Profile of the Month
Douglas
Strouth
September
2008
Thank you Doug for sharing your story. You
are an inspiration to all of us! -Madge
Zacharias
Doug
Strouth
Before
Pictures
 Dear
Madge,
At the
beginning of February, I relocated to Richmond
after a promotion at work. This move was a
difficult one for me, as I was embarking on a
journey that was completely foreign to me. For
the first time I was going to have my own place,
and be able to choose the things in life that I
wanted to do. I was leaving family and friends
that I had known for my entire life. I found
that Richmond was full of possibilities, things
I had never dreamed I would be able to do. With
so many things to choose from, I was excited
about the wide range of new things that I could
do with my time and life.
As I
started to settle in and make some of those
decisions on where to spend my time, I believe I
was more surprised than any that on March 24th
I found myself joining your MIP program. I
questioned at first whether I really wanted to
spend my free time at a health and fitness
facility. I had never been one interested in
lifting weights or doing any type of exercise,
as I wanted to spend my time on what I thought
would be other more fun activities. I couldn’t
have been more wrong in questioning this
decision.
I joined
the MIP program because I found myself burdened
at the smallest of tasks. I grew tired quickly
while playing with my nieces and doing small
things that I should be able to do at my age of
27. I was on three medications for medical
conditions all created by my weight and dietary
habits. I found myself unable to participate in
activities that others were having fun at. I
felt that I was unable to really live life and
enjoy it because of the limitations my health
had imposed.
Now that
I am going into my 5th month of the program in
continuation, I find that I can’t wait until the
workday is over so that I can get to the
facility to join all of my friends to work
together toward a common goal. I have
accomplished so much in so little time in your
program, and really made a change that will
affect my life in more ways than anyone can
imagine. I can already participate in things
that I would have never been able to before the
program.
At only 5
months, I have a current weight loss of over 75
pounds, and a decrease in my waist size of more
than 10 inches, I am amazed at how well the
program has worked for me. My blood pressure
started at 145/80 on medication, and now
regularly reads around 110/70 with no
medication! I have stopped all other
medications that I was taking as well - I no
longer have the medical problems I previously
did. I do not feel this would have been
possible at any other facility. Your unique
combination of education and fitness classes
make a winning program. I believe the staff at
EZ also plays a key role with their knowledge
and encouragement that keep everyone working
hard toward the goal of healthy living.
I get
compliments frequently on how I look now, and
people wanting to learn more about your
program. When I return home from where I moved,
I’ve received several “double-takes” from people
as they are surprised when they see me. The
funniest was when one person was concerned that
I wasn’t making enough money in my new position
at work to purchase food, and that was why I had
lost so much weight. I told them about your
wonderful program and what I had been able to
accomplish. Everyone at home that I have
visited on my return has been over-joyed by my
success.
In
closing, I want to say Thank You! Thank You for
giving me a new life! Not only has EZ become my
life, but the MIP program has, and is continuing
to transform my fitness to a level where I will
live longer, be able to play with my energetic
nieces, and join activities that I’ve been
unable to do in the past. With such a great
program and staff, it was really easy for me to
Make It Personal.
-Doug Strouth
If you would like
to nominate someone you know as Member of the
Month or would like to share your own story with
your fellow ZG members, please e-mail me at
mjganey@ezhealthinstitute.com.
Otherwise, I may be soliciting you! There is no
story to big or small to share.
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