Finalists / Catherine S
Catherine S.
21.15% change in weight*
*Results not typical
Welcome to the beginning of my new life. Thanks to Life Time I now know that I will reach my goals by staying consistent, keeping a positive attitude, and managing life one day at a time. Last April I hit an all-time low and just like countless other people struggling with obesity, I was desperate to find a way to get rid of my excess weight. My struggle with anxiety, depression, and stress put me on an endless cycle of continuing to gain weight year after year.
I became tired of never having energy to enjoy life. I knew there was only one way for me to get my life back – I had to find Olo. A personal trainer that knew exactly how to push me to make me believe I could accomplish my goals. After not having contact for 15 years, I am so thankful to have found him at Life Time. Olo was my original reason for choosing Life Time, but I now have countless reasons for why I know I will be a member for life!
My name is Cathy and I have been battling obesity since I was a young child. I grew up on a dairy farm in Canada where I had always been the fat kid at school, the fat sister of two beanstalks for brothers, and the unhappy girl that never had any self-esteem or confidence to believe in herself. I grew up in a family that drank whole milk and ate red meat with potatoes daily. After reaching what I had thought would be my heaviest weight post college, I joined a weight loss program that helped me lose over 80 lbs. I was the happiest I had ever been and finally gained self-confidence.
My success was short lived, as I was naïve to believe that it would not take hard work to keep the weight off. Years went by and all my weight plus more was back. After leaving Canada to pursue a work opportunity, I was now starting a new life. Since I had lost the weight once, I thought I knew how to do it again. After countless attempts of trying fad diets I just kept gaining more weight. In order to achieve my dream of becoming a mom I even turned to surgery. Lap-band surgery in 2008 helped me become a mother, but medical complications later developed which led me to have a revision surgery to a full gastric bypass in 2013. Four years later, again at my heaviest weight, I was now ashamed to admit to anyone that I had even tried surgery since I felt like such a huge failure. I had no energy to enjoy being a mom, no confidence that I would ever be successful, and no self-esteem to pull myself out of the rut I was in.
Joining Life Time was a turning point, not only for me but also for my family. My husband joined with me and we both decided it was time to change our lives for the better. This is not just a club membership for us, this is a place to find peace, gain strength, support & encouragement, as well as create a healthy lifestyle for our entire family. Each and every person (staff and members) have been amazing in helping to support and encourage us along the way. This is the third 60-Day Challenge we have participated in and each one motivates us to keep pushing forward. This is not a temporary fix for me, it is a complete lifestyle that will be a journey for life.
In late March my husband suffered a great loss when his younger brother passed away from a massive heart attack at the young age of 39. A wake up call for both of us that each day is a gift and you have to enjoy all the moments with your loved ones while you can as tomorrow is not a guarantee for anyone. Our family uses our membership to the fullest and keep finding new ways that we can benefit from their professional services and expertise. Metabolic assessments (both resting and active) have given us the knowledge we needed about how our bodies respond to food and exercise to get the most effective results for the efforts we put in. Nutrition coaching, metabolic conditioning workouts, TEAM training, personal training, Kids Academy, school holiday camps, swim lessons, summer time fun at the pool, healthy café meal options, nutritional supplements, classes for everyone (kids & adults), fun family events, relaxation in the sauna, the list goes on! The staff at Life Time makes coming to the club an enjoyable experience each and every time. There is no judgment, just positive encouragement to keep pushing us forward on our journey. From the entrance staff that greet us on the way in and again on the way out, to the professional trainers, and Kids Academy team – our life has improved tremendously.
Persistence, determination, positive affirmations, consistency and the full use of Life Time are all keys to the success I have accomplished thus far. I use a fitness watch to track activity, carry a half gallon water jug with me to stay well hydrated, and I continue to meet with Olo on a regular basis to build strength and progress on my journey. I celebrate non-scale victories and never stop believing in myself. No one can do this work for me. This is my journey and mine to make a success. My new message for Olo: “It’s On – Life Time Strong!”