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For the month of April, we asked Shelley and Matt to write about their small victories since they have started with us. We wanted to know what they have been noticing about themselves, what has changed, and how they have been feeling since embarking on this health and wellness journey. Here what Matt has to say about small victories: Well first off, I will say that after 5 months of being in this program that my life as I once knew it, has changed! I have noticed some subtle and some not so subtle changes during my time here. “WOW!” Is really what comes to mind when I think of some of the changes that I have seen! WILCOX is definitely a body shaping and life changing facility! I remember asking right after I first started working out, “Is this ever going to get easier?” and the answer from my trainer was “No, if it did we would not be doing our job. We just make it tougher, make you stronger.” Well that certainly has happened! Since becoming stronger I have been adding more reps into my warm up - instead of 10, I do 20 on some of the exercises and my time on the elliptical has improved. I also find that the sit-ups that were once extremely hard to do at first are becoming easier to do than before, and I can do more! Over the past 5 months, I have met a few goals and experienced a few victories. For me what worked was setting smaller goals and work toward reaching them in a time frame that I set. Now these goals might seem small to some people but to me they were HUGE. These were goals that I was never able to be consistent with, like making sure I get to the gym when I am supposed to so I can get my workout in and eat better. But I have been able to do that and keep up with it and to me that is a huge victory! I find my energy is up and I look forward to going to the gym, and no longer dread it. That is a win-win for me. Another small victory for me is that my belt is now almost all the way tightened to the last hole! That is a far better place to be than where I once was… on the second or third hole from the other end!  One of the biggest victories that I have noticed is that my physical stamina has come a long way! Granted I am still winded and sweating my butt off every time I leave a workout session. But I noticed I am getting more and more reps in and choosing to reach for the heavier weights to challenge myself. I leave WILCOX with a sense of accomplishment and I know I am getting stronger! I also feel that things are improving in other parts of my life as well, outside of the gym. I notice that I am standing longer than I have in the past without my legs getting sore and I’m moving a lot more at work and at home.  Selfie in my car after a workout. Feels great to sweat hard! The best victory of all though is my change in my mindset. Just knowing that I am doing this and I plan to keep on going is huge for me. I will not quit. My peers at the gym and my trainers will not let me and I will not let them down!! What a great family I have found here; owners, trainers, and all the amazing people I workout with have been a part of my victories! When you workout and eat healthy, you can get in better shape and get more ‘wealthy’ with your experiences with family and friends, and that is a huge victory!
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For the month of April, we asked Shelley and Matt to write about their small victories since they have started with us. We wanted to know what they have been noticing about themselves, what has changed, and how they have been feeling since embarking on this health and wellness journey. Here is Shelley's story about small victories: September of last year, my journey of small victories began. Simply putting a foot in front of the other and committing to a lifestyle change was really my first step. From there, I built frequent goals to hit including exercise type, frequency, eating, sleep and weight loss. The later goal was my best motivator. Right off, I cut sugar out of my diet. Friends of mine had adopted a keto lifestyle - a very low carb, high fat diet. It took awhile to get accustomed to no bread, no pasta, no rice - all of my favorites. I started walking on my own and bit, then tried a few local gyms. I joined Wilcox in November and immediately loved the environment. I struggled through the first workouts but saw myself getting stronger and more confident. And, mixed with this regular exercise schedule, I hit my first goal and lost 20 pounds by Thanksgiving. In December, I bought new clothes and started a Stitch Fix membership where you plug in your sizes and design preferences and each month a custom styled shipment of a fancy outfit arrived. (Since that time, I’ve had to change my size preference 3 times and each time I receive a package - the clothes are smaller and fit better.) By Christmas I had lost 30 pounds. I felt stronger and more confident at the gym. My routine was solid and my weights were heavier. I stopped taking my prescription heartburn medication! For my next goal, I purchased a dress for a January work dinner that was a little snug. January started and my husband started eating a low carb diet with me, which helped with meal planning. We started experimenting with different ingredients and banned sweets from the house. We both experienced off-scale victories together as our clothes fit better. I even wore my shirt tucked in! (I know that this is not a big deal for most people, but it is to me!). Plus my dress that I purchased in December for my work dinner fit like a charm! In February, I decided to switch things up at the gym. Since I now slept better at night, I felt that I can start my workout day earlier. I signed up for 6AM and 7AM sessions where I can get in, work hard and then go about my workday. This was a big change, as I never had been a morning person! I’ve since continued a mix of early and later classes. By then I was down 40 pounds and I was on to my next goal! Planning for a Gala happening in April, I joined a group of women at The Henrys in February to shop for a dressy gown. In the past, I was very nervous about an event like this and I found that I couldn’t really shop off the rack. I was very pleasantly surprised that I could try on 8-10 dresses that I really loved! In the end, I picked a very bright color that was a little tight March brought more personal victories. In the Strength Training sessions, I now picked up the heavier weights and pushed myself through more reps and different angles. I bought some new spring clothes and “shopped my attic” for clothes that I haven’t worn in 5 years! I even bought something that I always wanted to own but couldn’t fit in - tall boots! I was so excited. I’m proud of my small victories, they really do count! Each one brings me closer to my ideal self. Here I am in April, nearly 50 pounds down! And yes, it is a bathroom selfie. Shelley 
We were so excited to participate in United Way's Day of caring last week. We had signed up to rake leaves but it was raining cats and dogs so instead we helped with some indoor projects. We had a blast and enjoyed coming together to help our community.
Special thanks to everyone who helped with this project. Lots of love, Paige & Mike Wilcox In the summer of 2018 one of our clients, Jacquelyn Gill a University of Maine professor of climate science and ecology, was offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to be one of four scientists to take part in filming a documentary, “Lost Beasts of the Ice Age”. Little did she know that after spending 10 days in the Siberian wilderness filming the documentary, that she would end up fighting for her life thousands of miles away from home, alone for 6 weeks. Due to the long travel days and intense stationary nature of her job there, Jacquelyn was sitting for long periods of time which put her at risk for getting blood clots. By the time she was trying to board a plane home, she knew something was seriously wrong since she couldn’t catch her breath and she had tunnel vision. A trip to the hospital confirmed that she had deep vein thrombosis in both legs and pulmonary embolisms in both lungs. After weeks in the hospital, Jacquelyn was finally well enough to travel and made the long journey home to Bangor. Upon returning home, her doctors commented that they couldn’t believe how she was doing so well after that ordeal given the severity of her embolisms. They believed that since she started training with WILCOX in May 2018, her training and lifestyle change months before the trip likely played a role in helping her survive her pulmonary embolisms. We had a conversation with Jacquelyn to hear more about her story and how training at Wilcox Wellness & Fitness helped her survive this life-threatening ordeal. Wilcox Wellness & Fitness: Jacquelyn, we are so happy that you are here today and able to share your story and experience with us! Do you agree with your doctors that training at Wilcox Wellness & Fitness helped save your life? In what way? Jacquelyn Gill: Definitely, and in more ways than one! Firstly, before I started training, I was the least fit I'd ever been. I was in pain all the time, constantly tired, depressed and anxious. I'd had problems with my IT band for months, and rest wasn't helping. Then, just weeks after I started training, my mom passed away unexpectedly. It was a really difficult summer for me, and training was one of the bright lights during a really hard time. I found that I was looking forward to having that space where I could process my emotions in a healthy way, with a supportive community. When I walked into WILCOX, it was like I left the world behind, checked in with myself and my body, and focused on the progress I was making. I had more energy, I felt great all the time, my pain went away, and even though I was going through a tough time, my overall mood was so much better than it had been going in. After just a few months, my blood work showed a big drop in cholesterol and a huge improvement in my overall health!  Jacquelyn with her dog, Neko, at Schoodic says: "Getting fit helps me go on more adventures with her!" WILCOX: That’s amazing! Your commitment to the program and enthusiasm helped lead you to success! We love that you saw that kind of progress after only a short time! Months after starting with us, you said you were going overseas for work; can you tell us more about that? JG: Last September, I had the amazing opportunity to go to Siberia to conduct research and film a documentary on ice age ecosystems preserved in the permafrost. On the last day of shooting, we were hiking to a remote location along a river in really rough terrain -- slippery mud, tiny log bridges over big chasms -- it really felt like an obstacle course. I was beating myself up because I was having a hard time. I was getting winded, needed a lot of breaks, and I thought it would be easier since I'd been training all summer. Then the next day, when we were getting ready to fly home, I found myself getting winded just getting up to go to the bathroom. I knew something was seriously wrong when I was walking across the tarmac and I felt like my vision was closing in and I couldn't get enough air. I went straight to the hospital in Yakutsk, and I had DVT in both legs and pulmonary embolisms in both lungs. The doctors told me it was amazing I'd survived- my lungs were so obstructed! They told me that improving my condition through training all summer probably saved my life. WILCOX: That is so scary! Do you feel like your training program helped you to know your body well enough to know something was wrong? JG: Absolutely, for two reasons: First, before I started training, I just felt gross all the time -- tired, run-down, in pain. I didn't even realize how bad it was until I started going to WILCOX and I started feeling better. So the first thing training did for me was clear away all the pain and tiredness I was feeling. I stopped expecting to feel like crap, which meant I was able to notice when something was wrong. Secondly, the approach at WILCOX really emphasizes getting in touch with yourself, and paying attention to your form -- it's not about powering through the pain, or pushing yourself to unhealthy extremes. Rather, it's about listening to your body -- where can I push a little more? When should I stop? What's my heart doing? How are my lungs? This gave me the confidence to know that what I was feeling wasn't normal, and it was okay to ask for help, rather than try to muscle through and pretend like everything was going to be fine.  Jacquelyn in Siberia, 2018 WILCOX: Checking in with yourself is huge and we are so glad you were able to put those techniques you learned here to use in your daily life. What other benefits have you seen since starting your training program? JG: There have been so many benefits I wasn't expecting! I knew that training could give you increased energy, help with general pain, and be a mood booster (though to be honest, I didn't really believe it until it happened!). But I've also found that it's given me a lot of confidence in my approach to other areas of my life. Going into a scary surgery or a challenging meeting, I hear my trainers' voices in my head cheering me on. I find that I'm moving in a more mindful way, whether I'm picking up a gallon of milk or hiking my favorite trail. And most importantly, I've gained a lot of confidence in myself -- after so many false starts and bad experiences with diets and gyms, I was always beating myself up for thinking the problem was me: I didn't have enough willpower, I wasn't good enough. Now, even after having to be out for a few months after my Siberian adventure, I'm not beating myself up for "backsliding" or losing some of my conditioning; I know it's going to be fine, and I'll get back to where I was. My internal voice is a cheerleader now, and not a bully.  How Jacquelyn feels after finishing a workout at WILCOX! WILCOX: That makes us so happy to hear your internal voice is cheering you on and the trainers’ voices resonate with you throughout the day! There are so many people who have started and stopped training programs or nutrition programs in the past, just like you have, and may be at the point where they are done with trying. What would you say to those people to encourage them to keep trying? JG: Don't give up on yourself. It's never too late to make a positive shift, and that decision can change your life. Forget the scale, and focus on how you feel. If you've hated every other gym or diet, the problem isn't you-- it's that so much of the culture of fitness and weight loss is about shame, guilt, and blame. What makes a place like WILCOX stand out is the positive approach to wellness: there's a team of people who are invested in your success, as you define it. Not how you look, or your numbers. There are no mirrors, weigh-ins, or judgments; you'll see bodies of every shape, size, age, and ability. When all that other stuff is stripped away, and training becomes a matter of focusing on healthy movements (and healthy eating, if you want to follow optional food guidelines) you end up having a lot of fun. And I never, ever thought I'd say that!  Jacquelyn, after crushing a workout at WILCOX! WILCOX: That is great advice!! Anything else you want to share about your experience at Wilcox Wellness & Fitness? JG: I started training because I was fed up with being sore and out of shape, and I needed the accountability and encouragement I wasn't getting when left to my own devices. And I needed that extra attention, because of my IT band syndrome. Training with an injury was a really positive experience, because my trainers got to know me and they're paying attention, so I knew that I could trust them not to put me in a situation where I'd aggravate my injury. That let me focus on my workout, and not miss anything, because they were always ready to step in with a modification. WILCOX: Jacquelyn, thank you so much for sharing your experience with me! Your BDN article had me in tears and I know that it has already inspired so many people to commit to healthy living just like you have. We are so glad to have you back training with us and we can’t wait to see where your next adventure will take you! With Love, Paige Inspired to get started on your own journey to healthy living?
If you are ready to take the first step, we are ready to support you! We will meet you wherever you are and support you along your path with health and wellness. This isn’t our first rodeo – we have a proven path to help people achieve their very best life and form healthful habits that they can sustain for a lifetime. Click the link below to schedule a no obligation call with us to chat about your health and fitness goals. Take the first step by clicking here to schedule that call!
How I put together 10 lunches in less than 10 minutes.
A few days ago I mentioned that it takes me 10 minutes (or less) to make a week worth of Buddha Bowls (10 bowls) for lunch to feed the 2 of us during the work week. I do tend to exaggerate – but that was not an exaggeration. I literally set a timer and went for it. A lot of people have asked me how I do this so quickly. And I will say a few things – I have been doing this for a WHILE. (1) I was not this fast when I first started #mealprepping. As with anything, practice makes perfect AND speeds up the process. (2) It comes down to the prepping – preparing your work space, having the right storage containers, etc…. I outline all of that in the Meal Prep Guide that we put out recently. If you don’t have that yet, grab your copy here. Buddha Bowls can be ANYTHING – mostly plant based, with a good balance of carbs, fat, and protein. The cool thing is, you can throw anything in that you want! Use your dinner leftovers, use the freshest local produce, add lots of greens, include a grain, and top it off with something crunchy. 
Here is my step by step of how I whip together 10 Buddha bowls in less than 10 minutes: Step 1: line up all of your containers Step 2: get out all of your ingredients Step 3: add all of your greens to all of your containers Step 4: batch add all of your veggies. This week I used: bell pepper, broccoli, and cooked beats. Step 5: add your protein source. This week I had Mike grill up some extra chicken thighs for our Sunday dinner and I chopped these up and added them to our bowl. Step 6: add your whole grain. This was also a dinner leftover. This week we used faro but you can use quinoa, brown rice, etc… whatever your little heart desires. Step 7: top it off with something like sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseed, sesame seeds, etc… We used sunflower seeds this week. I love the subtle salty crunchy. Step 8: the most difficult step of all – stack these up in your fridge. (I leave this job for Mike – he LOVES it – kidding) D O N E In the morning you whip one of these bad boys out of your leaning tower of pisa fridge, dress it with your fav salad dressing, and you are out the door. Having your lunch locked and loaded for the week will make all the difference in the world in terms of your success sticking to your nutrition goals. It is just one less thing you need to think about, worry about, or plan for in the week. AND – it takes next to no time to prepare. So let me know – are you going to give this a go next week? I hope so! Let me know how it goes for you and what is going to be in your bowl! E N J O Y! Paige Want more of this? Join our Healthy Living FaceBook Group! Join our free private FaceBook Group - Healthy Living with Wilcox Wellness & Fitness to connect with us live. Daily we post all things healthy living - pro tips for healthy living, recipes, and weekly workouts for you to do at home. We will answer any question you post and we encourage you get involved in the discussion. Can we support you along your health and fitness journey? If you are ready to take the first step, we are ready to support you. We will meet you wherever you are and support you along your path with health and wellness. This isn’t our first rodeo – we have a proven path to help people achieve their very best life and form healthful habits that they can sustain for a lifetime. Click the link above to schedule a no obligation call with me to chat about your health and fitness goals. Take the first step by clicking here to schedule that call. JOIN OUR DREAM TEAM! Are you passionate about health and fitness and looking for a rewarding career helping to change the lives of others? We would love to hear from you! We are offering a competitive compensation package with: - Guaranteed Training Hours - step into an immediate full-time position - Paid Onboarding Process to Set You Up for Career Success - Marketing, Client Acquisition and Business Support - First-Class Functional Training Facility - Positive and Supportive Work Environment - Marketing, Client Acquisition, and Business Support We are looking for outgoing, confident candidates who are looking to take their training skills to the next level. This position will be responsible for coaching 100's of clients each week through private and group personal training sessions. We are looking for someone who can command a room, connect with people, and deliver consistent, outstanding training sessions. This position will require a lot of preparation, quick thinking, and the ability to work with clients who have a variety of experience with exercise and personal training. If you are up for the challenge of creating MASSIVE IMPACT in the Bangor community, please apply with us here! Happy Training! Wilcox Wellness & Fitness We are so proud to be voted the Best Fitness Facility in Bangor, Maine for 2 years running!5/14/2019
We are so proud to be the winner of the Best Fitness Facility in Bangor, Maine for 2 years running – but really ‘winning’ for us means:
We don’t always get it right, but we are constantly working on getting better. So – tell us, what can we do to serve you better? Much Love, Wilcox Wellness & Fitness
When I first started in this business, I had a lot of insecurity because I don’t have a background in health and fitness. (Trust me - the rest of our team is full of top notch fitness experts.)
I had always enjoyed learning about living a healthy lifestyle but really, everything that I know comes from Mike (my husband and the beautiful vision behind everything that we do), a google search bar, and an assortment of personal development books. 
In the beginning, I felt uncomfortable meeting with prospective clients and current clients to talk about their goals, why their goals are important to them, and then putting a plan into place to help them achieve those goals.
But.let.me.tell.you. As soon as I pushed that insecurity to the side, I truly feel like I have stepped into my power. There is nothing more that I love than being in a consultation with someone who has tried everything to commit to healthy living, is totally overwhelmed, and feels like it is just impossible. Honestly - there is nothing that I love more than talking through those feelings and obstacles bit by bit and putting a plan in place to overcome it all. So if you are feeling stuck/overwhelmed/helpless - let’s chat - let me share my superpower of seeing the path and guiding you through all of those obstacles. You start the process however you feel comfortable: send us a dm/leave a comment/schedule a phone call/send an email. Can’t wait to chat with you! Lots of love, Paige
Ready to take the first step?
If you are ready to take the first step, we are ready to support you. We will meet you whereever you are and support you along your path with health and wellness. This isn’t our first rodeo – we have a proven path to help people achieve their very best life and form healthful habits that they can sustain for a lifetime. Click the link above to schedule a no obligation call with me to chat about your health and fitness goals. Take the first step by clicking here to schedule that call.  We are so excited to celebrate the success of Greg Brodek. Greg has been a terrific client of Adam Allen’s for a few years now, always showing up wanting to push himself, and get out of his comfort zone. This makes training him a blast - Greg has a great attitude and is excited when trying out new exercises. He is a tremendously hard worker who never makes excuses. This truly leads to limitless possibilities within Greg’s training sessions which correlate to his daily life. Keep up the awesome work Greg, we are excited to have you here and look forward to seeing your continued growth!
For 9 years I worked as an account manager and I was out to eat with either customers or suppliers at least 4 times per week. Entering this job, one of the more senior reps had warned me that I would gain weight with all of the restruant meals and sitting on long car trips.
I was determined that this wouldn't be the case for me so I researched and researched and figured out how I would be able to stay on point with my health goals even on the busiest of weeks. Here, years later, I am sharing what I learned from that experience in our Dining out Guide. Eating on point when you are dining out is so simple if you stick to just a few basic guidelines. We include these guidelines in our Healthful Living Guidebook but I made this Dining Out Guide as an extended version of that so that you will know how to order based on the type of restaurant you are at. With this guide, you will learn how to order like a ninja when you go to: ● Diners, delis and sandwich shops ● Burger joints ● Mexican restaurants ● And so much more! With this guide you will know EXACTLY what to order to stay on point with your #goals so that you are feeling great and have the energy to do the things that #setyoursoulonfire. Also – you don’t need to order a boring ole’ salad with grilled chicken on it. There are so many great options at literally any restaurant you go to! Download your guide here. We hope you love it! Please let us know if you have any questions at all! ENJOY! Paige Wilcox Wilcox Wellness & Fitness |