I moved to the United States from Nigeria for Grad school. Before this time, I had the structure, knowledge and a support system as well as motivation around fitness and health.
When I got to the States, I gained a massive amount of weight. I couldn't explain it at first, and then I realised that, in addition to my lack of movement, there were all the take-out dinners and processed foods I had gotten accustomed to. I got a gym membership and a Pilates club membership - which I rarely used. I couldn't muster the motivation to go. And so, I watched my weight creep up and started to feel powerless about it.
What problem were you facing when trying to achieve your health goal?
What I needed the most was accountability. So I googled furiously, found Fitmate, and decided - this is it. Last ditch effort, let's give this a try.
I liked the fact that I was talking to an actual person without paying the exorbitant rates of an hourly session with an in-person coach. Sounded too good to be true. But it was true. Not a bot. A real person. Nothing wrong with bots, but I was fascinated. While I thought I wanted accountability, and I most definitely got that, what I really needed - which I didn't know, was a mindset shift.
How did Fitmate help you?
Fitmate coaches taught me two things - small changes over time, snowball into big results. Secondly- it is never all or nothing - you see, for most of my adult life, I have crash dieted my way down to my ideal weight most of the time. But Fitmate coach helped me realise that I could take a gentler approach and still achieve the same results. At first, I wasn't so sure, but by the third or fourth week, It all made sense!
What did you enjoy about the program?
I enjoyed the feedback I received from my coaches. Their way of thinking was a departure from mine, and I thoroughly enjoyed their perspective. One of my coaches said to me once - “Change is a process, not a destination”.
What did Fitmate help you achieve?
Fitmate helped me achieve a weight loss of 20 pounds, which gave me a huge boost of energy and meant I could wear high-heeled shoes sometimes, and not struggle because my knees would hurt.
And, the confidence I got from the knowledge I received. Maybe the word is not confidence, the word is power. I gained knowledge which empowered me to change my habits and my life.
