Gabe Hinton

“Lost 40+ Pounds, Pant Size 40-34”

Cut to July of 2013.  Vacations were over and I was again ready to assess how to make some changes in my life.  This time I was sitting at 219.5 pounds.  Feeling good that I was better off than a year ago, but highly discouraged at how many pounds had come back over the past few months, I was struggling to find motivation to lose weight again especially since I needed to re-lose weight I had lost then gained so recently.

I came across an article online that caught my interest about the significance of weight training while losing fat.  The article gave me the first spark of motivation I needed – this time I could try losing the weight differently, more effectively, and emphasize increasing my overall health and fitness level.  Maybe that would be what I needed to make it stick.

As I looked around, I was discouraged by the horrible reviews I read online of most local gyms and trainers.  Finally I am so glad I came across a review of RobZFitness.  With the first positive review of a training program I had read in a long time of searching, I eagerly visited the website and was in awe of the long list of testimonials.  After reading many I became convinced that if the plan had worked for so many, there was no reason it couldn’t work for me, too.

Rob and I met for my evaluation, and I was quickly put at ease and also really believed after our conversations that the studio wasn’t just about business and clients but was genuinely interested in making a difference for people by helping them change their lifestyle.  Meeting the trainers I’ve primarily worked with, Sam and Taylor, only reinforced these impressions.

The plan worked for me because of its structure, accountability, and the high qualifications of the staff.  The plan is specific and focused – it took some deliberate reading of materials Rob provided for me to prepare for it, but with the elaborate detail of the plan it was easy not to drift from it.  I knew exactly what was expected and Rob, Taylor, and Sam were all eager to answer questions if I needed tips or suggestions for the best ways to stay on track.  The accountability was also important to me – weekly weigh ins and meal plan reports not only helped the trainers track my progress and offer advice if they noticed a concern, it also helped me set small goals and stay motivated when I saw even small pieces of progress.  The high qualifications of the staff (all have 4 years college fitness training) gave me confidence, and gave them the knowledge to assist me thoroughly and accurately if we needed to tweak workouts or nutrition plans to continue progressing.

Here’s a moment of honesty for anyone who has never lifted a weight before like me.  Week seven was my magic week.  I had read articles and watched videos on various media of people saying “After 2 weeks it was habit and I loved it!” or sometimes “After a month I began looking forward to my next workout!”  It sounded too good to be true to me, and it was in my case.  I was pleased with my progress and was able to stick diligently with the program, but even after a month it still felt daunting.  HOWEVER – the time did come!  I vividly remember a morning of jogging in the middle of week 7.  I finished like usual and went to work, but I noticed soon that I felt great!  I was more awake, had a lot of energy, and I was sure this was the boost from working out people had described to me.  And ever since then that feeling has continued.  I WAS able to eventually become one of “those people” that looked forward to working out and felt good afterwards – so my proclamation to anyone out there who feels like they are “too far gone” to ever become fit is…you can do it!  It will take time and dedication, and it may not happen on a timeline other people suggest for you, but that moment can and will come for you.