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I was starting to have a lot of pain issues with my feet & back. All major pain is gone and I am no longer using any pills. My self esteem has gone up plus my balance & range of motion has improved dramatically. The trainers use gentle persuasion & reinforcements and I now have 4 times the energy I had before.

I come to the Janesville Athletic Club five times a week and enjoy the SilverSneaker classes plus use the pool. As far as eating I still enjoy a variety of foods but just eat less. I always feel very welcomed from the entire staff and Gina did a great job with my orientation. Joining the Janesville Athletic Club is the best thing I have done for myself in a long time.

The results I have achieved since joining are fantastic. My mental and physical health have improved greatly and the weight loss is just a pleasant side effect.

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The original goal was to go sky diving with some friends.  Upon further research, I found that there is a weight requirement for skydivers to be below 250 pounds.  This discovery coupled with recent weight related health problems suffered by my parents, spurred me to lose some weight and get into shape.  I set the goal to be below 250 lbs. by late spring of 2008.  Many life style changes were necessary to achieve my goal: including diet, exercise, sleep and alcohol use.  I started by decreasing my trips to fast food restaurants and increasing the amount I would cook at home more. 

I received a free month trial membership at the Janesville Athletic Club in May of 2007 and began a daily workout regimen.  My daily routine at the club included a half hour on the treadmill and soon after I built up my stamina so I could run the better portion of an hour.  After the month trial was over I had made so many changes and advances, losing 10 to 15 pounds during the month time, I decided to get a full time membership.  By the end of the summer I had lost almost 30 lbs. and was well on my way to my goal.  I kept up with my running and incorporated some lifting 4 or 5 days a week. 

I ended up surpassing my goal of weighing less than 250 lbs. in the late fall and am now comfortably around 225 lbs.  I could not of done all of this with out a strong work ethic and a lot of support from the people around me, especially Ellen.

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All my life I've struggled with my weight. From the age of five I was always overweight and it continued on well into my 30's. There were years of being bribed by my parents to lose weight and there was always some reward if I lost a few pounds but I always gained it back. In high school I lost 50 lbs. to get into my cheerleading uniform but that weight and then some came back when I went to college. In 2000 and 2003 I had children and I gained 25 to 30 pounds with each pregnancy, never losing any of it. In January of 2006, I went to the doctor and the scale had hit an all-time high and that's when I decided it was time to make a change. Everyone wants to be thin but I was reminded of all the other health risks associated with being overweight and as I near 40 I think about my children's young ages and how long I need to be around for them. My sister-in-law, Stacy Farrington, has been a member of the Janesville Athletic Club for several years. When I began dieting in January 2006 she encouraged me to join the club but I was rather hesitant because I thought everyone there was skinny and in shape. I was embarrassed to walk in because everyone would be staring at me wondering why I was bothering. Stacy, who became my "Chubby Checker", taught me how to count points for my food, gave me grocery shopping lists and she encouraged me to join the club. I resisted at first and bought some exercise DVD's and equipment for home but I found that I would put it off all day long and never really follow through. In February 2006 I decided to try the Janesville Athletic Club on a guest pass and found that I love it! I have never felt like an outsider or out of place there and I feel like I've made several good friends that have encouraged me throughout my journey. As of April 14, 2006 I have lost 100 pounds and 64 total inches. I have gone from a size 20 to a size 8! It hasn't always been easy and there were several times that I cried to my "Chubby Checker" that I couldn't do it anymore . . . I was SO HUNGRY! Stacy has always encouraged me to keep going, even if I rewarded myself with a bad treat! Coming to the club has become part of my daily routine and I love seeing my new friends and the staff each day. The Janesville Athletic Club has become my home away from home, in a sense . . . . even my kids love coming here!! So, thank you JAC and thank you "Chubby Checker!" I could not have accomplished what I have without you!

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The week before Thanksgiving 2005 I was not feeling well so I went to the emergency room to be checked out and was admitted with congestive heart failure. I left the hospital on oxygen: toting a tank and having a machine in my home. I went to Riverview Clinic to see Dr. Murdy and he suggested a special type of diet and exercise to lose the weight I needed to lose. So March 15, 2006, after another trip to the emergency room, I started a modified liquid protein diet at a weight of 406 lbs.

When I started this diet, I could only walk about 20 feet before getting tired and winded and could not do any of the things I liked to do. But with the help of Dr. Murdy, Connie and the rest of the staff of Riverview's weight management team, The Janesville Athletic Club, exercise and a good deal of will power, I have as of December 29, 2006 lost 164 lbs. The oxygen is gone and many of my medications have been eliminated or cut by more than half. I have lost 20 inches off my waist. I can now walk with ease. I was able to go deer hunting this year and even helped drag a deer out of the woods. I feel like I'm in my twenties again. I may not have a bow-flex body but "I'm feeling much better now".

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The realization I needed to do something about the 270 pounds I was carrying came at a Dr.'s appointment. 40 years of sedentary lifestyle, high fat food foods and a habit of 2 cases of Coca-Cola per week, had branded me a border-line diabetic.

With the support of my husband and 3 teen-age sons, I immediately enrolled in the Healthy Weight Management Program through Mercy Health Systems. From that moment on my lifestyle changed dramatically. With the help of an Exercise Therapist I began taking 1/2 mile walks daily. I always remember the hill by Rotary Gardens. I would actually sit at the bottom of that "beast" and dread the arduous trek and the 4 stops (to catch my breath) it would take me to ascend it. It took about 6 months to work up to walking 7 miles per day with 3 lb. weights in each hand. I still dreaded the hill, but now I only had to stop twice to gasp for air.

Feeling a need and desire to change my routine, my friend Teresa Legreid, who is a member of the Janesville Athletic Club, recommended that I give the club a try. Now, I have to say, this terrified me. How could I work out in front of all those people? They were physically fit and muscular. I was a middle-aged, over-weight novice. I soon found, however, the most amazing support system through the staff and fellow members. The top-notch instructors continually push me to new levels with their encouragement, revved-up routines and cheerful personalities. Their motivation and my determination are the reason that today I weigh 135 lbs. with 72 inches gone.

I have spent almost two years sculpting the "new me". And what a lesson it has taught me! Water has taken the place of pop. High fat foods have been changed to high fiber, lean protein and vegetables. My couch and television have been traded in for what I enjoy most - Step and Power Pump classes! And that hill by Rotary Gardens? Well, now I run up it, wishing it was steeper and longer! Thank you JAC and RAC for the strength, energy and endurance to master another hill!

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As I celebrate two years of a healthy new lifestyle, I'm thrilled to be down 230 pounds! It took a ton of hard work and effort to overhaul my lifestyle and get healthy. Nothing worthwhile is achieved without effort - and the sense of value I've gained in myself (and of course the good health!) is truly priceless - not to mention my positive attitude and self-confidence. I did have the Lap-Band weight loss surgery, but it didn't do the work - I did! As my doctors attribute my success to exercise, I've come to think of the Janesville Athletic Club as a second home. I'm so grateful for the JAC's positive, motivating, encouraging staff, particularly my trainer Beth Klosowski. She's given me WONDERFUL personalized workouts that have helped me with strength training, running, and stability and balance! I have numerous friends, family, and my employer, Verlo Mattress Factory Stores LLC, who have been tremendously supportive.

How is life different for me now? The changes are mind-boggling. As a size 10, I'm a far cry from the size 7X I used to be! I've lost almost 60% of my total body weight and nearly 90% of my excess body weight. I'm on ZERO of the seven medications I used to be on and my blood sugars, blood pressure and cholesterol levels are all normal. My BMI has DROPPED from 68 to about 28. Exercise is something I look forward to and my level of physical fitness amazes me! I feel a sense of contentment that comes from living well and taking good care of myself. I'm learning to live life as a normal person and that is truly FANTASTIC!

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Thirty four years of working a night shift left me very little time for personal health and fitness. My routine was work, sleep, eat and run a few errands with whatever time I had left in the day. This was repeated day after day. My eating and drinking habits at work consisted of drinking a lot of sodas (3 to 4 during a shift) and getting food from the cafeteria to add to what I brought in. Over the years my weight increased way beyond what my 5'6'' frame should carry. Since I have retired, I felt the need to try to reclaim my physical health. I have changed my outlook on what foods to eat. I exercise regularly at JAC and RAC and have joined a support group. In 10 months I have lost 62 pounds. While I have not yet reached my goal weight, it's great to see the changes that have happened to me. Especially being able to fit into clothes I could not wear before and in sizes I haven't worn in years.

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When I got pregnant with my second child I gained 105 lbs. during the pregnancy. I held onto about 90 of those pounds. I started coming to the Janesville Athletic Club when my daughter was about 1 1/2. I use the stairclimber, the elliptical and run outside 2x week for my cardio. I also work out with the free weights and circuit machines. As far as diet goes I try to stick to a low carb lifestyle including lots of green vegetables. I do love sweets so I don't deny myself I just exercise harder on those days.

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Accomplishments:

• Lost 22% of total Body Fat
• Decreased fat mass by 10 pounds
• Increased lean mass by 11 pounds
• Went from an overall poor fitness level to a fit level

How I Did It:

• Personal training with Sue Dooley-Conaway once per week
• Power Pump Class once per week
• 30 minutes of cardio 3 times per week
• Followed APEX nutrition plan

I have gone from being barely able to lift a 5 pound dumbbell to being able to leg press 190 pounds! The combination of personal training and the APEX individualized nutrition program is unbeatable.

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