Bridget's Story
Each month Winter Garden Yoga will feature a client who has achieved amazing results with the methods we teach at our studio. We call this Winter Garden Yoga's Client of the Month.
Nominees share their stories (in their own words) and their photographs to inspire others to break the mold of complacency and to rise higher.
This month we are proud to share Bridget's story. How does a woman in her 50's lose 25 pounds, improve her cholesterol, and reverse the diagnosis of being pre-diabetic?
Read on...
"Hey, Brian! Here [are] the pics you asked me for - not too many "before" pictures! I hid as much as possible! I've never really looked at [before and after photos] side by side -unbelievable! My story is below.
"My first time at Winter Garden Yoga was in April of 2011. I was a wreck at that time - both mentally and physically. Mentally I was going through some major changes in my life and physically I was so out of shape that it actually hurt to walk.
"I was terrified to step into [your studio] but I knew I had to do something to fix myself. As a 50 something couch potato, my main fear was that I wouldn't be able to keep up with the class but I was pleasantly surprised.
"[Brian], teaches the class so that anyone can do yoga, regardless of your physical ability or size. When he instructs you in a pose, he will usually say, "If you can do this, do this. If you can't do this, do it this way and if you can't do any of them, just sit and watch. We'll catch up later." And in the beginning, I did sit and watch a lot! And there is no shame involved in not being able to do a particular pose.
"I took the Beginner's class twice a week for 2 or 3 months before I finally worked up the nerve to take the Power Yoga class. And again, Brian modifies a lot of the poses to enable you to do what you are able to do. You can make his classes as easy or as hard as you want them to be. He doesn't challenge you to move forward but allows you to challenge yourself. I recently started taking Yin classes with Karen and she does an amazing job also. I leave her classes feeling like a new person.
"My first signs of physical change came only a few months after I started. I remember I was driving one day and I looked down at my arm and there was a muscle that had never been there before! It encouraged me to keep going and try harder and my effort was rewarded.
"From May of 2011 to December 2011 I lost a total of 25 pounds. Besides yoga, I also walked and changed my eating habits but I strongly believe that the main reason why I lost the weight was yoga. Besides being a workout, it encouraged me to think about my body and what I was doing to it and feeding it.
"Mentally, yoga gives me a place to go and forget about whatever is stressing me out. It's taught me to learn to concentrate on me - something I never took the time to do. I've learned how to handle stress much better. I have more energy now than ever. Before yoga, when I got up in the morning, it would hurt to walk when I got out of bed. Not anymore. Getting up and down from the floor is a breeze, even carrying my granddaughter.
"I recently went to the doctor for an annual checkup. At my previous checkup, about a month after I had started yoga classes, my cholesterol was terrible, my blood pressure was high and I was told I was pre-diabetic. At my last visit, my blood pressure was normal, my triglycerides dropped from 133 to 100, my HDL levels went up and my glucose levels also dropped!
"I cannot believe how much yoga has changed my life. I can honestly say I'm in better shape now than when I was when I was in my 20's! But I strongly believe that had I not found Winter Garden Yoga, the results would not be the same. The patience and understanding shown by the instructors encouraged me to continue and strive to be better. I plan on being a life-time member at Winter Garden Yoga."
You can do it, too!
Have you been nominated yet? We want to hear your story. Please contact us immediately and we will be honored to feature you.
Are you ready for your own life changing transformation? Call us for a free consultation at 407-579-9889.
All the best,
Brian
