Joe M.
Algonquin, IL
When I began my journey with Lifetime’s 60 Day Challenge, I weighed 250 pounds and felt as if I was moderately active. My job required some manual labor, I coached baseball in the spring, and I would sometimes go to the gym, but something was missing from my life—regulated fitness. My previous lifestyle allowed me to drink loads of coffee and consume entire pizzas alongside a glass a pop. Unhealthy eating habits had gone too far and began to hinder my everyday life activities. In fact, I had hopes that I would be able to tie my shoes without being out of breath. I joined Lifetime in order to work out when I found the time, but once I learned about the 60 Day Challenge, I knew that it would be the added piece that would provide the motivation to get me to the gym on a regular basis. I therefore decided to accept the challenge, and what a transformative and life-altering challenge it was!
On February 9, 2019 I began the process of my transformation by setting my goals with the help of Lifetime’s fitness trainer, Tracy Cochran. On the initial weigh-in day, I was 250.3 pounds with a body fat percentage of 31.9%. At that point, my goal was to drop 35 pounds and maintain my muscle. My plan to achieve that was through a continuation of taking whey protein and multivitamins and attending the FREE Lifetime classes that were provided with this challenge.
To begin my transformation, I began by attending “How To Meal-Prep for Success” which was vital in my goal of weight loss. The class had great advice on how to shop and prepare meals for the week. The most beneficial advice I received was about portion sizing. Slimming down portion sizes had been the hardest part of any diet I had taken part in, but the information that was handed to me in this class made it easier to acknowledge portions when preparing for a full week at a time. It truly was a key part to my success in losing nearly 30 pounds.
My sleep schedule and patterns were also altered because if waking up at 4 a.m. meant that I had the opportunity to go to Lifetime before work, that is what I had to do. As hard as it was in the beginning, it taught me strict regulation. This new structure led to eliminating my old habits of going to bed around midnight and waking up at 5:30 a.m. and requiring loads of coffee in order to stay somewhat awake at work with my body still feeling restless. I learned that an appropriate amount of sleep along with a regulated schedule was necessary to rejuvenate my body, not only from my Lifetime workouts, but the labor that is part of my everyday job as well. It no longer is a task to wake up at 4 a.m. Instead, I wake up ready to begin my day with a nice workout at Lifetime, preparing me with a good attitude and outlook to bring with me to work.
Furthermore, I took advantage of the free fitness classes that Lifetime provided in order for people to reach their goals. The three classes that were a main part of my transformation was the GTX Cut, Pilates Party, and How to Do Cardio the Right Way. My favorite class was the GTX Cut because it was the most challenging, and I feel that I got the most out of it. Taking the free classes has also pushed me to expand my horizon and take other classes that Lifetime holds because they have had a huge impact on accomplishing my goals.
Now, at 222 pounds and 26.6% body fat, I am feeling revitalized and there are aspects of my life that I feel I can enjoy once again. I no longer have to set a goal of being able to tie my shoes without an issue, but now it is time to set new goals because my self challenge is not over. In fact, it never will be. This challenge has taught me a lot about myself along the way and it was the perfect way to prove to myself what I am capable of attaining. This transformation has allowed me to set new goals and later this month I will be participating in a 4.2 mile Pat Tillman run—something I never viewed myself taking part in before this challenge. Special thanks to all of the Lifetime trainers and coaches that have been a part in reaching my goals. The weekly emails filled with encouragement and praise for small achievements helped keep my self-motivation at an all-time high and led me to acknowledge that giving up on a life-changing transformation is not an option.