“Just look at that picture! Down 120 pounds in just 9 months! All of this started because the doctor told me I had Type-2 Diabetes due to my A1C blood test being at the extreme end of 11. I knew I had to change my lifestyle, which meant eating properly and starting to exercise. I had always considered working out, but now I had no choice. I was a 400-pound man who was intimidated and embarrassed by the prospect of going to a gym. I used Google as my research tool. I liked the professional appearance of Me First Fitness, the intimacy of a smaller gym and the appeal of the Instagram pictures of its people and classes. That is what I needed, to be in a group environment, not having to do it by myself. After the initial consultation and doctors note—to ensure that I would not die instantly from the exercise—I started my personal training with Mark. He tested me with different exercises to see what I could actually do. Let me tell you, there is a difference between what you think you can do and what you can actually do. There were machines that I could not fit in, being so large, but over time I was not only able to fit in, I was actually able to complete the exercises properly.
Mark knows my limits and knows how to challenge me every time I attend. He knew I wanted to start attending the Bootcamp classes while doing the PT sessions and he recommended certain classes that I might enjoy. The trainers are so helpful in the Bootcamp classes as they show me how to modify the exercises, all the while making me feel welcome. I was the quiet guy in the back of the class, but there is such a sense of community in the gym that the other members made me feel welcome and I started to talk to people and get to know them.
Now, after 9 months, my blood sugar level is below 5.9 which is now in the pre-diabetes state. My strength and endurance have also increased, and the pain in my knees has greatly reduced since the weight loss. Attending classes and personal training at Me First Fitness is now a lifestyle for me, where I enjoy going to the gym. It is a time for me to just decompress from work or other daily tasks and stressors. Mark is a non-judgmental person and always has his clients’ best interests at heart, and I am lucky to have found him as a coach. We make a great team!”