The Buzz on FitOrbit

I am a personal trainer, Pilates studio owner, massage therapist and a mom. I am also a trainer on FitOrbit.com. To add another hat to my head, I am also now a client on FitOrbit.

About six weeks ago, I decided that I needed a new challenge. After struggling with a hamstring tear for more than a year, and a subsequent eight-pound weight gain, I had had enough. Fed up with the weight and my inability to motivate myself, a change was looming. And I was carrying around that dirty little secret. I was not living the life I was preaching.

I was going through my days instructing my clients to work hard and eat well. I had oodles of motivation and inspiration for them, and zero for myself. This was a difficult reality to face up to. Mix in a very busy life of mothering two small children and running my own business, and I felt like all I was doing was taking care of the world and ignoring my own needs. I was working out, but not enough to make a difference in all the calories I was eating.

Now hear me out: I haven't stepped foot into a fast food restaurant since I was in high school, which is more years ago than I care to admit. I am one of those people who eat right. No processed sugar or flour. Whole grains. Vitamin packed nutrient dense foods. Little to no meat and plenty of water.

So why was I gaining weight? Simple: Calories count. I may (and continue to) eat well, but a calorie is a calorie and when you have too many of them and not enough opportunities to burn them off, you will gain weight. Combine this with my hamstring injury and my reaching age 40 (+4) and I get a great recipe for a soft middle.

So what's a trainer to do? Well, hire a trainer of course!

Like a light going on in my head, I suddenly realized that a solution could lie in the fact that I needed someone else to guide me on my way. A FitOrbit trainer was the answer. I didn't have the money or time to hire a trainer here at home, nor did it make sense to join a gym. I own a Pilates Studio fully equipped with all the tools I need for toning up and getting fit. I have a treadmill at home along with a step and a trampoline. Who needs a gym? I have one at my disposal.

My search on FitOrbit was simple. I filled out a questionnaire describing my daily habits, what I eat, how I like to work out and what my goals were. The system then matched me up with four trainer choices. Surprise! I came up as a trainer choice for myself. Since that was definitely not going to work, I did my own search and found someone I thought would be a good fit.

I signed up for 13 weeks, made a goal of losing eight stubborn pounds, and off I went.

After some back and forth with my trainer, my first week's plan was ready. I went to the website and for the first time since joining the FitOrbit crew, I signed in as a client and not as a trainer. Finally, someone to take care of me or at the very least, remind me how I can take care of myself.

The workouts have been fun and challenging. I am getting stronger every day and the best part is that I have lost one inch around my hips and 3 solid pounds of fat. On my 5'1" frame, this makes a huge impact. The meal plan is a bit more challenging to follow to the tee, but I am eating conscientiously and the mindless snacking has virtually disappeared. I am feeling inspired again. I have even gone back to ballet class after two years away. Now this is what I’m talking about!

I find that the best part of having a Fitorbit trainer is that I have to answer to someone else. My trainer is there to guide me, offer suggestions and keep me on track. And even though I know all this and make my living instructing other people in exercise and fitness, it's ok to admit that we all need a little help now and then. Having the client experience has also enhanced my experience as a trainer. I am more aware of what my FitOrbit clients go through, what they are seeing, and how they need me. Being both a trainer and a client on FitOrbit has made me a better trainer in general. And that is a win-win situation.