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Andrew Bates is where integrity begins. Completeness, wholeness, unimpaired, conditioned, souindness, honesty, and sincerity, he's all of them. I had choices to choose the trainer, I'm lucky Andrew is the first person I met entering the gym. My goal was to increase upper body strength; an operation stopped my attempt for Mister Oklahoma. I'm sixty-three and will never look like Andrew, but do I feel like forty-three, you bet. Furthermore, Andrew won't tell me where he buys his shirts. My suggestion to everyone thin or overweight, let Andrew help you and listen to his suggestions on exercise and diet. You will Benefit. - Toby Armellini - Profession Engineer, Consultant I was reluctant when my husband Toby encouraged me to start training
with Andrew. Working out would just be another obligation to add
to a busy schedule, I thought. I quickly learned, however, that
I would anticipate my workout time with Andrew. - Sylvia Armellini, guidance counselor,
Andrew has been my personal trainer for almost two years!!! I reluctanctly signed up with Andrew and began a training program. Within 2 weeks, I felt like a new person. I work long, long hours(45-50 plus). I found my energy level improved dramatically. I hit the floor running at 0400-0500 every day of the week and don't stop till I drop. My attitude has changed. Although I am a very positive person already, I felt like I could do just about anything I set my mind too. Andrew pumped me up emotionally and physically for the day. I noticed people making comments about how I looked. I clearly remember one day a woman about my age walked up to me and said, man you look great. I smiled and thanked her for making my day. Often people will say, I wish I had your energy. I say, you can. Although I have kept my weight within 3-5 lbs of where I wanted it most of my life(I have terrible genetics working against me), I had been feeling out of shape and sluggish with no get up and go. As a 53 year old woman, I now feel incredibly healthy and in the greatest shape I have ever been in. Thanks to Andrew.
This past year we took a trip to Las Vegas and decided to take three days seeing Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. Often I would do the hiking up and down to see the sights, while he waited at the top for me to return. We!!!! hiked 6-10 miles daily and he didn't miss a beat. His comment was, "I couldn't have done that if I had not been working out with Andrew?" The experience was life changing for both of us. Andrew has consistently, in his gentle way, pushed, prodded, motivated, educated and encouraged me to excel in every aspect of my life and health. He encourages me not to weigh everyday(have done this since early, early 30s), not to look in the mirror and be critical of what I am seeing, and to look more at how I feel and what I am putting in my mouth. I have through nutrition education with Andrew become more diligent about my diet. Less fat, still struggle with getting enough protein, and less simple carbs and eating more complex carbs. Andrew lives his program and brings his knowledge and expertise to you as his client for overall health and vitality. People often say, well you don't understand Ree. You aren't overweight. I used to apologize for being thin. Not anymore!! I want to shake them and say, you bet I'm not overweight. I have made a choice for my health. I get myself out of bed 4 days a week for Andrew and my cardio workout. You too have a choice. Some people might say, oh but personal trainers are expensive. I would encourage you to ask yourself honestly, how expensive is a heart attack, a knee or hip replacement, open heart surgery? How expensive is my relationship with my spouse if I am not healthy? How expensive is not being able to enjoy your children or grandchildren? How expensive is it to have your spouse responsible for taking care of you because you didn't take care of yourself? As a hospital RN and certified diabetes educator, I see the results of poor choices everyday. It is heart wrenching and can be devastating with no turning back. Because of Andrew, I am and will continue to live an active, involved, healthy, happy, life. AND LOOK DARN GOOD WHILE I'M HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE(Sorry Andrew, I couldn't resist the looks part of it). And who wouldn't want a goal like this!! - Ree Kaplan
I just wanted to tell you a little bit about my history,,, I have worked out at Reaction for 3 years and have really enjoyed it!! I've worked out with trainers before but until I started doing the CORE training I wasnt getting the results I wanted!! We have been training for one month now and I already see a BIG difference I get complements all the time from people that are noticing a difference as well!! I am very exicted to see my results at the end of my six months! Im training for six months and the things I learn will last me a Lifetime!! MONEY well spent!! Thanks again for pushing me to reach my goal!! - DeeDee
Working out /getting exercise of any type needs to be a way of life. It's a "mind set". Yes! All of us can make it a priority. It's your time! Take it! I realize the busy schedules we all have---I have six children and when they were younger, in spite of all their activities, I still found time to exercise. But that's just it---YOU need to make things work around what YOU need for yourself. What's so great about any type of exercise is that you benefit two ways. One, is you could be doing it for mental release and....yet...Two, benefit physically. The end results are that you feel really good about yourself, not to mention your overall health improvement. It is NEVER too late to start. Exercise does not have to be in the form of marathon running or bodybuilding. It can be as simple as parking your car further away from an entrance or taking stairs vs. elevators. How about in the form of a dance class or intramural sport? You don't really know your actually EXERCISING, because it's all too much fun! Personally, I am goal oriented, and I always like to try something I've not done before. Yet, I do know my limitations. Such as running, I don't have enough time to train properly for a marathon---not to mention running 26 miles I find to be frightfully boring. Seeing how I had only run 9 mile races, I figured a half marathon would be a challenge, yet something I might be able to achieve w/o letting myself down. I don't enter these to actually win against others---it's just for my own personal goal which makes me feel like a winner. I also like triathlons, because they are a lot like 3 short stories in one book---I know I'll complete it. You can even find mini triathlons. They may be a half mile swim, 12 mile bike ride and a 5 mile run, @ this point the crowd picks you up and emotionally carries you to the finish. This year I had a landmark birthday on Thanksgiving Day. Actually, after 40, they all became "landmark" birthdays! All six of my children came in town from their prospective colleges and different careers to surprise me, and yes, they are my continued source of motivation to stay healthy and active. I not only needed the energy to keep up w/ them when they were young, but I always wanted to set an example of an energetic lifestyle and how to enjoy all you've been given. We can not all look the same (and that would be a bore) yet we are expected to do the best w/what we have. I use to think I had to privately work out & loose weight, BEFORE I could actually go to a gym and work out w/ other people. I quickly realized that was nonsense, because they are all worried about themselves and pay very little attention to anyone else. My second form of motivation is myself. No one is going to do this for me. Although, I can encourage a friend to meet me or hold myself accountable to a class, but those two aren’t always going to be available…so you might as well get comfortable in your own world, because you know you CAN count on yourself. Rain or shine. We all have a weak spot or two, and that’s ok! Mine is I am codependent on my music to keep me running or( ? ) whatever I do when I work out. I get lost in the songs and tune out everyone around me. You just have to find your niche and make it work for you. We all reach plateaus. It's inevitable. I get bored w/ what exercise routine I'm doing and I will also notice it's not working for me. So, that's when I have to change it up and sometimes, it's w/the support and direction of a personal trainer. Definitely someone who can motivate and teach me new ways to improve. When you employ a personal trainer, pick their brains about what motivates them, what they eat, how long have they been exercising, etc... They will even design an eating plan (I don’t like to call it "diet") just for your needs, body type and schedule. They have studied this. Make use of their knowledge! You will find the differences in backgrounds and some are TRUE success stories. The first time I ever made an appointment w/ a personal trainer---my choice was great! I knew I needed someone to push me, I lack REAL discipline @ times, and I needed someone to instill this in me. The gym in which I work out most of the trainers are men except for this one incredible energetic female. I was always horribly intimidated by a male trainer. I thought great! Now what. Then I began to realize I was only hurting myself by waiting and tried to "self talk" on how ridiculous I was being. So… I made a couple of appointments w/ Andrew from Bodyfulfillment. Best shyness I ever overcame. I quickly realized the following: gender doesn't matter! Andrew is seriously interested in your well being -inside and out. Andrew listens when you talk, and he will let you pick his brain with all the knowledge you might want to absorb. Andrew will size you up and push you to a challenge designed for YOUR success (which is smart because then you will be encourage to do more). He tailored made a daily meal plan for me (didn't bug me about it-it was up to me to follow. If I didn't I knew I would only be hurting myself) He explained how certain foods worked together and definitely what to avoid for particular speedy results. He actually provided me w/ accountability. Some of these trainers are additionally trained in psychology...so they know what makes us tick! Even after our sessions were complete, if Andrew noticed myself or anyone else working out...he would sometimes come over and offer techniques to enhance a move or show better use of certain equipment. You could definitely always count on him to acknowledge you & say "hello, and how is your work out going?" Just a small gesture to show he notices and cares. Any one member on his Bodyfulfillment team would be a great choice. I have watched them train and work out. They are all a source of encouragement. We as individuals are all we have. We must choose life, choose positive choices, choose to be @ peace w/ yourself, choose to make a difference, and choose to BE different by BEING yourself. So...trade in those Prada heels for a cross trainer shoe and start moving! You will love yourself so much more. - Lynda
Good afternoon Andrew! Thank you again,
I started going to Planet Fitness the beginning of March. I noticed working out was going great. Then I saw the bodyfulfillment and I thought I would try that. I started working with Andrew the last week of April to the beginning of May. He knows my strengths and my weaknesses and he also stays on track of my cardios and my workouts. Its a long journey for me but Andrew will do great. Thanks Andrew for what you do for me in my workouts. Karen Laub
Angie, Janet Jessee
My name is Gary Stice. I am 6 feet tall and weigh 188 lbs. I have a 41 inch chest and 33 inch waist and take great pride in most people thinking that I am at least 10 years younger than I actually am. I take no medications and have a blood pressure of 145 / 82 and an LDL cholesterol level of 110. I go to the gym at least 5 days a week and walk two miles every morning. I died of “Sudden Cardiac Death” while at the gym with my trainer on April 24, 2008, just a week before my 53rd birthday. Had it not been for the fact that my particular trainer, Alton Arevalo, had apparently been selected by God and not by my wife as a Christmas present, as I thought, I would not be here today to relate my story to you. When my wife and I turned 50, we decided to get control of our lives and try to reverse the damage of years of working too hard, not eating properly, and not getting enough exercise. We joined Weight Watchers and from September of 2004 to May of 2005 I was able to reach my goal of losing 67 lbs by my 50th birthday and went from a weight of 242 to 178 and a waist of 40 to 33. Surprisingly, I lost more than 3 inches in my neck size alone. My wife and I were featured in several newspaper articles, both locally and nationally, and were featured in a story in the Weight Watchers magazine in January 2007. This alone allowed me to get off my blood pressure and cholesterol medication and stop sleeping with a CPAP machine every night due to severe sleep apnea. I was feeling better than I ever had, but still wanted to get more out of this new chapter in my life. I had been going to a local gym several days a week for the past two years, but was beginning to get in a rut and the same routine wasn’t seeming to work any more. I was devastated that the pounds were creeping back on, even though I was eating properly, and exercising, and this lead to the incredibly stupid decision to start smoking again, after having quit for more than a year. On Christmas day, 2007, I opened a single small package from my wife. There was a new pair of gym shorts and tank, and a gift certificate for 10 sessions with a personal trainer from Body Fulfillment. Although I was grateful, I was somewhat confused and a little apprehensive. I thought I was exercising properly and certainly didn’t need some “jock” standing over me shouting out commands and counting repetitions. My fears couldn’t have been more unfounded. I found the trainers not only extremely well trained and educated, but kind, patient, and just “regular people”. I developed a fast friendship with Alton as we worked through the months, learning new techniques and exercises that I would never have had the confidence to try on my own. My muscles began to develop and my fat began to disappear. I was looking better and better and the complements that I was getting from my friends and family fueled my desire to be the best that I possibly could be. I feel like I have come so far, but there is so much more that I can do. However, now I am faced with the life altering decision of what this episode in my life really means. During my exercise routine, my heart literally stopped beating. It was not a “heart attack” where there is typically damage to the heart muscle. Rather, it was “sudden heart death”. It is termed so because while over 300,000 people are stricken each year in the US alone, only 5 percent ever make it to the hospital and of that number, a significant number experience brain damage due to lack of oxygen to the brain. It may effect men in their 30’s and 40’s and is not uncommon for the victim to be in good physical shape and completely unaware of the potential danger of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), due to an electrical abnormality, blood vessel abnormality, or recreational / performance enhancing drug use. Had I not been exactly where I was and with who I was, I certainly would not have survived. Although the gym had a defibrillator device, I don’t believe that it was used. Alton continued rigorous CPR until the ambulance arrived 4 minutes after my collapse. At that time I was defibrillated and intubated and placed on a respirator. Once stabilized at the hospital, tests were run to see if there was any cause for the sudden arrest. Frankly, the doctors didn’t expect to find any and planned to install an internal defibrillator just in case of a repeat episode in the future. However, they found 95% blockage in one of my main arteries. They were very surprised due to my age and physical condition, but apparently years of abuse and bad habits, along with heredity, had left its mark, albeit undetected during annual physicals. They were able to perform a balloon angioplasty through the femoral artery in my groin to compress the obstruction against the walls of the artery and then place a permanent metal stent in the artery to keep it open. I collapsed on Thursday, the surgery was performed on Friday, I came home on Sunday and met with Alton on Monday to walk 2 miles (the only exercise allowed for one month). Obviously, my life has been greatly effected. I’m not sure at this point what it all means. I have always felt that God has a direct plan for each and every one of us and we must have the strength and confidence to allow Him to work through us. I do know that I literally owe my life to Alton. I have a bond with him that will never be broken for the rest of our lives. I feel so fortunate to have met my personal angel here on earth, instead of waiting until the afterlife. I will figure out why I am still here and what I have yet to accomplish in this life. I feel part of it is to share my experience with others, if not only to make you ask if any of this story relates to your own life in any way. Please remember, life is very precious and can be much shorter than we ever anticipated. Don’t wait until tomorrow to do something that you feel is really important in your life. Unfortunately, that “tomorrow” may never come for you. Take charge of your life and live it to the fullest, instead of being a spectator from the side lines. My life is so full of joy, wonder, gratitude, and anticipation!
Hey Scott it's Deandre I really appreciate all the training and personal workout tips you shared with me I really cannot thank you enough I'm grateful for BodyFulfillment trainers. I will be getting more training. Keep up the good work sir
I wanted to let you know also, that even though I’ve only gone a couple of times I feel so much better. Usually I have to take pills to sleep and pills to wake up and usually have no energy through the day. On the days I’ve worked out with Vince I didn’t have to do either and felt so much better (minus the sore muscles). That alone is motivation for me to continue with this great program. Thanks again
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My
husband(65 y/o), great guy that he is, has had many problems with
allergies, chronic sinus infections, bad back and a host of stress
related things. I say stress (he would disagree) because he owns
his own business, he works longer hours than I do, and does not
take care of his self (he would also disagree with this). He decided
to try Andrew out. The difference in my husband over the last year
has been remarkable. Although he is still fighting me on this, I
can definitely tell the difference. He is still plagued with life
long allergies, however, he rests better at night and his "miserableness"
is not sustained at the height of the allergy season in the spring/fall
through first frost. Although he continues to have sinus infections,
he does not carrry them as long. Last year he carried a sinus infection
for 10 months in spite of several changes in antibiotic therapy.
A concern now is because of 10 months of antibiotic therapy, he
is now resistant to some antibiotics. Very frightening to me in
this age of rampant antibiotic resistant infections. 
