RENA // Regaining my confidence

“Where did my confidence go?” is what I used to ask myself every day before I decided to make a change.

Confidence was something I lost a few years ago. I used to be the type of person that would actively exercise every day for stress relief, but as life moved forward, it became more and more challenging to maintain that habit. Instead of making sure my health came first, I began eating unhealthily. I would have at most two meals a day, if I was lucky. It was difficult for me to eat meals every day, and when I did eat, I always ate more than I should. Developing this bad habit eventually caught up with me and I started gaining weight. When I started to gain weight, that’s when I noticed how low my self esteem was. I hit a low point in my life where I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror. It was a difficult time trying to figure out what direction I wanted my life to go and how I wanted to move forward. I tried to do my own research to try and lose weight but I felt very overwhelmed. As a commuter student AND working at my job over 20 hours a week, I couldn’t figure out what was best for me or how to properly meal prep.

Instead of making sure my health came first, I began eating unhealthily. […] this bad habit eventually caught up with me and I started gaining weight. I hit a low point in my life where I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror.

I wanted to gain my confidence back and feel better about myself, and that’s when I came across Imago Fitness. I was browsing through Instagram when I saw a transformation image. I was blown away with how much this person lost, and that maybe I should see how their gym was. I knew I had to make a change for myself in order to gain back my confidence and I was hoping this gym could help me achieve my goals. I didn’t want to just be skinny, I wanted to lose weight to make myself more confident again. At first, I was discouraged and nervous about going in and speaking to someone about my insecurities, but I wanted to make a change.

When I entered the program, it was mentally and physically straining. I’ve had plantar fasciitis for 4 years and had issues with my right knee. At the beginning of the program, I was struggling to do the workouts because of my feet and knee, but as I kept progressing, my body started to feel better. My plantar fasciitis was finally going away and my knee wasn’t aching so much. I couldn’t believe it! I thought I would just be happy knowing I lost 5 pounds, but I surpassed that goal and started to gain my confidence back.

My Imago journey was emotional for me. I started to learn aspects of myself that I wasn’t aware of before. There were times when I had small setbacks, but I persevered. I never realized what I was capable of until I entered this program. I was able to learn how to prep meals to my taste, get back into exercising, and eating 3 meals a day.

I started to learn aspects of myself that I wasn’t aware of before. […] I never realized what I was capable of until I entered this program.

When the program ended, I couldn’t believe my results! Even losing just a small amount of weight gave me more confidence in myself. The choice to join Imago was the best choice I’ve made in 2018!

RENA

OVERALL INCHES LOST: 10"

MAE // Post transformation update!

Transformation 2016

Post Transformation 2018

Since her last transformation, Mae continued to incorporate the tools she learned from her Imago Coach into her daily life and continued to challenge herself by signing up for other running races. It all started because her husband challenged her to run a 5K after she told him she was getting stronger since starting her fitness transformation program. It was her first time in years that she completed a 5K without stopping at a 10:13 min/mi pace. In 2017, she completed several running races with distances she previously would have never attempted to run such as completing her first Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon and becoming a Spartan Trifecta Finisher. Today, she continues to sign up for races in hopes to beat her run times from all the races she completed last year. So far Mae has PR’d (personal record) in every single race she has completed with a PR of 8:46 pace for a 1 mile, 9:31 pace for a 5K, and a 9:55 pace for a 10K – All under 10 min/mi paces which she thought would never happen. IMPRESSIVE!

How has this working mother of two maintained her fitness?

·       #1 Through the support of my husband. His fitness journey has been inspiring and fitness is something we commonly share and enjoy together. Staying healthy for our children is our #1 motivator as we both want to live as long as possible to witness every important milestone of our children’s lives.

·       #2 When not on program I frequently prep the meals I learned while on program. I don’t strictly follow the plan, but it helps me gauge the amount of calories I’m putting into my body which helps me maintain my weight. When I fall off the fitness wagon, I bounce back by following the 10-day meal plans. Meal prepping helps with staying on track, prevents me from eating out all the time and it saves money. I also use the MyFitnessPal app to track my daily calorie intake. 

·       #3 I incorporate the tools I learned from IMAGO when it comes to exercise in my daily routine such as fasted cardio and lifting weights. Lifting continues to shape my body, has helped tremendously with the obstacles during the Spartan Races and has reduced my body fat % -- which is my new obsession.

I also continue to stay connected with the IMAGO family and their positive energy motivates me to attain my fitness goals.

Why Goal Setting Is Important?

·       For me, setting goals helps me get to the next level. Tracking my progress helps me understand what I need to do to accomplish the goal in hand and it is THE best feeling ever when the goal is attained. Throughout my fitness journey, I've accomplished many goals that I thought I would never have the endurance to complete. Crossing the finish line in all my races helped me build confidence in not only accomplishing other fitness challenges, but also challenges within my career. My can-do attitude has substantially increased and I've gained the confidence to conquer anything I set my mind to.

Mae’s Future Goals

·       Run the Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon in October this time without stopping (I cramped up last year. My ultimate goal of the year is to PR this race.)

·       Complete another Spartan Trifecta before end of the year.

·       Maintain a low fat %

VICKY // Healthy and Fit

From childhood through college, I was always somewhere in the middle with physical fitness. I was coordinated, but not athletic. Up, but not active. Relatively thin, but not strong.

In high school and college, it hadn’t bothered me; I was decently active just by doing the bare minimum. But strength and good health became really top of mind for me after I graduated from school.

Diabetes runs strong in my family, and after a series of major family health issues that culminated in my grandmother’s death early last year, I was suddenly confronted with how little effort I had put into taking care of my body. I bought myself a scale, and was shocked to see that I had gained almost 30 lbs after graduation, due to laziness, emotional eating, and poor self care. I finally admitted to myself that I was weak--I got fatigued walking up the stairs, and took weeks to fully recover from a small cold. People around me always thought that I “must be in shape,” because I play taiko (Japanese drums), which involves a lot of movement. Little did everyone know that behind closed doors, I was the heaviest I’d ever been, I didn’t fit into my clothes, and I was more self-conscious about my body and energy levels than ever before.

Diabetes runs strong in my family, and after [...]my grandmother’s death early last year, I was suddenly confronted with how little effort I had put into taking care of my body [...] I had gained almost 30 lbs after graduation...People around me always thought that I “must be in shape,” because I play taiko (Japanese drums), [...] behind closed doors, I was the heaviest I’d ever been.

I wish I could say there was a definitive moment when I knew I would have to make a change, but there wasn’t. Instead, I had a good friend, Kelli, who had gone through a fitness transformation of her own with Imago. She regularly encouraged me to think more about my health, and made fitness seem more approachable. Seeing her dramatic progress in weight loss, nutrition, and overall spirit made me think again about my life’s priorities. I decided at the end of 2017 that it’s never too soon to take a chance on something. I set up an appointment with Imago.

When I came in for my first session with Sarah, I remember barely being able to lift 8 lbs with each arm, even after years of beating on giant drums. It was a reminder of the shame and imposter syndrome I felt about my strength. I also struggled with getting up early for cardio, sleeping through a ton of my alarms when I first started. And when it came to social gatherings and meals, I had a hard time with self-discipline.

But Sarah encouraged me to keep trying even when I wasn’t able to execute perfectly at the beginning, and she and Kelli didn’t let me make excuses for myself. Over time, things became easier and more routine, with additional support from my friends, relatives, and new Imago family. I met others at the gym who had gone through similar struggles, who are still learning every day, and who are such strong examples of the positive opportunities that appear in our lives when we are happy, healthy, and determined to take good care of ourselves.

Somehow, it’s only been a few months since that first personal training session. Today, my clothes fit better, I feel lighter on my feet, and I end each day feeling balanced instead of exhausted. Amazingly, I also now:

• Lift weights. Past Me would never have had any idea how to do that, and wouldn’t even have tried it. This week, I did a weight workout by myself, and the 8-lb weight felt like nothing! It’s so motivating to be able to see my own progress, and the Imago family is always there to celebrate it with me.

• Wake up early for fasted cardio. It’s possible, y’all - this chronic night owl transformed into a morning person, through the supportive/persistent nagging of the world’s best gym buddy, Kelli, and trainer, Sarah! Kelli and I now share a workout schedule on Google Calendar, and we plan out our workouts a week in advance. I’m so amazed at myself--who even am I?!

• Cook my own meals. Another shocking change! I’ve avoided the kitchen my entire adult life; I was always that person who would sooner DoorDash dinner and wait 40 minutes for junk food delivery than break out a cooking pan. I grew up surrounded by amazing cooks. Imago’s transformation program helped me realize that this whole time, I was insecure about my pathetic culinary skills in comparison, which is why I avoided cooking altogether. Today, I make my own meals and choose my ingredients carefully, and I have learned to have a lot of fun with it. My dishes aren’t the prettiest creations, but I am determined to take baby steps. My mom is ecstatic :)

I used to read this blog myself, and think that all of these testimonials were coming from people who are inherently different than me, more disciplined than me, or have more time than me. I know it sounds cliche, but I really, truly believe that if I could do it, anyone can.

I never thought I’d be here, writing about my successful transformation journey on a fitness blog. I used to read this blog myself, and think that all of these testimonials were coming from people who are inherently different than me, more disciplined than me, or have more time than me. I know it sounds cliche, but I really, truly believe that if I could do it, anyone can. And let me tell you: it feels amazing to be able to see your little muscles grow, and feel fantastic in your own skin. I am so thankful for Imago, and all the beautiful people I’ve met here. I am so excited to continue my fitness journey, and can’t wait to see how I progress with each new day!

VICKY

OVERALL INCHES LOST: 11.75"

KELLI // "How do I start?"

“How do I start?”

That was the question I asked myself a year ago. How do I start taking care of myself? How do I start making myself feel better? How do I change?

I’ve always struggled with my weight. When I was younger, I was always the bigger one of my friends despite an active swimming and waterpolo regimine. I learned to ignore it.

My weight got worse when I went to college. I would occasionally work out while regularly eating out with friends and indulging in all the food college kids eat. However, my weight really got out of control during a very stressful graduate school stint that I wasn’t ready for, and that’s when I realized: I was 25 and over 200 lbs. I needed to be more mindful.

For years, I tried eating less, cutting carbs, zumba, running, swimming, really the list is exhaustive. For my wedding at 27 - I basically stopped eating for 3 months to fit into my dress. I lost 15 lbs, but gained it immediately back by the end of the honeymoon. For another two years I would yo-yo back and forth, losing 10 lbs, gaining 9 lbs back. At some point, my doctors diagnosed me with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which made it difficult for me to lose weight. I used that as an excuse for another year for why I wasn’t seeing any progress.

Finally in March 2017, I literally didn’t fit into any of my clothing. I had heard about weight loss transformations and did research for a few months as I hemmed and hawed at the commitment, time and money. I felt it was a huge investment, and like all my other attempts, would probably fail spectacularly.

I managed to lose some weight though medication and stricter diet. Then I found Imago Fitness through a random exercise class Groupon and, like a creepy stalker, read EVERY SINGLE TESTIMONIAL on their site. I kept going to this class and kept seeing the girls I had read about. Kashana, for example, is a real person, and she looked even better in person than she did in her pictures. I made an appointment with Coach Huong and had a nerve-wracking sit down to talk about starting my weight loss journey.

She explained that the program consisted of a regimented meal plan, cardio, and weightlifting. I immediately was like, “No Weight Lifting.” I was already really muscular, and I didn’t want to get any bigger. It was also super intimidating since I hadn’t lifted weights since high school and really had no idea how certain things worked. She gave me this slow half smile and calmly told me that she would be with me every step of the way, that I wasn’t on my own, and to just wait and see.

BOY WAS SHE RIGHT.

In 12 weeks, I learned to meal prep healthy, filling food. I learned to make better choices when eating out. I’ve learned how to weight lift properly and am still expanding my knowledge. I learned about the importance of cardio, both fasted and non-fasted. I learned more about myself and how to manage my feelings about food. During a recent stress craving, I found myself snacking on hummus and pita bread when before I would have ordered a burrito or pizza.

More importantly, I learned that I’m not in this alone.

I learned more about myself and how to manage my feelings about food. More importantly, I learned that I’m not in this alone.

The team at Imago is really priceless. Coach is completely steadfast in her partnership with you. Sarah is constantly pushing you to challenge yourself while being your endless cheerleader. All the girls are supportive, helpful and always willing to help you figure out an exercise or tell you the best place to buy a Chanel purse. Every single one of them has given me encouragement at some point in my journey. It really is a community, not just a gym. I also roped in my friend Vicky, who joined Imago earlier this year, so it’s even more awesome to have her as a part of this wonderful family. Read about her journey as well.

My first transformation, I lost 21 lbs with Imago and 16 inches from my body. I can proudly add that 15 lbs I had lost prior to joining Imago for a total weight loss of -36 lbs over the course of one year. I’ve also managed to keep off any extra weight and I’m not done yet. I’m currently in my second program with Imago to help me reach my next goal!

I feel and see my body changing. I feel stronger. I feel healthier. I feel much more able to take on the challenge of my health.

I feel and see my body changing. I feel stronger. I feel healthier. I feel much more able to take on the challenge of my health.

So the answer to my question: “How do I start?”

IMAGO FITNESS.
 

ARPITA // Small changes make a huge difference!

I have always been the type of person who never thought about what I have been eating or whether I am exercising enough to be healthy. I have never been super skinny, but also never been overweight. However, after I came to the US 3 years ago, I knew I was getting heavier. Until last year I could have cared less about this, but when I visited my doctor a sudden realization hit me that I was on the verge of being in the “obese” category! Since then I tried reducing in my own ways, going to the gym every morning, trying to eat less than usual but I never lost a pound.

My best friend joined Imago Fitness Studio, and she encouraged me to join the program alongside her. I learned about the meal plans and the exercise routine and thought of giving it a shot, but honestly, I did not know if it was going to work as I have never been that disciplined with exercise and food habits :D I was excited about the change!

The change was particularly difficult for me because the company I work for provides breakfast, lunch, snacks, and food everywhere! And yes, most of the office figured out that I am on a meal plan because why would you not eat the free food and rather bring something from home! I am a busy individual, so my meal plan was customized for me so I ate things like a simple sandwich, stir-fry noodles, etc. I also remember telling Sarah about my tiny achievements at work like, "There were donuts for breakfast at work, and I did not have any!" or “I got a standing desk arranged in my cube :D" I was so proud of myself for making these changes :D

At first, I did not notice the difference that this made, but every Saturday weigh-in made me realize that all these small habits were moving the scale, and I didn't give up. Joining the program with your best buddy helps with motivating each other, like getting workouts and cardio in for the week!

After completing the program, I am 17 pounds down and it feels awesome! I can tell an immense difference in my strength and stamina. I tend to choose towards outdoor activities more than staying indoors, which was not the case before I joined Imago. I have received so many compliments for the weight loss and that adds to my joy :D

I feel so lucky to have come across Imago Fitness Studio which has made a huge difference in my life.. and thanks to Sarah and Coach! Now I know my options for meal and exercise to stay healthy!! <3

Arpita

OVERALL WEIGHT LOST: 17 LBS