Tribute #2 - Jaylo Fitness

Tribute #2 goes out to a man, Johnny Loper, and his business, Jaylo Fitness. Johnny, his trainers, and the regulars have been such an inspiration to me over the past two years. Honestly, joining up with Johnny has changed my life!

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I got started with Jaylo about two years ago after he started teaching Monday night classes at the church I attend. Several ladies that I know suggested that I 'try it out'....I finally did one Monday night. When I started, I was 170-175# and wore a size 12/14. What began on a Monday night turned into Monday night and Friday morning, then Monday night, Wed morning and Fri morning. For months I huffed and puffed and sweated and ached. But....I also felt better and started to notice my body changing. I got back into running last year as an aside. Although I felt better and was toned up some, I still hadn't really lost any weight.

Last November I got REALLY serious for about 6 weeks. I added another workout day, went on a strict eating plan and did the Advocare 24-day Challenge (supplements and diet). I dropped 25# and am now wearing a size 6 or 8 depending on the brand. In 2011 I've continued with 3 days a week of Jaylo plus 2-3 days of running and have continued to get stronger and firmer.

So that's what happened.....but let me tell you WHY this happened. Let me tell you about Johnny, the trainers and the people.

Johnny is amazing. He's in great shape, he's motivating and he's fun. But more than that....he's SINCERE and he truly cares about every person that walks through the door. He takes the time to get to know your name and hear your story. He pushes you, but with a kind hand. Johnny is a man who is not prideful - he is humble and attributes his success in life to his parents and to God. I can honestly say that I've never heard anyone speak an unkind word about the man!

Johnny's staff of trainers are just like him. They too are fun, energetic, motivating and dedicated. They also CARE about their clients. They're able to push those that are in great shape while tending to the newbies in the back that probably want to sneak out the door. Each has their own personality, their own style of training and their own strengths, but each is determined to give their all to each person that comes running (or kicking and screaming) in the door.

Finally, there are the other Jaylo disciples. There is a core group of 15-20 people that I have met over the past couple of years that are there as early and often as I am. They too have been transformed - I've watched it as I've watched myself. We stick together, we push one another and we check on each other when one goes missing for any amount of time. Most importantly, we encourage one another - either with kind words of praise or with a shout of 'c'mon....you can do it!!'. We are truly a family.

So....thank you Johnny and Jaylo Fitness for helping me to be the person that I am today. I feel better about myself than I ever have and it's affected every aspect of my life. Love you guys!!

You look great!!

I have to tell you....it's been nice hearing that sentiment over the past several months. Since November 2010, I've lost 30lbs and went from a size 12/14 to a 6/8. The outward change has been incredible in so many ways. BUT....there's been an inward change too. One that I'm afraid has NOT been as evident. It's a change that's brought me closer to God and closer to my friends. It's made me a better friend, a better co-worker, a better wife and a better mom.

In fact, I think that this inward change happened FIRST....and maybe enabled some of the outward to occur. The change is this.....I've not only realized what a treasure I am in the eyes of God, but I've accepted and embraced it.

As I've thought about the weight loss....I have to be honest and say that I've tried to do this at least a dozen times if not two or three dozen. I've tried all sorts of diets, pills, websites, calorie counters, etc....and pretty much failed every time. The ONLY time I had similar results was after Sara was born and I did a Christian program called First Place - lost about 25# then but proceeded to get pregnant again and lost all that progress!

So what was different this time? Back to the thought of being a treasure in God's eyes. I spent the Fall of 2010 in a discipleship class at FBC Olive Branch where we got down and dirty into the simplicity of what our life's purpose should be. That was, in case you're uncertain, to KNOW God, to GLORIFY God and to BE LIKE God. We dug into those things week after week, becoming a disciple of sorts, or as much of one as you can be in the 21st century. That class threw me into some intense Bible study, some deep prayer and the kind of understanding that I'd always looked for but hadn't had much luck in finding. So my big takeaways?? That God loves me no matter what. That God treasures me in spite of all my failings. That my purpose on Earth is to make known His goodness and that His power will help me succeed as I go forward in that quest.

Those learnings, coupled with a wonderful friend that believed in me, coupled with an exercise and nutrition program that made sense, coupled with the confidence and knowledge that I could indeed to all things through Christ who strengthens me (love that verse....Eph 4:29), catapulted me into a 6-week period of intense determination that I have yet to fall away from. I believe that my heart and my soul were cleansed, that they had become so much more fit, and that that was what enabled me to get my physical self in such better shape.

A three-legged being? Physical, emotional and spiritual? Absolutely. A winning combination? Oh yea.