Personal Training Success Stories

Who is he? he is…

A husband, a father, an Enterprise Architect and Manager, a Veteran and a Medford native.  

Why is he? Because he…

Lost 15 pounds, 1.5 inches on his chest, 1.5 inches on his shoulders, 2.5 inches from his waist, dropped over 6% of his body fat, gained an incredible amount of strength and also greatly increased his flexibility. Michael has completely transformed his physique and not only has the stats to prove this but the before and after shots. Check him out!

How did he? he…

Began back in July of 2019 with the goals of losing weight, to feel better and get back to being the person he knew he was. He knew at the time he met us that he would need the help to successfully change his life for the better and we were those people. Michael then consistently trained 3x per week with FT Melrose, worked his tail off during those workouts and always showed up early to get in a sufficient warm up to optimize his training. Not only that, he also trained 2-3 other days on his off time from us and even then continued with us as Virtual Training became our new avenue through the pandemic. Michael also dialed in his nutrition from day one and made small tweaks along the way to keep improving with his goals and kept motivated toward his overall goal throughout which led to his success. Incredible Job Michael, you deserve this completely! 

Fun facts about Michael…

Michael is originally from Cambridge MA, he's a father to 5 kids, he's been married 9 years to his wife Lisa, is a Veteran from being in the Army reserves and is now a Freemason. Some of the funniest things we know about Michael is that he loves disco, ABBA is his favorite band, his favorite movie is Mama Mia here we go again, his idol is John Wayne, he's super sensitive to people's chewing sounds and he has a secret shoe fetish. Well...it was a secret! 

Amazing job Michael!  

Who is She? She is…

A Mother, a Wife, a native to Newburyport, MA and an employee at Trader Joe's. 

Why is She? Because She…

Always shows up on time, warms up before each session and gives it her all during each workout. Sarah has increased strength in all areas but most notably she recently surpassed her personal best of 185 pounds on the Bench Press and got all the way up to 210 pounds, a 25 pound increase. Sarah's personal best of 185 pounds was also 30 YEARS AGO! That's incredible!

How did She? She…

Started back with us in January of 2020 with the intentions to start moving more, feel better and increase her strength. Since her start, she has consistently made each appointment on time and even implements exercise on her day's outside of FT to better herself. She always comes to each session with a great attitude and has really made exercise a part of her life she now truly enjoys. Sarah did all this by starting with us in studio and then transitioned to Virtual Training and STILL continued to crush each workout. 

Fun facts about Sarah…

Sarah is originally from Newburyport, MA and lives with her kids and husband Ricardo (Ricky), who is a professional musician. Sarah studied Spanish at Dartmouth College where she now resides with the "Guatemalans" ( her family) as she would say and the Spanish now comes in very handy. She's worked a numerous amount of jobs including being a producer at This Old House, Mas Mas Media, WBGH, BVTV, RE/MAX Heritage and she now currently works at Trader Joe's. Oh..and she also was kicked off a horse growing up; yes, she also knows how to ride a horse. 

Well done Sarah! 

Who is He? He is…

A drummer, a young professional, an insanely smart Front-end Engineer who works for Indico, a Melrose local and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. 

Why is He? Because He…

Trained consistently 3x per week for the last year, greatly improved on his nutrition, continuously gained strength and always gave his best effort each and every session. 

How did He? He…

Began with us back in June 2019 and quickly got on board by changing his eating habits. He has been extremely consistent coming to us 3x per week ever since. Andy has gained an enormous amount of strength and recently deadlifted 205 pounds! His most recent evaluation from us shows he gained a whole half inch on his shoulders and quarter inch on his arms, all while dropping an entire inch on his waistline. Incredible! 

Fun facts about Andy…

Andy is a Berklee musician and currently plays drums for Dan & The Wildfire. He’s originally from Merrimack, NH, is engaged to the love of his life Claire and they currently live in Melrose with their dog Fin. He’s allergic to apples, prefers bananas, loves standup comedy, star wars and has quickly become a fan of the all mighty KettleBell and has a new found love for the Mace as an exercise tool. 

You’ve been rocking it from the start Andy and all of us here at FT are super excited for you, keep up the great work! 

Who is He? He is…

A Melrose native, a high school student at Bishop Fenwick, a genius and a school workaholic.  

Why is He? Because He…

Consistently trained at FT 2x per week, ran on his off day's, focused daily on his nutrition, lost 23 pounds and has gained some serious strength. Push ups we're very hard at first and he can now do a whole 12 of them!

How did He? He…

Started off with Fitness Together Melrose back in late January of 2020 and quickly grew an interest with exercise having little to no experience. Peter started right off the bat by nailing down his nutrition and since has made all his workouts to date. He's been one off the most consistent we've seen come through and his results are proof.

Fun facts about Peter…

Peter has been a client of FT Melrose since late January where he started coming with his brother Jack, sister Isabel and mother Julie. He loves to run and strength training is his new found hobby. Peter was born and raised in Melrose and is soon to graduate this summer as a senior from Bishop Fenwick High School. He was recently accepted to Boston College and will be studying Political Science where he intends to go to law school after in-order to become a lawyer. Least to say, Peter's got his act together...and now, he's "Fit" together.

Excellent job Peter, you deserve it!

I came to Fitness Together looking for some guidance to help me prepare for the Mrs America pageant. The thought of being on stage in front of hundreds and hundreds of people in a bathing suit was extremely petrifying. I've always been the type to stay in my comfort zone on the treadmill and away from the "scary" weights. I knew to prepare to the best of my ability, I would have to step out of my comfort zone. This is where Fitness Together Melrose & lead trainer Jesse LaRossa comes in... Jesse makes our weekly sessions an enjoyable learning experience that I look forward to. He has taught me exercises that I can do at home and at my local gym, and now I can walk into the weights lifting area with confidence.  Not only have I gained confidence at the gym, but I was able to walk on that Mrs America stage not only (in a bathing suit) feeling and looking my personal best but WIN Mrs. America 2016. I have gained strength, knowledge and a healthy lifestyle, and I thank Jesse and Fitness Together Melrose for this!

Who is he? he is...

A Melrose native, a father to his dog, a husband to Kaila Frymire ( another amazing client ), a school psychologist and very caring individual to everyone around him.

Why is he? Because he...

Made exercise in and out of the gym a priority and gained an enormous amount of strength over the last three months. He recently hit a huge personal record performing a deadlift by picking up a total of 305 pounds! All this and he also lost 5 pounds and 3% of his body fat. Excellent Job Craig!

How did he? he...

Worked out 2x per week at Fitness Together Melrose while also training 2 other times a week in addition. Craig was very diligent with his nutrition the past few months and that really helped to accelerate his most recent progress.

Fun facts about Craig...

Craig belongs to the church of Zercher, when he gets tired he turns into an Okinawan Samurai, he is deeply intellectual and a great guy to conversate with. His light hearted attitude and attention to detail makes him a joy to train!

Fitness together Melrose has given me the opportunity to reclaim my health and bringing me within reach of my full potential.  I was over 250 pounds with little motivation when I started and already lost 30 pounds only 6 months into my program.  I gained the enthusiasm to become consistent with my training and I truly look forward to my sessions.  I also can't say enough positive things about the staff, who are like family to me now.

My discovery for FT was long overdue... After an ACL tear and surgery about a year and a half ago, I went to a couple of different places for physical therapy, as well as a gym for strength and conditioning. While each seemed good at the time, none of them were completely effective. Then about nine months ago I started to develop hip pain, because the PT didn’t properly rehabilitate my knee.  At FT, I can really feel the benefit to my hips and knee. I've also strengthened my glutes which weren’t functioning normally because I had been overcompensating on one side of my after the surgery.  Although there’s still more to do, I have greater confidence in my overall posture and walking ability since beginning with FT. The trainers at FT that have really motivated me. They’ve been instrumental in explaining and reinforcing the proper exercise techniques in order to get me back on my feet again.  I think when you receive the proper care and attention, rehabilitating an injury becomes a much more positive experience and I thoroughly enjoy going to my training sessions (which says a lot because I've never enjoyed going to the gym!). For me the greatest challenge has been overcoming the mental obstacle that because two other physical therapy places had been unsuccessful, I wouldn't be able to rehabilitate my knee and regain the strength that was lost in other muscle areas from my ACL operation. Post-operative rehabilitation can be challenging and sometimes discouraging, especially if not addressed properly initially. If you are patient, work with the trainers at FT and start to see small strides, it will all start to come together! Thanks FT! 

In the past, my old gym just didn’t provide me with the support or direction I needed. When I joined Fitness together, I knew it was the gym for me right away! The FT trainers generally care about your fitness experience.  The first day my trainer, Peter, sat down with me and went over my overall needs and goals. I felt like this was the first time someone was actually listening to me.  Fitness together customized a program that worked for me and my lifestyle.

I was coached on every aspect from nutrition, cardio to strength training. My trainer really provided me with a lot of support and encouragement. It gave me the motivation to push through when I felt like giving up.  After a few weeks I was sleeping better and feeling great. I am happy to report in just 4 short weeks I have already lost 10 pounds.* I look forward to working with Fitness together in the future and all that they have to offer.

carolinemcglynn@comcast.net

Five months ago I had an important decision to make.  I was recuperating after a serious illness, feeling sorry for myself and completely unmotivated in life.  Because of my illness I was put on multiple medications for my heart, my joints, and my blood.  I had gone from never taking any medications to taking 6-8 in a matter of 30 days.  What was most frustrating and difficult for me was to remember that at one point, in my adult life, I was a very active person who enjoyed playing sports and other outdoor activities.
After almost a year of recuperation I found myself at the highest weight of my life, on two different blood pressure medications, and being told by my doctors that I probably have Type II diabetes and they were considering starting another medication. This was my turning point.I could continue down the path of a sedentary life, poor eating habits and getting quite good at self-pity, or I could take my life back and realize that while my illness is in the back of my mind, I cannot let it rule my decisions and I needed to find the person I was not so long ago. 
As luck would have it, my wife ran into someone, Dave “Nordie” Norden, who we knew quite well and had not seen for quite a while told her about Fitness Together Burlington, he said it changed his life, most importantly he said it changed his family’s life.  She was sold before we even went to meet Brendan– the owner. 
After meeting with Brendan and hearing about the program, and getting a sense of his knowledge and enthusiasm, we knew that this was the gym for us.  It was one of the best decisions we have ever made.  I have belonged to many gyms in the past, but I have never had a personal trainer with me every step of the way showing me exactly how to do each exercise, and explaining to me why I am doing it.  The majority of my workouts have been with trainers Robin and Chris.  I can’t say enough good things about both of them.  Right from the beginning, they got to know me, what my goals and limitations were.   Each workout was customized to me and aimed toward helping me to meet my personal and overall health goals.   Robin and Chris are always upbeat, and they really make the workouts something that I look forward to.  Personally, the workouts I have had at FT-Burlington have been the most challenging workouts I have ever had.  I know that I wouldn’t have pushed myself this hard if I were working out alone in a regular gym.
Another area that sets Fitness Together apart from other gym memberships is the nutrition component.  I have been using the Vitabot on-line nutrition tool that is offered.  This has been a great way for me to learn how to eat a balanced diet and hold myself accountable.  The trainers consistently talk to me about nutrition and are happy to answer any nutrition questions I might have.
I am happy to say, after 5 months going to Fitness Together Burlington, I have lost over 60 lbs. and 42 total inches.*  What is most important to me however is, as of this month, I am off all medications and my blood pressure is normal.*  I feel so much better about myself, and I look forward to continuing down the path of an active and healthy lifestyle.  Brendan and his entire Fitness Together Burlington staff are amazing people, and I can’t thank them enough for helping me to get my life back.  

Dan L.

Mike had put on a lot of weight in college and really needed to change his lifestyle.  In just six months Mike has lost 66 lbs and is wearing the clothes he wants to wear*. ‘The trainers here make you accountable. They’re the best.” Mike’s trainer, Tom Lavoie is impressed with Mike’s commitment. “The results Mike has seen are off the charts. He’s really changed his lifestyle by making that commitment to himself and to his program.”

Tracy first came to Fitness Together when she realized the baby weight she’d put on three years prior wasn’t going to come off without some major changes to her lifestyle. Tracy committed to her training and nutrition program and saw greater results than she ever imagined.  “My trainers are amazing. They are the primary reason why I come here.” Since starting at FT Tracy has lost 50 lbs. and went from a size 14 to a size 2.* She also increased strength and flexibility and has competed in the incredibly demanding Tough Mudder challenge. Trainer Tom Lavoie says, “She really has kicked up her strength in a big way. She’s continuing to grow, as far as her strength, flexibility, and improving her overall health.”

Linda came to Fitness Together when she realized she weighed as much as she had when she was pregnant more than a decade ago. She had become self-conscious and was dressing to hide her weight. Says trainer Brendan Stapleton, “When I first met Linda, I knew we were going to be able to help her.” Linda dedicated herself to the fitness and nutrition program outlined by her trainer and lost 25 lbs and went from a tight size 12, to a 4/6.* Her trainer says, “The biggest improvement I’ve seen in Linda is her over all improved well-being, but everything has really improved 100%.” Linda agrees, “I’ve walked into many gyms and never showed up again. At Fitness Together I walked in, and I don’t ever want to walk out!”

"When I started Fitness Together Burlington I was already an athlete but I also had a busted hamstring and back pain. I was overweight and wasn’t feeling good about myself. It didn’t take long for my body to start to change and boy did it! My trainers coached me on everything from posture & flexibility to my nutrition. They took a great deal of interest in me and what was going to yield the best results. This past year I participated in my first triathlon and 5k obstacle course! Fitness Together has changed my life, I’ve lost over 40lbs in 8 months!"*

I can't say enough about Fitness Together! I'm a 54 year old woman who needed to lose weight (notice I said "needed") in order to look and feel better and be healthy. I really liked the idea of working out one-on-one with my own trainer in a private studio as opposed to being in a large class, or even with a personal trainer in the middle of a big gym. And at FT, there is nutritional support as well.  You get to use a great online tool with exceptional personal attention to tweaking your diet so that you eat optimally for weight loss and good nutrition (they don't sell special food or vitamins).  But obviously the biggest thing here would be the trainers, and believe me, they really know their stuff.  They are by your side for the entire session, training and educating you for correct form, and providing constantly changing exercises that tone your entire body the right (and most effective) way. To me, this is priceless and something that most of us can't get from a book or from watching a video. I've lost over 50 lbs* and am more toned and stronger than I was in my twenties - and I thoroughly enjoy the compliments and other positive feedback I've been getting.  I never thought I would ever wear something sleeveless again - and now I can't wait for summer and tank tops! And one last thing - I've discovered my inner athlete! Who knew I'd be kayaking, hiking mountains, or running 5Ks with all the other active and fit people out there?! FT is truly one of the best decisions I've ever made for myself. I will never go back to my old ways because being (and looking) fit is way too much fun! 

My entire life I’ve struggled with my weight.  My pant size was always fluctuating yearly, sometimes significantly and sometimes not.  March of 2013 was my breaking point when I finally decided to make a change.  I weighed in at my absolute heaviest – 183 pounds and a pant size of 14.  I was a mess.

I found Fitness Together Melrose on accident.  I had recently moved to the area and often passed by the studio.  My husband and I decided to inquire on what services were offered.  After an initial meeting and “test drive” we decided to join.  It was the best decision I have ever made.

Fitness Together taught me how to hold myself accountable and take responsibility.  So often I would join a gym and simply say, “I’ll go tomorrow.”  That wasn’t part of the plan with FT.  I had to be on time, put in the work, and follow through.  The trainers were always watching me and pushing me. On top of that they made me accountable; making sure I was coming to my scheduled 1:1 and group sessions or simply to remind me not to give up.  I couldn’t let them down and in turn, I couldn’t let myself down.

Fitness Together also taught me about family.  Teddy and Jesse became just that for me.  No matter what day of the week, or the time of day, I could always be guaranteed that one of them would be able to encourage and support me when I needed it.  Not only would they give me diet advice and help me with my workouts, but we’d talk about everything and anything outside of FT, too.  I never felt like I was being “trained” by someone – I always felt like I was simply working out with my buds.  They are, without a doubt, lifelong friends. 

Fitness Together has helped me achieve my goals.  I not only lost 30 lbs. in about 6 months*, but I also ran my first 5K.  That was HUGE!  I have muscles and confidence.  I no longer take medication for acid reflux and my back and shoulder pain is nearly gone.  My shoulders are straight and aligned.  Reclaiming my health is the most successful I have ever been with anything.  I feel good every single day.  That’s not to say it’s easy, because every day is a struggle, but now I have the tools and the motivation to make it work.

I am forever grateful to Fitness Together Melrose, specifically Teddy & Jesse.  Without their expertise and fun, supportive personalities, I really don’t think I would have ever made it this far.  Now – off to hit the treadmill!

For the last six years of my life weight has been an issue.  It started after a knee injury left me immobile for nearly three years and I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder.  Between the intense muscular pain, soreness, lack of sleep, and depression I let the pounds pack on until finally I reached my limit.  I wanted to make a change but was scared and lacked the motivation to do it on my own.  I had tried gyms, taken various fitness classes, and even tried herbal supplements, but none of them worked because I could never continue them for long or see any measurable results.  Not only was my weight hard on my body, but it was also hard on my self-esteem as I did not want to be judged or looked down upon especially because I am only 18.  I needed a fitness center that would be willing to help me achieve my goals and stick to a plan to get myself back into shape and that is exactly what I found at Fitness Together.

            My mother had found the Fitness Together website and told me to look into it.  Not only for the personalized workouts, but also for the motivational support which was really important to me.  I had heard about personal trainers before and had always been wary of them; but after meeting once with Pete it became clear that I had made the right decision in contacting them.  At my first consultation it was easy to talk to him about my struggles and lay out my fitness goals for the future.  Not only is Pete supremely entertaining and funny, with our sessions usually ending with one of us hysterically laughing, but he and the other trainers create a nonjudgmental and supportive environment that makes you want to come back.  I am never pushed past my limit and am always taken care of when my pain gets in the way.  They are willing to work with you on anything, no matter what, and are always flexible, happy, and helpful.  They make each experience better than the last.  If I had not found Fitness Together I would still be lying in bed, dreaming of getting into shape instead of actually doing it.  I will never be able to thank them enough for helping me work towards achieving my fitness goals!

jazzydancing@verizon.net

Jackie O. came to Fitness Together in April of 2013.  After several weeks of training and her first evaluation, she updated her fitness goals, changed her eating habits, and committed to extra days of cardio.  With 3 year old twins at home, she managed to set aside time each day to journal her food and get to the gym for her workouts.  She has lost 5% body fat, has dropped 11 pounds, can perform 35 pushups, 10 pull-ups, and holds Fitness Together Melrose's plank record at 15:10.*  Check out her video!!

Fitness Together is second to none. Over the past few years of working out with FT, they have not only made me stronger physically but mentally as well. They keep me on track, they push my limits (but never to the point of overkill) and they believe in what I can do even when I don't believe in myself at times. In short, the staff at FT have made me healthier and even though there are days that I am not sure I feel like working out as I am always glad I did as I walk out the door and start my day.

Sonia R. 10/20/14