Hi Paragon Fam!!
I wanted to take some time to share and show appreciation. I recently had my 1-year Paragon anniversary. The changes that I’ve seen in my body are remarkable for me. I started my strength training journey a few years ago and have always followed a program but Paragon is truly top-tier. I never imagined I could have this amount of muscle.
One of my favorite parts of Paragon is the community. This is where the magic happens. Because it doesn’t matter how magical Boorstein’s programming is (and it truly is magic, love ya Bryan) if you don’t have the support to follow it when life gets bumpy. And boy has life been bumpy.
This is where the next piece of the puzzle comes in: Kelly Wright. Some of you may remember that I am a full-time paramedic in what’s known as a brutally busy and severely understaffed 911 system. My job has been slowly grinding me to dust. I am actually in the hiring process with another agency which would be a huge improvement, but in the meantime, I’m just gritting through it.
Enter @kellywright.co. I considered working with a nutritionist a few times but never connected with anyone that I knew would be the right fit. Someone who knows what EMS goes through and what it can do to your mind and body. As soon as I saw Kelly in the group, I knew it was her. We’ve been working together for almost three months now. My goals are not about body composition but simply not to feel like trash. I suspected that I was unintentionally under-eating, which was causing me to feel absolutely bone-tired exhaustion. Even the lightest workouts were making me sore for days, which made it hard for me to even want to work out. I wasn’t getting good sleep and I was so bloated.
Even with all the resources that Laurie and other coaches provide, I was struggling. I had an idea of the amount I needed to be eating to support myself but I needed …support. For me. Someone who understands. Who can see from the outside, but who has been where I am, and knows what’s realistic. Like, I don’t want to hear about your fitspo health routine when you get 9 hours of sleep, drink a shot of wheatgrass, meditate every day, and start every day with a big healthy breakfast while you plan your morning. Because I am putting in 16-hour days, and barely have time to shower at night.
I knew I had to try working with a coach. So Kelly and I began our relationship. I started tracking again. We set some habit goals. Did a lot of troubleshooting around where and how to get food (turns out delivery options and grocery boxes are super helpful for me.) I started getting in adequate protein and calories and *GASP* vegetables again. The theme of our relationship has been “What can we add to make it better?” Add calories, add veggies. Because I was so, so depleted.
And you know what? I started feeling… pretty dang good! I started getting all of my P45 workouts in without crushing soreness. Shoot, with barely any soreness. The bloating went away. My sleep improved. I felt more clear-headed. Life has continued to be hard with quite a few curveballs: power outages, snowstorms, high-stress interviews, etc. And while I was not necessarily having a good time, I wasn’t outright crippled because I still supported myself nutritionally. The place I am now is such a different place than back in late December when I reached out to her.
The photos are actually a few years apart but show how much a body can change. The first is from 2020, I was around 145lbs. The second is from February 2023, weighing in at a cool 170. I tell you what, that 170 body is damn sturdy. Sturdy enough to sit-pick patients, carry a lot of heavy equipment, not to mention move a lot of weight on the barbell. I’m so proud of her.
If you’ve read all of this, thank you for letting me share. Big thank you to everyone who makes this community what it is, from coaches to members. I appreciate you all so much. And special love to my girl @kellywright.co, who helped me even more than she knows. Her words bring me to tears because I feel so seen and supported. And we’re just getting going!
Ready to Join the Fam?
@paragontrainingmethods = the life-changing workouts, coaching, and online fitness community you’ve been searching for to help you build muscle, achieve your goals, and look/feel your best!
Whether your goal is:
- to run AND lift
- workout 3 days/wk
- lift from home
- enjoy things you love (CrossFit, Olympic lifting, Peloton)
- or just look/feel your best
We have fun and effective remote workouts that will get you there!
Our Paragon workouts are evidence-based and backed by science. You can choose to work out for 30, 45, 60, or 90 minutes per day. We have workouts for all goals and levels of lifting experience. As well as the option to still include things you love (whether that’s running, Olympic Lifting, or riding your Peloton).
