Trainer support consistent in weight-loss journey
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
YMCA fitness staff members (from left) Andrea Shepler, Tyler Kurosky and Pam George talk about the progress of the Shape-Up Challenge participants.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Pam George, YMCA wellness director, distributes cookbooks with healthy recipes to the Shape-Up participants.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Tara Azzardi (left) smiles as she steps on the scale for the weekly weigh-in by Tyler Kurosky, YMCA personal trainer.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Andrea Shepler (left), YMCA personal trainer, checks the numbers for Krystal Bowlen during the weekly weigh in.
As in any weight-loss journey, inconsistencies and obstacles present themselves. In this edition of the Shape-Up Challenge, though, one thing is consistent — the support of the trainers.
Between YMCA personal trainers Tyler Kurosky and Andrea Shepler and YMCA wellness director Pam George, the contestants have their words of encouragement and guidance to help them through the 13-week course.
During week 9, the trainers took the body composition measurements for each contestant.
“All body fat percentages were down,” George said. “They should be encouraged by their measurements.”
George said they decided to take the body fat percentages that week to help some over the slump or plateau they might be facing.
“When you’re on the scale, you’re weighing muscle, fat, bone, blood, food, etc.,” George said. “But the body comp shows what you’ve lost in terms of fat.”
Kurosky said contestants also might find themselves plateauing because of their comfort level.
“People get comfortable. They need to step outside their comfort zone again,” he said. “They broke out of it at the beginning, but now they’ve gotten comfortable again with what they’re doing.”
“Some get to the point that they don’t work out as hard or overeat to compensate,” George said.
However, it might simply come down to the fact that every body is different, as Shepler said she often reminds them.
“It’s a scientific process, and every body is different,” she said. “If someone held onto some weight one week, it might just be because their body is different.”
Kurosky also addressed the importance of a proper diet to accompany the high-intensity workouts they’re putting in.
“You can be here all day, but without the right food, it’s not going to work,” he said.
“Society is tricked into thinking that weight loss is something you can attain quickly. TV sells that,” George said. “The truth of it is that it takes time to burn fat off of the body. They’re not going to lose, in three months, what took years to put on.”
Shepler said one of her goals is to help the contestants, especially the women, feel comfortable with the weight room.
“I want to break that barrier so they can achieve these goals,” she said. “It’s a huge stress reliever for me, and I want to pass that along to them.”
For Kurosky, it’s all about the time outside.
“My favorite thing to do is go on the track and run up and down the stairs. They don’t like that too much,” Kurosky said with a laugh.