Lisa Graham

Image

I'd always been in good shape.  I rode horses while growing up, I  swam, I took dance, I was on a master's crew team for many years - I  stayed active and slim until I hit my 30's.  When I had my daughter, I  gained 29 pounds and after she was born, I lost 40 pounds.  But then, the  weight started creeping up on me.  I'd tried the B12/strict no carb diets,  and they worked for a little while.  I started taekwondo and that helped a  little (I still take it - I'll be a black belt early in 2013).  But nothing  seemed to really work.



When I met Paula, I told her everything I'd tried and how frustrated I  was.  She ran me through the fitness test and it was awful.  I was in  even worse shape than I thought.

Fast forward one year: a lot of hard work, a few tears, lots of cussing and  grunting, and what a difference a year makes.  I've only lost about 25  pounds, but I've gained so much.  Strength, agility, ability  and confidence are just a few.  I've hit personal bests in deadlifts  (from 105 pounds in February of 2012 to 215 this month!), and every day I see  improvement.  I ran my first obstacle race in November and am aiming for  the Tough Mudder next December.  Oh, and I can't forget the improvement in  my squats, right, Paula?
I've also found comraderie and friendships.  The cheering on of others  and genuine happiness when someone nails something they've been struggling with  is something you don't find a lot of places.

I still have a ways to go, but am confident that with the help of Paula,  the other trainers at Jaguar and my fellow beasts, I will continue to  improve.  My goals for 2013 are to continue the weight loss and muscle  gain, finally get a dead hang pull up with NO BAND, and deadlift 300.  I  can't thank Paula and the other coaches enough for the pushing me and having  confidence in me.