Prior to me joining RevFit, I always had issues balancing my weight, but I always did workout. I would do aerobics, Tae Bo, or go for a walk. The problem was my food. I was a “fast food and carb junkie” - I would go out to eat daily. When I went for a wellness check, my blood pressure was 160/80. I told that doctor "What?” He said, “Next time if it’s still up, we are going to put you on medicine.” That was a reality check for me. On top of that, I was tired all the time. My knees would Hurt all the time, and my clothes were not fitting me right, and I didn’t like my shape. I would hear myself "wheezing" on the elliptical machine! I needed to do something.
My journey at RevFit began March 22, 2021 - I’ll never forget it. I walked in at 231 lbs & the first person I spoke with was AJ. I saw the "Wall of Fame" as he showed me around. I was nervous as hell and I said to myself “I hope I can get there, it’s worth a try.” One of my closest friends had been trying to get me to join, but I always had an excuse until I saw her picture. I met with a trainer, Sandra LeJeune & she asked me if I could come to bootcamp that same week. After that, everything changed.
I started paying ATTENTION to my body and how it reacted to foods and when I didn't understand something or wanted to know more, my trainer San guided me in the right direction and I did exactly what she said to do. I needed to know "why" I was doing this. I stayed consistent with my bootcamps, followed the meal plan, attended extra classes (sometimes three in one day), did spin and BodyPump, and ran 5k marathons. By doing this, I met goal September 2021, 183.5 lbs! The crazy thing about it is that I never had an actual goal when I started bootcamp; I asked my trainer to give me one! This was a challenge in itself! It wasn’t until then that I realized I was transforming not only my body, but also my mind. I was focused and confident and I finally liked my body except for my midsection. That area was still a little flabby, and I wanted to see what would happen if I lost a little bit more weight than recommended by my trainer.
My final goal was 175 lbs and guess what - I Did it! It took about two more months more to get there and I was so proud to say “I did it.” Then in February 2022, I challenged myself to a 15k marathon, the Mambo in Baton Rouge, LA. I just wanted to see if I could do it and guess what I did it nonstop! My legs were not even sore after! In the meantime, I would push others in bootcamp, give positive feedback, and work out on my own. I was so focused on my legs, so I would do extra leg and butt exercises at the gym. Little did I know, I was becoming something so much more. It wasn't until trainer Candice Abney was like “What about being a LAB instructor, Iyabo.” I said, “Well, I never thought about it". Then I started training with trainer Angie, and there you have it: Now I am a LAB INSTRUCTOR at RevFit!
My blood pressure is stable and I’m in the best shape of my life. I never thought I could until I tried and pushed hard. My goal is to stay fit, continue to motivate others, and continue my fitness journey because I now know there is more to come! Believe who you are and accomplish your goals! Help others and always remember your "why" - why you started! My "WHY" is when I ran from the front door of RevFit building to the end of the drive way and had to stop because I was so short of breath.....
Now, I can run miles!!!
After 20 years of yo-yo dieting, I doubted that I would ever be at a healthy weight again. I teach fourth grade where we take class pictures every year. Looking at the pictures from years passed, I could literally see my weight go up one year, then the next year it would go down, the following year it would be up again, then it would be down the next year AGAIN! That pattern continued for many years. I knew I had to make some permanent changes before I started having medical problems.
In October 2016, I heard that RevFit opened up. A few of the teachers had joined, and I noticed how much of a difference it was making for them. So, on Halloween I went to my first spin class. I could barely finish the class, but it was FUN! After feeling the energy and motivation in that class, I was hooked! The next day, November 1st, I joined boot camp. After 6 months of discipline and being held accountable, I lost 30 lbs. I was determined to keep that weight off, and I DID for five and a half years!
My trainer, my friends, along with just about everyone I had started working out with left the gym. Fortunately, I have a loving family who kept encouraging and supporting me. My husband and I started working out together, and RevFit has become like a second home to us. Our gym has such positive energy! It’s refreshing to walk into the gym, knowing that we are surrounded by like-minded people who have a desire to live a healthy lifestyle.
I continued doing resistance training, spin classes, and eating a clean diet, which all helped me maintain my weight. However, I still needed to lose twenty more pounds to be at a healthy weight for my height. In July 2022, I started researching and studying nutrition. I came to the realization that I had insulin resistance and that is why I could not break through the plateau. I was also deficient in some vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, so I modified my diet and continued working out 3-5 times a week. The weight finally started coming off. Since then, I have surpassed my goal and lost 30 more pounds!
At 53 years old, I am in the best shape of my life! I do not feel forced to exercise; I workout because I enjoy it! I eat a clean, healthy diet. I have stopped eating based on my emotions or using food for entertainment.
My advice would be to educate yourself on nutrition first, then develop a plan to lose the weight. Surround yourself with people who want you to succeed. Enjoy the journey that will change your life for the better!
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
I became a member of Revfit gym on February 23, 2016. When I joined the gym, I weighed in at 248.8 pounds. On that day, I left my past behind. My goal was to lose 80 pounds and I did that in 5 months, on July 26, 2016. It was a day I will never forget because it truly showed me that mind over matter gets the job done. I continued to push past my goal weight and lost a total of 93 pounds.
My trainer for the last almost 7 years is named Candice Abney. From day one, she challenged me in lots of ways and was always there to answer any question I had, needed support or an extra push. On February 26, 2016, I gave Candice Power of Attorney over my weight loss journey. I surrendered to her and did whatever she told me to do. I followed each and every instruction she gave me. I knew that in order to reach my goal in my desired amount of time, I needed to push harder. I went to spin class consistently, jump roped, ran, never ate off of my nutrition plan, and remained disciplined. Discipline was and still is my foundation to the success I have achieved in my weight loss journey. Making myself do what I know I should be doing, whether I feel like it or not, has been the key to this journey.
Upon my upcoming 7th year anniversary with Revfit, I understand that consistency has kept me throughout this entire ordeal. At 60 years old, I have a wonderful husband of 35 years, 2 kids and one special granddaughter who all need me and count on me each and every day. My motivation is to remain focused and steadfast for my family.
As I reflect, here are a few words of motivation:
Staying fit is not perfect, but what works is being consistent. Reach out to your support when you are in doubt of yourself or your journey. Stay positive. Surround yourself with people who are stronger than you. Have an open mind. Don’t skip too many days, hop back on the wagon. Wear the vest and learn from what you did. (There are days when I still vest up, but it’s a part of the process). Most importantly…….LISTEN.
Do you just want to exist, or do you want to live? I choose to live and I am happy with my decision every single day
I started really working out in 2010 because I was set on becoming a bodybuilder but I knew I wanted to also pursue Law Enforcement, so I had to pick one to focus on and I chose Law Enforcement.
I love working out because I want to stay in shape for my kids. I love coaching my kids and going to their events and staying healthy is a big key to do those things.
Working out at Revfit Gym is more than just a gym – it is one big family. The staff is great and makes everyone feel welcomed. The staff always have different competitions going on throughout the year to keep it interesting.
The people I have met at RevFit are amazing people, and it is a special bond because if I miss two days they will start asking where I’m at lol and the little things like that means a lot.
I want to give a big shoutout to everyone who is a part of Revfit Gym .. and no Mrs. Crystal I am not doing your spin class until I’m right with Jesus lol…
I am very thankful and grateful that you all chose me…#TeamXstablished #Colossal #RevfitGym
Genesis 1:1-2
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
July 29, 1976 was the day God brought this creation of his to the face of the earth. I may not be perfect in the eyes of others nor have I ever thought of myself as perfect, but I’m perfectly made by God. Through my younger days, I heard several negative comments about me, and I thought them as well. It caused depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. To cover all the pain, I showcased all my talents that God gifted me with athleticism, decorating, floral designing, and candle making (to name a few); however, my heart still wasn’t fulfilled. It was still missing something because I still carried what was truly my biggest crutch – “obesity”. No matter how successful I was, that happiness was never there because I didn’t love myself because of the way I looked on the outside despite being a good person on the inside. I needed change desperately; it was taking a toll on my mind not to mention my health. By the time I graduated from high school, I was weighing 230 pounds. I knew I couldn’t continue like this. That was the beginning of my weight loss journey in 1996.
1 Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace , who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself make you strong, firm, and steadfast.
In the fall of 1996, I began walking everywhere I needed to go, especially on campus at USL. I started going to the gym and found the love of tennis – chasing that ball gave me the cardio that I needed but hitting it also released so much pressure I had built up. By the spring of 1998, I was down 60 pounds from exercising, crash dieting, and partying; moreover, my new dependency on weed (marijuana) was a whole new issue. Smoking covered all the pain I had stored up, and it was a filler when I wanted to over eat. I used it to get through the day, to keep my anxiety from rising, and to help me feel like all my problems were gone. I thought I was happy. I was thin, I was independent, and I had my first real boyfriend. In the fall of 1998, I was blessed to find out that I was expecting. Now I was extremely overjoyed and gaining weight; by the end of my 9 months of pregnancy, I was weighing in at 240 pounds. It was back! After delivering my bundle of joy, the overweight issues returned, and the person who I thought loved me made them even worse. I was called every bad thing a fat person can hear. Once we separated, I lost weight because of the let down and a broken heart. I was thin again but not in a healthy way; depression is never a good thing.
It took me 5 years to overcome the let down, but now I was fully dependent on weed. I stayed active because exercising has always been therapeutic for me. Running was my new hobby. In 2005, I began conditioning the NHS softball team and that’s where I found the love of training. It fulfilled my heart, but I wasn’t ready to give up my habits, so I chose the habits over pursuing my dream.
Psalm 57:1-2
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to the God Most High, to God, who vindicates me.
Through the years of 2005-2018, I maintained an average weight of 200 pounds – not the healthiest but better than before. In the spring of 2018, I began feeling really bad dizziness, headaches, and shortness of breath. I decided to get on the scale and for the third time in my life, it read 230 pounds. It was back and brought even more demons with it: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low thyroid count and the end of an 8 year relationship. This time I knew I had to make a real change. I started walking, stopped eating fried foods, and cut back on my food intake; most importantly, I started seeing a doctor regularly who diagnosed me with all the conditions. I told myself that next visit, I would be down 30 pounds. Knowing I’ve done it before, I pushed myself to do it again. Next visit much to my doctor’s surprise, I was down but all the medication stayed. I maintained the weight loss for 3 years but still wanted more.
In February of 2021, Kandice Guidry invited me to a special that Revfit was having for 30 days. I paid the $20.00 fee but never showed up. I was friends with so many people who were attending the gym but had never thought I was capable of doing all the hard work. Summer of 2021 hit and I was starting to feel the depression setting in. I was going on a girls’ trip for my birthday and nothing I ordered fit. I had to return everything and reorder everything in bigger sizes. That was the beginning of the end. In the beginning of July 2021, I joined Revfit Gym. My trip was scheduled for the end of July. My birthday weekend, I was excited to visit California, but I was more anxious to return. Before I left, I asked for Sandra, who’s Sandra? Well, I informed her that I was going on a trip but would be returning to join her bootcamp.
Upon my return I tested positive for Covid, so that prolonged my start by 2 weeks. But let me tell you – once I was cleared I jumped straight in. I pushed harder than I ever have in my life. I changed my eating habits, I stayed consistent, and after 20 plus years of smoking I quit. I now had so many other things to depend on: the best trainer in the world, Mentors that are a blessing and very open with me about their lives, a wonderful gym family and community of some of the hardest workers I’ve ever met before.
I’ve lost a total of 52 pounds – starting at 215 and now I stand at 165. I’ve accomplished so much in the one year I’ve been a member of the RevFit family: Bodypump Instructor, now training to become a Spin Instructor, but mostly I’m so proud that I am fulfilling my dreams of becoming a trainer. Working with the youth bootcampers finally makes me feel complete. These young adults are doing what I should have been doing 25 years ago – taking charge of my life. To watch them change their minds and body lets me know God brought me here for a reason and he’s not done with me yet. I’m still reaching for goals on my weight loss journey and in my career as well. Revfit has changed my life. It’s given me a third start at this, but finally the correct way, and now I’m ready to give it to others. This is not about losing weight; it’s a lifestyle change that allows you to take your life back from all addictions.
If you walk through the gym and I’m teaching or training, I guarantee you’ll hear the word “WORK” because that’s what it takes:HARD WORK, but it’s all worth it in the end.
624 No, that’s not my address. It was my weight in June 2005. Lying sick in the hospital in Summer 2005, the doctors told me to prepare to die. I felt trapped in my own body, but there was a small glimmer of hope that God would somehow rescue me.
From 2005 to 2019, I was in and out of the hospital with many doctor visits. Congestive Heart Failure, A-Fib, Hypertension – just to name a few of my conditions. I tried making changes through the years, only to lose and regain. In 2019, true help finally began to be revealed to me. My Pastor was teaching about the God Kind of Health from 3 John 1:2, and I knew it was for me. I realized that if I would cooperate with what God says to do with my body and what He says to put in my body, I could experience Health. I had a choice to make. I had to become responsible for what I was eating.
In December of 2019, I set out to make major changes. I was referred to a doctor that treats beyond prescription. He believes food should be our medicine. He taught me how to make conscious food choices. On my first visit to him, I had come down over the year to 558 pounds. I began to follow his plan, and the scale began to change. In 2022, I noticed my scale began to stall in the upper 400’s. I knew exactly what was missing; “Movement.”
While surfing social media, my wife came across RevFit. When we visited, I thought “Man these people are CRAZY!!” Turns out it was the CRAZY I needed!! It didn’t take me long to see that RevFit is truly a family of people who really did care about me as a person and would help me reach my health and fitness goal. One of my fears was getting on that spin bike and being laughed at by others. That never happened. Every Instructor and every person spinning has always encouraged me.
When I joined RevFit, I weighed 468 pounds; within 3 months of Spin, I have lost 41 pounds and continue to lose. My desire is to be able to run a 5k without having to stop. I also want to be able to go to the store to shop for clothes and not be forced to go to DXL because no other store has clothes to fit me. I realize through these years I have the final say about My Health and well-being, and I have the Power to Change it!!
I’ve struggled with my weight for years, I would lose weight going on some kind of a fad diet then would stop and gain it all back and then some. When I joined Revfit 5 years ago I started doing spin almost everyday and lost quite a bit of weight. Eventually I started eating right and instead of making it a short term diet, I made it a lifestyle change. After losing weight with spin I started doing some of the group classes and loved it. I wanted to get into the gym and lift weights/workout on my own but I was terrified. Once I joined boot camp, I became comfortable with machines and weights and actually started gaining muscle and loved it. It made me realize that lifting doesn’t make you “bulky” and that gaining weight can also be a good thing! The accountability and support of my boot camp sisters and trainer is the reason I’m still doing it to this day and enjoying every bit of it. I’m so happy that the gym became a part of my everyday routine/life and that’s what really keeps me going.
188. One hundred eighty-eight pounds. This is a number I will never forget. This is the number that will always remind me of why I live this lifestyle now. After joining RevFit in May of 2019 just taking spin and body pump classes, I took the leap and joined the Holiday Hustle Challenge in November 2019. When I stepped on the scale for the first time in the gym, 188.8 was the number that came up. I remember thinking, “how did I get here?”
I’ve always been the heavier set girl in the group and family. I’ve struggled with my weight and body image for most of my life – and let’s be honest- and still do. I knew in that moment, I needed to make a change 44and hoped this would be it. I lost 10+lbs in the first month and found a new love of working out, so I signed that 6 month contract in January 2020.
The first time Kristan measured me, she asked “how are you feeling about this?” I said, “I’m excited but I’m terrified.” I knew this was going to be hard, but I knew this was what I needed. I lost about 40-45lbs and hit “goal” for the first time in March 2020 when I was about 6-8 weeks pregnant with my son.
I remember Crystal playing Wake the Giant (not knowing I was pregnant at the time) for my “spin goal party” (which was virtual because of COVID). Ever since then, I knew I had to wake that giant inside and tackle this pregnancy journey head on. I made every workout. I lifted the same weight or heavier. I “ate the paper” as they say. I got on the spin bike as much as I could. I took up running because the gym was closed for the pandemic. I didn’t let it stop me and my pursuit of living a healthy lifestyle, before, during and after pregnancy.
November 20, 2020 was my due date; I celebrated with bootcamp and a spin party riding shotgun. Little did I know, my journey was far from over. As soon as I was released, I got back to the gym, but only as a general member. After a few months of classes and some results, I knew I needed the accountability again. I rejoined bootcamp in July 2021 and was back to my initial goal within a few months. I kept to the process and lost another 20lbs for a total of 62lbs gone during round 2. What was next?
I told my trainer “I think I want to teach spin” to which she responded “about time.” She knew my journey wasn’t over, as most of our trainers do. I fell in love with spin all over again during this process. I remember how humbled I was after the first class I taught. I hope I can pour into our members daily and walk with them in whatever part of their journey they are on. This gym is truly a community – a family. No matter the season of life you are in, the goals you are trying to reach for yourself, there is someone who has been in your shoes before. There is always someone there to walk with you.
Hi! My name is Rylee Prejean. I am 16 years old and an upcoming junior at Opelousas Senior High. RevFit Gym has changed my life tremendously from the first day I entered the building. I was introduced to RevFit through an associate, but I made the decision to join when my mom and I had a conversation about my health issues. From a young age, I’ve had problems with Uveitis in my eye, Narcolepsy, & Sleep Apnea. I am taking 9 medications which includes a steroid pill. It caused me to gain weight and other health issues. Between my mom, doctors, & myself, I needed to make a change. RevFit was the answer I was looking for. My start weight was 253.20 and I currently weigh in at 209. I feel confident, lighter, and amazing. This journey has taught me structure, discipline, and consistency. This is the best decision I’ve made for me!
November of 2022 will make 7 years at RevFit! Prior to joining the gym, I had gone up and down 80 lbs and everywhere in between. It seemed like I was always dieting but never seeing results, gaining weight and becoming less active. Inspired by some RevFit members I worked with, I decided to join the gym. RevFit has given me the freedom of balance. It has given me a lifestyle of fitness that is priceless.
Since joining the gym, I’ve reached fitness goals I didn’t think possible like running 5ks and snow skiing. I can run around with my grand daughter and enjoy hiking, biking, and swimming. The last year has been extremely challenging for me, mentally and physically. Had I not had RevFit, there’s no way I could have pushed through. I’ve learned that your obstacles are the very reasons you must keep coming to the gym.
RevFit has taught me that no matter what, you’ve got to keep showing up. The daily motivation from our instructors is just what I need to start my day! The gym is my therapy and I’m so grateful to Crystal and Apphia, and all the staff for creating such a wonderful place in RevFit! ❤️
