I joined Fit1 and Len in June 2012. I had been looking for a consistent and reliable way to get myself back into shape after letting work and life get in the way. The classes were fabulous, the times convenient and the people welcoming. I never imagined with Len’s help and support I could reach these goals. The weight started to fall off, my energy increased and I was happier… Now, 1 year later… I am in better shape than when I was 20! I have now built this routine into my life and am so thankful for all that you have done.

Thank you Len – You are amazing!!

Thank you Len and Fit 1 Bootcamp

Len, this is a very small gesture of thanks in comparison to the massive change you provided me. It is also a testimonial to how amazing your fitness classes are and the realization you provided that health, fitness and added self-confidence is absolutely attainable in a short period of time.

It started as an innocent but stark realization that my weight gain had gotten to a point I could no longer ignore. A little blow to my vanity spurred me to seek an exercise program to work into my weekly schedule. After finding Fit 1 online and going through your initial assessment, my perspective then change to also include a long-term view of my health and its impact on my young family.

To start the process, all I had to do was commit to showing up twice a week. Really that’s pretty simple and once you mentally committed to just showing up, the rest starts to fall in place. It only takes the first few sessions to adjust the body and start to feel immediate changes. On top of that, the added insight and urging you provided to understand, measure, and manage diet was as equally as important as the strength training programs.

By the end of the first month I was down 15 pounds. It literally only took a handful of classes, a little additional cardio at home and for the first time in my life I started to think about the food I ate.

By the ninth month of going to class and being sensible with my diet, I’m now down 50 pounds. There’s not much further to go other than the long-term goal of consistency and moderation. But seeing the long-term members you have had for years and seeing their terrific habits, I am confident about the future and literally feeling better than ever with my 40’s just around the corner!

Thanks for everything Len

I’ve been working with Len at Fit1 Boot Camp for 8 months and I have seen amazing results in that time. I have never felt stronger or healthier. Len is passionate about fitness and it shows through the energy and enthusiasm he brings to every boot camp session. He makes each workout challenging, creative and most importantly, fun! He also places a high value on correct form with each exercise. Len motivates me to push past my perceived limits to get results. I have incredible energy, my balance and flexibility have improved and I’ve got great new muscles. If you are serious about changing your life for the better, Len will lead you every step of the way.

Thank you Len, you are the best!

Teresa Fenech

I have been working with Len since 2007. I can honestly say our time together, has completely changed my life. When I came to Len, I was coming off a bad sports injury to my knee. I lost 45 pounds, and had lost a lot of confidence in myself. Through a variety of workouts, hard work and a vast knowledge of nutritional information, Len has helped me transform my mind and body. I look at my time with Len as being a key factor in my ongoing health and positive mind set. Len is much more then a trainer to me. His confidence in me has inspired me to accomplish goals I never would have dreamed of before meeting him. Len is truly someone who cares about the well being of those he trains, when he motivates you, you respond! I have recommended Len to everyone I know, and I strongly recommend him to anyone reading this!

Thank you Len!

After 1 year of personal training at Fit1 Bootcamp, I learned to eat & drink properly and exercise effectively.  I learned the difference between a diet and a lifestyle change, custom tailored just for me.  Four years later, 70 lbs down… the hardest part of all was admitting I needed help.  The rest wasn’t easy… but Len made it possible, and fun.

Thank you for saving my life Len.

At a 19 year old teenager, I cannot but imagine how the most important years of my life could have turned out differently, if I had decided to life a healthier lifestyle sooner.

As a child growing up, most of my memories revolved around other children putting me down.  I’ve struggled with obesity throughout my childhood and the majority of my teenage years, becoming morbidly obese, and weighing 285 pounds and over 37% body fat, at 16 years of age. I lived my life with no self-esteem or respect for myself. I only had one or two people in my life that I could really call friends. I was a recluse; I distanced myself from people because of what I thought they thought of me, or said behind my back and some directly to me. I didn’t care about my appearance or how I was dressed let alone how hard it was for a 285lb -6’2” teen to find any clothes to wear that made me fit in with the other teens. I rarely went out and most of the time I sat in the basement or in my room playing in a bubble. I didn’t love myself and hated what I saw in the mirror and I always questioned what my purpose in life was sometimes even questioning if I had a purpose.

I went so far as to choose my high school based on the fact that most of my grade school students were going to another high school, I just wanted to be away from them and hopefully have a new start. I enjoyed painting and sketching as they could be done alone away from others. I was supposed to take gym class in grade 9 but I put it off until grade 10 because I knew I wasn’t able to complete the exercises or fitness expectation of the course. Some of my teachers saw potential in me which was good, as an example my grade 9 math teacher talked me into enrolling in the advance placement math program, but I later realized  I had sabotaged my marks by not applying myself. While in grade 10 advanced placement math, all the emotional issues I was going through almost cost me to fail the course. It went so far that at my mid-term I was at a 26% average and my teacher wanted me out of his class. Fortunately my parents knew I could pass if I applied myself and with their encouragement, by the end of the term, I had passed the final exam with 98% to give me an average of 62%.

During the summer of 2007 I was a counsellor for PLAST a Ukrainian Boy Scouts camp and that is when I reached 285lbs, my maximum weight. I returned from camp to go back to the computer and video games I treasured so much. In September of 2007 the few friends I had invited me to play paintball with them. I asked my mother to get the clothes I would usually wear to play in. When I tried them on they didn’t fit at all. I then tried on all the other pants that used to fit and none of them were big enough. This was a pinnacle turning point in my life, the point in combination with the rest of my life that finally pushed me over the edge.

When I came home that night after paintball, I took action that would change the rest of my life. I started by throwing out everything in the cupboards, shelves and drawers that got me to hate myself. I told my parents that I am done with being fat and that I would change. I had been attending a gym since I was about 15 years old, but I wasn’t really intent on change. I believe I had been going to the gym during this time to appease my parents. This time though would be different. I asked my parents to go with me and arrange for a personal trainer. I knew in my heart, that this time, I would be doing it for me.  I trained 3 times /week, and worked on and off by myself the other days of the week. Len also worked with me on my diet. I completely changed the way I ate and looked at food.

By my weigh in on December 7, I was 241 lbs. and 28.6% body fat. Wow what a change! In December of 2007, my parents took me on a Caribbean cruise. Usually everyone says that you will put on weight, but I stuck to my exercise regime and worked out on the ship and made healthy eating choices, and when I came back home and had my next weigh in on January 7, 2008 I was 226lbs and 26.6% body fat down 15 lbs. I religiously adhered to my trainer’s fitness regimen and dietary guidelines never braking to cheat on the holidays or when out with friends.

Continuing with my healthy lifestyle on May8, 2008 I can say with pride was my happiest day of my life. I reached my original goal of 175lbs and 15.7% body fat, and even more exciting, I exceeded my BMI goal of 2%. The feeling is hard to explain, it is almost like being born again, the feeling was amazing, as if I had a new lease on life and was on top of the world.

Since September 2007 I had lost approx. 110lbs and even more exiting I was in the athletic zone of the body fat range (I had never in my life before considered myself athletic)! Things then really started to change for me personally. I was starting to become more immersed in school; I joined numerous clubs, the ski team, and even took Phys-Ed as an elective in grade 12! I even got a part time job as ski patroller, which involved going through 100+ hours of first aid training.  My entire personality changed. I went from being a shy loner to outgoing and expressive, which naturally lead me to be around people, which meant, I started making friends left, right and center. My school work also radically improved. By the end of 2008, I was on the honour roll and received a certificate for highest grades in Manufacturing Technology.  I had also attended a Ukrainian school on the weekends since grade 1  and we had the graduation ceremonies in June 2008. Everyone there just knew me as the chubby kid. When I walked up to receive my diploma, in my new suit and new personality, not only did no one recognise me, but they could not believe it really was me after they found out.  What a feeling to experience that day! I returned to my high school in September 2008 and sat down in my favorite Tech class with a teacher who had taught and know me for the past three years but hadn’t seen me since December 2007. He not only didn’t recognise me and thought I was a new kid in the class but took half the class time and then class mates saying “yes that is Andrew Lagree” as he was staring at me in disbelief  and then finally realized it was me. During the same year my marks took off, I was one of the top students in most of my classes, including physics , and advanced functions finishing the year on the Honour Roll with a 90% average.

My hopes and dreams since I was a little kid were to grow up and become and Architect. After completing a year of university studying business management at Ryerson that dream has dramatically changed. After going through this massive change in my life, I feel that I cannot rightly live the rest of my life ignoring all the people around me that want and need help in living a healthier lifestyle. I have since changed my career path into the health field. I’ll be studying Kinesiology and I plan to become a personal trainer to give back to people just like my trainer gave me. I then plan to go to medical school and specialize in obesity. In the meantime, my life change has inspired me to become a Ski Patroller/ assistant instructor, life guard and swim instructor. I will also be signing up to attend a personal trainer certification course in order to start my path to becoming a personal trainer.

My goal in life is to give back, mostly to help obese individuals and anyone wishing to become healthy, see that change is possible by taking that first step and then being there to help guide them along the way through fitness and nutrition.

I know that fitness is a life long journey; on my last assessment in June 2010 I was 167lbs and 9.9% body fat. Right now my goal is to build muscle mass and reach a weight of 180lbs. I am doing this by going to and working out at the gym 6 days / week, still with Len but not as much as before.

I wrote this testimonial for Len so that everyone understands that weight loss and healthy living is absolutely attainable, and not a destination but a journey for the rest of our lives. One of the most important things that everyone must remember is that to start this journey no matter how much our family and closest friends push us, only we can make the final decision.