Member Testimonies

>>>My name is Trisha Talbot and I joined North Forsyth Training & Fitness in late January 2020, so I have been going to NFTF for a little over a year now. I would say for most of my life I have been pretty active and exercise has played an important part of my life. However, after I had kids, I used all the excuses (I’m too busy, I’m too tired, I have no time to exercise) and I put myself and my fitness journey on the back burner. The last several years, I kept telling myself that I need to get it together! Then a friend of mine, Lindsay Studer, told me all about NFTF and how much she loves it. To be honest, I never thought HITT would be the right fit more me, but after finally being sick and tired of where I was physically, I decided to give it a shot. Although I was unsure and nervous, what did I have to lose? Turns out I had everything to gain.
This past year at NFTF has been a great experience. Starting out with the one on one’s with Jesse was key. That really set the foundation for a successful entry into classes because there is a lot to learn. There is so much I love about NFTF. One thing I love is that every work out is different. It really helps make it not boring and keeps your body guessing. On a weekly bases, I am sore in places I never thought I could get sore, which means it is working! I also love having Jesse and coach Julie there to guide me along the way and push me when I need pushed (which is a lot). Even when Jesse gives me a hard time and pushes me outside my comfort zone, I know it is because he cares and really does want us to see results. Having that one on one attention on a regular bases has been a game changer, which is one thing you won’t get working out on your own or even with most gyms. I also love having the accountability and consistency which helps keep me on track. The music and energy is awesome especially when he plays old school rap which is my favorite! Most of all I love the people! There are so many wonderful people that go to NFTF that I would have never had the opportunity to meet had I not joined.
If you are looking for a challenge, then I would say NFTF is the place to you. This gym gives you the opportunity to be challenged in so many ways. This past January I participated in the nutrition challenge. It was really hard but also very rewarding. To be able to say you are strong enough to get though the challenge is empowering. And the results were awesome! I lost 15 pounds and 15.5 inches during the challenge. The nutrition coupled with the workouts really do amazing things for your body but also your mind and spirit. It is definitely not always easy but I will say it is always worth it! I would encourage anyone who has been thinking about doing something to improve their health to just take the leap of faith and join! And if you join, I would also encourage you to then commit! Results don’t happen by going every now and then. If you want to see results, then you must be consistent and go regularly! Trust me there are some days I don’t want to go, but then I go and I feel so much better afterward. I am very thankful for NFTF and I hope you can say the same thing, too!

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>>>On June 21st 2016 my daughter Avery convinced me to go to “the gym” with her. At the time, I was pushing 308 pounds and had associated health issues. Being an athlete all my life and in this condition was really depressing. To be honest, I was a little nervous when I walked into the gym. I felt like the new kid entering the classroom mid- way through the school year. That feeling quickly disappeared as soon as I met Jesse and Lauren Foster. They made me feel comfortable and welcome. I signed a few wavier forms, let them know that I could come three days a week then started stretching. I noticed some in the gym were lifting bar bells and other heavy weights but Jesse let me know very quickly that I would not be touching any weights for some time. On June 21st, 2016, Jesse started me on what I call “a path to recovery”. For the first two months, the coaches monitored my performance and modified my workouts. My workouts consisted of pushups, air squats, sit ups, alternating toe touches, kettle bell swings, running, rowing, and pull up rings. The workouts are timed and the goal is to do as many reps as possible. I never felt awkward even though I am older than most, out of shape, weak at most exercises and outperformed by most, including pregnant women. The owners and trainers at NFTF really care about each member and their personal growth. In addition to working out, Lauren taught me key aspects of eating healthy. Basically, she said I could eat anything I wanted except things that came in a box, bag, bread, white rice, white noodles, and to cut out sweets for now. I am proud to say that I haven’t missed a single workout and along with my new eating habits I have lost 48 pounds. My road to recovery has not been easy mainly because my mind says I can but my body says not so fast. Jesse says it best, as long as you are moving you are making progress. I want to thank NFTF for getting me back on track and encourage others to join and start their own road to recovery.
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>>>I started 2019 in a sad place in my life. I have a beautiful wife, awesome kids, wonderful family and friends, and a great job. Despite this, I was depressed and unhappy with myself. I was at an all-time high with my weight at 323lbs. I had just been given an epidural to deal with nagging back pain. I got out of breath and my knees hurt just from walking up a single flight of stairs. My blood pressure was averaging about 140/90. I was prediabetic with insulin at 97. My LDL cholesterol was 100, which is the recommended high and my liver functions were elevated due to years of obesity. At 41 years old, it was not what I wanted for myself, and I knew I had to make a change. I have done diets enough to know they work until you stop. Your eating habits have to change for life to keep the weight off. I've had a lot of experience with strength training in the past and liked lifting weights. There just never seemed to be enough time, and in my mind, I could always justify something else being more important.

I have a friend, Josh Angel, who is in phenomenal shape. He was a skinny guy when we met 9 years ago, but was obviously an athlete. He previously raced road bikes professionally, played semi-pro hockey, and played college sports. I have watched him transform over the years into a person with a great balance of muscle mass and lean conditioning after HITT became his go-to exercise routine about 6 years ago. In the fall of 2018, he told me, “Harley, I am in the best shape of my life. I have been more muscular. I have been in better cardiovascular shape, but I have never had such a balance of both.” That statement really made me respect high intensity training as a fitness regiment. It obviously wasn’t an option for me though, was it? I wasn’t in good enough shape to even start training. Besides, those people are like a cult and do some crazy stuff as a part of their workout. Through the fall and over the 2018 holiday season I continued to eat, drink, and stay, not merry, but miserable. Finally on January 2, 2019, I had enough. I decide I was going to start a new lifestyle that day and change my eating habits and start working out. I knew how to eat well, so that part was just a matter of making the change. I have a great gym in my basement, but I knew I wouldn’t stick to a weightlifting routine alone. I also knew I needed to do some cardio, and I freaking HATED cardio. If you saw me running, you had better run too, because it meant something was chasing me!

What would work and meet my needs? High intensity training sounded like a good balance of some things I loved and some things I needed, but hated. I researched 'starting HITT when you were in terrible shape'. I found success stories online and saw that it could be done. Josh recommended North Forsyth Training and Fitness. He said they paid a lot of attention to proper form and fundamentals which would help reduce risk of injury. I reached out to NFTF that same day and made an appointment to meet with Jesse Foster on Friday, 01/04/19. Jesse assured me I could start, and he could help me transition into the classes safely. I joked about it being a cult and he said, “When something has a huge impact on your life in a positive way, you want to tell people about it. That is why it has the stigma.” I asked Jesse if we could start Monday. 01/07/19 began my journey. One year later, I am happy to say this is the fittest I've been in over 20 years. My annual physical was in December of 2019. My resting heart rate has dropped from 84 to 64. Blood pressure is averaging about 120/75. Insulin level is 6, and LDL is 75. Liver functions are normal again. I have no back issues and my knees feel much better. Today, I am 248lbs, and my waist has dropped from a size 46 to a size 38. The 75 pounds I've lost and the muscle I've gained is an amazing start, but I know the real payoff comes from staying the course long-term. I plan to continue to work to achieve my fitness goals. Jesse Foster and NFTF have helped me change my life in an amazing way. Jesse is an amazing coach and now someone I consider a friend. The people at NFTF are truly my gym family as they have cheered, encouraged, and inspired me along the way. Thank you all. I am very blessed to go through this journey with such amazing people.

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>>>My name is Heather Transue, I started my health and fitness journey six years ago today. Although being active and in sports since kindergarten through college, I had been pretty anti group fitness/HITT training since its inception. I resist pop culture and trends, so I loathed the lingo my husband came home talking about each morning after his “WOD” at his gym. However, six years ago today, I had been laying on the couch binge watching Netflix on day five of a snow/ice storm that canceled school for students and teachers. When he told me he had signed us up for a trial at North Forsyth Training and Fitness, I reluctantly agreed to try it out for three classes and didn’t think there would be a fourth.
Turns out that was a lie.
The nature of the their system immediately activated my competitive nature and hooked me. I get bored easily and hate making decisions outside of the ones I am paid to make at work, so the constant varied workouts and moving targets all planned by a personal trainer was custom fit for my personality. I love goal setting and new challenges. And there is no vibe better than the vibe in our gym. I loved the garage doors being open with fresh air, the music drowning out any stress from the day and the camaraderie of knowing the person beside me was tackling the same challenge as me. These qualities are part of the package deal at NFTF and are something I had been desperately missing since I ended team sports.
As a female in my 30s, I want to touch on the most important reason I have stayed devoted to NFTF these six years. I started tracking numbers OTHER than the scale: how many days a week I made it into the gym, how many pushups I could do in a month, how much I could squat, etc. I focused on what my body can DO instead of what my body looks like. However, for the first time ever, I saw results. I hit PRs. I learned new skills. I learned I loved lifting weights. I trusted the process. I put in the time/work. I went from finding any excuse not to go to the gym to looking forward to every opportunity to invest in myself. No other workout program or gym has ever gotten me to be excited and committed to such long term goals and successes.
Americans today focus so much on saying yes to every demand asked of them and staying busy in all aspects of life while, at the same time, being exceedingly good about neglecting personal health and wellness and overall happiness. NFTF helped me make a much needed paradigm shift about seeing investing in myself as being equally as valuable. It made me a better individual which, in turn, made me a better spouse, friend, teacher, etc. Instead of being reactive and paying doctor and pharmacy bills, I choose to be proactive and pay a very affordable gym membership. In the end, investments in ourselves are invaluable..
If you are reading this testimonial, I encourage you to do something for yourself and break boundaries you probably didn't even know you have set for yourself. Check out NFTF, the coaches, the programming, the members, and the vibe and start your journey immediately!