IT is not unusual for Samantha Forbes to approach random people who appear to be overweight and encourage them to exercise.

This might seem a bit intrusive and may be deemed as offensive to some, but Forbes says that is never the case because she is always nice about it, and people are usually receptive.

Forbes, a certified personal trainer and sports massage therapist, has a passion for overall fitness and well-being. According to her, she loves what she does. Afterall, she has been doing it for 18 years.

Having always been involved in the performing arts and through encouragement from others, Forbes has made a career of helping others to make healthier lifestyle choices.

From her days of operating Spectacular Dance and Fitness Studio to offering personal home training as well as personal training at Firm Fitness Club at Winchester Business Centre and 22 Kensington Crescent, and now she is branching out with her own gym wear through Body By Sam Active Wear, Forbes has gone through a transformation.

Interestingly, her transformation was also physical.

After years of telling her clients what they needed to do to transform their bodies through exercise, Forbes had to put her own lessons into practice.

“After my second child, he is two years old, it was the biggest I had ever been; and I was between 250 and 270 pounds,” Forbes told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview. “Being a trainer for 18 years… I got a little depressed and because I am a trainer you have to have that image.

“So, six months after I had the baby I did a little self assessment. First, before I started training again, I started doing some home workouts. So I was working out at home for about two to three months and then with that was the meal plan,” she continued. “So I start prepping my own meals and tried different methods and then for the first month I lost 20 pounds, and then every two weeks, I started losing five pounds, so I was losing 10 pounds per month after that.”

Forbes said that in six months, she had lost 70 pounds. She now weighs 160 pounds.

The personal trainer told Your Health Your Wealth that losing weight is 80 per cent what is consumed, so she took to eating five small meals per day, eliminating about 90 per cent carbohydrates and consuming more protein and vegetables.

“So for breakfast, I would have a protein shake; then between breakfast and lunch I would have a smoothie,” Forbes explained. “Then for lunch I would have something substantial. So, I would have like a chicken breast with some vegetables and some sweet potatoes – so sweet potatoes would be my good carbs.

“Then in-between that and dinner I would also have another smoothie and in the evening I would just have protein,” Forbes shared.

She said she believes in results.

“My workout is very rigid because I believe when my clients spend their money they should see results, so the same methods I use with myself I use with my clients and that is why the result is phenomen,” she insisted. “And that is why within the first month they will see a big 10-pound weight loss or lose tonnes of inches, because I try to let them understand that it is not a weight loss programme, but a lifestyle change programme.”

Forbes said 95 per cent of her clients want to lose weight and that she has been able to replicate her own transformation for her clients. She told Your Health Your Wealth that the biggest transformations among her clients so far have been 70 pounds in six months for two of them.

She said her clients stick to the programme and ensure that they exercise and eat properly. So, although they have lost 70 pounds, their bodies are well toned.

Forbes explained that her clients exercise four days per week with an optional group session on Saturdays, since it is hardest to eat properly and easier to drink and do things outside of the programme on the weekend.

But how does she keep them motivated?

“Actually, I think I motivate them because of my personality and for some reason they have this thing that they are very excited about their trainer looking all sexy with abs after two kids,” Forbes said, adding that she also has a chat group which allow her clients to interact with each other, which also serves as a motivating factor.

Forbes said when people see her clients’ transformation, they are interested in finding out how they too can lose weight and transform their own lives.