Husband & Wife Success (pics with Abs!!)

Guest blog by husband & wife Tory & Jill Macaluso

What got you started?

Jill: I have always been active in sports and have done everything on my own.

Being a previous personal trainer I thought I knew what to do. My friends kept telling me about all these bootcamps and I thought I didn’t need it, I could do it myself.

I caved and went to one with a girl friend. Needless to say, I didn’t like it. It was too long and I didn’t feel comfortable.

Reluctantly, a few weeks later I tried another one with another friend. I met Derek and he asked what I wanted out their program. I told him I just wanted to come whenever I wanted and add it to my program I was already doing.

He politely told me that was not what they did and their focus was to help people make a life long change. So I did the session and left.

I went back for another one since the first one I did was the end of a challenge. I did it and left.

About two weeks later I signed up thinking that there was no way someone was going to tell me I couldn’t do something and I’ve been there ever since and love it!

What were your fears before you started?

My biggest fear was trusting the program and being told I needed to eat more.

I was not sure I was going to be able to stay committed to the program as far as food and the bootcamp itself since I fall off the wagon very easily and am a emotional eater.

I had a fear of just performing in front of a group of people I didn’t know and the whole social situation.

I had a fear of hurting myself and not being able to keep up with the rest of the others and in turn be embarrassed about it and the fear of being judged if I couldn’t.

What are some things you have had to overcome, like injuries in order to get this far?

Some things I’ve had to over come have not been through injury, but more my mind.

I’ve had to mental prepare myself every day that I can do whatever is asked of me and not feel like a failure if I couldn’t and that the goal was to improve and become stronger and that is what I work towards.

I have had to learn that it is ok, if I’m not the fastest or strongest, and that I just need to work hard to get to where I want to be in my own head.

I’ve had to overcome the fact that I should not be running as much as I was and that the two work against each other in more negative ways than positive, so I had to learn to back off running.

How has your success so far affected your life and your families?

Ooh, this might get me in “Facebook trouble.” My success so far has affected my life in both positive and negative ways.

Positively, I’m happier and have more energy most days and am sleeping better. My food choices have improved and I look forward to “reward meals.” People around me always say I look great and that they can see I’ve been working hard.

It has positively helped my family, in the fact that husband joined as well and now we can work together in our journey. In my mind, I feel like I’ve encouraged and inspired some people around me to do better and work harder, or just get started doing something and that is the best feeling in the world when someone says that because of you, they’ve started something.

Negatively, let’s face it, there’s gonna be haters. There’s gonna be people who back handedly say you look good and then rip you apart behind your back. We all go through it.

And then there’s the people who just don’t support you at all. It hurts, because you think these people are your friends, and even if they don’t agree with what you do, you would still think you had their support.

The truth of the matter is, I wouldn’t call it jealously so much, but maybe envy, that you’re actually doing something to change your life and be better and they’re just over there like, “I’m cool sitting on the couch eating a bunch of crap.”

I think ultimately something in your life has to happen, the light bulb has to go on, in order to get the fire started and some people get it and some don’t. The ones who do are the ones who win.

What are some upcoming goals that you would like to achieve?

Some goals I’d like to achieve would be better physique and to build more muscle. I work hard and want to see that come through with how my body looks.

I would love to be able to deadlift 200lb just once, but not sure if I’ll get there, but it would be cool to say I did. I’m already at 107.

I just completed my first obstacle course mud run with a great group of ladies and that was one of my goals to try.

What would you tell another person in your same situation if they were on the fence about joining?

Just do it! If you do nothing, you get nothing. If you don’t like the way you feel or look, quit complaining about it and get off your ass.

You won’t know until you try.

And if it’s not for you, that it was ok.

Tory’s Transformation Story

My current transformation is that I went from 233 pounds to 201 pounds and 11 percent body fat.

I got started with a visit to the doctor for some health concerns and was told by the doctor that for my height and weight that I was considered obese and I needed to lose about 30 pounds and start eating better.

I had to overcome tiredness from long work hours as a ups driver and bad knees and have motivation to get up in the morning and go to sessions and with the encouragement and support of my wife I was able to keep going day after day.

I would tell a person in my same situation exactly what my wife has told me. You can do anything for 30 min a day so why not try it and see what happens.

My upcoming goals are to lose about 5 more pounds and start weight training to put on some more muscle.

My success has made my work day a whole lot easier, I have a lot more energy and I feel really good about myself.

And my wife and family are very happy to see me healthy and happy.

Thank you Derek for changing my life for the better!