Success With Ellipse

I’m married, have 3 children and work full-time. I’ve wanted to lose weight for years, but didn’t think I could commit to a regular fitness schedule. I’ve been athletic and exercised sporadically, but never seen results. This spring, in anticipation of chaperoning a trip to Guatemala, I decided it was time to make getting in shape a priority. I wanted to be fit enough to climb Mayan pyramids, scale an active volcano and hike through the rainforests. I wanted to experience this adventure to the ultimate; it was time to ditch the excuses and get to work.
 
I tried a free week at Ellipse. WOW! I loved it immediately. I joined the 12-week weight loss and exercise program. What lured me the most about the classes was the 45 minute commitment. I get the most of my precious time, and it kicks my butt! Every class is unique and challenging and the instructors motivate me to do things I would never do on my own, at home or in a gym. In addition, with Ellipse, if I can’t make one time, I can attend another class that day.  I have no excuse not to workout and I love that!
 
The weekly weigh-ins, with my weight loss consultant, are so motivational, informative and helpful. They kept me focused on my goal and continue to educate me on what I need to do to get there. The weight loss program, customized to my daily schedule and needs, has taught me key concepts that are not only helping me lose weight buy also influence how I grocery shop and what and how I cook for my family. We’re all healthier!!!
 
So, here I am, 12 weeks later. I’ve lost 15 pounds, 15 inches and 3 pants sizes, I feel great, and the Guatemala trip was AWESOME!

I am 68 years old and joined Ellipse in January, 2007 after seeing the great results my daughter had on the program. After 18 weeks, I have 8 lbs. remaining to reach my goal! With the knowledge I gained at Ellipse, I know I will not only achieve this but maintain my weight indefinitely. This is the first program that taught me what and how much to eat. Ellipse made changes to the nutrition plan whenever it was necessary which helped me continually see results, never plateauing.
 
Ellipse boosted my self-confidence when I was disgusted and down after having a bad week, reminding me that I could never give up on my goals because they were life long. After losing this weight, I have noticed so many changes. Not only do I have more energy, but I am more positive, more fun to be around, I am more active and my health has improved greatly.
 
In the past 5 years, I have had both knees replaced as well as two back surgeries. This was attributed to the fact that I was overweight most of my life, which caused stress on many areas of my body. Each surgery was more difficult to recover from and exercise became more and more challenging. I knew it was important, but didn’t know how to get to that point, where it was something I could do. Ellipse taught me that just 30 minutes a day of walking or pedaling my recumbent bike, in combination with their easy to follow nutrition program would make a big difference. They were right. If you want results, I suggest Ellipse!

I was introduced to Ellipse (Livewell) 4 years ago. I joined thinking it was “just another gym.” It only took a few weeks to realize that was not the case. I loved the classes and how they were different every day. I even welcomed the sore muscles.  
 
In Feb ‘05 I joined the nutrition program.  My goal was 100 lbs. I learned this was not a diet but a lifestyle change.  I remember getting frustrated when I was not losing as quickly as I wanted to and they reminded me that I did not put the weight on overnight.  It was wonderful to realize that they were vested in helping me reach my goals.  In the first 6 months I was able to drop 40 lbs.  I was very excited about the loss, but there was a part of me that wanted to go back to my former lifestyle. I tried that for a while. I ate and drank what I wanted to, when I wanted to. I realized that I was giving up on myself.  I questioned how I could invest the time and money that I had, and then give up. Over the next few months I was on a rollercoaster of weight loss and gain, never making any major headway.  
 
That is when they sat me down and pointed out that I knew what I needed to do, I just needed to seriously want to make the change. I made the decision to begin attending the 5 am class, and to stop the excuses. This helped me refocus on my goal and get serious again. Since then, I have lost another 40 pounds. Thanks to the support of the entire Ellipse team, I know I can lose the last 20. Ellipse has been a huge part of my success. I have learned that you can’t just join a gym, you have to work hard to get the results you want.

“I have been an Ellipse member for over a year. Initially I lost weight and changed my body. For the first time in a while, I really felt confident and happy with myself. Then Renee announced that she was going to offer AMP’D, a more intense “kick-your-butt” kind of program. I thought to myself, “If anything can get me to the next level, it has to be this, right?” 

 

It also crossed my mind that I may not be able to handle the workouts, and that it may be too tough?” Well, the only way I was going to find out is if I gave it a shot, so I signed up.  After the first class I was floored ... wow, it was hard. Totally in-your-face. A level up from regular Ellipse classes (and I thought they were challenging)!

 

But I did my best and day after day I kept getting stronger and stronger. I realized that I really loved getting my butt kicked. AMP’D was great, it was a new challenge, another one that I meat head on. I’m so glad that I made the choice to give it a shot, even though at the time it seemed out of reach.

 

Had I not done AMP’D I would never have reached my new goal ... and I wouldn’t be striving to reach my next!

 

Thanks Ellipse ... what a great program!

“I joined Ellipse in January 2006. I had been working out consistently for years, it just didn’t seem challenging any longer. I did strength training and classes and I was bored stiff. I knew, after my first week at Ellipse, that I had found what I was looking for. I actually looked forward to working out again. Then Ellipse introduced AMP’D. I had already been a member for about 2 years and I thought a new challenge would be great. It was amazing and the results that I had were proof, I’m actually enrolled in my second session right now.

 

Since joining Ellipse I’ve lost 30 pounds, but more importantly I’ve gained the inner strength that I wanted so badly. I’ve also learned that when you put your mind to it, anything is possible!

“I have struggled with my weight my entire life. Four years ago, I decided to do something about it, and joined Ellipse. In the beginning it was tough. I wasn't sure that I could work out in a group due to my size. I was very pre-occupied about others judging me. I knew that this was a self-esteem issue, but didn’t know how I was going to overcome it. Shana and Lisa helped me by being very positive and keeping me focused.
 
Cardio kickboxing has made me a stronger person physically and mentally. I also
My weight began to climb and I started having medical issues related to my weight, this is when I began to consider weight loss surgery.  I always thought I could lose it on my own but was beginning to realize that this was not the case, what more could I do, I had been with Ellipse faithfully for 3 years? Results came back from some tests that I had a medical condition that was hindering my weight loss and I needed to seek an alternative method. Feelings of relief and frustration set in all at once. I decided to have Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.
 
“This is a procedure in which they cut and separate a portion of the upper stomach (about the size of a walnut), re-route the small intestine and attach it to the new pouch. So I basically have 2 stomachs, one that accepts food and one that growls every once and a while because it thinks it needs food.
 
The surgery was not an easy road there are side effects like nausea and dry heaving. I am now hyper-sensitive to sugar and pretty much have to be on a diabetic diet. The sacrifice has been well worth it and I would do it all over again.

Since I have been back from surgery, things have been wonderful. The doctors say that I'm above the average when it comes to my weight loss. I personally think my success is because of Ellipse. I have goals and Shana and Lisa are keeping me on track. Saying thank you just doesn’t seem like enough. This lifestyle, along with the surgery, has and is changing my life.”

For more information on Bariatric Surgery visit Midwest Bariatric Solutions at mwbariatric.com

Kathy’s total cholesterol and her triglycerides are the most amazing of this report.  The health benefits of lowering these numbers include a lower risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Way to go Kathy!
 

started the nutrition program which went very well.  I gained muscle but the scale didn’t budge much. I was a "healthy" fat person. I worked out at Ellipse on a regular basis and ate very well, however, I still had trouble losing weight.

I have always been an active person. I really enjoy working out and trying new exercises. I have seen just about every fitness DVD ever created. When I heard about Amp’d from my sister, my husband and I signed up right away. It was easy to second guess this decision as I am newly married, started my own business, and live about 25 minutes away from Ellipse. Having friends and family participate with me pushed me through those moments of doubt almost as much as the instructor. It didn’t take long before everyone in the class developed a comradery. My husband was seeing great results. I was feeling great. People were taking notice. I am finally going to lose those last few pounds and inches and maybe get six pack abs!

I became very happy with my weight loss, drop in body fat, and the changes happening on the outside and the inside. About half-way through, my weight loss goal was reached. I was concentrating on toning, form, breathing, and pushing it a little harder each time. About this same time, I discovered I had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and needed to start chemotherapy. It could wait for Amp’d to be over, and my doctor gave me the green light to keep going with the workouts and the clean eating. I made it. It was hard, but I did it! I actually gained 3 pounds back in muscle giving me much needed strength for the road ahead. I lost 4 pounds of fat, gained 10 pounds of muscle, and had my clothes taken in four inches. I feel healthy. I look healthy. I would do it again.

Amp’d is incredible. What a journey? I recommend it to anyone and everyone.

My story begins in January of this year as I sat in the Doctor’s office hearing the evaluation that I was overweight and on the verge of Diabetes at the young age of 30 and tipping the scale at 237 pounds on a 5’3” frame. I knew that my health was slipping and that I was not taking care of myself physically, but it took the shock of a major health risk to send me on my journey in search of a healthy diet and lifestyle. On January 6th my husband and I joined a local gym, where we exercised diligently every day. In addition, I joined Weight Watchers On-line and bought myself a BodyBugg, which is a device used to help calculate calories in and calories out. This program worked for awhile (of course, we had a lot of weight to lose, so anything positive was going to cause a change at this point).

However, after I had lost about 45 pounds, I found myself at a stand-still and having a hard time shedding additional pounds. That’s when I found Ellipse!! 20I walked in the door of Ellipse thinking that I was going to take a Zumba class but then, I decided that I would learn more about Ellipse in general and the weight loss program. After a little research, it seemed like a no-brainer and I joined immediately.

So…the way I see it is in May of this year…..the second part of my weight loss journey continues! I signed up for the weight loss program in May and since then I have lost an additional 60 pounds! Yes….in 5 months….I lost 60 pounds at Ellipse! Having lost 105 pounds and now weighing 132 pounds, I feel like a new woman and have an entirely new lease on life! My only regret is that I wish that I would have found Ellipse sooner.

The weight loss program is a plan that I can live by through my entire life; coupled with the total body work-out program at Ellipse each week….it truly has changed my life. I am now living an active life, I’m proud to sport my new bikini and I’m even teaching classes at Ellipse! I say it all the time, which I know I’m like a broken record, but THANK YOU, Ellipse. I cannot imagine where I’d be today if I hadn’t found you!

I invite you to follow my weight maintenance journey on the Ellipse Fitness Blog page. You can find it at www.ellipsefitness.com/blog/.

I joined Ellipse - North a year ago as a fitness member. The daily workouts increased my energy and the camaraderie made want to keep coming back. In the first two weeks of the Spring Ampd program I lost 12 pounds. The workouts are even more intense and the motivation to succeed by each of the instructors is great. It's really easy to give it all you got in every workout when someone is cheering you on. The biggest benefit of joining Amp'd for me was learning what and how to eat. I've been in three Ampd programs now. I just recently started the regular nutrition program to take off the last few pounds and learn to eat for life.

I have no idea how much weight or how many inches I've lost since I started at Ellipse, but I do know I haven't felt this good about myself in a long time.