No energy.
Not sleeping well.
Constantly stressed.
Uncomfortable in clothes.
Very low self-esteem.
Hated the reflection in the mirror.
Judged on appearance.
At risk for heart disease.
High blood pressure and cholesterol.
At the highest weight of her life.
Can anyone else relate?
After just turning 29 years old, the thought of feeling that way for the rest of her life made Maggie miserable. She knew it was time to make a big change so she thought about joining a gym rather than keeping up with her occasional visits to her apartment’s fitness center. “I hated what I saw when I looked in the mirror – I felt like if I couldn’t look in the mirror and respect what I saw, how could anyone else look at me and have respect? I knew there would be significantly more accountability going to a gym and I was hoping the community would be a positive influence on me!” says Maggie. After driving past Xperience Fitness on the way home from work one evening, she decided it was time to stop thinking about making changes and went for it!
Maggie took the first step and got her membership to Xperience Fitness in Appleton, but her journey was far from over and she had fears. “I knew joining a gym and working out would be worth it in the short term because anything was better than nothing,” she said. “But I was afraid I’d put in a lot of time, energy, and money without seeing big results – mainly because I didn’t know how to truly go about achieving the results I wanted and I didn’t trust myself to follow through.” Maggie knew she’d be committed for the first four to six weeks, but was skeptical this would finally be the time she truly changed her life for good. She had tried working out and eating healthy in the past, but fell back into her bad habits after not seeing major changes. “I wanted to find something that worked where I wouldn’t get frustrated and give up,” she said.
At a starting weight of 207 pounds, Maggie decided to work with Adam. “Hiring my Personal Trainer, Adam, was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life!” said Maggie. “He made weight loss and fitness seem possible. Adam has supported and encouraged me from the very beginning,” she says. Adam taught Maggie the fundamentals – how to work out and eat to meet her goals and he made it manageable for her. “Everything was broken down into step by step instructions – all I had to do was trust him and follow through!”
Trust and follow through, she does to this day! Maggie heads to the gym five or six times a week, depending on her work schedule. “It has become one of my favorite places to be because I know I’m doing something good for myself, plus it never fails that I leave feeling better than I did when I walked in!” she says.
Maggie’s journey has not come easy, though. It has come with struggles and tons of effort, a lot of commitment and dedication. “It’s not easy committing to a workout schedule and meal planning takes time. Getting past plateaus is hard, too,” she says. “But the biggest thing I’ve had to overcome was the negative thoughts in my head. In order to be committed and continue seeing changes, I had to change my mindset!” The first barrier she got past was thinking that she was doomed to fail, regardless of how hard she worked. “I had to stay positive – I rewarded myself for my wins and didn’t beat myself up when I wasn’t perfect…and when I wasn’t perfect, I had to decide that the next day was an opportunity and I would do better rather than letting it all fall apart because I missed a workout or ate too many calories,” she said. When she was feeling discouraged, she’d talk to Adam, her friends, and family and they would help put things back into perspective. Maggie realized that it would be a shame to get down on herself, especially when she knows what she’s accomplished so far is a huge deal!
Currently Maggie weighs 145 pounds and is happier and healthier than she has ever been. She feels better, sleeps better, has energy, less headaches, more positivity and patience, and an increased level of confidence. Maggie has more stamina, feels stronger, and has improved her flexibility. Most importantly her cholesterol and blood pressure are back where they need to be and the health issues she used to worry about are less of a concern. “I haven’t reached every goal yet, but every time I hit a small goal I feel elated, proud, in awe, and resolved to keep working hard and not become complacent,” she says. Maggie has never lost sight of her goals because she has learned to set small goals along the way to her larger ones. Every time she hits a small goal, she rewards herself. At 10 pounds, she got her hair cut and colored. At 30 pounds, she went on a mini shopping spree (partially because the clothes in her closet didn’t fit anymore!). At 50 pounds, she got the tattoo she’d been wanting for years.
“I know I’ve accomplished a lot, but I want to continue to be better than who I am today!” she says. “Being able to look back at how far I’ve come is a huge motivator because I’ve earned back my own trust.”
Maggie is still working hard to lose another 10-15 pounds, but her main focus is reducing her body fat and building muscle. She wants to meet military fitness requirements, run a faster mile, and train for a 10K in the spring. Outside of the gym, she enjoys hiking, playing Frisbee, going to ballgames, zoos, and music festivals. Maggie has enjoyed trying new recipes, reading, and spending a lot of time with friends and family.
When we asked Maggie to tell us about why Xperience Fitness is “her” gym, this is her response: “Xperience Fitness has opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Without my gym, I wouldn’t be who I am today!”