Lose weight and dramatically improve your health with a 20-minute workout twice a week with My Personal Trainer

By Patricia Nugent

Like a lot of busy moms, 40-something Christine W. noticed her weight creep up after her children, now ages 9 and 12, were born. What also snuck up was her blood pressure…then back pain, knee pain and digestive issues.

Although over the years she had joined a handful of big box gyms and hired personal trainers, nothing seemed to stick for very long.

In February 2021, Christine was feeling uncomfortably overweight and inactive and decided to check out a nearby training studio—My Personal Trainer.

“The big draw for me was being able to fit the twice-weekly, 20-minute workouts into my family’s busy schedule,” she says. “On my initial visit, the first impression was very positive, seeing the specialized strength training equipment and how professional, honest and trustworthy the trainers were. I followed my intuition and signed up for a year.”

According to studio owner Heath Burkholder, Christine was a model client because she followed advice to a tee.

“From the very beginning, she took a leap of faith and believed in the coaching we gave her,” he says. “She wanted to know how to reach her goals and we showed her the way. It’s not easy to change your lifestyle. It can be a little intimidating and scary, but in the end thrilling when you see the changes to your body and your life. Christine is an awesome example of what you can accomplish when you’re in the mindset of always asking what’s next.”

He explains their system is designed to build lean muscle mass, which works well for clients from 9 to 90+ years old. “Strong muscles protect your bones, joints, tendons and ligaments, as well as boost your metabolism, which is a game-changer,” he says.

Christine’s Tale of the Tape
After nearly a year at My Personal Trainer, Christine has shed 25 pounds overall, lost seven percent of her body fat and gone down three sizes. She’s also gained four pounds in lean muscle.

Heath says at this point Christine is satisfied with her weight, and only concerned with body composition and continuing to build lean muscle mass.

Another number Christine is pleased to share is her blood pressure, which has dropped so much that her doctor has taken her off her medication. The pain in her back and knees is down to a barely-there level. And the nagging acid reflux issues she was experiencing have disappeared.

“I enjoy the one-on-one workouts with trainers following my form to make sure it’s effective,” she says. “The movements are slow and progressive and far from easy. The trainers do different variations on the machines, so I never know what workout I’m going to get walking in, which keeps things interesting. When I leave, it feels like I’ve exhausted my muscles.”

Keeping Track to Stay on Track
Christine reports that Heath and the other trainers helped set her up on a fitness app that tracks her daily nutritional intake.

“Not only do I count calories but keep in mind the importance of balancing what I eat, including proteins, carbs, fat and fiber,” she says. “In March, I hit a little hurdle. I began experiencing gall bladder issues and there was a chance I might need to have it removed. I went to Heath and we took a hard look at what I was eating and tweaked it, getting rid of fatty foods. Luckily in the end, I didn’t need the surgery and felt much better.”

Heath has a saying, “If you take care of your body, it will take care of you,” and notes the apps—whether on a smartphone or old-fashioned food journaling with paper and pen—help open people’s eyes to how they are fueling their bodies.

Why Every Day Should Feel Like January 1
If only we had the same drive to achieve our goals each day of the year that we did on January 1.

According to Heath Burkholder of My Personal Trainer, the reason most people don’t stick to an exercise program is because they don’t see results quickly enough or hit a plateau and lose their motivation to continue.

“Our philosophy is based on momentum, accountability and motivation,” he says. “Every day of your journey should be propelling you forward to your healthiest self. Our professionals have the expertise and the research-based protocol to achieve success.”

He says their goal is to help clients realize that improving their physical well-being also has a major bearing on other aspects of their life such as family, career and relationships.

My Personal Trainer studios are located in Medina (3733 Stonegate Drive, next to the Hobby Lobby Plaza, 330-723-3009), Strongsville (20930 Drake Road, 440-878-9000), Broadview Heights (7985 Broadview Road, 440-838-8400) and Westlake (25959 Detroit Road, 440-808-0000). For more info, visit OhioMyPersonalTrainer.com.