I’m not the New Year’s resolution type, but after indulging excessively during the 2005 holiday season, I decided I had enough of feeling miserable in my 193 pound body. On January 3, 2006, my doctor doubled my blood pressure medication and threatened to start me on cholesterol pills. Before that appointment, I had already made a late resolution to stop the progression toward 200 pounds and take control of my health.

The following week, I enrolled in a nutritional weight loss program that would teach me how to eat right, cook healthy, and provide the support I needed to lose weight. Twenty-six weeks later, I achieved my goal of losing 53 pounds. Knowing what to eat and when, I was able to maintain my new weight for 7 years by eating healthy and counting calories very strictly.

After losing the weight, I still had a deep-seeded need to be physically fit and considerably more active. My lingering self-consciousness prevented me from joining a gym because I didn’t know how to begin a new regimen, much less use the equipment. When my best friend told me about group training with Ryan Branson at Renegade Personal Training and Fitness, I immediately committed to joining with her.

A few weeks into my training, I decided to do the 24 Day Challenge to kick-start my metabolism and maximize the results of my hard work. The Advocare products, paired with my diet and exercise plan, helped me increase my metabolism and decrease my weight. This was an essential element in reaching my fitness and weight goals.

Renegade’s group sessions are designed to challenge everyone at their individual level of endurance in a positive environment. Ryan actively coaches and encourages me to push myself harder each week, building my strength and stamina for long-term results. No session is ever the same, which keeps my muscles working hard to build strength and tone. After the hour-long session, I always feel empowered and energized, knowing that I have taken an active role in changing my body and improving my health. No workout with Ryan is ever easy, but each one is incredibly rewarding.

My experience at Renegade has been phenomenal (priceless, really). Ryan has not only transformed my body, he has coached me on nutrition, educated me on fitness, and restored my self-confidence. Taking control of my physical health has been the best long-term decision of my life. Renegade Personal Training and Fitness will remain a necessary component of my fitness routine.