Joey and Susie West - Personal Training

Inner Icon Testimonial

EDIT:  UPDATE ON JOEY AND SUSIE
Susie's continued progress is here: Susie and Gluten
Joey's before and after pictures are here: Joey - 50 lbs!

Several months ago, my husband Joey and I set a goal to lose a few pounds. We were somewhat recently married and wanted to lose our “newlywed weight.” We had a conversation about this with our friend David as we knew he was a fitness-guru and he challenged us to do more than just work out – to change the way we thought about fitness. He offered to train us and after talking to him for a short time, we realized we had nothing to lose. We had worked out at traditional gyms, I had tried weightwatchers and Joey had tried his share of fad diets as well; none of them gave us the lasting results we were looking for.

David challenged us not only to lose weight, but more importantly to a lifestyle change. He began training us using CrossFit methods, and Joey and I both started to use our bodies in ways we had never before and regularly “discovered” new muscles. The best part was that we started feeling more energetic, motivated and passionate about life.

As an instructor, we found David to be patient as we learned, but also encouraging and motivating when we felt we couldn’t finish the last round of a workout. He made workouts challenging, but feasible, setting attainable goals for each individual. We were both impressed by the time David took in explaining new methods, making sure we understood the technique and what parts of our body were being challenged by the workout.

After a few weeks of training, we started the Zone-Paleo diet per David’s suggestion. He took time out of a few of our workout sessions to explain the diet and how to be successful. Once we started, he would check in regularly to both keep us accountable and make sure we were feeling healthy. Joey and I still employ the Zone-Paleo diet and it has completely changed our relationship with food. We still enjoy food, but it a different, more healthy way. We do not feel deprived or miss much that we use to eat. Now, we have stopped referring to Zone-Paleo as a diet, because it is a way of eating that we will continue to practice long after we have lost our unwanted weight. For us, it’s more of a lifestyle change.

What I think will be most valuable about Inner Icon is that David is constantly educating himself. He is extremely passionate about fitness and will work with people to help them understand their body’s potential. When we first started working out with David, I had an issue with my back that prohibited me from running. We talked about the issue, and David researched what he thought may be the potential problem. I was pretty pessimistic and felt he could not help – I had tried employing chiropractors, massage and physical therapists and none had worked. After reading up on the issue, David urged me to try trigger-point therapy on the muscles surrounding my sciatic nerve. He explained the methods and in less than three weeks, five years of pain was alleviated.

Joey and I will be forever grateful for the change David has helped make in our outlook on fitness. We now find that more rewarding than the combined 40 pounds we have lost! Thank you, David; we will be lifelong clients!