Welcome everybody to another interview with one of our great members. She has seen great results. You can see the before and after we posted right here.
Sandro, “Leslie, welcome.”
Lesley, “Thank you.”
Sandro, “How everything started?”
Lesley, “I know that I wasn't happy with how I was looking. I wasn't toned and I just knew I needed to do something. Before I was a mom, I was active.”
Sandro, “So you exercised before and you stayed in shape. But you had your kids and drop your exercise routine completely.”
Lesley, “Apart from walking with a stroller, a double stroller and holding babies.”
Sandro, “Got it. So tell me what are the difficulties of your journey?”
Lesley, “Just being consistent and obviously sticking to a healthy diet.
Now, three years down the line, it's easier and it's just part of the lifestyle.”
Sandro, “So we can say that in the beginning being healthy and exercising was difficult. But right now, that's not so difficult. Tell me what happened in those three years that you can recollect about your journey of weight loss.”
Lesley. “When the Carbondale location closed and when covid happened, I did some online classes and that helped. Then, I took a break for a while because I had an injury that wouldn't seem to go away. I started hiking and riding, but that was not enough. I had to come back.”
Sandro, “Talk to me about your exercise.”
Lesley, “I consistently come to class at least three times a week and when I am not in class, in the days between,
I’m just active, walking around the block, bike ride...
just doing something everyday.”
Sandro, “How long you give yourself every day to be active?”
Lesley, “Well, at least an hour. But also I have a stand up desk at work, so I'm not sitting. All day long.”
Sandro, “OK, now let's talk about your food.”
Lesley, “I mean, I always considered myself a healthy eater because I didn't eat junk food. But I think I've just eaten more vegetables and fruit. Cooking for the family every day, growing teenage boys eat a little differently, so I just have to adapt dinner to have extra vegetables. I won’t have potatoes, rice or pasta. So just kind of cut down on the unhealthy carbs.”
Sandro , “So even though you don't used to eat junk food there were things that you were eating that were not helping you to lose weight such as pasta?”
Lesley, “Cheese and crackers is my main problem, so I try to keep away.”
Sandro, “OK. Any other change that you can think of about your eating?”
Lesley, "Less alcohol; that's not food, but it's calorie consumption...
But I wasn't a big drinker; I would have wine with dinner and over the weekend. You don't think that would affect you.”
Sandro, “Now let's talk about your state of mind?”
Lesley, “Well, this routine is just part of my life now. There's no struggle. I think because you probably get the results, that obviously helps. But just coming here, everyone who workouts here works as a team.
It is almost, you know, my little social life...
You come and you workout with people that you enjoy their company and we're all doing the same thing together. And everyone is getting results, because that's why they're still coming. I don't think about it; I just sign up for class, get home from work, get change, come.”
Sandro, “So your routine is not a struggle anymore?”
Lesley, “When something is new, it's just hard to get into that routine, but now the routine is just part of my life.I used to go to First Friday party, but I don’t go anymore because I come here. I exercise instead.’
Sandro, “Now you have your priorities correct.”
Sandro, “So tell me about your results.”
Lesley,“Well, I can wear my jeans now...
which before I will literally live in short or stretchy yoga pants because they're much more comfortable, because everything else was tight and uncomfortable. Now everything fits better, and I feel comfortable wearing stuff that I hadn't before. I have expanded my wardrobe.”
Sandro, “What would be your best tip for somebody who's starting to lose weight or somebody who is stuck and they are not able to lose weight?”
Lesley, “I would say stay with it because it will happen if you keep coming to class. And you know, if you're struggling with your diet, talk to Sandro.”
Sandro, “Thank you, Leslie.”
So you hear the tip. Lesley changed her eating habits. She also is very active. She had to stop exercising for a while, but then she went back to her routine. Lesley loves to say, "I can wear my jeans now" after a few decades of not be able to do that. Thank you for continuing to follow us and stay tuned for our next interview.