👋 Hi! Tell us about yourself and your training
I’m Bre Hess, 28 years old and living in West Virginia, USA. Certified personal trainer and now studying to be an Exercise therapist as well.
I’ve been training for 2 years now. I was 325 lbs (147 kg), very unhealthy. I let myself get out of control after high school.
I was a very active kid, did gymnastics and road horses up and down the east coast. At the age of 25 I had high blood pressure, a bad back, almost had to have my gallbladder removed, and borderline diabetic. I knew something had to change.
Finding something that worked with out yo yo dieting or plateauing was super hard at first. I started doing a ton of research on my own and came up with 4 techniques to incorporate with my exercise, and the weight just started falling off.
After about 2 months it had became a lifestyle change and habit for me, because I stayed consistent.
I had discovered a way to lose weight and keep it off WITHOUT using any type of supplements, spending hours in the gym or, cutting out all my carbs.
I’ve lost 185 lbs (84 kg) in 2 years, I’m now 138 lbs (63 kg).
In my fitness journey I have been super blessed I have had countless numbers of sponsors and had the opportunity to call myself a fitness model. I am now published on the Glacier website.
I also designed a fitness program called BreFit that is currently helping 140 clients reach their goals. So my control and discipline has empowered me to help others.
⏱ Describe a typical day of training
I wear my Fitbit Flex constantly, and if it dies I won’t move until I charge it.
I make sure that I get a minimum at least 4,000 steps in a day. I do some type of exercise at least 5 days a week. I alternate between weightlifting, yoga, endurance training, CrossFit, and running.
My favorite exercise would have to be anything lower body whether it be leg presses at the gym, or squats at home.
I train alone with my music. I do not feel that I need a partner to keep me motivated myself is enough. I do sometimes take my photographer with me to the gym just to get some pictures but I always do my best when I’m alone.
I work out for 30 minutes a day. There is really no need to do any more than that. Before my exercise and after I drink a lot of water.
During my exercise I take BCAAs by FNX, usually only when weightlifting. I do not take any other type of supplements or protein shakes unless I make them myself using raw fruit.
I do not follow somebody else’s program. I have built my own so I will never plateau. I normally log everything into my Fitbit. I take measurements once a week and write them down and also take pictures so that I can see the progress.
👊 How do you keep going and push harder?
What keeps me going the most is the fear of going back
Let’s be honest. No one out there has the motivation every single day to work out. Some days I have to force myself.
Most of my motivation comes from my clients because I know that I am an inspiration to them. I had been there and their shoes and I know what they’re going through.
Even on my laziest day when I feel like I do not have the time or the motivation to go to the gym I take my dogs for a run.
What keeps me going the most is the fear of going back, all of the hard work that I have put in over the last two years. All of the research, all of the dedication.
Making the time is not the hard part. Everybody has an extra 20 minutes a day. The hard part is getting your mindset right, that you are going to do it whether you want to or not and in the end you will feel better.
I listen to metal music while working out, it gets me pumped and seem to sweat more.
🏆 How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
When I started losing weight my goal was only to get to 180 lbs. Once I got there I made a new goal, and just continued to stay consistent.
Now my plans are to continue my career as a personal trainer and fitness model. I am now currently training and toning to eventually compete in the NPC bikini Pro.
My eating habits are going to be a little bit different so that I get more lean. My training has been consisting of a lot of running, and weight lifting for 20 minutes a day low intensity, high repetition together with cycling.
My 5-year goal is to hopefully take my online program to the next step and help thousands, become an exercise therapist and either own my own Rehab Center or work in a rehabilitation center along with still doing my personal training on the side for my other clients.
🤕 How do you recover, rest and handle injuries?
Recovery and rest are the two most important things not only for your muscles but also for your mind.
I had hurt my shoulder about three months ago, I started doing resistance training at home with the Perfect Peach Athletics bands and healed myself pretty much through physical therapy (I went to Fairmont State University-FSU for 4 years for per-physical therapy).
On my rest days I still make sure I get at least a minimum of 4000 steps in.
I pretty much take the weekends off. That is my two days of rest and I always make sure they are back to back so that my muscles have enough time to recover for Monday.
Anytime I feel like I have a small strain or an injury I do RICE. (Rest, Ice, Compression, elevation)
🍎 How is your diet and what supplements do you use?
My diet for losing weight is actually pretty simple. I counted calories. I kept myself around 1200 to 1400 a day at my weight at the time. That is what I had to stick to in order to guarantee that I lost weight every week (My doctor actually suggested me to eat 1000 calories or less for up to 8 weeks).
I still had a ton of energy, because I was not depriving my body of what it needed, and not over exercising.
These days, I cycle my carbs where I have high, moderate, low carb days. I use portion control which for a woman would be the palm of your hand for your protein, the cup of your hand for vegetables, the fist of your hand for carbohydrates, the thumb for your fats at every meal.
I have my body back on track with my mind to where I’m only hungry every 4 hours like I’m supposed to be when the hormone tells you that you’re hungry.
I cannot say that I do meal prep because I don’t, I eat what they consider one ingredient foods. I eat no fast food whatsoever.
I do not drink any pop or alcohol unless it is wine every once in a while. I drink brisk, bai, or green tea.
I follow my own meal plans because I firmly believe that you need carbohydrates in your life to create energy in your body in order to perform exercises throughout the day.
👍 What has inspired and motivated you?
My inspiration comes from my clients, I’ve had so many people tell me that they’ve tried every diet pill, and diet plan out there. They get fed up, and I know how they feel.
I have been down that road where I have bought countless numbers of diet plans from these big-name fitness trainers out there and got absolutely no help from them.
So my motivation comes from within. I speak to every client directly. I get on a personal basis with them, they are my motivation.
✏️ Advice for other people who want to improve themselves?
Don’t overthink it because you will become overwhelmed and fall off the wagon a lot of the times before you ever start.
Don’t wait till Monday if you have a goal and your mind is made up that day. Start right then and there.
Create the mindset for yourself to have the control and discipline that you need and the dedication and motivation will come later once you start seeing more results.
You stay dedicated to your family, your husband or wife, your child, and your job, so why not have that dedication for yourself because that’s where it should all start.
The biggest tip that I could ever give anyone is you cannot look at it as a diet. You have to look at it as this is going to be a lifestyle change for yourself and that you are going to form a habit of doing it everyday consistently.
🤝 Are you taking on clients right now?
I have been there, I know what they are going through.
Yes I am currently taking clients. I do not do very many one-on-one sessions because I know a lot of people are busy.
I do online fitness programs. Out of 140 clients right now, on average they lose 3 to 5 lb a week and results show after the first week.
Why me vs other trainers…. I have been there, I know what they are going through.
I was the person that made up the excuses and didn’t have the motivation. If I can do it anyone can.
I stay personal with my clients. I answer their questions directly myself every time they send them. They do not have to wait for a conference call once a week. They don’t even have to wait till the next day because they are important to me. They are not just a number.
I get to know where they’re from, what type of habits that they currently have and what motivates them to keep going, so that I can be there cheering them on. See what type of environment they live in so that we can make the perfect plan together.
📝 Where can we learn more about you?
My personal Facebook Bre Hess and my fitness Facebook page: Fitness with Bre.
Instagram @brezfitness. Website http://Brefit.business.site
