One look in a video monitor at the pharmacy I decided to come to My Path Wellness. My original goals were to look better, feel better and feel healthy inside and out. I met my first goals but the goals didn't stop. I kept building upon the first goal it's a new way of living. I am living a healthier life, meeting new people with similar goals, having more energy and getting to wear new clothes. The accountability Mike gave, learning nutrition and how to do exercises correctly. I was ready to do what it took to be healthier again. My biggest eye opening moment was how knowledgeable mike is, he is very personable, he cares and he isn't phony. I would recommend Mike because he will work with you if you are willing to work with him.

Hope you and your family are doing well. I had my physical last week. I haven't been for almost 3 years. I compared my lab work from three years ago, and it's better than it was then. I know your knowledge of nutrition you have shared with me has played a key part in this, and I just wanted to say thank you! I may be three years older, but I feel younger and am definitely healthier!

Thank you for being my trainer and keeping me accountable.

1. After battling breast cancer in 2014, the lumpectomies and radiation left me exhausted. I really wanted to get my body and energy back. I've heard about My Path and knew Mike to be a qualified trainer. I decided to just do it for myself and my own sanity and health.

2. So far, I've lost 14 pounds, toned up, and gone down several pants sizes (from 12 or 14 down to 8 or 10). My energy has returned and being healthier and focusing on healing myself has changed my attitude and boosted my self-esteem. Nice to know I can still turn heads!

3. I like that My Path addresses everything in detail about the exercises and food. The nutrition is explained in nitty gritty detail and helps me understand how to eat healthy and not feel deprived. I even get a chocolate ice cream shake every night if I want! I can still have my coffee. I also like how friendly the staff is. The trainers there have only my health and well-being at heart and explain everything that needs to be done for a positive outcome. Just following directions has resulted my weight loss and boosted energy! Also, my trainers are so friendly, funny, and authentic, that by the time we're done chatting through the workout, time has passed so quickly, I hardly feel like I'm being beaten up (like in other boot camps I've experienced). I'm sore, but not to the point of being completely useless or not being able to move.

I also appreciate the other services there: acupuncture, massage, access to physical therapists. My Path is also an active member of the community and attends many meetings with his colleagues to keep up to date on fitness and health. I feel like I’m getting the benefit of cutting edge info delivered by the nicest trainers in the world!

4. On the fence? Get off the fence. Why wait to start feeling good about your body, your energy, you'll sleep better, you'll be educated on what is good for you and your entire outlook will change for the better. Invest in yourself, it's worth it. For those cancer survivors out there, once you are done with treatment, you CAN get your energy and life back. Even if you haven't been affected by cancer or some other serious illness and just need a boost, don't walk, RUN to My Path and have Mike, Max, Nicole, and Ross take care of you! You absolutely won't regret it.

After a back injury caused me to gain weight, I decided to start a workout/nutrition program. Since joining the program at MyPath Wellness I have lost 48lbs, and plan to continue on my journey. Not only have I lost weight, but I've gained muscle mass. Not to mention, the best thing I've taken away is a knowledge of how to maintain and practice a healthier lifestyle. The staff at MyPath Wellness will show you it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. MyPath Wellness' staff have been able to work around my back injury while still providing an effective workout.

If someone was trying to make a decision about joining a smaller gym, I would express to them, My Path Wellness' staff actually care about you, and aren't interested in shoving you out the door for their next client like the big box gyms. I enjoy their program because it's a more personal approach, and it helps me be accountable.

Following the sudden death of my husband in 2011 I found myself turning to food for comfort, resulting in a steady weight gain. The stress of trying to loose weight on top of adjusting to my new lifestyle as a single parent was not something I felt like dealing with and I allowed the weight gain to continue, hiding under baggy clothes and becoming more and more of a couch potato. I was very embarrassed to fly home to see family during the holidays, knowing that my new size would be very obvious to everyone who hadn't seen me in a while. I knew my family would understand, but I was living in a body that didn’t feel right and I hated it.

When I heard about Mike I tossed the idea around for a couple of weeks before even calling to talk to him, I wasn't sure if it was right for me. Honestly I thought the idea of a personal trainer was a bit self-indulgent and I felt selfish for even contemplating it.

The truth is that working with Mike was one of the best decisions I made. I have not only lost 40 pounds, I have regained that energy that I had lost and a body that I feel more comfortable in – the outside matches how I feel on the inside! He has helped me work on my nutrition, explaining to me WHY I should eat what I do and offering examples and alternatives to allow me to still love what I eat. He asked me the first day I met him what my goals were and continues to work with me making sure we accomplish them. He is very good at gently pushing me to push myself.

Mike is great about offering different activities to keep you interested and active. When Mike first suggested trying a sprint triathlon I thought it was crazy. But the seed was planted and the next thing I knew I was signing up for one and asking him to help me train for it! I feel like no matter what I want to try - a triathlon, running, bicycling - Mike has the knowledge and willingness to work with me to help me out and keep me on a healthy and active path.

The best part is that as a direct result of me being more active my kids are more active. They have even said they are proud of me for losing the weight and for doing the triathlon. Nothing compares to that feeling.

Where do I begin to thank my wonderful trainer and son, Mike? Because of you I feel better about how I look and carry myself. Everyone knows I have never liked to shop much. But I do now, with size changes and feeling and looking fitter. My balance, stamina and flexibility have improved exponentially with every week I train with you.

In the first few months, after starting at the gym, I drove in and turned around and drove back out several times because I was intimidated, but you kept me coming. Slowly I stopped hiding out from my cardio on the treadmill where I felt less conspicuous. The first time I got on an elliptical I could barely do 5 minutes. I disliked the elliptical immensely.

Now, I love to get on it and other machines. I look forward to the challenge of the different cardio workouts you give me to keep variety in my program. The workouts you create are customized to me and my needs. My doctor was tickled when I had my last physical. I dropped my bad cholesterol 41 points and have lost 22 pounds.

At first I must say I was all about the exercise and working out with you. I felt sitting down for part of my session to go over nutrition was taking time away from doing what I needed to do. Mom knows best and all that good stuff! I caught on because of your patient ways and how informed you have become through certifications and your voracious reading.

Teaching me how to use a diet track program to track my food has been the key to my nutritional changes – not some crazy diet. It's looking at nutritional values and being accountable for what you fuel your body with. I love that you do not judge my choices. You are correct in your statement "I have already beaten myself up for bad choices/portions already." We discuss and reassess what to think about next time to be more thoughtful in what to have to eat. So thank you dear son and extraordinary trainer!

When I first started going to 24 Hour Fitness it was an occasional workout with some machines and cardio work. I wasn't too sure about getting a personal trainer. I had seen "The Biggest Loser" and thought all trainers were like those on TV. Nothing can be further from the truth.

Mike's personality and caring nature was just what I needed to get me started on the path to good nutrition and fitness. Mike is a great listener and that is what it takes to really get to know the person you are training and their physical abilities.

You need a trainer who knows how to work around any physical inabilities you might have to give you the best workout possible and Mike is just the right person for the job. Even with a fused ankle and rotator cuff surgery, Mike was able to adjust the training sessions to give me the maximum benefit from each workout. He is always aware of any limitations and provides encouragement and motivation at all times. His humor and training expertise shines throughout the session.

Mike really lives his mission of creating a customized fitness and nutrition program that works for each individual. The results are amazing and it is all because he makes you feel comfortable at the gym, he works you hard and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to nutrition. You have to have the combination of all these factors in a trainer to be successful in your quest to get in shape. Mike not only gave me the "kick-start" I needed to get back into shape, but the motivation to stick with it. Seeing results at each and every weigh in with his encouragement has kept me in the race to better health.

In 32 weeks I have lost 42 pounds and gone from a size 12/14 to a size 4/6. Changes such as these don't happen without a trainer like Mike to encourage, motivate, guide, and push you along the way with weekly homework (cardio) and nutrition goals.

Thanks to Mike Thomas' guidance I've come a very long way in a year. I'm a CPA and I sit on my (you know what) all day long...and many times all night long because I'm either working late or attending board meetings. On the weekends I work too so, I'm still sitting a bunch. This has been my routine for a little over 20 years. I have never lost weight during a busy season yet. And I'm happy to report that this year I did and I could not have done it without Mike's guidance.

So, sitting all the time working is a big part of how I got to where I was, but I also had three accidents/injuries over the last several years, which certainly compounded the problem and landed me in many, many physical therapy sessions. The physical therapy sessions helped a great deal, but could only take me so far before I was eventually released from their care and sent to do my "home exercises". So, finally with that "3rd times a charm" accident it forced me to look for something more...something that would help me to continue the healing process after physical therapy. I wanted to regain my balance (which was non-existent). And I wanted to get stronger too so, I wasn't so susceptible to injuring myself again. And lastly, I wanted to lose the weight I'd gained from my many busy seasons and many injuries.

Luckily, my friend and co-worker was a client of Mike's. During her time with Mike, she had learned that he was really good at working with folks with prior injuries. So, she drug me along with her one night a year ago...and the rest is history. One year later, I'm so much stronger and so much thinner and I feel great!

Some of my milestones over the last year have been 1) not gaining weight over the holidays, (even when I took 6 weeks off "nutrition-wise", but I continued to work out as much as I could); 2) not gaining, but losing weight during a busy season!!! (this has never happened before in 20 years); and 3) being physically able to push my Dad in a wheelchair, with all of his luggage in tow from the far point of the C wing to the far end of the A wing at the Portland airport...up hill and down without a break and without even breaking a sweat!!! Amazing! I'm so happy that I will be physically able to handle my parents as they age and maybe even with ease!

I'm so very grateful to Mike (and to my friend for bringing me to him) and I look forward to another year of successes with his help. I'm currently down 47 pounds, 7% body fat and 4 sizes. This is especially noteworthy when I can only really count 8 months as typical losing months with my crazy lifestyle! My goal was to lose an average of 4 pounds a month (which I missed by one lousy pound), and Mike was quick to point out that if I had just stayed away from the occasional beer, I would have made it. But, that's okay I think it was worth it...I mean we gotta live, right? ...and I did stay away from pizza! ;o) Let's see where I'm at in my next report in April 2013!

PAUL: The best way I can sum up my experience with Mike is amazing. He kept me steady and straight down the path to a better me. I have since lost 38 pounds and continue to firm up every week all thanks to Mike's guidance. And now I feel like I can take on anything I put my mind to. There is no telling where I will go now and what I will do next!

AMY: Working with Mike over the last year, I've lost almost 40 pounds. But I don't think of my experience with him in terms of what I've lost, but rather in what I've gained: strength, stamina, energy, muscle tone, self-confidence, and all the information and support I could ever want to help me keep the weight off and stay in shape. It isn't over once you reach your goal, and Mike is the first trainer I've ever worked with who has continued to push me to stay engaged and focused all through the maintenance process. I'm not afraid to buy nice clothes in my new, smaller size anymore because I know I have all the tools I need to make sure I don’t put the weight back on. Thank you Mike!

Where do I start this story? I have dealt with my weight it seems forever. I used to be fit and a frequent runner. I have for several years been overweight with no excuse on how I got there. It wasn't until after the death of my brother that I made a promise to my niece and sister-in-law. I met Mike at 24hr Fitness on the 22nd of February when I started my new life. Mike has been my personnel trainer since then and has changed my whole life. I have lost 40 pounds, firming up my muscles and according to my associates; I don't look like the same person. They ask me how I feel, all I can saw is "how I look" which I am told with words like awesome and great. If it weren't for 24hr Fitness and trainers like Mike I would have never accomplished this change. I am also using a bodybugg and the Withings Wi-Fi Body Scale; both invaluable to my fitness program. The bodybugg keeps me on track with my diet and fitness program. I now live differently and love it. I plan on remaining healthy and fit. My goal now is to get back into my long distance running and do my 28th Marathon in a healthy fit manner. I will also accomplish my goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

Thanks to everyone who have supported me and given me the encouragement in this endeavor. I never thought I'd accomplish this because diets don't work. It is as I found, proper nutrition and proper fitness training.

Thank you Mike for my new healthy life.

Before I met you I had pretty much stopped caring about how I appeared to myself and others and even about my own health and wellbeing. My sister Traci recently told me that before my mom died she asked Traci to promise her that she would talk to me about my weight and told her that she was really worried about my health. Traci told her it wasn't a promise she could make because the decision had to come from me. After hearing this and knowing my mom as I did, I think she had been praying for me to make the decision to lose weight and find the right person to help me. Sometimes when you look back on the day you made a life altering decision, you realize that everything just sort of fell into place at the right time and you met the right person at a point in your life when you needed them most.

When I joined 24 Hour fitness I signed up for 5 personal training sessions just to have someone show me how to use the equipment in the gym. I figured it would help me get more out of a gym membership than just paying the fees. I waited to schedule my first session until after some trips I had scheduled and was told by Tyler, the guy who sold me my membership, to call him when I was ready and he would set me up with a really good trainer. However, when I called to schedule my first session Tyler wasn't in that day and they transferred me to the manager for the personal trainers. He asked if I preferred a female or male trainer and I said it didn't matter. So he scheduled me with this guy named Mike Thomas, who happened to have an opening. I remember on the first day we met I was really nervous and not quite sure what to expect. I arrived a little early and I was sitting in those chairs waiting and wondering, what am I doing here and what is this guy going to think of me? I was so afraid of being judged for my weight and being told about yet another diet and probably afraid of failing again. I told myself that it was only 5 sessions, surely I can just get through the 5 session, and I don't have to sign up for more. Then you introduced yourself, and I thought; "WOW! He's really good looking and has a really great smile." After we were introduced and talked for a while and there was that first time on the scale and getting my measurements, I remember you asking me what I wanted to get out of these sessions and it was at that moment I changed my goals from learning to use gym equipment to wanting to lose weight and become a healthier person. I realized that here is this good looking, very fit person who could easily berate and chastise me for my appearance and letting myself get to this point, yet he is being so king and just calmly talking to me about what it will take for me to reach my goal. I never felt any judgment from you, only a willingness to help me attain my goals whatever they may be. As a person who believes in the power of prayer, I think meeting you was the answer to my mom’s prayers and I honestly believe had it been any other trainer I don't think the results would have been the same. It was because of your incredible kindness and encouragement that I made the decision to buy more training sessions and to work hard to achieve my goals and change my life. I know I could not have accomplished everything I have this past year without you.

I've been going here since 2015 now and working with their trainers. The staff are excellent, knowledgeable and passionate about fitness and nutrition. They were very committed to guiding me to my goals with detailed plans and advice shaped around my lifestyle.