Brunswick Blog

Join me in Congratulating our September Client of the Month

9/27/2021

Join me in congratulating Kendray Rodriguez, our Client of the Month! We are all so proud of everything that Kendray has accomplished since she started her training program with us in May.

Kendray joined us through our Greatest Gift Program after learning about us from a friend, and we couldn’t be more happy that Kendray found her way to us. She brings energy and focus to every training session, and is always working to improve how she moves her body, and it’s paying off! When I asked Kendray what her biggest accomplishment has been this what she said:

“I try not to focus on numbers BUT one of my proudest moments so far would definitely have to be the day I stepped on the scale and saw a number under 200. The last time I was on this side of the 200lb mark was 9 years (and many failed crash diets) ago".

We just love celebrating wins with our clients! While weight loss goals are always super exciting to achieve, it’s apparent that it’s so much more than that for Kendray. She is keeping up with her 3 year old toddler with more ease, who she is convinced is training to be an olympic track & field star. But more than that it’s the mindset changes that Kendray has really noticed.

At Wilcox Wellness & Fitness we work with our clients to create a supportive environment where people can build confidence in doing things that they never thought were possible. For Kendray, she has conquered the Box Jump, one of the best examples of an exercise that will put most anyone out of their comfort zone!

“I can't count the number of times I psyched myself out before I finally pushed past my fear and just DID it!

My time at Wilcox has taught me that I can do hard things and, moreover, that I am worth the effort of doing those hard things. I have more drive, more determination, and I'm kinder to myself.”

And that’s what it’s all about! We love seeing the ripple effect that committing to health & fitness has for our clients, and Kendray is no exception!

Kendray, we are so proud of you and so happy to be on this journey with you! Keep up the great work!

June's Client of the Month

7/2/2021

Please join me in congratulating Jenna Muzzy as our client of the month! We are all so proud of Jenna and her incredible commitment to her health & fitness. Jenna makes such an amazing example of what it means to make a commitment to one’s self. Her secret to success is consistency. Despite a busy work schedule and hectic schedule as a Mom, she always makes time for her training sessions. Whether we see her at an Early Bird Session, a bit later in the morning, or after work, she always makes time in her schedule.

“By putting my training sessions into my calendar people can’t schedule over me. Anytime I see meetings crowding my day I know that I have put aside time for the gym and for myself”, says Jenna.

This is such an incredible strategy! By putting your training sessions onto your calendar you are making a more deliberate commitment to yourself.

We rarely cancel other appointments that we have on our calendars even when life gets busy, so why would we cancel our training sessions? On the flip side, if we leave scheduling our training sessions to a last minute decision we’ll always find other more pressing responsibilities getting in the way.

This is all well and good, but all so often I have conversations with people who are working on getting to the gym for the first time. This can be a daunting experience especially if you’ve never been in a gym before, or if it’s been a really long time since your last gym experience.

When I asked Jenna what advice she’d give to someone who was trying to commit to becoming healthier, this is what she said:

“I would tell people that the gym is the easy part so start there. Someone also told me that the gym is the only place you'll never regret going. I tell myself this a lot.”

I hear people say all of the time that once they get into the gym they start feeling better. They have more energy, they are more likely to drink more water due to being thirsty during their training sessions, and they find themselves eating healthier food because their body starts craving healthy fuel after a fun and challenging training session. I see a lot of wisdom in Jenna’s advice. It may not seem like a lot of fun replacing french fries with broccoli, but I would argue that replacing sedentary activities with joining a community of amazing people to get moving through fun and dynamic exercises in a supportive environment is a nice trade off!

Way to go Jenna! You are an inspiration to the training team and to others throughout our community. Keep up the great work!

If you or someone you know is looking to commit to health & fitness and begin their journey towards feeling better, stronger and happier, we are here to help! Check out our Greatest Gift as a way to get started. We call this offer “The Greatest Gift” because we truly believe that health & fitness is the greatest gift. Visit www.wilcoxwellnessfitness.com/gift to learn more and get signed up.

Client of the Month : May (Thank you Vika!)

6/7/2021

Each month we recognize one client as our client of the month. You might ask, what does it mean to be client of the month? There are a few characteristics that we always notice in the people who inspire us and get our attention for the client of the month.

A client of the month is someone who arrives early to prepare for their training session. We highly recommend that our clients start off performing some self myofascial release, a simple form of self massage using a foam roller. This practice helps break up tight tissues and increase blood flow to the muscles, and will help get the most out of the training session and prevent added soreness or tightness later on.

A client of the month is also someone who is continually learning about their body and listens to their coaches during their training sessions. A client of the month does not work through pain and communicates with their coach so that modifications can be provided when needed.

A client of the month is consistent with their training program. They plan for their training sessions and make that time a priority for them, understanding that this time commitment impacts many other aspects of of their lives, allowing them to have the energy that they need to do all of the things that they love, the strength to do tasks and activities that they love with confidence, and the mobility to take on projects or adventures without getting hurt.

A client of the month is someone who brings a positive attitude into their training sessions and sets an example for others to follow.

This month we are so happy to recognize Vika Thayer as our client of the month! Vika is all of these things and more. Vika is a Mom and has a busy life. Like most Moms, she is juggling her parental responsibilities, her job, and more. Sometimes things just don’t work out as planned and we can always count on Vika to communicate with us when life throws her a curve ball and she can’t make it to her training session.

Vika contributes to our community in so many ways. She always has a smile on her face, is very encouraging to the other people in her training sessions, and is known for cheering everyone one when fatigue starts to set in.

Vika works hard in every training session and is always learning more about how her body moves. She takes time to rest when she needs it, and she pushes herself to get a little bit better with every training session.

We are so proud of Vika’s progress since she started training with us in January. Her attitude and energy is contagious and we just love coaching her. It’s through people like Vika that make us love what we do as personal trainers and she inspires us to bring our very best to each and every training session. Keep up the great work Vika! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what successes the next 6 months will bring.

Are you ready to commit to your health & fitness? We would absolutely love to support you in your health & fitness journey! Click below to schedule a brief, no obligation phone call to learn more about how we support our clients in reaching their goals and to get all of your questions answered.

Celebrating Our April Client(s) of the Month!

5/5/2021

Each month we recognize one client who has really inspired us, through their commitment to themselves, and to their health & wellness. This month we are very excited to be recognizing a couple who have truly committed to their health & fitness TOGETHER - Tom & Diane Sturgeon.

Tom joined us as a private client in January 2019 with the goals of enjoying his future retirement, watching his grandchildren grow up, and enjoying active time with his wife, Diane. In October of that year Diane joined us as part of our group training program. Diane’s goals were in alignment with Tom’s but personal to her. She wanted to be a vibrant grandmother, stay vital into her older years, and be able to be active biking and cross country skiing with Tom.

Tom and Diane immediately embraced LIVEStream training sessions. Tom continued on with 1:1 sessions with JD. He borrowed equipment from the gym so that he could maintain the level of focus and intensity that he had been enjoying in the gym. Diane joined the group via LIVEStream with an impressive level of consistency and commitment.

As for many of us, the pandemic made focusing on goals harder. The boredom of being stuck at home made it easy to spend a lot of time contemplating what the fridge had to offer, food naturally being one of the many things that offer comfort during times of stress. As a business owner Tom found himself working long hours, making it difficult to take the time needed to have meals with any consistency. These challenges were quickly realized and addressed.

This isn’t to say that it was easy, but no excuses were made and consistent efforts were put forth to try to find ways to overcome the obstacles that this pandemic created.

As we emerge on the other side of this past year both Tom & Diane have stayed committed to their weight loss goals and have seen results. Over the winter they spent time at camp cross country skiing and snowmobiling together, where Tom had the opportunity to connect with his abs - a muscle group that we focus on during our training sessions.

Core strength is a critical component of health & fitness at all ages, and Tom had an opportunity to experience that first hand this winter. When he first joined back in 2019 he shared a story about a fall on the ice that he took in his yard. He hit his head and suffered a concussion, something he wanted to avoid in the future through his commitment to getting stronger and focusing on balance and stability.

Tom and I often discuss the purpose behind the exercises that we incorporate into his training program. One morning we were talking about the importance of core strength and how this can really save us when we slip on the ice. Unfortunately, due to the sedentary lifestyle of many Americans we lose the core strength required to control how we fall. Coincidentally, over that weekend Tom took a slip on the ice. My words went through his head as he sailed through the air, this time controlling his fall in mid-air and landing without consequence on his hip.

This is why we do what we do. It’s these kinds of life encounters that we want to prepare our clients to face with grace, confidence & safety. Through their commitment to their health & fitness Diane and Tom have made it through the pandemic with both their physical and mental health intact. They are a true example of how facing challenges, no matter how daunting at the time, will pay off in the long run and bring great rewards.

Great job Tom & Diane! We are so proud of both of you and can’t wait to see what the future holds for you both.

Congratulating our March Client of the Month

4/2/2021

Each month we recognize one client who has really inspired us through their commitment to themselves and to their health & wellness. We are really excited to be recognizing Rachel Garland!

Rachel started with Wilcox Wellness & Fitness, Brunswick in January 2020 not long before COVID-19 rocked our world. Being a school teacher during a pandemic wasn’t enough to waiver Rachel’s commitment to her training program. She immediately embraced LIVEStream training and found a way to fit her training sessions into her unpredictable and ever changing responsibilities as an educator and parent.

Rachel recognizes that her commitment to her training program allows her to show up for her responsibilities at her best. Even when Rachel faced challenges such as a new puppy, or a work schedule change for her husband, she reached out to discuss strategies for reducing stress and concerns that she wouldn’t be able to meet her own expectations.

Rachel always shows up to her training sessions with an amazing attitude. She always has a smile on her face. If we all weren’t living through this pandemic together you’d have no idea of the challenges that Rachel was working through in her life.

Through Rachel’s ongoing dedication she has significantly improved her body awareness, dialing in her hinges, bridges and planks. When a movement doesn’t feel right she reaches out and asks for additional support. It is so common for us to work through things that just don’t feel right.

Perhaps we worry that the problem is with us and we need to just figure it out. Admitting to challenges with exercises may feel like admitting to failure, but that’s just not the case. It is through recognizing how our body feels, asking questions, and accepting help that adjustments can be made to dial in the movement and get the intended results.

When Rachel noticed that she was feeling more quads than hamstrings during bridges, she asked why and we were able to provide an adjustment to help her get the most out of the exercise. Not only has this helped Rachel do an awesome bridge, but it also helps to increase confidence in the movement so that she can put even more effort behind it.

WAY TO GO RACHEL! We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished! Keep up the great work.

We would love to help you commit to healthy living too! We will be launching our SPRING KICKSTART PROGRAM on Saturday, May 1st.

KickStart is a 4-week program that is designed to help you implement healthy habits into your life and build momentum in getting active. We Kickoff the program as a KickStart group on Saturday, May 1st and then you will have access to 3-training sessions per week in our Group Training Program. What are you waiting for? The time is now and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

To learn more about KickStart go to www.wilcoxwellnessfitness.com/kickstart.

Not sure if this program is right for you? Let’s chat! Schedule a no-obligation phone call at www.wilcoxwellnessfitness.com/morekickstartinfo.

We would LOVE to support you in your health & fitness journey!

Celebrating our February Client of the Month

2/22/2021

Help me give a big shout out to Kate Kurjanowicz!
We are so excited to be recognizing Kate as our February Client of the Month!
Kate started training with us through our KickStart program in August of 2019, just a couple months after her daughter was born. Kate wanted to lose some of the baby weight, but more importantly feel like she did before her pregnancy... confident in her body, fitting into her old clothes, and sense of wellness overall.

*pictures taken pre-pandemic*

Kate has worked hard in her training program since day 1. Every time Kate comes in to train she is ready to work hard and give it her very best. Kate accepts every challenge that we present to her whether that's tackling a new movement, moving faster in conditioning movements, or increasing the resistance and focus in strength movements. She is always looking to add that extra 1% in every training session and all of those incremental gains have really been adding up!

Last fall Kate sent me a message thanking me for giving her the tools to commit to her health & fitness and shared this photo. I couldn't believe my eyes! Her transformation is such an inspiration for what can be achieved by showing up for yourself, working hard, and accumulating the wins over time.
Way to go Kate! We are so proud of your successes and grateful in allowing me to share your story for the benefit of others. This is why we do what we do here at Wilcox Wellness & Fitness and so happy to be able to know and celebrate wonderful people like Kate!
As always we’re looking for more folks we can help. That's why we created this amazing gift that we hope you share with others ==> www.wilcoxwellnessfitness.com/gift

Feeling hesitant or not sure where to begin in your fitness journey? Check out our Quickstart Guide below!

Are you ready to make health & fitness a priority in your life! We can help!
Let's Chat!
Click below to schedule a call at a time that works best for your schedule. During this call we will talk more about what you're looking to get out of a health & fitness program, share more about how we support our clients, and answer all of your questions.

January Client of the Month! Marie Pressman

1/29/2021

Help me give a big shout out to Marie Pressman!
We are so excited to be recognizing Marie as our January Client of the Month!
Marie has been training with us in our group training program since September 2019. When Marie started with us she had the goal gaining strength, getting organized around nutrition, improving her sleep and feeling better overall. She needed the push and accountability of a trainer to get her to where she wanted to go.

Marie gave it her all right from the start, and quickly transitioned to LIVEStream training sessions last spring, allowing her to maintain the momentum that she created. Marie is well on her way to reaching her goal of losing 30lbs by her birthday next month and is feeling the best she's ever felt in her life.
"I have so much energy to do everything that I want to do”.
Marie not only committed to her training sessions, she also committed to her nutrition. She committed to having protein with every meal and snack, and she listens to her body when she's full.
"I’ve been on diets my whole life and this is the first thing that’s really worked”

Marie is not only committed to herself, but she is committed to this community. When another client was inspired by Marie's successes she agreed to schedule a phone call to share what has worked for her. She conveyed the incremental gains that she has achieved over the course of time and provided encouragement to move as much as possible since a body in motion stays in motion. Hearing how Marie has reached her goals through commitment to healthy habits and taking each day as it arrives provided the inspiration to others in our community.

We are so proud of Marie's results and grateful for her generosity in sharing her experience for the benefit of others. This is why we do what we do here at Wilcox Wellness & Fitness. So grateful to be able to know and celebrate wonderful people like Marie!

Feeling hesitant or not sure where to begin in your fitness journey? Check out our Quickstart Guide below!

Quickstart Guide

Are you ready to make health & fitness a priority in your life! We can help!
Let's Chat!
Click below to schedule a call at a time that works best for your schedule. During this call we will talk more about what you're looking to get out of a health & fitness program, share more about how we support our clients, and answer all of your questions.

Client Spotlight: Monique Breault

3/12/2020

This month’s client spotlight goes to Monique Breault, and this crew so excited to be celebrating Monique this month.

Monique was a participant in our Spring KickStart program last year. When she joined she wanted to build strength and stamina so that she could enjoy long bike rides, and have more energy so that she could do more and enjoy her life to its absolute fullest.

Monique’s commitment to these goals has been unwavering. She is committed to her training sessions each week, and always arrives early to warm up and stays afterwards to cool down. Monique works hard in every training session, looking to build upon the foundational movements in order to support her form and develop in her training program as a whole.

Monique’s kindness and commitment to the WILCOX community is also a quality in Monique that we all appreciate so much. Monique volunteered to check people in at Burpees for Turkeys last fall, she welcomes each and every new face who are in a training session with her, or warming up / cooling down for the sessions before or after her. It’s not uncommon to overhear Monique helping someone with the Peak Performance System, giving them tips for doing the movements correctly and with the best effect.

Every day when Monique arrives for her training session we will ask how she’s doing. Without fail her reply is “Peachy keen and hunky-dory”. This phrase has become a regular response amongst the trainer team. It always brings a smile to our face, and adopting this phrase brings a little “Monique” into a busy day and it helps us remember what’s truly important in life. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Commit to your goals and have fun while doing it. Make the most of every moment, and give thanks to those who inspire you. This is what I’ve learned in knowing Monique. While we are all so inspired by Monique she won't let me forget that it's the WILCOX community who inspires her. She frequently reminds me that WILCOX is her "happy place". This brings joy to my heart because Monique makes this place a happy place for so many of us, and inspires us all daily through her values and commitment to her community inside and outside of the gym. She demonstrates her commitment through her actions and truly makes an impact in our community.

Thank you Monique for all that you do to inspire us. We just love having you in our community and supporting you in your health & fitness journey.

We would love to welcome YOU into our community!

Our next KickStart Program starts on Saturday, April 6th!
We promise that we will meet you where you are and support you every step of the way.
Come join us. We are excited to meet you!

Learn More & Enroll

Client Spotlight: Ellen Shillinglaw

1/20/2020

When Ellen joined our community in March of 2019 her primary goal was to “live a normal life”.

Ellen had a stroke 4 years earlier and had a fear of falling. Ellen and her partner Jeff are avid travelers, and she wanted to be able to enjoy her adventures to the fullest. Sometimes enjoying an adventure is as simple as being able to walk with ease or to sit on a park bench comfortably so you can soak in the scenery. These were Ellen’s goals. They are simple goals, but goals that would have a dramatic impact on the quality of her life.

The day that Ellen was able to do a full TRX squat is a day that the team still celebrates. Ellen’s range of motion had been limited when squatting as a result of her stroke, but Ellen was eager and willing to commit to her training program right from the start and despite this so called limitation Ellen arrived to each of her sessions with a positive attitude and with a strong spirit. She worked on her squat to the extent that she was able to, focusing more on her overall form and technique than how deep of a squat she could do. One day Ellen’s leg released some tension she had been holding onto and she was suddenly doing a full range of motion squat. It was absolutely amazing! It was such a dramatic change she was convinced that she was doing it incorrectly until the trainer confirmed that she was in fact doing a full range of motion squat!

Ellen joined our group training program and coupled that with one private session each week to focus upon specific areas that she needed to improve. We couldn’t be more excited for the progress that Ellen has made over the past 10 months. During Ellen’s time training with us she has shared several successes and I want to share a few of them with you.

Ellen’s friends have commented how they notice that she is walking with greater ease, her ability to go up and down stairs has improved. She has improved her mind-body awareness and connection dramatically, and has increased flexibility. All of this allows Ellen to move throughout her every day life with greater ease and confidence. Perhaps the greatest example of this is demonstrated through a story that Ellen shared with us last summer. Before her training program Ellen required help getting on and off of her boat. She would essentially crawl off the boat and receive help up to a standing position. Last summer Ellen arrived one day particularly excited because the day before she successfully stepped from the unstable surface of her boat onto the unstable surface of the dock with only the normal help of someone’s supporting hand. We were so excited to hear this development and have continued to celebrate successes with Ellen.

These kind of successes that our clients experience is exactly why we do what we do as trainers. To impact people’s lives in ways that allow them to live their very best life. We couldn’t be more proud of what Ellen has accomplished over these past 10 months!

Great work Ellen! Please join me in giving Ellen a HUGE HIGH FIVE!

Better Posture = A Healthier Body!

Having a strong body starts with a strong core, and our core and posture have a co-dependent relationship. Restore your core and become stronger from the inside out!

Because posture is so critically important to living your best possible life we created this guide, which will show you how to improve your posture, protect your back and neck, and gain core strength in and outside your training sessions.

Download your free copy of our Restore Your Core resource guide and start improving your posture and core strength TODAY!

Download the Guide HERE!

This Month's High Five Award Goes to Deb Kiker!

12/9/2019

It is hard to believe that it was nearly a year ago that Deb and I began our email correspondence together. It would still be more than a month before we would be opening, but Deb had seen us on-line and was rearing to go.

She downloaded our QuickStart guide and followed every step including responding to the email prompts along the way, which offered a wonderful opportunity for Deb and I to get to know each other weeks before we’d finally connect in person.

I immediately loved Deb. Her kind and genuine demeanor came through in her writing and I could tell that she would make an incredible contribution to the Wilcox Community that I was looking to create.

Deb participated in our first week of training sessions through Training for a Cause, and joined our very first KickStart program in February. Even though Deb wasn’t officially a client until February I still consider her to be our very first client, simply because our journey began together in December, 2018.

What I love about Deb is her eagerness to share in anything learned, such as the Field Guide to Fruit Colors, which hangs on our bulletin board, a gift that Deb brought back from a Wellness conference that she attended as the Director of the Employee Wellness Program at her job.

Deb is so enthusiastic about helping others and welcoming them into our community.

When Deb isn’t focused on giving to others she heartily shares her latest achievements.

When Deb and I finally met in person for her KickStart Success Session she shared that she was looking to reconnect with people and find her tribe.

Deb had a tribe of ladies who she worked out with when she lived in Kansas, and was in search of her community here in Maine. She was looking to find her stride again and work towards moving better, gaining mobility, and fueling her body effectively by making some tweaks in her nutritional habits.

Since starting with us last February Deb has made incredible progress in her personal health & fitness journey. Earlier this summer Deb shared her excitement about her trip to Quebec where she successfully bicycled the 15.5 mile path along the banks of the St. Lawrence River, but perhaps my favorite story from Deb was the one where she shared in her achievement of cleaning her kitchen from top to bottom in just a couple of hours, a task that once took her an entire day.

The best part of this story was how she was able to climb up onto stools and counter tops to reach the highest points in her kitchen, all with the strength and confidence that she was looking for.

This is my favorite part of my job! Hearing stories like Deb’s and seeing how the efforts in the gym not only builds strength and stamina, but also the confidence to climb to the highest, most unstable points of one’s kitchen…and perhaps best of all, the creation of new friendships.

Thank you, Deb for everything that you have contributed to the Wilcox Community. I am so happy to know you and to share in your journey with you.

Join me in giving Deb a BIG HIGH FIVE!

Are you ready to trainer smarter and not just harder?
Are you ready to achieve more results in less time?
Are you ready to make health & fitness a regular part of your routine?
If you answered YES to any of these questions WE CAN HELP!

Schedule a call with us to learn more about how we work with our clients and if we're the right fit for you.

Our next KickStart Program kicks off on Saturday, February 8th!

Are you ready to get serious about your nutrition & exercise and ready to start building momentum in your routine? Check out our KickStart program!

This program is a 4 week program designed to help you build momentum in your health & fitness routine, and provide you with the direction needed to set you on the right path.
Click below to learn more about everything that this program has to offer...

Learn More About KickStart