It all began this fall when I weighed in at the heaviest I have ever been. After huffing and puffing my way upstairs to the bathroom I stepped on the scale and came close to tipping it over 300 pounds! I’m 5’9 folks! I couldn’t stand to look at myself in the mirror anymore, and even my fat clothes were quickly becoming too small. The doctors said I was on the fast track to a heart attack. I have 2 teenagers and I wanted to be around to see them grow into adults with their own families and kids. Becky and I looked at each other and decided we needed to do something. We made a pact to get serious and do something about our ever increasing waistlines. Herein lies the issue. The problems is that I was that guy. I’m sure you have met him. He’s one who orders a diet soda along with his double cheeseburger and large fries because he’s eating “healthy.” I know myself all too well and making a choice to get healthy was going to be hard.

It did seem like a pretty logical step in the midst of this self-imposed health crisis and the solution seemed very logical to me. If my pants didn’t fit, I should go to the gym. What never occurred to me and has alluded me in years past was the commitment to see change as a process. Not some fast-track goal to be done with once attained. I like to think of myself as a reasonably intelligent human being but in all matters related to health and fitness I seem to lack even the slightest ability to set realistic expectations and manage my own plan.

Enter Sara at Life Time Plymouth and what began to happen has proven to be the start of a wonderful journey characterized by genuinely compassionate trainers like Sara, Keri, Heather, Ryan, and Nehemiah along with a whole cast of others who have helped get me get going on this turbo charged lifestyle.

It began with an initial meeting with Sara to set up some basic goals for what I wanted to accomplish. We set small goals, as my history showed that I did not go well trying to eat the whole elephant right away. I started hitting the GTX Burn classes 3 times a week. I could hardly walk a mile and God forbid some incline was added to the treadmill. Over the course of the next couple weeks things started to get better and I was able to jog a bit, then run. I started looking over the wall at the other classes that were going on that had always completely intimidated me. All of those people looked like fitness models and there was no way I was ever going to get to that level!

The 60day started and I was hooked. Becky signed up first and we became accountability partners. (I know, so sweet right!?) I highly suggest getting one. I met with Sara again and we talked about what else I could be doing to increase the results I was so happy to start seeing. At her suggestion I started working with Nehemiah on nutrition counseling with the intent of developing small goals that I could work towards and track. They were very basic things like, eating a good breakfast, good hydration (super important) getting a multivitamin. I mean like some really basic stuff! We gradually moved on to things like me learning to eat the right kind of snack to control the hunger monster that comes out at 8-10pm every night, and getting enough sleep.

I continue to work with Nehemiah and I’m anxious to see what’s next. The other major thing that the 60day has allowed me to do was get out of my comfort zone. Those “fitness models” that I was talking about earlier were more than welcoming when it was suggested that I try some different classes. The Sampler Saturdays with Ryan gave me some different flavors of what some of the other classes had to offer. I dove into GTX Cut and tried some Alpha Strong. Mat Pilates was a lot harder than it looked and I was sore for quite a while afterwards. We had a great class on how to survive holiday food shopping and eating as well.

Here are the main takeaways that I have from 60day and what it has started for me. I am committed to maintaining and growing what I have started. Keeping active with the GTX program, and coaches as well as working toward nutrition goals is going to be critical to continued success. This is by no means the end. It’s a beginning of something that will allow me to live a longer fuller life. I love my time on the fitness floor. I have made some most excellent friends. It’s awesome to have a group of people who genuinely misses you when you are not in class. (at least I hope they do!!) A huge shout out to my 6am GTX Burn class. Without them this would have not nearly been as fun.

I’m so grateful to be doing this with my partner Becky who has been right there beside me as we start this journey and I could not think of anyone else I would rather have call me out on my excuses than her! Thanks Life Time Training Staff! You all rock. See you in class!