Testimonials from our Clients

House of Payne Client: Liz Protsman
After years of "going on diets", losing weight, "going off diets" and gaining the weight back I had decided to just grow old gracefully and resolved myself to being chubby like most other Americans over age 40. That is... until Dec. 11, 2007, the day I met Joe Clark. Joe asked me what size I wore...I told him a 14/16. He then asked me what size I would like to be, and I told him a size 10 would be dreamy! Joe then asked me what the smallest size I had worn EVER as an adult was. I told him probably an 8 in high school.....he said "then you can be an 8!!!" Starting that day, I began to eat the way Joe told me to eat, work-out with him 2 days a week and work-out by myself the remaining 5 days a week. In exactly 2 months & 3 days (Valentine’s Day) my husband gave me a size 8 pair of Levi's. I put them on and wore them every day for the next week!!! At night I would lie awake and wonder...."am I dreaming??” How can this be, after all these years of being invisible, thinking I would NEVER feel attractive again, suddenly I'm wearing a size smaller than I ever thought possible!!!??" From there, I've never looked back!

Losing weight was only the first step in this journey. As the months ticked by I continued to work out and eat right. After a year or so, Joe asked me if I might be interested in competing in a Figure Model Competition. He encouraged me to take this chance by saying that if you set a high goal, you will be more disciplined to take your workouts to the next level. I decided to set that goal for myself. Joe worked with me on building muscle and trimming off fat. Rachel & Steve Payne taught me, through many hours of practice, to pose and walk gracefully (a huge challenge in 5 inch heels). With a starting weight of 199lbs I would have never in a million years thought I would find myself on stage just 2 years later at 129lbs. The SNBF Figure Competition on Oct. 3rd, 2009 was an amazing experience and has motivated me to continue to strive towards goals I once never thought possible. The whole experience taught me to make a decision and make myself follow through and finish the task. It also makes me want to tell every woman I see….you CAN do it…you CAN change…you CAN be noticed again! I know a place that will change your life!!......House of Payne Personal Training.

I am so thankful to have the opportunity to work out at the House of Payne. It is more than just a gym; it's a community of people encouraging each other to be the best they can be. If you are looking for a place to go to learn how to make your body look and feel its best, the House of Payne is the place for you.

Come join us, there's room for one more : )

House of Payne Client and Personal Trainer: Stacey Killian

My journey to my total body transformation began in the fall of 2008. Prior to that I had done everything I thought necessary to keep myself fit and in good health. The only thing that was missing was a formula to get my figure back to where it used to be years ago.

After having two children, being a working mom, and falling victim to the hectic schedule that life tosses into the path of single parents, I found that it became increasingly difficult to defy the laws of age and gravity. I made some pretty significant changes in my lifestyle to combat these issues, and at times I had success. I cut out and cut back on certain types of foods, I began entering 5K walks and runs, and I started playing tennis. Yet with all of that, none of the changes that I was able to make to my physique were permanent.

Because of my failures I felt that I was doomed to live in the body I had, even though I desperately wanted to chisel it down to a more glorious form. I felt like I had been so active that there was nothing else I could do to make my body perform the task of losing some of the body fat it was holding on to.

That brings us to the fall of 2008. My children and I were walking around the booths at a festival at Lilburn Park. In the distance I see the House of Payne booth, a new Personal Training facility announcing its grand opening in Lilburn. There I met Rachel Payne and that day has now become the first day of my transformation. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first when I asked if there was anything that could be done to change my body. I was assured that weight training was the key to get my body to respond. So with doubts in my mind and no better solution to my problem, I decided to give it a try.

My first day in the gym I met Michelle Allen, who was assigned the impossible task of helping me sculpt my body. She was the picture of muscular perfection and I knew I was in for an ordeal. I had never in my life been up close and personal with a woman who had as many muscles as Michelle did. You would think I felt intimidated, but I didn’t. When I saw all of her trophies and heard about the titles she had won, I felt I might have a chance.

Michelle began to go through the workout with me, constantly explaining the how’s and why’s of what we were doing. I tried to absorb as much as I could so I could be as successful as possible. She obviously knew what she was doing . . . she was a walking billboard for health and fitness. I really wanted it bad now.

My workout went well and we talked about what to expect in the days following. Sure enough I was a little sore, but I knew that we were moving in the right direction. At my next training session something strange happened. Michelle asked me if I ever had considered competing in a bodybuilding competition. Imagine that! As big as I was, she had the nerve to ask if I wanted to enter a contest where you’re judged on your physique! I had no idea why she would ask someone like me a question like that. Then she told me that she saw something in me and that if I worked hard, I could enter a competition and be a serious contender.

Again I thought  . . . yeah, right. But I figured . . . if I can get even close to the point where I looked like I might be able to be in such a competition I would be happy. I told Michelle lets go for it. And thus began the road to being a Figure competitor.

This journey began in November and very quickly I began to see some significant changes in my upper body. As time passed I continually lost inches off of my lower body as well – my lifetime problem area. As we progressed into the spring the diet phase was incorporated and in the summer the sprints were added. All of these different components made up the plan and as each piece was added my body responded favorably.

Everyone in the House of Payne Personal Training family has been so supportive of my journey. All of the trainers and clients were very aware of our diet dedication, walking, posing and choreography rehearsals and persistent training. So many people helped me reinforce my commitment to my challenge by always providing positive feedback and attending the competition where at 45 years old, I, as a newcomer on the scene, won the overall 2009 SNBF Atlanta Novice Figure Competition in October.

Believe me when I say this – if I can achieve this goal of transforming my body, then anyone else out there can achieve it to!

As a result of my success with the training program designed by House of Payne, I began to seriously consider changing careers and becoming a personal trainer. I was sure that there were many people who, like me, thought there was no way to change their physique and I wanted to help them achieve their fitness goals. I spoke with Rachel to inquire about how to enter the fitness industry and she asked me if I was interested in joining her team. On January 4, 2010 I officially became a member of the House of Payne Personal Training team.

House of Payne Client: Renada Sparks

My Second Greatest Accomplishment has changed my life forever!
As I approached my fortieth birthday I realized that I had gained a considerable amount of weight, after being relatively small all my life.
That was even after giving birth to five children, which is my greatest accomplishment ever!  The older I got the more inactive my lifestyle had become and before I knew it I had gained roughly twenty pounds over a two year period.  I had gone from a size 6 to a size 10 and tipped the scales at 150 lbs.  I had had enough!

In January 2009 I made a resolution to do something about it.  I would not accept the fate of so many Americans that constantly battle with obesity and the diseases that often result from it.  I joined a training facility near my home, “House of Payne Personal Training,” and started taking boot camp classes at 6:00 AM.  Joe, my instructor, now likes to joke that he remembers how on my first day of class I was covered from head to toe in a blue sweat suit sprawled out on the floor after just 5 minutes of class (claiming…?). I could not take one a minute more.  I had no idea how out of shape I was, but I quickly found out!

Joe began talking to me about setting goals to make my weight loss more measureable and even encouraged me to compete in a figure competition.  He described it as a fitness beauty pageant.  Of course, I did not take him seriously. I just wanted to get back in shape.  I had never been interested in bodybuilding, but after awhile with Joe’s constant support, I finally agreed.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into. As a divorced mother of five with a full-time and part-time job, how was I going to add one more thing to my plate? Between maintaining the diet and the rigorous workouts, it was as if I had taken another part time job. How would I do this?  Dave, my trainer, put me through my workouts every morning at 6:00 AM.  When I wanted to quit or life got too tough, he hung in there with me and told me I had come too far to stop now.  Rachel and Steve, the owners of the training facility, constantly stayed on me about my diet and reminded me that I would be on stage basically naked with a host of beautiful fit women and I wanted to look better than them.  There were sprints up Stone Mountain and hours of posing practice.  It was a long, hard road, but the payoff was immense and extremely sweet!  Thank you House of Payne trainers’, you have changed my life forever.

After six months of training I lost 25 pounds, six inches off of my waist and 5 inches off of my hips.  I am now a size 4 and have more energy than I have had in years. It’s hard to remember the last time I felt this good. 
On October 3, 2009, I took 3rd Place in the Novice Figure Tall category of the Supernatural Bodybuilding and Fitness Competition.  This is by far the 2nd best thing I have ever done.  I now know I can accomplish anything!

Joe Clark, Master Certified Personal Trainer House of Payne Personal Training

Even as a certified personal trainer, obtaining one’s fitness goals can be a challenge. With our busy schedules and all of the distractions of our daily lives we somehow seem to always put our fitness goals last. Well I was one of these people.

In September of 2008 I competed in a body building show and got myself into good shape. However, it was just not good enough to achieve my goal of winning/ placing. I had to take a look at why I wasn’t successful. After the competition I returned to my normal eating habits and fell back into a diet that allowed me to put almost 50 lbs back on my 5’6 frame. I gained up and over my previous weight. I did this even though as a personal trainer I possess the knowledge to avoid this pitfall. In other words, I love to eat, and eat I did.

However, on January 17, 2009 I set a new goal to return my body to a place I would be proud of. Easing myself slowly into a structured workout and diet, I began my journey. I wobbled through the first couple of months and had plenty of hits and misses.  The results were not exactly what I had envisioned, so I stepped back and looked at what had failed me so far. That’s when I realized that it was staring me in the face. A plan was then laid out, and each week Steve and Rachel, prepared a daily workout routine targeting each body part. House of Payne Personal Training also has in place and in print, a 3 phase nutritional guideline to help anyone achieve their goals.

So with a new commitment to myself, my clients and to competing on October 3rd in the Atlanta Super Natural Bodybuilding and Figure Championships, I reset my goal. I have a client who had a great quote which summed up what I needed to do to achieve my goals. “DISCIPILINE, is knowing what you want”. This rings so true to me personally as I complete my journey. With this program I have achieved more than I thought possible. In 16 weeks of following the House of Payne Personal Training Workout Program and 3 phase nutritional guideline, I have lost 58 lbs, all while eating 7 times a day; more food than I ever have! Amazingly, my body fat percentage has dropped over 70% of its original number, 24% to 8%. I love my new look and I feel great. At my age, (51) it’s a great place to be. So no matter what you do, be the best you can be and achieve your goal. By the way, I did this even though I worked a schedule of 50 hours a week. This included training my clients, a full time job flying around the country and sleeping in a different city every night.  So to sum it up, you CAN achieve the goals you set with the right fitness plan. And remember, DISCIPLINE is knowing what you want.

It is truly my pleasure to write a testimonial regarding my experience with the House of Payne Personal Training.

House of Payne Personal Training is committed to clients achieving their goals, irrespective of the goal (e.g. weight loss, improved medical conditions, preparing for a special event or contest preparation). I have personally observed the trainers create individualized workouts to accommodate clients with limitations or specific goals. When training for my Figure Competition, I received an amazing amount of personalized attention.  Joe Clark provided months of constant encouragement and injury-free personal training. Rachel Payne choreographed my routine and made arrangements for a professional dance instructor to assist me in really ‘owning’ it. Rachel constantly monitored my progress and continuously made valuable suggestions for improving my posing and routine. Steve Payne cut my music and was my tireless ‘Figure Coach’, perfecting all aspects of my training (e.g., routines, posing, walking in 5 inch heels, stage presence). Nick Ciarlante spent hours photographing me the day before my competition. And the day of my show, I was supported with a whole crew of House of Payne Personal Training staff and other clients. Each person made me feel like they truly wanted me to do my best and that they were committed to helping me succeed.

I believe with all my heart that if an individual has true personal dedication, determination, and discipline then they can accomplish any goal with House of Payne Personal Training’s support and guidance.

House of Payne Client: Josh Nguyen
Graduated Parkview High School 2009
Age: 18

I live in Lilburn, GA and attend Parkview High School where football is BIG! Each year the High School holds a body building competition as a fundraiser for football. It’s called Mr. Parkview. In tenth grade, I attended the show, watching with admiration yet dreaming of winning. I really wanted to be Mr. Parkview for three reasons; first, to overcome fear of being on stage and being the shy guy, second, I wanted to achieve something great and third, I wanted to look better and be in the best shape of my life.

And so, I started to workout. At first, I had no clue on what to do. While I followed countless numbers of workouts, I just wasn’t achieving the results I wanted. I realized I needed guidance. I met a personal trainer, Rachel Payne, and had a few training sessions with her. I thought to myself, “my god, those workouts were so hard”, but it felt great! I never knew what it was like to walk on legs that were nearly numb with muscle pain! However, I was very thankful and realized that Rachel had the knowledge and leadership to guide me to my goal. After a few months, Rachel and her husband, Steve Payne opened up their own gym: House of Payne Personal Training, where we were able to take my training to another level!

My senior year approached quickly, and the contest date for Mr. Parkview was set. In December of 2008, I started training 5 times per week. I had a team of trainers that worked with me in each of their areas of specialty from weights to nutrition to posing to the routine and let’s not forget the sprints! The first month was like hell but I managed to survive. The expectations my personal trainers set for me were extremely high; heavier weight week by week was packed on the bars. But with their encouragements and continuous push, I was able to push past my limits and achieve great feats such as leg pressing over 1,100 pounds for reps, squatting 405 pounds for reps, and also being able to do countless sets of pull-ups for reps with no assistance. When January approached, I started phase I of my nutritional plan. At first I was skeptical. Nevertheless, I tried it out. Every phase of this program had extremes I thought were unheard of; no salt, no sugar, and no fat (including condiments). February approached fast along with phase 2 of the nutritional plan that was going to make me a winner. Of course there were harsher limitations, but my body was quickly changing for the better. I looked and felt great; I could actually see my muscles and their definition now. When March approached, so did phase 3 of the diet. We practiced intensely for weeks on my posing routine and being in sync with posing music.

My first bodybuilding actually occurred on the last Saturday of March. I placed 2nd in both the Teen and Novice categories, which was way above satisfactory to me. No time to celebrate, the Mr. Parkview Show was only 5 days away! I had 2 more personal training sessions with Steve and the night of my life began. By this time, I was more than prepared and knew that all of my hard work, training, posing practices, and hours of suffering through the dieting and sprints would pay off. I walked on and performed on stage with the quiet confidence that no one else had that night; I nailed my performance and knew the crowd never expected anything like it from me. And that in and of itself felt marvelous.

In the end, my dream was realized: I had won Mr. Parkview! Afterwards, I looked at myself in the mirror and I smiled so big because I saw what I had always dreamed of looking like: I had striations everywhere, abs were immensely defined, no fat or water retention was seen anywhere on my body and I was in the best shape of my life! My dream would not have been realized had I not had the guidance and expertise of Steve and Rachel Payne and the staff of trainers at House of Payne Personal Training. I would highly recommend House of Payne to anyone from those who have aspirations to compete in bodybuilding shows to those who simply want to change their body for the better. Take it from me, it is an experience that you won’t forget and will carry along with for the rest of your life as a lesson in achieving your dreams.

House of Payne Client: Teresa Williams

I use to dress in layers, covered up to hide my body, and walked sluggishly. I didn’t want to be noticed. I realized I had to change because I didn’t want to live being embarrassed with myself, jealous of others and feeling guilty every time I ate something.

I had been seriously thinking that I needed to start taking care of myself. It only took another three months to start the “reconstruction of me”. I met Joe Clark, a Certified Personal Trainer with House of Payne Personal Training, by chance in July. He came into my life for a reason, and I am so glad. I knew I was in good hands with him, because having been out of shape and inconsistent at an earlier point in his own life, he understood where I was at in life. We laugh now about how weak I was during my first workout, (I could not get up off the floor or even do one crunch). I was a size 16-18 and weighed 183 with a body fat % of 43.

I am now a size 8-10. I weigh 159 lbs, have lowered my body fat to 30%. I am 25 inches smaller. I’m still “under construction” at the House of Payne. Joe helped me to become a person that I enjoy. He took baby steps with me, counseled me, and cared about me as a person, not just as a client. I have had some setbacks along the way, but Joe has always been there to keep me going. I walked and jogged in my first 5K this past September. I felt proud and accomplished. I now have more confidence and even have a little black dress size 8, red shoes and a red purse to show off my new body.

It has been hard, but once you start to see results you just feel so good about yourself. I’ve kept the weight off for a while now and know that I have made a true transformation with my lifestyle. My biggest challenge now is learning to accept compliments. I must say the two best have been, “You lost half of your rear end”, and “Look who is bringing sexy back”.

My husband and daughter support me; my co-workers are the best. Joe, Rachel, Steve, and the whole staff at House of Payne Personal Training make me feel like family and they really do care. I am not finished. I will keep going and will never go back to the old me!

House of Payne Client: Kelly Shaw

Incredibly Motivating Gentle Nudges

In September, 2007 my teenage daughter, Mia and I joined the gym so she could complement her swim training with weight training with the idea that I would spend time on the treadmill while she trained. Amelia heard about Rachel from a fellow Parkview student and we signed up for personal training. Initially we trained two nights each week for 30 minutes each. I would do cardio training while Amelia did weight training and vise versa. After a few weeks I noticed the increase in my energy level and strength. Rachel would gently nudge me to push myself further with the weight training and continually questioned me about my diet. She insisted that I would see even more changes in my body (and on the scales) if I changed my diet. My plan was to work out so I could eat and drink whatever I wanted. But Rachel had another plan.

I continued to see the increase in energy and better muscle tone and I lost five pounds. I could even see a defined bicep! I became more motivated and added a third day of weight training. Rachel continued to encourage me to not only push myself with weight training and cardio but to also change my eating habits. The combination of her support and my new found enthusiasm for training raised my self confidence tremendously.

Rachel mentioned the Body Building Competition to me late in the year and said that she thought I could compete (gently nudging again). I gave that idea no thought – no way I’m getting on stage. After the first of the year Rachel mentioned the competition again. My New Year’s resolution was to step outside my comfort zone and do things I had not done before – so this certainly fit. At the end of January I started following Rachel’s plan in weight training, cardio, and diet. Once I started reading labels I was shocked at how much fat and sodium I was eating (and feeding my family!). The canned food items in my pantry have decreased by half.

The diet was strict – low fat, no sodium, no sugar, no condiments, no eating out. I ate 5 times a day so I wasn’t hungry. If the family went out to dinner I took my own food. The results were amazing! I only had 6 weeks to get to my target weight of 115 pounds and the pounds were steadily coming off.

There was a group of us all training together for the competition. Rachel pushed us all very hard in the last 6 weeks of training. We worked up to weight training 7 days a week. We did cardio 7 days a week, twice a day most days. We climbed Stone Mountain twice a week.

The day before the show I reached my goal weighing in at 114.5 pounds. The long hours we all spent weight training, running, climbing, lunging, and the many nights practicing our routines all paid off at the end of March. We all had a great time at the show. Train with Payne had the best routines (thanks to Rachel and Steve’s choreography). We came home with a table full of trophies and a overwhelming sense of accomplishment