Everyone meet Sylvester Daniels III, or as our Skimble community knows him Sd3, this week’s Skimble Member Spotlight! Sylvester has been active his entire life, but found Skimble six months ago and has used it to stay motivated on his path for fitness domination. He was kind enough to answer our questions on exercise and life:

What was your starting point versus your current fitness status?

I started off my fitness journey at age six and have been active ever since. After collegiate football I got up to my heaviest, approximately 240 pounds. Now I am 194 pounds and looking to lose about 10 more pounds.

What your next fitness goal?

This summer I am looking forward to completing the Spartan Beast in June.  This race is 13 excruciating miles of tough obstacles and trail running.

Who’s your fitness icon and why?

LL Cool J.  That man is in excellent shape.

What’s a random fact about you?

I was once the fastest male high school 200 meter sprinter in Utah.

What’s your favorite thing about Skimble? 

My favorite thing about Skimble, is that you can always find support and motivation on those days you don’t feel like getting off the couch. It has motivated me to get back into shape and make fitness a major component of my life again.  I want to be an inspiration for my children, family, and friends and ensure that I will be as healthy as possible so I can enjoy my time on this great planet.

What’s your fitness mantra/motto?

“Train like your stronger, fitter, evil twin is plotting to KILL YOU!”  This is my fitness motto, because in the end I am competing against myself and only I can push myself past my limits.

This week we’d like to introduce you to Michael Miosi, our Skimble Member Spotlight! Michael and his family have been with Skimble since 2011 and he tried several other workout options before finding success with Workout Trainer.  As a Camp Director at a youth camp he was tired of “huffing it across camp” and decided to take the necessary steps to improve his health and well-being.  Check out his story here:

What was your starting point versus your current fitness status?

About 2 years ago, I stepped on the scale in doctor’s office at 200 lbs, which was the most I’ve ever weighed in my life! I now weigh a little under 165, and I feel great!

What your next fitness goal?

I recently completed a 60 mile trail in 3 days with a friend. I want to complete the same trail with my 13 year old son (in 5 days or less). I also want to break 19 minutes in a 5K.

Who’s your fitness icon and why?

Most of my “fitness icons” are ordinary people, like many folks in the Skimble community. One of my mentors particularly inspires me because he is 69 years old, ripped and could probably out-bench many of the younger guys at the gym any day!

Describe your favorite way of staying fit outdoors.

I love trail running, mountain biking, hiking and kayaking. I also love “backyard” sports with my kids!

What’s your favorite thing about Skimble? 

I love that Skimble has something for everybody (In fact, my wife, son and one daughter all use it!). I have greatly enjoyed creating workouts as well as the accountability and inspiration offered through followers and forums!

What’s your fitness mantra/motto?

“Fit to serve.”

We at Skimble HQ get psyched when we find out that our members are going out and challenging themselves.  If you are planning to participate in some sort of challenging event, and are using the Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps to help you train, we’d love to spotlight you!  Please send us an email to trainers@skimble.com if you’re interested.

This week we’d like to introduce you to Rod Epperly, this week’s Skimble Member Spotlight! Rod has been with us for almost two years and uses both Skimble’s Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps!  Rod is part of a super active and supportive Skimble squad that we took notice of a few months ago, and we got a chance to ask him some questions this past week:

What was your starting point versus your current fitness status?

I started in January of 2011 with a weight of 260 lbs. Gout creeping in, borderline BP, and serious joint problems got to the point where I had to take off work! Today I weigh 186 with a normal BP and no inflamed joints! I workout 4-6 days with cardio, weights, and hiking.

What your next fitness goal?

The next goal I would like to meet would be to slim down to 170 lbs and add muscle from there, and finishing the crossfit circuit would be fantastic. Will try out for a semi-pro team next season just to do it one last time.

What’s your favorite thing about Skimble?

The greatest thing about Skimble that I like is the people! The support given by others is impeccable, its so amazing. Making your own personal workout with a trainer would be a close second.

Whats a random fact about you?

I grew up with and am still friends with a former NBA MVP (A.I.)(early 2000’s)… Not saying who though! 🙂

Who is your fitness icon and why?

Arnold Schwartzennegar is my earliest idol no doubt, he has achieved so much in the USA since coming from Austria, love the Oak. Sounds kind of cliche’ but I also looked up to and admired my father as a sport idol. He was better than me in every sport except football, that is untill I got over 200 lbs! M Pudzinowski of Poland is another icon I admire.

I’ve got to shout out to those who re-taught me how to enjoy working out. We all work out together just like at a club, via this app. I’ve never had a friendship based solely on a workout website so it is very special. So shout out to Joe Cool, Emilia C, Rani, Wolfgang Nagle, Mario Canel, Ika X, Kristie M., VD, Cenasdoll, Christie H, Chris Patton, Chris B, Wayne H, Kel K, Aleksandra from Serbia, Joey Chavez, Brian Holtkamp, Rob M, Brooke H, Jesse, Craig Martin, Matt Glynn, Gigi Dubois, the first person I followed and a real pro, and more recently Rachel Ceelen, Leona C, Micheala, Kristena Decarlo, Jesse M, Scott Hudson, Tina Q, Chermaine Lashley, Alexandra P, King D, Lela Adams, Sophia, Jeni Carter, Levi Mirelkes, Asdayante A Razak, Nerrisa Thomas, Febrythia j, Roshauna W, Abady n, Kelli Cornwell, Gilbert Rod, Ally M, Rimma Po, Alexis Garcia, Febrice Andrade, Julia Leitner, Cindy M, Julie Prescott, Adrian Smith, Nina P, Leslie Alexander, Maureen, Adrian B Hannah Lewis, De2012iamde, Ms Florence, Hahn Yan, Dichi Harnanda, Rob Lamond, Alan Rodmell, Tammy Hailey, Liz Cal, and many more! kind of supportive community is what we LOVE to see!  Thanks, Rod, for taking the time to chat with us and good luck with your fitness goals in 2013!

We at Skimble HQ get psyched when we find out that our members are going out and challenging themselves.  If you are planning to participate in some sort of challenging event, and are using the Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps to help you train, we’d love to spotlight you!  Please send us an email to trainers@skimble.com if you’re interested.

This week we’d like to introduce you to Gail Fonseca, this week’s Skimble Member Spotlight! Gail has been with us since March and uses both Skimble’s Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps!  We noticed Gail because she is super active in our Skimble community, and we got a chance to ask Gail some questions this past week:

What was your starting point versus your current fitness status?

I decided to start getting fit in 2010 when I bought the Wii Fit which then pushed me to get the Wii Activ which was more challenging. I discovered I thoroughly enjoyed it and noticed how my body was changing.  My main aim was to tone up after having 2 kids and being 39 I knew I was not as fit as I would like to be. I soon got bored with the Wii Activ & came across P90X which was tough and even more challenging.

I got an iPhone earlier this year and discovered Workout Trainer which I loved immediately and was amazed with how good any workout no matter how long or short made me feel.  I started to tone up even more. My legs & arms felt strong.

What’s your favorite thing about Skimble?  

I really love music so doing a workout and listening to my favourite songs make this app just unbeatable. I have become more confident in myself because of how I feel and look and recommend this app to anyone who have not got the time to go to a gym or go for a run etc.  A few friends have taken my advice and enjoy using it too. 

I also use the sports tracker to monitor my progress which is great in the way I have met many encouraging people who are as active if not more than me and who have been very encouraging towards what I am doing. This is one of the best things with the app as it has allowed me to meet some lovely, positive people who keep me motivated day in and day out. 

Who is your fitness icon?

My fitness icon is Shaun T & Tony Horton.  They have taught me that if I put my mind to it I can do it and that if it doesn’t challenge you it won’t change you. Although I must say some of my Skimble pals are icons in their own right and I feel we all motivate each other.

Thanks so much for chatting with us Gail!  We love hearing success stories like yours and hope you continue to stay active, both in real life and in the Skimble community! 

We at Skimble HQ get psyched when we find out that our members are going out and challenging themselves.  If you are planning to participate in some sort of challenging event, and are using the Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps to help you train, we’d love to spotlight you!  Please send us an email to trainers@skimble.com if you’re interested.  

This week we’d like to introduce you to Alan Rodmell, this week’s Skimble Member Spotlight! Alan has been with us since October 2011 and uses both Skimble’s Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps to stay active and get fit.  We got to ask him a few questions about his Skimble experience:

What was your starting point versus your current fitness status?

When I started using Skimble I was in decent shape.  Concerned that I may start to lose that with my desk job I started working out.  I am now in the best shape of my life.

What a lot of people don’t realise when it comes to working out is that anything is better than nothing. I had to fit my workouts around family commitments so most of my first 300 workouts were less than 10 minutes in length.  A few squats here and some push ups there whenever I could fit them in.  I do all my working out at home with no free weights other than dumbells.  I have never used a gym and don’t expect to in future.  I firmly believe I can get the body I want without it.

What’s your new year’s fitness/health resolution?

I don’t really like to set goals too far into the future.  More immediate goals reap more immediate rewards and help maintain motivation.  I guess my only aim is consistency.  To keep regular workouts throughout all of 2013.

What’s your favorite thing about Skimble?  

Just one thing?  It would have to be the range of workouts on offer.  Not everyone has all day to work out so being able to log into the app and find a few 5 min workouts is awesome! The ability to track the workouts is a big motivator for me.  It really helps visualise my progress.

Give us a fun fact about yourself:

I have short legs!  I am 5ft 9 with 29 inch legs  if I was in proportion I would be maybe 6’2.  

Who is your fitness icon and why?

Mario P. Canel, Rani M and Rod D.E.  I admire their dedication to their fitness and although it may be in vain….I aim to one day beat them on that leaderboard!

My advice to all new Skimblers out there? 

Set yourself short term goals that are achievable and destroy them! Then set some more.  That is how I work.  One workout at a time!

Thanks so much, Alan!  We believe you’re going to be at the top of that leaderboard in no time!

We at Skimble HQ get psyched when we find out that our members are going out and challenging themselves with monumental athletic feats.  If you are planning to participate in some sort of challenging event, and are using the Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps to help you train, we’d love to spotlight you!  Please send us an email to trainers@skimble.com if you’re interested.  

This week we’d like to introduce you to Tammy Hailey, this week’s Skimble Member Spotlight! Tammy is a recent Skimble convert and uses Skimble’s Workout Trainer app to stay active and stay fit.  She caught out attention because she’s super active and supportive in the Skimble Community, and we just had to ask her some questions to get to know her better!

What was your starting point versus your current fitness status?

I was pretty fit!  I exercised regularly before Skimble, but due to an eating disorder the weight started to try to creep back on.

What’s your new year’s fitness/health resolution?

My goal is to loose another 10-15 lbs.

What’s your favorite thing about Skimble?  

I don’t have just one favorite! 1. The variation of exercises, you never get bored. 2. THE PEOPLE, everyone is so friendly and supportive and make me feel like I can achieve anything!

Give us a fun fact about yourself:

I HATE the smell of peanut butter!

Who is your fitness icon and why?

Tracey Effinger.  She is amazingly built but still looks feminine 

My advice to all new Skimblers out there? 

Set yourself short term goals that are achievable and destroy them! Then set some more.  That is how I work.  One workout at a time!

Thanks so much, Tammy!  We 

We at Skimble HQ get psyched when we find out that our members are going out and challenging themselves with monumental athletic feats.  If you are planning to participate in some sort of challenging event, and are using the Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps to help you train, we’d love to spotlight you!  Please send us an email to trainers@skimble.com if you’re interested.  

This week we’d like to introduce you to Rod Epperly, this week’s Skimble Member Spotlight! Rod has been with us for almost two years and uses both Skimble’s Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps!  Rod is part of a super active and supportive Skimble squad that we took notice of a few months ago, and we got a chance to ask him some questions this past week:

What was your starting point versus your current fitness status?

I started in January of 2011 with a weight of 260 lbs. Gout creeping in, borderline BP, and serious joint problems got to the point where I had to take off work! Today I weigh 186 with a normal BP and no inflamed joints! I workout 4-6 days with cardio, weights, and hiking.

What your next fitness goal?

The next goal I would like to meet would be to slim down to 170 lbs and add muscle from there, and finishing the crossfit circuit would be fantastic. Will try out for a semi-pro team next season just to do it one last time.

What’s your favorite thing about Skimble?

The greatest thing about Skimble that I like is the people! The support given by others is impeccable, its so amazing. Making your own personal workout with a trainer would be a close second.

Whats a random fact about you?

I grew up with and am still friends with a former NBA MVP (A.I.)(early 2000’s)… Not saying who though! 🙂

Who is your fitness icon and why?

Arnold Schwartzennegar is my earliest idol no doubt, he has achieved so much in the USA since coming from Austria, love the Oak. Sounds kind of cliche’ but I also looked up to and admired my father as a sport idol. He was better than me in every sport except football, that is untill I got over 200 lbs! M Pudzinowski of Poland is another icon I admire.

I’ve got to shout out to those who re-taught me how to enjoy working out. We all work out together just like at a club, via this app. I’ve never had a friendship based solely on a workout website so it is very special. So shout out to Joe Cool, Emilia C, Rani, Wolfgang Nagle, Mario Canel, Ika X, Kristie M., VD, Cenasdoll, Christie H, Chris Patton, Chris B, Wayne H, Kel K, Aleksandra from Serbia, Joey Chavez, Brian Holtkamp, Rob M, Brooke H, Jesse, Craig Martin, Matt Glynn, Gigi Dubois, the first person I followed and a real pro, and more recently Rachel Ceelen, Leona C, Micheala, Kristena Decarlo, Jesse M, Scott Hudson, Tina Q, Chermaine Lashley, Alexandra P, King D, Lela Adams, Sophia, Jeni Carter, Levi Mirelkes, Asdayante A Razak, Nerrisa Thomas, Febrythia j, Roshauna W, Abady n, Kelli Cornwell, Gilbert Rod, Ally M, Rimma Po, Alexis Garcia, Febrice Andrade, Julia Leitner, Cindy M, Julie Prescott, Adrian Smith, Nina P, Leslie Alexander, Maureen, Adrian B Hannah Lewis, De2012iamde, Ms Florence, Hahn Yan, Dichi Harnanda, Rob Lamond, Alan Rodmell, Tammy Hailey, Liz Cal, and many more! kind of supportive community is what we LOVE to see!  Thanks, Rod, for taking the time to chat with us and good luck with your fitness goals in 2013!

We at Skimble HQ get psyched when we find out that our members are going out and challenging themselves.  If you are planning to participate in some sort of challenging event, and are using the Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps to help you train, we’d love to spotlight you!  Please send us an email to trainers@skimble.com if you’re interested.

This week we’d like to introduce you to Brian Holtkamp, this week’s Skimble Member Spotlight! Brian is relatively new to Skimble, starting just a few months ago, but is already an avid user of both Skimble’s Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps!  With over 1700 points in November alone, we just had to talk to Brian to ask about his fitness motivations and Skimble experience.

What was your starting point versus your current fitness status?

About a year and a half ago I had become horribly out of shape after being very fit earlier in life. I was about 30 – 40lbs overweight, a BMI of 27.5 and body fat percentage in the low 20’s. Today at 42 years old, I am lean and more fit than I was in my mid 20’s, a muscular 170lbs, a BMI of 23.7 and a body fat percentage of 14.8%.

When I decided to begin getting back in shape I focused heavily on modifying my diet and doing an hour of cardio a day. I went from 189 lbs to 155 lbs in a matter of 6 months. After I had lost all the extra body fat and wanted to begin growing muscle was where Skimble became really helpful, with numerous workouts available I was able to find routines that helped me accomplish my goals and I have even created a couple of my own. I love the app!

What’s your next fitness goal?

My next fitness goal is to continue to grow a little more muscle and to remain lean and fit. 

What’s your favorite thing about Skimble?  

My favorite thing about Skimble is the variety of workouts available and the ability to create my own. 

Give us a fun fact about yourself:

I am a huge science geek, and all around nerd. Physics and astrophysics are my favorites but, I really just enjoy science in general.

Brian made amazing leaps and bounds in just a matter of months, all with the free versions of both our apps!  Imagine what he’ll do with the free year of Workout Trainer Pro we just gifted him? 

We at Skimble HQ get psyched when we find out that our members are going out and challenging themselves with monumental athletic feats.  If you are planning to participate in some sort of challenging event, and are using the Workout Trainer & GPS Sports Tracker apps to help you train, we’d love to spotlight you!  Please send us an email to trainers@skimble.com if you’re interested.  

It’s been a while, Skimblers, but we’ve got an awesome Member Spotlight for you with Paul Gilbert!  Paul has been with us for two years now, but has really used us in the past year to track his progress and use it to motivate him to push himself– he’s lost 20 pounds since!  We got to ask Paul some questions to find out more about his Skimble experience.

What was your starting point versus your current fitness status?

My starting point of fitness was about two years ago- I just finished a extended treatment of prednisone.  As you may know, one of the infamous side effects of the drug is weight gain, and I was close to 198 pounds.   While I was exercising regularly, it wasn’t overly impressive- very conservative in distance and time, and by that I mean my running program.   As this year began I noticed I had only run 200 miles.  I thought I had to step this up and I set myself the goal of running 300 miles.  Right now I’ve run 290 miles and now considering that I can run over 311 miles (500 km).  Since having this goal I’ve lost 20 lbs.

What’s your next fitness goal?

I have two goals, the first is to lose at least another 5 lbs, with the ultimate goal of another 10 lbs.  My other goal has to do with this race I did this past summer.  I did “The Dirty Dash“, an 8km trail race.  I was used to running 8km but the hills did me in.  I finished in just a little over an hour.  The next time I race it’s going to be under 1 hour.  I have a new running plan that includes a number of hills, including a nice 6.8% grade climb.  I plan to beat those hills next year.

What’s your favorite thing about Skimble?  

Only one?  There’s a lot of things I like about Skimble.  I like the social aspect, the messages, forums and the friendly competition that can happen between followers.  I do check my status and the status of my followers.  Nothing gets me pumped up for workouts like seeing them either catching up to me, or passing me on points.   It’s the fun aspect of Skimble.  There are a few people whom I’ve written and they’ve written back and you know we’ve got a very friendly rivalry going on.

Give us a fun fact about yourself:

I started running when I turned 40. I told people I couldn’t afford a red Porsche, so I took up running as my mid-life crisis activity. One person heard me say that and he turned to me and said “that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard”.

My workout coach, Theo the Cat. Always wants to help me with my form.

That’s awesome, Paul, and thanks for chatting with us!  We know you’re going to reach your goals with the Skimble motivation behind you 🙂 

We at Skimble HQ get psyched when we find out that our members are going out and challenging themselves with monumental athletic feats.  If you are planning to participate in some sort of challenging event, and are using the Workout Trainer and/or GPS Sports Tracker apps to help you train, we’d love to spotlight you!  Please send us an email to trainers@skimble.com if you’re interested.