Tales of a Dieting Disaster by Kara G.

Hi all!  I want to introduce to you, Kara G.  Kara is taking the IronPlate Challenge and going to follow our nutritional and training guidance over the course of the next several months, and guess what - write about it for you on our blog!  We are super excited to have her on board.  Think of her as our very own resident IronPlate guinea pig.  She's thrilled to share with you her woes, her measurements and her lightbulb moments to give you all a perspective on what it takes to transform: from the inside out.  So enough said, here's Kara!

Hi everyone.  I’m Kara, a 30-something freelance writer and professional yo-yo dieter, currently 30-something pounds overweight. Over the course of my life I’ve lost over 300 pounds—granted it was the same 30 pounds 10 times, and have tried (and failed at) just about every diet and  weight loss plan imaginable. Seriously, if dieting was an Olympic sport, I’d be a gold medalist by now. There was the low-carb diet—which ended about a week in when my husband came out of the bathroom to find me maniacally eating the French Bread pizza he’d heated for himself, the 7-day-cleanse which collapsed on day 4 after I cried myself to sleep because I could only eat bananas and milk;  and my personal favorite, the grapefruit diet, which ended in a fit of rage when my husband had the nerve to come home still smelling like the Chinese food he’d thoughtfully eaten in his car on the way home and I went absolutely postal.  He swears to this day my head actually spun all the way around. It may have been that exact meltdown that earned me the nickname Gizmo—cute, warm and fuzzy—until I get hungry, and then watch out for my inner Gremlin. That was also the same day that my husband informed me if I went on one more crash diet he and the dog were moving out. He also suggested (while hiding behind our bedroom door) that I try channeling my weight loss struggles into something constructive, like a blog, and since I’m about a stuffed crust pizza away from the point of no return, here I am. Ready to share my ups (and hopefully) downs with all of you. Stay tuned!

My IronPlate Fitness Journey by IronPlate Client, Jennifer Belser

Despite the frequent urging of my mom, I never worked out in my life. I was a cheerleader in HS, but wouldn’t consider myself athletic by any means, and was able to fake my HS gym teachers out when it came to running the mile, and would walk so slow, it would seem as if I did 4 laps, but I probably jogged 1 and walked the last 2, finishing in about 15 minutes, so it seemed “normal”. 

The fitness bug hit my Mom in about the year 2000, when I graduated college, but it never hit me. I would listen to her get up before work and clear out our living room so she could do her workout videos and I would hear her huffing and puffing away. Later on, after I moved out, she got a gym membership at Gold’s. She was able to convince me to go take a class with her only once. After that class and not being able to walk for 3 days, I never went again. 

Jen and her Mom

Jen and her Mom

I never struggled with my weight very much and am relatively lucky in that regard. I could definitely fluctuate about 15lbs up or down, and at my heaviest, I may have been “voluptuous” and “curvaceous”, but I was never “fat”.  I was also extremely out of shape and ate whatever I wanted. 

I lost my Mom 4 years ago to cancer. She was extremely dedicated to fitness and health, and even during her grueling chemotherapy treatments, would wake up and exercise and do what she could. She even had plans to retire in 2016 and pursue fitness as a job, encouraging baby-boomers to get and stay fit, like her. Losing her continued to keep me out of the gym, as the machines, the mere idea of exercise, would remind me of all the opportunities I had to spend time with her and had missed. 

When I turned 35 last year, I knew that something was going to have to change. I couldn’t continue to be lethargic, eat whatever I wanted, be tired all the time and not feel as good about myself as I knew I could. I never understood the “once you to go to the gym and work out, you’ll feel so much better!” mentality. I hated it. I felt awkward, I didn’t know what exercises to perform, and I didn’t like people watching me, or worse, judging me.  But I knew that I had to take a leap and do something out of my comfort zone. At 35, I wanted to give myself the opportunity to look and feel better than I ever had before, and I knew it was time to put in some work. 

Jen on a typical Monday morning - "leg day"

Jen on a typical Monday morning - "leg day"

After doing some research, I came across Kristin’s website, and thought that it seemed like a great fit. The idea of working out in a private space where I could learn and grow was ideal. I went in for a consultation in April of 2013 and signed up for 20 sessions on the spot. Since then,  I have not stopped!! Kristin worked with me, starting slow and assessing my strength levels as well as my ultimate goals and body type. I do a hybrid type of workout which consists of some traditional bodybuilding type of exercises with weights, as well as mixing in some metabolic and plyometric training to get my heart rate up. This is ideal for me because I love the idea of being strong, and I have realized that I love to throw around some weight! Who knew!?

What I love about working out with Kristin is that I know each workout will be different.  If I’m feeling tired, we can go lighter or switch things up, but if I want to test my limits, she’s happy to oblige me.  Now, I’m around the same weight as when I started to work out, but my lean muscle has increased, my body fat has decreased, and when I’m compliant with a good diet (I know, it’s hard, but abs are made in the kitchen!), I even have a visible 4 pack if I flex. 

My fitness journey is only just beginning, but I owe it to Kristin and IronPlate for giving me the tools to work with. My Mom is my inspiration, and I workout with her in mind every time I hit the gym, pick up a weight, or step on the treadmill. I use her weight gloves when I lift and it allows me to feel closer to her. Even after her passing, working out with Kristin has allowed me to have a continuing bond to my Mom, and that is priceless. 

Lean, ripped and fit!

Lean, ripped and fit!

Sinead D., IronPlate Bride, Not-so-American Woman!

Sinead D., came to IronPlate a few months before heading off to her Motherland of Ireland to get hitched to her Down Under Groom.  Sinead, an amazing and natural athlete and yogi, pulled it together and has been a delight to train.  We still get the pleasure of training  Sinead post-wedding and honeymoon, and all during the build out of her latest project (name to be disclosed only by her!), a fantastic NYC Yoga Studio to be launched in 2015.  

Sinead embodies what every bride does – great definition, leanness and feminine athleticism!  We heart you, girl!  

IronPlate torturess completes first Tough Mudder!

Throwing a big shout-out to IronPlate Trainer/Torturess, Caitlin Harrington, for completing her first ever Tough Mudder this past weekend in Upstate, NY. Going in worried she might not come out, Caitlin killed it with ease and is now excited to put together Team IronPlate for 2015 (and even I’m scared!).  Congratulations Cait for being a fit beast, and inspiring the rest of us at IronPlate to do our best and KICK ASS!

Best bridal biceps ever: IronPlate bridge Danielle R!

We work with a lot of brides.  A lot of really great brides.  But this girl takes the proverbial wedding cake.  Best transformation to date with a body that was stage ready.  Danielle R., kicked it into high gear 3x/week at IronPlate for months training like a body builder, ate clean (and complained the whole way through), but the results and hard work shows!  

Best of luck to Danielle and her new life!  XO

We are growing!

IronPlate Studios is excited to announce that we have moved to a bigger and better home at studio C408 at the Monroe Center.

Now with TWO private training studios, a private nutrition counseling office, changing station and waiting nook, we are bigger and better than ever!

Stay tuned for more offers, news and exciting details of our new digs (as well as details on our Grand Opening Party) and by all means, email us at info@ironplatestudios.com for more information or to book your first session or consult.

 

JK, Newly hitched and throwing us a little LOVE here at Iron Plate!

What can I say, I have a soft spot for JK since I’ve been working with her and her man, MC, on and off for years now.  When she came to me and said she was getting MARRIED, I almost dropped a kettlebell on my head, but hey, I was up for the task.  One of the most hard working, never satisfied (in a good way) and un-bride-like ladies I know, we had a great time kicking la derriere in the studio.

And the best part of my job is getting a photo like this…  makes it all worthwhile!  Mwah!

COLBY: Getting down to business for Wedding Day!

Colby came to me almost a year ago with big goals of looking amazing for her August 10, 2013 Wedding Day, and just like that, it’s here!  With a lot of blood, sweat, breaks and tears she killed it in the gym and her kitchen and is now 6 days out of walking down the aisle (with her super nice fiance who joined us periodically for some butt-kicking!).  Not only is she walking away with a great husband, but she is walking away with a wealth of knowledge on proper nutrition, meal prep and training which will last her a lifetime – though I do anticipate more questions from her in the future :)  Best of luck, Colby! 

XOXO,
Iron Plate Studios

IRON PLATE: What does it mean?

In June 2011, the Food Pyramid was sent on it’s merry way and with it came the start of the new MyPlate; a simpler way to be more mindful in the foods that we choose.  Here at IronPlate Studios, we are a group of personal trainers AND Registered Dietitians (and Sports Dietitians / CSSD) that believe in combining strength/weight training and “training hard” (the Iron in IronPlate) with proper food choices and “clean eating” (and the Plate in IronPlate).   We believe it’s a synergistic mesh between the two that gets people the results they want; a lean, tight physique, a healthy weight and a strategy for a healthful life. 

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