This is a long review, so I'm going to do a quick bullet point summary, then you can continue…read morereading if you're interested.
Starting goal:
- [ ] reverse the weight gain process , be able to get off the floor easily , start the weight loss process (60lbs) , not embarrass myself at the gym , gain strength and confidence
One month results:
- [ ] 10 pounds down , healthy diet , getting off the floor just fine , can actually lift weights (couldn't at start) ‼, not embarrassed to go to the gym , feeling so much better about myself !!!
Unexpected benefits:
- [ ] greater knowledge of myself, more energy, no pain, and I *enjoy* workouts!
Recommendation:
- [ ] This guy is phenomenal !!! Call him up and schedule an assessment today ; you'll be so grateful that you did!
Now for the extended version...
Hands down, this guy is THE BEST personal trainer I've ever had the pleasure of working with! His encyclopedic knowledge, combined with an engaging, easy to follow teaching style, and his own custom, fully-outfitted, conveniently located gym, make training sessions something I genuinely look forward to twice a week. And I am the type of person that use to avoid workouts at all costs. Just so you can understand how incredible this is, let me give you a bit of my backstory...
About a year ago...
A demanding, low movement job, combined with being a single mom to 4 kids, and a significant number of life stressors already meant that I constantly had to watch my weight. I managed it though, mostly by dancing 3 times a week and walking for a couple of hours most nights a week. THEN COVID HIT. At first I was okay without the dancing, but then came a family emergency... and the walks had to stop too. In spite of all my efforts, my weight crept up. And up. And up.
A month ago...
I was fast approaching my heaviest weight ever. Now, I've struggled with my weight my entire life, so I knew what I had to do. But it just wasn't working. I was in a deep downward spiral, and I couldn't get out. I started to get depressed. I had received a gym membership for Christmas, but I didn't really know what I was doing, and the embarrassment kept me from doing anything effective. I was disgusted with myself and wanted to quit going (and would have, if it hadn't been a gift.) Then my boyfriend told me I should try his personal trainer.
Nathan "Nate" Stowe did my physical evaluation to determine what I could handle. Based on that, he designed a personalized workout just for me - taking into account my preferences, old injuries, life situation and current ability level. I'm not going to lie... the first workout, it took me an hour to make it through the warm up. Just. The. Warm up. I would have been embarrassed, but Nate was so calm and knowledgeable- explaining the process at every turn, honestly telling me how long it would realistically take to reach my goal, providing a nutritional program to complement the workouts... and by the next week, I was already doing better.
Now...
A month in, I've lost ten pounds, gained *so* much strength, and most importantly, regained the confidence that I will get back into shape in time for the end of Covid, so I can go dancing again. And, I look forward to my workouts, knowing that Nate will give me *exactly* what I need with his magical and mathematical ability to determine precisely what I can do every time - without pain, without injury, and without wanting to give up! His approach to exercise - keeping the body safe and functional for a long, happy and mobile life - is fully backed by science, knowledge, and years of experience. His gym is socially distanced, safe, and non-threatening. The people who go there have a sense of family in a way I've never felt at a big box gym. I've never experienced a single moment of discomfort there.
In my experience...
Nate under-promises and over-delivers on results. He offers a wide range of services, including remote workouts, as well as nutrition plans. Most importantly, he follows up with me at exactly the level I need - always laid-back, never pushy, never bossy. He texts to see how I'm doing with exactly the right frequency. Often with personal trainers, I constantly feel their urgency to book the appointment because they need to keep their business going. I never fault them - it's a tough business to make money in - but the guilt was always in my mind, pushing me to book an appointment I couldn't afford... or just quit. With Nate, I've never once felt that he is in this just for the money. He really cares about his clients. When I told him I needed to take some time to get my finances back in order, he sent me all the information I would need to continue working out on my own - no pressure at all. You better believe that I'll be going back too!