A Guide for Fitness Resolutions

As the New Year approaches, a surge in gym memberships signals a collective resolve to prioritize health and wellness. Yet, for many, that determination falters, often fading by the end of January when the initial excitement wanes. Recognizing this common trend, we sought out someone who defied the odds, took on the challenge last year, and achieved their fitness goals. Two years ago, we visited Belize City’s local gym, Burn Box. This year, our search brought us closer to home—just a few blocks from our studios at Body 2000. There, Sabreena met a dynamic duo: a dedicated client and her personal trainer, working together to crush their goals, one year at a time. Here’s their inspiring story.

 

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

They say consistency and effort are the secret ingredients to success, and this is especially true when it comes to fitness goals. As the new year kicks off, fitness centers are buzzing with energy, filled with people determined to become the best version of themselves. Three years ago, Gabriela Salgado made the same decision. Although it wasn’t on January 1st, her journey is a powerful testament to the determination and resilience needed to achieve health and fitness goals.

 

Gabriela Salgado, Biggest Loser
“The first year was really challenging. I had days I didn’t feel like going; I felt logy. And I tried to change my mood. But after that year, I started to become addicted to the gym.”

 

Wait—did you think it was that simple? Not quite. One of the biggest misconceptions about fitness is that hitting the gym alone guarantees results. But nutrition is where the real challenge begins. For Gabriela Salgado, this challenge took on new urgency after a gallstone diagnosis forced her to make significant lifestyle changes.

Gabriela Salgado
“ The first year, I kind of changed my eating habits, but not completely. I used to still take my drinks on weekends and stuff like that. From the first year, when I started I only saw little results, maybe two to five pounds, but it came right back because I wasn’t eating healthily enough. Then after the surgery,  when I cut out everything I lost up to twenty-five pounds in a three month span.”

 

Today, Gabriela shares her journey with confidence, reflecting on a transformation that was as much mental as it was physical. She credits her success not only to her dedication but also to the unwavering support of her personal trainer, Aaron Theus. His guidance and encouragement were instrumental in keeping her focused and pushing her to reach her full potential.

 

 Aaron Theus, Personal Trainer
“ I’m extremely impressed and it’s things like that that make me continue to want to be a better trainer so I could do this for more people. There’s other people that I work with that have over the years gotten results and those things keep me focused. It keeps me pushing to be better. So I’m extremely honored to be working with people like that.”

Gabriela Salgado

“It was really effective and really helped me because i came to the gym and  had somebody to push me.”

 

Aaron Theus, a seasoned professional in health and wellness for nearly a decade, attributes his success to a personalized approach—tailoring his strategies to each client rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all method.

Aaron Theus
“It’s important to have someone that can hold you accountable because it’s difficult to deconstruct certain habits that you’ve formulated over the years. So, to have someone that could show you the way, in a way that you can receive it is, I think it’s critical for your well being. I got into this business because of my dad. I think he was doing this for like about 12 to 13 years when I started. So a lot of the information that he got over the years, he just compounded it and gave it to me. And since then on my own, I developed my skills each year.”

 

Theus takes an unconventional approach to personal training, extending it to the unique motivation he provides. This year, he’s inspiring his clients to ‘Bet On Themselves’ with a fitness challenge like no other—offering financial rewards for the best results.

Aaron Theus

“It’s for my clients exclusively and it’s going to be 12 weeks. The beginning of January to the end of March. And the female winner and the male winner that produces the best results in that amount of time will get twenty-five hundred dollars each. The system is based on points, so it’s not merely based on aesthetics, it’s based on also being consistent at the gym. So it’s trying to foster consistency and not just wanting to lose as much weight as possible and picking up bad dietary habits. Nutrition is  foundation of your success. You could get stronger, you could get more mobile, you could have more endurance, but in terms of physical changes, you have to prioritize your nutrition. And I think a lot of people don’t really understand that. They think that I could outwork my diet, but you can’t.”

 

So, what’s the golden nugget from this powerhouse pair? It’s something you’ve probably heard a million times. From Gabriela Salgado’s triumphs to her trainer’s sage advice, they both hammer home one key point: ‘Consistency and effort are the keys to making progress.

Gabriela Salgado
“Don’t be scared. If you want to start the gym, start it. And remember, it’s all in your mind.  You just need to put your mind to it. Sometimes you’ll feel lazy and unmotivated but It’s all in your mind. Even then, show up, work out, and when you’re done, you’ll feel much better.”

 Aaron Theus
“ Just start. Most people tend to think that, oh man, I don’t want to go to the gym because they might look at me. Everybody’s kind of focused more on themselves than anybody else. So just start. And as time goes along, you will get better at it. You will become more experienced in everything that you’re doing. So just take your time and start.”

 

Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.