If you're looking for inspiration to get back into your fitness routine or stay with a nutrition program, or just want to see whether all your time and effort can really produce results, take a look at the personal stories of these Titans Gym members.

Jolene Ball

"Are you training for a show?"

Jolene Ball is getting used to this question. Although she doesn't have competition in her sights right now, the 33-year-old single mom certainly enjoys being asked — it's one indication of how far she's come. She recognized another benchmark when, a year ago, her seven-year-old put his arms completely around her and said, "mommy, you're skinny!" Major milestones on an eight-year journey!

In February 2003, Jolene was preparing for her best friend's wedding. As she was being fitted for her bridesmaid's dress, the bridal shop handed her a severe reality check: they would need to order a plus size.

After several good cries and emotional melt-downs, Jolene joined Titans Gym. Seven months and 35 pounds later, in her dramatically altered dress, she looked great!

She continued her fitness program, but in October 2006 she found that she was pregnant with twins. The resulting weight gain left Jolene with poor self-esteem and a damaged body image. After the babies were born, she returned to Titans. But her workouts were sporadic, and she wasn't losing weight. By January 2009, Jolene had reached her highest weight ever, 206 pounds.

That spring she decided to combat her depression and exercise funk. Research led her to the Couch to 5K program, designed to get participants off the couch and, in gradual increments over nine weeks, running 5 kilometers or 30 minutes nonstop. (Click here for information about Couch to 5K.) Link for "here" is <a href="http://www.c25k.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.

By August 2009, Jolene had dropped 18 pounds. She joined an adult recreational soccer team and, after playing through the fall and winter seasons, was feeling good and getting back into decent shape — although, looking back, she realizes that a photograph taken at that time is now her "fat picture."

About then, Titans trainer James Boykin contacted her: how were things going? Jolene leveled with him: not so great. A few days later, she was back in the gym, pursuing a regular workout and cardio routine. With James's coaching, she got her head back into the game and started working through her physical and emotional struggles.

With that, Jolene began the journey that would change her life for good. She now performs full bodyweight chin-ups and dips with high reps, bench-presses 135 pounds , and easily fits into her size 4 clothing.

With her passion for fitness, Jolene also realized that she could help other people make their health and fitness goals a reality. So she took, and passed, the exam to become an ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer.

To learn how she accomplished all this, and how she manages the day-to-day demands of a frantic schedule, read the rest of Jolene's story here.

(Jolene Ball was featured as Member of the Month for January-February 2011.)

Bob Dzurilla

Bob Dzurilla knew he was dealing with serious health issues. Knowing that neither his father nor his paternal grandfather survived past age 38, he wasn't happy about his prospects when, years ago, his doctor told him he had high blood pressure and placed him on medication. Later on, after unsuccessful attempts to control cholesterol problems through dietary changes, his physician prescribed additional meds.
 
Over the years, he followed fad diets and consulted with dieticians abut weight loss, but boredom took its toll and the lost weight would come back, bringing a few buddies with it.

Then, in the summer of 2006, Bob met Niki DelGrosso, and, with her guidance and a lot of learning and application on Bob's part, Bob would lose more than ninety pounds, reduce his 42% body fat to 20%, and reach a level of fitness that would allow him once again, despite bad knees, shoulder injuries, and lower back problems, to be physically active.

To learn how Bob accomplished all this and became Niki's poster boy for old, fat accountants (Bob's own words), click here.

(Bob Dzurilla's story originally appeared in the May-June 2010 issue of Titan Up Times.)

Revonda Lewis

Insulin-dependent type II diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol — with that constellation of health problems, Revonda Lewis saw her meds list growing, and growing, until she was taking the maximum dose of all her medications, and her weight troubled her to the point that she began looking into gastric bipass surgery.

Then, late last winter, Revonda decided to take matters into her own hands. After thirty-plus years of sedentary adulthood, she took the giant step into Titans Gym, and, after Titans trainer James Boykin introduced her to the equipment, she got started getting fit.

A little while into this process, Revonda joined Niki DelGrosso's nutrition program and sought Niki's help in setting up a fitness regimen. She was making progress until she suffered an avulsed Achilles tendon — the tendon had pulled off the bone in her left foot. Her doctor put her into a boot cast, began administering cortisone shots, told her to stay off the foot, and warned her that further injury would mean surgery. Then, although Niki's classes were helping Revonda put together a personal nutrition program addressing her health issues, the cortisone caused her blood sugars to rise and her weight to increase.

Despite those challenges, Revonda now has lost fifty pounds, tests in non-diabetic range for blood sugar, no longer needs insulin, and has reduced her blood pressure and cholesterol meds by half. She's looking forward to losing another fifty pounds and getting off diabetes and cholesterol medication altogether.

To learn how Revonda has accomplished all this, and how the rest of her life has responded, read the rest of her story on the Titan Up Times web site.

(We met Revonda Lewis in the July-August 2010 Titan Up Times.)

Emily Oldiges

Emily Oldiges is a Certified Personal Trainer. She works in a local fitness facility with clients of all ages and levels of fitness, and recently started a personal training business working with couples and individuals in their own homes. Her clients look to her to help, motivate, and support them toward their goals in fitness, health, and overall wellness. She understands their feelings — about themselves, about exercise, about the need to overcome obstacles in order to lead a healthy life.

Ten years ago, Emily was seriously overweight and unhappy with her body. An emotional, unhealthy eater, she had been troubled since her earliest years by severe digestion issues and undiagnosed food allergies. She was at a very low point in her life, and she'd been on her way there since her early teen years.

To learn about Emily's journey from unhappy and unfit to strong and content, a journey that took her through success and discouragement with weight-loss and fitness programs, injury and recovery, goals met and goals exceeded — to read the rest of her story, click here.

(We told Emily Oldiges's story in the September-October 2010 Titan Up Times.)

Dr. Bob Rosenstein

About a year ago, Mentor podiatrist Robert Rosenstein decided he was tired of being tired. At age 55, he wanted to be slimmer, to have more energy, to stop needing larger clothes, to feel better about himself and the way he looked. His professional pride was pushing him as well: he had brought a new associate into his practice, and he wanted to be able work as hard as his new colleague was willing to work.

For several years, Bob had been training three times a week with Titans owner Geoff DelGrosso, so he knew that exercise wasn't the issue. He turned instead to another health-care professional, Geoff's wife and Titans nutritionist Niki DelGrosso.

The results have been all he could have wished for. To read Dr. Rosenstein's story, to learn how he worked with Niki to accomplish a weight loss of more than 80 pounds and reach a new, satisfying level of fitness, click here.

(Bob Rosenstein was our Member of the Month for January-February 2010.)

Mike Sawonik

About three years ago, Mike Sawonik happened to be at his parents' home at the same time that Niki DelGrosso was there for a training session. Feeling that he was in decent shape but wanting to look better and be stronger than he was, Mike talked with Niki about what it would take to work himself into condition. Turns out, "work" was the right word. Niki encouraged him to begin training with her, and he began spending a half-hour three nights a week with, as Mike calls her, the torture queen.

Mike had enjoyed weightlifting in high school and college, and he'd been working out in his home gym, but Niki soon had him pushing himself harder than he'd thought possible. Working chest and biceps one session, back and triceps the next, and legs and shoulders the third evening, Mike has achieved more than he ever imagined — and family members who've lifted are equally impressed. He's achieved two- and three-fold increases in strength — his leg press began at 400 pounds and is now at 700, bench press began at 135 pounds and is now 205 to 215, and he's been known to max out on the triceps machines. And to cap all this (pun intended), he managed to flip a 537-pound tire, something he never thought he would be able to do!

This has all been — and continues to be — a lot of hard work. And how does Mike feel about it? If you ask him what the best thing is about the results he's getting now, he'll tell you he really enjoys the increase in energy, but the best thing might just be the sense of accomplishment.

(We learned about Mike Sawonik in the March-April 2010 Titan Up Times.)

Jana Stark

In her mid-forties, Jana Stark enjoyed an energetic life. Kickboxing lessons, daily sessions in the pool, at least an hour walking the dog every night, power volleyball, softball, snow skiing, sailing, bike riding, snorkel, scuba diving, water skiing: Jana could have been the role model for healthy, energetic middle-aged women.

Then, suddenly, she began gaining weight — 80 pounds in less than two months — and her energy level dropped out of sight. Health problems were diagnosed and dealt with but the weight remained and she couldn't regain her high level of fitness.

Jana turned to a personal trainer for help, and the results have changed her life. To read Jana's story, click here.

(Jana Stark's story appeared in the November-December 2009 Titan Up Times.)