by Wendy Terhaar
Since I was a little kid, I was pretty active. I played youth sports as a child, but my primary activity was horseback riding and barrel racing.
I became heavy into riding and competitions as I entered high school. We rode and practiced every day with our horses.
Now, I wasn’t the kid who lived in town where my parents had to board the horses for me, and I just got the luxury of showing up to ride each day. There was WAY more to it than that.
We owned the boarding facility, so I took care of my own horses and had to take care of all the boarded horses. In no way do I regret all of this hard work I had to do, as it taught me to continue working hard into my adult life.
In fact, we (my husband & I) built and opened up my own boarding and training facility, where I ran a successful program for many years.
Transition and Lifestyle Change
Fast forward, I decided it was time for some lifestyle changes and was ready for new adventures. I slowly began to sell off my competition horses and started spending my time doing other things. I began a bookkeeping business and helped my husband start a SxS (side-by-side) side hustle.
Do you know what bookkeeping and SxS’s have in common?
A lot of sitting around.
My activity level had drastically changed with my lifestyle change. It showed how my clothes fit or, should I say, didn’t fit. It was showing on the scale, and most importantly, it was showing in me.
I was always tired and lacked the energy or desire to do much. I was fatigued, and I was at my highest weight since the 3rd trimester of my first pregnancy 21 years ago.
I was out of shape. I couldn’t go on hikes with my husband without stopping every few minutes to catch my breath.
I knew things were not going well for my health, and the biggest kicker that I haven’t mentioned yet is that obesity runs on both sides of my biological family. Obesity wasn’t the only worry; high blood pressure and diabetes were all part of that.
I couldn’t do it. I had to help myself. I didn’t want to be overweight. That’s not who I am. I tried to work out at home. I have tons of gym equipment, but I failed every time. If I joined a gym, I would go the first week and then stop going but continue to pay for the gym membership for several months.
Commitment to Change
I needed help, and that is when I was introduced to Daniel. I wasn’t introduced to him to help me; I was introduced to him through other business work, but after meeting him at his gym and talking with him in person, not even about my issues or the gym or anything related, I knew I had to see how his program could help me.
If I committed to showing up to someone other than myself, I would have to follow through.
It was August 1 when I showed up at that gym in my workout clothes for the first time. I was nervous. The other people who were there had been going for quite some time. They were in great shape, and I thought I was way out of my element.
Guess what?
The people were so nice and supportive of one another, supportive of me, and helpful!
Daniel was great at helping me get through the warmup because, let me tell you, the warmup was my entire workout the first week I attended.
I committed to show up 3 days a week. I did this throughout the whole month of August. I was learning new lifts, I could go through the warmup on my own now, and I was thinking, I like this.
Then, wouldn’t you know it – I was out on an SXS with my husband, and after a downhill 5x rollover accident, I had torn a tendon in my right thumb.
Really, it could have been way worse, so I am thankful that is all the damage done. At this time, I could have used this injury as my out and just been done at the gym.
I told Daniel about my injury and that I didn’t know what to do as I needed my hand and arm to work out. His response was, no, you don’t; we can work around it. So that’s just what we did!
It took about a month to heal my right thumb with the bodywork and light-duty rehab work Daniel provided.
By the end of this time, my 3-day-a-week commitment to showing up had increased to 4 days a week.
I could feel myself getting stronger. I could see muscles getting bigger, but I also saw and felt more weight gain. Yes, I know muscle weighs more than fat, but that wasn’t what I saw.
I told Daniel my concerns. He immediately asked for a list of what I eat in a week. I put that together for him, and there wasn’t too much he wanted to change on that part (I eat mostly healthy), but instead, he had me begin walking 2-3 times a week outside of the gym training.
Meanwhile, my husband had been on this Andy Frisella kick over the last few weeks. Listening to his podcasts and taking an interest in his 75 Hard program. I read the 75 Hard Book and its requirements. I combined the requirements with what I was already doing and decided we should try that. The day after Thanksgiving, we started day 1 of 75 Hard.
That Monday, I went to the gym and informed Daniel what I was doing. He was supportive and helped me set out a plan to accomplish everything.
Day 42 of 75 Hard I failed. Not because of lack of try, but I got sick. I had gotten ill the weekend before that Thursday.
I did my workouts through fevers and all, but that Thursday afternoon in negative 20-degree weather, I just couldn’t get past pulling my boots on to go outside and walk. Instead, I kicked my boots off and was asleep for the night by 6:00pm.
I gave myself some time. Did my workouts inside that weekend and was back to the gym Monday morning. I was doing much better but didn’t walk that week in the dark, cold, wet, negative temps.
My husband did! He completes the entire 75 Hard program this Tuesday. He worked very hard to do so, and I am very proud of him for it.
Results and Future Goals
Feeling better at the beginning of January. I make it to Daniel’s gym as much as possible.
Most weeks, I get there 5 days a week, plus doing my home workouts and walks with my husband. I have seen a massive difference in myself in the last few months. Not just physically and on the scale but also mentally and emotionally.
Daniel has and continues to help and support my goals for better health. I just finished my first 6 months in his program and couldn’t be happier with my results.
I have set new goals for the next 6 months, and Daniel has again helped me plan to be successful. I am super excited for what is to come.
I highly encourage anyone wanting to improve their health and physical activity to contact Daniel. It’s not just a blanket program. It’s a program that caters to each individual, and it works!