Author: Lana Arcinas

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 😀 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 😀

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 😀

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!! ❤

Arpita

OVERALL WEIGHT LOST: 17 LBS

Four months ago, if I asked my “former” self the following questions, it would go something like this:

• Could you make the changes needed to lose over 20 lbs.? “No, I don’t have the discipline.”
• Would lifting weights be something you would even try? “Nope, I’m not even remotely athletic or interested in doing anything which involves sweating.”
• Does exercising everyday sound even possible? “EVERYDAY?  Who has time?”
• Do you dream of going down from a size 14 to a size 8?  “Nope, not even in my dreams! Ha!”
• Could you ever be the weight you were in your early 20s, before you had kids?  “I’m 50 yrs. old, that was a lifetime and 2 kids ago. Definitely not happening.”

Now, I’m generally a pretty positive person, but when it came to my health/appearance/body, I had just come to accept that I’m middle aged, and getting healthy and strong was just too hard for me.

My “turning point” came when I returned from a European vacation not able to keep up with all the walking.  I was miserable and tired the entire time.  I realized that the way I was living – what I ate, the lack of exercise, working too much – all of that was literally “killing” me.  I needed to make a drastic change.  I needed help.

I prayed about it, and remembered Sarah from church.  She told me her story about her transformation and how she’s living healthily and so much happier, so I reached out to her.  She told me about Imago’s transformation program.

The past 4 months at Imago have been absolutely wonderful.  There is no magic pill or potion.  The program involves changing your diet, exercising, and lifting weights – and a lot of hard work!  Coach Huong and Sarah provided all the guidance, support, and encouragement I needed to make changes.  

1. First was meal planning and portion control.  I stuck with the meal plans, and never felt starved.  Coach would incorporate suggestions I made for any flavors I was craving – Mexican, Thai, Japanese.  I learned to prepare meals in advance and store them in single serving portions.  This greatly ensured I always had a healthy meal to eat, and would not just grab whatever was convenient.  
2. Second was incorporating exercise into my schedule.  I learned to wake up at 5am every morning to workout.  I’m not a morning person! But now I look forward to my workouts because when I’m done, I feel I’ve accomplished something right at the start of my day – it sets the tone for being productive the rest of my day.
3. Third was not being afraid of lifting weights.  The personal training sessions really taught and showed me how strong I could be.  Sarah and Coach showed me proper technique so I wouldn’t get hurt.   They also encouraged and pushed me past what I thought I was capable of – I trusted their expertise and was pleased with how my body got toned, and my “shape” actually changed!  I always thought my body shape was “out of my control”.  Some people just got the genes to have a better shape.  But lifting weights opened my eyes to see you can literally change your shape.  Whoa!  What a revelation!

With these changes, I saw results every week during my weigh ins.  When you follow the program, you see results!

Now that I’ve completed the transformation program, I couldn’t be happier!  Coach and Sarah were the answer to my prayers!  I’m literally in the best shape of my life… all 50 years of it.  Even when I was young, I never felt as strong or disciplined.  With what I’ve learned from being at Imago, I am equipped to continue healthy living for the rest of my life.  Here are the lifestyle lessons learned:

• You can still enjoy food, going out, parties – you don’t need to starve yourself.  Just eat appropriate size portions and make healthy choices.
• Keep moving with something you can maintain and enjoy.  For me it’s exercising on the treadmill with my favorite playlist.
• Keep challenging body – incorporate new moves or use different weights.
• Healthy living lowers my risk for heart issues, diabetes, hypertension, and knee problems which all run in my family.
• Most importantly, IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO MAKE A CHANGE!  Four months is such a small amount of time to make a permanent change in your body and life, no matter your age!

Tracy

OVERALL INCHES LOST: 16.75″

OVERALL WEIGHT LOST: 21.8 LBS

I’ve always struggled with my body shape and weight, I never felt comfortable in my own skin. In 2016, I had a particularly tough year at work and began eating everything in sight. I used food for every situation: stress, anger, sadness, and as a reward. I felt like I “deserved” to put unhealthy foods into my body, but these foods never made me feel happy. 

My weight slowly creeped up to numbers higher than I had ever seen before while I tried to ignore my pants growing tighter and tighter. I told myself it was okay that I unbuttoned my jeans as soon as I got in the car after work or that I had to peel them off once I got home. I tried making better choices in my diet and occasionally taking a spin class, but I wasn’t seeing any results. I finally gave in and bought the next size up in jeans. That was the day I realized I needed to make a big change in my life. 

I tried making better choices in my diet and occasionally taking a spin class, but I wasn’t seeing any results. I finally gave in and bought the next size up in jeans. That was the day I realized I needed to make a big change in my life. 

I had heard about Imago Fitness Studio from one of my spin instructors, but I was always too scared to pull the trigger and sign up. I saw all these ladies’ amazing results on the blog, but I was worried that I’d fail like I had so many times before. I never imagined that I’d end up a success and would be sharing my own story on here. 

When I first joined Imago, it was a huge adjustment. I went from hardly ever cooking and always ordering the unhealthiest item on a restaurant menu to meal prepping all my meals 7 days a week! It was hard to say “no” to food in social situations but I’d just order an iced tea and no one was phased. 

To me, there are two things that make Imago really special – the community and the customization. 

Community: When I first started my program, Coach Huong and Sarah told me that I was joining a family, but I felt like such a newbie that didn’t fit in around all these strong women. Little did I know that these women would be the ones I cried to when I was going through personal drama and asking for advice on how to perform certain lifts. Honestly, I can’t wait to get into the studio to see these ladies and they keep me accountable and excited to keep pushing. 

Customization: Your transformation program will be totally customized for YOU. My trainer, Sarah, noticed that I had a weak core and needed to strengthen other areas, so she is working with me to build it up during my 12-week program and beyond. Sarah and Coach Huong will work with you to target the areas that you need. The same goes for the diet plan: don’t like kombucha? – they won’t put it in your plan again (I’ve learned to love it though!) Traveling? No problem! Imago will work with you to adjust your plan.

I first walked into the doors of the studio feeling my absolute worst – stressed with work, hating my body, and just feeling bad about myself all around. Thanks to Imago Fitness, 12 short weeks later, I walk into the studio feeling strong, healthy, happy to see my Imago network of friends, and with a new job! I can’t wait to continue this fitness journey and to see where the next 12 weeks take me. 

Thanks to Imago Fitness, 12 short weeks later, I walk into the studio feeling strong, healthy, happy to see my Imago network of friends, and with a new job!

A huge thank you to all the Imago babes who supported me through the start of my journey! ❤

Jen Z

OVERALL INCHES LOST: 10″

OVERALL WEIGHT LOST: 17 LBS