National Council of Certified Personal Trainers
February 2009
Personal Trainer of the Month
If you were to profile most trainers, Jackie wouldn’t fit the mold. She didn’t play sports and wasn’t athletic. On the contrary, she was very overweight and was a classical musician. She started in high school playing the French horn, played through college at Cal-State Lutheran and still plays today.
At 44 years of age, Jackie had enough of being obese. “I hit rock bottom. I couldn’t go to the movies, because I couldn’t fit into the seats. I couldn’t get through a turnstile and had to use handicap entrances.” The year before she was offered to travel to England to perform and was terrified to go for the fear of having to buy two seats. Her feet started to bother her and were going numb so she went to the doctor. “He said I was the healthiest morbidly obese person he had ever met! I thought morbidly obese?”
Gastoc-bypass surgery was an option and she went through all of the tests. But alas, in the end, her insurance wouldn’t cover her. “Then I really got depressed.” Her husband made the move and signed her up for Jenny Craig where she lost 50 pounds! At 50 pounds, she hit a plateau and actually gained some weight back. “There was no way I was going to a gym, so my husband got me a trainer at a small gym in Calabasas called “Stay Fit.” “It took everything I had for the six weeks to even walk in the door. I would sit in my car and have to talk myself into going in.” This woman has a lot of courage.
In six weeks, she lost 26 pounds! “Then I was hooked. You couldn’t keep me out of the gym.” She worked out three days a week and performed cardio six days a week. “I took one day a week off. I recommend that to all of my clients.” In twelve months she lost 100 pounds! Losing that much weight leaves a lot of skin. In 2004 she had seven pounds of skin surgically removed.
That Christmas her husband, and avid cyclist bought her a bicycle. Five months after she received her bicycle she completed her first century finishing “Cruising the Conejos” in under six hours! In 2006 she ran the “Great Race;” a ½ marathon.
Wow, go girl.
Jackie belongs to the National Weight Registry which is a networking organization for people who have lost 30 pounds or more. “I still journal my food. This is huge. Once it’s in on paper, it’s real. You are now accountable.”
Jackie exemplifies her fitness philosophy. “I want to make fitness a part of my lifestyle not my life. You don’t have to live in the gym all day.” Not unless you’re making some money. J
“I have a few clients that have lost over 50 pounds or more, but one of my clients, Norm, has lost 90 pounds in a year and no longer has to take his blood pressure or diabetes medication.”
Her favorite clients are the morbidly obese. “They can’t BS me. They can’t get away with it.”
Jackie still weight trains three times a week, hikes twice a week and does cardio as much as possible. She injured her shoulder while cycling, so she’s has to put the cycling on hold until that heals.
“You genuinely have to like people. I don’t have to work, so I train people because I want to, not because I have to. You have to be professional and show respect. Call people back and acknowledge them. Everyone wants to feel important and to feel kindness.”
When she speaks her eyes swell with emotion. This is a woman who knows what it feels like to be the outsider and the salvation of a helping hand. This is a woman who has a personal connection with her clients and feels immensely for each and every one of them.
For her courage, strength and passion, we are proud to be associated with Jackie Brand and to have her as the NCCPT, February, 2009, Personal Trainer of the Month
John Platero
Director of Education
The National Council For Certified Personal Trainers
www.nccpt.com
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