To All My Pro Fitness Friends:
First and foremost, I want to thank everyone at Pro Fitness for all the encouragement and advice I received during the weight loss challenge. I could not have done it without all of you! You all kept me motivated and helped me “stay the course”.
I entered the first weight loss challenge with minimal success. My BMI indicator always stated I was “overweight”. My goal was to get it closer to the “normal” range. I realized if this was going to happen I would need to make some major changes to my diet and exercise routine. That is what motivated me to enter the weight loss challenge.
I decided that I needed to exercise at the minimum 6 days a week and at a minimum of 45 minutes to 1 hour a day. I made a commitment to get in the gym at the Y on Saturday and Pro Fitness on Sunday mornings!
Doug was very instrumental in giving me advice regarding my diet. I transitioned from eliminating bread, chips/pretzels, pasta, soda, and sweets from my diet. He provided valuable advice as to how to prepare steamed vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, spinach, and Brussels sprouts. I use a lot of fresh vegetables, placing them in a zip & steam bag. Doug also advised me to add a little butter in the bag. I knew I needed more protein and he stated the best cuts are turkey, salmon, tuna, and lean chicken. Chrystal Zank has also been a huge help in helping me “stay the course”. She gave me a lot of valuable advice regarding gluten free foods and how to “treat” myself every so often.
I will be donating any monetary winning from this challenge to the Cerebral Palsy Center. My reason for doing this is twofold. First and foremost, after my accident, I was wheel chair bound for approximately 4-5 months. I could not place any weight on either leg. The CP Center allowed me to have water therapy in their pool. They would wheel me into their pool and I would float to the deep end with the help of floatation devices and therapists. I would also do non-weight bearing stretching and water jogging. With their help and over time I was able to walk up the ladder and out of the pool. I would not be where I am today without their help. That organization is my favorite charity!
The second reason is that I consider Pro Fitness my extended family. It is the encouragement, advice, and help from all of you that helped me get to where I am today. THANK YOU all, especially Doug, Chrystal, and Colleen. Colleen also helped me when I was frustrated and feeling the weight loss was not going as planned. She would tell me “it is a journey, not a race”. In closing, I hope to continue seeing everyone at the gym and if I can lend any advice please let me know. I would love to share my journey with you all! I would also share my personal mantra with everyone and that being “Breathe Gary”.