When Fitness is a Lifestyle!

I hope everyone is doing well!  This newsletter may be one of the hardest to write because it is very personal for me and comes deeply from my heart...

I have been a fitness trainer for ten years now.  I chose this field to help people lose weight and empower them to get into the best shape of their lives. Even though I have lost a significant amount of weight over the past few years being a fitness trainer, I felt like a hypocrite.  Why didn’t I look like the stud muffin fitness trainer "as seen on" TV?  The only muffin I have is sitting on top of my belt.  Why did I look so fat in my MS cycling jersey?  Why did I eat all the things I told my clients not to eat?  What the hell was wrong with me?!

After working with a psychotherapist since June of this year, she helped me determined that I have a problem using my voice to tell people (mostly my parents and wife) how/when I was unhappy about a certain event or situation.  Since I did not want to cause a fight or hurt anyone’s feelings, I used food to push down all the resentment and anger back down.  The more unhappy I was the more I ate.  It was like being obsessed with eating at all times!

Some people drink alcohol, others do drugs to deal with unpleasant emotions. I ate; a lot. Even though I exercise on a very regular basis, the simple truth is that I was eating all the time and all the wrong foods.  Once I realized the cause of my eating problem, I have been working on using my voice to let people know how I feel about certain things and events that I previously would just bite my tongue and push those feelings back down. The most challenging part is that I have many years of resentment towards people that had no idea that I was holding back.  The tricky part is letting your voice be heard without coming across like an a-hole. 

Since the light bulb went off for me, I have lost about 14 pounds.  The only difference in my behavior is that I am not binge eating and trying to bury my emotions with food.  Surprisingly, I also am not obsessed with food!  I don’t clean my plate and food does not consume all of my thoughts throughout the day.

I would strongly encourage anyone who is reading this, and can relate to my own journey, to seek the help of a professional.  No diet or exercise program will ever work for you if deep rooted emotional problems exist.  I am very fortunate to have found the reason behind what I thought was insanity.  Unfortunately, some people go through their entire lives never figuring it out.  I would also encourage you to be honest with yourself.  If you are overweight, it is not by accident.  Find the underlying cause and fix it.  It may be scary.  It may have consequences, but in the long run you will be much happier.  I made a promise to myself and to my therapist that I will NEVER lose my voice again!!  If I can help you in anyway, please let me know.

Client of the Month

     
Before                       After

Teri had worked out with me a few years ago and stopped coming in. She decided to come back and has been working with me for the past two years, after her mom passed away.  Teri knew I would welcome her back with open arms!  She has lost 43 pounds since April 2009 and at 50 years old, her Wii age reflects 30 years old.  Despite having a bad knee and 9 surgeries, Teri comes in every week and gives it 110%!  She is busy with work and numerous family responsibilities, but she has learned to make time for herself. Click here to read what Teri says for herself.