Many women at Curves are committed to an exercise program. Just by showing up 3 or more times a week shows a genuine commitment to their physical fitness. But it?s much rarer to see someone come in day after day, week after week, for months on end, with the enthusiasm and passion for exercise that Vickie Kiteley has. “I love it!” she says when asked why she exercises. “I?m addicted to it.” It?s true. You never hear her groan about coming in. “This makes me happy. It?s uninterrupted „me? time. Nobody can get to me. Whatever?s going on, it can wait until I?m done… It?s [also] the „empty nest? thing. I needed something to fill my time.” Vickie owns her own cleaning business. So, not only is her spare time physical, her day job is too. Her time spent at Curves is not merely limited to the half-hour workout either. She?s the one in the corner, on the exercise mat, performing additional leg and abdominal exercises for another 30 minutes. At home, she walks the dog for half an hour every morning, plus she gets on her elliptical 3-4 times a week. “I was stuck at the same weight for at least 6 months… that?s why I wanted an elliptical. You can only cut back so much on food,” she says. Such commitment and determination is Vickie?s lifestyle. She?s been married for 35 years, raised four daughters, and for a few years, helped raise her granddaughter. If you listen to her talk in the circuit, you?ll first be surprised to hear she?s a grandmother, and then you?ll be amazed at how much energy she puts into her family. Vickie has five grandchildren and is expecting two more – a grandson in September and another grandchild in February. They both will be born in Montana, and that?s where she will be as much as possible. Vickie came to Curves in March 2005, a year after her youngest daughter got married. It was the wedding that got her motivated to lose weight. She lost 10 pounds at Ladies Workout Express before it closed, and was determined to keep going. She had at least another 30 to go to get to her goal weight. Since then, Vickie has lost 50 pounds at Curves, bringing the grand total to 60 pounds since 2004! In addition to the 50 pounds, her body fat has also gone down 9 whole percentage points at Curves. The Curves workout remains at the core of Vickie?s exercise regime. She likes it because “it works all your muscle parts. You don?t have to think about it… And I?ve met some really nice people.” When Curves Smart showed up in May, Vickie continued to challenge herself. “I absolutely love it! It?s kept me from „plateau-ing? and it makes me accountable.” Even someone as fit as Vickie showed amazing results after just 6 weeks on Curves Smart with a loss of 2% body fat, 6.5 inches, and 4.5 pounds. “This is exactly where I?ve wanted to be… for about 25 years,” she says about her current weight. “And I once thought it was unattainable.” What keeps her coming back? “I want to stay really healthy. I feel so much better.” She also admits, “My skinny jeans fit… I want to stay in them.”

Lora is a little reluctant to showcase her success, but if you were to walk up and ask her about her achievements on the Curves Weight Management program, you’ll find her enthusiasm contagious. In fact, you may not even have to draw her out to ask her. Just mention a dietary frustration you’re having while in the Curves circuit, and you’ll hear her trademark, thunderous reply from across the room. “You should try the Curves diet!” is something she’s been cheerfully boasting about for a few years. “It works for me!” She’s the best person to promote this too because she proved it to herself, and several others that it is possible to lose that last 10 pounds, even when you thought nothing else would work. Lora came to Curves in February 2005, overweight and experiencing chronic joint pain, due to rheumatoid arthritis. Determined to give her joints some relief, she started a Curves exercise program to lose weight. Lora’s approach to just about everything is done with great intensity and lively humor. She started her program by coming to Curves 5 days a week, instead of the recommended 3 times. She has since reduced that to 3-4 times a week. How does she stay so motivated? It isn’t with a workout buddy, but she doesn’t need one because “all the people at Curves are my friends.” However, it’s Lora who makes us feel that way whenever she’s in the circuit. A regular fitness routine does not happen overnight, especially with arthritis. “I don’t remember the obstacles…oh that’s not true. I could hardly get off the floor after stretching. I was forced to change my eating habits, but once the inches started melting off, I didn’t worry about eating the wrong food.” She lost close to 50 pounds through her exercise commitment at Curves. “I [also] bike in the summer… do crunches, and lift small weights to tone.” Lora is a single mother whose son recently moved out of the house, but that doesn’t leave her with empty hours to fill. She works full-time as a Section 8 housing inspector for Seattle Housing Authority. She also square dances quite frequently. Her enthusiasm for this is also passionate. Just ask her, and you might find yourself learning how to “do-si-do” at her next dance event. At Curves, her presence is always known. She always manages to make you laugh at least once before she leaves. While in the circuit, she shares her contagious enthusiasm, an outrageous sense of humor, refreshing honesty and a friendly, supportive nature when you need it. When Lora first joined the Six-Week Solution (the previous name of the Curves Weight Management Plan), she was looking to lose that last 10 pounds. Week after week, she watched the other women in her group lose weight their first week, then a little more the second, and the third…. But it wasn’t until the final two weeks that she finally lost anything. (And we’re talking no movement on body fat, inches, or weight). She hung in there though. Shortly after that, she reached her goal weight and has been keeping it off ever since! Whenever she goes up a few pounds, she jumps back on the Curves program (the current one) for two weeks, or 30 days, and she’s back down where she wants to be. This is why she is such a supporter of the Curves plan. It was a difficult start, but her determination has been paying off ever since. Lora simply goes back on Phase I and II until she’s back to her goal weight. She no longer has to wait six weeks to see results either. Four years later, Lora has maintained a weight loss totaling 59 pounds, went down a healthy 6.7% in body fat, and removed 41.25 inches from her old dress size.

Cecile Biais is a young woman who lives in Berkshire, a county in southern England. Cecilia approached her thirties, an age considered by many women as the "ideal age", but she bought her clothes in shops reserved for large sizes. She wanted to lose weight at any price, but did not know how to get started. "The more I swelled, the more I was depressed ... I totally lost my confidence, both at work with my friends. " In just one year, Cecile literally melted. With a size 50-52, she now has a recognizable figure with a waist of 38. She lost over 30 kilos and 167 cm distributed throughout the body! She says she spent a challenging year, but "without Curves, I could not have done!" In addition to her phenomenal weight loss and greatly improved fitness, Cecile also sees life in a much more positive way. Today she has more confidence in herself and feels more "balanced". Her health has also greatly improved, her attitude is positive and style of living has improved, elements that have brought her closer to her family. According to Cecile, this Curves adventure has changed her life. "It's the best decision I ever made."