Danielle: “I need Naomi on monday morning, to reset me after the weekend”
During last years City-to-Surf-event Daniëlle Berger (43) handed out glucose tablets to the runners who ran past her house. Her neighbor stated: "There is not a fiber in my body that wants to participate". In a few weeks time a completely new Daniëlle will do just that. She will start in the 10k at the City-Pier-City run in her hometown. Almost 13kilos lighter. "And it will be easy for me to finish, 2 fingers in my nose", she adds laughing. Because a lot has changed for Daan the last year.
Why did you choose to train at Health Get Things Done?
Last May we went on holiday with the whole family, to celebrate my parents 45 years wedding anniversary. We took a family photo and when I saw the result, I thought: oooooohhhh! I knew I wanted to lose some weight for years, but at that moment I realized I had to start doing just that.
The last few years I gave birth to 3 beautiful kids, but each pregnancy left me a couple of kilos heavier. I was always very athletic and slim, I could eat whatever I wanted. That is a thing of the past now, I know that now. But I did want my own body back, my strong body that I could count on.
After the second pregnancy I took on a very intense training schedule at the gym. I hurt my back doing that. Same thing happened after the third pregnancy. I went to a physical therapist, he would loosen it up. But by the time I got home my back already started to bother me again. I needed to be fixed, it needed to get stronger.
Basically I needed to flip a switch to a new lifestyle, but I wasn't able to do it by myself. That's why I asked Naomi for help. She had a 3 in 1 solution: nutrition, training, weight loss. And when I added the costs of the gym and the physical therapist, the personal training wasn't more expensive. And it did help. The switch is now flipped, I am strong enough to keep myself in check. Last weekend I partied hard, with food and booze. But not as much as I used to do. I have Naomi's voice in my head and the result of that is that I now have boundaries. I do need a training session with her on Monday morning, to reset me from the weekend.
What are your goals? And what is the coolest result up to now?
Most important goal was my back, that needed to get stronger. And losing the weight: I wanted to be on the beach in swimsuit, I wanted to do windsurfing again. I have reached all of those goals. I lost almost 13 kilos and feel fit. My body fat percentage went from 34% to 25%. My BMI (body mass index) is now a healthy 23. Best thing is my metabolic age, or my 'real' age: that is 28 now! I am proud of that.
I would like to lose 1 more kilo, but maybe I'll just leave that on my body, as a motivation to keep exercising. I am almost at the point that I can say goodbye to Naomi, but I really don't want to. I don't have to either, I will keep doing the spinning classes and join the bootcamp if the weather is nice. I also have taken up running and I enjoy that immensely. It's my meditation.
Weight training is another story, I wouldn't do that by myself. I need Naomi to do that. When I train myself in the gym I cannot push beyond a certain point. I now I am not the only one. But I feel the benefits from strength training most of all. I just returned from a skiing trip, hence the partying last weekend. But I could take my kids in one of those drag lifts, with that thing tucked in your knees. Needed no hand to hang onto the things and it didn't hurt me. That is big for me.
What exercise do you enjoy the best? And which exercise do you hate?
I love boxing, that makes me feel tough. I now have a boxing bag at home. And pull up using a TRX reminds me of surfing, so I enjoy that. The things I don't like... the list is long: planking and push up are the worst. I still do them at home as well as in the studio. But shorter: I work my plank at home for maybe 30 seconds, Naomi pushes me to a minute. But I do do it! I noticed result, that keeps me going. It is very functional, training this way. I always thought that all exercise was created equal, so I would do some tennis, walking or biking. But when you really focus on an area during training, that part gets stronger and tighter. My body is back in its old shape now, just the way I wanted it. I really lost a whole outer layer... and I refuse to put it back on.
What do you do differently now? What is the most important lesson Naomi has taught you?
That it is never too late to start and that doing little things will help to get to your goal.
I changed my nutrition as well: I cut back on cheese sandwiches, eat loads of protein and load of almonds.
Running is also a gem I discovered. I do not understand that I have been living here in Scheveningen for 18 years, near the beach and that I didn't start running sooner.
What is the best compliment you received now that you are getting fit?
I like it when people don't recognize me right away, because I lost the weighty. They look at me and then realize: "Hey Daan, that's you!” My best friend gave me my favorite compliment. He said: "I can see the old Daan again, the one I became friend with."
Can you tell me a funny training story….
When I started training at Health Get Things Done I had to get used to Naomi. To be honest: I entered resisting the whole process and I still don't always like to train. But she is untouchable in that, she doesn't get thrown. And she isn't easy to fool either. Sometimes I try to laugh away my frustration and start to mock about. She then just looks at me with a straight face with just a hint of a smile. But we are still going to do the workout that she scheduled for me, no doubt in her mind. I might get angry about that, even think "you bitch" sometimes. But when it's over, I can laugh about it. There was this one time she almost had me in tears. I wanted to reduce the resistance during spinning class and she yelled out: NO!!!! I really didn't like that, but I kept going and was proud afterwards. You know what it is: I am to kind to myself, Naomi pushes me beyond what I think are my limits.
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