Racquet and Fitness Center Testimonials

Mark's Success Story

Lost 30 lbs, 20.5", and lowered body fat by 10%!

In the late winter of 2019 I started participating in lunchtime yoga classes at the Racquet & Fitness Center. I met the instructor, Ali Molnar, and I was impressed right away with several things. Ali was professional, organized, knowledgeable and yet flexible and humble. I sensed that she was passionate about fitness and nutrition. She enjoyed helping people but she wasn’t overbearing about it. For her, it was about the people she was guiding. It was about giving back to the community, not about her ego and that made a huge difference for me. I knew she could help me and that I could trust her to partner with me. I had become sedentary. I was out of shape, overweight, and had nearly abandoned exercising, but the yoga classes were helping me. I wanted to improve my fitness, flexibility, and health so I found the courage to approach Ali about my next step. She wisely suggested the U FIT program and I signed up.  

Ali designed a program with me. I weighed in. We took initial measurements and tests of my strength, speed and endurance, and an initial photograph. We set goals that were reasonable. I continued the yoga classes and added aerobics and weight lifting. Ali and I discussed nutrition and she encouraged me to keep a food journal which I did and it was very helpful in allowing me to track and see the positive and negative impacts of my food choices. The partnership and support from Ali helped me gain knowledge and confidence that I could accomplish my goal.

Overall I have lost 30 lb. over the last 7 months. I have built muscle, lost fat and gained flexibility. I feel younger and lighter when I move. Minor tasks are not a monumental chore like they were when I was out of shape and overweight. I’ve gained confidence and a sense of control over my body and my eating. 

I’m very thankful that I crossed paths with Ali and the U FIT program at the Racquet & Fitness 
Center. I hope that Ali hears my sincere praise in this story. I think she has a unique spirit and skill in helping people to heal, strengthen and take care of their bodies. 

Namaste Ali.  I will always be grateful to you.  

.

Niccole's Success Story

"My clothes fit me so much better, I have a lot more energy, and I just plan feel healthier and less stressed!"

Most of my life, I’ve been physically active and I’ve never really struggled with being overweight or out-of-shape. Although active through my teen years and young adult life, I still neglected to pay attention to what I was putting in my body. I was always on the go, therefore, I would eat whatever and whenever I could, regardless of the nutrition value. Additionally, I committed myself to more than I should have, leading to lack of sleep and unmanageable stress. This lifestyle eventually had its consequences in my early twenties. My 
immune system weakened, I would contract any infection to which I was exposed, and I developed hypothyroidism. I tried to manage my health on my own, with the support of taking synthetic hormone prescribed by my primary physician. Lacking the self-accountability that I do, I inevitably ended up back into the same lifestyle as before.

A few years later, after the loss of a pregnancy, marriage, a new home, a new job, giving birth to a beautiful little boy, and finding a new balance in life, I met Ali Molnar in June 2018. In preparation to get fit for a friend’s wedding, I signed up for the U FIT program at the Racquet & Fitness Center. I was instantly hooked. I wasn’t trying to shed a lot of weight, but I wanted to eat better and be toned again. I wanted to be able to keep up with my then two, now three-year-old. I wanted to be HEALTHIER and HAPPIER in my future.

Beyond U FIT, I signed up for personal training with Ali. This was the miracle for which I had been looking for so many years. She has helped me to beat my personal records over and over again. My clothes fit me so much better, I have a lot more energy (which is vital to being a young mom), and I just plain feel healthier and less stressed. My thyroid levels have even improved! Ali and I try to meet twice a week on average, but she is flexible when my schedule becomes hectic. Even if we miss a training, she is always sure to check in with me and support me in my efforts to work out on my own.

In the past, I was held accountable by my teammates and coaches. After graduating, I only had myself for accountability, which wasn’t working out in my favor. Ali has been such an excellent support to my needs, even beyond my physical fitness. She encourages me to take care of myself holistically—body, mind, and soul. Ali has become much more than my physical trainer; she is my friend. I cannot thank her enough for helping me to eat healthy, maintain strength training, cardio workouts, and flexibility, as well as being the 
person I can vent to when things get stressful in life. I’m still trying to find the balance, but Ali, along with the resources of the Racquet & Fitness Center, have certainly helped point me in the right direction!

Mario's Success Story

"Ali helped me work out what my goals were and set up a fitness routine that would help boost my energy levels on and off the court."

As a professional tennis management student who could barely pull myself off the tennis courts when I got to Ferris, I had already had a pretty solid baseline of fitness. However, I knew there was still a vast amount of room for improvement. During my more intense tennis matches, I’d find myself too tired to keep up proper form and footwork for long. You see, once I got more involved in tennis, I gave up my old fitness routine. I desperately wanted to improve, but I just wasn’t quite sure how to fit working out into a busy tennis schedule without burning myself out. Not to mention the fear I had that I’d waste my time on exercises that wouldn’t help me reach my goals. Every time I wanted to hit the gym, I’d stop myself out of shear paralysis from analysis. That is where the great staff at the Ferris Racquet and Fitness center came in.

One day out of curiosity after my tennis practice, I stopped by Ali’s office to see if there was anything she could do to help. Right away she sat me down, helped me work out what my goals were, and set up a fitness routine around my schedule that would help boost my energy levels on and off the court. Ali not only put together workout routines for me and motivated me to push through them, she taught me tons of different workout styles that I could then take and implement on my own. Her guidance helped me remember how accomplished a good workout could make me feel. Now I want to be working out again not just for tennis, but for the amazing feeling I have waking up in the morning feeling energized and ready to tackle the day.

 

Megan's Success Story

"My goal was to stay in shape, focusing primarily on strength training, she has given me a place to keep the balance in my life. It has greatly improved my overall strength, confidence, and emotional well-being!"

Over 8 years ago, I began my running journey. Running wasn’t always something I enjoyed, but suddenly things clicked and I was hooked! Many half marathons and marathons later, I was feeling burned out and ready for a change.

Trying to balance work, graduate school, and fitness wasn’t easy. I knew I performed best with a plan, so I looked to Ali for just that. She and I have spent 30 minutes together each week for well over a year! Knowing that my goal was to stay in shape, focusing primarily on strength training, she has given me a plan to keep the balance in my life. I can take the exercises home to squeeze them in the early morning or after work.

When I decided I wanted to train for another half marathon, she adjusted my plan to
include treadmill (or other cardio) sprints, along with strength training specific to runners. It has greatly improved my overall strength, confidence, and emotional well-being! I look forward to our sessions each week, anxiously awaiting the new moves and workouts she plans. Every week is different, which is exactly what I need!

 

Dan's Success Story

"I have lost ~35 pounds, but more importantly, I feel happier and healthier."

It is difficult to create a metric that adequately defines an individual’s “Quality of Life”.  It has a different meaning for everyone. In most cases, a happy person is a healthy person. Typically, how a person feels depends on a person’s health. Independent of physical limitations, gender or age, it is important to develop healthy habits, which improves a person’s “Quality of Life”. The Value of a Personal Trainer is like a “Personal Health Guidance Counselor”. In addition to sharing their knowledge in the proper application of exercising and stretching, they also empathize with everyone’s limitations and give emotional support for each person’s health-journey.  

Over the past year I have worked with a Personal Trainer, Ali Molnar, by being a part of the U FIT program.  I have lost approximately 35 pounds, but more importantly, I feel happier and healthier. I do not feel like there is something missing.  I have more energy to enjoy my life with my wife, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, parents and friends. Working with a Personal Trainer is an investment and a commitment. However, your most important asset is your health. We only have a limited time on this planet to observe, wonder and marvel at our existence. I believe that working with a Personal Trainer has improved my “Quality of Life” to continue this limited time.