Each month the Challenge team select one gym member to be our “Achiever of the Month”. This person is always someone who’s dedication and perseverance in the gym has paid off and allowed them to see fantastic results! Could you be our next Achiever?
Achiever of the Month - Paul Hinton
Paul Hinton, 33, has been a committed Challenge member for 18 months now. At 6ft 1, Paul joined Challenge with the objective of losing weight and gaining muscle. And he did just that. At a starting weight of 18 stone, Paul has dropped an impressive 4 stone! Now that he has managed to achieve his goal he feels much more confident and focused but says that he still has a way to go.
Paul trains 5 times a week, focusing on different areas each day to see the best results. A typical training session for Paul would consist of mainly weight-based exercises (he says the heavier the better) followed by cardio. His favourite part of his workouts has to be working on his chest…it aches for the whole week after!
Paul has made some considerable changes to his diet and lifestyle as well. He follows a high protein, complex carb diet and has cut out all forms of fast food. He now feels more diet-aware and confident in what he chooses to eat.
Paul has received help from our personal trainer Toby about supplement advice, which has contributed to achieving his goals. He also says that Janay, one of our fitness instructors has motivated him by always being cheerful when he comes down for a workout, and of course, his good friend Lyndon.
His goals for the future are to keep gaining muscle size and strength.
We would like to say well done to Paul and wish him luck for the future!
Keep up the great work!!
Achiever of the Month - Tristan Lawrence
Tristan Lawrence, 23, has been a member at Challenge for 3 years. At 6ft 2, Tristan joined Challenge to workout and try to achieve his initial goal of ‘getting ripped’. Having now met that target, Tristan has dropped an impressive 4 stone from being 17.5 stone to now 13.5 stone.
Training 6 times a week, Tristan tries to include all aspects of a full body workout into his sessions, including resistance, cardio and circuit training. During a typical training session, Tristan focuses on specific muscle groups, working them all individually to see the best results.
Not only did all the training pay off, Tristan made some changes to his lifestyle as well. He now eats 6 times a day. His diet consists mainly of complex carbs and lean protein such as chicken and rice.
With help from our instructors not necessary, Tristan has managed to achieve his goals through his own determination and commitment, and feels ‘unreal’ now he’s in great shape.
Futuristically, Tristan wants to maintain his fitness levels and ‘stay ripped’.
Nice one Tristan! Keep up the great work!!
Achiever of the Month -Sarah McNie
Sarah McNie, 38, has been a member of Challenge for 4 years now. At 5ft 4 inches (on a good day she says), Sarah wanted to get fit and lose her ‘wobbly’ bits after having her first child. She also wanted to get some ‘me’ time out of the house, so thought joining a gym would allow her to do that.
Since becoming a member with us, Sarah has managed to go from between 12 and 13 stone to 10 and a half! She definitely feels closer to achieving her goal, but wants to lose another stone.
Training 4 times a week and attending a variety of classes and bootcamps, Sarah mainly focuses on cardio during her workouts. She particularly loves boxercise for de-stressing and knowing that she has really pushed herself. She says ‘the instructors have always pushed me, and Robbie always tells me I can do something even if I’m not sure myself.’
When asked if she has changed her diet or lifestyle at all, she mentioned that she has become obsessed with exercise and eating more healthily. She definitely doesn’t drink alcohol as much and tries to snack healthily.
Now she’s in great shape she feels fantastic, but still has more weight to lose and areas to tone. She would love to improve her fitness even more and do the Toughmudder next year!
Well done Sarah! Keep up the great work!!
Achiever Of The Month Sarah Eappariello
Sarah Eappariello has been a member of Challenge for 3 ½ months now after joining us with the original goal of getting fit and losing weight.
Since becoming a member with us, at 5ft 6 inches, Sarah has managed to go from 12 stone to 10 stone 4, dropping a whole dress size! She now feels a lot closer to her initial goal but still wants to improve her fitness and lose more weight.
Attending up to 8 classes a week, Sarah trains an impressive 5-6 times a week. She says that she enjoys the social aspects of partaking in our classes and that ‘the instructors really push you to your maximum ability, helping you get the most out of your workouts.’
When asked if she has had any help from our instructors Robbie and Toby, she said that they have been very encouraging and inspirational. Our nutritionist Christine has also helped her with the diet-side to her keep fit regime, offering advice and nutritional tips! She now eats more healthily, consuming more fruit and veg!
Now she’s in great shape she feels so much better for it! Futuristically, she wants to further and maintain her fitness levels and lose another ½ a stone!
All of us at Challenge would like to say a very well done Sarah and keep up the good work!
Achiever of the Month – Kate Hicks
Kate Hicks, 31, has been a member at Challenge for 17 months now after joining in November 2010.
She initially joined with the idea of attending our Krav Maga martial arts class, but is now a keen regular in a variety of our classes from boxercise to bodyblitz.
Training an impressive 6 days a week, Kate feels that she has achieved her intended goals of toning and strengthening up. In addition to her original aims, she has also lost a lot of weight.
During training sessions, Kate focused on cardiovascular and upper body workouts which have all in turn contributed to achieving her goals. Not only did Kate exercise habitually, she also followed a strict no-carb diet and personal trainer Robbie’s fat loss accelerator program drinking chlorophyll.
Now she’s in great shape, Kate feels she has lots more energy and strength!
When asked what her future goals are, she informed us that she has to go in for a shoulder operation so will need to rebuild her upper body strength when she recovers.
Best of luck Kate and well done from all at Challenge!
Achiever of the Month – Dan Harris
Daniel Harris, aged 18 has been a member at Challenge for 3 years. At 5’7” and a starting weight of 120 lbs, Dan began to train more seriously last July 2011. With an aim to increase muscle strength and mass, Dan now trains religiously 4 – 5 times a week.
With a 2 mile walk to and from Challenge, Dan completes purely weight training when in the gym. He says, “I hit every muscle group at least once a week with a different workout to shock the muscles. Every workout is great but legs separate the men from the boys!”
Dan has made some changes to his diet stating, “My diet is much more planned. I eat 6 meals of complex carbs and protein per day”. Drinking protein and pre workout shakes ensures he gets the most from his workouts.
As a result of his exercise regime and high protein diet, Dan has gained considerable strength and muscle mass and now weighs 145lbs. Dan says “I feel confident, above the ‘average joe’ and healthy. I’m always motivated”.
Dan’s future goals are to gain 20 lbs in 2012 to compete in the NABBA South East Junior Body Building division and to eventually become a personal trainer himself. We wish him the best of luck!
Well done from all at Challenge!
Achiever of the Month – Jen Ray
Jen Ray, aged 50 (++!) has been a member at Challenge for just over 1 year. After smoking all of her adult life Jen managed to kick the habit 9 years ago. However just 2 years ago she was diagnosed with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), a lung disorder caused by smoking. After completing a rehab course at a COPD clinic, Jen was recommended to continue exercising to improve her lung capacity and oxygen flow. At 5 ft 5” in height and a weight of 9 stone 10 pounds, Jen also wanted to tone up and feel stronger.
Jen says she has received tremendous help from Instructor and Personal Trainer Toby, seeing him every 4-5 weeks for program updates. Jen says, “It’s a great incentive because I want to achieve and go beyond what Toby sets me. He’s a hard taskmaster!”
Jen works out 3-4 times per week and completes both cardio and weights based exercises. After a 20 minute walk on the treadmill and 6 minutes of rowing Jen tones her whole body using various resistance machines, focusing on her core in particular. Jen keeps her workouts varied by including skipping, boxing and medicine ball work.
Because Jen had high Cholesterol levels she’s also made some changes to her diet. To reduce her fat intake Jen has cut out butter, fry ups and some meats. To ensure she still gets the much needed protein Jen also drinks Whey Protein shakes regularly.
As a result of her exercise regime and low fat diet Jen now weighs 8 stone 11 pounds, losing just under a stone! Her lung capacity has also improved massively. Walking her dogs up steep hills is now a breeze!
Jen says, “I feel good. It spurs me on and makes me forget I’ve got an illness. I feel normal!” She hopes to continue to increase her lung capacity, core strength and ultimately reach 8 ½ stone in weight.
Jen has done amazingly well and is a true inspiration! Well done from all at Challenge!
