Lydiea does it for herself. She's lost over 12 inches and has gained greater self-confidence.

When Lydiea originally walked into the Studio, she felt uncomfortable with her weight, size and unhealthy body composition (percentage of muscle, bones, water and fat), but her mind was set. This time, she was doing it for herself  - not because society has “norms” that try to define who we are, not because her friends and family made remarks that – while perhaps were well-intended, cut deeply and bruised needlessly – but because she wanted to be able to feel great about her – mind, body and spirit. Lydiea made the commitment to exercise and drop inches and pounds.

She joined Roxanne’s Studio (our very first client!!) and started with Get Fit & Live!, a 12-week structured program focused on exercise and fitness. Her results?

Lydiea is now more than 12 inches smaller than she was seven and a half months ago!  She feels better about herself and her self-confidence has grown to the point that she performed in the Belly Dance expo at the Fox Valley Mall this summer! That’s a huge accomplishment for a woman who very recently would not wear any shirt with sleeves shorter than her elbows!

“I’ve done it all,” remarked Lydiea. “From diets to pills to searching for that miracle solution. If there was a short cut, I tried it.”  What she realized as she made the decision on January 4th was that there is no easy way to achieve a worthy goal. “Weight loss and management takes commitment, dedication and work – there’s no way around it,” said Lydiea. “What I had to do was find an environment in which I felt comfortable, a type of movement/exercise I enjoy and then make my mind up that my long term goal was more important than my favorite bowl of ice cream each night.”

The first step was the initial goal setting discussion and overall fitness assessment. Lydiea spent about an hour with Roxanne to outline her goals for the program, her expectations from both the studio staff and herself, and then complete the assessment.

Then, she began her journey. “I made the personal commitment to spend at least one hour per day, four to five days a week – to exercise in some fashion. My workouts include Belly Dance (her favorite!), Pump / Butts & Guts (a weight bearing, sculpting class), Yoga, Boot Camp, Kickboxing and even Spinning (indoor cycling).” She also added the Pilates Reformer into her workout schedule. “The variety in the workouts keep my interest. Everyday is something new, so I would getting into a rut and boredom.”

As you know, successful weight loss is a combination of healthy eating choices and exercise. The food element hasn’t always been easy for Lydiea. “There are times when I’m involved in a good novel or a great movie, a huge bowl of ice cream or a Super Sized fry just seems to really hit the spot,” she confessed. “But, when I do stumble, I pick myself up again and set my sights back on the bigger picture. I try to focus on the love for myself, rather than nitpick and beat myself up for shortcomings.”

Lydiea is the first graduate of Get Fit & Live!  “The program gave me the foundation to continue making strides to my overall goal,” she said.  When asked what the overall goal is, Lydiea blushed and smiled shyly. On December 13th, the Studio is going to put on a dance recital. “My goal is to perform a Belly Dance duet with Roxanne wearing an authentic Belly Dancing costume. I know that I will achieve that goal.”

When asked if she would share her secrets to success, Lydiea reflected for a few moments. Here are her thoughts:

“Oprah Winfrey has a column in her magazine “O” that’s titled “What I Know for Sure”. Well, during the Get Fit and Live program I discovered a few things about myself that I know for sure.

• Weight loss has to be for me, and the desire has come from within me, not from an outside source.

• I have to love myself enough to lose weight. When it comes to successful weigh-loss, you have to be selfish. Selfish enough to take the time to exercise, selfish enough to take the time to shop for healthy foods and selfish enough to turn down food from well meaning relatives and friends.

• I have to love and respect my body as it is now. 

• I am in control of my choices and actions. 

• Enjoy every step on the road to successful weight loss.“

Hats off and congratulations to Lydiea for her tremendous success. Keep up the fantastic work! We all look forward to seeing a beautiful belly dancer in a gold and black costume on December 13th.

"I had to find an environment in which I felt comfortable, movement/exercise I enjoy and then make my mind up that my long term goal was more important than my favorite bowl of ice cream each night.”

Editor’s Note: Get Fit & Live is a 12 week, individualized weight management program. For more information, stop by the Studio or give us a call (630-978-1149).