Merritt Clubs Blog

   

How Lynell Tobler Broke The 120 Pound Barrier

Posted by RaySa

Jul 13, 2012

LYNELL TOBLER

The Beginning
As a young adult, I had always been proud of my figure, but as I grew older, my weight slowly grew too. At the age of 54, I had reached a weight of 190 pounds on my five foot, three inch frame. In 2008, I joined Owings Mills Merritt Athletic Club. I didn't go regularly and when I did go, I didn't push myself to exceed my comfort zone.

Portion Control
In the summer of 2010, I had extensive dental work done. I lost about four pounds from not being able to chew. The weight loss motivated me to ask a girlfriend about dieting. I had never been on a diet in my life -I wasn't particularly interested in following a bunch of rules about calories. After all, I consoled myself, I was actually a very healthy eater. My problem was portion control. I loved to cook and I loved to eat my own cooking! I ate to comfort myself. But, I did some research and found a diet I could live with. I started counting calories and tweaking my beloved gourmet recipes to lower the fat.

Group Fitness Camaraderie
I worked up the courage to try a yoga class with Charlie Beall at Merritt in hopes of easing the stress caused by my chronic dental pain. It changed my life. I loved Charlie's low-key attitude and relaxed style of instruction - no intimidation. I loved it when Charlie brought out his flute at the end of every session and played softly, elegantly, while we meditated. I was so out of shape that I could barely do any of the moves. But, I loved the camaraderie of the group. Seeing the friendly faces of the same people every week motivated me to keep coming. I stuck with my diet and maintained a steady weight loss.

The Lifestyle Change
I loved my yoga class so much that I added BodyStep, BodyPump, and BodyFlow classes to my weekly evening routine. My weight-loss accelerated. This June of 2011 I actually “broke the 120 pound barrier,” so I feel as if my goal is finally, completely achieved. I’ve never felt better in my entire life. Thank you all, so very much, for accompanying me and supporting me on this journey to fitness over the past eight months. If you had told me last summer that I would be greeting this summer with a slim, strong body, I would never have believed it. And as an added benefit, when I visited my doctor this week, my blood pressure was down to 100 over 70, so I may be able to go off my blood pressure medicine soon, one of my original goals for losing weight. Dreams do come true! I am living proof.

Lynell Tobler, Merritt Athletic Clubs member since 2008

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Topics: healthy living, Merritt athletic clubs review, health, Weight Loss, goals, lose weight, portion control, success stories, best weight loss plans, lynell tobler, before and after, best workout plans, Baltimore fitness, Member Success Stories, group fitness

How To Get Rid of Belly Fat by Tasting The Six Pack

Posted by Eric "Scott" Landers

Apr 30, 2012

Taste The Six Pack

“Do you have abs”? This is a question that a friend of mine who is also trainer was asked by one of his clients. The quick answer, for anyone who is asked this is, YES! We all have “abs” which is the short name for the rectus abdominis, a large muscle in front of the abdomen that if weren’t there we couldn’t walk, lift things, stand upright, and our intestines and other organs would be falling out! So, yes, we all have abs. The specific question this client meant to ask is, “do you have visible abs, or the ever sought after six pack?” That is a very different story. So if we all have abs but most of us can’t see them the question is how do we get a six pack? Well the easy answer is exercise and a proper diet with a strong emphasis on proper diet. We all can’t see our abs but we can all taste them. Taste abs? What the heck do I mean right?! Well as you are reading this right now (as long as you aren’t eating anything) you are tasting what a six pack taste like. Six pack abs taste like seeing that bag of peanut M&Ms and walking past them. Six pack abs taste like not eating a piece of cake, not eating that bag of chips, not overeating, not overloading on carbs. This is a little trick that I taught myself to keep myself from eating junk food. I see something that would be delicious and I am tempted until I remember that NOT eating it is the way to the six pack.

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Topics: gym health clubs, Personal Training, exercise, Weight Loss, baltimore gyms, weight loss and exercise, Baltimore Group Fitness, wellness, baltimore personal trainer, Personal trainer, fitness classes, six pack abs, weight loss programs, health club, fitness goals, group fitness