When you came to Soma Fitness what was your fitness goal?
My goal was very specific. I was preparing for a trip to Trinidad Carnival and didn’t want to look rolly in my costume! I didn’t care as much about the scale, but more so I wanted my body toned and to drop major inches overall. I also wanted to turn over that leaf for the last time and adopt a healthier lifestyle once and for all.
What is your profession? How did you manage daily life with the program?
When I started my Soma Fitness program I was working both a full time job M-F with an hour+ commute each way, and a part time job on the weekends. Spare time was nonexistent. Prep and planning was imperative. I would grocery shop on Saturday nights after work, prep/cook Sundays and Thursday nights, and simply made my workouts a priority even if that meant hitting the gym at 6am or 10pm. I just kept telling myself: your costume is already ordered and paid for so I had no choice now but to stay committed! To be honest, no matter how tired or stressed or overworked I was, the mental commitment made it manageable.
What was your athletic/fitness background before Soma?
I have a dance background, but no organized sports. I wasn’t completely unfit, but out of shape and overweight. What was most surprising about working with Soma? Or if you worked with another trainer in the past how was working with Summer different? – I was most surprised by 2 things: how incredibly thorough the program is and how seamless it was to incorporate into my life. About 4 years ago I did Nutristem and lost 41 pounds. But as soon as I stopped the weight crept back up. I now realize that’s because it didn’t incorporate the knowledge about calories, macronutrients, effective workouts, and overall nutrition that the Soma Fitness does. Everything from the precise calorie calculations and meal plans to the customized workouts. I was so impressed by how detailed the entire program was. And because it all made ‘sense’ it has been easy for me to continue this lifestyle on my own. On my 12-week Soma program I lost 20 pounds.It’s been 5 months since my program ended and I’ve continued to loose an additional 25 pounds.
What was the most challenging part of working with Soma?
Ugghhhh, being patient! Even though I was losing weight and inches every week, I hated that this wasn’t going to be a quick fix, instant solution. It was the toughest about 4 weeks in when I broke down at the realization that I still had a long road ahead of me – that first month felt like an eternity! But I just kept on with it. I still have to remind myself to be patient, but it’s easier now that I’ve seen results. I look back at the past 7 months and can’t believe the changes in a relatively short amount of time.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking about doing a program or competing in a fitness competition?
Trust Summer, the program, and the process. I’ve come to learn that whatever is really and truly important to you, you’ll make a priority. Just like we make our jobs or kids or significant other a priority, make this program and your health a priority as well. It’s as simple as that! The Soma program is already thought out for you, so what’s left for you to think about?!
When you came to Soma Fitness what was your fitness goal?