Lisa Leas
Group Fitness Instructor
Personal Trainer
I grew up in Phoenix and come from a family of athletes. I followed in their footsteps and took up sports at an early age. Even though I was very active, my frame was still heavier than most athletes. Losing weight was very difficult for me. When I was 15 my gall bladder had to be removed because it was full of gall stones. Trying to learn how to eat without it became stressful and I eventually gave up. My diet was poor and the pounds kept coming on. I tried every diet, fat burning pill, quick gimmick out there and nothing worked.
Makeup artistry is one of my passions so I decided to study in LA to become a professional makeup artist. I loved my job and was offered the chance to teach the art of makeup in Orlando, Florida. I didn’t know anyone! One thing I did know was eating out and hanging at the bar. That was my comfort zone. On top of being heavy to begin with, I gained 15 more pounds! My time in Orlando came to an end and I found myself back home in Arizona with all of the baggage I gained in Florida. One day it hit me like a brick wall and I realized how unhappy I was.
After some success with losing a little bit of weight my life turned into a constant roller coaster. I gained the weight back and then would lose some and then gain it back and then lose some. The vicious cycle was never ending. I then subscribed to oxygen magazine and my life was forever changed. With the jolt of motivation from the magazine I started to research the fitness industry and decided it was the right path for me. I realized I had to make the change myself and turn it into a lifelong transformation. I didn’t quite know how to gain control of my life and my health, but I knew I had to change. Being terrified of the weight room didn’t help either! I decided to hire a trainer to get my life back on track. He taught me the principles of lifting and showed me that the weight room wasn’t all that bad (now you can’t get me out of it). I was hungry to learn more about health and fitness and asked him every question in the book.
After a year of hard work and dedication I finally did it. I dropped from 34% body fat to 15% body fat which was a total of 40 pounds. I went on to enter myself into a fitness competition and show off my hard work. Pushing myself that much harder taught me that you really can do whatever you put your mind to! My first competition was the NPC Western Regional show in Mesa, Arizona on March 12, 2011. I competed in the bikini division. When I stepped on stage it was one of the most rewarding moments of my life. I knew I found a new passion within the fitness industry.
Becoming a personal trainer/instructor was one of the best decisions I have made. Fitness changed my life and took me through an incredible journey. When my husband asked me to marry him I was so excited and couldn’t wait to start wedding planning. When I was a newly engaged bride I also felt the desire to look my absolute best in my wedding dress. I had more motivation for the wedding than I did preparing for the bikini competition! Dealing with wedding planning and kicking my butt in the gym I finally found where my calling was… Helping other brides look absolutely stunning on their wedding day! Having the wedding glow myself I knew exactly how a bride wants to look and feel. Leave the fitness up to me and let me help you say “I DO” to a fit you!
Certifications:
- NSCA-CPT
- AFAA Group Fitness
- CPR/AED
Accomplishments:
- NPC Bikini Competitor
- Published Fitness Model (Scottsdale Health March 2011)
- Weight Loss Success Story
