Lisa Travis, age 53, had been on the weight-loss roller coaster all her life. She had tried countless diets and popular programs, but none of them worked for her. She recently met several people who had excellent results with our body transformation program, so she began to research options, and in June, she decided to sign up.
Upon our first meeting, I sensed something special in Lisa’s attitude, and it wasn’t long before my entire staff decided that Lisa’s transformation was going to be something special. Lisa never complained or asked why we wanted her to do something. Instead, she followed directions to the letter, and adjusted her lifestyle to make sure she obeyed all workout and diet guidelines. She attacked her sessions with above-average energy and intensity, and she seemed to embrace hard workouts as if she loved the results and enjoyed the journey at the same time.
Despite Lisa’s positive energy, there were many obstacles that could easily have derailed her success. Lisa’s work requires that she travel frequently, so she had to learn to control her environment in order to to get weekly results. She quickly found that the key to success was to plan and prepare ahead of time so she would always have the needed materials and not be forced to miss a workout or eat fast food at the airport. She said, “I would meal prep on a Sunday; I’d get a roasted chicken and measure out proper portion sizes to travel with, and pack them along with protein shakes so I would never miss a meal.” In addition, she used her hotel gyms when possible and researched local facilities to work out at in case the hotel lacked the proper equipment.
When Lisa finished the program in late August, her results were definitely something to brag about. Not only did she lose 27 1/2 pounds of pure fat, but also she is much healthier than when she started. “I was previously diagnosed as a diabetic and have been on medication for the last five years,” said Lisa. “Previously, my A1C was over 8 and now it’s 5.5, which means my blood sugar is now normal and I’m no longer a diabetic.” In addition, Lisa now has 29 percent less overall body fat than she did before she started, and she went from a dress size 12 to a 6. She has been forced to buy a new wardrobe to accommodate her new body.
“All of the other programs I had tried in the past had no support; they just sent a box of food and you were on your own. This time I wanted the structure and knowledge of a professional along with interaction to guide me through the process,” said Lisa.
When asked what advice she would offer to others who find it difficult to get in shape because they constantly travel, she said, “It can be done; it just takes planning. You don’t have to deprive yourself. You can still go to dinner, and be creative to make tasty, healthy food at home. The trick is, you have to want to do it. I was ready for this challenge. I wanted to be one of the transformations Chris wrote about in his column, and when he sent me my final before-and-after, I knew I did it!”
Congratulations, Lisa, on a job well done! Your results will certainly inspire others to follow in your footsteps.
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Chris Antonio is a personal trainer and former world-class weightlifter. He has been lifting for more than 20 years and has trained a wide variety of clients ranging from All-American athletes to the average person trying to get into shape. To send a question to the Ask the Trainer column, email Chris at chris@antoniostraining.com or check out AntoniosTraining.com.
