Seventeen days after giving birth I started exercising 3 days a week; running and lifting light weights.  That was great while I was on maternity leave but then I was back at work full time juggling a high stress job, two young children and trying to be the best wife and mother I could be.  I didn’t have any free time to exercise…or so I thought. I realized in order to be the best wife and mother I could I needed be healthy.  In May 2012 a friend mentioned Breakthru Fitness to me.  The next day I went to Breakthru and talked to Phil.  He listened to my exercise history, what I enjoyed and my life/family/work/time constraints.  He recommended I try a few of their Group Exercise classes as well as MC3. I knew I would be more successful sticking to a schedule if I went early in the morning before work and since Breakthru offers 5:30 am classes 5 days a week I was sold.  From May 2012 through January 2013 I lost 15 pounds by doing MC3 and a variety of Group Classes four to five days a week.  I was feeling stronger and leaner and healthier.  During this time I didn’t change a single thing about my diet.  By January I knew I had hit a plateau and needed to shake things up.

Perfect timing for Peak 10! I signed up for the All-In 2013 Winter session.  I was hoping to lose 8 pounds and 4 percent body fat in 8 weeks.   Peak far surpassed my hopes! The workouts were challenging, motivational and FUN.  Oh….and the results were amazing!!  Yalda and Michelle were both great coaches regarding my diet and the support group was awesome for sharing ideas for meals.  The day Peak began I changed my diet and became ACCOUNTABLE for what I ate.  I highly recommend getting an ExerSPY armband as it really opened my eyes to how many calories I was burning each day (or not burning since I have a desk job).  I immediately started logging my food.  Talk about eye opening! I had no idea how many calories I had been consuming everyday.

In addition to the Peak workouts I took Richie’s Pure Strength class on Mondays (best class to take if you really want to build muscle!) and his Boot Camp on Tuesdays.  Between the exercise classes and the changes to my diet the weight started melting off.  I was losing a pound a week.  And since I was eating lots of lean protein and vegetables I never felt like I wasn’t getting enough to eat.

One of my concerns before Peak was wondering how I was going to find the time to make healthy meals. I dedicated time each Sunday (about 60-90 minutes total) to prepping and cooking my breakfasts and lunches for the week.  I measured everything and put each meal into individual tupper wear.  Turns out that by taking a little time on Sunday I saved A LOT of time (and money) during the week.  Every morning I was able to quickly grab my breakfast, lunch and snacks and just like that my food for the day was ready.  Since I have a 5 year old daughter it was important to me that she saw me eat the same dinners she was eating; I just made wiser choices and practiced portion control.  If I knew we were going to have pizza for dinner I made sure to eat extra clean that day and I would limit myself to one slice instead of two.

By the third week of Peak my body was changing: my arms were more defined, my stomach was finally getting firmer and my thighs were getting leaner.  I could tell I was stronger and the cardio aspects of the workouts were getting easier.  Week four was hard – I was losing motivation, my body was tired and hurting.  Then came the half-way point check.  I was down five pounds and four percent body fat.  That was the boost I needed to push through the last four weeks. By the end of Peak I lost ten pounds and seven percent body fat! More importantly I am stronger and more confident than I have ever been.  I love that my daughter asks me to teach her how to do sit ups and push ups.  I love that she saw me become more fit the healthy way through exercise and good eating habits.  I love that when I take my kids to the park I’m agile enough to climb on the equipment and go down the slides with them.  I love that I can run alongside my daughter as she rides her bike and I can swing my son over my head to hear him laugh.  And I love that I’m teaching them exercise is fun.

Thank you Michelle, Yalda, Ritchie, Jason and all of the other trainers that helped me achieve my goals!! But an even bigger thank you to my husband, Tim.  He is my biggest supporter, cheerleader, motivator – I could not have accomplished this without his support!

Nicole Fox

“I’m not sure how much I can do for you,” she said. “Somewhere along the way you decided that it was okay to be fat.”

My trainer’s words rang in my ears.  She was the third trainer I had worked with in my old gym, having burned through the first two in large part because of my attitude problems.  But my latest trainer had been drafted to work with me because she was known for tough talk.  Her words left me stunned. Sitting in the fancy steam room, with a nice eucalyptus towel on my face, I had a feeling of dread.  She was right, somewhere along the way I had simply given up.

I was a native New Yorker that had always hovered between a size 4 and a size 6, worked out 4 times a week and at least once a week with a personal trainer.  I would walk 20 city blocks in 3 inch heels without a second thought.  I moved to LA, and my life fundamentally changed.  Suddenly everything was a short walk away from the parking lot.  I was busy with a new career.  I had no time for the gym. It became okay somewhere along the way to be a size 8.

Three years later, the worries about my husband’s illness, the pain of having to go through in vitro fertilization, long nights with a sleepless infant and a stressful career, all of it showed in the mirror.  I was suddenly a size 14.  There were no longer any full length mirrors in my house or adequate lighting.  And because I have a family that loves me, everyone continued to tell me that I was beautiful.  But I didn’t feel beautiful.  I didn’t feel anything at all anymore.

My previous trainer’s tough words were intended as a wake up call, as a reason for me to sign up for training sessions twice a week at 120 a session – which we both knew was what was necessary for me to make any headway.  But I had my doubts, because I wasn’t sure she could overcome all of the negativity I had in generous store.  Fortunately for me, I happened to stop at Trader Joes (next door to Breakthru) and saw a sign for Lose 2 Win: group training 3 times a week, weigh in’s and team support for less than what it would cost to see my Equinox trainer for a month.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  I signed up the next day.

I’d love to say that my transformation really started at that point but it didn’t.  I was a terrible Lose 2 Win participant.  Negative and defeatist, my numbers were fine, but I had not fully committed to the program.  What did happen was that the program worked a mental transformation.  My trainer Aileen awakened a desire in me to be fit again. Kanda (the Fitness Coordinator) taught me what was wrong with what I had been eating. The program was ending but I was just getting the message.  One day, while walking on the treadmill another Breakthru trainer, Richie Diaz, spotted me.   I told him that I was worried that the program was ending, and I didn’t know what to do.  He offered to be my personal trainer.  He tells me now, that he could see that I had drive.  But to the naked eye I was just a pudgy complainer trudging away on the treadmill.

The day Lose 2 Win ended my transformation took off.  I was late to my last Lose to Win training session,  and Cesar, the director of the MC3 program invited me to take a class instead.  The MC3 program was exactly what I needed.  With Cesar’s and Richie’s help , over the next few months I slowly but steadily lost weight, and gained strength and confidence.  After 6 months of MC3 I was back to a size 8, and I decided to finally take PEAK 10.

Simply put, PEAK was nothing short of miraculous.  It fundamentally reshaped my body in record time.  I was 146 pounds at the start of the program. Two weeks after PEAK (I kept losing because of the metabolic jump start) I am 132 pounds.  I dropped from a size 8 to somewhere between a size 2 and 4.  After PEAK I realized that, all told, I had taken 10 inches off my waist,  dropped 34 pounds, and was now close to 18% body fat.  I never achieved a body fat percentage this low, even in my 20s.

While PEAK was hard work, I’ve never had more fun in an exercise program. The camaraderie, supportive teachers and fun workouts make it easy to forget how challenging the workouts are.  Also, while I saw many people achieve amazing results in PEAK,  I know my MC3 classes laid the foundation for my results in the program.  Because of MC3 I went into PEAK feeling athletic, wanting to be challenged and sure that I was capable.   Also, Richie is a frighteningly good personal trainer.  Because he believes you are capable, you find yourself pushing beyond your perceived limits before you realize what is happening.

Breakthru is great for a number of reasons.  Having taken part in so many different programs at the gym, I know that there is really something for everyone, no matter what stage or fitness level you find yourself at during a given time.  Also, it is rare to find a gym where people actually search you out and want to provide assistance.  The people here want you to be successful, and they provide a broad range of ways to help you achieve your goals.  While the stresses in my life have not changed, my experiences at Breakthru have changed my attitude about how to handle them.   French fries don’t seem like a solution anymore.

Breakthru is also particularly great for mothers.  Because Michelle, the owner of the gym, is a mother herself, the atmosphere is structured in a way that meets our needs.  Need childcare – it’s here.  Worried about strains or injuries – see the on-site physical therapist.  Confused about your diet –on site nutritional guidance on request.   But it is Michelle’s personal advice and attention that simply makes the gym feel like a second home.  Also, no one here makes excuses or assumes you aren’t capable of being fit just because you’ve had a few children.  I used to worry that my daughter would have a terrible attitude about weight, shaped by watching me sitting on the couch eating ice cream and sadly watching the Biggest Loser.  Those worries are gone.  Last week my mother took her to the playground and my two year old tried to do unassisted pull ups on the monkey bars so that she could “be like mommy.”  I am relieved to know that I am raising a daughter that thinks athleticism is beautiful and strength is a necessity.  I know she won’t fall prey to some of the dangerous weight and beauty standards that dominate in LA.

Five years ago, my husband and I agreed that on our 10^th Anniversary (coming up this year) we would go to the beach in our wedding clothes to do “before and after” pictures a decade into our marriage. I am happy to say that, thanks to PEAK I can make good on that promise.  There’s one small problem, however, that I had not anticipated.  . . . . . I will need to find a good tailor to take in my wedding gown.  Thanks to PEAK my waist is about an inch and a half smaller than it was on my wedding day!

Thanks Michelle!

When I first joined Peak I asked other participants if it was their first time.  Many of them were going on their 6th and 7^th time with this program.  I was curious why so many people were addicted to this type of training.  After completing my first Peak and seeing the results I got, I decided to do it again but with more zest, adding in the Exerspy calorie counting armband but more importantly to adopt a new way of eating.

Initially I started out weighing 127 pounds and completed my second Peak weighing in at 112.  I literally changed my blueprint!  I lost 2 dress sizes and could not believe the level of increased energy, optimism and a much better view on life I had.

I have used getting in good health as a foundation to advance my life to the next level.  That could mean a dream job, finding true love or getting in the best financial shape ever.  I have acquired more personal empowerment through total Fitness.  I recommend this life changing program to anyone who seeks to get more out of life.  It is life changing.

Thank You!

Laurene

I took the Peak 10 Training class, not knowing what to expect. I made a HUGE commitment from the beginning to follow the workout plan and especially the food plan. Just exactly like it was both told to me by my instructor Diane and in the program plan. My attitude from a scale of 1-10 was definitely a 10, I had decided that I needed to make this commitment and make a change in my life. On the other side how could a 53 year old man not be intimidated when I was the only guy in the class, and was not currently exercising or very randomly exercising. My first day, was the fit test, and the only thing I have to say about that is I was NOT FIT, it left me in a puddle of sweat and sore for days. The class was made up of people who had never taken Peak 10 and several who had taken it a number of times so they could take it to the next level. I gained an immediate interest in studying, on-line, why super foods are so good for the body and why having an idea of your calorie counts, everyday, is so important. I thought eating more frequently and counting calories would be more difficult, but it just is not. I gave up drinking soda 3 x a day, to no soda at all and still have not had one in four months. Even now it’s been several months since my training, to this day I have maintained my commitment to eat healthy. Keeping track of the calories during the day is really simple, it helps you decide what you should and should not eat.

My wife and I where coming off of the worst year of our lives, loosing our beautiful son, Jake Garrett Waterlyn, age 20, to suicide. The grief was unbearable and the last thing on my mind was exercise. My wife is a personal trainer and group exercise instructor, and was so happy that I had this opportunity to work with her boss, Diane. She felt her prayers had been answered, that I had this opportunity to do Peak 10, and she was right. Diane and every single person in that class, personally adopted me. When Diane and these other women adopted me, words cannot come close to expressing what they did for me emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically, they touched my broken heart. There is a unique bonding experience that occurs in this type of training, albeit, I was the only guy.

My results were unreal, loosing 20 pounds and 20 inches on my body. My new energy level and my, life-changing, commitment to fitness and nutrition, that I never had before, has made me realize that now I really “get it!” I would recommend this program to anyone and not only that I cannot WAIT to do it again. I am currently working out of town or I would already be signed up.

Thank you Diane for all you have done for me, in this program, and your love for myself, my wife, and our family. Thank you Michelle for creating such an amazing program, it simply works!!!

Ron Waterlyn

Hi Michelle. I just wanted to say that I am so happy to have found such a great, motivating and inspirational gym. I was a member at a couple of gyms before I found Breakthru fitness and nothing compares to your gym. I love all the classes and the instructors are exceptional. I never thought I would want to be working out 6 days. I am so addicted to working out now and it does not seem like a chore.

I bring my 2 little boys to the gym with me and they love Luz. I never have to worry about them.

I had two really hard pregnancies. I was always really fit before I had my boys. I had gestational diabetes with both boys and really could not work out the way I love too. I became depressed during both pregnancies and had really bad anxiety. After I had my second son last October, I started working out as soon as the Dr. said it was ok. I could not wait to come back to the gym and get fit again. I decided the Peak 10 program would be a great way to get be back into shape and to lose my baby weight. The program and your gym has helped me get over my depression.

I just wanted to let you know how inspirational and positive you are to me and many others. You are always friendly and smiling. You have such a great attitude! I tell everyone about your gym and how great it is.

Thank you so much again for having such a great gym!

Sincerely,
Andrea

In 1997 I competed in the Miss Fitness competition and won the title. It was the most amazing experience ever! I found personal empowerment thru total fitness! That experience has stayed with me since. When I am in good shape, I feel great and project a positive outlook. After seeing and hearing about Peak 10, I decided it was time. As you can see from my before pictures, I fell into a comfortable mode and just worked out and ate what I wanted.

I have been a member at Breakthru Fitness for over two years and never really took advantage of the great programs they have to offer. But when I decided to do Peak 10 that was it! I cant express my gratitude enough to Michelle and Phil for their vision and leadership to provide such a wonderful health and fitness facility. I am pumped up to start Peak 10 in January and intend to step it up to the next level of fitness.

This is my last year of being in the 40th decade and I intend to enter 50 with a bang!!!!!

> Laurene

My mom being a huge health and fitness freak ever since I can remember had been pushing me and urging me for quite some time to “go to the gym.” I HATED the gym and everything about it and working out! I dreaded the thought of getting on a machine. Last summer after graduating I attempted to finally take my mothers advice and hit the gym. I was going to 24 hour fitness about 4 days a week for about 3 months and had only seen very little progress and had only lost about 5 lbs! Discouraged and close to giving up my mother talked me into going to Breakthru with her. I decided to get a week pass at Breakthru after the unlimited raving my mom had done about this gym. After dragging me there with her for the entire 7 days of my pass I decided to become a member.

I tried to regularly attend the group exercise classes probably 4 times a week and in September of 2011 I decided to sign up for the PEAK program.

When I started PEAK I was determined and dedicated and my goal was to loose 30 lbs in the 8 weeks! These were the longest and hardest 8 weeks of my life! I cut my calorie intake by more than half and completely changed my eating habits. I was at the gym 6 days a week without fail. I was 100% committed. It was far from easy but I was determined to loose weight before I went on vacation to Argentina. 8 weeks later I had lost 17lbs (not my original goal) but I couldn’t believe how much better I felt! I spent 2 months in Argentina feeling great and somehow had managed to loose 10 more pounds without any exercise but I knew when I returned I was not done and had more work to do!

I started the PEAK program again at the end of January of 2012. For 8 more long weeks I counted calories and was at the gym about 5 days a week and I lost 9 more pounds and many inches! I made a lot of sacrifices both rounds of PEAK but they were all more than worth it!

I started noticing so many things I hadn’t noticed before about how the extra pounds I was carrying around were really affecting my life. I was extremely lazy, slept a lot, ate a lot, felt sluggish, lethargic and was moody most days. I had trouble sitting on the floor because it was hard for me to get up. I would try to avoid bending over and picking things up off the floor because these seemingly easy tasks took so much effort. I avoided going out with my friends because of how uncomfortable I was with myself. I knew there was something wrong with this picture if I felt this way and did these things in my early 20’s!

After participating in the PEAK program I can say it has honestly changed my life. I feel guilty when I don’t go to the gym now! I want to run a marathon, who would have ever thought?!

With PEAK I have lost a total of 37lbs and unlimited inches. I have a whole new wardrobe, I went from a size 9 in jeans to a size 1, large tops to small and extra smalls! I am still a few pounds short of my goal weight of 115lbs. I will never go back to my “old self” or my old eating habits. I know that working out being fit and healthy will and have become a part of my lifestyle forever. Thanks to PEAK and the motivating, helpful and dedicated instructors at Breakthru fitness I feel I have finally become the “real me!”

“Breakthru Fitness, Pasadena
A new take on a mom-and-pop: Husband-and-wife team Phil and Michelle Dozoirs’ Breakthru Fitness is a modern gym with all the amenities of the expensive chains, yet without the high enrollment fees. This is the place to find locals interested in spinning and cardio classes (there are more than 75 group fitness classes a week) or who just want to take advantage of the state-of-the-art machines and free towel service before hitting the (sparkling clean) showers.”

Read the full article here: http://blogs.laweekly.com/arts/2012/05/best_gyms_equinox_crunch.php

In 2010 my life was upended by an unexpected and brutal divorce. Pain, darkness, despair, grief, utter.. Devastation.

Somehow, most often barely conscious at worst, or sleepwalking at best, through it all, I got up every day and worked out. I went to the pool, or Cardio Barre, or got on my spin bike, or went for a run. I managed to complete 5 triathlons. My physical activity, and my friends and family were simply, everything. The only thing that kept me from coming undone.

During the summer, in the deep tunnel, my friend Chris Zeitzman reached out, having heard news of my split. Having been divorced herself, she called to offer support. After not seeing her for quite some time, we reconnected.

I was stunned;
She was lean, ripped, content, focused, radiant.

Having raced in several triathlons with Chris, we both considered ourselves fairly accomplished athletes. She explained to me over that tear-filled dinner (of which I remember puzzling over her eating steamed spinach and grilled chicken while I dogged a whole plate of Mahi tacos and a chocolate sundae) that endurance athletes can easily carry around 20 extra pounds. Just because we work out regularly and race doesn’t mean we are at our athletic or physical best.

She told me about the program she did, and was now teaching called Peak 10 that incorporated metabolic circuits, strength training, pliometrics and a nutritional overhaul. She explained how it changed her body, her life, her self perception, her confidence, and her athletic performance. Not to mention at 42 she weighed what she weighed in college, lost 2 clothing sizes and has never felt more alive (and hot- my editorial).

I filed it away as I proceeded to stumble through the dark night (s) as summer turned to fall. The coming months were a blur of misery. My divorce drew to a close on a poetically apt New Years Eve.

The year turned, and I turned 40, and I began to slowly shift;  from survival, to a place of stillness. A place only from which new life can reveal. A tilled but fallow field.

And as the season turned to spring, so too did I.

I remembered Chris, and happened to reach out to her just as a new cycle of Peak 10 was beginning. She reconnected me with Michelle, who graciously made space for me in the already full program. A new phase presented itself.

The first workouts were humbling, mind numbing, shockingly hard. I considered myself a fit chick (having done over 30 triathlons, I mean I should be able to hang Peak right? HA!). I was shredded and destroyed. My life was an Epsom salt bath and a foam roller.

The program is set up with team spirit and camaraderie, which is needed. It was outrageously difficult, and the (commiseration) and encouragement of my fellow newbies along with the Peak staff helped assuage the dismay. Shock and awe. But we were in it together.

Early on, the nutritional changes were difficult to streamline- getting the correct amount of calories to create the deficits needed for weight loss but enough to fuel the grueling workouts. Cutting out dry carbs and refined sugar, learning what to eat and when. Again, humbling considering I thought myself to be nutritionally savvy, a life long vegetarian and endurance athlete. Think again.

But here is one of the many synergistic and wonderful things about how embarking on the Peak journey coincided with my life change-
I was a blank slate. The divorce stripped all of the criteria I used to define and tether myself. I was raw, “skinned” as I named it, and thus coachable, curious, malleable, yielding. That’s what happens when the bottom drops out and we fall- we can break, or we can break open.

I asked questions. I availed myself of the support of Michelle, Kanda, Chris, Yalda. These women are experts in their field, utterly inspirational, and available. They are a precious resource. And I used them. I made adjustments. I took feedback. I allowed myself to be humbled. And slowly I began to see results.

At the close of cycle 1 at the end of June I was down 13 pounds, inches all over and a clothing size. I felt amazing but decided to keep going.

I wore the dotfit Experspy all summer, continued to eat clean and make deficits. I had fun with my workouts, doing ATC, new classes and swim training. I continued to train and in late summer I did a week long swim expedition in the Greek Islands, completing my first 20k swim. I came back lean, tan, relaxed, and feeling… HOT!

As the fall Peak 10 program opened, I was down 18 pounds from when I started on May 1. I decided to do a second round of Peak because I loved how Michelle described phase 2- phase 1 you loose the weight, phase 2 is when the cuts come in. Cuts? Bring it!

Close of Phase 2- down 21 pounds, 3 clothing sizes (from a 10 to a 4), $1000 in tailoring and alterations, a new wardrobe including hot new underthings, a 6 pack of abs, lean arms, a firm butt, and lost inches all over.

Now, I tell this story because there is another piece of it which I hope will inspire others to commit, no matter what.
And that is my lifestyle.

I travel for work. A lot. Internationally. It could have been an easy excuse to derail my progress, or not even attempt this at all. While it was frustrating to never quite be able to settle into a routine, I decided to give it my full attention and commitment. I was as resourceful and creative as I could be with creating continuity. And it worked. There is a huge sense of accomplishment in this for me.

In 2011 I went to:
DC 3 times (March, June, Oct)
Phoenix (May)
Austin (March)
El Paso (Feb)
Hawaii 3 times (Feb, May, Nov)
San Fran 2 times (April, Dec)
Vegas 2 times (Sept, Oct)
Denver (Nov)
Poland and Lithuania (July)
Greece (Sept)
Denmark (Oct)
France (Dec)

That is 18 trips out of state or country this year. And that is a less than average travel year.

I still managed to get results. I used the DVD’s and hotel gyms. If there were no gyms I worked out in my room. I watched what I ate on the road (which is hard, esp overseas, but it can be done). I checked my burns with the experspy. Even if I couldn’t log food I began to develop a sense of what I can eat based on what I burn every day (even when travelling and eating odd things at odd times). What I learned is that with focus and clear intention, it can be done.

One final point- my triathlons.
I competed in 5 Olympic Distance triathlons this year.
Two before Peak and 3 during.
Of the three during, two were races I had done before so I have a basis of comparison.
And to be fully transparent, I wasn’t training for triathlon since I started Peak. I have not been biking or running on the road. I did these races more to mix it up and to quantify my progress. The results were way beyond my expectations.

Stats:
Santa Barbara Tri Long Course (August, which was 18 pounds and 4 months into Peak):
3 minutes off my swim
10 minutes off my bike
12 minutes off my run
Up 25 minutes from 2010’s time.

Big Rock Olympic Distance (RUN PR!!!)
8 minutes off my bike
5 minutes off my run
10k PR
Up 5 minutes from 2010’s time.

More results with less training. Less pounds of me to haul around. Improved power, better endurance, stronger over all, and most importantly, I look better in spandex so I am more confident!
I love my sport more than ever. I am off the plateau, and know I can improve even as I have aged up, with less hours hammering on the road and in the pool.

Everything has changed for me. I still grieve. I miss my ex husband. I experience moments of deep loneliness and sorrow. I am fully solo, single and taking this time to explore my interior world. I am witnessing and working in the muck and the depths. Buried “stuff” that can only come to the surface in solitude. I live alone, and I travel alone.

But there is a spring in my step, a lightness in my heart that has so much to do with the visceral, cellular, corporeal transition I have witnessed in myself, of myself.

If my outside can shift in this manner, and the protective layer I carried on the exterior can shed, so too can my heart. And in that I trust. And I have proof in this puddin.
I am grateful, and awed, and humbled.

Thank you Michelle.