Cassandra's Story
Prior to training at Body + Soul Fitness, Cassandra had one specific goal in mind: lose weight. After realizing that her current fitness routine wasn’t sustainable, her goals shifted. She wanted to look better and feel better. After only a few months of training with Rob, she felt both physical and emotional changes, and is ecstatic at how these changes have positively affected her life.
About Cassandra
In 2015, Cassandra started to feel uncomfortable in her own body. She felt overweight and defeated. She knew she had not been paying attention to what her body needed.
In response, Cassandra joined her school’s gym with the sole focus of weight loss. On her own, she did whatever it took to get her bodyweight down – from constant cardio to consistently maintaining a calorie deficit. Although she did lose weight, she realized how unsustainable her lifestyle had become.
By 2020, Cassandra had lost all her motivation. The stress of injuries, combined with the pandemic, had caused her to gain back the weight that she had lost. Again, she felt uncomfortable in her body. This time, Cassandra made it her goal to make healthier life choices to help her feel confident.
When Cassandra came to Body + Soul Fitness in 2021, she didn’t think she needed a personal trainer to achieve her goals. Then, one day, Rob passed by in gym and took the time to help her improve her deadlift. Feeling the difference when lifting with correct form, she realized that a trainer could help her achieve her goals efficiently, sustainably, and safely.
The Challenge
It was good that Cassandra had a goal, but she mentioned that she wasn’t necessarily happier when she had a smaller body. Rob challenged Cassandra to get more specific with her goals to have a better understanding of why she wanted to lose weight, how she wanted to feel, and what she wanted to be able to do.
Together, Rob and Cassandra created specific goals that included:
- gaining more overall strength
- losing 10 pounds
- improving her eating habits
- building more stamina in cardio activities
Rob encourages Cassandra as she performs a farmer's walk.
The Program
Foundation
Rob started Cassandra on a full-body program, with a focus on strength training and cardio. The program was centered on building a solid foundation and refining movement patterns to ensure safety and progression, specifically in her deadlifts.
Form
As well as perfecting her weight training form, Rob worked with Cassandra to get over her fear of step ups. To do this, they focused on split squats and proper running form while also increasing her ankle mobility to protect her knees and enable her to progress to heavier compound lifts.
Nutrition
As part of Rob’s training, he reminded Cassandra that healthy eating as an active adult is about consuming nutrient-dense foods. This was a pivotal shift for Cassandra, who thought that the only way to lose weight was cutting down on calories. With Rob’s support, she finds it easier to stay on track as he reminds her to make healthy choices, even suggesting easy meal ideas.
Accountability and Motivation
Cassandra says that Rob continues to be an “incredible motivator” in her journey. “It would be a lot easier to quit without having a personal trainer to hold me accountable,” she explains. When Cassandra isn’t feeling totally motivated, Rob helps set her back on track by reminding her why she’s training and what she’s working toward. He tells her, “These are the days champions are made.”
Rob supervises as Cassandra performs an overhead press.
The Results
Cassandra has seen incredible progress. One of Cassandra’s short-term goals was to lose 10 pounds so that she could fit into a bridesmaid’s dress. After working through her program with Rob, Cassandra was not only able to achieve this weight loss goal, but also achieve a much bigger accomplishment: feeling good about the way she looks and feels.
Now, Cassandra radiates positive energy and pride. Along with achieving her short-term weight loss goal, she has started noticing other changes in her day-to-day routine. Through her resistance and cardio training program, she has been able to shorten her bicycle commute to work by 30 min. Even better, she can now bike up a large hill that is part of her commute without even breaking a sweat.
Conclusion
Cassandra came to Body + Soul Fitness with the goal of losing weight and aspirations to create sustainable healthy habits. After only a few months of training with Rob, she felt both physical and emotional changes, and is ecstatic at how these changes have positively affected her life. She’s excited to continue training to progress toward even bigger accomplishments.
Start Your Own Story
Sometimes, the hardest step to take is the first one. If this story has made you feel hopeful for your future, we would love to meet you. Book a complimentary consultation with one of our passionate personal trainers to get started.