(Q) Where are you from?

(A) Zionsville, IN

(Q) How was your childhood/family life growing up?

(A)I had a great childhood with one little sister and two great parents.

(Q) What was your relationship with food then?

(A) My family loves to eat—it’s how we celebrate special occasions & everyday meals are something that the family loves to prepare together, regardless of caloric content. My mom lost a lot of weight on Weight Watchers about eight years ago & has been able to keep it off even though my parents haven’t really changed their eating habits much.

(Q) How often did you work out?

(A) I played outside all the time as a child & was quite active with the neighborhood children; organizing neighborhood-wide games of hide and seek. I never worked out per se, but I played softball at a competitive level from 4th grade onward. I was always in shape without having to work at it outside of practice. I quit playing competitive sports when I got to college & never worked out, except for the occasional intramural sport or kickboxing class.

(Q) How long have you been struggling to lose the weight?

(A) I started putting on weight my last year in college & I’ve been struggling with losing it ever since. I kind of ignored my weight gain as much as possible when I was enrolled in my PhD program, but I couldn’t put it out of my mind forever. I didn’t try to seriously lose the weight until I started working out with Liz a year ago.

(Q) How did you feel/describe your personality when you were at your heaviest?

(A) My self-esteem seriously took a hit. I felt like I wasn’t respected by my students and I was embarrassed to see people who didn’t know I had gained weight.

(Q) Tell me about the moment/day you realized you needed to take control of your weight?

(A) As I approached my late twenties, I decided I didn’t want to feel so poorly about myself. I wanted to be able to have fun shopping and to not be embarrassed going out in public. Most importantly, I wanted to get healthy before I got pregnant.

(Q) What was the turning point for you to make you take action and get serious?

(Q) I knew that I needed to get serious about my health, but I knew that I would never have the motivation or guidance to do it on my own. When I had the financial ability to sign up for a personal trainer, I jumped at the chance!

(Q) How did you meet Liz and The Program?

(A) Thru word of mouth. I was looking for someone effective who could deliver results. I sought her out and found her in a local facility!

(Q) Tell me about your experience working with Liz and being on her Program - How often to you train (with and without her)?

(A) I train with Liz twice per week & I do cardio 2-3 times per week on my own. Liz has me running, which is something that I swore I would never do!

(Q) Describe your workouts?

(A) My workouts with Liz are always changing, which is exactly what keeps me motivated. They are a mixture of cardio, weight training, pilates, and cross-training. Liz is constantly introducing new exercises and challenging me with things that I didn’t think I would be able to handle.

(Q) How has your diet changed since working with her?

(A) I am currently eating much better than I ever have. I’m focusing on portion control and eating the right foods for weight loss.

(Q) How hard has it been for you to stay on track and lose the weight?

(A) It hasn’t been hard at all with Liz’s encouragement. Knowing that I have to be in front of her critical eye twice weekly helps keep me stay honest! I have the most difficulty staying on track when I go home to visit my family, not surprisingly.

(Q) How do you feel now that you are achieving your goals and shedding the weight?

(A) It feels great to have confidence again. I feel my body changing for the better. My stamina has increased greatly—my feet don’t hurt as much & my legs don’t chafe when I walk around the city for the day! Aside from the weight loss, I am most proud of how strong I feel now. I like having muscles!

(Q) How has your personality changed since shedding the weight?

(A) I feel like a different person. I don’t have a complex when I go out in public anymore and I feel like I fit in when I got out in the skinny city of New York! I also love being able to shop again in regular stores & not have to get the largest size available.

(Q) What are your weight loss goals going forward?

(A) I still want to lose more weight and continue toning my body. My biggest problem area remains my stomach, but I know with Liz’s targeted workouts and my running regime I will see the results that I want. Living a healthy lifestyle has become a part of my daily routine.