Even then, the mom of two dropped another three pounds, bringing her total weight loss to eight pounds and dropping her body fat by two per cent.

Meanwhile, her buddy Anita Moller saw more progress this time around after the previous month registered just a two-pound drop. She is now down six pounds overall and has seen a 3.5 per cent drop in her body fat.

This change was most dramatic when Moller stepped on the scale and, for the first time in years, saw the number dip below 150 pounds. She now weighs in at 149.

Moller and Regnier are participating in a six-month fitness makeover. They were selected – from among essays submitted to The News – to receive free weekly personal training sessions.

The training is being provided by Kathie Marshall and Juan Lombana of Equilibria Training.

Marshall said she is impressed with the progress the buddies have made in the last four weeks.

“Gone are their thoughts of instant gratification. They are through their rut and back in charge of their fitness destiny,” she said.

“They are in it for the long haul and are starting to appreciate the small successes because it is the sum of all small successes that will eventually lead to a huge change.”

These “small successes” include a difference in their cardio levels.

Regnier said that when she first started the program in January, it didn’t take long for her to fill winded during a workout on the treadmill, for example.

“Since I’ve been doing these workouts, I can run now, whereas before I could only do about a minute and I would be gasping . . . Now I can run for six or seven minutes straight,” she said.

The two monitor their heart rates, and Moller said both have noticed that they are now recovering faster after a cardio session.

Both are now regular “gym rats” at the local recreation centres. They start out with about 30 minutes of cardio, using either the treadmill or elliptical trainer.

Then, they spend about 30 minutes on building strength and agility using dumbbells, weight machines, fitness balls or Bosu balls. They also do exercises like ab crunches and push-ups.

Moller is the more consistent of the two, hitting the gym six days a week, usually when her three children are in school.

Regnier aims for three or four days a week. She found the last four weeks a challenge, as busy family schedules sometimes interfered with her workouts.

“There’s nothing stopping me from going in the evening, but I don’t have the motivation because she’s (Moller) not there,” she said.

Regnier admits to being a social exerciser who tends to slack off on workouts when she doesn’t have a partner to accompany her.

She also found it challenging when she and her family went on a four-day vacation to Tofino. In particular, Regnier said it was difficult to watch her diet, as the family ate out at restaurants every day.

“That’s when I tend not to be so strong and order something I shouldn’t,” she said.

Neither Regnier nor Moller is on a specific meal plan, but they are learning to make small changes.

Regnier said she uses “sheer willpower” around home to avoid the treats that are on hand for her husband and kids. She’s a big fan of raw vegetable platters and keeps those in the fridge.

She also plans to start taking the platters to the weekly bowling league that she and her husband are involved in so that she can avoid the greasy, fat-laden food otherwise available.

For her part, Moller is focused more on portion size. She now reads labels to determine calorie counts versus portion sizes. If she wants a high-calorie item, like a piece of cake, she’ll take just a small amount. That way, she gets to savour the treat without feeling deprived.

Moller said she is also learning that she doesn’t have to eat every morsel on her plate and that she can stop eating when she is satisfied.

She said changes have been slower for her than for Regnier, but she has accepted that everybody is different.

“It’s totally what I was expecting – that this is going to be a struggle for me – but I’ll get there,” she said.

The pair will continue to meet once a week with their trainers. Marshall said the goal for the next month is to develop a home-workout routine.

“This is what we decided in the first consultation, knowing that personal training wasn’t going to be a long-term option for them. We knew we had to teach them enough to eventually go off on their own and safely and effectively start being in charge of their own health,” she said.

The News will report on their progress in another f weeks. Meanwhile, readers are invited to offer suggestions or words of encouragement by e-mailing editor@abbynews.com.