"It's been 2 1/2 years and I just wanted to thank you for helping me to look and feel better. I know I have said thank you in the past but, as a skeptic, I really thought that the weight losses I experienced would all be gained back in no time. But, I'm still a size 3 after all this time. We have all seen the yo-yo effect right? Well, I admit that I have gained 5-8 pounds back from time to time over the past few years but I simply apply the principles of supportive eating and exercising for a month or so and voila !....it melts back off EVERYTIME! (I think I look better now than I did when I was 25...and I am more confident).
I remember sitting in your "orientation" and not even paying attention.....it all seemed too good to be true. "Yeah right" I thought. Well, it was Rik who said we should try it and I am so glad he convinced me. I didn't believe it at the time but what you said was that you give us the tools to take the weight off, get healthier and to keep it off. You said you would teach us for life and it is so very true. For that I am grateful and blessed!"
-Lori Cameron
Our latest "success story" is a GOOD one! About 10 weeks ago, I started working with Diane Ledonne. She had been chosen as one of 5 Hamilton Spectator readers to receive a 10 Week- Fitness Makeover with an area Personal Trainer. She and I put a plan in place that would make her healthier, leaner, more athletic and even................younger!
When we started, Diane weighed 160lbs, her body fat percentage was 38%, her blood pressure was 140/100 and her waist was 38 1/4". At the end of her 10 week makover, her blood pressure is 120/80, her weight is down 10lbs. to 150, her body fat percentage is down to 29.9% and she has lost an unbelievable 5 1/4" from her waist which now measures 33"!
Diane is a breast cancer survivor and she has been mostly inactive for the last 10 years. She used to be an athlete and is now considering returning to skiing and hockey and is even thinking of joining a Dragonboat racing team! In 10 weeks, she went back in time and is now as fit as she has ever been. Her future holds many exciting opportunities.
At our Studio, we call her "Superstar". Well she really is a.......SUPERSTAR!!!
Jim Barton is another client that we are extremely proud of! Take a look at his pictures above and you really need very few words. Jim started his training to simply "get in shape". In time, his fitness level improved so much that he actually competed in the Paris to Ancaster 60km off-road cycling race! As a successful private business owner with limited training time, competing in this race was an incredible achievement. Jim is now contemplating other challenges like duathlon or triathlon events.
At a certain point, however, Jim realized that although his fitness level was great, he was not seeing big changes in his physique........ until he started applying the concepts of Supportive Eating! By focusing on the right combination of muscle building, aerobic exercise AND the RIGHT nutrition Jim lost several inches from his waist and saw his body fat percentage change drastically as well.
An extremely hard worker, Jim made it happen!
"In 2007, at the age of 58, I weighed 260 pounds on my 5-foot-10 frame. Looking around I saw very few men in their late 60s and 70s who looked like me.
It was increasingly clear to me that heart attacks and other diseases were catching up with many overweight and out-of-shape men. I realized that I'd have to get myself into shape if I had any hope of living to a ripe old age."
I started a walking program in May and then in June began training twice weekly at All Canadian Fitness working with Certified Personal Trainer-Sheila Wynne Fung there. While my fitness improved, my weight didn't move much for many months.
However I kept at it and my weight finally startetd to come down. The trigger was finally getting it through my head that my eating had to change. I'd been listening to Sheila for many months on the subject but hadn't done a lot about it.
When I did finally started to make the changes in my diet, things began to happen. By the late fall 2008 I was down to close to my high-school weight — 185.
I doubt that I could have accomplished what I did without a trainer and I was fortunate to have an exceptional one in Sheila. She was as determined as I was to succeed!
Although I no longer work with a trainer, I stopped in February, I have been able to keep to my new eating habits.
In addition I play badminton 4 or 5 times a week. I played badminton competitively in high school and went back to it as I started to get back in better shape. Playing competitively has been a spur to keep my fitness level high.
Incidentally, I was the sales manager at the Wave 94.7 for almost 9 years. I'm currently a Strategic Partnership Specialist with Albanese Branding here in Hamilton.
The photos attached to my blog are by local photographer Melanie Gillis at website address www.melaniegillis.com. The first picture was taken on a trip to Japan in April 2007. The second in December 2008.
— Simon Constam
Mary Ormond came to All Canadian Fitness as an overworked executive that was watching her fitness and energy slowly fade away. She was feeling the crunch of lack of time and lack of discipline and looked to us for help.
In her first 12 weeks, Mary has lost 10 pounds on the scale and has lost 3 inches from her waist and 2 1/4 inches from her hips. All of her bodyfat measurements have also decreased and her performance measures are through the roof. When she first came in, she could do 20 pushups from her knees. She can now do 50 FROM HER TOES!! She has increased her V02 Max (cardio) test by 50%.
She is well on her way. Bravo!
Success in the Great Blue Sea!
Derek Heymans is our latest success story! He came to an Orientation a few months ago after reading about All Canadian Fitness in the Hamilton Spectator. Although, he lives and works in Cambridge, Derek felt that what we offered was different enough to make the trek to the Steel City worth it. He had been working out regularly at the local Y and "eating right", but, was stuck and wasn't seeing any results for all of his efforts.
Here is his story, in his own words:
"I had, for several years, been trying to lose weight by "working out" at the local Y. I was losing the battle! On January 1st, I weighed 250lbs. and was 49 years old. I also had high blood pressure, felt sluggish and was tired all the time. I wanted to be a physically fit 50 year old, able to Scuba dive in May without the aid of a paramedic team! Scuba diving last year was not a fun and happy experience for me!
After 12 weeks of training, I went on vacation and can say, withoubt a doubt, that the Scuba diving was incredible! No longer exhausted after a dive, no cramping during a dive....I had met my goals. Going to the local Y, plus the guidance of All Canadian Fitness trainer, Matteo Tino had paid off.
The food/ nutrition education I received also played a large role in my success. The women I work with are in awe at how much I can eat and still lose weight! I have gone from 250lbs. to 228 (at 6'1") and there is a noticeable difference in my body shape."
(In 12 Weeks, Derek lost 4 1/4" from his waist, 1 1/4" from his hips, changed his Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) from "Unhealthy" to "Healthy" and lost a total of 19lbs. of bodyfat while gaining 3lbs. of muscle!)
Ernie, I would like to thank you and Matteo for pushing me in the right direction.
Thanks again....see you in September!
-Derek
She did it!!!
A.D. has finally reached her goal! She came to us in late 2007 for help in passing her physical testing requirements for the Ontario Police. She had tried in the past, but, came up short. A. committed to doing "whatever it takes" and came in to work with us 3 times per week. Not being a "natural runner", she had to completely re-learn the mechanics of running and we set out to improve her stride and her technique. Working with her was an absolute blast! She never quit and even trusted us enough to work on the mental aspects of testing in a high pressure situation. In the end, she did it and we feel like proud parents. Here it is.... in her own words. (Can you tell that she is excited?). "I am happy to say that tomorrow, I will be signing my offer of employment with Police Services as a Police Constable!!!!!!!! WOO HOOO!!!!!!!! (Can you tell that I am excited?).
I really wanted to say a big THANK YOU to you all!!! Mostly to you Ernie... without your "talks" none of this would have happened. THANK YOU! All your help pushing and giving advice made the difference and made it possible to get to this point. You guys are sincerely THE BEST. I can't believe that after 12 years of wanting this, tomorrow it becomes reality!"
Thank you, A.D., Police Constable!
Stefanie Thomas is a 40 year old mother of three young children (all under 6). She has also been a life long athlete. In the summer of 2007, however, she found herself overweight, tired and frustrated for the first time in her life. She remembers thinking "Maybe this is what I am SUPPOSED to be like at 40 as a mom." She told us that she felt like a very old, tired 50 year old and wanted to get her life and her body back. Not an easy thing to do with 3 super-active kids screaming for your attention as well as a house to look after and a couple of other kids that you are providing daycare for. Stef tells us that there was a moment where she thought to herself that enough is enough!She remembers having a leftover pogo and a chocolate chip cookie for lunch and then telling herself....lt's time to take back control.
She called us up to enroll in our 12 week Summer Synergy program and even let us take a "before" picture as something that would drive her to achieve something great. As you can see in her middle photo, she made some really impressive changes in her body in 12 short weeks. She also told us that she felt like a 20 year old again and decided to sign up for her first 5k race in years! We just knew that she wasn't through though. After Synergy, she and her trainer, Sheila, got to work on a 12 week personal training Transformation program. She booked a third photo shoot for January 3rd to help her get through the Christmas temptations and then worked like a truly driven woman on a mission. As you can see by her third photo, she has completely changed her body and is an absolutely new person.
"A big part of my motivation was to be a role model for my kids. I didn't want them to have a tired, overweight mom that couldn't keep up to them as they grew up. If I didn't get moving with Sheila and ACF, I hate to think how different my life would be and how I would look and feel."
Stef Rocks! 'nuff said.
Nelia Bourassa and Fitness Pro Andrew Rose
Nelia Bourassa is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and we have had the pleasure of working with her for the last several months. She came to us extremely frustrated as she had made several attempts at taking back control of her body (including "30 minute circuit workouts" and working with personal trainers at a big commercial gym), but, had seen her fitness level and health slowly slip in a negative direction. She decided to give it "one more try" before throwing in the towel.
One major complaint she had initially was that she simply couldn't get a decent night's sleep. She also had zero energy and found herself relying on her husband more for physical chores due to a lack of strength.
After only a few days of eating in accordance with our "Supportive Eating" guidelines, Nelia's energy was noticeably better. After a few weeks of progressive exercise, her vitality, strength and endurance returned and after a few months of eating better, exercising and moving aerobically, her body composition changed and her measurements changed!
She lost 2 1/2 inches from her waist and 5 inches from her hips as well as 12 pounds on the scale. Initially, Nelia could do 21 pushups from her knees and at her re-test, she did 30 pushups "from her toes!". Wow.
Thank you to everyone at All Canadian Fitness. Everybody there is just awesome and I'm just so impressed how each of you always make me feel comfortable. That's really important b/c for someone like me, it's sooo intimidating being around people who are so fit. And you are all so motivating and fun and encouraging. You're all awesome!
-Kim
"Anne Toner has recently completed her first 12-week transformation cycle: the fun part? She's doing all her workouts from home, on the road, whenever she can fit them in. I've been consulting with Anne over the phone and via email, keeping her on track with her workouts and coaching her through the things she is unfamiliar with. Currently in the "recovery phase" before starting another progression, Anne has lost a total 31 lbs over the course of the program and now she's chomping at the bit to lose even more. Good Work Anne!"
-Taken from ACF Trainer Sheila Fung's Blog Page
May 25, 2007
July 27, 2007
Mike Tollis has grown up in 8 weeks! Mike began training with All Canadian Fitness trainer Matteo Tino 8 weeks ago in preparation for training camp with the Waterloo Universtiy men's soccer team. He was unable to crack the staring line up in his first year and came to us for help. Like a man possessed, Mike did EVERYTHING asked of him and, as you can see in his before and after photos and in the testing results below, made phenomenal progress in a short amount of time. Some of the gains were unheard of for only two months of training. Check out http://makingtheteam.blogspot.com/ to read more about Mike's journey with Matteo and also to view video of him getting to it at The Studio.
Height 6' 2"
Weight Before 174lbs After 184lbs
Standing Long Jump Before 8' After 9' 6"
Vertical Jump Before 22" After 25"
Push-ups Before 31 After 50
Plank Before 1:05 After 1:45
Mike also added 2 inches to each thigh and almost 1 inch to each arm. Wow!
Lori and Rick Cameron have been training with All Canadian Fitness for 12 weeks since attending an Orientation and deciding that they wanted to get back to where they used to be in terms of health and fitness. Lori is about half-way to her goal, although she has made huge gains in strength and conditioning and has lost considerable weight and inches. She has also decreased back pain related to her job which was a problem. Rick is almost back to the shape he was in during his college football days in the 1980's. Both Lori and Rick have bought into the idea of Synergy and have been eating supportively and building lean muscle tissue (turning their bodies into Fat Burning Machines!). Well done!
Lori after 3 months of training and eating "Supportively".
Dress Size- From a 15 to an 8!!! Weight- down22 pounds Waist- down 7 inches!! Thighs- down4 1/2 inches!! Hips- down4 1/2 inches
The Beginning (Size 15)
3 Months later (Size 8)
Just for the record......the knowledge you gave me allowed me to continue on with the program and lose more. I went down to a whopping size 3 and only 125lbs now! (Lori has lost about 40 pounds and started as a size 15).
Lori 6 months later (Size 3)
Rick (The Beginning)
3 Months later
Tom after only 17 Days of Training!
Wow! Tom Giornofelice came to All Canadian Fitness with a goal of "looking better" in 3 weeks. He is starting to train with the RCMP in Ottawa and wanted to look like he was ready and able to take on anything. With very little time, we told him that all it would take would be 17 days! Not just any 17 days, but, 17 days of very focused and specific training coupled with a very defined eating program. To make a dramatic body composition change in that amount of time, requires that you work with the primary goal of speeding metabolism and eating in a way that more body fat is made available to be used as fuel. Tom took the challenge and man, oh, man did he work! Some days felt like hell but the end result (for now) has been worth it. Although, you can't turn into Brad Pitt in 17 days, you can make a big change in the way that you look and feel. Tom Giornofelice is evidence of that. The end of this part of his training is only a beginning of better things to come. With a fired up metabolism, more muscle, better conditioning and an understanding of how to eat for results, Tom will have even more phenomenal results in the very near future. In 17 days, he lost 8 pounds and several inches from various sites throughout his body.
Thank you very much to Melanie Gillis- Photographer ( melaniegillis.com ) for the great "after" photo of Tom.
Dr. JC Cutz of St. Joseph's Hospital in Hamilton has become one of our favourite people to work with! JC took it upon himself to completely re-make his body after gaining weight and losing control of his fitness. When we started his workouts in 2005, he was easily fatigued and dizzy doing extremely mild training sessions. Rather than give up, he persevered and scheduled regular workouts along with the development of a more suportive eating plan. Like many doctors that are overworked, his eating habits needed to be completely overhauled. Once again, JC was up to the task and although, like everyone, he is not perfect, he continues to make better choices more of the time. JC's journey to fitness has been a tremendous thing to watch. The intensity of the work he can now do is sometimes mind boggling. He never, ever quits and has reaped the benefits of this approach. As evidenced by his photos above ( melaniegillis.com ), he has competely changed his body and at this point has lost 7 inches from his waist. Very nice!
JC- 2005
Waist- 44" Hips- 47"
JC- 2007
Waist- 37" Hips- 39"
"For the first time EVER I was able to lift the large water jug at the store and place it into the cart without having to ask my husband for help! It was not even difficult and felt so good to be able to do it. Thank you for making me strong."
-Nelia Bourassa, 52
Lorraine Sommerfeld of The Hamilton Spectator came to The Studio to get ready for a one time boxing exhibition/ publicity event. As the author of the weekly column "Motherlode" and "Powershift" in the Spec, boxing was a little bit of a stretch to say the least. The extent of her fitness activity was the weekly swims that she undertook at the YMCA. Skipping, punching, crunching and whatever else we could dream up to get her ready was pretty much foreign territory. Like an absolute trooper, however, she got down to business and handled everything that was thrown her way. With a strict deadline, she dedicated herself to doing what it took and made amazing progress from day to day as her hands and feet started to work together in a synchronized way. Lorraine is a perfect example of setting a goal, doing what it takes to achieve that goal and enjoying the process. Read about her experiences (The Pain Diaries) at her website atwww.lorraineonline.ca
Laura Moore is a client that has provided us with an immense sense of pride. She came to All Canadian Fitness with a goal in mind. She wanted to pass the Ontario Police Fitness Testing Requirements in order to move forward in her attempt to become a Police Officer. After failing to pass the test on three occasions, Laura committed to doing "whatever it takes" to pass the test and chose us to be her guide. After designing a program to help Laura in all of the areas of testing, we pushed her like there was no tomorrow. If you have been around The Studio in the last few months, you have seen a woman possessed chasing her dreams. Rain or shine (or with the flu or a migraine headache) she NEVER missed a running workout. Fueled by the sounds of Nine Inch Nails and Tool, Laura also put her trust in us and pushed herself in the gym as if her life depended on it.
When the day of the test came, we sat like nervous parents waiting for the results. Late in the day, she walked through the door, beaming and we knew that she had succeeded! It is now only a matter of time until Laura becomes a uniformed Police Officer and we really couldn't be any prouder.
Congratulations!
Steve Malboeuf has been training using the TRANSFORM! program for 12 Weeks and has been shocked at some of the results. The first thing was how he felt. "Cutting out sugar made my energy levels absolutely skyrocket. I really can't believe how good I feel.". Next he realized that his distance running was getting a real boost. "Hills really feel like nothing due to the strength in my legs from following the program." He also was pleased that as he gained substantial amounts of lean muscle, he lost 10lbs. and also lost 2 inches from his waist. He is about to enter the last phase of the training which emphasizes eating and training in a way that maximizes the body's ability to burn fat for energy. Looking good!
-"This program ROCKS! It is the absolute best. Period."
In August 2005 Melanie Gillis returned from a Carribean vacation, and after looking at the beach photos, she firmly decided to make some positive changes. In short - at 34, and not having exercised regularly for almost a year, she was suddenly determined to get her bikini body back. She liked the idea of entrusting herself to a structured workout like TRANSFORM! because decisions were not left to her. Melanie has been doing a "modified" version of the program due to work and lifestyle demands. Nevertheless, she has seen quite a dramatic change in her body.
3 months into her training program, Melanie posed for an "after"
photo that was pleasantly surprising, not only to her, but to her
trainers. Not only will she be thrilled to sport a bikini on her next
get-away, but she feels strong and healthy every day, work or play. Mel
has been working out 3 times per week and has revised her eating habits
to include more frequent "whole" meals and has gained the knowledge to
balance her diet with proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
" Thank you All Canadian Fitness for taking care of me!"
Rhona Waxman is a former "Client of the Month" of All Canadian Fitness. It has been our pleasure to work with her in her ongoing body transformation program. Rhona started training with us to improve her health and then found that the fitter she got, the more fit she wanted to become! After losing apporoximately 80lbs., she started working at circuit training, indoor cycling, boxing and even discovered that she actually enjoyed running! Rhona has even competed in local 5km charity races. Despite this, however,she found that at a certain point, her improvements had plateaued and she needed something to bust out of her rut. That is the point where she was introduced to the TRANSFORM! program.
Rhona during Week 1
Rhona after 16 weeks
The TRANSFORM! program turned out to be the perfect "rut buster" for Rhona. A truly dedicated exerciser, Rhona appreciated the ongoing challenges that the program provided. In short, TRANSFORM! requires that your body go through a series of ongoing adaptations so that it never reaches a plateau! By training and eating in a very specific way, your body literally burns fat even while you are at rest or sleeping! The promise is a dramatic change in body composition and shape following the 16 week program. As you can see from her Week 16 picture compared to Week 1, she has undergone just such a change. The most exciting thing for us (and for her!), is that her current "After" picture now becomes her new "Before" picture as she embarks on another 16 Weeks of TRANSFORM!
"Thank you! I am delighted with the results. I hate to think of where I would be if I hadn't started working out with you."
"I was overweight, out of shape and had a very high heart rate. Thanks to Ernie and Adam, I have lost at least 30 lbs., toned up to where I was 15 years ago and my heart rate is normal. I am having a good time keeping in shape at The Studio, training on a regular basis. This was accomplished in a 5- 6 month period training 3x per week. My outlook at work and life has also been positively reinforced due to the workouts and physical fitness program."
-50 year old male "Transform!" client.
Joe in Week 8
Joe Xamin has begun his own body transformation program and has proven in the first 11 weeks to be a truly dedicated participant, although he admits to being "maybe about 75% perfect with the eating part".In his first 12 weeks, Joe has seen some very encouraging changes take place in his body. He has lost 4 1/2 inches from the waist and 22 pounds of body weight. At this point, Joe has gone through a "strength and growth" phase and is now in a "muscle shaping and endurance" phase. Ultimately, his training will take him to the "fat liberation"phase during which he will be maximally releasing and using body fat for fuel.
"This really works! And you don't have to be perfect."
Andrew at Week 1
Here is Andrew Stewart's "Before" picture in profile. Scroll down to read about his results and to see his "During" picture showing how many inches he has lost in 8 weeks.
Andrew at Week 8
Andrew, joined the TRANSFORM! program recently and is in his 8th week of Training and Supportive Eating. His progress so far has been nothing short of stunning! In 8 weeks, his weight has gone from 221 to 204 lbs. He has also lost 4 inches from his waist and he has tripled the number of pushups that he did during his initial test. Andrew has been training with us at The Studio as well as at home with dumbells and some home exercise equipment. We are looking forward to marking his continued progress as he moves through each phase of the program.
"If we weren't recording the results and taking pictures, I wouldn't believe it!"
Sue before TRANSFORM!
When Sue first decided to try TRANSFORM! her goal was to become more toned than she has ever been and specifically to get more muscular arms since she was going to a wedding in August in Ireland and wanted to wear a sleeveless dress!
Sue at Week 12
After 8 weeks, Sue's arms are looking fantastic and she has lost 2 dress sizes! She is about to enter the last month of the training program which emphasizes Fat Liberation and Fat Loss. We anxiously await her "After" photo which will be a stunner!
"I love the structure of knowing exactly what to do week to week."
Rob at Week 2
Rob Braley began his training program in December 2004. Despite making impressive gains in strength and endurance, he was not seeing dramatic changes in body composition. When we introduced the TRANSFORM! program, he was convinced that it was something that could work for him. Scroll down to see his "after" picture and to read about his success.
Rob after Week 16
As you can see, Rob literally "transformed" his body! His waist measurement is down 6 1/2 inches, his blood pressure is down 10 points, he has lost 33lbs. and his strength and endurance have gone through the roof!
"Come prepared, because you sure know you have worked out when you are done!"
Ernie at Week 16
Done!
After 16 weeks, Ernie has completed the TRANSFORM! program and has seen some remarkable changes in his body. He is now maintaining a body weight of 200 pounds (down from 215), although his muscles appear bigger than at the beginning. His waist is down 3 1/4 inches and he has seen a 45% reduction in abdominal fat!
"I have been training for 25 years and have NEVER come across a routine that shows such dramatic results literally week to week!"
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