The Breakthrough: A Journey of Transformation

Kyle.coletti

The Breakthrough: The Journey Behind Transformation is a podcast hosted by Kyle Coletti, owner of Focusmaster Fitness. He interviews those that have had life changing transformations when it comes to their health and fitness. It dives into their journey and how they overcame obstacles, took ownership of their health, rebuilt their confidence, developed resilience, and rewrote the story they tell themselves. This isn’t about workouts or quick fixes. It’s about breakthroughs — and the journey one goes on to become someone new.

  1. 4d ago

    “I Wasn't a Gym Person” — Until I Became One | Lizzie Honan

    For most of her life, Lizzie Honan never considered herself a "gym person." She struggled with confidence, started and stopped countless fitness and nutrition programs, and never really enjoyed working out. In fact, would do most things to avoid working out or going to the gym. Then, in March 2025, she decided to try our Six-Week Full Accountability Challenge at Focusmaster. But just a few weeks into the program, life threw her a devastating curveball. Her father passed away. What happened next is what makes Lizzie's story so powerful. The place she once dreaded going became the place she WANTED to be. A place to work through her grief, release stress, build confidence and start taking care of herself. Today, Lizzie has completed over 200 workouts, she down about 20 pounds, reduced her body fat by 6 percentage points, gained muscle and, most importantly, completely changed her relationship with exercise. In this episode, we talk about grief, mental health, emotional eating, accountability, the power of community and why you don't have to reach your ultimate goal to recognize how far you've come. Lizzie's still working toward her goals. And that's part of what makes her story so relatable. Most of the time, we're living in the journey and not at the final destination. I think you're really going to enjoy this conversation.

  2. Sep 29

    Decide Who You Want to Become—Then Take Action | Kathy Ha's Story

    In this episode of The Breakthrough: A Journey of Transformation, I sit down with Focusmaster member Kathy Ha. What you'll learn is...Kathy has lived a pretty interesting life—from California to New York City, teacher to entrepreneur, marathon runner to mother of two, and eventually building an entirely new life with her family on 50 acres in Grafton, NY. She's also racked up more than 400 Focusmaster workouts and even trained all the way up until the day before giving birth to her second son! But what I really enjoyed about this conversation was Kathy's mindset around taking action. We talk about motherhood, fitness, discipline, mental health, entrepreneurship, doing hard things, and why she considers Focusmaster her happy place in the middle of a very busy life. Kathy doesn't always feel like getting up early and working out. She just knows the person she wants to be, makes the decision ahead of time, and shows up. And I think that's really the message of this episode: Make the decision. Take the first step. Then keep showing up. If you've been thinking about making a change in your own life, I think you'll really enjoy this conversation.

  3. Sep 23

    “This Is Just Who I Am” — Until It Wasn't | Mo McLoughlin's 45-Lb Transformation

    For most of her life, Mo McLoughlin thought being overweight was simply part of who she was. She remembers feeling like “the chubby girl” growing up. Then life got busier. She became a single mom, worked two jobs, took care of everyone else, and somewhere along the way, taking care of herself kept getting pushed further down the list. Eventually, Mo found herself over 200 pounds, living back at her mom's house after a rough relationship, and at one of the lowest points of her life. She finally decided, “I need to do something for me.” That decision eventually brought her through the doors of Focusmaster. Five years and nearly 1,000 workouts later, Mo has lost around 45 pounds, completely changed her relationship with exercise/working out, learned how to better fuel her body, and says she's now in the best shape of her life!! What's real about this conversation is that Mo's journey hasn't been perfect. She's had great stretches. She's gained some weight back. She's had summers where nutrition slipped. She's had days when she didn't want to get up and work out. But instead of letting one bad choice become a bad week—or a bad season—she learned to get back on track. We talk about being a single mom, putting yourself last, body image, confidence, nutrition, accountability, breaking old beliefs, and why slow and steady really can win the race. And maybe my favorite part? Is Mo's new belief... Mo used to believe her best years were behind her. Now, as she turns 45, she's wearing a two-piece for the first time, setting new goals, and already talking about being “fabulous at 50.” If you've ever told yourself, “This is just the way I am,” I think you're going to relate to this one. This is Mo's breakthrough. I hope you enjoy!

  4. Aug 30

    From Intimidated to All In | How Lexi Changed More Than Her Body

    In this episode of The Breakthrough, I sit down with Focusmaster member Lexi Ernest to talk about a transformation that goes way beyond what happened on the scale. When Lexi joined Focusmaster in January 2024, she was around 160 pounds, lacked confidence, and admittedly was in the worst shape of her life. She had tried going to a traditional gym, but never really felt comfortable. She didn't know what to do, didn't have a plan, and struggled to stay consistent. Then she saw an ad for a six-week Focusmaster challenge and decided to take a chance. What I didn't know until this conversation was what happened immediately after she signed up. She called her boyfriend and cried. (not what we're shooting for after a consultation!) She was scared she'd made a mistake. Scared she wouldn't follow through. Scared she'd fail. But she showed up anyway. Six weeks later, Lexi had lost more than 15 pounds and, more importantly, found something she actually enjoyed. Today, she's completed nearly 500 Focusmaster workouts, maintains around 125 pounds, and she's lean, toned and full of energy. She also developed a level of confidence she didn't know she had. But Lexi doesn't pretend she's motivated every day. She still has days when she doesn't want to work out. She still gets off track. The difference is that she doesn't stay there nearly as long anymore. We talk about confidence, accountability, nutrition, community, finding something you actually enjoy, and how fitness eventually became part of who she is. Toward the end of our conversation, Lexi said something that sums up her journey perfectly: Sometimes it's a fight against yourself. If you've ever wanted to make a change but felt intimidated or afraid you wouldn't stick with it, I think you'll see a little of yourself in Lexi's story. Sometimes you don't need to know exactly where the journey will take you. You just have to be willing to start.

  5. Aug 25

    The Missing Piece | How Jan Lost 30 Pounds After Years of Trying

    In this episode of The Breakthrough, I sit down with longtime Focusmaster member Jan Keary to talk about a journey I think a lot of people will relate to. Jan wasn't someone who wasn't trying. Over the last three years, she's completed nearly 400+ Focusmaster classes. She was showing up consistently, getting stronger, feeling better, sleeping better, and even seeing improvements with some of the back issues she'd dealt with over the years. But there was one thing that continued to frustrate her. The scale wouldn't move. For more than two years, Jan kept putting in the work while telling herself that maybe this was just her body now. Maybe it was her age. Maybe it was menopause. Maybe losing the weight simply wasn't going to happen. She even got to the point where she was considering going on a GLP-1. Then one conversation with our manager, Karen, changed the direction of her journey. Jan finally took an honest look at the piece she'd been avoiding: her nutrition. And what happened next surprised even her. Since November, Jan has lost approximately 30 pounds—and what she originally thought was going to be incredibly difficult has simply become part of the way she lives now. We talk about what she changed, what she learned about the foods she thought were "healthy," the importance of protein and portions, why simplicity has worked for her, and how her daughter's upcoming wedding gave her the leverage to finally stop putting it off. But what I really love about Jan's story is that she didn't need to completely start over. She needed to find the missing piece. If you're working out, trying to do the right things, and still wondering why you're not getting the result you want, I think you'll see a little bit of yourself in Jan's story. Sometimes the breakthrough isn't about doing everything differently. Sometimes it's about finally being willing to change the one thing you've been avoiding. I hope you enjoy!

  6. Aug 11

    From Open-Heart Surgery to Two More Ironmans

    What happens when you're in your twenties and a doctor tells you that one day you'll need open-heart surgery? In this episode, I sit down with Dennis Beardsley to talk about a journey that honestly covers the highest highs and the lowest lows. Dennis went from being 40 pounds overweight... to becoming an Ironman. But just when everything seemed to be going right, his heart started failing. We dive into the moment doctors told him it was time for open-heart surgery, what was going through his mind as he faced the possibility of not making it home to his family, and how he found the strength to rebuild, one small step at a time. The most incredible part? After recovering from open-heart surgery, Dennis didn't just get back to normal... he completed two more Ironmans. This conversation isn't really about triathlons. It's about fear. It's about resilience.It's about refusing to let life's biggest setbacks define your future. If you've ever faced a challenge that felt impossible, I think you're going to take something away from Dennis' story.

  7. Jul 29

    She Couldn't Ride With Her Daughter... That Changed Everything

    In this episode of The Breakthrough, I sit down with longtime Focusmaster member Trish to share one of the most powerful transformation stories I've ever had the privilege of witnessing. When Trish walked through our doors several years ago, she weighed 310 pounds. Since that day, she's lost around 150 lbs! But this conversation isn't really just about the number on the scale. It's about the moment that changed everything. While on a family trip to Universal Studios, Trish waited hours to ride a roller coaster with her daughter... only to discover she couldn't fit. She had to step off the ride and ask a complete stranger to ride with her daughter instead. That moment crushed her and became the turning point that changed the direction of her life. In this episode, we talk about emotional eating, binge eating, raising five kids while putting herself last, living with lupus, battling self-doubt, and how she found the strength to take control of her life one small decision at a time. We also talk about something that almost everyone experiences but few people discuss honestly... What happens after life knocks you off track. After losing 140+ pounds, Trish experienced unimaginable loss when she lost both her grandmother and her mother within a few months. She shares how she began slipping back into old habits, recognized it early, and found her way back before losing everything she'd worked so hard to build. If you've ever felt stuck... If you've ever used food to cope... Or if you've convinced yourself that it's simply "too late" to change... I hope you'll take the time to listen to Trish's story. I think you'll walk away believing that no matter where you are today, your story can still change.

  8. Jul 20

    I'm Not That Person Anymore | Autumn's 94-Pound Transformation

    In this episode of The Breakthrough, I sit down with Focusmaster coach, Autumn, to talk about a transformation that goes far beyond losing weight. Before becoming one of our coaches, an accountability mentor, Spartan athlete, and one of the most familiar faces in our community, Autumn spent years doing what so many people do... Start. Stop. Start again. She tried gyms. Running. Tae Bo. Diets. bootcamps, you name it. Nothing seemed to really stick. Then one day she looked at herself in a full-length mirror at work and didn't recognize the person staring back at her. That moment changed everything. She walked through Focusmaster doors as a member and never looked back. Over the next year, Autumn lost 94 pounds. But what impresses me even more is what happened afterward. She's maintained that transformation for over seven years. In this conversation, we talk about building habits that actually last, overcoming setbacks and injuries, navigating relationships while changing your lifestyle, why consistency beats motivation, and why maintaining your results can sometimes be harder than losing the weight in the first place. If you've ever started over more times than you can count... If you've ever wondered why nothing seems to stick... Or if you're trying to become a healthier version of yourself... I think you'll see a lot of yourself in Autumn's story. Because the greatest transformation wasn't losing 94 pounds. It was becoming someone she never thought she could be.

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About

The Breakthrough: The Journey Behind Transformation is a podcast hosted by Kyle Coletti, owner of Focusmaster Fitness. He interviews those that have had life changing transformations when it comes to their health and fitness. It dives into their journey and how they overcame obstacles, took ownership of their health, rebuilt their confidence, developed resilience, and rewrote the story they tell themselves. This isn’t about workouts or quick fixes. It’s about breakthroughs — and the journey one goes on to become someone new.

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