My name is Tom Sandel and I have been diagnosed with Esophageal
Cancer. I have been undergoing Chemo-therapy as well as Radiation
treatments at the University of Washington as well as at the Seattle
Cancer Care Alliance.
Over the last several months I have had the opportunity to work with
Dawn Brent as my personal trainer. Her trainer methods and nutritional
advice have gone a long way to help me keep a positive attitude as to
my condition and help immensely in alleviating the pain I feel in my
body. I was supposed to gradually feel fatigue as my radiation therapy
has progressed but with workouts twice a week that has yet to be a
problem after 20 treatments.
I highly recommend Dawn to anyone here who is going through Cancer
treatment. She is incredibly positive and can tailor make a fitness
program to your special needs.
Sincerely,
Tom Sandel

“I have been working with Dawn for a little over a year. I am more fit and healthy than I have been since high school. She does more than just train me; she has caused me to change my lifestyle to a much more healthy one. She has even taught me to hula hoop! I would recommend Dawn highly.

I met Dawn in June 2007, and I was 227 pounds. I had been working out on my own since March and lost 10 pounds, but got in to a rut. I joined a new gym and my new trainer pushed me as if I were in the military. I could hardly walk out of there. I was afraid of my next appointment. Luckily I was able to switch trainers, and met Dawn. She approached me in a completely different way. I told her my routine and food habits, but I told her I didnt have much control.

She told me to stop what I was doing, and try her way. I decided to give up what I was doing before, because my best thinking only gave me a 10 pound weight loss in 4 months. Instead of giving me a cookie cutter routine, she designs each workout for my needs. With her help in exercise and diet, I lost 40 pounds in four months. I even referred my mother and a friend to her, and would recommend that everyone try a workout her way. It will be challenging, but the rewards will be better and much faster than going at a fitness program alone or a typical workout program.

- Scot Kelly

I started working out with Dawn in May of 2007 and in 2 months I lost 8lbs and 2% body fat. During all my workouts Dawn was encouraging and supportive, and most importantly realistic. I never felt pressure to over-perform or to adjust my lifestyle outside of my reach. The parameters we created around my diet and workouts made it possible for me to reach my goals while still do (and eat!) some of the things I love. I’ve always maintained a relatively healthy lifestyle, but it wasn’t until I started working out with Dawn that I actually lost weight and saw changes in my body. It’s been a very rewarding experience and fun too!

So - the strangest thing has occurred: for the first time ever I felt
relaxed and energized (yes, read and ‘whoop’ - energized) to the point that
I went back to work and turned out good stuff for the next 40 minutes (the
next boat). I am home and feeling great - a new experience for me on this
fitness/workout journey …

Go figure!

I don’t pretend to know, nor have the inclination to analyze (’gift horse’
and all that) the why or what, but thought that you should know that after 6
months in 1 place, and 1 day in another, the difference is PROFOUND.

You go, girl!

Thank you.

Most sincerely (and a client for the long term).
Ken

Instead of setting a goal to “get big muscles” or “lose weight”, my trainer, Dawn Brent, worked with me to set a long term goal of “feeling better in the long run” – better endurance, more strength, better mood, and feeling comfortable in the gym. I had a vague goal of getting in better shape to do a bit of Kayaking again and signed up for 6 sessions with her.

Soon I was coming home jazzed about working out. It was a break away from my daily routine at work and great stress buster. And I started getting visible results. My partner, Mark, began noticing this and decided to join the gym as well. Mark is a tough critic and had much less experience with any kind of activity than I had. I was convinced that with Dawn’s expertise and winning professional attitude, this was his best chance for success.

Pretty soon we were both coming home excited about our progress. We both had meal plans and helped support each other in stick with them. I changed my schedule so I could car-pool with Mark and arrive at work by 6 a.m. This allows me the time during the day to work out and still get home by 5 or 5:30. And on the days when I’m resting, I can use the time to put in overtime at work without taking the work home with me.

When I started, I couldn’t do four pushups. 15 minutes on the stair machine was enough to wipe me out for several days. After all, I’m 46 and I’m not one of those guys that looks like I’ve been working out all my life. Read More »

I have been down this road before…you know the deal, the regimented diet, strict exercise plan. It is too much for me! I try and fail, I try again and fail. I even went so far as to try the diet pills. As soon as I stopped, I gained it all back. I got tired of the yo yo syndrome. It was not until I met Dawn and started to train with her that I actually, for the very first time, believed I may actually be able to do this. She did not drastically change me, no absolute strict diet, no absolute strict workout routine. Instead each time we met, she would ask me ‘How are you today”, “How have your food choices been”, “Have you been active?”. She never made me feel like I was not being ‘good’, or not following a plan. She encouraged me to make better choices, educating me on why it is better to chose certain things over others. She allowed me to empower myself to feel like I could do this, I am doing this! It has only been 5 weeks and I have already lost 13lbs. I feel better, I sleep better, I concentrate better! And it is never boring - each time we meet I have a completely different workout…not sure how she does it, but she has an instinct for exercise and makes it fun. She embodies it, so it easy to follow. Dawn is not your typical trainer, I have had others and did not succeed. Thank you, Dawn. - Jen Dawson 12/07