Below you will find a story about Amanda’s experience and how hard she worked extremely hard to accomplish her goals.

For a years I struggled to manage my weight. I am a 35 yr old nurse and mother of 3 active kids. I always considered myself as healthy and active. Excuses! I had them all. “There’s no time to go to the gym”, “It cost too much”, “I’m doing the best that I can”, “I don’t fit in at a gym- I’m too out of shape” the list was endless.  And for years I had said them all. After all, I know what I need to do, I just couldn’t get it all together, at least that’s what I let myself believe.  

I had friends who would go to the gym, and they all made great changes, and I thought I will just give it a try. I’ll get a 1-month pass and see. That was March 2015.  I joined a group of friends at Raw Fit. That first day (month) was humbling. I was completely out of shape. Every workout felt impossible, but I was committed for that first month. I continued to try to find excuses, why I could be elsewhere, but the truth was, I was amazed and attracted to the encouraging and supportive atmosphere. How was it that strangers could be so invested in everyone’s victories?  It truly is a warm family feeling.   

I attended Leah’s classes at least 3 times a week, I tried to eat well and make healthy choices. Within a short period of time I started to feel great.  I lost a bit of weight but did notice that I was able to do more. The more I did, the more I wanted to do. And it felt great. The struggles though remained. There was a lot of sweat, but there was also a lot of tears. “How could I be doing everything right, but not see any changes”? The truth was harsh but in front of my nose all along, and thanks to Leah, she helped me see it. My diet was my biggest struggle. Learning to eat properly changed everything.  I learned to understand food, and how it affects me. I have a new love for food,  

I learned how food fuels my body. I also created goals. Big ones! Ones that would drive me to succeed! I wanted to make an impact. After 1 year of attending the gym and dropping 15 pounds I really started to regain focus. With Leah’s help I trained and completed my first half marathon. I committed to making this change a success. I went to the gym regularly, and I always try to push myself a little more each time. I added cardio to my workout, and combined with the workouts and diet, I dropped another 25 pounds for a total of 40 lbs in one and a half years. I feel great, and I am full of energy.  More importantly along my journey I learned to understand my body and love myself.  

Joining Raw Fit has given me a new found feeling of self-confidence. I have met the greatest people. It has become another part of my family. My children have also expressed interest in healthy eating and understand the importance of exercise to maintain a healthy well-balanced lifestyle. Instead of my family being my excuse, they have embraced it, and are a huge reason why I keep going back.  Finally making time for “me” has changed everything and it keeps getting better.

-Amanda

Above is Amanda’s before and after photo.

May 2015 & September 2016

*Come on into Raw Fit for fun and challenging workouts that will help you reach your potential. All you have to do is take the step and walk through our doors.*