Thank you, thank you, thank you! You were awesome and such a great motivator! I definitely couldn't have done it without you. You push me to do things I didn't dream of doing.

Theresa

When Michel asked me to write about how her training effected me I thought back 11 years ago to when I first met Michel. At 36 years of age, I weighed 175 pounds and my second child had just turned one year old. My back and hips hurt all the time and I got short of breath carrying the laundry basket up the stairs. I couldn’t keep up with my 3 year old and I was tired all the time. Michel saw me walk up the stairs at Life Time Fitness where she was training at the time, and asked if I needed any help. Yes, I certainly did! She took my measurements and a fitness assessment and drew up a plan of weight loss, if I was willing to stick to her plan. I was desperate for help and was willing to listen (most of the time). I started off weight training with Michel and started seeing the pounds drop off right away. My muscles were sore, but not too sore to do chores and keep up with my young kids. Michel took it slow. We talked about diet. I didn’t think I would ever be able to give up cheese. Michel didn’t push. She asked if I could cut down on the cheese? Guess what? Now, cheese is a treat that I eat once in a while and I don’t miss it. I substituted yogurt that is much healthier and lower in calories. Michel made sure that I noticed improvements and gave me wonderful encouragement. I think she was more excited about my improvements than I was at times. I remember the first day I really noticed my strength improvement. I was folding laundry and my three year old daughter jumped into the basket. I reached down to lift her up with one hand on the belt of her pants and she went flying up! I couldn’t believe how light she felt. I called Michel right away to tell her. Another big moment was when I could finally see my collar bone again and see the muscle definition in my arms. After building my core, my back finally stopped hurting and has not bothered me since. After a while, I hit a plateau. Michel would make suggestions and work with me to help get over the plateau. She finally convinced me to try running. I had never run in my life, hated it in gym and was always the slowest kid who would always get caught in a game of tag. One marathon, countless half-marathons, tower climbs, 10Ks, and 5Ks later, I still love running. Michel trained with me, ran with me and gave me more encouragement than I can ever give back. I have maintained my weight at 135 pounds and continue to live a fit, healthy life style. I still work out, run and now feel that I could try any activity that I wanted to try. I have Michel to thank for this. She gave me my life back and I gained a valuable friend in her. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Michel. If you listen and follow her instructions, you will improve your life too.

Cindy

My experience with Michel Poole and Runonheart Personal Training has been life changing! I become emotional thinking back to the day that I could barely run a half block. My body was weak and my emotional state - identical! Michel's encouragement and support was pivotal in changing my lifestyle from the inside out; my emotional state, diet and my activity levels. The medical limitations that once prevented me from becoming successful are small hurdles now. I am now training for my first 5k. Michel took the time to LISTEN to me and really HEAR my physical and emotional needs. She is extremely gifted and knowledgeable in her field. She amazes me and I trust her completely. She was put in my life for a reason. She changed my life and I can't wait for her to change yours!

Traci

I have been working with Michel for almost 4 years now and have had the privilege of knowing her even longer as she began working with my husband a year or two before that. My reasons for starting to work with Michel is that I wanted to run a marathon and I knew she was a marathon runner. She has now trained me through 3 marathons and likely a third this year with hopes of helping me qualify for Boston. (Update: Erica qualified for Boston in October 2009 with 6 minutes to spare. She is now awaiting the birth of her first child this winter. She continues to be active.) I have never met anyone like Michel. She has more energy than anyone I have ever met and such a positive attitude. She is a very motivational trainer and pushes you but never beyond your limits. She is a stickler about technique and is highly educated about personal training. She definitely knows her stuff about the functionality of the human body. She has been able to diagnose problems that I have encountered along the way and provides counter exercises to work through the issue and make sure that your body heals rather than continuing to provoke the same injury. She is constantly researching new exercises and sharing articles about health, wellness, etc. with her clients. She loves her job and is evident by all her hard work and dedication. The other thing I have appreciated about Michel is her flexibility. She can make time for you almost anytime of the day and is able to change occasionally to adapt to your schedule as needed. I know Michel's goal is to inspire and motivate others to change their lives for the good and she has definitely done that for me and I can promise you she will do the same for you if you are willing to try. Even though I have exercised all of my life and have been conscious about may health and body, I am definitely in the best shape I have ever been in thanks to the help of Michel.

Erika

We have had the pleasure of knowing Michel for about 5 years. During the years of our acquaintance we have known Michel in many capacities including personal trainer, counselor and friend. Michel is an intelligent, capable, dedicated and personable woman. She is always quick on her feet with sensible reactions in all the circumstances we have seen her in. We feel confident in saying that she is capable of handling any situation with thoughtfulness and maturity. We have always been impressed with Michel's level of enthusiasm towards her work. She has a way of motivating people to better the quality of their life through exercise and nutrition. She is very hard working and is always more than ready to help anybody with anything she can.

Bob and Stacy

Michel trained me through my last pregnancy while I worked full time and cared for two children under the age of three. Week after week I challenged Michel to accommodate my schedule. Which in itself was a feat of greatness. She never once complained, but continually worked with me to manage our weekly sessions and ensure we both stayed focused on a healthy pregnancy. I endured back pain after my first two deliveries and experienced pain during the beginning months of our training together. We wanted to manage the pain, strengthen my core and increase my overall endurance so that I would have a relatively easy delivery and feel good following the birth of our baby. Michel truly cares for her clients and has an inherent ability to customize exercise regimes based on the specific needs of each individual. She is diligent in her on-going research, cares immensely about her clients and truly wants everybody to realize their full potential, whatever their goal may be. I can't tell you how many times she shared stories of other clients reaching goals under her watch. You can see the pride and excitement in her eyes. She provided, and still does, weekly correspondence with the agenda for the upcoming week , group activities, diet and exercise tips. I am happy to report my labor was a breeze and I have not had any of the back pain I suffered following the births of my first two children. If you are looking for a dedicated person to provide natural solutions for exercise and diet coupled with optimal client service, then you have landed in the most capable of hands.

Amy

I have had Michel as a personal trainer since February 2008 and have found her to be very helpful in many arenas; not only with a physical approach, but the mental aspect of obtaining goals. Month after month she continues to impress me with her knowledge. Her attention to "detail" regarding each individual she must see reflects, I believe, how much she cares and believes in her clients and her job." -Brenda From Barbara: "I have been individually training with Michel for several years. She is very dedicated to her craft and is very skillful. Additionally, for the last 4 years, Michel has also trained all 3 of my children as well as the entire Lincoln Way East High School Marching Band. The band directors and parents believe that Michel's strength training and cardio training played a significant role in the band winning first place in the State of Illinois marching band competition 2 years in a row.

Brenda

I have found Michel to be a professional and committed trainer. She is knowledgeable about exercise, behavioral and dietary issues needed for better physical well being. She truly cares about her clients and works hard to tailor a program appropriate to each individual.

Bob