Member Name: Lauren Bridges
I have lost 62 lbs. and went from a Size 18 to a Size 4.
About 18 months ago, I went to the doctor and when the nurse weighed me, I just felt sick. I made a decision right then - I was fed up being overweight, and it was time to do something about it. I saw on the news that only 5% of the people who set a goal to lose weight actually achieved their goal, but of the 5%, all of them wrote their goals out on paper. So I set a goal and wrote it out on paper, as well as what I planned to change to accomplish that goal. I started working out with more intensity, began cutting back portions, creating a life-style change rather than going on a "diet". The Janesville Athletic Club has been such a tremendous help! They have supplied a wonderful variety of options that has kept me from getting bored and tired of what I need to do, as well as what I needed to go to the next level. I started weight training, even meeting with a personal trainer, and started going to power pump classes. Meeting with the personal trainer and attending power pump really paid off in helping me create muscle tone all over, which helped burn more body fat and made me smaller at a much faster rate as the muscle pulled everything in. I stayed consistent and steady both in my exercise and eating, and the weight came off. I have now met my goal - I have lost 62 lbs. and I have gone from a size 18 to a size 4! It feels wonderful, but I am even more excited that because I made permanent changes, it will not be a challenge to keep it off - I just need to keep doing what I've been doing.
Member Name: Gary Rau Age 63
Gary has been a JAC member for over 25 Years!
I have been a lifelong believer in physical fitness and wellness. It is my belief that maintaining a high level of fitness is a reflection upon our personal pride and enhances how we see and view ourselves. Furthermore, researchers constantly remind us that the aging process takes a physical toll. As we age, our muscle tone and skeleton degenerate. Aerobic training and weight work diminishes or at least, slows the deterioration of our bodies as we grow older. I enjoy the Janesville Athletic Club for a number of reasons. Being a member serves as a motivation to get to the "Club" and work out. Also, there is a great deal of camaraderie that develops with regular attendance. I've met and befriended other members . . . young and old. The "Club" has exceptional facilities that include the outdoor pool for summer enjoyment. I utilize the "Club" facilities 4 or 5 days per week. Frequently I'd visit the indoor pool in the winter on cold Sunday afternoons with my grandchildren. During the summer, the outdoor pool is attractive for use with the grandchildren or to just soak up the sun and relax. I soon hope to add pickleball to my itinerary. It attracts more and more players and would provide a social/fitness activity.
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Member Name: Doreen Nagy
I have lost 25 lbs. and 14% body fat and went from a
Size 12 to a Size 6.
Growing up, I've always had weight issues. My sweet tooth and love of greasy food continuously prevented me from keeping active and losing weight. By 5th grade(age 11) I weighed 145 lbs. and by 10th grade(age 15) I was past 200 lbs. At this point, I was determined to stop the destructive eating habits and start to exercise. I dropped my daily calorie intake and cut out(most) sweets. By age 21, prior to joining the gym(JAC/JACX), I managed to get my weight down to 155 lbs. on my own. However, I was at a point where I hit a plateau. So I decided to join the Janesville Athletic Club. Many fellow teachers recommended it. Since joining in May 2010, I have successfully lost another 25 lbs. and 14% body fat. I am thankful to all the JAC/JACX group instructors for helping me reach my goals.
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Member Name: David Lobbins
"I have lost 65 lbs. went from size 38 down to a size 30"
I went to my doctor for a physical, he told me my cholesterol was high and I needed to lose weight. He also said if I didn't lower both my cholesterol and weight I would have to go on cholesterol medicine. I was to come back at a later date for another check. That was a good incentive. I stepped up my exercise and cut my food portions in half and started to eat slower. I began to lose weight and joined the Janesville Athletic Club to make use of their equipment. I started working out with weights for muscle tone and for cardio I did fast walking and running on the treadmill. I also made use of the pool for lap swimming. I was able to lose 65 pounds and have kept it off. When I went back to my doctor, my cholesterol had dropped to a normal level. As an added bonus, my wife is exercising now too and enjoys the classes that are offered. We both feel better and are glad we became members.
Member Name: Edward Gallagher
"I have lost 84 lbs. and went from a size 42 down to a size 34"
In January 2008, I weighed 244 lbs. I injured my lower back lifting computer parts. I had a herniated disc in my lower back. I love to play tennis, so my physical therapist said the best way to get playing again would be to lose weight and strengthen my core. I started slowly, going to the SilverSneakers classes. I also used the treadmills and weights. I'm now doing Power Pump, Yoga, PiYo and running on the treadmill. I combined exercise with eating healthy and I've lost 84 pounds. I feel great and I'm back playing tennis.
Member Name: Amanda King
"I have lost over 50 lbs. and went from a size 15 to a size 4"
One thing that I used to always say about myself was that I was big boned so I would never be small no matter how much exercise or dieting I did. I was wrong. From the beginning of my adult life the only curls I did were 12 oz. at the most and the occasional 40 oz. Whoa! I partied, worked and slept. Even until a year ago I was still going out and binge drinking up to 3 times a week. I started to get sick and had trouble keeping food in my body. I found out I had to have my gall bladder removed. My doctor says that would have happened regardless, but I have to think that the years of fast food and fast living really made it go south quick. At my heaviest I weighed 177 lbs. I went down to 161 after the gall bladder made me so sick. One of my friends noticed my weight loss and thought I looked great. I didn't feel great but it made me think. If I could do this without trying, imagine what I could accomplish with a little effort. A co-worker and friend of mine, Vikki Stanton, was always saying nice things about the Janesville Athletic Club and all the fun classes she was taking. Vikki had more energy than the rest of us and it started to click with me that it was because she was active. She gave me a few guest passes and I used them. She told me that because of my age I could see results fast, as long as I stayed dedicated; the most important factor! I did and decided to join. When I started working out my size 15 pants were getting snug and I knew that was my limit. I have watched my size dwindle. I remember putting on a pair of size 10 pants and they were loose. It was a wonderful day and I'll always remember it. Recently, I was shopping for pants and a size 4 was a little loose. I was able to fit into a size 2. I never would have thought it would be me buying a size 2 pair of pants. My husband tells me all the time how small I am and how proud he is of me. I've never felt more accomplished and proud. I now eat well and stay away from those 12 oz. curls! Instead, I can curl anywhere from 12.5 - 20 lbs. and can hold a plank for a minute. I know that the sky is the limit and I will only get stronger. My shoulders can handle a lot more these days; literally and figuratively.
Member Name: Emilee Nicholson
"I have lost 30 lbs. and went from a size 9 to a size 5"
For the past four years I have had restaurant jobs where I'd overeat and sit down jobs where I'd get no exercise and still overeat. My biggest vice was beer. The amount of beer I would drink and the food I would eat, put pounds on me quickly.
Step 1: Completely cut out beer and kept other alcoholic beverages minimal.
Step 2: I starting eating breakfast; usually Special K and only ate the 3/4 cup serving size. For Lunch I would eat a 3 oz. can of tuna and yogurt. For Dinner I would make a chicken breast & veggies. For the first couple of weeks I kept a journal of foods eaten and the amount of calories. After a while I kept a mental journal.
Step 3: Cardio, cardio, cardio! I started running 30 mins. a day at least 3 days a week. After 2 weeks I added strength training; I alternate days for upper body and lower body. I was losing about 5 lbs. a week until my recent weight. I am not as strict with my food but still stick to minimal alcohol, no beer and just as much exercise.
I get compliments everyday because there is a huge difference since this past July. I am not done yet. I want to tone all over and I'm hoping for a six pack.
Member Name: Jim Fisher
"I have lost 26 lbs. and went from a size 42 to a size 38"
I suffered a neck injury
I spent almost 3 years confined to my chair. My last surgery fused from #3 to #7 cervical. I was still having acute pain so they installed a morphine pump.
With the pump in place I was able to start water walking. Water walking has improved my overall physical and mental health.
Member/Employee Name: Penny Mepham
"I have lost 40 lbs. and went from a size 16/18 to a size 8"
I've always had a weight problem and after my high school years got into taking aerobic classes and a little strength training. I did succeed in dropping some weight but always had a hard time keeping it off. About 11 or 12 years ago I met a couple of guys that I started strength training with and they convinced me to train and compete in an all natural bodybuilding show. I had met Sue Dooley-Conaway a few years prior and decided to contact her to help me work on my diet. I found bodybuilding as a way to control my weight problem and I loved the workouts! I competed for about 4 years and then gave that a rest. I focused on teaching group exercise at a health club in
Member Name: Sue Roberts
"I have lost 70+ lbs."
My weight loss journey began on my 41st birthday (
My weight has always fluctuated up and down. I have tried many different diets along with exercise, but nothing seemed to stick. I was determined to get the weight off and keep it off! I started by using just some basic techniques; drink more water, exercise more often, reduce my sweet consumption, and portion control. I would meet a good friend for Power Pump class (at
After the 50-pound weight loss, I found I wanted to try something new. I joined Mandy’s 8-week weight loss program. It was difficult at first, trying to find time for all the exercise, and learning a whole new way to eat. I also found having to be accountable at the scale was not always easy…but definitely worth it! I am now in my 3rd session with Mandy, and I am down another 22 pounds. I feel great and have learned so much about eating for life…not just dieting. I still have some more weight to lose, and it is coming off slower now, but I am confident that I will continue.
Member Name: Diane Kruse
"I have lost 39 lbs. and changed from a size 20 to a size 16"
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.
Member Name: Andrew Baker
"I have lost 25% body fat and my waist went from a size 44 to a size 34"
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.
Member Name: Cheri Stockheimer
"I have lost 106 lbs., and went from a size 20 to a size 8"
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!
Member Name: James Thill
"I have lost 164 lbs. And 20 inches from my waist."
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".
Member Name: Lisa Harrie
"I have lost half my body weight!"
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 JACX for the strength, energy and endurance to master another hill!
Member Name: Jennifer Roethe
"I have lost 230 lbs."
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!
Member Name: Jim Haney
"I went from a 46” waist down to a 36” waist"
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 JACX 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.
Member Name: Melissa Brewer
"I have lost 75 lbs. and went from a size 22 to a size 10"
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.
Member Name: Joyce Musil-Condon
"I lost 22% of total body fat"
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
- 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