Lynn Trombley
I came to SNAP Fitness in January of this year at a time in my life that I was really feeling pathetic and defeated. Over the years I had “let myself go” as most of us tend to do, in addition to adding the typical childbirth pounds, etc“ Even though I am constantly on the go, I had begun to feel less energy, achy a lot of the times and just not happy with how I was feeling. From the first day that I stepped into SNAP everything changed. Mike was most gracious in talking with me, showing me things and helping figure out what would be best for me. I immediately knew that I was going to need a trainer in order to get this ball rolling.
When I first met Sue I was instantly impressed! First off, just look at her – a mature woman who looks fantastic – and yes she has had children!!! This certainly gives a person hope! I greatly appreciated the fact that Sue spent a great deal of time getting to know me, my previous injuries, what movements gave me problems and also gave me excellent nutritional guidance as well.
Sue was exactly what I needed! Her personality is awesome, she is upbeat without being too “perky”, she is motivating without being overbearing and she is supportive beyond description. In the past several months she has motivated me to do things I never would have thought of doing. Many times, I may not have wanted to do them, but I knew she wasn’t going to let me slip by without doing them, so I had no choice! And I am so glad that she pushes me in that way. I could begin to see results almost immediately, so I actually increased the amount of times I was seeing her each week. Now who does that? In my hectic schedule, my training sessions with her are one thing I will not compromise.
You would think that after a few months that the training would get old and repetitive – but let me tell you – it doesn’t! Every time I come in, I have no idea what Sue may have planned for me. But I do know that she does have a plan! Her workouts are constantly changing; they are FUN – yes FUN! I haven’t worked this hard in years and laughed while sweating my butt off at the same time - and loved it! The exercises she designs are motivating, challenging, at times grueling, but I enjoy each and everything she throws at me ““..well except for those crawl things, ha ha.
I have lost about 15 lbs., and 12 inches so far. To some this may not be a dramatic change, but to me it is making all of the difference. I do not wake up dreading getting out of bed. I wake up ready to face the day, looking forward to whatever workout I have planned for that day, and getting on with my life. I no longer take a daily pain killer to deal with my aching joints and my lower back problems have improved 90%. I am eating so much healthier, and I sleep so much better too! I can’t wait to go my Dr. for my next cholesterol and sugar check!
In the last month I have begun to really see changes in my body. It is fun to touch my arm and feel the biceps and triceps making their curves. To feel the muscles in my legs developing, to see my midline shrinking and not to feel “blubber” when I go to scratch my back (now that I can). These are the things that Sue has done for me!!! My job requires that I do a lot of lifting, which I was struggling to even be able to do anymore – but not now. My strength has improved tremendously, I have no doubts about my lifting abilities at all – I actually take pride in it!
So what are you waiting for“..if you are here reading this letter, you know that there are things about yourself that you are wanting to change, so go ahead and do it! It will be the best decision you ever made. I truly encourage you to at least get a personal trainer to get you started, it will make a huge difference in your workout and I cannot recommend Sue enough to anyone who wants to “kick start” getting their lives back! Get on board because I plan on being the fittest Fifty year old at SNAP next year!
Lynn Trombley
May 2011
Tina Morgan
The best description for my story is it has been a life transforming experience for me. The dedication and encouragement of everyone at Snap Fitness of Medford has played an important part in helping me commit to a healthy lifestyle and change my life.
Let me begin by thanking Sue Singer, my personal trainer, for her expertise, motivation and patience. I sincerely believe I would never have accomplished this level of success without her guidance. Working with Sue had definitely been the main reason I have remained focused and on track. Also, I’d like to thank Mike Foxwell, club owner, for his ever present encouragement and making sure the club is an inviting, always pleasant experience.
I am 59 years old and have been very overweight and sedentary for many years. I have been on every diet imaginable, since eighth grade, always without much success. Since I began this journey in March of 2011, I have lost a total 75 pounds to date, and still counting. I have more stamina and strength than I ever thought possible at my age. The feeling of accomplishment, self confidence and empowerment is indescribable. My family doctor is in awe of my success and the positive effect it has had on my physical and emotional state. I no longer need four medications my doctor had previously prescribed. My blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar have all improved to normal, healthy levels. I no longer have the joint aches and stiffness I have experienced for years. My emotional outlook and anxiety levels are much more manageable than ever before. I no longer, to my continued amazement, need to shop in the plus size department and my family and friends tell me I look healthier, happier and younger.
I really had no definitive plan when I started, I truly had no idea I could ever possibly attain this level of success. I thought this would be like every other weight loss attempt I have made in the past, a few weeks; maybe a month and I would lose interest. When I began, I had recently lost my husband of 38 years after a six month battle to an aggressive form of cancer. I had also lost my job as a result of my decision to care for my husband during his illness. My eating habits were horrendous, and my weight was spiraling out of control. My physical condition was rapidly deteriorating, I was battling depression and my emotional state was shattered. I knew I had to do something to take back control of my life; however, my results thus far are truly beyond anything I could have ever imagined.
I still have a way to go to reach my goal, and, of course, my success has required hard work and commitment to stay focused and on track. The amazing personal and health benefits I have realized, however, far outweigh the sacrifices I have made to remain on this journey. Let me just say, give yourself the most precious gift of health and well being. For me, it is truly an indescribable feeling to have accomplished such a transformation.
Tina Morgan
Before
After
Donna Hoffman - 2011 Biggest Winner Challenge - 1st Place Winner
May 21, 2011
Last year following my 50th birthday I decided to join a gym. Over the last couple of years, I had gained quite a few pounds and I was at my heaviest. I found myself feeling very uncomfortable. I had pain in my back and knees. Also, my daughter’s wedding was in September and I wanted to lose weight for it. I was definitely worried about being able to find a dress that would fit me for the occasion.
I joined Snap Fitness two months before the big event. I placed myself into the hands of Sue Singer, my trainer. Sue coached me with my diet and immediately started training me with weights. She concentrated on “core” strengthening. She promised that once my core was strong everything else would be much easier. I also tried to complete at least 30 minutes of cardio 4 times a week.
Although I only had eight weeks, I did manage to drop a dress size for the wedding. This motivated me to continue at the gym. My weight continued to come off very slowly. It was a little difficult around the holidays to stick to my diet and not skip the gym. However, Sue kept me focused with e-mails and text messages. When she wanted me to sign up for “The Biggest Winner” contest in January, I had some doubts. It would mean I would have to do at least 30 minutes of cardio almost everyday. Also, my diet needed to stay healthy for the next 12 weeks. Once I committed, Sue stepped up our training program. I did a lot of whining when it became difficult and I’m quite sure her stop watch is defective! (Her “5 seconds” feel more like “60 seconds”). Sue always managed to get a lot more out of me than I thought possible. Halfway through the contest, I injured my knee and required some surgery. I thought I would have to drop out of contest and felt very defeated. Two weeks later I got the “ok” from my doctor to resume at the gym. Sue was very supportive and she altered our routine a bit to accommodate my knee as it healed. I recovered very quickly and thanks to Sue my knee feels stronger than ever.
Since joining Snap Fitness and entering “The Biggest Winner” contest, I have succeeded with my fitness and weight- loss goals. Sue, whom I have affectionately labeled “My Personal Torturer”, has helped me accomplish what I considered the impossible. I feel like a new person now. Thank you, Sue and Snap Fitness.
Sincerely Donna S. Hoffman
Before
After
Sue Singer & JoLynn Graham
Sue Singer & JoLynn Graham at the TD Bank NYC 5-Boro Bike Tour - Sunday, May 1, 2011
Bobbie Deliso - 2010 Biggest Winner Challenge - 3rd Place Winner
I decided to join SNAP fitness with 2 of my friends, which happened to be the same time the biggest loser challenge started. We gave ourselves a 3 month deadline to lose some weight. One friend’s husband was due back from Afghanistan where he had been for a year. I was just along for the ride and if I lost some weight that would be a bonus. Well, we kept each other motivated through those three months and all three of lost weight. We enjoyed our weekly workouts with Sue our trainer. She knew how to push us and get results. Now there are only 2 of us. The military moved our friend out of state after her husband came back.
My friend and I still meet with Sue each week. Our workout sessions have gotten more challenging. The weights have gotten heavier, the steps higher, and the times longer. I still look forward to each workout. When I first came to the gym, I would walk on the treadmill at a steady slow rate. I have worked my way up to running for short bursts on it. Eventually, I may even be able to run for at least a mile.
Every time I look in the mirror, I would still see the person who walked into the SNAP for the first time. Lately, people have started to compliment me on how I look. While looking at my niece’s facebook page, I stumble on a picture of me and realized that I do look different. I feel different, more confident and happier. I would only shop in certain stores for clothes because I could not find my size in just any store but now even though I still have to get larger sizes I can go to other stores that I would avoid. This keeps me motivated.
My friend and I now have a new goal. We want to ride in the MS City to Shore ride in 2011. We have started riding our bikes and Sue has incorporated certain exercises in our workouts to help achieve our goal.
Joining with friends helped me stay on track and kept me motivated. My trainer held me accountable for how well I stayed on track. Each week during the biggest loser, I turned in a food diary for review as well as getting on the scale each week. Most weeks, I had a lost however there were a few slip-ups but I did not allow this to derail me. Sue encouraged me each week regardless what the scale said.
I still have a lot of losing ahead of me but with Sue and SNAP fitness, I plan to achieve my goals.
Charlie Mitchell - 2010 Biggest Winner Challenge - 2nd Place Winner
I am writing this to thank you for offering the “Biggest Winner” contest. This was an inspirational push to help me with the thought of losing weight. It was a good idea to offer such an event. This was a lot of hard work and dedication by me, my family and my training partner Donald. My wife Susan would come home from work and say, “What are you up to tonight?” I would look at her and say, “The gym with Donald”. She would say, “Again?”, and then say, “Have a good time and don’t get hurt”. Having someone behind me made me want to work harder. Donald was a good push to get me going and to keep me going through out the challenge.
Having a trainer was another good thing for this competition. I was fortunate to have both Phil and Sue. I experienced two different types of work outs from the two trainers but having a trainer every week was a motivator. Phil worked us hard but Sue knows how to make a hard workout easier. She incorporates different types of equipment into your workout to make it more enjoyable. With Sue you never do the same exercise twice from week to week, but you work the same muscle groups. You never know what the next week brings. Each week has proven to be a challenge with her.
Through this challenge of the Biggest Winner I was able to lose almost 30 lbs during the contest. This past year has been a lot of hard work and sacrifice. At the present time, I have lost almost sixty pound since joining Snap Fitness. Because of Snap Fitness, I continue to work out often and hope to lose an additional forty pounds. Wish me Luck!!!!!!!!
Fred DeFeo - 2010 Biggest Winner Challenge - 4th Place Winner
When I my wife first signed me and her up for training sessions at Snap Fitness in September '09, I was skeptical. I've been to gyms and signed up for training sessions before, but nothing really seemed to get me going. The first trainer I was saddled with was Phil. He worked me hard...more accurately, he kicked my butt night every time. He always had pointers for workout and nutrition. After a month or two, getting to the gym was a struggle and my desire to diet wasn't there. Phil didn't give up; he held me to task. He told me to make a scheduling adjustment here and an eating adjustment there (and to document what I eat). Then he started me on the path to running. At first, he started me really slow; something that was reasonable to work with (a 4-minute walk and a 30 second sprint), and to make gradual improvements (shorter walks, then longer runs). After a while, a funny thing happened: I started getting into a groove. The adjustments became good habits, I started to feel better about running, and then the results started to become noticeable. I started losing weight and was getting in shape...and having an easier time surviving Phil's workouts.
When the biggest winner contest came along, I hadn't planned on doing it. I was in my new routine of running and eating well, and didn't really feel a need to turn it into a competition. Lo and behold, when I went to my next trainer appointment with Phil, it turned out he threw my hat into the biggest winner ring for me because he felt that I had an excellent shot to win. Well, I certainly couldn't say "no, thank you", so I tightened my game and kept on running and training.
Eventually, Phil had moved on, and Sue became my new trainer. From what I seen from just seeing Sue around the gym, I anticipated that Sue would push me every bit as hard as Phil did...she didn't disappoint. She was every bit the motivator and butt-whipper, and she kept me working hard throughout the competition, and also kept the great fitness and eating tips coming.
When the biggest winner contest was over and I finished in fourth, the reality had sunk in as to how far I came from when I first started at Snap. When I started, I was over 300 lbs and very much out of shape. From the time I started going to Snap to the end of the competition, not only had I lost 47 lbs, but I've become addicted to running. Today, I'm continuing to apply the lessons that I learned from Phil and Sue to keep working toward my weight loss goal, and recently, I decided to do something good with my running. I signed up to run a 5k for Alex's Lemonade Stand this past November, which I was able to finish in 32:26 (right in the middle of the pack), and now routinely find myself searching for other similar races to run for good causes.
Bob Freeland - 2010 Biggest Winner Challenge - Special Mention
I joined the gym well over a year ago and in the beginning I attended frequently. My goal at that time was to regain the strength I lost in my left leg due to an ankle replacement and to get rid of the weigh I gained due to inactivity. It didn't take long for me to discover I didn't know what I was doing and there was very little progress in reaching my goal. My wife suggested at this time, "look dummy, you tried and it didn't work now it's time to get a trainer." I was introduced to Sue Singer who wasted no time in getting me into a program. Sue told me that I signed up for The Biggest Winner challenge. I still don't remember that, but I guess I did. Working with Sue over the twelve week period, I lost over twenty pounds. I have gained strength and flexibility in both my upper and lower body and feel great. The major portion of my motivation came from my trainer. She was able to answer every question I had and backed her answer with a photo email.
Thank you Sue Singer and Snap Fitness.
JoLynn Graham
My name is Jo Lynn Graham. My starting weight was 173 lbs. wearing a size 16. Now I am 153 lbs. wearing a size 10 and still pressing on. My journey started about a year ago with Snap Fitness with Sue Singer as my trainer then and now. I had been struggling with my weight and diet for a long time.
I will take you back to the beginning of my journey before Snap Fitness. Over a period of 5 years I was always on the go for my family and job and not allowing any time for myself. Through the painful headaches and dizziness, I had to maneuver my entire body weight out of bed in order not to wobble and fall down due to my small body frame and short stature. I tried day after day to put it out of my head that nothing was wrong with me or my weight along with the bad eating habits (fried foods, bottle of wine daily, etc.) I tried to function in my every day life. Through all of that my body finally gave way and I passed out at work losing control of my body movement. I was then rushed to the hospital and admitted to ICU for 3 days with oxygen. My blood pressure was extremely high and the doctor’s conclusion was that I had suffered a mild stroke at the age of 40.
I then realized I wanted to live. I have a lot to offer and without the stress of everyday negativity, I wanted to feel good every day. It was not worth risking my life. So I turned my life around and started going to the gym having Sue Singer as my personal trainer. She has taught me a lot about good healthy food habits and exercise. I am glad I found a gym that gives me that one on one personal attention, a trainer who asks me the right questions, keeps a good recording history of my accomplishments and keeps me focused. Sue always takes it beyond what she teaches and keeps you informed with great informative literature about nutrition and work out news. She is truly a professional and expert in exercise techniques.
My journey has been long and hard but it was worth it. I love the way I look. My quest still continues to be just a little bit healthier and stronger everyday and I found it all at Snap Fitness in Medford.
Stacey Lehner
I should start by saying I had tried to lose weight and get healthy on many occasions throughout my life. I am like most people and sign up at a gym in the beginning of the year and vow to get healthy no matter what! I tried all of the latest diets and searched for the “quick fix”. I am proud to say that I have found something that does work“.working out with a trainer! I began working out with Sue Singer in January 2010 and committed to one full year of training. I want to share the positive experience I have had with Sue and SNAP fitness.
In the beginning I was overweight, had high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I was taking medication to help these conditions. Sue asked me what my fitness goals were. So I thought about this for a couple of days. Obviously, I wanted to lose weight and feel better about my appearance, but the true goal was to be healthy! I was deeply concerned about my overall health. The very 1st thing Sue did with me was an overall fitness analysis. I think that until I had to face the actual numbers, I was oblivious to the reality of my condition! The initial consultation was my wake up call. I knew that I needed to commit to this journey.
There are many reasons why working out with a trainer helped me to meet and exceed my fitness goals. The first is accountability. Sue held me accountable for what I did when I wasn’t with her. My diet, my work-outs and habits were all monitored. I knew that on Tuesday evening I would weigh in and hand over my journal. This is HUGE! I now have someone other than myself holding me accountable. Accountability is so important in the beginning when you are trying to form healthy habits. The appointment alone was enough to keep me motivated. The journal helped Sue to point out things I was eating or not eating that were sabotaging my diet. It was easy to spot trends and make corrections. Next, that extra push is so important! I see so many people at the gym that do what I had always done! I would work-out on a few machines and hit the cardio machines. I never really understood how important that extra “push” was! If I got tired, I left or stopped! Sue helped me to see my true potential. Those extra 3-5 reps really helped. The change in routine really helps! The circuit training, free weights, intensity and modifying really helps! Lastly, a trainer helps you with proper form! This is probably the most important factor. I wanted to maximize the time I spent in the gym. If I am there to burn calories and build muscle, than I want to be sure I am making the most out of my time. Sue taught me how to exercise correctly. She taught me how to make exercises more challenging and easier if I needed them to be. I had no idea how many ways you can do a push-up or a plank!! Sue and SNAP helped me regain confidence and my quality of life.
A trainer has the experience and knowledge to elevate you to the next level, whatever that level may be! It’s worth the investment and the time. As a result of my experience with a trainer, I have decided to complete my personal training certification so I can help others the way that Sue has helped me!
