I’m delighted to announce that I will be training clients out of O2 Fitness in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Its a wonderful team there and I’m excited to test out the new digs with YOU!
As always, feel free to send me any questions you may have about anything. I will be posting more as I get my feet wet in the new facility, and I can’t wait to share what Ive been up to. Your success is my success!
Stay hungry, stay motivated, and let me do the rest. The hardest part is just showing up, let me help you get there!
I’ve been beyond eager to write this blogpost! As a trainer it gets no better than watching your client put in the WORK and see them succeed right before your very eyes.
First! Let’s rewind to last year. Christine reached out to me because she wanted to lose some weight to look and feel her best on her wedding day. What a wonderful goal! She shared with me that she was very active in the past and wanted to get back to that, and BOY WAS SHE EAGER. I was SUPER excited to bring her on as a client with DM FITNESS.
We always joke about our first session together. It was definitely a wake up call (as they usually are). Initial sessions with me are designed so I can see how the client moves, evaluate strength and mobility, endurance, etc. I pushed her and she pushed right back. She was amazingly coachable and took my training cues like a champ. I knew from that first session that she was a fighter…and she was determined.
A couple of days later she sent me a text. She was ill and having a hard time adjusting to training. She wasn’t sure if she was able to commit to the physicality of training just yet. I urged her to keep on showing up and to keep doing her best and just see what happens. She agreed and she did just that.
Christine fought many obstacles throughout her training: she dealt with chronic migraines and sleepless nights that can happen from overall soreness in the initial stages of working out. We worked hard and most importantly-she never gave up. She is the prime example of what it takes to succeed at ANYTHING. Show me anyone who has goals and no obstacles-YOU CANT because these people simply do not exist! Everyone has SOMETHING that will try to get in your way of your goals, it’s up to YOU if you will let that defeat you. Christine NEVER let anything defeat her and THAT is why she lost the weight she did and crushed her health and fitness goals. What’s even more amazing is the utter self-confidence she has-she radiates health and beauty as you can see in her ‘after’ pictures. (I say ‘after’ loosely, health and fitness has NO end, it is a new lifetime habit that I instill in my clients)
I’m so proud of you Christine.You made me a better trainer and I’m proud to call you a friend. Whether you know it or not you have inspired many and I’m excited to watch you grow in your athleticism as we continue to train together.
Friends, I’m here to tell you that this success story can be yours as well. Stay teachable-stay hungry for results. The only difference between Christine and you is saying YES. YES I will take charge of my health and change my life. Will it be hard? HECK YES. But will it be worth it? YES!
The sweat, the tears, the soreness, the struggles will all be worth it in the end when you look in the mirror and see the person you’ve always wanted to see staring right back at you. THAT FEELING of seeing your hard work in the mirror is absolutely PRICELESS.
OK! So who’s ready to see some before and after pictures? This is the greatest perk of my “job!” I LIVE for these moments, it is like putting kerosene on my fire. There is truly nothing better than seeing tangible results after so much work put in by a client! ❤
On the left-RIGHT before we started her training program. On the right-1 week before her wedding!SERIOUSLY YA’LL. Beautiful Bride!!!
CHRISTINE! Seeing you progress this past year has been a delight for me. You have morphed into this powerhouse of a client, there is no stopping you from achieving anything! CONGRATULATIONS on everything, you deserve it! ❤
Please let me know if you have any questions about beginning your success story. 🙂
One of my favorite things about what I do is having a client who has a rock solid tangible GOAL in mind, such as a high school reunion or a wedding. I know these clients will be standouts for me because they have something to work towards and together we both have something to really push for. Whats even BETTER is once they achieve their goal-it’s 99.999999% likely that they will want to keep what they’ve worked so hard for because they look and FEEL so awesome. Plus, by this point it has become a habit and apart of their lifestyle. That right there is the REAL payoff as a trainer!
All this being said-I sure do love a good before and after! I use the term “after” very loosely because in all honesty it really is a PROGRESS picture! It is truly a trainers hope that they keep health and fitness as a life long habit. BUT! Let’s be real here…those side by side pictures to see the progress is so completely motivating and SO MUCH FUN to see because it is a direct reflection of consistency and hard work!
For this blog’s client spot light it goes to none other than Gillian. She came to me with a GOAL of looking and feeling better as a bridesmaid in her friend’s wedding. The first thing I noticed about her is her true willingness to put in the work that was needed to achieve her goals. This is something a trainer can really pick up on literally within the first minute of meeting a client. She was open and ready to make whatever changes she needed to make in her lifestyle as needed and she trained with me 3 times a week, never missing a session. During each session she left it all on the gym floor. She remembered all of my training cues as the sessions went by and she just continuously improved. Not to mention she has a wonderful personality and we had so much fun doing so. This is something I want everyone to know. You can have fun with the process! You are making an investment in yourself so why not? 🙂 I know we did, and I feel like I have a friend who makes me a better trainer because she just gets better. In 3 months she lost lb’s but most importantly lost tons of inches and gained massive self-confidence! Her endurance and strength has massively improved and I couldn’t be prouder! Without further ado…I give you Gillian’s progress pictures!
That right there is the sum of tons of SWEAT AND CONSISTENCY INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE GYM.
Proud of you girl! You LOOK INCREDIBLE!
As always feel free to reach out to me for anything, results are what I’m after!!!
Super excited to be on the cover of Oblique Magazine again (MARCH AND APRIL), making me the first 3 time Oblique Cover Model!
This publication will always be very dear to me. I remember this magazine was the very first time I ever had my picture taken when I first moved to Charleston, fresh out of the Marines way back in 2003 or so.
Looking back at my previous pictures in this magazine, I have definitely went through many changes! A couple of pictures were taken before the birth of my second child and I definitely had a different “shape.” I was more lean and I was a lot younger. However, after going through another pregnancy, LIFE, and years gone by; I APPRECIATE what my body is able to go through. I carry more weight on this body, but I also carry more muscle. I lift more weight now than I ever could 5-10 years ago and I’ve never felt better.
As a personal trainer in this wonderful city of Charleston, I LOVE that I can pass this ideology of being a STRONG woman to my female clients. Sometimes it can get a little daunting to be a strong female that is not necessarily a size 0 (and it goes both ways!). All that matters is that you are healthy and confident-and that can be at a size 0 or size 16. Health is not always determined by a jean size.
Aim for STRENGTH. Aim for confidence.
As always let me know if you have any questions about anything!
As we go into the New Year many of us are thinking of resolutions, goals, and new beginnings.
Whether you think 2017 was the best year or the worst year, always remember that you are the creator of your own destiny. You have every right to learn from the past. Pain and struggle are our most powerful teachers.
Make your goals concrete! Write them down. Every day try to do something that puts you in the right direction.
If your goal is to be healthy-start with the small goals. Start drinking more water every day. Cut out all empty calories for 4 weeks and see how you feel. Make a point to sweat every day. Load up on veggies and stay away from processed foods. GET BETTER SLEEP. Make your health the absolute priority in everything you do. The sum of all of these small things will lead to great results over time! Stay consistent!
Here are my goals for 2018 in case you wanted to know:
1) Get better sleep
2) Love myself more
3) Read a good book every month
4) Save more money by cooking at home more
5) Donate more time to charity
6) Do something terrifying that I know will make me a better person despite my fear
As always please know I am here for all of your health and fitness needs!
In DM FITNESS news-I have very few spots left for new clients in 2018. If you want to be on my client list, time is of the essence. Contact me to set up your free consultation today. 💪🏼
This is Jessica-she lost 6 lbs and 4 inches in just 4 weeks! She’s a hard worker and super consistent! She also drives all the way from Columbia to get her training sessions in!
One thing I will forever be grateful for is that I truly love what I do. Sure I get paid for it-but the connections I’m blessed to be able to make with people everyday are PRICELESS. Personal Training is so much more than helping someone lose weight. It includes (but not limited to) helping to instill confidence, better sleep habits, bringing sexy back ;), having enough energy to chase your kids around, getting to really KNOW someone beyond the surface, more energy, better habits overall, etc. I tell clients all the time that it’s ok to be selfish and take care of yourself! In order to serve anyone else in your life you GOTTA HAVE A FULL TANK! Meaning: If you are “running on empty” all the time, you will not be able to serve those around you…your family, friends, etc. Keep your tank full, keep yourself healthy and you’ll feel like you can do anything!
Something I want everyone to know is that I KNOW how hard it can be to hire a personal trainer. You’re paying a lot and putting your trust in (most likely) a complete stranger…and FINGERS CROSSED the relationship works and you can get the results that you want so bad. I also want you to know that I AM THANKFUL for all of you. Thank you for letting me in your life and for being vulnerable. This sort of thing is NEVER overlooked or taken for granted. All of you are an absolute blessing to me. ❤
This weeks client spotlight had to be without a doubt, Ray! I started working with him at Exemplar Fitness three times a week about 2 months ago. To date he has lost 12 pounds, but most importantly over 14 inches overall. That tells me his body composition is indeed changing, and we are on the right track to pursue his goal of putting on more muscle and getting more fit overall.
Let me tell you: Training with Ray has been a great experience. He came in with a GREAT mindset, super motivated and ready to go. He hasn’t lost any of those qualities either. With our monthly measurements he becomes more and more HUNGRY to reach even more goals. He is EASILY coachable, and always puts out a 110% effort in on every single session. I’m super proud of him!
Ray has a certain quality in him in that he’s “comfortable with being uncomfortable” in our sessions. He trusts the process and never questions anything with our training program. He always asks how to be better to maximize his results; not just in the gym, but outside of the gym too. I say these things because if you are going into a training program with a trainer, definitely adopt this mindset. Mindset is EVERYTHING if you are looking to achieve your goals. A half a$$ effort will yield you half A$$ results. Come in motivated, try your absolute best and trust the process. You will have ups and downs, good days and bad days, and that is NORMAL. 🙂 Don’t let those days derail you from the task at hand. TRUST, BELIEVE, and GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU HAVE and you will succeed in your goals and then some. Your health and the ability to MOVE with purpose and function is a beautiful thing. Don’t let it go to waste and know that it’s never too late to start. The hardest part is just STARTING.
Over the past week or so I have been thinking about what makes a person successful, no matter what business they happen to be in. I’m not just talking about success in your job, but success in every aspect of your life. True and complete joy and contentment.
Is it talent? Is it luck? Rich family?
I really tried to look around people and within myself asking these questions, while quietly observing those around me trying to see if there was a top secret “code” that people were following that other people could try out too.
The truth is, there was no ‘code.’ There was, however, a common thread that I picked up for sure among those where I was seeking some sort of answer.
Everyone that I observed that was living a truly fulfilling life, not just in their job but with everything it seemed, all did certain LITTLE things every day. I always say it’s not the big things that yield results, but the culminations of small things done here and there that give you the big pay off you are looking for.
And wouldn’t you know that is applicable everywhere?
That daily UN-SEXY habits and rituals are what build us or break us.
This doesn’t apply to just our health and fitness goals, but to our relationships, family, business, etc. Pretty much everything!
waking up at 5 am for a workout? Unsexy
Leaving a little love note in your kids shoe the night before school? Unsexy
Making sure you are hydrated every day? Unsexy
Getting that last sweaty rep in the gym even though you are exhausted? Unsexy
Treating the janitor like the CEO? Unsexy
Taking the garbage out before your spouse asks you? Unsexy
These are just examples…but you get the point. What I’ve observed is that it’s the little things that truly matter at the end of the day and it can apply to everyone and to every aspect of your life. So what now? Think about everything you say and do today. Are you speaking from love and kindness? Are you taking care of yourself?
Lets be mindful today. Un-sexy habits make us into sexy individuals in more ways than the physical portrayal of the actual word.
For any trainer, spot reducing is the first thing that is usually brought up as certain areas they want to “get rid of” by clients.
I totally get it too! When I first got into fitness myself, I often asked the same thing. Thanks to science and what I’ve seen actually works throughout the years…I can tell you what I tell clients when they come to me with this particular’ mindset. (Keep in mind this is all very general, your trainer would explain more)
First off there is a reason I just put “mindset” in bold right there. It’s ALL about mindset. When you come into the CORRECT mindset about your health and fitness, it can quite literally make the difference between you succeeding and failing. I know that can sound harsh, but it’s absolutely true. What is the correct mindset? Let me explain.
A healthy mindset includes but is not limited to the following:
Knowing that you are building life long healthy habits
Your work is NOT limited to just what you do in the gym
Being REAL and honest with your habits-good and bad
Progress comes in stages…your payoff in your efforts will come as such
It takes guttural WORK that will make you question everything you think you know about getting healthy and fit
And back to the whole point of this post-YOU CANT SPOT REDUCE. Be honest with yourself and your MINDSET when you embark on your health and fitness journey.
Mindset is everything, as you can see. Be patient and know that you can’t spot reduce. A lot of the time many clients will come in and quite literally grab some skin on their abdomens and the skin on the back of their arms and tell me “I want to get rid of this!” And I always tell them the same thing. You CAN get rid of the things that bother you (if it’s within a healthy reach of course) but it’s going to take patience. That’s where a strong and healthy mindset comes into play. I also love to explain this very easy to understand analogy. I call in the “Onion Analogy.” 🙂 Every day that you eat nutritiously, hydrate well, and sleep good-a sliver of “your onion” comes off, from head to toe. You need to stay consistent in these healthy habits for that onion (your body) to reach certain trouble spots, and you need to train RIGHT FOR YOUR BODY TYPE AND YOUR GOALS (this is where having a personal trainer is KEY), but eventually you can get there. Also always remember that being healthy and strong is what really matters at the end of the day. Everyone has different goals of course-but always keep this goal as your foundation.
Go out and hire a trainer. Trust me-it’s the best investment you will ever make. You don’t want to mindlessly plug away in a gym with no guidance…I did it for years and it really didn’t get me anywhere. Once I discovered trainers my life changed and my goals were a true reality that seemed much more simple. As long as you have that healthy mindset, patience, and commitment…everything else will come along for the ride and eventually you will see the sweet fruits of your labor!
DM FITNESS 