Dan Burns

lost 200 lbs reduced body fat by 8.5%!!

For over two decades I have struggled with my weight.  With several failed attempts of dieting and exercising, I felt my body had failed me.  I would diet and lose the unwanted fat only to gain the weight I lost and more.  I would exercise and push my body to burn more calories to end up seriously injuring myself.  I felt it was inevitable that I was going to continue to gain weight surpassing 500 lbs. (at that time I was 495 lbs.) and die at a young age.

When I decided I was going to change my relationship with food and with my body, I started with the knowledge gained throughout the years with all my previous dieting and exercise plans.  I was succeeding in small increments, but not getting the results I wanted.  Frankly, I was overwhelmed with the challenge.  I needed to partner with someone to take it to the next step. I interviewed several Personal Trainers.  Of all the trainers I interviewed, Brian Young showed interest in my story, thoughtful planning of our journey together, and provided hope that I can achieve my dreams in physical fitness.

Brian Young’s style of training through positive reinforcement and encouraging words has started to replace my internal negative voices. I am beginning a new positive relationship with my body and pushing through mental messages of “I can’t” when my body actually can. Brian has taught me how I was abusing my body rather than nurturing and caring for it. He has taught me how to care for my body through effective stretching and warming up before exercising to prevent injury. He helped me discover different ways to measure progress through body fat percentage, body measurements, and endurance instead of focusing on the scale. We talk about why diets don’t work and how nutrition fuels my body, what exercises maximize the use of my time, and even what motivates me to continue to reach for my goal.

I have discovered at my previous weight of 495 lbs there were muscles I literally didn’t use. There were movements I didn’t know how to do. Through Brian Young’s abundant knowledge, constant attention to detail with form, and incredible patience while I figure it out, he has helped me learn how to use muscles properly and focus on certain individual muscles.

As of this testimony, I currently weigh 280 lbs.  Since working with Brian Young, I have far exceeded my goal of losing 200 lbs and reduced my body fat percentage by 8.5%.  I am looking forward to a dream of hiking and camping in national parks, playing soccer with my nephews, and being under the 200 lbs weight limit to ride in a hot air balloon. The sky is the limit for my future.  Brian has been more than a personal trainer, but a friend on a journey of putting my life back together-physically, mentally, and emotionally. I have such deep gratitude for Brian in my life. He has been a true friend of encouragement on my journey, for I have learned more than just how to exercise but have learned about my true potential.

Dan B.