Read what some of our clients have to say about Upward Motion Fitness & Nutrition and their results. These are their success stories.
Please note: We do not edit our clients’ testimonials.
We all have quirks in our bodies..some of us have scoliosis, some of us somehow were blessed with necks that have no curve. It is my belief that most of these quirks can be worked with...and pain and discomfort can be avoided. Much of the pain we suffer is from what we do on a daily basis...or what we don't do.
So many things we do in our lives create musculoskeletal imbalances ..driving in a car, sitting at a computer, lifting heavy objects, and even the positions we sleep in can affect how our bodies feel. We need ways to "undo" the tensions we put into our bodies through our daily activities, and if you are ready to do these things quickly and efficiently...try the combination of Chiropractic and Personal Training.
Most people go to a Chiropractic doctor when they have symptoms of pain, tingling, headaches or muscle tightness. Pressure on sensitive nerve tissue will usually result in pain or other neurological symptoms. However, what people learn is that the nervous system, once it is corrected and aligned does a much better job of other important things like digestion, circulation, secretion of hormones, and every function in the body! How can this be? Because the nervous system controls the whole thing. So if you have back pain...treating the cause of the pain is just the beginning of all the things that are possible for you.
How Personal training fits into this picture is that once the spine is getting corrected ...the personal trainer will look at your body and tell you which muscles are out of balance. The trainer will work specifically on these areas and give you homework so that you can begin to hold your adjustments better and better. Just going to a gym and working random muscles doesn't even compare to what you can do in a very short time with a skilled Personal Trainer like Luis.
So in short...if you are ready to change your life, take charge of your body and health...it is my personal experience that Chiropractic and Personal training can get you there fast. You have to be ready...there will be homework to do! It will be a commitment, but it will be worth it because when we feel healthy we have more light and love to give everyone around us.
Dr Kelly Coogan is the owner and operator of New Direction Chiropractic, a healing center in Nob Hill. She practices many different techniques of chiropractic, and also is a graduate of the Ayurvedic Institute. Dr. Coogan enjoys blending Ayurveda with Chiropractic and Yoga therapy in a philosophy she calls Chiroveda. To check out her website you can go to www.chiroveda.com.

did sports all my life, therefore I never really paid attention to what I ate and never really restricted my food intake at all. I also never had a problem with my heigh fluctuating, so I continued to eat what I wanted when I wanted well into my 20's.
My first child was born when I was 24 and I had gained a whopping 60 pounds from that pregnancy. I managed to lose about 20 pounds before my second pregnancy two years later. After my second pregnancy, my scale tipped just south of 200lbs and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to get my weight to reduce.
It took a whole team of people behind me to really turn things around. The team at UMPT kept me accountable on a weekly basis and that in turn helped me stick to my fitness and nutrition regimen. Together as a team we reassessed my goals often and always kept readjusting my workouts and diet to never lose sight of what I had set out to accomplish.
The trainers and coaches at UMPT were my cheerleaders throughout this process and offered me a lot of support and encouragement. Ultimately, I am the one who did the work, but they made it so much easier to stick to the plan."










Then one day everything changed. Liz Ann was taking a drive near the office and happened to pass by Upward Motion. After some brief research online, the two of us decided to stop in and check things out. We met with Jami and she told us about a 6:00 AM group session that she ran three days a week. This sounded perfect. We had always discussed the fact that we would never stick to an exercise program for any length of time unless it was first thing in the morning, and unless we did it together. The 6:00 AM "boot camp" sounded like just the ticket. The fact that Upward Motion is only about 5 blocks from our office and the fact that we could both shower and go straight to work afterwards was the icing on the cake.
Now, almost 8 months in, we have turned things around. Both of us have lost over 20 pounds, have much less pain, and are feeling better than we have in years. Old clothes are fitting (some are actually getting too loose!!), and we are excited for the upcoming ski season. Probably the best news of all is that the cholesterol issues Steve has had for the past several years are now gone. The cardio-based, low impact workouts are just what we needed and Jami & Luis are expert at always finding new and interesting ways to keep the muscles confused. We have been members of many gyms in the past and Upward Motion is unlike anything we have ever experienced. We are both extremely grateful for that lucky day this spring when Liz Ann stumbled onto one of the best kept secrets in town.
Thank you Jami and Luis for the profound difference you have made in our lives.

















































































































































Dear Upward Motion,
I would first like to give a special thanks to Adelaide, as well, to
your entire team for what you have done to help change my life and
outlook on possibilities.
I came to Upward Motion very hesitant about what I might get out of a personal training gym. I was a college athlete who was fortunate to have amazing coaches and trainers that forced me to keep fit. When my playing days came to an end, like most I lost the drive to keep myself in the same physical condition.
After a whirlwind of life changes that included some very trying times, I severed my ACL and tore my miniscus in 2 locations. After undergoing successful surgery I ended up back in the hospital with a blood clot. I became depressed at not being able to do so many physical activities I had once enjoyed and turned to fast food. Within 6 months of surgery I had put on almost 40lbs and my knee was hurting more and more. I refused to go to physical therapy because my initial PT didn't give me the time of day but rather treated me like an assembly line rather than a person.
After a shocker on the weight scale as well as a nice clean shaven (chubby) face in the mirror, I asked my wife for advice. She urged me to join Upward motion and get back into some real 1 on 1 training. I finally caved and went to Luis and his team. He introduced me to Adelaid and within 3 months I was running 5-10k again. While I always told myself I enjoyed hiking, biking, etc I never really took the time to actually do any of those activities pre-surgery. However after working with Adelaid, Jamie, Bridget, Luis and Derrick, my eyes opened up to all of those things and I have taken a new passion in the ability to be active.
I told Adelaide what I wanted to do physically and explained what I was used to. She jumped at the chance, and with constant awareness of my physical recovery gave me the tools to get back on track to a healthier more fit life.
I love that Upward Motion really is PERSONAL training. I feel at home at Upward Motion! Whether I am taking a class, having a 1 on 1, or in the gym on my own. The whole team is awesome to be around and bring in an energy that makes me want to keep coming! I love the classes offered and because of all the time spent with me, I have learned what I like, what I can strive for, and what is going to keep me motivated to come back.
Again, thank you Upward Motion for the new outlook on life, and the new face in the mirror.
























































































































Thanks, in large part, to your help, I was able to run my first road race in 10 months yesterday, the 5K at the zoo. I felt only slight twinges in my hips and right knee by the end of the race, and had no pain afterwards. And despite having done hardly any aerobic training, I managed to take 3rd in my age group. There are advantages to getting older--only 9 men in my age group.
Thanks for helping to get me there,








































P-90x. I enjoyed the small class and was very committed to coming each day. My strength and endurance increased steadily, but I was still struggling with the diet. I tried various diet concoctions all to no avail. It seemed like I was always either on a diet or cheating on a diet; it just wasn't happening
Well, my 50th came and went and still no weight loss, but I did not let that discourage me from exercising, because at least I was feeling better. Then, just before the holidays, Luis told me about the Ideal Protein program. "Your Last Diet", the brochure stated. When I read about it I thought "this is the one for me". I have done well in the past on low carb diets, but could I stick with it? I decided I would wait until after the New Year, because who wants to be on a diet during the holidays
Luis would periodically check in with me to see if I had contacted
the local distributor and, well, I never did. Then, sometime in February
Jami told me that she and Luis were going to start the Ideal Protein
program at Upward Motion. Without hesitation I said "sign me up!" I was
excited not only about the program, but about the convenience of having
it available where I come to exercise anyway.
In March I started on the plan and have never looked back. I started losing right away and didn't
feel hungry or deprived. The food was actually better than I expected
and my grocery bill even went down. My weight loss goal was 1-2 pounds a
week and within two months I had exceeded that goal. I am now at MY
ideal weight, well within the range for my height. I started out in the
"obese" category for BMI and now am in the "normal" category, a place I
haven't seen in more than 15 years! I have lost 35+ pounds, gone down 4
pants sizes, and have had to purchase a whole new wardrobe. I am no
longer needing my asthma inhaler before I exercise, my knees don't hurt
anymore, and I am even able to wear high heels again.
Indeed, the diet was the one for me, but what has really kept me going is the support and encouragement I get weekly from Jami, Luis, and the rest of the staff at Upward Motion. I cannot thank them enough for helping me beat the odds and lose the weight, even after 50. This is a diet you can really LIVE with.








































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The Second "S" Factor: SMILES. The smiles receives from the staff upon my arrival each session helped me to feel good about myself, it made be feel happy to be there (even though it was at 6 in the morning), and their smiles encouraged me to workout beyond my comfort level. An addition bonus upon completion of a session was an occasional, the high five sign.
The Third "S" Factor: SHEDDING OF INCHES AND POUNDS. Jami Brokaw, is a Senior Active Care Specialist at the Training Studio completed my body measurement and weight when I started and at the conclusion of the Stimulus Exercise Package. What a tremendous shock with the total number of inches lost 23 and 4 pounds lost in eight weeks.
Currently, I feel much younger than my age, my weight has vastly improved to a low weight that I have not experienced for nearly 30 years and my ultimate goal is to look like Luis Alvidrez, mother who could really past for Luis's sister. The Group Training is on going and each individual trains at their own level: newbie, moderate or advance level. Luis and his staff will help you obtain your individualize health goals. Come join me at the studio & you will receive multiple health benefits.









































Luis gave me a phased approach to becoming healthy. We began by meeting weekly, he would educate me on nutrition, look at my meals for the week and provide healthy alternatives for some of the food I was eating. He didn't change everything all at once, instead he would have me focus on one or two good habits per week. First, I focused on eating 5-6/day (eat normally, just more frequently), then he began cleaning up my diet. I was amazed, I lost 10 pounds in a couple of months. While losing weight wasn't my goal, it felt great and much more natural.
Once I had nutrition licked, we moved onto training sessions. I had
been lifting weights on my own for about 5 years before hand…it wasn't
15 minutes into my first workout with Luis that I realized that I was
doing a lot of things incorrectly. My form needed correcting (I wasn't
nearly as strong when I did the exercise the right way…strange how that
works), and I needed a lot of stretching. I was extremely impressed at
Luis' ability to watch me perform a set and not only identify the
problem, but provide a completely different exercise/stretch to correct
it. Some issues were corrected immediately, others were corrected over
time.
After approximately 6 months of working with Luis, I realized that
gaining 15 pounds was no longer a desire, instead I was much more
interested in doing things to promote a healthy lifestyle.
With my improved diet, I was so excited about how I felt that I wanted
to define my body to feel/look athletic again. Since, I have increased
muscle, decreased my fat percentage and feel like a new person.
empowering to be in control of what I intake, and to know the affect it will have on my body. My perception of "fitness" has completely changed…I encourage anyone that is interested in improvin
their life/health, to take 20 minutes out of your day and sit down with Luis, I think any of his clients will tell you, it is well worth your time.…we invest so much time and money into the "things" around us…why not invest in yourself?










































In January of 2008, I finally made the decision to do something with my health. In March of 2008, I went on a 21 day detox diet. I cut out all junk food, sugar and caffeine and went on a diet of supplements and live juices. My headaches and the pain in my joints disappeared!
I now had hope of a healthy future but I still needed to do more. As far as strength and muscle tone were concerned, I had very little. And my diet still needed a lot of work. I knew that if I was to continue this journey back to health, I needed someone to educate me further on nutrition, teach me how to build my body, and hold me accountable through the process. If I could get someone to work with me for six weeks then I would be fine.
I began working with Luis Alvidrez in August of 2008. Luis saw that I needed short term goals for me to get a sense of accomplishment. He started very slow, but with each week he added more and more to my workout. It was encouraging and exciting to work with someone so passionate about living a positive, healthy lifestyle. What gave me encouragement was that I realized Luis had a plan and could see the path even when I could not. It's very easy for me to get too distracted or tired or busy to work out. I decided, with Luis, the most important step was for me to focus on showing up and he knew how to then get the most from me during the work-out. My six-week plan has now been going on for nine months. My muscle tone and strength is at a point that I could not anticipate a year ago. In addition to getting stronger and leaner, Luis has been instrumental in improving my nutritional habits resulting in increased energy. Needless to say, the 16 pounds of fat I gained is now in the past where it belongs!
What I started to accomplish on my own over a year ago has been met with the motivation and program that Luis has personalized for my goals. Luis has truly influenced my lifestyle and I am looking forward to where this path he has laid out leads me a year from now."








































with Luis has a much greater impact. I would highly recommend this for key employees.
















































































































































































































































Luis,
I just wanted to take a minute and thank -you for all the work you have
done with Desert Oasis Recovery. Your participation in our journey of
recovery has been unparralled and we can't thank you enough. You give
our clients the tools they need to make better choices and help them
begin to live better lives. Fighting addiction is always hard and what
we have discovered is the body and soul are so connected that we cannot
get one well without the other. Your approach to wellness incorporates
both the physical being and the reasons below the surface that often
keep us engaging in poor choices. Once we put down the drugs or alcohol
we often replace them with sugar and carbs and your ability to help our
clients understand that those choices can be replaced with better ones
and the emotional payoff for those better choices is unbelievable.
Your work that you did with our client that had chronic back pain and was addicted to painkillers and alcohol was amazing. She was convinced she would be on pain meds for life and yet when she left she was drug free and her pain was managed with ibuprofin. She could not even move her back and was completely hunched over and she can exercise and move about freely...That's just one of many and that's what we are all about and again, we cant thank-you enough for your part in our journey of recovery and one by one the lives we touch!!!
Thank you and God Bless!
















































































































































































































































































































































































































Right after your presentation I immediately starting following the advice of 5 small meals a day, and always combining a protein and carb. Although it may be too early to say this, I have to tell you that my sugar cravings have almost totally disappeared! This is UNHEARD OF!
So, thanks again for that advice, and I will re-read the read of the slides this evening to make sure I haven't missed anything.







































I started training with Luis Alvidrez in February of 2008 and we started off very, very slow. I was no stranger to lifting weights, but I was never able to incorporate cardio into my workout program. As a result, I never really got to a “happy place” with my weight. Since I told Luis that I hated cardio, he decided to start there. (So if you work with him, don’t tell him that you hate something because he’ll make you do it!) I would run for 5 minutes at a time, then move up to 10 minutes, 15, and so on. I finally trained my body to where I could run a 5K (3 miles); I thought I was going to die. But, I kept going.
Eventually, I did a 10K (6 miles) and I was really, really happy – then, I heard the words from my trainer. “You should run a ½ marathon!” There was no way I was going to do something like that. A few thoughts ran through my head (no pun intended): ‘I’m not a real runner,’ ‘I can’t run that long,’ ‘What happens if I come in last? I would be so embarrassed!’ I was positive that if I did this, what little confidence I had would be shot.
But, I kept going… and I did it. I ran the Las Vegas ½ Marathon on December 7, 2008; my first half at the age of 36. It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had in my entire life. Achieving this goal not only helped me believe that I could do great things, it made me want to do more! I could not have done this without the support of my family and of course, my trainer Luis. The program he outlined for me contained many weekly goals in the form of “baby steps.” Before I knew it, I was taking giant leaps and strides toward my goal. My trust in Luis and my commitment to keep going paid off.
I recently decided that I would now train to do my first amateur bodybuilding competition coming up in September. This is going to be another challenge, but I’m ready for it. I feel ready for anything.







































I started training with Luis Alvidrez in February of 2008 and we started off very, very slow. I was no stranger to lifting weights, but I was never able to incorporate cardio into my workout program. As a result, I never really got to a “happy place” with my weight. Since I told Luis that I hated cardio, he decided to start there. (So if you work with him, don’t tell him that you hate something because he’ll make you do it!) I would run for 5 minutes at a time, then move up to 10 minutes, 15, and so on. I finally trained my body to where I could run a 5K (3 miles); I thought I was going to die. But, I kept going.
Eventually, I did a 10K (6 miles) and I was really, really happy – then, I heard the words from my trainer. “You should run a ½ marathon!” There was no way I was going to do something like that. A few thoughts ran through my head (no pun intended): ‘I’m not a real runner,’ ‘I can’t run that long,’ ‘What happens if I come in last? I would be so embarrassed!’ I was positive that if I did this, what little confidence I had would be shot.
But, I kept going… and I did it. I ran the Las Vegas ½ Marathon on December 7, 2008; my first half at the age of 36. It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had in my entire life. Achieving this goal not only helped me believe that I could do great things, it made me want to do more! I could not have done this without the support of my family and of course, my trainer Luis. The program he outlined for me contained many weekly goals in the form of “baby steps.” Before I knew it, I was taking giant leaps and strides toward my goal. My trust in Luis and my commitment to keep going paid off.
I recently decided that I would now train to do my first amateur bodybuilding competition coming up in September. This is going to be another challenge, but I’m ready for it. I feel ready for anything.















































































I was immediately impressed with the staff and the facilities – UMPT is a modern, clean, organized facility with top notch machines and equipment. I was most impressed with their staff and the level of detail and attention they applied as they determined my personal goals, my fitness level, and my background. They were friendly and caring as they customized a realistic training regimen that allowed me to get acclimated to a workout routine – I recall early on hearing, “we have to make you well in order to make you fit”. As my workouts have progressed over the past six months, they have grown increasingly more challenging – pushing me much further than I thought possible. I also appreciated them working around my irregular, busy work travel schedule.
Most importantly, I have to single out my personal trainer, Adelaide McMillan. Adelaide is caring, attentive, encouraging, and also incredibly challenging - she has an extraordinary gift with her systematic approach to my training. Thanks, Adelaide – you’re the best!
Finally, the transformation with my fitness level, my body, and weight loss has been amazing. It has been the wisest investment in my health and my life and has positively influenced my marriage, family, and my self-image. I highly recommend Upward Motion for a personal training gym – they are not only about fitness, they are about changing lives.
Words are truly inadequate to express the gratitude I have for Adelaide and the staff at Upward Motion. Take care and I look forward to seeing all of you next workout!















































































And if I'm out of town or I'm sick people notice I'm gone. It's nice to know so many people and work out with them and have them notice if you're gone.
I keep coming back for all these reasons and because I know can get a great workout for just 30 minutes.








































2-The reason I continue going to Upward motion is because the coaches always help me and give me encouragement at each exercise, which helps me to keep going!
3-Upward motion has made it more challenging than working out at a gym for an hour and not feeling the great outcome I feel with a 30 minute boot camp workout. Also, working out as a group and working together to stay strong helps us accomplish an intensive 30 minute class.














































































