From Struggling with his weight to down over 20lbs and feeling great!
We are so excited to announce member Chad Lukkarila as our first Member of the Month for 2023! Chad has been rocking his workouts with Coach Chelsea since April of 2022 and has seen some serious results.
Member of the Month, Chad, doing landmine side lunges with a smile on his face with the Studio ME STRONGER mural in the background.
Before Chad started his journey with Studio ME Fitness, he had been struggling with his weight for 20+ years and felt held back from achieving his goals because of lack of knowledge, guidance, and motivation. Plus, Chad told us that, “I never liked exercising/working out. I wanted my fitness to come from playing sports or hiking or rock climbing and not going to the gym.” He had tried different gyms in the past but didn’t follow a program. And although he saw some results in his 5K fun runs from using the treadmill, he wasn’t seeing any changes in overall aerobic conditioning or weight loss.
That’s when Chad realized he needed the guidance and motivation that comes from having a trainer and started looking for a place in or around NE Minneapolis. After Googling local gyms and meeting with a coach to discuss his goals, Chad decided that Studio ME was the place to be!
Although he was a bit nervous that he wouldn’t have the motivation to stick with an exercise program, Chad found that “Chelsea has been awesome, and the other trainers have been great. Everyone is very friendly, helpful, and energetic that it helps motivate me to be part of the group.”
“Having a set schedule and Chelsea guiding me has kept me motivated to keep pushing.”
When we asked Chad what challenges he has overcome since joining, he told us this:
“I [had] never done most of the exercises, including the free weights, or TRX work. Different exercises were hard at the start, but I have gotten more comfortable, seen the weights I am lifting increase, and felt better. I have even come to like some of the exercises! I have also lost about 20 lbs. since I started! Coworkers, friends, and family have noticed that I have lost weight and toned up.”
Chad has experienced firsthand the benefits of having expert guidance on your fitness journey: “A few months after I started, I had some elbow achiness. Chelsea adjusted my workout to reduce effort on my elbow and increased some stretching to help it. Such a positive thing to have a coach that can adjust as needed. My elbow is not giving me issues and I am back to doing a full range of exercises.”
We may definitely play a part in his motivation, but Chad is pretty good at being motivated all by himself. He radiates determination every time he enters the studio and is always pushing himself to work harder and get stronger.
Fun Facts about Chad:
He and his wife, Kris (who just became a member, too!) went to Tasmania, Australia for vacation and did a 6-day hut-to-hut hike. He says, “Thanks to my work in the gym, I felt super prepared for the 8 to 12 miles per day of hiking.”
Chad also shared with us what he likes to do to keep moving outside the studio: “I hike a lot, play softball, play pickleball, rock climb, walk around NE Minneapolis, and do the occasional 5K fun run/walk.”
That’s awesome! We love helping you live your best life 😊
Last but not least, we asked Chad “What would you say to anyone else who might be looking to get started on their own health and fitness journey?”
His response? “Don’t wait like I did. Find the fitness path that fits you and your needs. You won’t regret it.”
Thanks for being part of our crew, Chad! We can’t wait to see what your next adventures will be!
You can get results just like chad. Click the link below to book a call. We’ll learn more about you and your fitness goals and together create a plan to help you get there.
“Don’t wait like I did. Find the fitness path that fits you and your needs. You won’t regret it.”
