3 Months to Energy Fit Winners: Halfway Down the Treadmill to Fitness
When Mandee Coursey (below left) found out that she’d won the 3 Months to Energy Fitness makeover contest, she says her kids, Stetson, 4, and Evie, 3, thought she was nuts.
“All I did was jump around the house screaming,” she says. “I prayed about this so much! To me, winning this was like winning the lottery for my body!”
Except instead of winning more, she’s actually coming up less. With the help of her personal Energy Fitness team, Mandee, 30, weighed 227 pounds when her makeover program began Aug. 17. Today, she’s down 22 pounds and she’s 8.5 total inches smaller.
Sharla Mcgee (below right), 64, was so thrilled to learn that she, too, had won the contest she could barely sleep that night. She started the program about the same time Mandee did, weighing in at 170.5 pounds. Today? Sharla’s shed nine pounds and has lost a total 6.25 inches.
Their secret? Good ol’ diet, exercise and perseverance. Both Mandee and Sharla train twice a week with Energy Fitness Trainer Felisha Prescott with another day of weight training on their own. Plus, they do plenty of cardio and several group classes each week. They also check in regularly with Energy Fitness Nutrition Counselor and Trainer Lona Culbertson (see below).
Mandee says she didn’t realize how out of shape she really was until she barely got through the three-minute step test on the first day of her training. But just a month later she finished the BBQ on the River 5K race.
“I’d never done anything like that before in my life,” she says. “My time was slow — I jogged half of it and walked the other half. But crossing the finish line was an unbelievable feeling. That was my turning point. Now I want to find another one and train harder! I couldn’t have done it without the help of Energy Fitness.”
For Sharla, the makeover experience is putting some spark back into her life. “I have a waist again, and I’m having a ball,” she says. “I love Energy Fitness. Everybody is friendly and motivational. Just when I think I can’t lift another thing, Felisha gives me the encouragement I need. And thanks to Lona, I actually pay attention now to what I eat.”
Group Fitness Classes
Along with their personal training sessions and healthier eating, Mandee and Sharla credit the Energy Fitness group classes with making a significant difference in their sizes and energy levels.
“I’m probably the most uncoordinated person in the world, but I love the classes,” Mandee says. “I even do two back to back, like BodyPump and then Spinning. Exercising is hard, but it’s not as hard as I thought it would be.”
“It’s much easer for me to exercise when I have others in the classroom doing the same things,” Sharla says. “I’m a social person, so for me, these classes are great.”
Here’s a look at Mandee and Sharla’s favorites:
Yoga. Focuses on strength and flexibility while linking breath with movement, resulting in posture alignment, muscle tone and reduced stress.
Zumba. High energy Latin inspired workout. Basic Latin dance steps will get you inspired to have a little attitude.
Spinning. JohnnyG Spinning simulates a real outdoor bike ride…you will challenge yourself through speed drills, “trail riding” and mountain climbing using varied resistance. For all fitness levels.
Three-4-All (offered at EFM only, formerly Steps & Reps). Intervals of step, toning, stretch and relaxation for a total body workout.
BodyAttack (offered at EF only). High energy sports inspired workout that burns a lot of calories and builds strength and stamina. For all fitness levels.
BodyPump (offered at EF only). The fastest way in the universe to get in shape! We incorporate barbells and weights to target every muscle group. For all fitness levels.
On Their Plates
Regular exercise is one thing, but Mandee and Sharla wouldn’t see much difference without Energy Fitness Nutritionist Lona Culbertson helping them make smart changes to the way they eat. This, Mandee admits, is the most challenging part of the makeover.
“I love to eat,” she says. “I have two small children, so we have corndogs and chicken nuggets around the house. But I’ve switched to oatmeal or a protein shake in the morning to get me going. And I’m making healthier dinners for us. I’m finding that I want smaller portions now. I’ll think, If I eat this at 150 calories, that means 30 minutes on the treadmill. I’ve never thought that way in my life.”
Sharla, too, has dramatically changed her diet, eating more chicken and fish and eliminating potatoes and bread. “I’ve never counted calories before,” Sharla says. “And it was difficult at first to keep track of everything I put in my mouth. But I don’t get hungry as I used to.”
Next Steps
With just another month and a half remaining in their makeover program, Sharla and Mandee are determined to drop more weight and continue their journey to better overall fitness — and better overall lives.
“I’m losing inches, and I’m even taking dance lessons, which is extra cardio,” Sharla says. That’s something I’d never done before. I’m having a fun time, and I have a whole new energy.”
And Mandee? She has her eye on a pair of jeans in her closet that she’s held on to since college. “They’re my inspiration jeans,” she says. “They may really be out of style by the time I fit back into them, but I don’t care. I intend to wear them again. I actually believe that somewhere underneath this weight is a body I could really be proud of.”
Online Journals
Both Mandee and Sharla are keeping daily journals detailing their struggles and their progress. Here are some excerpts from Mandee’s:
Aug. 31
Today was my first two-week assessment and I was nervous. But when the scale showed that I had dropped 11.5 lbs, I was so excited. Never in my life did I think eating like I did and working out would allow me to drop that much. Not only was it the weight I was excited about but the inches I lost in different areas. People are starting to notice and it is feeling great.
Sept. 5
Saturdays have become one of my favorite workout days. I do BodyPump and Spin Class back to back. I have met some encouraging women/men in both of these classes. We have shared stories and more than anything, they have given me even more motivation. So, this makeover is more than physical, it is mental/emotional too! I love the socializing!
Sept. 8
Hard training day with Felisha! She was mixing up weight and cardio. I was jumping over boxes, doing mtn climbs, pull ups and push ups. WOW! I did it! Even with a machine, I did a pull up! Never in my life was I strong enough to do a pull up!
Sept. 15
I was a little worried that my enthusiasm for this makeover would have diminished by now but it hasn’t. So, today I decided to write down the reasons why this might be versus other diets I have done in the past.
Pros
This isn’t a diet, it is a change.
I love the way I feel after a great workout.
I am NOT hungry bc I am eating.
I crave healthier foods vs. junk food.
I am hearing what my body is telling me, until what my head was telling me before.
I love that my clothes fit better.
I have muscles.
Energy, Energy, Energy….I lived off of caffeine and now I hardly drink a diet coke. I never thought this would happen.
Cons
It is hard for me to keep my hair nice, LOL
I hardly wear makeup.
Sept. 19
830am Body Pump and 930 Spin Class…I can’t emphasize enough how much I love my Saturday morning workouts. Usually on Saturdays we sleep in late and indulge in a fat stack of pancakes. Although, I love my pancakes, I am beginning to love these classes more! It really makes for a great weekend without feeling so guilty!
