"I
am building a fire, and everyday I train, I add more fuel. At just the right
moment, I light the match." --Mia Ham
Laura:
For years I completely neglected myself. I was out of shape, overweight, constantly tired and depressed. Initially, my wedding inspired me to get into better shape. I began exercising and went on a crash diet. I lost 20 pounds, but immediately after the wedding gained it all back. After our honeymoon I began working with a trainer at one of the big corporate gyms. He pushed products and supplements on me and gave me suggestions for reducing my calories that were questionable to say the least.
My husband had been working out with Pattie for a few months and came back from each workout with exciting nutritional information and a changing physique. As we talked I became jealous that his trainer seemed to actually understand the science behind exercise and nutrition. So I asked him to get me in. I was initially disappointed to learn that Patti's schedule was full and was scheduled to train with John. My misplaced disappointment didn't last long. John has helped me to get back to my wedding weight and I am currently working to lose another 10 lbs. My twice a week workouts with John are one of the highlights of my week. He has a way of making me feel like I am his favorite client and joking with me through my least favorite exercises. He even puts up with my constant whining with a smile.
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Meredith:
Amalia has been training me for approximately two years, and I count my association with her as the most fortuitious event in my recent history.
Amalia is a superb trainer — extremely knowledgeable, imaginative, responsible, and responsive. She respects your goals and helps you concentrate to achieve them. My goal was and is to increase strength, balance, and agility in order to be a better competitive ballroom dancer. Amalia has been so positive and encouraging, so diligent and consistent, that I'm definitely on track and I've seen steady improvement and results on the dance floor.
And if the high quality of her training were not enough, Amalia has a great capacity for friendship. I'm really glad I've had the opportunity to know as fine a person as she is.
September:
When I consider the health benefits, choosing to work out with Pattie is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Maintaining my commitment to exercising six days/week over the last year is an accomplishment that makes me really proud. The understanding that consistent action over time yields results is as clear as my need for a new wardrobe.
Here's what Pattie brings to the table... and it's not fried chicken I can tell you that!
1. Knowledge. She really knows her stuff, my program includes weight lifting, core, plyometrics, cardio, nutrition...etc.
If I need a work-around for a trouble area she always has something in her bag of tricks to keep me on track.
2. Guidance. Pattie helps me to learn each exercise with good form and stay injury free. Gentle coaching for healthy eating and patience with my food foibles.
3. Intention. She helps me set goals and the gains I make are by design. I feel set up for success. It's fun to try new stuff because Pattie meets me at my current fitness level and moves forward from there.
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Lisa:
It all started just after I'd trained and competed in my first (have since done another) sprint triathlon. And although thrilled to be able to say I'd done something athletic like this, I was APPALLED at what I looked like in the photographs. I thought I was in shape and pretty fit.
My husband had started with Pattie just 6 weeks before and he was already getting results. I decided I too needed to make a change.
Ever since I married in 1984, I'd been putting on weight. I began on 7/10/2006 with a goal of losing 24 lbs by year end. Amalia started me gently (I was afraid I'd want to quit). Because I am a product of our society and its love of "instant gratification", I was constantly worrying those first few weeks at how little the scale was budging.
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Blake:
“WOW! You look great!” Those were my words to Amalia when she came by my office to drop off her and Pattie's tax information. It was the beginning of a whole new life for me and my family.
On that day, I made a decision to use a personal trainer again. I had used two personal trainers before with limited success.
I emailed both Pattie and Amalia that day with my intentions to use them after tax season.
Patti responded, directing me to their website for more information about their services and the commitment expected from me. After browsing their website, I could not wait for tax season to end and the training to begin. read
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Carey:
The definition of "train" invites one to look up the word "teach." The
definition of teach, according to Webster's Dictionary is, "to accustom to some action or attitude, to teach students to think for themselves." The team of Grass Iron is a group of trainers who teach the normal person to become accustomed to thinking about eating as an action. The food we transfer into our bodies as fuel for life. Amalia has taught me that the work-outs are as important as the food, equally needed for my goals to be reached.
Because of the time I spent with Amalia, I've started to see every decision an opportunity to push myself harder i.e. using
heavier weights, longer periods of cardio, and eating smart. I've even begun to type my food choices into the website they suggest (which I still do not enjoy) to help me make better choices, to give me the knowledge I lack, about the food I eat. Each action is a small goal accomplished. read
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Judy:
I am in my late 60's and I live and work on a farm. About five years ago when my strength and endurance started to wane, I decided to try strength training as a solution. This was one of the best decisions I ever made. I feel like I did twenty years ago! I have also learned how to safely lift objects, which is a real plus when you do farm work. Amalia is knowledgable in her profession and is empathetic to the needs of her clients. I look forward to my workouts! I would unconditionally recommend grass iron to absolutely anyone. Kudos to you, Amalia!
Susan:
A friend of
mine told me about Amalia and Pattie, how she and her husband had made so much
progress with their fitness through working with them.
Here's a clip from the email I sent back to her at that time:
"Wow, tell Blake congratulations on his progress! That's very
inspiring. Good luck with the GrassIron folks. I have a goal to lose 15 lbs.
by the end of the year so I'm right with y'all! If I'm not successful with the
game plan I'm trying out, I'll definitely give those folks a call." read
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Kris:
When I met Pattie, I had been a member of Hyde Park Gym for one month . . .
and had never worked out.
It had been way too long since I'd done any regular exercise or weight training.
I had never used a trainer before and I didn't know what to expect.
We started slow, just lifting two to three times a week. At that time, I had
no appreciation for Pattie's vast knowledge that would help transform my body.
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Sarah:
In January 2005, I weighed
189 pounds--more than I ever had in my whole life.
I wanted to lose the 40 pounds I'd gained in graduate school, but I truly hated
gyms.
Then I saw my boyfriend lose weight after being with a personal trainer for
six weeks.
"If you're serious about losing the weight, you should get a trainer,"
my boyfriend encouraged me. "You've spent so much money over the years on workout
videos and exercise equipment; you can afford it at least for a few sessions."
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Rachel:
When I was about six years old, I remember playing with my brother in the corner
of the Hyde Park Gym while my dad worked out. The machines looked so strange,
and I thought I'd never have any interest in actually using one. For the next
several years I continued to live without realizingthe importance of taking
care of my body. After I turned sixteen I finally took action and went back
to that gym that I had played in so often as a child, and that's where I met
Amalia.
Working with Amalia has been a pleasure since the very beginning. After our
first training session I was more motivated to get in shape that I had ever
been before, and working out became something to look forward to.
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Daniel:
In January of 2004 I wandered into Hyde Park Gym – standing somewhat slumpy
at 6’2”, weighing in at 213lbs. and battling a sense of exhaustion
and depression. I was looking to find a personal trainer, but deep-down inside,
I was looking to face the long-time fears and resistance that were standing,
like a mountain, between me and the transformation I longed for.
It was my great fortune to meet Pattie Farley, standing behind the desk that
day – she talked me through a course of action and we began work the next
day. She set realistic, but challenging goals for me, designing a program that
addressed the specific needs of my frame, that ramped up my metabolism and provided
comprehensive dietary options that allowed me to remain a vegetarian. read
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Pam:
I first
got into lifting so I could get high quality exercise in a short amount of time.
Working with Pattie is so much more than exercise.
Her training has given me
better physical energy and a more positive attitude in all the areas of my life.
By training with Pattie once a week, I stay consistent with my workouts and
maintain good results. I also get peace of mind because I have a clear plan
that I can always fall back on.
Pattie is extremely knowledgeable about lifting, nutrition and the body - and she's a lot o' fun to work with
too!
Becky:
I started working out with Amalia about 3 months ago, after hearing from a few
friends and acquaintances that she and Pattie could change your life (who wouldn't
be curious about that?).
Although I was in the habit of doing a cardio workout four or five times a week,
I was feeling sluggish and not very fit when I decided to meet with Amalia.
I was also intimidated by the thought of weight training, since I had tried
it a few times before and had never had a good experience or really learned
how to do it correctly.
After my first two sessions with Amalia, however, I could tell that this experience
would be different; I quickly became less nervous and more comfortable due to
her patience, encouragement and wonderful personality.
Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable about everything to do with fitness
and nutrition, but she has the ability to communicate about these topics in
such a way that I've already learned a lot, and have never felt silly for asking
her rudimentary questions or for struggling to do exercises that would be like
baby steps for her.
After three months of working out with Amalia twice a week, I can see a clear
difference in my body and in my energy level. I no longer dread going to the
gym, but actually look forward to it; even if I'm having a bad day, it's good
therapy to get in a good workout and hang out with a delightful person. read
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Amy:
I decided to start working with Pattie about two years ago when I wanted to
lose some weight and tone my muscles for my upcoming wedding.
I was so impressed with the results that I continued with her and have made
room in my budget for once a week training sessions. Pattie goes above and beyond
her one hour time commitment by advising me on nutrition and creating weight
lifting and cardio plans to meet my specific needs.
Last fall she encouraged me to train for the 3M Half Marathon — something
I had never considered I would ever do. Thanks to her I look better now than
I ever have, and more importantly, I have made taking care of my body a priority
in my life.
Julie:
Just wanted to let you know that I had a great swim this morning, and I
had a much faster swim time that last year!! The results from
the two years are:
35-39
Age Group
Name
Overall
Women
Time
2005
6 (of 8) Julie H
31 (of
46)
35:39.9
2004
19 (of 21) Julie H
68 (of
83)
41:24.7
So that's 5:45 faster! Woohoo!! :-) Which is about 14% faster (uh, if my math
is correct). I can hardly believe it!!
I have to give you a lot of credit!! I haven't really been swimming that much,
but I know that working out has helped me lose weight, build strength, and improve
awareness of the muscles I need to engage to make my stroke more efficient.
To me, shaving almost 6 minutes off my swim time is pretty awesome proof!
Anyway, I'm obviously pretty excited. :-) Just wanted to share the good
news with you!
Jen:I've worked with both Pattie and Amalia and have accomplished things that I never thought I would. I was 35 and had never lifted weights, I had never intentionally run further than I had to, and chronic bingeing was becoming a real and disheartening problem. All of my efforts at weight loss were thwarted by my compulsive eating.
One of the most helpful things Pattie and Amalia did was to encourage me to seek outside help with my compulsive eating, which I did.
As a result, I lost 70 pounds! These are my "before" and "after" photos. I don't look or feel like the same person. I now keep track of the composition of my diet and the amount of food I eat. I feel better than I have in a long time. Without their expertise, encouragement, and discipline, I know I wouldn't have accomplished these things. Thank you so much!