When Terry Andrews joined Fitness Unlimited as a gym member in 2013, little did she know she was beginning a journey that would eventually land her a part time job as a life coach.

“After I joined the gym I lost about 35 pounds, but I just couldn’t go any further,” Andrews recalled. “Then I joined the 20/30 Fast Track program, and I lost another 40 pounds, making it about 75 pounds in 11 months. It’s made me feel so much better.”

Her success, and her natural ability to put people at ease, landed her a job at Fitness Unlimited in 2014.

“I’ve been through their journey,” said a now-svelte Andrews. “They lose a lot of body fat and a lot of inches on this program, and they just get healthier. Most people lose 20 pounds in 30 days, and if they want to keep going we have ‘Listen To Your Body.’ It’s an extension to 20/30 if they want to keep on with their journey.”

The woman who once sought coaching services three times a week to lose weight is now in the position of offering her expertise to help others. She weighs clients, records body fat and measurements and offers dietary suggestions.

“We encourage them to set a goal for themselves, and we encourage them to come in at least once a week,” Andrews noted. “We give them compliments. … Everybody likes a compliment!”

Andrews shared that in addition to loss of extra pounds, many clients enjoy the added bonus of discontinuing some medications.

“We’ve had a lot of success stories,” she said.

Andrews’ own weight-loss journey was sparked by a photograph she saw of herself. But her battle of the bulge began long before then.

“I was born fat,” she said with a chuckle. “I have battled weight all my life. But it was a picture taken while I was on vacation with my husband that told me I had to do something about it.”

Her husband, also named Terry, joined the gym as well, and he has lost about 60 pounds.

“We are our own best supporters,” she said.

Andrews extends that support to her clients.

“You get close to the people who come in here,” she said. “And this isn’t a diet — it’s a lifestyle change. It has made me healthier, and it makes me feel better about myself.”