It is a new day and a new time, the old has passed away and the new has come, praise God it‘s a brand new day. That is how I feel about the life that Curves has given me…When I walked through these doors in the Fall of 2003, I felt like I had come to a roadblock in my life; no energy, poor eating habits and a serious lack of motivation ( I was 226 pounds and not active at all). However, that all changed the day I said “yes” to this new walk in life and “good-bye” to the old me!! I can honestly say that Curves has been, and remains a wonderful blessing in my life. 8 years later, (presently 2011), I have been able to maintain the 84 pounds and 74 inches in body weight that I had lost in my first year at Curves (2003-2004), not to mention the great workout/eating habits, fun friends and staff I have met and a definite energy level boost; these are all benefits that I have gained (these are actually “gains” that are worth getting!!!!). Curves has influenced and brought a balance to the quality of my daily life. Some of my greatest achievements have been direct spin-offs from Curves. My husband was so inspired by all of this, that he started eating differently and decided to train for a marathon (he has now completed 11 marathons) and he has lost 60 pounds; thanks Curves, I am so proud of my husband. My children, 8 years old and 15 years old, have also been affected by this lifestyle change; they are active in soccer, basketball, football and running. I have run mini-marathons with both of them (I never dreamt I’d be able to do this) and I have also completed the Queen City Marathon half marathon walk in 2009 and 2010!!!! One of my goals was to keep up with my children and have more energy, and this has been fulfilled. Thanks to Curves, I have been able to keep this active lifestyle going; the above are just a few changes to the quality of my life from going to Curves. I think one of the greatest benefits is being able to share my Curves testimony with other ladies on the circuit. How can all of this be, you may ask? My answer is simple: set yourself a goal that works for you (ask the Curves coaches for help if need be), work-out three times a week, learn how to maintain a healthy diet (perhaps join and follow the “Weight Management Classes”) and above all have fun getting to know other Curves members and staff. My personal motto was/is “press on towards the goal”, and once achieving it, stand firm and be a testimony to others. All glory and praise be to the Lord for this transformation in my life and thank you so much to all the wonderful people associated with Curves for helping me grow in spirit, soul and body and for filling my mouth with laughter and heart with joy. God bless you all, Tara Fischer

When I joined Curves in January 2010, I had no idea what I was in for or how much of an impact it would have on my life. Give us 30 minutes 3 times a week they said for a stronger healthier you. Sure, I thought as I looked around the circuit for the first time thinking hmmmmm, really? Well let me tell you, Curves was right! I started out 3 times a week on the CurvesSmart. What a motivator that is. If you haven’t tried CurvesSmart you’re missing out, it’s like having your own personal trainer right at your side. It wasn’t long before the pounds and inches were dropping off, and I was feeling better physically and emotionally as every week passed by. I’m now working out 5 to 6 times a week and loving every minute of it. The ongoing encouragement, support and motivation from Sandi and her team is exceptional. After a year, I feel and look great. My energy level is endless, so much so that my husband has nicknamed me “Speedy Gonzales”. Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves ~ Dale Carnegie The road to success is easy with determination, a fun crowd and a sense of adventure.

I have always had trouble with my weight ever since I was very young. My size and weight always bothered me. My weight would go up and down like a yo-yo. I was never happy and even when I did lose some weight, it was not enough. In high school I was at my highest weight of 210 pounds. This was when I finally realized that I had to do something. I was physically unfit and so unhealthy. At this point I joined a gym and began exercising. I even engaged the services of a personal trainer. Then I tried all sorts of different exercise classes. I also tried about 10 different kinds of those “lose weight faster” pills and diets. I lost some weight but was never able to keep it off. For years my weight would fluctuate between 180-195 pounds. It seemed to me that no matter what I did, I couldn't lose the amount of weight I wanted to and keep it off. Eventually I got tired of spending an hour and a half or more at the gym doing my cardio and weightlifting and not getting the results I wanted, so I joined a Jazzercise class. I had fun but I still wasn't seeing any results. I decided to quit because I was wasting my money paying for these classes and getting no results. For over a year I never engaged in any kind of physical exercise but did manage to stay at that same weight of between 180-195 pounds. Then one day I thought there must be something out there that will work for me. I talked to my friends and my family to see what they were all doing for exercise. And to my surprise, out of all of my family members, the recommendation from the person that most caught my attention was that of my Grandma. She told me that she was going to Curves, how much she enjoyed it and that it didn’t take a whole lot of time out of her everyday schedule. She suggested that I try it. I was very skeptical. I mean, I love my Grandma very much, but . . . I couldn’t help but think, oh my, how hard of a workout could it be if my Grandma does it? Anyway, she told me a little bit more about it and how it was only a 30 minute workout and that Curves was having a special that month and she could sign me up for 30 days for free. I thought to myself, what do I really have to lose? I've tried so many different things, why not try one more. And only 30 minutes!!! That was the big seller for me because I thought WOW I don't have to spend two hours at the gym trying to get the same kind of workout. We all know how hard it can be to sometimes find an extra five minutes in a day, let alone two hours. I went to Curves and Teresa (one of my Curves coaches) was standing there ready to get me going. We did a weigh and measure and she asked me a few questions. One of the questions was what is your goal weight and I said 150 pounds. I have no idea why I chose that number, but it just sounded like a good reachable, healthy weight. After I decided upon that weight, I kind of thought to myself what have I done, I kind of went a bit overboard for choosing such a low goal weight considering my previous bad luck experiences at trying to lose weight. I left it at that and started my first workout. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!! and have been coming back ever since. Even on those days where I feel lazy and really don't want to go I think to myself . . . hey it's only 30 minutes, you know what kind of results you are getting, so get going!!!! I love coming to workout, and the encouragement you receive from all the wonderful staff is amazing. They really make you feel great, and get you pumped up even on those days when you are in that “I feel really lazy today” mode. And for me it's some extra time to spend with my Grandma because we usually end up at Curves at the same time. I started Curves on November 24, 2009 and weighed 186 pounds. It is now May 2011, I’m still here and I’m still loving it. In total I have lost 37 inches and 40 pounds. Not only did I reach my original goal weight — I beat it!!!! I now weigh 146 pounds, am still losing and couldn't be happier. Thank you Grandma and thank you Curves! Not only have you made me a healthier, more physically fit person, you've made me a happier person!!! I know everyone’s life is demanding but if you are truly committed to a more physically fit and healthier you, I am sure you can find the required 30 minutes a day 3 times a week to accomplish this. You should try it. You will love it!!!