After two years of working with Mikki I’ve exceeded my original goals. The improvements have been astounding: dead lifting 235 lbs; running 15 stadium intervals (84 stair steps up, taken two at a time) in 20 minutes; balancing on a Swiss ball while lifting weights; and much, much more. At the age of 51, my body fat percentage is 10.2 percent; I’m stronger than I’ve ever been in my life; my balance, coordination, and stamina are greater than ever; and the back pain that I used to have is gone.
Right after ‘You look great,’ the most common thing I hear is, ‘How did you lose so much weight?’ ‘Eat less and exercise more’ is the short answer. But my working with Mikki has shown me that there’s a lot of complexity associated with that simple answer. Having a trainer of Mikki’s caliber has provided me with more than an expert guide to lifting weights or aerobic exercise. ‘Exercise more’ has involved interval training, strength building, stretching, and core exercises that have changed and evolved to keep me challenged but not overwhelmed.
Developing the proper nutrition regime for me has been a gradual process of trials and changes. ‘Eating less’ is the goal, but the objective hasn’t just been about decreasing quantity. It’s also been the composition and timing of what I eat. At Mikki’s suggestion, I maintained a food diary so that we could review what I was eating to find problems and determine solutions.
I’ve discovered that most of the changes I’ve made have become true lifestyle changes. I enjoy the training, and my diet isn’t an effort or a sacrifice. Now that I’ve reached my target weight and body fat composition, I can see some muscle definition. I’ve just thrown out three-quarters of my wardrobe and I’m buying new clothes to fit my new body. What’s next? Mikki is working with me to not only help me maintain my weight and body fat composition, but to continue to improve my shape and overall health. I know she can help me reach my next goal.