BEFORE MY TRANSFORMATION
I retired for the second time in June 2014. My original profession was as a school teacher and my second career was in the gaming industry, and both of these careers were very active and stressful. After my retirement, I worried about what I was going to do with all of my free time. I wanted to find something that I could be passionate about. I didn’t have hobbies, shopping became old after a while, and traveling wasn’t something I found fun any longer. It also had been a very long time since I had been to a gym to do any kind of workout. However, I decided the best thing was to get active and to change my eating habits, especially since I thought it could reduce my doctor visits. Prior to joining the gym, I was taking five medications and would visit the doctor every three months. Since joining the gym, I am no longer on medication and only visit the doctor every six months.
GOALS
I will be 70 years old this July. I want to prove that age is just a number and not a state of health. Being healthy and becoming stronger is my motivation. Brendan Jones, owner of Body Axis Fitness and a personal trainer with Anytime Fitness, sets attainable goals, gives me the guidance to reach these goals and holds me accountable. Brendan also is a nutritionist and provides me with a nutrition plan geared to helping me reach my goals. He realized very quickly that I am a goal-oriented person and will give something 150 percent of my energy in hopes of reaching my goal.
WHAT I DID
I keep a “little blue book” or diary of nutrition and workout plans, which I use to keep me on track when I am working on my own. Once I saw the weight begin to slowly melt away, I became obsessed with following his plans. I would work out every day until my body would become fatigued and then I would take a small break.
When experiencing success in reaching your weight loss goals, the scary part is learning how to maintain your desired weight. How do you balance eating and exercise? I started this journey at 198 pounds in April 2016 and reached my goal weight of 165 pounds by October 31. By Thanksgiving, I had surpassed my original goal by getting down to 161 pounds.
Having stated goals keeps me focused on what I am trying to do. I feel that I can keep the weight off this time and continue to grow stronger with the help of Brendan and my gym family. I couldn’t ask for a better support system than my friends and my new family at Anytime Fitness.
If I could give someone a suggestion it would be to find a gym that meets your needs, is located on your way home, cost-friendly (some insurance will help pay some of the costs), and a place where you can work out with friends (if your friends don’t belong, make new friends). A gym with a personal trainer that is certified in nutrition as well as training is a bonus! Also, if your shoes aren’t comfortable, you won’t wear them so buy new ones, and the same is true for a gym — it needs to fit well. Finally, you must be open to make a lifestyle change for yourself and not for other people or because you feel pressured.
I can remember the time I had reached an all-time high of 276 pounds and it was an embarrassing time for me. I had been on so many diets and would starve myself skinny and then would blow back up to my original weight or more! This is not a life I wanted to live. Thankfully, I now have the skills to achieve and maintain my goals.