Justine Deboer

Working out at LD Fitness has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. Lyle took the time to get to know me, and tailored a workout program that worked well with my goals and my personality. He has a unique and thorough understanding of muscles and the way that the body works, and it shows through the programs that he designs and the results that he gets. The best thing about working out with Lyle is that the physical transformation is only the beginning; the real accomplishment was walking away with a drive, focus, and self-confidence that I didn't know I had.

Lyle pushed me to work out harder than I have ever worked, and I got incredible results. I lost 20 lbs, shed a ton of body fat, and have actual definition and tone to my muscles. When I play volleyball or baseball, I am faster, hit harder, and don't get tired. I went from being unable to run any distance without wheezing, to doing 5k straight through without running-specific training. The objective changes are easy to see and describe. What isn't as obvious or easy to explain are the ways that I changed personally as the result of the workouts.

I have lost count of how many times Lyle gave me an exercise and I said, "That is impossible. I can't do that." It happened at least twice per workout when I started training. Then, something changed and I stopped questioning what I was capable of. I started to expect that I could do whatever was asked of me. Lyle constantly challenged me to be better than I was the day before, and to try things that I never would have had the guts to try otherwise. He made me accountable to my workouts and wouldn't accept excuses.

I know that I sound like a cheesy infomercial, but working out with Lyle changed the way that I see myself and my personal expectations. It is nearly impossible to put the feelings of accomplishment into words; I am so proud of myself for the goals that I have met and surpassed through my workouts. I developed the mental focus to push through what seemed impossible, and that began to extend past the gym to my everyday life. I strive for greatness instead of settling for mediocrity. I developed discipline, confidence, and the drive to always be better.

I will forever hear Lyle's voice in the back of my head saying, "You have a choice: you can just survive this, or you can attack it."

The thing is, "just surviving" isn't even an option for me anymore.