Robin Felch

Health coach, take shape for life

By Holly Davis

Robin Felch has fought a lifelong battle with her weight. At 7, she was “chubby.” In later years, she said she carried at least 100 extra pounds.

While Felch may have seemed happy and confident on the outside, she was miserable on the inside.

Today, at 42, Felch is winning the battle. The Center Harbor resident now maintains a weight loss of more than 100 pounds and has for the past year and a half.

“The final straw? I was sick and tired of being sick and tired,” Felch said. “I knew I had to do something – I just didn’t know what to do anymore.”

It’s easy to see Felch’s frustration. After all, she had tried everything from Weight Watchers and Atkins to exercising and hypnosis. Nothing seemed to motivate her.

In January 2007, Felch’s mother called her, and it would be the call that changed her life. Her mom told her about Take Shape For Life, a weight-loss program she had heard about recently.

The program features pre-packaged food from parent company Medifast, as well as a personal health coach. The combination seemed to be a perfect fit for Felch.

“I knew I had to do something different this time to make it work,” she said. “I was determined to finally face those inner food demons and rid them from my life once and for all.”

“I used my health coach as a sounding board, and she was awesome,” Felch continued. “I would not have succeeded were it not for her.”

And Felch did make the progress she had longed for. In just under 11 months, she lost 104 pounds and went from a size 24 to a size 12. She has kept the weight off ever since.

A few months into the program, her health coach suggested that Felch join the ranks and become a coach as well. Felch thought that if she became a coach, it would help her continue her weight loss, as well as maintain it once she reached her goal.

“I was right on both counts,” Felch said.

As a health coach, Felch encourages, supports and educates her clients on the program. She is excited to help people through this process to better health, where she has seen clients not only lose weight, but ditch medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and more.

“I have been coaching for more than two years now and have finally found what I want to be when I grow up,” she said. “What a thrill to help others get their lives back.”

Losing the weight and being fit has helped Felch get her life back as well. This fall, she plans to accompany her father on his yearly elk hunting on horseback trip in the Rocky Mountains.

While the hunting doesn’t interest her, she looks forward to riding the horses – a passion of hers – to help look for elk.
“Most importantly, I’ll be in shape to be able to do something with my dad that will create a treasure chest full of memories,” she said.

She is also planning to go on a weeklong cattle drive with her cousin next spring.

Felch enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her husband, her 15-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son. They have two dogs, a cat and a fish.

“We have a good life,” Felch said. “We are active in our church, have many friends and a great extended family.”