Spring just arrived on Sunday and that means the start of summer is only three months away. If you’d like to get your beach body back by June, it’s totally possible with a Barrington program that has helped many shed up to 25 pounds in just three months. If this sounds appealing, then do I have a story for you! There’s a man who works in Barrington by the name of Mike Ploszek. He recently signed up for the program and swears it changed his life. In 12-weeks, he dropped 23 pounds, lost 4.5 inches from his waist, decreased his blood pressure and, some say he’s started to look a little like Brad Pitt ;). Take a look at Mike’s before and after photos and I’ll tell you how he did it.
Mike’s in his 50’s and, last fall, he says he was feeling like he needed to take charge of his weight and his health. “I was a guy who never met an M & M he didn’t eat.” He’d been watching his parents and their 80-something friends struggle with health issues and he decided to take action to improve his own health today. “I thought, if I’m not going to do something about it now, it’s not going to be a good ride for me twenty or thirty years from now.” So Mike signed up for the “12-Week Medically Based Weight Loss Program” at Good Shepherd Health and Fitness and says what happened next changed his life. I wanted to learn more so he agreed to meet me during a recent workout.
I caught up with Mike in the middle of a session with the fitness specialist in charge of the Medically Based Weight Loss Program. His name is Mark Henrichs, he’s is a Certified Athletic Trainer and he’s one of the people who walk you through the program from start to finish. Mark’s the one who encouraged Mike when his weight loss started to slow mid-way through the program. He changed the routine as needed and kept Mike motivated every week. And now Mike says, “I’m in the process of getting the waist of my pants taken-in, I have to buy new clothes and my energy level is higher than it’s ever been.” I could tell he meant it.
Mark Henrichs says weight loss is just one piece of the puzzle. “The whole goal is trying to make a lifestyle change.” The program is designed to lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce cardio risk factors, promote increased muscular strength and joint stability. “It’s trying to make a life change. We want them to be on this program for life, it’s achievable and it makes you feel so good to see these people make that life change.”
But body changes aren’t the program’s only emphasis. Part of the weight loss process is changing the way we think. And that’s where Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Cheryl Borst comes in.
Dr. Borst and specialists from her Barrington office meet with participants throughout the process to help get them in the right mindset for success. “It’s really important to understand the relationship between stress, depression, anxiety and weight problems. How we think about things in our life greatly affects our food and our ability to manage ourselves.” Dr. Borst offers guidance to improve emotional health. “Mindful thinking can calm us down and give us a sense that life is good and that stress is inherent for any of us in our lives, we just have to learn how to manage it.”
Here’s how it works: When you sign up, you’ll get 33 total appointments in a 12-week period. The first appointment is when you check in for weight and measurements so you can track your progress. 23 appointments are with a personal trainer, 4 with a behavioral specialist, 4 with a dietitian and there’s a final checkout appointment where you review the results and make a plan to maintain them. Throughout the 12 weeks there are experts every step of the way guiding you through the weight loss process, helping you change how you eat, how you think and how you exercise.
The program started in January of 2010. In the first year, a total of 70 people signed up and lost over 1500 pounds of weight combined. That means they each lost 20-25 in 12-weeks! The cost of the program is $1,631 for members and $1,811 for non-members and comes with a three month membership to the facility. Mike Ploszek says the cost seemed high at the outset, but he says it was worth every penny because the results have been way beyond his expectations. “It was the best money I’ve ever spent in my life and I have no doubt that I’ve just probably added at least ten quality years to my life by grabbing a hold of my health and following the program and doing what I had to do. It just absolutely changed my life.”
For more information or to sign up, call the Good Shepherd Health and Fitness Center’s Member Services Department at 847-620-4550. You’ll find the health and fitness center at 1301 S. Barrington Road in Barrington and please keep me posted. If you try it out, I’d love to hear how the program works for you. I plan to sign up after our new baby’s born in July.
Sounds very appealing. I joined the Barrington Park Fitness center last year. I was able to stick with exercising 4 times a week for 7 months, then I got away from it. Back again this year. Workouts are 60-90 minutes long and I try to get there 4-5 time per week. God knows I need to do something. I’m at least 40 pounds overweight. I’ve seen the cards about the program in the mail and have been tempted to call. Does sound pricey, but if I could improve my fitness that much?