Transformation Tuesday - Trishanna

When this client approached me and I asked her what she wanted to accomplish from her program, she responded ' To be comfortable in my own skin again' .  How many of you have gained so much weight, that you don't even know who you are?  You don't feel like yourself and you don't remember who that previous person was.

Trishanna began with me at a little over 220lbs. Standing at 5'6" and 36.9% bodyfat, she was determined to make a change this time.

Before starting college

Graduating College

" I weighed in at around 260lbs at my heaviest. It was quite depressing for me, as I had never dealt with weight issues growing up. I had an athletic build and participated in sports in high school.  I remember saying to my aunt one day that I can eat whatever I want and I won't gain weight. The freshman 15 proved me wrong."

We got started right away and our first milestone would be getting below 200lbs, which hadn't been a reality for Trishanna in 3 years.  She would diligently send me her updates and was amazed with each passing week as she continued to drop weight.  There were weeks where her updates felt defeated. Juggling a full time job, a child AND school, she had a lot on her plate and getting in the added workouts and sticking to the regiment sometimes proved to be a task. The KEY is not maintaining a perfect regiment. The key is consistency. If you fall off, it's ok. Get back on the horse and back on track. So many people give up right before their breakthrough.




At the check in where she finally broke 200lbs, her first reaction was ' I should have lost more this week..I'll do better next time' LOL. I had to remind her of our original discussions and how ALL victories are VICTORIES. We have reached our first milestone!

What's the ultimate goal?!?!? DECEMBER! Birthday month and JAMAICA. Will she do it? It's been just 2 months and we are down from 217lbs to 196lbs SO FAR. Over 20lbs in 8 weeks and we still have 8 weeks to go. We'll keep you posted. Two weeks from now, we'll post the MORE than comfortable Trishanna hanging out on the beach in Jamaica.

SO proud of you!!! Keep up the good work!!!

TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY!!!

Are ALL Your Friends in Shape?....

I used to get this question a lot. People would see me hanging out with people from the team or people from the places I worked out at or maybe see my sister or mother, who are both in great shape and ask if everyone around me was in shape. 

The answer to that...is NO. Your friends can be the WORST people to convert. They may approach you for advice but then question whether you know what you are saying. It's a struggle. lol

A good friend of mine approached me last fall about a program

Vic and I are really good friends. I have known him for over 10 years and when we first met, we used to get together and play racquetball, football, workout, etc. When I moved to NY we still kept in touch but I think his activity changed up some : o

He would tell me about different programs he was doing and would ask me about things before and I would tell make suggestions but it would never stick. He did the usual, P90x, Insanity, blah blah blah....until finally last November, he said he would stick to whatever I gave him.  FAST FORWARD to now...

Weight Loss 215lbs - 182.5lbs

Fat Loss 34% - 17.2%

I am so proud of him! When we started his program in Nov, I had to introduce him to the Vitamin Shoppe, Quest Bars (which he doesn't like btw -_- ) and a shaker bottle. Now this guy is giving other people advice and taking selfies in the gym. lol. 

Now you KNOW where I'm taking this guy next...hmmmmm?

Congrats Vic!!

What I love about these stories is much more than the body changes. Those can come and go, and some of you have been there. There are two main things I'm passionate about, which are my faith and people's well being. WELL BEING..not just being skinny or fitting into a dress. When you are able to take care of yourself, you take care of others. 

LIFE is short. LIVE your life!

To find out more about our programs or just drop us a note..email us! support@phoenyxfitness.com

TRANSFORMATION Tuesday

Ye of little faith...

In my years of training, coaching, 'transforming', I have found that people tend to fall within 2 buckets:

1. Believers

2. Doubters

These buckets are then broken up into two different types of people within the buckets

1. Believers

- Getters

- Talkers

2. Doubters

- Dreamers

- Non Believers

The BELIEVER is the one that knows it's possible. They know they can lose the weight. They know they can get ready for a competition. The difference in the believers are the DOers and TALKERs. We know the difference. Don't just talk about it, be about it. 

Then there are the people that don't want to put their faith in something that they haven't seen happen, or the doubters. The 'that's never happend to me' or 'I'm never that lucky' or ' that has never worked for me'. Of the doubters you have the NON believers. They don't believe in the process, the system, the universe, or themselves, and so usually they don't evern try or they say they tried but self sabotage the project. 'You see I told you'

The best of the four....the Dreamers.   The people that doubt,..but HOPE. They aren't sure, but DO. My transformation TUESDAY client is a dreamer. 

When we spoke about placing her on a new program 12 weeks ago, she told me she would do it, because she was curious to see where or if her body would change. She said though that she had a certain 'body type'. " It is what it is, but I will try" Ok, I said," that's all I ask."

Twelve weeks later...she is down roughly 20 lbs, 6-8% bodyfat, 5 inches in her waist, 4 inches in her hips, and 2 inches in her thighs. So, now we are done with her 12 week program and reassessing goals since we've demolished the 'smallest I've been since high school' goal. What's next? Look for us again during competition season next spring. 

I'm not asking you to perform miracles.....I'm just asking you to believe in them. :) 

Transformation Tuesday!!

I was introduced to Malenna by my girlfriend’s cousin and Elite Heat member Sharilyn who sang great praises of her.  Having been an athlete in the past I said to myself there isn’t much that she can do to me that I don’t know or haven’t done, but man was I wrong. I initially started off thinking I would just lose some of the ‘corporate weight’ gained . As we went through the initial assessment and subsequent workouts I found myself not only changing the way I worked out but also the way I ate and catered to my body.

We started off with a 10 day herbal cleanse in addition to my workouts and cleaner eating habits I lost approximately 15lbs. Fifteen pounds may not be a huge number but it was more than just the scale changing. It was also seeing noticeable changes in my body that you could not tell just by stepping on a scale. Normally things get easier as you do them more but my workouts and intensity levels did NOT . I am a working professional with a schedule that did not allow meeting with her multiple times per week but instead had to do it independently with her guidance and shepherding.




My improved physical appearance to me is a result of a new and improved lifestyle and not just results of a workout routine. I find myself feeling guilty even on my ‘cheat’ days or even not pushing myself to the max every time. I continue to improve what has already been accomplished and maintain the great boost that was received.

Transformation TUESDAY!!!

​Today's feature is a private client and member of  The Elite Heat. How is she a member of the Heat and not competing? She has competed, but decided, for now, not to continue on within the world of fitness competitions. She is, however, a 'lifer' for her body and taking it to the next level does not always mean on a stage. She is now preparing for a trip, yes a trip, in February and wants to look even better than she does now. Read more about Sharilyn and her fitness journey as we introduce her for the Phoenyx

TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY

I moved to Latin America in September 2012,  and was excited at what I believed would be a “new start” post-graduate school. I had put on more than a few pounds since gym and yoga sessions were replaced with late night paper writing and thesis research. 

During my first few weeks in Argentina, I religiously worked out using my Shaun T ‘Insanity’ workout DVD’s. I noticed some changes in my body but I still wasn’t happy, and I definitely wasn’t eating well.  Trying to manage being a vegetarian in a country heralded for its' beef was NOT easy.   Around Halloween, I befriended a boot camp instructor who encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and attend a class.   I can distinctly remember that first session because I sincerely wondered if “death by burpee” was an actual thing.   Although I hated that first session, I decided to return a few days later. Two days per week quickly turned into three and before I knew it, I was there every single day.

By the time I got into the swing of it, I relocated to Peru and it was there that the magic happened – I was introduced to weightlifting by way of Cross fit. Power cleans, split jerks and dead lifts were insanely difficult at first but I quickly realized how AMAZING it  felt when I completed a heavy lift with proper form.

I continued to Cross fit when I returned to the US in May 2013 and began to “eat clean” after joining a Paleo challenge with others at my box. It was then that I realized I wanted, no, needed, a change. I didn’t want to simply lose a few pounds and get into shape.  I wanted to push myself further and harder than I’d ever done in the past. It was then that an old friend from college introduced me to The Elite Heat after I came across her fitness competition pictures on Facebook.

Malenna saw something in me that I couldn’t see in myself. Almost every single day I doubted that I could actually compete in a fitness competition but Malenna and my teammates were there every step of the way, providing support even when my family and friends didn’t understand what I was training for or why. In October 2013, I stepped on that stage and it was one of the most amazing moments of my life. I learned that being fit could be sexy and that that could be ME. Throughout this journey, I've gone from 173lbs and 35% body fat to 147lbs and 23% body fat and this is only the beginning. I am proud to be strong, “thick fit” and most importantly, healthy! 

Photo credit Omega Imagery . www.omegaimagery.com

Transformation Tuesday

I remember when Anny first came to me to train. She had expressed how much weight she wanted to lose, and her current condition. How active she used to be and her ideal body. We did an initial assessment and a small workout.  During the workout, I thought she was going to pass out. lol. She had to stop and lie down. LIE DOWN. Then, she asked about bootcamp, to which I replied, (thinking about Susy's class) 'I don't think that's a good idea.' We signed her up for class, and I called my trainers to make sure they would keep an eye on her, but this was the start of a very healthy beginning.

She started the Advocare 24 Day Challenge, which begins with a cleanse and is structured for 24 days. She was very serious, and did very well losing over 15 pounds in the first month. To date, she has lost over 20 pounds and over 10% body fat, but she is not done yet!

" My journey has been rewarding both mentally and physically. By doing the 24 day challenge, learning how to eat healthy and following the proper workout regiments, I have been able to lose weight and live a healthier life. I learned it is not about how many pounds I lose but about a different lifestyle. My health has improved dramatically and since then I am just a much happier person. "

Anny has become a key player within Phoenyx Fitness helping others out within the classes and others on the challenges. 

"My ultimate goal is to continue to learn, share my knowledge and guide others to do the same and of course obtaining my 100%"

What is that 100%? We will keep you posted on Anny's progress! Congratulations Anny!!!

Transformation Tuesday!!!!

All in the Family...

I don't believe in accidents.  I happened to see this quote before preparing this writeup, which fit the content to a tee!

First off, this duo is not a brother-sister combo. The woman in this picture is his mother!!! They DO say that exercise keeps you looking young, but we won't take ALL the credit for this one . ;)

Although this transformation story is about Malik, the story cannot be told unless we state how he got here.

Iesha has been with Phoenyx for over 3 years, attending boot camps and Zumba classes. She would go to other company's classes  from time to time but would always migrate back, so we've always considered her a 'regular'.  Not too long after, she started to bring her son to class as well and we soon grew accustomed to seeing them both in class. We have many referrals and lots of couples, so people start with us and then bring relatives, spouses, significant others, coworkers and friends. Iesha and Malik are currently our only parent child combination attending class, so they are a special pair. 

Like his mother, Malik is also very active in classes and different programs we offer. He participated in an 8 week challenge for the male warriors of our crew. We had a phone conference with each of the participants and I remember asking Malik what he thought of the food his mother ate and her now lifestyle. He said that was what kick started his journey to eating and being healthier. 

"People don't realize that how they act and what they do around their kids really does affect them, and luckily, that affected me in a good way. "

You never know who is watching. Especially those close to you. 

Transformation Tuesday!!!

 One step at a time....

Weight has been a struggle for me throughout my entire life. As I've grown older I have come to understand how important a routine is for my personal success and how important it is to adjust your routine for many reasons. Though I've flip flopped a bit, I am far off from where I was 10 years ago (and about 90 lbs ago). Since starting with the 6 week boot camp in Jan I have lost just over 30 lbs and have found that aspect of my fitness routine to be a staple that keeps me challenged and excited.

Those of you who have seen me at class know that it still kicks my butt and I have to do modifications from time to time, but it's a lot easier +today than it was back in January and I have come to love the challenge of pushing myself rather than be worried about if I can make it through class without stopping. 

People hear routine and they think BORING, but if you mix up the foods you eat and exercise you do, it helps to keep your body and mind engaged and excited on a regular basis. It's also important not to be terrified of straying from that routine. For years and through multiple weight loss attempts I had brief success followed by back sliding. The problem was I was very rigid in my daily routine and was terrified and disappointed when I fell out of it. I felt that even a slight diversion was a total failure which was not sustainable. Over the last year I have tried to focus on a healthy balance of enjoying the process and realizing that, to keep things fun, I have to keep things fresh. I don't count calories but have utilized the fit book to log everything I eat which keeps me conscious of everything I eat but not tied to calories, points or anything like that. 

I've realized that small victories are important to recognize and be proud of. If your goal is to lose 15 lbs, you should be just as excited about each individual 1 lb or .5 lb you lose as you are at the thought of reaching your ultimate goal. Celebrate the moments that get you where you ultimately want to be.

I hope that my "after" pics +today will one day become my "before" pics at some point down the road. I know hard work and focus will be necessary if that is to happen but I try not to let the idea scare me for now and I am focusing on what i am able to control each day.

Transformation Tuesday

Here at Phoenyx Fitness, we are starting daily posts to keep our fans and clients updated on the latest with Phoenyx!!!  Mondays are dedicated to announcements and we are excited for the new addition of TRANSFORMATION TUESDAYS!

You've seen before and after pictures on television and advertisements and I'm sure you wondered if these people were real or what they did to lose the weight. So we are featuring REAL people making REAL changes, while maintaining a REAL and normal life.

Our first feature is Tanisha. She's been with Phoenyx since January and started with us on a New Year's 6 week challenge.  This challenge featured a program designed to trigger maximum fat loss in a short amount of time.  In just 6 short weeks, Tanisha lost over 10 pounds and brought her body fat down from over 5%.  This was done implementing our program and making some changes to her diet, while attending our classes, mostly high intensity, throughout the week.

Tanisha was preparing for a trip to and not only looked better but felt better and confident enough to sport her bikini on the beach as a celebration on a successful 6 weeks. But when she returned, she was high on loss from her first challenge and was ready for the next!

This next challenge was a 10 week BIKINI challenge with a photo shoot opportunity on the line. What would make this challenge more of a struggle hinges on the length of time. A month and a half?....pretty doable. 2 and a half months? Sounds a bit more intimidating, but we were excited to give it a go. Over 20 ladies signed up for this challenge and the week after Valentine's Day, committed to 10 weeks of clean eating, exercise, and a healthier lifestyle.

Tanisha knew she had to take this to the next level and opted in on the 10 day cleanse provided by Advocare, one of our sponsored products.














With her exercise regiment, she left nothing to chance, and joined any class she could be a part of, from the 2 day a week high intensity bootcamp style classes to the strength training classes we provided once a week at one of our private training gyms.

Tanisha began the second part of this journey at 152 pounds and 27.9% body fat. She didn't drop as many pounds this time but brought her body fat down again another 5%.  It's so important to measure your body fat in addition to your weight. Changes in composition can happen in many areas as you can see from Tanisha's pictures.


  This in roughly 4 months time. What's next? She has already signed up for our summer bootcamp, AND is interested in our fitness team. Could we see Tanisha on the fitness competition stage? : ) With these results, ANYTHING is possible! Congratulations Tanisha!!!!

Do you want more information on how to obtain your own success story? We have people on hand to answer questions for you and get you started. Email us at support@phoenyxfitness.com for more info!