Christine Davies was a force to be reckoned with during the 2016 Summer Strong Challenge.  She boxed, C3, and WLG all day, everyday to come in FIRST place among 200 contestants!  With an amazing 26 lbs. weight loss and 21.5 inches off her tiny frame - she literally worked her BUTT off!  Not only did she win the grand prize of ONE YEAR FREE WLG, she also won the 8 week makeover!  The Glam Squad of Mel Torre of Levity Hair Studio, Make-up Artist Chelsea Clarence and the uber talented photographer Mary Jourdak helped recreate a super sassy retro feel all the while pulling out all of Christine's unique style and flair - IT WAS EPIC!   Congrats Christine, you nailed it!  xoxox K

I asked if Christine would sum up her Challenge experience in order to maybe help the next challengers that will enter in September 2016.  Here is her experience... ENJOY!!   

It all began during the snow storm of 2016. I had been cooped up in the house for 3 days eating and drinking everything. I decided 1 night that I need a change to better myself and this was the time to do it. I was newly single and really wanted to focus on me and me only. I was ready for the challenge and I needed to be all in this time. I never went into it thinking I would win anything  - I just wanted to drop some weight.  It was going to be hard but it was only 3 months. I am not a big fan of cooking so the meal prepping was going to be interesting. I stuck with the recipes that were provided. I had some knowledge already of what I needed to be eating or what not to be eating. If I wasn't into certain meals I would repeat old ones that I did really enjoy. If there was something I wanted to eat but I couldn't have i.e. Cadbury mini eggs I bought them and saved them until the end as a prize to myself.  

Now I enjoy an adult beverage as much as the next person, not having beers while watching a game with friends or a glass of wine with dinner was going to be tough but I knew that was the key to making this challenge worth it. I really stuck with the not drinking up until my birthday about half way through but even still I stuck to it only "cheating" a few times. It made a huge difference I dropped over 10 lbs the first month. It felt good to have done so well it's what kept me going I was making a difference I felt great. Week 8 when Kendra announced me as the winner for the makeover I was shocked. I really wasn't expecting it but was very excited. It also just motivated me now to win this whole thing.  I was going to do it so I started basically living at the Edge going everyday and at least 2 -3 classes 1 day. I busted my butt everyday ate more veggies I think I ever have in my entire life and loved it. I had so much more energy than I ever have before.

​I am definitely in the best shape I have ever been in. I can fit into my "skinny" clothes that I saved for that 1 day when I get back in shape. It's hard work but it's totally worth it. However it wasn't just me dieting exercising and not drinking, the support and motivation of everyone in the WLG family is quite amazing!!! So thanks everyone! 

Water!
Drink all the water.  I didn’t think I would be able to drink it all (12-14 cups a day for me), but I did since the point deductions would have been so big!  I drank a 16 ounce cup of green tea with lemon every morning on waking.  Each morning I filled 3 quart jars with water – 4 cups per jar.  Through the day I would pour them in my tea cup, or fill up my water bottle if I was going out.  I always kept a water bottle with me when I left the house.  I did have to make sure I knew where all the restrooms were during the challenge, or in a couple of cases, a thick stand of trees!

Food!
I have always been on the seefood diet (yes, that’s right – “see food, eat it.”)  So I cleaned out all processed foods and did not have them in the house except for company, who I rarely invited during the challenge.

I did not drink alcohol during the challenge.  I also cut out added sugar and baked goods.  That means I didn’t bake the muffins or other grain items on the plan.  I ate Ezekiel sprouted grain bread only. No routine pasta, just once or twice before races.

I have a breakfast that I always like – a slice of Ezekiel sprouted grain bread, and 1/3 cup of 2% cottage cheese.  This is a good mix of carb and protein to begin the day. If I am doing a race that morning, I eat a slice of Ezekiel with some peanut butter, with a half a banana a bit later.
I ate every few hours, the meals and snacks.  I keep a bowl of baby carrots front and center in the fridge, and ate a ton of those.  Other easy snacks are clementines; pineapple chunks; ½ cup of 0% fat Greek yogurt with either almonds and blueberries and some stevia, or with cucumbers, green onions and dill; a slice of Ezekiel or sliced apple with peanut butter.  I always traveled with some of these snacks so if I was running late and hungry, I could pop a healthy snack and not be tempted to drive through somewhere.

My usual lunch was a green salad (I like the prepared boxes at the Safeway, the herb blend or spinach/kale, already washed) with either baked skinless chicken breasts or hard boiled eggs that I prepared on the weekend for the week ahead.  I would add blueberries or apples; avocado or shaved parm, and some veggies – cucumbers, grape tomatoes, etc.  I have a good balsamic vinegar that I sprinkle on instead of salad dressing.  If I am making the salad for company, I make a dressing with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, adding turmeric, ginger, lemon juice, a bit of salt and pepper.

Dinner was a lean protein and vegetable.  I ate red grapes for an evening snack, after reading somewhere that they can reduce fat (well, red wine, but I wasn’t drinking wine).
I usually did not eat after 7 pm.

Now this was not on the plan, but I did plan one meal a week where I could have something that would cause a point deduction.  I coordinated it with lunches or dinners out that were on my schedule.  I did not go crazy but had a piece of bread or pasta the night before a race, or even a little dessert if it was a pot luck and someone brought something delicious.  I stayed within my calorie range for the day.  I believe that knowing I had this kind of safety valve ahead in the week, kept me on the plan the rest of the time.

Exercise!
I did the TRX perk and it was great.  I was nervous about it at first but I noticed I progressed in balance and strength over the course of the challenge.  I also did some WLG classes.   Great varied workouts where you can really sweat it out and feel your muscles getting stronger over time.
 
I did all the bonuses plus activity for activity points.  Usually I did the walk/run bonus miles.  Once I did a long bike ride, and several times I was able to do the bonus Pinterest workout that was posted.  I liked that they targeted different muscles each week.  Sometimes I would do one session of the bonus Pinterest workout for my daily activity and walk/run the bonus miles for the week. Sometimes it was hard to get it all in, but I definitely think sticking with the level of exercise that was recommended contributed to my success.

Tracking!
Planning and journaling.  I used the weekly planning charts to plan the week ahead.  Every morning I updated my points and exercise from the previous day.  This mentally prepared me for another day on the program. Also I use a program online called loseit.com to write down everything I eat and all my exercise.  You can put in how much you want to weigh, and it tells you how many base calories you should have to get to that goal.  It keeps track of the calories in food and exercise, and I always stayed within the recommended range except for a couple of special occasions.

Plateaus were tough.  I got through them by mentally imagining my body going through a reset to get used to the new lower weight.  I changed up my exercise routines.  I made sure I had water all the time, to reduce water retention (sounds counter-intuitive but it is true, body will release water if you keep drinking it).  Tracked sodium intake to make sure it was low.  Ate on low end of carbs.

Results!
I lost body weight, body fat, gained lean muscle mass, and progressed on my athletic ability. Since the challenge ended a couple weeks ago, I started slipping away from the good clean eating, daily exercise, and the water.  I can really feel the difference.  So this week I have been drinking more water and eating back on the plan, and feel better. This is definitely a life-long commitment.  I am looking forward to the next challenge to keep it going.

-Carol Jelich, WLG Athlete

​Reflecting on what motivated me to take the challenge seriously this time around and what made it work for me went a bit like this:

Step One: Recognize I have a problem.  I thought that certainly there was a medical condition that was keeping me heavy and that there was no way this was all me.  I went for blood tests and they all came back normal.  %^*!   I had a problem and now it was on me to make a change. 
Step Two: OK, I have a problem- what is going to help?

1. The Challenge. 
2. Sleep- I made it my job to try to get 7+ hours of sleep.  I had been getting closer to 5 so this was a starting point for me to get healthier and seemed relatively easy to implement.  I read about the benefits of getting a solid night’s rest and I could realize the positive impact of making sleep a priority after just a few nights.
3. Accountability- A solid workout buddy and partner in crime- Suzanne Crawford.  We scheduled our workouts together in advance and split our food prep.  If there was a week one of us was super busy with work or kids the other took on all the food prep for that week.   We ran a significant amount (avg. 25 miles/ week for the first month and 35 miles/week the last month) due to our work schedules but also incorporated two to four C3 and/or WLG classes per week.
4. Help- My husband’s workload increased over the 90 days but I actually think this has helped us bond/respect each other a bit more and has made life after the challenge more level.
5. Nutrition- I met with Billie Walton (amazing nutritionist and perk add on) three times during the challenge and tracked my food in a notebook whenever I ate.  I started to realize I ate to eat. It always shocks me how quickly and carelessly I can consume.  I have become considerably more conscientious and understand this is the crux to my future success or failure. I stuck to the WLG food plan mostly (I added in teddy grahams more times than I would like to admit and deduct) and subbed in recipes from the Summer challenge when there was a recipe that I didn’t love. I went through sugar withdrawal the first month, no joke.  Food prep was key and takes up a lot of time on Sunday but it is crucial and worth the investment.
6. No excuses- I have 3 children between 2 and 13 years old, I work a full time job, and I own a business. Someone else doing the challenge has four kids and three jobs and still can make it work so I will not excuse myself.

If I want it, it is worth it.  I had to make the time and get to work.  4:30 am runs are beautiful when I let them be and doing WLG and C3 to the best of my abilities with no judgement has made me so much stronger both internally and externally.  My only regret is that I didn’t take the opportunity to make this change sooner. The community at The Edge and WLG is astoundingly encouraging and embracing and the gains I have received have been well worth the sweat equity.  

- Katie Hunt, WLG Athlete

​This is what worked for me, doesn't mean it will work for you...you can't half-ass this and expect major results, but you have to recognize you will have a bad day or a bad week, and know that you CAN get through it! 

Mindset - I didn't go into this wanting to be the top person or thinking I could because that wasn't my goal. I've done things before where I have lost a lot of weight quickly, but could never keep it off. I needed to do this the right way, which may also be the slower way, but that is OK. Being healthy is a journey not a destination. Every day you need to eat, so everyday you need to make decisions. I just wanted to do something to lose weight and get healthy without putting so much pressure on myself. There is no end-date, yes the challenge is 12 weeks - but you will be in your body and making decisions about food and activity the rest of your life. So just relax, do this for you and know it doesn't happen overnight. 

Prizes - Yes, there were some amazing prizes...but I read what they were and kinda forgot about them. I wasn't doing this for the prizes offered, I wanted to do this for the prize of fitting back into all of my clothes I've outgrown, and NEEDED to do this for my health. My regular diet had become garbage x10, and when you eat like crap you will feel like crap. (I suppose this is also mindset)

Support - My boyfriend was a huge support system in terms of helping me cook and stick to the meal plans. He cooked MANY meals for me. I have a full time and part time job, so if someone offers to help you -let them! That is what our friends & families are here for in our lives. You can always return the favor - like sharing the food ;) Join the challenge with a friend or family member, and be supportive but not in competition. 

Teams - I was pretty scared about joining a team. I didn't want to let anyone down and didn't want to accountable to others. But I am so happy I joined. It ended up helping to keep me more motivated and accountable to myself. And it was nice to be able to share some inspirational things, funny and down right torturous things (ie: candy at training haha) It is another way to have support from people that are working towards the same goal. 

Meal Plans - I'll be honest I was not following the meal plans 100%. Some of the snacks, etc. were a little too hard for me to eat because I spend my days driving around QAC. BUT, I choose to eat other things we were allowed to eat and the correct portions. I also indulged when I went away for the weekend, spent a day at RennFest, etc...but I didn't go crazy. I took my point deductions and looked at how I could make up for those deductions. One day I was having the worst carb craving and instead of eating something really bad, I decided I was not eating the meal I was supposed to and made one of the breakfast sandwiches on the meal plan instead...craving gone and I didn't beat myself up. Don't be afraid to add or substitute veggies in some recipes, or add spices you like (Lol just not sugar)

Exercise - Doing something active everyday was probably the most challenging thing for me to fit into my schedule. Some days it just didn't happen, but MOST days I made it happen. Again, when you have support for this it will help a lot. Go walk the trail, take a new class at the gym...try to make it fun. I live in Ridgely, so I was blessed to have all the trails at Tuckahoe State Park or Adkins Arboretum to walk...not only was I able to get my exercise, but it was a break and felt great to be out in nature. 

Water - I'm adding this because it seemed like a lot of people had a hard time with this...I've been drinking about 4 liters of a water a day for the last 3 years because I completely gave up soda. I was drinking it morning, noonand night (terrible, I know). Having liter-sized bottles of water was an easy way to track how much I was drinking. I was able to make water a habit over time, so it can be done! Maybe it will take you longer than the challenge, but again this is only a 12 week challenge and if you want to be healthy this is a journey...

Ultimately, you need to do this challenge for yourself. Don't put too much pressure or try to be perfect, just relax a little and focus on why you wanted to do this in the first place and just try your BEST. This is 12 weeks of getting you in the right direction, but your life doesn't stop when the 12 weeks ends...so keep going :)

- Leslie Rucker, WLG Athlete

I had thought about doing the challenge after i saw the transformation my good friend Aaron Welsh made when he committed to doing his first challenge. Then i finally decided to sign up when my grandma told me 



“The time has come for you to be your own man and take on the world, because somewhere along the line, you changed. You stopped being you. You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you you’re no good. And when things got hard, you started looking for something to blame, like a big shadow. Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!”

 

Boy was she right!!! She’s always been my motivation her and my lovely wife. 
12 weeks is a long time 1/4th of a year! and for me it took following the meal plans as best as i could. My work schedule was great for keeping me on track after i would get a little off track on weekends. Tho i didn’t veer to far off on weekends. I also worked out every day at least ran/walked 2 miles (walk at the start of the challenge) and took every opportunity i could to do the “bonus” workouts. Cause if you’re willing to go through all the battling you got to go through to get where you want to get, who’s got the right to stop you? I mean maybe some of you guys got something you never finished, something you really want to do, something you never said to someone, something… and you’re told no, even after you paid your dues? Who’s got the right to tell you that, who? Nobody! It’s your right to listen to your gut, it ain’t nobody’s right to say no after you earned the right to be where you want to be and do what you want to do!… You know, the older I get the more things I gotta leave behind, that’s life. So it takes a lot of hard work and dedication and you have to be willing to put it in! Had a great experience and hope to take everything i’ve learned about healthy habits and use them for the rest of my life! Its going to be hard work but i’ve already proved i can do it! ​

- Blake Phelps, WLG Athlete

​When I signed up for this challenge I was scared to say the least. I felt this was my last chance to feel like myself again. I have 4 children, am I really going to have the time it takes to do this? I have Crohns Disease, are they going to expect me to eat nothing but vegetables for 12 weeks? When I tell them I cant do that, will they really have an answer? I am afraid to drive over the Bay Bridge, am I seriously going to drive back and forth over it to get my butt kicked? Is taking all this time for myself selfish when I have so many at home who need me? I've never done a push up, how the heck am I going to do this? What if this is one of those things where I starve to death for 3 months just for an amazing after photo? What next? Are they really going to give me the support and tools I need to make a life change? Most of this challenge takes place at home, how will I hold myself accountable? My family and friends are supportive now, but how long will that last? The questions go on and on. But then I realized that the millions of questions racing through my head where meaningless. There's really only one question that matters. DO YOU WANT THIS? And the answer was YES.  All I have to do is choose it. Every second of every day choose it and everything else will fall into place. I WANT THIS is the mantra for my success. I WANT THIS!

Everything else did fall into place because the WLG team knew I wanted this and made sure to do everything in their power to help me get it. Kendra suggested I take the nutrition classes and one on ones with Billie and not only did she make the meal plan possible for me with Crohns, she helped me through personal issues I was having. Billie is a wealth of information.  I will never look at a grocery store the same again. I was afriad of the Bay Bridge and now I'm signed up to run over it in November. The only class that fit my schedule wasn't for beginners, so Kendra gave me constant variations during every class until I didn't need them anymore. In the beginning it took me longer to complete the exercises in class but I wanted to finish and I was never alone. People would stay after to encourage me, get me water and do whatever it took to help me finish. The meal plans are so thoughtful and easy. My kids even enjoyed exercising with me. 

I chose to do it, and that was my key to success for the 12 weeks and will continue to be for the rest of my life. That attitude did make everyone want to help. My husband cooked my meals, my friends weren't upset I chose not to hang out because I wanted to work out. They were proud and encouraged me. My friend would show up at the gym on the daily, ask me what my goal was and do it right along with me. My friends weren't annoyed - they were inspired. Some plan to do the next challenge with me. 

To date I have lost 25 pounds, but that makes no difference to me. What I have gained is so valuable. I got WAY more than what I paid for. I can't imagine any other weight loss program being this invested in their clients. I am apart of a team now.

I do have a fantastic after photo but since then I have lost more weight and gained all the tools and supporters I need to do this forever. This isnt a diet this is a way of life. This is forever. All you have to do is chose it. Do you want this?

I had started WLG classes back in early July 2015,  I could see the changes in my body soon after I started but I was not seeing any changes with my weight and was very frustrated by this.  When Kendra posted about the Fall challenge it was a no brainier I was signing up. 

As September 19th soon approached I was very excited, scared and hesitant all at the same time, like what the hell did I just get myself into.  So I had to mentally pump myself up and told myself that I was going to give this challenge everything that I had.  I set my goal to lose 25lbs and stuck to the meal plans to a tee, drank my water and ate my snacks.  I stopped drinking wine all but for a few occasions and the weight just started coming off, I averaged about 2lbs per week.  I also became mindful about working out in between the days that I attended WLG classes, with being a mom of 3 boys working full time and the team sports I was busy carting my kids to, homework etc, this was a challenge in itself, but I did what I could and made sure that when I was in class to give 110%. As Kendra always says "if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you". 

By the end of the challenge my last weigh in I was down 24 lbs! I was amazed how much I really lost, my friends couldn't believe how "skinny" I had become.  I was slowly gaining back my self confidence that I haven't had in years.  I went from hating what I saw when I looked into the mirror to actually loving the skin that I'm in and I owe all of this to Kendra and her support and the fabulous WLG team.  I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to be a part of something so awesome as this and will be certainly signing up for the next challenge, it has changed my life!!!
 
-Michelle Perez, WLG Athlete

12 Weeks to a Knockout Body by Ergo Strength!
 
Are you ready to get your fight on and get in the BEST shape of your life?
 
This is interval training mixed with real boxing curriculum. Using interval and circuit training, a boxing workout has long been one of the best ways to lose weight, tone up, gain strength physically and mentally, and keep the mind sharp.
 
With one hour a week for 12 weeks you will progressively learn all the boxing basics and get a killer full-body interval workout. No prior knowledge or training is necessary. You will work and learn at your own pace with a program uniquely designed to meet your skill level. This isn’t treadmills and weights - this is real fight training in the WLG non-judgmental setting.
 
We will focus on 10 basic boxing techniques and fundamentals, hitting one skill each week with the last 2 classes for “advanced moves”.

• Week 1 – Stance & Footwork
• Week 2 – Straight Punches (jab, right cross, 1-2 combination)
• Week 3 – Curved Punches (hooks, uppercuts, body shots)
• Week 4 – Basic Defense (blocking & parrying)
• Week 5 – Advanced Defense (rolling & slipping)
• Week 6 – Punch Combinations (basic combos, advanced combos, mitt drills)
• Week 7 – Counter Punching (steps and details of over 60 common counters)
• Week 8 – Advanced Skills (tips to improve your punching, defense, body movement)
• Week 9 – Boxing Training (weekly workout plan to develop fight conditioning)
• Week 10 – Sparring (sparring drills, fight tips, fight strategy)