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Since grade 11 I have wanted a trainer to help me change my lifestyle. I have always struggled with body image, eating, and weight gain. I knew this was the right path to take, however, previously I couldn’t push myself to commit.
After 2 years of university I decided enough was enough. I ate out every day, multiple times a day and never did any pysical activity. At this time I was always getting sick, I never felt 100%, and I could sleep 14hrs a day and still be exhausted.
I didn’t realize how much of a negative effect my unhealthy habits were having on my mental and physical health, until I started with Davis. I read her story on The Fit Effect page and it was inspiring – I wanted the story she experienced. During my first meeting with Davis she let me know that this would be an intense process and if I wasn’t commited I would not reach my goals.
With Davis’s help I pushed my limits, suprised myself, and lost 20lbs. I have never felt stronger, happier, and healthier! I am so proud of how far I’ve come and I can’t thank Davis enough for helping me change my lifestyle and setting me on a path that
I can continue with and feel good about!
Where do I begin?!! This journey has been such an incredible experience. I had a few friends train with Nick and get amazing results and was pretty familiar with his training techniques. I had been trying to lose weight since having my third son in 2019 without any success. I was struggling to keep a routine, healthy eating habits and just making myself a priority. Working full time with 3 kids was making me turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism which I started to recognize and wanted to break. My husband had always said he would support me if I wanted to train with Nick. The truth was I was scared I couldn’t handle his intensity and his program wasn’t for me. Well turns out I was wrong! My husband bought me a gift card for my birthday in Sept and then it took me a month to mentally prepare myself. Initially when I started I felt like I wasn’t right for the program and didn’t have what it takes. That same day I decided to turn my thinking positive and push myself! Nick is so good at motivating you but also not making you feel like your doing enough. Each week I showed up for my sessions, did my early am cardio and logged my food and each week more and more results came. The scale was dropping quickly and my mood/energy were increasing.
Fitness has been something that I had made a priority in my life for the past 11 years, so much so that I obtained a certification and became a coach myself. I loved connecting and helping people move their bodies and ensuring that my clients were having fun and never felt intimidated. I would even go as far as telling jokes before workouts, as well as serenading and dancing for members. It was after about 8 years of coaching that I became burnt out from putting so much energy into others journeys that I found that I had neglected mine. I quit my coaching job and decided to pursue other adventures until Covid hit and severely sidetracked my plans. Self-isolating from those whom I loved including my two older children and my 1 year old grandson, along with a lot of revelations in close relationships that I had to navigate, left me severely depressed, and anxious. I spent almost all of my days in my pyjamas, sleeping, lost in a labyrinth with no clear direction on how to find my way back to who I was before.As a caregiver from a young age and then a mother I have always found that it was easier to put others needs and wants first before mine.
I started at the Fit Effect in 2019. I joined with the aspiration to be able to run after and keep up with my three kids. My entire life I struggled with eating disorders, constant yo-yo dieting, and harmful eating habits. My health had been impacted negatively and I needed to make a drastic change.I knew nothing about the gym equipment and relied on youtube videos to help me understand the basics. I was starting to see some noticeable weight loss when everyone’s world was turned upside down by Covid. When Covid hit I fell back in to old habits and the progress that I had made quickly disappeared. Once the gym reopened (for the first time) I got back to my regular workout routine but was having a hard time finding the motivation that I had in the beginning. I decided that I wanted to invest in personal training and work towards finally reaching my goals. I knew that I wanted to work with Davis, I had seen her with other clients and I witnessed how dedicated she was with each and every one. I knew that she would push me out of my comfort zone. It took me a while to get fully committed to the process and unfortunately life didn’t make that any easier.
“The same thing in life is the same thing here, if you can do this you can do anything… anything” – Tom Platz
The last few years everyone has gone through challenges. For myself, I went through some challenges that brought me down to level I never thought was possible. To be honest most days I didn’t really feel like doing anything. But a few months ago I was introduced to the idea of preparing for a photo shoot by my boss Nick. I was hesitant at first but wanted to take on the challenge and experience a new idea of fitness. There were many days I would be crying from how much pain I was in, but also from the pain I went through. That idea started manifesting itself to drive me even more. It took me to a level I never thought possible. I want to thank my boss @thefiteffect for constantly guiding me and motivating me to get to this point. Without you 1 don’t think I would’ve been in this position, I greatly appreciate everything you do for me! Thank you to my family, my work family and everyone else I had supported me through this process. Also big thank you to @west_studio for taking the time out of his busy schedule to do the photos for myself and everyone that participated. Even though there’s hurdles in life, you’ll be ok. That’s what life’s about. #keepshowingup
THERE IS A LITTLE WONDER WOMAN INSIDE ALL OF US!!
“Work hard for what you want because it won’t come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to. If somebody puts you down or criticizes you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive.” (Leah LaBelle)
I thought the above quote was a good place to start! There is always someone out there that is going to try to bring you down or criticize you for what you do. Posting these transformation pictures comes with this and I know that I must believe in myself and be proud of what I have accomplished!
After years of being told to stay inside, to isolate from friends and family; and after having our gym shut down for months at a time… I realized how important exercise and nutrition is for maintaining good health – both physically and mentally. In January 2022 I said enough was enough, and set up a meeting with Nick Hayward at The Fit Effect.
Training with Nick over the last 5 months was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. He helped me to understand the importance of intensity when weight training, and how to properly support intense training with nutrition.
When I told people what I was doing I heard “wow that’s crazy” and “I could never do that – no way”. Let me tell you – you can. It’s not supposed to be easy, you may even fail at times and want to give up; but tough roads lead to good destinations. There were literally times where I fell over, times where I hit the mat – not sure if I’d be able to stand up for the next set; but no matter what I always got up.
Over the last 18 months, life has been unpredictable. I’ve been on a rollercoaster of emotions, from being grateful to completely overwhelmed with the fact that life is really not the same. Things were taken from us but things were also given. Things, like time. I was determined to use the gift of time and focus on bettering my physical and mental health. If the gym was closed, I hit the trails. If the trails weren’t accessible, I’d jump rope for hours at home. I refused to let a negative situation take control and set me back, so I worked with what I had and tried to stay positive.
Growing up I didnt have healthy habits. From my teen years onwards, I constantly fluctuated between over eating and under eating and fad diets due to my lack of knowledge on health and nutrition. I did some recreational activities like swimming, soccer and rugby but 1 was never really fit. I was never satisfied with my body, my endurance or strength. My mental health and the way that I viewed myself reflected this. In 2020 with the start of the pandemic I was finishing my undergrad and decided to focus on my health. I started exercising at home and then joined a small local gym. I enjoyed learning about health and fitness and I felt much better physically and mentally, but I never really had a proper grasp on it. I was exercising on my own, following online fitness guides, but I was not pushing myself, I was not eating to fuel my body and I was doing little to no cardio. I was not seeing my body change the way I wanted it to, or the way I knew it was capable of. Last summer my local small gym was closed and I found myself having a really difficult time without a gym facility to go to. I did some research and found The Fit Effect and I was pleasantly surprised to find such a great facility so close to where I live. I became a member and carried on as I was before, until I saw the transformation of Nick’s clients happening in real time.
I was a very active person until I suffered a spinal cord injury in 2019 that left me paralyzed from the upper chest down. I lost all my strength, muscle, and my will to carry on with life. I was in a dark place and thought my life was over until I met Nick and he started training me in February 2022. Nick helped me get stronger each week and taught me how to eat right. I’m down 30 lbs which is a ton for a quadriplegic. Nick has given me the confidence to try new sports. I am now training in shotput, javelin, discus, and tennis. As a wheelchair user, I have to transfer in and out of my wheelchair multiple times a day – to and from bed, my vehicle, etc. With my new strength, I am now able to do these transfers easily all by myself and start living an improved quality of life. Honestly, Nick saved my life. He is a passionate guy who cares about all his clients and wants each of them to succeed. He made me feel welcomed at the gym from day 1, and he even purchased an accessible piece of equipment, and modified others so that I can use them too. Each week Nick pushes me hard and we try new workouts to improve my strength and conditioning. I enjoy going to the gym 5-6 days a week.
My training started with in July of this year. I’ve trained with Nick years ago at the old location. Training on my own between lockdowns just wasn’t getting me the results I was looking for. I’m not a huge weight lose success story and that wasn’t always my goal anyway. I workout for the betterment of my metal state. I am an RMT of 12 years and with that being said, I treat a lot of people each week. My work at times can be exhausting both physically and mentally. My goal in the gym has always been to be better and stronger each time I train. I was stuck at a roadblock where I wasn’t feeling I was getting better or stronger. Time to get a trainer!
Look closely at my picture. What do you see? A polished, strong, athletic, middle-aged and confident male.
All transformation pictures are alike in one way. You see the person’s best possible exterior. What we sometimes fail to recognize are the struggles each and every person has had to go through to achieve their desired results. Here’s my story: In 2015, I endured a pulmonary embolism (PE) and as a result, suffered three cardiac arrests. I spent a week in a drug-induced coma. Upon awakening, I found myself unable to control any of my movements, everything was firing at 100%, so much so that I had to be restrained to the bed as my joints began to hurt so much from the strain of the spastic movements. The hospital in Brantford was not equipped to properly handle my situation, so I was transferred to the ICU at the Hamilton General Hospital and was diagnosed with Lance Adams Syndrome (LAS). Lance Adams Syndrome occurs after one’s body has been oxygen-depleted for a lengthy period of time and brain-nerve connections begin to die off. I
45 training sessions + approx 2800 minutes of cardio + clean eating + endless support from trainer, TFE community and my peers = RESULTS!!
What a fantastic, challenging, sometimes frustrating, educational and satisfying experience!
In September 2020 my husband encouraged me to join him and sign up for training sessions with Nick. I had spent the previous 14 years putting myself last while putting everyone else first as well as running a demanding business along side my husband. End result…..a very unhealthy self, unhappy with how I felt and looked. We started off strong, I was down about 16lbs and then gym closures started @ 2021 was a write off – between gym closures, my father passing away, 2 surgeries, thyroid instabilities – a feeling of defeat took over which lead to a negative mindset.
In early 2020 my wife and I sold our business that we founded and ran for over 13 years. Over the years my work changed from being very physical (I climbed telecommunication towers and installed equipment on them) to sitting behind a desk and managing over 30 employees. Needless to say, my physical fitness declined tremendously and simple tasks like climbing stairs winded me. I never ate meals on a regular basis and survived on coffee and one big meal a day. Reaching this new stage in my life and approaching the age of 50, I decided to focus on my health and well-being. I joined a fitness club and tried to make change on my own, however, I found myself going to the gym 3-4 times a week with very little results. Through a recommendation I was encouraged to reach out to Nick at Fit Effect. After a tour of the facility, understanding that I would need to track my food consumption, and train 2 times a week to see results, I was sold. Over the course of 3 training rounds I have seen awesome results.
I lost weight many years ago and have managed to keep it off by eating healthy and exercising. My motivation has always been our vacations.
Well we haven’t been able to go on vacation for a while so I decided I needed something else to work towards. Robyn and I have been working together for a while to rehab an injury and improve my strength. I asked her if she would help me work towards a photo shoot and our journey began.
We struggled through some plateaus and figured out what was best for my body. She never gave up on me. I can say I am the lightest I have been since early high school and in the best shape. I can not thank her enough for everything she did and I can not wait to continue on this journey.
No turning back!
I was always the “bigger” friend in whatever group I was hanging out with. The awkward, goofy big friend. The loud and funny big friend.
Whatever I was, I was always the bigger girl in the group. I always resented being bigger than everyone else. I resented being bigger because clothes never seemed to fit me properly. I resented being bigger because I felt like whenever I walked into a room, that’s all people would notice about me. I hated being bigger because I felt like I was constantly being judged for the way I looked. When in reality, I was probably the one judging myself the hardest! Everything I hated about being bigger never really had anything to do with my body, or it’s shape or size.
It had everything to do with how I viewed myself.
Well here I am nearly 365 days from the very day I decided to make a change for better health!
That’s right, 365 days! I didn’t become over weight over night or in a week or even a month so expecting it to come off like that isn’t reasonable either.
365 days, nearly 60lbs of fat gone, a lot of muscle built, confidence gained, new clothes bought and extended healthy years on my life.
Many people have asked me how I did it. Here’s the truth, I have remained focused on daily food tracking and daily exercise consisting of aggressive cardio and weight lifting. I set goals throughout the year and celebrated each one by achieving the next. Sometimes I said no to dinners out or having beers with family and friends because my goals were my priority.