With My Personal–one on one–Trainer you can get to your fitness goal without the yo-yo

By Patricia Nugent

Like many of us, Janel Simpson from Medina had a track record of losing and regaining the same five pounds again and again, year after year.

In the spring of last year, she finally decided to break the cycle and put her health in the hands of a professional. She took a tour of the My Personal Trainer studio, liked what she saw and heard, and signed up.

This super active, 50-something grandmother of three says she felt out of shape and out of energy. And having to curtail activities because of the pandemic didn’t help either.

Ending her Frustration
“I was sick of going back and forth with my weight and lack of muscle tone,” she says. “I had worked with trainers here and there, but never stuck with them. What I needed was someone to keep me accountable and stay motivated to push through.”

After two months, Janel lost that first five pounds and then kept on going. To date she has lost 15 pounds and is in the process of building and maintaining healthy lean muscle mass.

Studio owner and trainer Heath Burkholder explains where Janel is in her journey as “the leaning phase,” having reached her initial weight loss goal.

“What we don’t want is for people to lose muscle mass while losing fat,” he explains. “We are constantly fine-tuning clients’ workout regimens so they are toning what they have to work with and can maintain it for a lifetime.”

Heath explains their system is designed to build lean muscle mass, which works well for clients from 9 to 90-plus years old. “Strong muscles protect your bones, joints, tendons and ligaments, as well as boost your metabolism, which is a game-changer,” he says. “Our philosophy is based on momentum, accountability and motivation. Every day of your journey should be propelling you forward to your healthiest self.”

Part of that momentum, Janel says, is that the trainers have taught her to look beyond the number on the scale and see results by taking notice of how her clothes are fitting.

“When I began training here, I was as heavy and out of shape as I’d ever been,” she says. “Now I fit comfortably back into my old size-eight jeans, which feels like something to really celebrate.”

Here’s How She Did It
Janel works full-time for a construction management and engineering company, and notes that being able to fit the twice-weekly, 20-minute workouts into her busy schedule is elemental to her success.

“I either pop in on my lunch hour or on Saturdays,” she says. “The scheduling is very flexible, which helps me squeeze in the workouts easily when I can.”

She says her experience at My Personal Trainer is basically about retraining her thinking and reforming habits.

“I began tracking everything I ate with a fitness tracker app, and that made a huge difference,” she says. “I started not only counting every calorie, but also considering water intake and the types of food I was consuming.”

Why Relationships Matter
“I feel like the trainers have taken a personal interest in me and are invested in my success,” she says. “The relationships are built through the one-on-one sessions. They have come to feel like family.”

Heath reports that clients like Janel make his work easier, as they are willing to follow the science- and research-based fundamentals of training here.

“If you ask legendary athletes like Tom Brady or Michael Jordan about their training, they always go back to sticking with the fundamentals,” he adds. “The bottom line is if someone is willing to work with us, following the exercise regimen and sustainable nutrition advice, they will get to where they want to be.”

Rewrite the Writing on Your Wall
Research has shown the connection between resistance training and reduced risk for cardiovascular disease.

Janel Simpson says that part of her motivation to stay in prime condition through her middle-age and later years is that her family has a genetic history of heart issues.

“Needless to say, I’d like to stave that off as long as possible,” she says. “Relatives of mine who had issues such as heart attacks and mitral valve prolapse also had the pre-cursers to cardiac conditions, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. I know that these are controllable factors, so I’m doing everything I can now with healthy diet and exercise will ensure I stay healthy and happy in the future.”

My Personal Trainer studios are conveniently located in Medina (3733 Stonegate Drive, next to the Hobby Lobby Plaza, 330-723-3009), Wadsworth (104 High Street, 419-685-4917), 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 information, visit OhioMyPersonalTrainer.com.