Success Stories: Vanessa O'Kelley

Before
Before
After
After

Vanessa O'Kelley

I am 33 years old. I have been gaining weight slowly but steadily since high school. In the last five years I've tried repeatedly to lose weight with diet and exercise. I would do well for a while, and then it would fall apart. Each time I'd swear "Never again".... and each time I would fail, with the end result being an even higher weight. When I hit 234 lbs (at 5'11) I decided ENOUGH is ENOUGH. I started exercising and using the Weight Watchers point system to help control my eating. (Although I don't attend meetings, I found the point system works for me). Then unfortunately, I hurt my back, and had to stop exercising. It wasn't long before the diet went out the window too. I gained back half the weight in just 6 months. This time I knew I could not let myself gain back all that weight and more. I knew that I needed help. Friends of mine recommended Marjie, so I decided to give her a call. I'm so glad I did!

Marjie has given me what I needed the most.....structure and accountability. I would never have progressed this far so quickly on my own. My first training session with her was on January 8th, 2002. Just 5 1/2 weeks later on February 15th I had already lost 15 pounds and I am continuing to make great progress towards my goals! The greatest thing is, because I'm building muscle with my strength training program, I realize that I don't have nearly as much "weight" to lose as I thought! The program Marjie designed for me has changed my body composition for the better, adding muscle but allowing me to lose inches as my bodyfat levels decrease. Marjie has taken me further in these few weeks than I ever got in 6 months on my own!

--Vanessa O'Kelley