A personal training & food journal. Read about our weight loss progress at Train With Ron in Chicago, our nutritional habits and the life changes we're making to get in shape and stay healthy!

	The BEST personal trainers in Chicago. Hands down!
	Posted by Monika Arturi | Comments

Dan and I are starting our 5th month at Train with Ron (TWR) and we could not be happier with our results so far. Our pants are falling off … literally! We have to go clothes shopping and this time for sizes smaller and not larger. Anyone that struggles with weight loss knows just how horrible it feels to have to go out and buy new, larger clothes to fit as the number on the scale rises. Well, this time we’re getting smaller clothes. We are SO excited about that!

We have come a long way since we first met with our personal trainers in Chicago at TWR in October ’09. To think that we could do 100 reps of anything was like looking up to Mount Everest back then. But here we are, just a few months later (base camp 2) and we’re doing it. The motivation and enthusiasm that Ron, DB and Matt provide is simply priceless. It is also unmatched by anything I’ve experienced. Forget those in-house trainers at your big-mall gyms who pale by comparison in experience, knowledge and attitude. We have not had a boring or unoriginal workout. The workouts are tailored to what you need individually and each trainer has their own unique twist on things. I love working out with all of the guys and am so thankful to them for helping me through this journey. Right now there is the “Biggest Loser” competition under way and that really gets everyone involved extra motivated. Oh yeah, and you get to win money too …. but what’s that compared to losing some extra pounds right?

Train With Ron, live on the air at ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago. Tom Waddle, Matt, DB, Ron and Marc Silverman.

So many of our family, friends and colleagues have commented on our progress and encouraged us along the way. We thank you and hope you keep it up, as we keep our end up. It helps so much to have the support, especially on those days when the sugar craving kick in or we’re tired from work and have to go to the gym. Dan and I do our best to motivate each other each and every day because we both know how we think. I’ve said it before, but he is such a great support system for me. I couldn’t ask for a better man.

Tonight, we’re working out and looking forward to it. Dan and I are planning a long over due vacation and we are going to work really hard over the next couple of months (and after too of course) to get ourselves in even better shape.

P.S. Progress photos ARE coming, but since it’s 20 degrees (and below) outside it gets kind of tough. BUT we certainly need to get it done for our fans out there and  we will. Thanks for reading and we’ll keep the updates coming.

	Day 96
	Posted by Daniel Arturi | Comments

Happy New Year everyone! The year is new but the routine has been the same – three rigorous personal training workouts per week at Train With Ron. During the holidays we were a little bit less careful than usual with all the chocolate and what not going around, but we got right back to it this week and ate carefully. This morning, DB put us through what he called the “Body Weight Decathlon” which consisted of 30 sit ups, push ups, switch lunges, step ups, low-bar pull ups, suitcase sit ups, mountain climbers, squat thrusts (burpees), squat jumps, and dips… all with the clock running. I can tell you that after the first three movements, the clock was the last thing on my mind. It was tough but both Moni and I got through it – and that was only about 1/2 of our workout for the day. I ate well all week, the usual whole foods (rabbit food). During the holiday weeks, I only lost a pound or two, but it was MUCH better than gaining weight from eating poorly.

Today, DB started “The Biggest Loser” contest at TrainWithRon, when I was there today DB had over 45 people registered who had weighed in, gotten their body fat / BMI measured and their waistline measured, as well as blood pressure and resting heart rate. Whoever loses the highest percentage of weight over the 8 week period wins everyone’s entry fee ($25 per person) so about $1000 or so at stake… should be really fun to compete in this… I am of course going to try to win by continuing to eat healthfully while perhaps adding a day or two to my exercise plan.

Also, Matt runs a program at the gym called “Pure Steel” – its a bench press based upper body strength training program – but that’s all I know about it… I’ve been meaning to ask him more about it and will do that next time I’m there, which will be Monday.  In high school I could bench about 210 (I weighed about 150)… I’d be interested to see how far beyond that I could go, if I trained for it.
This coming Saturday I am going out of town for about 5 days for work, so I will be missing my Saturday training session, but I’ll be at a hotel with a gym and plan to take full advantage of it while I’m there. I’m going to try to push myself while I’m there for a full hour just as if i was at the gym with Ron, Matt, or DB training me and see how I do.

Just to throw the totals out there: I currently weigh 251 lbs (lost 27), 32% body fat (down 10%), and have trimmed 5 inches off my waistline. I would love to drop about 10% more weight over the 8 week period (about 3 lbs per week) during the Biggest Loser contest, that would take me down to 225 or so. That’s my goal… I don’t know if losing 10% would be enough to win the contest but it would certainly be enough to be proud of…

I’ll keep you posted!