Sarah Foster, Manager

Shane Foster, Asst Manager

Dave Hinkel

On January 10th, 2011,  I joined the Sun Prairie Snap Fitness Center.  My wife and daughter were members prior to my joining and my wife suggested I join (hint hint) after my daughter started backing off her training due to her pregnancy with our 1st grandchild.  I think the event that triggered this suggestion was a picture taken at a Brewer game where my gut was greatly exaggerated by the lighting, or so I would like to think.  I am 57 years old and weighed 184 lbs. on a 5' 10" medium frame at the time.   Not obese but definitely over weight. I have lead a sedentary lifestyle and have not been involved in any organized fitness program since high school. The only sport I was involved in was bowling (if that really is a sport). I had quit smoking 17 years ago after having the habit for 25 years.  I had lost weight previously but only through starving myself.  And to top it off, I have arthritis in my knees, tendonitis in my elbows and had recently been diagnosed with asthma. So that is what Sarah at Snap Fitness had to work with when I joined.  She asked me what my goals were and all I told her was to become fit. I did not tell her that I had set my weight goal at 165 lbs. 

Sarah started me off with 2 somewhat light, low impact cardio workouts on the elliptical and stationary bicycle as well 6 different resistance machines.  The most I could muster on the elliptical was about 2 minutes at first.  And the weights on the resistance machines very low.   I have worked up to 30 minutes on the elliptical and have at least doubled if not tripled the weights I am working with on the resistance training machines.  Plus Sarah has gotten me working on additional resistance machines.

I use a smartphone app from MyFitnessPal.com to track caloric intake and my workouts.  I set my weight loss goals and the app set the calories needed to achieve the goal.  I'll admit I did not always hit the numbers but it at least made me conscious of the calories and nutrients I was ingesting.

Well, last week, three months and a week after starting my program, I hit my goal weight.  Nearly 20 lbs. gone thanks to my wife for giving me the little push I needed and  Sarah at Snap Fitness for setting me up with a reasonable program I could maintain .  Not exactly "Biggest Loser" results, but great progress nonetheless.  It was a struggle at times.  It was hard going back to the center after my 1st time as I was so sore I could hardly get on my feet.  The "treat table" at work is right outside my office so the temptations to indulge were enormous. My goal of working out two to three times a week was difficult to meet some weeks so I would sometime go three days in a row just to keep up with that goal.  I ran into a weight loss plateau where I did not lose a pound for three weeks.  Sarah made suggestions on how to break the plateau by increasing proteins and decreasing carbohydrates and that seemed to do the trick.  But the results are rewarding.  My clothes fit better.  My chest and arms and quads actually have some definition to them now.  I still have a little spare tire otherwise I'm sure my abs would be better defined as well.   I feel more alert and do not tire so easily.  And most importantly, I feel great knowing that I am working to stay healthy so, God willing,  I can enjoy my family and grandchild(ren?) for that much longer.

My advice to those trying to lose weight is to set attainable goals and really set your mind to achieving the goals you set.  I knew I could do this because I figured if I could break an addiction to nicotine, I should certainly be able to make better choices with the foods I eat and sticking to a workout program.

Dave Hinkel

Cassandra

I am a 34 year old female, when I started at SNAP fitness I had about 40 pounds to lose.  Through my doctors visits I found out that I had hypothyroid working against me and I'm married to an Executive Chef . . . neither one makes dieting nor exercise easy.  Before I joined SNAP fitness I had surgery on my foot (I have 5 screws between both left and right feet due to bunionectomies).  I'm a full time IT tech for the Wisconsin Army National Guard and it's easy to say "I'm too busy to work out" because there is always plenty to do.  On top of being a soldier and a wife I'm also a mom so work doesn't stop when I get home . . . just like everyone else who has kids.

How I did it . . . I finally said enough is enough . . . I changed my diet (I did not go on a diet but rather changed my eating habits) for the first several months I counted calories to assist me in controlling proper portion sizes of food and started taking time to go to the gym.  I didn't put the weight on overnight nor did I shed it overnight but I started off slowly and pushed myself every step of the way to work harder and longer.

I started out small, working on toning what I already had at the gym and also working on what I needed to pass a military physical training test (Push-Ups, Sit-Ups and Run).  I work out 3 times a week during the week for about an hour each day and I go at least once to the gym on the weekend if not twice.

My husband was also trying to get in better shape so that helped out too.  Once a week we treated ourselves to a not so healthy dinner or dessert.

I discovered I enjoyed running outside more than I did on the treadmill so I incorporated that into my workout routine by running the 1.5 - 1.75 miles (depending on the route I took) to the gym from my house rather than driving it and then doing my workout . . . then I would walk back home . . . until I built up enough strength and energy to start running back as well.  I also started off by doing one round of each of the machines I chose at the gym as well as a set of push-ups and sit-ups and then working up to two rounds.

To this day I still maintain my workout schedule and I have successfully maintained my 40 pound weight loss!

Toby Klusmeyer

I joined Snap Fitness in July 2008. Sarah Foster has been a phenomenal coach for my weight transformation from 235 lbs to 188 lbs! She designed a cardio and resistance exercise plan to help me lose weight, tone-up and increase my metabolism. It wasn't easy and I had challenges overcoming a few plateaus along the way. Sarah suggested that I sign up for her Boot Camp exercise program. I did and she pushed my exercise boundaries to a level that I would not have done otherwise and it made all the difference in the world! Thanks to Sarah, I feel great! My friends and associates make so many comments about how good I look. Sarah is so approachable and takes time with you to answer your questions, show you how to use the equipment and gives you a customized plan to follow so that you can reach your goals. Thanks Sarah!