in a good zone and positive results will ensue.
3. Buy the right equipment for the job! I never thought that one of my life altering, “aha” moments would be when I bought a bra, but it was. Buying the right bra for my body type, and a decent pair of runners, turned running from a painful, momentum-balancing, unpleasant chore into an experience of running on clouds with kittens and candy (no word of exaggeration here).
I look and feel better than I have in over a decade. My friends, family and co-workers are all asking me how I have achieved the results I have and advice on how they can get healthier. I always let them know that they have to start with step #1…Call Defining Eve…..
