During the last quarter of 2015, I caught a nasty bug. When I finally went to the doctor, I found that I weighed much more than I thought I did. While I didn't weigh enough to be on My 600-lb Life, it was definitely more than I was comfortable with. So I decided to do something about it. I signed up with a personal trainer in February.

My trainer, Tammy, is pretty awesome. At the first appointment, we took some body measurements and tried a few exercises to see where I was starting. The next week ramped it up a little bit but not enough that I was ready to quit. But by the third week, Tammy kicked it up. A lot. But never to the point where I couldn't do anything. If something hurt or I had too much trouble with a specific exercise (damn you, push ups), we would modify it a little bit. I have yet to not finish a set.

But the part I like the most about Tammy? She makes me feel like I'm not working out. When I come in, she'll write the night's "assignments" (OK, they're sets) on the board and show me how to do each move properly. Once I get started, we spend the rest of the time chatting while I work out. I may not be able to respond with words (mostly because I'm trying to count in my head) but it's enough to distract me from what I'm doing. Before I know it, the night's workout is over and I'm heading home extremely sweaty.

On March 23, we took my measurements again. This was after only four weeks of training with her. (I had to take two weeks off due to a migraine and some school commitments for my daughter.) I lost an inch off my waist, three inches off my hips (which is my worst part), and an inch and a half off my thigh. In addition, I gained three-quarters of an inch on my bicep due to muscle.

For the record, this was almost entirely exercise based. My diet barely changed. I drank a little less soda, I added some more protein, and I tried to eat less fast food. I still don't measure or weigh my portions. The only real change is that I drink smoothies for breakfast instead of a bagel slathered with cream cheese. But I can still have a bagel once in awhile if I want!

I never thought I would be one of those people that enjoyed working out. Dancing has always been my "workout" but I don't do it nearly enough to make a difference in my body. Thanks to Tammy, I look forward to my trainer appointments. I've even purchased a kettlebell and a dumbbell to use at home in between our weekly appointments. A good trainer really does make a world of difference.