Testimonials
The most powerful agent for change you will ever experience is the person sitting in your chair. Here are two inspirational and powerful teachers of what you can achieve when you approach what you're doing to improve your life with passion and compassion for self. Lasting change can only be made through taking responsibility for self. To the degree you give someone else credit for your achievement, you will also give them blame for your failure. When you take that first step towards your goal and self empowerment, there will be no shortage of people to help you get there. We, at Cross-Trainers would be honored to be present in that experience and participate in your success!!
I finally joined a gym because I was amazingly “170lbs” from my desired long-term weight goal, my joints, back and shoulders had become frozen-up, and because of the continuous pain from simple body movements; generally, I finally joined a gym because the quality of my life was just simply going “down-the-tubes”. I looked at and evaluated 3 gyms before deciding on joining Cross-Trainers Health & Fitness Club. This gym had the most equipment choices, large, well laid out exercise areas, and a well defined cardio area. Cross-Trainers was by far the most clean and spacious, but the most telling and convincing part for me was the surprisingly courteous and friendly staff. On my inspection visit I observed a truly “family gym” with members from their late teens to persons in their eighties. (No need to run any gauntlet of macho, strutting muscle-bound heroes these were just ordinary people getting into and maintaining healthy exercise programs of various types). My initial fitness goals were to free up my joints so I could have pain free movement and flexibility. I started off by some preliminary stretching and exercising at home prior to looking for a gym. I dieted and stretched at home prior to seeking out Cross-Trainers because of extreme embarrassment of my size. I had come down from 370 to 310 lbs and was going to try on my own (probably unsuccessfully) to lose much more, before considering to bring my bulk to any gym; but one look at the diversity of the gym members, in all states of physical condition, and from getting a feel for the staff, convinced me that the time to get started at Cross-Trainers was right now. I enrolled for a 3 month trial period to hopefully lose some weight and to tone-up a little. I immediately over came my shyness and embarrassment. I found that as usual the challenge was not only just my weight and pain, it was to have “victory over myself” so that I would stay at this. It came down to taking some professional advice from good and caring people who encouraged me, always had positive feed-back and just generally cared how I was feeling and doing. Because of this helpful and friendly approach, I was able to have this “victory over myself” and attempt this mild training program suggested to me. I had various middle and long term goals, as well as a goal to have movement and flexibility again, and hopefully to simply have no more pain from just trying to do a little life (I forgot to mention I am 59 years old). The return to pain free flexibility has already been realized!! In less than the 3 month trial period, I have lost an additional 45 lbs. I am now down to 260 from 310lbs. I thought it would take anywhere from about 1 to 1 ½ years to reach my first great long term goal of 250 lbs., but there it is right in front of me!! Unbelievable!! I thought it was unreachable because of my then present weight, and the amount of time that had passed being heavy. I have already lost 8 pant sizes, and many comparisons of old versus new body. My long, long, long term goal of 200 lbs. which was not even on my radar screen as even a remote possibility, is now visible on my far horizon. My quality of living has increased dramatically, and I am so very, very proud of myself!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support, for your advice, and for most of all, your always heart-felt kindness and encouragement. My “real goal” as you have suggested, is just “the next ten pounds”!!! I CAN DO THAT!! Thanks again for my new life
Sincerely – Charlie Tite
I joined Cross-Trainers just under a year ago with some goals that I wanted to achieve for mself. I had finally reached a point where I had realized what my current lifestyle was doing to my body. This was definitely affecting my general way of living and how I saw my future.
After several previous failed attempts to lose weight I chose Cross-Trainers to help achieve my goals. I found the gym to be well laid out and the staff was friendly and very helpful. I felt comfortable being there as there were other people there just like me. The variety of people who go to the gym ranged from the regulars to the beginners like me. It was reassuring to see you didn't have to be in shape to be there.
My goals when I started were small ones. It didn't seem so impossible to accomplish the small goals so that I would be able to reach my final goal. It was kinda like taking baby steps! My goals could be anything from setting a certain amount of time I did on the treadmill, to stepping up the pace, adding 5 lbs to my bench press or being able to get myself in a new pair of jeans. I learned from previous failed attempts that a big goal was a bad idea!
I didn't want to feel discouraged because I wasn't making advances fast enough. I knew that it took time to gain the weight and now I had to slowly take it off. I never weighed myself on a regular basis because my goal wasn't to think of losing weight but being healthy and fit. I knew that I would be gaining muscle so my weight wouldn't change quickly.
The first week I started to train I was very stiff and sore. I started to question if this was all worth it. As I kept going the soreness went away. My plan was to do cardio to start with. As i progressed with that I found that my heart rate wasn't what it used to be. It wasn't too long and I was able to do my cardio for long periods of time with more resistance. My brother Ben got me into doing the weights and eating a healthy diet. One of my first results was when I noticed that my clothes were getting looser! This only amplified my results. Within a month I had people noticing changes while others were surprised how I looked. My best acknowledgement was when I was walking home from Cross-Trainers. Someone pulled over to tell me that they pass me walking home from the gym every day. They wanted me to know that I looked great losing the weight and to keep up with it. This was someone that I didn't even know! What a great feeling!
As of writing this, I have been going to Cross-Trainers for 9 months. I have lost 101 lbs and my body fat percentage has dropped by 20%! I have dropped 10 sizes in my blue jeans. This was the motivation I needed and now I find that my visits to Cross-Trainers are a part of my life just like going to work.
A huge thanks to everyone who has given me the encouragement and support to help me get this far. I have achieved a lot of my small goals and I'm positive that my other goals are well within my reach. This has and will continue to change my lifestyle and how I see myself in the future. A very special thanks to all the helpful staff at Cross-Trainers.
Sincerely, Jeremy Newman