Lifelong Struggle By Lady Lifter Laura Haxton

By Gigi Boyd, Owner and Founder of Lady Lifters, Personal Trainer & Instructor 

Until I became a Lady Lifter, my weight loss story contained several chapters with a lot of ups and downs, a lot of tears and some successes but it was always temporary, I never had a final chapter.

Standing at 6’ tall and weighing 180 lbs in high school, my size did help me excel in sports. I played basketball, track and lacrosse through high school and continued lacrosse in college. Sports was my passion but my body had different plans. I had a total of four knee surgeries between my 8th grade year and my junior year in college. Throughout high school and college my weight fluctuated up and down.

I graduated college in 2003, got my first full time job and the weight started piling on. Eating out, drinking and without sports to burn it off, I knew I needed to do something.

In the Spring of 2004 my life took a huge turn when I was in a near fatal motorcycle accident. I was a passenger on a motorcycle, traveling 60 mph, when an 86-year-old man pulled out in front. We hit the car going full speed. I blacked out before the accident even occurred. I was medevacked and in critical condition. I was wearing a full face helmet, which doctors tell me saved my life. My injuries included: broken jaw (2 places); damaged corroded arteries, broken wrist, injured groin and both knees were ripped open down to the bone. My jaw was wired shut, my wrist was in a cast, I had road rash on the left side of my body and I was confined to a wheel chair for the next 2 months.

I started dating my now husband in 2009, we fell in love and were married in 2011 nearly 65 lbs heavier than my college days. In 2012, we had twin girls! I gave birth to almost 14 lbs of baby! I gained 70 lbs during my pregnancy – the weight packed on!

So what makes Lady Lifters special? Gigi Boyd is the unique ingredient that makes Lady Lifters stand above the rest. It’s not just a gym, it’s a family. She’s not just a trainer, she’s a role model, a cheerleader, a friend and a counselor. Let’s break down why Lady Lifters has brought me so much success . . .

The Workouts! Gigi’s workouts are killer! She offers a variety of classes that can be modified for beginners, advanced, disabled, old, fat, skinny, ANYONE! The classes always get my heart rate up and burn a lot of calories.

The Atmosphere! In one word, uplifting. Everyone at Lady Lifters is so supportive. We have young, old, fat, skinny, professionals, business owners, stay at home moms but it doesn’t matter. When you walk in the door at Lady Lifters, everyone is the same. Everyone is there to better themselves in some way. Even on the darkest days, I leave Lady Lifters feeling empowered and ready to conquer anything. The positive attitudes are inspiring.

The Speeches! Gigi takes 10 – 15 minutes to talk to the group. She always speaks from the heart and it always has a powerful message. Gigi has her own weight loss story that includes personal loss and self-inspiring motivation. She has a lot of experience to pull from and can relate to just about any issue her members come to her with. Her speeches ALWAYS touch my heart. I find myself thinking about them for days after and even quoting her when I talk to other people. Her messages are extremely powerful and have taught me a lot about myself.

Nutrition! Part of being a Lady Lifter comes with the advantage of learning a lot about nutrition from Gigi and during the challenges. Thinking I already knew it all, I have learned a lot during my time as a Lady Lifters about food nutrition and portions.

Gigi! Gigi is definitely a one-of-kind soul. She truly cares about each and every one of her members. She loves with every ounce of her body. She is extremely generous and reliable. Lady Lifters isn’t a job for her, it’s a passion. It’s obvious that she puts her heart and soul into everything she does. I think she has some sort of sixth sense too! Anytime I am down in the dumps or trying to hide something (like when I eat wrong) she KNOWS! She always makes time to pull me aside and ask “what’s wrong?”. She can read people and relate to their struggles which is always a comfort.

NOW I can stand proudly in front of a mirror and love what I see. I feel beautiful, strong and unstoppable. I get compliments constantly that I look great. Yes, I’ve lost weight, but I think they see the confidence! I tell everyone that this is the first time in my life that I actually feel like I am going to accomplish my goals. Everyone has goals, but how many of those goals are just dreams that you aren’t willing to work for? Gigi has taught me to dream big, work hard and conquer those goals! I know with Lady Lifters on my side, I can and I will! I started with Lady Lifters at 305 lbs and by January 1st I was down to 280 lbs. I have continued to lose and on March 1st I was down to 265lbs.

Testimonies

“I joined Lady Lifters on February 1 to be a support to my youngest daughter. When my oldest daughter heard about it, she wanted to join as well and it quickly became a fun hobby for us to do together. We were welcomed into the gym instantly and surrounded by the most supportive women I had ever met! I have exercised on and off through the years but I was very out of shape and had gained so much weight that my exercise clothes didn’t fit anymore. I wore my husbands XL t-shirts to get by. I started to drop weight quickly and felt stronger each time I worked out. I hit a few bumps in the road with vacation and illness but I am down 20lbs now and have muscles showing where they never showed before! Gigi is going to help me improve my diet and push heavier weights and I am so excited to see what the next few months bring. Lady Lifters is more than a gym, the crew there is now family.” ~ Renee Foreman Startt

“I joined Lady Lifters in December of 2016; I was invited by a close friend to just try it out. I tried to think of reasons to not go, or something had come up so I could respectfully decline and go back to the comfort of my couch and my chips. But I went and I quickly realized just how out of shape I really was! I knew I had to come back, because I am not a quitter. So I showed up from then on, and then I was introduced to weightlifting! That has been my main focus since joining the gym. I strive to be the strongest I possibly can and Lady Lifters helped me the whole way! Now I am excited to get to the gym to lift every day as well as I have been watching what I eat! I make sure to have healthier choices, and eating proper serving sizes instead of just eating what I want until my body tells me I’m full. My goals for the future are to become a Trainer myself so that I can help others find a healthier lifestyle! I am proud to be a part of the Lady Lifters team!”  ~ Trisha Morris 

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Photos by Mike Baker of C. M. Baker Photography