From Vanity to Sanity!

Mackie Forziati, Home Bodies Trainer, Can Help Put the Pieces of Your Puzzle Together to Achieve Lasting Weight Loss and an Effective, Manageable Health and Fitness Regimen.

Mackie Forziati has been faithful to an exercise routine for nearly thirty years now—but it wasn’t always an easy choice for her to make. About ten years ago she began thinking she would like to become a personal trainer. “Always having had a weight issue myself and trying to wade my way through all the bogus information that is out there about weight management and working out, I wanted to be that person that could help other women in my situation learn how to work out correctly and learn about proper nutrition. When I thought about becoming a personal trainer, my dream was to help others avoid making the same mistakes I did. I developed injuries from working out in the past and weight became a lifelong struggle for me. My work ethic was never the problem--the misinformation that is out there about working out and eating right was the biggest obstacle that kept me from achieving my goals.”

Two months ago I finally got my personal training certification with Gina’s encouragement. However, I have been assisting others who have asked me questions about working out and nutrition for ten years now. I offered my advice simply because I saw a person in pain and believed I could help. There was no financial reward, but I did it for the love of helping people. My first ‘client’ weighed almost 300 lbs. and wanted help with losing weight. I happened to be her hairdresser. I taught her how to improve her diet using all foods she liked, but cooking them differently. I encouraged her to walk. Within a year’s time she lost 100 lbs, and she’s never stopped exercising. She walks, swims, and does yoga. Now she is saying she in interested in weight training. I was so happy when she was ready to try weights because I asked her if she would like to learn at one point and she pretty much shot it down. Now she is coming around and is interested. I don’t believe in being pushy or obnoxious. I want the person to come to me ready to change. I don’t believe you can force it on a person.

Because I have been in their shoes, I know. Women that size oftentimes just think, “Oh that’s it. I’m older and I should just resign myself to being heavy…who really cares…because of my age, I’m only going to become heavier. This is what many people think.” Many don’t really understand that they can actually get results…A lot of the time they don’t want to believe. A lot of the time they don’t have the self esteem. Sometimes a person can reject advice for years, and finally they hear it from the right person, or the message is sent in a different way and they are finally open to receiving it…they are finally in a place where they are ready to absorb it. I am a persistent person, but I refuse to ram this down people’s throats. I wait for cues that let me know they are ready for a gentle nudge in the right direction.

Besides the strength training, flexibility, and cardio expertise that is standard for personal training, I have extensive background in myofascial release techniques, assisted stretching, biomechanical stretching, and repetitive injury therapy. It seems I am always taking a course, reading a book, or attending a seminar on new techniques. I believe that everyone needs at least a preventive regimen of stretching or bodywork, whether you receive it from a professional or try self-treatment techniques. This is assuming the person is healthy. If someone is not working out because they have an injury (and from my work as a massage therapist I know that this is a large audience) they need specific techniques to get relief from their injuries and also let their minds become open to working out again and to believe that there is a way to work out without getting hurt. This is another reason why I thought it just made sense for me to do personal training. When I treat people with massage, I come across people all the time who have been injured and are not exercising because of it. I have been through so many training programs and different schools that I am able to pick and choose which techniques I feel are best to rehabilitate a person. I can help people can get back into the game and make progress again working out, oftentimes without their having to go see four different therapists to have four different techniques done—I am able to do all of it for most people, and get relief that was a long time coming for most people.

My main message to readers is, “Don’t give up on yourself because I won’t give up on you! Don’t give up on quality of life.” Personally I have had so many obstacles, but in spite of that it’s always worth it to keep trying. My physical and mental health were a mess at one point. I had some answers, but the solutions seemed so scattershot—like a puzzle that needed to be put together. I will help you put the pieces of your puzzle together. I firmly believe that, from the age of 35 on, over half of all women struggle with weight and health due to hormonal imbalances. These may be due to chemicals in the air and the products we use, additives and hormones in the foods that we eat, and the stress of modern-day life. If you have these imbalances, weight gain and lack of motivation to exercise may not be your fault. And this is an important piece, because if you believe it is your fault you will feel helpless to improve yourself and you will blame yourself, leading to depression and apathy and a resignation to stay the way you are forever. If you can get help to get your body back in balance, you will be able to change your diet and your workouts and find that you finally get results, and you will feel so much better.

I was born in Italy and came over to the U.S. when I was six years old. I grew up in East Boston, and have lived in Everett, and now Saugus for three years. I am available to provide massage, therapeutic stretching, and repetitive use or acute injury treatment in client’s homes. I also offer in-home personal training in Lynn, Salem, Swampscott, Danvers, Lynnfield, and surrounding areas.

Mackie’s Qualifications:
*ISSA Certified Personal Trainer
*Performance Sports Certification
*Palmer School of Massage and Bodywork
*Certified in Repetitive Use Injury Therapy
*Certified in Assisted Stretching
*Certified in Biomechanical Assisted Stretching

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