WHAT MY CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY
TESTIMONIALS
Elise Hogue
Stephanie Kendall
When I first hired Colin, it was 4 months after I had my son. This was my 4th and last pregnancy and I figured I was going to enjoy it. By enjoy it that meant eating whatever I wanted and that ended with me gaining a large amount of weight. I took the plunge and hired him after hearing about him from another client of his and let me tell you I’m more than glad I did!
When I first started I told him taking those day 1 pictures were very hard. I knew I had baby weight to lose but I knew I gained that weight by being careless and that even though it was from a baby I didn’t want to hear it. In my mind I was fat and that’s what I saw. There were many ups and downs, more ups because I did the work and put forth the effort. The downs were more or so just normal hormonal issues us women deal with and during those times I was always honest with him about what I was feeling and it never failed he always came back with advice that made me realize its normal to have those feelings but it would pass and I would be ok.
He has never made me feel like I didn’t put forth the effort. If anything he has given me more credit than I give myself. Hiring Colin not only did wonders for my body physically but mentally as well. I gained my confidence back and no longer look at myself in the mirror and wanted to hide! Now I look in the mirror and say “damn girl look at you!” I can promise you that if you put forth the effort and work Colin will match that and be right there with you every step of the way. I couldn’t have asked for a better coach, friend, and mentor!”
Marcus
I first discovered Colin DeWaay on YouTube while following another coach who was sharing Colin’s preparation for a bodybuilding competition. Curious, I found Colin’s own channel and started watching his health-related content. His messages resonated with me on such a personal level—it felt like he was speaking directly to my situation. I liked, subscribed, and became a regular viewer.
At the time, I was working with a different coach and had been dieting for years. I meticulously tracked macros, worked out 4–5 times a week, ran regularly, did HIIT workouts, and barely got 4–5 hours of sleep a night. Despite all that effort, my progress was minimal. Sure, I could row faster and run farther, but I was mentally and physically exhausted. I hit a wall and decided to pause my coaching program.
Even then, I kept watching Colin’s videos because everything he said just made sense. I wanted to break out of the rut I was in, so I reached out to him on YouTube to see if he coached people. His reply was simple: “That’s my job! If you’re interested, fill out this form and let’s talk about your goals.”
I filled it out, and we had a conversation that changed everything. Given my long history of dieting, Colin suggested a reverse diet, which honestly felt daunting at first. I worried I’d undo all the hard work I’d put in. But I trusted him and followed his guidance. It turned out to be the best decision I’ve made in over three years.
When I started with Colin, I was burned out with a poor relationship with food, inadequate sleep, too much cardio, and not enough strength training. Colin helped me turn it all around—step by step.
It hasn’t always been easy. There were moments when I struggled, especially when the scale didn’t move the way I thought it should. But Colin was always there with encouragement, reminding me to focus on what I could control and that everything else would follow. And he was right.
When I hit plateaus, Colin offered solutions, including gently suggesting I seek medical advice after we tried other approaches. Sure enough, tests revealed that my hormones were out of balance (welcome to life in your 50s!). With adjustments from my doctor, I saw a significant improvement.
Through this journey, I’ve learned that success isn’t just about the number on the scale. It’s about the inches lost, the weights lifted, the reps added, the better health markers at annual checkups, and the overall improvement in how I feel.
I’ve come so far, and I know I still have goals to reach—but I’m confident that Colin will be there to guide me every step of the way.
He’s not just an incredible coach and mentor; I consider him a friend. If you’re looking for someone to truly transform your mindset and approach to health, Colin is your person.
Nicole Cobb
“I came to Colin after years of starvation and binge dieting. Restricting calories just wasn’t working anymore. To be honest, I didn’t get the answer I was expecting after he looked over all my stats. I gave his way a shot anyway because I had nothing to lose. I wasn’t losing with my method, so how much worse could it get? I went through a lengthy reverse dieting phase in which I was able to dramatically increase my calories without gaining a ton of weight. I am now 20 weeks into my dieting phase, and eating an amount of calories that used to be a surplus for me while steadily losing weight. I can tell that I’ve put on muscle, gained strength, and overall just feel better and more confident. Besides the physical changes, the best part is that my relationship with food and the scale has done a complete 180. I have been far from perfect in this whole process, but the most comforting thing is knowing that perfection is not expected from your coach, and that we will always work together through anything that comes up. I’m so very thankful for all of your help, coach!”
Natalie Roy
Colin was a big part of my weight loss success. I did the first part on my own but I was losing steam. With Colin’s encouraging word and patience I managed to reach my goal while keeping my calories fairly high and the reverse diet was an eye-opener to help me maintain my weight for over 2 years.”
Kathi Calvert
My story is not unique. It is similar to many stories I see with one exception, Colin. Colin has been the coach I needed to achieve my health goals. I had tried many times on my own to lose weight, and I was really good at losing weight. I succeeded on many “diets”. The big problem was my success was always short lived. I’d reach my goal and fall back into old habits only to have to repeat the process at a later date with some other diet thinking this was going to be the one diet with all the answers.
What I was missing in all the diet cycles was knowledge and expertise. I was not learning anything. I was following directions of a calorie deficient plan, seeing results, but never gaining any understanding of nutrition, metabolism and training techniques to achieve sustainable goals.
When I turned 39, I was going to get in better shape, lose weight and become healthier. I was not happy with who I was, and I was going to make changes. Like other times before, I saw success. Over three years I lost 40 pounds. Yet, I started to see the weight creeping back up and I wasn’t where I wanted to be.
I found Colin online and read a post he had written on nutrition and macros. I was intrigued. Something about Colin’s passion as well as his knowledge and approach resonated with me. At age 42 struggling whether I would ever achieve my goals while watching the scale go up again, I gave myself a Mother’s Day gift…training and nutrition coaching with Colin.
I did not know at the time, but it has been the best gift I could give myself. I had no idea I’d still be his client today or how much I would learn. I had no idea I’d ever be able to do a legitimate pull-up, but I put that as my goal. I really did not know how much I would gain in terms of confidence and strength both mental and physical.
Colin has seen me through some dark times and serious struggles over the past 3 years. He has been tough and matter-of-fact. He has been compassionate and understanding. He has shared a tremendous amount of knowledge and insight on everything from scientific-based nutrition to mental discipline and emotional control along the way. I have been far perfect, but I have listened and learned. Most importantly I have never quit. It is not easy going for the long-term solution opposed to the quick fix, but looking back I could not be happier with my choice.
My hope for any person who has struggled with their weight, health and self-esteem is that you will find a path to sustainable results and achieve your version of success. Colin will lead you there if you are willing to do the work. He has changed my life, and he can do the same for you.
Allison
I am so so so pleased with Coach Colin! I’ve been with him over 3 years. He has seen me through 3 pregnancies, several reverses, and cuts. I am currently 7 months postpartum and I think I am leaner than I was in my college days, not because I was fat then, but because I was cardio obsessed, and didn’t understand that chronic cardio doesn’t improve aesthetics or metabolic health. Colin has helped me focus on strength gains. I am a mama of three who lifts 5 days a week, and I just nailed my first set of 3 pull ups. I work full time, have 3 kids under 4, I am busy but I am determined. I make the time to train because it’s important to me.
Sheena
There came a day where I pretty much just woke up and decided that I was done with being unhappy in my body and I knew that I needed to make a change. The first thing I did was reactivate my gym membership. I hadn’t been to the gym in 3 years. That’s how long it took for me notice how much weight I had gained. I had an idea of what I should be doing, I lifted heavy and included a ton of cardio in my routine, but after a year of being consistent in the gym, I hadn’t physically progressed anywhere near where I’d hoped I’d be. I wasn’t using a scale, I didn’t want to see my weight at all, and I didn’t want to see my reflection in the mirror either. I thought that maybe I needed to be more conscientious of my diet, and put more focus into including more protein into my meals. Being on a plant based diet, I thought that might have been the thing that I was lacking. At the time I was following a ” fitness ” company through social media and they advertised their carb cycling meal planning programs quite heavily. The owner was so convincing, and had a body anyone would want to achieve so of course I bought a “customized” plan and eagerly awaited to start it. This was my first introduction to meal prepping and it was a 12 week plan that laid every piece of food out, and at what time of the day that you should be eating it. I thought it would be great since I didn’t have to put any energy into the planning behind my meals. I like to think that I have some pretty good will power, but I lasted only 2 weeks with it before I gave up. It was boring! I was sick of eating the same thing, and I didn’t even like all of the things that I was suppose to be eating either. It was terrible and I felt hopeless. I knew that there was something I was missing, but I didn’t know what it was or how to even move forward.
I began following different competitors on youtube to get inspiration from, meal ideas, training ideas, and the common theme that all of them had, was that they had a coach. They weren’t trying to accomplish their goals in the dark, they also needed guidance. I needed guidance. I didn’t know what I should be doing. I spent some time reaching out to different coaches, and some of them were offering the same thing I had already done and failed at, more meal programs. Some of them seemed to just reply with generic responses and some of them didn’t come off very professional at all. I put the idea of hiring a coach on the back burner, until I received a reply from another coach who recommended Colin to me. I contacted Colin, and since I had already had terrible luck with online services, I had a million questions for him that I was sure would overwhelm him to the point that he just wouldn’t want to work with me at all. That wasn’t the case in the least! He answered every one of my questions, and didn’t once try to sell me on any gimmicks or get ripped in just 8 weeks programing. Everything he told me was science based, and it made sense to me. Something just felt right, and I was ready to take a leap, he had my trust right away.
Following a macro program wasn’t something I had done before, and none of my foods were pre-picked out for me. I could eat whatever foods I wanted to, even treats if they fit into my daily macros. I could eat plant based and still get the nutrition I needed. Unlike the previous plan I tried and failed at just after 2 weeks, I’ve been able to stick with flexible dieting for nearly 2 years now, and the time flew by. Diet freedom is important to being able to stick to a plan, there isn’t anything I’m not allowed to have, so I’ve never felt deprived of anything. I might have to adjust my serving size to fit in a treat, but with nothing off limits, I haven’t had any binge desires. Its a relief not having to guess anymore at what I should be doing, and knowing exactly what I need to do instead. Having someone guide you through reaching your goals is truly stress relieving.
Getting stronger and building muscle was also high on my list. I wasn’t inexperienced at lifting, but I see now that I wasn’t creating as balanced of a training program that Colin can offer. I also wasn’t pushing myself as much as I thought I was. I can use the scale now as a tool, with no fear of the number looking back at me, and looking in the mirror isn’t so bad anymore.
With so many fitness and nutrition myths out there, I’ve learned tools that will last me a lifetime, and to this day I still continue to learn more. I couldn’t imagine eating or training any other way now. I look forward to achieving future goals with help from a great coach.
Summer Andrews
“I met Colin right after my hysterectomy. I did not know how that surgery would affect my weight. I wanted to find my fittest body again. He helped me stabilize my weight as much as possible during the recovery period. Then after a reverse, we went for a fat loss plan. He helped me learn how to count macros and not be super overwhelmed with the process. His online support group was very helpful to discuss different things throughout your life that you might be struggling with and a way to connect with people that have the same mindset as you. He is very attentive and quick to respond to emails. My journey will always be continuous. I feel better that I will always have him to reach out to whenever I need him. Thank you, Colin!”
Shannon Ross
“What Colin’s coaching has done for me:
The number one thing is eating. I have never been able to eat so much food as far back as I can remember. When I go out with the girls I can get whatever I want without a care in the world. Cake for birthdays, sign me up every time and I don’t feel guilty for it!
Another top on my list is his coaching has helped stabilize my emotions. I use to feel very vulnerable most of the time. Those feelings have almost completely disappeared. I feel strong and in control the majority of the time without the help of meds.
My body feels good over all. I know I am doing good things for my body everyday even on the days that I don’t go to the gym. When you feel good about what you are doing it changes the way you feel over all!”
David Le
Hiring Colin was one of the best decisions of my life. I had such a terrible relationship with food and my own body; therefore, I was always crash dieting. He helped me get out of that rut and develop a healthy relationship with food and my body. This has improved my quality of life significantly. Colin is so knowledgeable and patient, making the whole process smooth, enjoyable, and educational! I highly recommend Colin as a coach.
Margaret
I have been working with Colin for a little more than five years. His posts about fitness being a journey really ring true for me. When I began working with him, my focus was all about losing weight. I keep a journal about my journey and the very first post I made on July 26, 2019, read as follows: “I hate the way I look so I just can’t stand it. I can’t believe how huge I am. I can’t believe how delusional I have been about my appearance.” Clearly I was totally focused on my outward appearance. Spending your life as a woman will do that to you. Five years on, I am amazed at how differently I think about myself and my fitness, and I have Colin to thank for that. Yeah, sure, I am really pleased that I can fit back into a dress I used to wear before I had babies. Not gonna lie. But, working with Colin has helped me see that success – any success – is about showing up and putting in the work. Fitting into old clothes is just an added benefit to the real goal, which is caring enough about yourself to show up. I thought I knew what showing up for myself and working hard meant because I have worked hard at many things in life. But, choosing to make a commitment to myself – making my health, not just my appearance a real priority in my life – has turned my life around in so many ways. It’s not about working hard EVERY day. It’s about SHOWING UP every day. Some days are better than others. But I choose to show up for me. And it has made such a difference in my life. Now I think about how much more weight I can lift, not so much what the number on the scale says. I think about whether my A1C has improved now that I have lost about 40 pounds, and I actively think about and look forward to doing things that are good for my health instead of thinking of them as burdens or a hoop to jump through. I have come to the realization that we are all important and deserve to make ourselves a priority. That’s the most important thing I have learned from my fitness journey.
Kristine O’Brien
When I was 20 years old, I remember dieting on ephedra pills, hours of cardio & super, super low calories, and it worked – I lost 30lbs. Everyone noticed and applauded me for my ‘work’. That magic created this terrible relationship with food, a belief that the only way to lose weight was to never eat, and to punish myself when I ‘lost control’ which was often because you can’t maintain that kind of lifestyle, the burnout is real. Over the years I gained all that weight back and some, I would try every diet & workout routine offered & I just spun my wheels for decades! Colin came into my life when I was desperate for help, guidance, to be honest I didn’t love his response or direction – In those decades I had worked myself and my body into this ‘survival’ mode on impossibly low calories, and the only way out was to REVERSE DIET, which meant more calories, more food, less cardio, and weight gain. Weight gain when I was already at my heaviest was TERRIFYING, but cutting/dieting was not an option because I didn’t have enough calories to cut on..
Anyway I think my first reverse was 40 plus weeks and I gained 6-7 total pounds! And I will be real honest, I felt them on my body. But then something amazing happened – this reverse corrected my hormones, and I got pregnant (after three years of trying, and losing)! So I continued that reverse into pregnancy, slowly adding calories, and I only gained 19 totals pounds, gave birth to a nearly 10lb baby, and within 3 weeks post pregnancy I lost 39lbs! Read that again, I only gained 19lbs during, and lost another 20 post pregnancy! Now a year or more later I am once again in a reverse, I have added about 10lbs of WEIGHT in the time since, being close to my old weight, BUT my body composition is completely different. That weight I added is mostly muscle, my waist measurement are steady (small), my butt (which I lift to grow) has grown, my quads have definition, and my ARMS, the body part I hid all the time show definition. I wear tank tops with pride of my WORK.
All of this is because of COLIN, his guidance, his direction, his knowledge, his patience, his empathy, his reality checks (when I needed them). I hired this man to help me lose weight, but I gained so much more than that. He has helped me regain my life, get off the dieting rollercoaster. He has helped me EAT FOOD without guilt. He helped me do the right thing to fix my hormones, and finally get & stay pregnant! I gained confidence in my new found knowledge, I am okay when the scale moves up, I know that putting on muscle will help my heart, my head, my body composition, and help me lift my giant toddler!! I also know that to gain muscle, I must eat… If you are like me, and the idea of reverse dieting when you are desperate to lost weight is terrifying — I BEG YOU play the LONG GAME! Do the reverse, buy the bigger jeans for now, eat the food, follow Colin’s guidance, do the work, trust the process, and really, truly start LIVING. A year from now, 2 years, or 3 years (like me), the GAINS are real, and you will be so much happier!
Vivyen Vu
“Colin changed my life. Before, I was terrified of gaining weight, anxious about food, and not confident in my body. Fad diets, low calories, and then binge-restricting led me to my all-time heaviest weight. Then I started working with Colin. I was not perfect and would beat myself up whenever I binged or “messed up,” but Colin never judged. He was my rock and would always listen then guide me back on track.
Through reverse dieting, lean bulking, and dieting with Colin, I’ve learned to be truly comfortable in my body. At 135lbs, 117lbs, or anywhere in between, I’m happy because I learned my worth is more than just the number on the scale. I am confident, I enjoy all foods without guilt, and I feel in control of my body, thanks to Colin.
If you’re confused on why you’re not losing weight or afraid you won’t get results, apply for Colin’s coaching. His years of expertise and empathetic coaching will get you lifelong results. All you have to do is follow his guidance and trust the process. I only wish I had worked with him sooner!”
Rocco Kayiatos
Over the years I’ve hired probably at least a half a dozen coaches, tried every restrictive and extreme diet, exercise and approach in an attempt to “get shredded.” What I got instead was an eating and exercising disorder and a really unhealthy relationship to my body. This “work” with different coaches and platforms, pushed me further down into a spiral of body dysmorphia, dysphoria and destruction of my metabolism. It created and reinforced eating and exercising disorders.
It wasn’t until working with my current coach of a year and a half, Colin DeWaay, that all of this changed. Because of the work he and I have done together, I did get shredded but I also got stuff that is so much more valuable for my life. I am no longer afraid of food and have no desire to do hours of cardio every day. I have way less trauma and stress about eating or fluctuations in weight or body comp. I would say this is the healthiest relationship I have ever had with my body and it is completely because of how Colin works with his clients. He is an incredible coach, not just because he get results for his clients, but because he gets to know his clients as people and has a really holistic approach to understanding where his client are at and helps them from that point on. He constantly reassessing this and builds from point to point. His approach is equally physical and emotional. He is by far the most clued in and gentle coach in the business.
The results speak for themselves. On the left I had gone up from 1200-1600 calories weighing 124 lbs to 2300 calories reverse dieting weighing in at 129. Right is after 24 weeks of cutting (with multiple diet breaks) weighing in at 117 LBS and eating 1500 cals. Now we cycle back up together to a healthy maintenance where I will stay, until I can get to the space of intuitively eating based off of actual hunger, without the desire to starve myself of restrict in an unhealthy way.
My relationship to my body has been so tenuous, having someone by my side to help heal that shit has been completely life changing. Thank you Colin!
If you are looking to change your body and your mind, Colin is your man!
Kim Heinz
“Hiring Colin as my coach has been such a great experience. After spinning my wheels for years I am finally seeing the progress I have always wanted. I had to go through a long reverse diet, and even though it was hard it set me up to make huge changes and ultimately get to where I wanted to be. I am at my lowest weight in over 20 years and I truly don’t think I would be where I am today without Colin’s continued support, guidance and coaching. Colin is such a great communicator and always there for his clients. He truly guides his clients to set them up for long term success even if it isn’t what they want to hear. He cares about his clients so much and it shows in his coaching.”
Barbara Jansen
“When I first started working with Colin, I was completely stuck. I was eating too little—just 1200 calories a day—because I was terrified of gaining weight. My metabolism was completely out of balance, and my set point was far too low. Colin had his work cut out for him, but with his patience, expertise, and encouragement, I managed to climb out of that dark place after 1.5 years of gradually eating more. I couldn’t have done it without him.
Over the past 2.5 years, I’ve learned so much about nutrition, my body, and how to have a healthier relationship with both. Now I can eat a variety of foods, even treats, without fear of gaining weight. My life is much more balanced, and I’m incredibly grateful to Colin for helping me get here. I highly recommend his coaching to anyone who wants lasting, meaningful change.”
Kim Roberts
“At 54, I have struggled with my weight since my mid 40’s. I am 5’2” and was pushing 160 pounds. A couple of years ago, I decided to get serious and change my diet. I restricted myself from certain foods and was able to drop a few pounds. After that, I tried Paleo and doing cardio. I was able to get down to 150 pounds or so. But then, nothing was happening. I could not get the weight off. I thought it was just my metabolism and there was nothing I could do about it. After searching through the internet for answers, I stumbled upon Colin’s Facebook page.
I followed Colin’s blog for months before I was brave enough to try it. After 6 months with Colin, I reached my goal weight. I feel amazing inside and out. I feel 10 years younger. And I’m not finished yet. I have a new goal and am working on losing even more. I enjoy the process of getting stronger and more confident. I have no doubt I will get there with Colin’s plan. The flexible dieting allows you to be in control of what you eat and when you eat it. There is nothing that is off limits. I’m NOT doing tons of cardio. The workouts don’t take that much time and that’s important because I work long hours as a teacher. I encourage anyone who has tried and failed to lose weight to give Colin’s program a try. You won’t regret it!”
Brenda Guiden
“I highly recommend using Colin DeWaay as on Online Trainer. I’m a 59 year old female that until a few years ago didn’t have a problem with my weight or fitness. Over the last few years I’ve put on a few pounds and my fitness goals were non-existent. I also found that when I did lose a few pounds, I regained them very quickly. I found Colin on Facebook thru someone else that used him. I subscribed to his newsletter and immediately liked his approach to sustainable weight loss and fitness. I’d never used an online trainer, so I was a little apprehensive at first, not sure how or if this would work.
I’ve been with him almost 3 years now and have not only lost weight, but gained muscle, which I love! It’s been a slow and steady improvement with lots of learning and hard work, but it is so worth it! Colin is always available for questions or problems and he has a wealth of fitness and nutrition information to share. He is also very encouraging and motivating. I’ve learned so much from him and I’m thrilled to learn how to eat without giving up my favorite foods. So if you’re done with quick fixes and are ready to learn and do the work for the long haul, consider signing up with Colin!”
Amy Folkers
I have been working with Colin for almost two years. I initially found him via a shared post on social media. I was interested for two reasons.
1. I was tired of my only goal to be weight loss. I had been struggling to meet any new numbers weight wise despite working out twice a day. I began researching power lifting style of working out. 2. I was interested in his flexible dieting approach. I didn’t like feeling ashamed of having a treat or some candy in a day or having to work it off with burpees.
Quite possibly, it was the best decision I have made in my personal fitness journey and here is why. I have made huge strides in having a healthier relationship with food. I love that there are NO bad foods! In fact, Colin doesn’t even know what food choices I make. He only knows how I hit my protein, carbs, fat and fiber daily. The weekly check-ins help keep me accountable.
I really enjoy strength training. The powerlifts make me feel super strong and it is different than any workouts I had done prior. Colin has worked with me through some injuries as well as some mental blocks in terms of what I am capable of (still a work in progress).
Colin calls me on my BS, like the mental limitations I place on myself but does it in a way that doesn’t make me feel bad. I wouldn’t have progressed as far as I have if he was telling me only what I wanted to hear.
In terms of reverse dieting, I am eating more calories and have gained weight (from my lowest point in the last two years) but I wear the same size clothes and have gained strength! I even stepped out of my comfort zone and did a bench/deadlift competition, and it was awesome. Colin adjusted my training short notice and was super helpful in giving me tips on what to expect. I can’t say enough good things about him and his style of training!”
Theresa DeWaay
I am not sure where to begin… I have done weight watchers officially and unofficially 13 times over the course of 11 years. It was never an issue of losing the weight, it was keeping the weight off and truly forming better habits that were the problem. Through Colin DeWaay Training I now have a better relationship with food. I no longer restrict or deprive myself of foods I love. Weekends were always my toughest times. Now through a better understanding, I have control and understand one day does not define my entire week and I’m better able to plan and enjoy the foods as I want.
I have always gone to the gym, but solely focused on a lot of cardio through running on a treadmill. Now I am weight training and I love it! Words I never thought I would say. I am a 37-year-old wife & mother. I finally feel confident and don’t stress so much about looking “skinny” so I can be at the pool with my family. My main focus is my health and getting strong. I can’t thank Colin enough for helping me get my sense of control back with food. Most importantly I know I can sustain this for life! I am no longer obsessed with the number on the scale. I now understand that’s one tool of the many tools I have to measure my success!
Em Schultz
I first met Colin through our fitness pages on facebook. I knew from the first time we chatted that he was
going to do great things in the fitness world. His attention to detail and his love of research meant that
he was always going to provide the best programs for his clients.
A bit of my background:
I have an athletic history so training was never an issue for me. Nutrition and weight fluctuations were
my struggles. I’d fluctuate in and out of nutrition phases going from unhealthy, anything goes to super
strict, counting everything, no sugar no fun. (I even did Nutrisystem in college).
Fast forward, in order to keep this from becoming a book, to December 2017 when I was diagnosed with
Thyroid Cancer. Before the diagnosis I had maintained a weight around 130 lbs (at 5’1”). I was lifting
weights mostly while running half marathons occassionally. I truly had no idea what to expect once my
thyroid was removed. I didn’t realize it was going to have this huge impact on my weight. My energy
levels bottomed out and the weight started going up. By the time I started my week of isolation (January
2018) I had gained about 8-10 lbs. During the week of isolation I had gained another 6 lbs. Ultimately I
would end up weighing anywhere from 140-147. I tried for months to lose the weight but failed
miserably. My energy levels were all over the place and my nutrition was total chaos.
One day, on a drive to Florida, I was thinking about Colin and how cool it was that he had the courage to
move there to follow his dreams and, without even thinking about it, I messaged him and told him I
needed help. At that very moment a huge weight was lifted. I knew if anyone would be able to help me
it was him. And the rest is history!
I spent 33 weeks in a reverse phase knowing that I might still gain weight and totally trusting Colin’s
process for me. What is so fantastic about Colin is that every decision he makes on your plan is what is
best for you and only you. Your plan is unique and taylored to your needs. When my energy cycled, he
adjusted my plan. I never felt like what he set for me was out of reach.
Once we started my cutting phase the weight just started coming off. Yes I worked my butt off in the
gym, but I no longer had to worry about what I was eating. I hit my numbers set by Colin and that was a
game changer. He got me exactly where I wanted to be and then some!
I highly recommend Colin to anyone who can relate to my story! I’ve actually been recommending him
for years, even before my story!!
Chynna Holder
Colin I just wanted to thank you a thousand times for helping me through my reverse diet. You really have changed the way I think about food and I have learned so much about how to become clever enough to work with my body in turns of hunger signals and budgeting my macros. Learning about balance and moderation as well as straying away from deprecation. I never thought that I can eat as much as I am eating now, with foods that I really enjoy and still get to stay at a weight I feel confident with! I have also learned the crazy power that protein has in keeping me fuller longer and how to build my meals around it. Plus I’m getting to enjoy a hell of a lot of food right now lol.
Paula Hunter
For some background context, I have experienced body issues much of my adult life, and from as early as I can remember I was a child unable to cope with some of the feelings I had about issues going on around me / how I factored into these and were they all my fault. I now know I used food as a self-soothing tool. When things got too much for the small child I would turn to food as a comfort. I did not begin to unlearn this until very recently.
I was most likely encouraged to diet from around the age of 9/10 – mainly through my weight gain / puppy fat but, as a child of the 70’s, most women were on some form of untenable diet which included packaged diet food or drinks. At secondary school when I became much more self-aware I realised that not eating was getting me results: people were commenting about how good I looked and I felt “normal” around the other trim young girls. That could not last and eventually there I am again, rounded and eating mindlessly whenever a situation arose I felt I could not control.
Fast forward into adult life – I’m slim, I’m chubby, I’m very slim, I’m very chubby (you get the pattern forming here). Diet clubs, standing on scales in a group praying that at least 1lb would be lost if you took most of your outer clothing off … not positive, not healthy and NOT motivating.
I started training at an old school gym c age 20 years old – practically the only female but my dieting lifestyle had gotten me to a place where I was very petite. So, on top of rigid dieting I was now training (not because I loved it but because I had seen some female body builder images and I believed I could get me some of that). Oh, the immature mind!
Many years of yo-yoing later I was introduced to some girls doing a bikini comp and I went along on the day to do their make-up. I watched the show and was mesmerised by these strong, beautiful women but not realising that some of them had gotten to that place by any means necessary … Next year I competed and got to a weight I thought was heaven – until it came to sustain (impossible). From there the weight crept up and up but I still trained, and I still convinced myself I knew what I was doing.
Facebook is where I stumbled across Lifting My Spirits and her mention of reverse dieting and the effect on damaged metabolism. Enter Colin DeWaay. In October 2017 I contacted Colin and we began my reverse from November 2017. Reverse took place until August 2018 where I had added some lbs but nothing major and Colin had gotten my calories and carbs up to a decent level. I was more solid due to the training and still felt positive as knew that every week I was learning about my body, what I can put in it to help it function at its best and how no food in isolation will make you fat.
August 2018 we commenced project first cut, and I am 4 weeks away from finishing this part of my journey. We have taken a slow cut with a number of diet breaks along the way to fit into lifestyle / vacations, etch. We will be slowly reversing to keep the body fat at bay and the muscle in place.
To say this has been the singular most positive action I have ever taken towards the recovery of my body issues is unquestionable. Not only am I the strongest, best and healthiest version of myself today, I am also emotionally, mentally and physically established – it took me 52 years but it’s NEVER too late to start!
Colin’s customised strength programme is designed around what you enjoy so you can break down those plateaus, he provides an individually tailored macro plan with no foods out of reach, weekly check ins including videos to discuss various points and all this alongside the “DeWaay-Squad” of fellow clients on the private Facebook page who rally, support, sympathise, share and confess to each other and Colin in a non-judgemental group setting. It’s beyond what I ever imagined and worth its weight in gold.
Weight training has always been and will continue to be one of the most positive tools in my life to help manage mental health and the effects it can take. I now have a full set of implements to ensure my health and well-being will continue to flourish well into my middle years and beyond.
Colin DeWaay’ s support is FOR THE WIN! Here’s to the next phases!
Iwona Bugaj
Colin DeWaay – recommended to me by Paul Revelia – became a huge part of my life. I will never be able to find words to describe how much I appreciate his help and support in my health/fitness journey.
I have been Colin’s client since Feb 2017. When I first approached him, I was struggling with my diet, health and training. Everything was all over the place. I was trying a keto approach, but the calories were too low. Training sessions were dreadful as I was pushing myself too hard. Health was not that great either, mainly due to hormonal issues caused by incredibly long dieting. At that point I knew I need a proper reverse of all these three things. I needed someone who could teach me how to do this and guide me through the whole process. I needed someone who will be there for me when my mind starts to drift into darkness again. Colin was THE MAN. For a total of exactly 50 weeks he reversed my calories up to almost 2,800 per day and supported with a balanced resistance training plan with a minimal cardio. My hormones worked a million times better. My mood was great. I felt like I was finally in a happy place which made me think I could actually try to fulfill my deepest dream of competing in a bodybuilding show. As soon as I shared this thought with Colin he said he has never done a contest prep with anyone and doesn’t have much experience in this particular area. His honesty really impressed me. He also said that he is willing to learn if I still decide to stay his client. It was all up to me. So, I stayed with Colin and I am telling you now, I DON’T REGRET IT AT ALL!
Colin was so supportive, so helpful, so professional in every single aspect, so diligent and on point. Even, if the 17 weeks long contest prep was a “first time” for Colin, he did an AMAZING job as a Coach, Leader and a Friend too! (Took home 1st place novice, 1st place masters, masters overall, and 1st place open tall.)
Colin grabbed my hand, took me out from a dark corner and helped me to step on a bright-lit stage with my heart full of confidence and pure joy!
Thank you for changing my life for better Coach! You are AWESOME!
