In the last 60 days, I learned the profound difference between merely being a member at Life Time and using the club to change my life. I joined in October of 2020 when friends talked about how great their experience had been. My combination of starting a new desk job and enduring the quarantine season resulted in a sedentary lifestyle that made me unhappy and was not sustainable long term. My first few months at Life Time were good, but I had not committed to a regimen or made any changes to my diet. When 2021 arrived, I did the opposite of a New Year’s Resolution and stopped going to the gym altogether. My attendance was so poor that I received an email from the club offering me two free private training sessions to get me back in the habit. That email was very well-timed because I had considered canceling my membership due to my lack of utilization. I resisted the urge to just give up and instead took the bait and booked a personal training session. Let me tell you—I am so glad that I did!

When I signed up for a personal trainer, I reconnected with trainer Todd Duncan, who I happened to already know from church. Todd had been at Life Time since the South Tulsa location opened, and it took only one session with him to quickly realize he was the life of the club. I was fortunate to train with Todd a handful of times before his sudden passing at the beginning of March. During my last training session with Todd, we talked about the Life Time 60day challenge, and he convinced me to sign up in order to push myself to grow. After his passing, I knew I had to give it my all.

I maintained a low-carb, high-fat, and high-protein diet throughout the entirety of the 60 days without a single “cheat meal.” I eliminated fast food, fried food, and alcohol. My workouts consisted of 45 minutes of cardio five to six times per week and weight training three to four times per week.

Halfway through the challenge, I met with Cully to complete my health assessment. When I stepped on the scale, Cully said, amazed, “You’ve lost 20 pounds of fat in a month!” He told me – and he seemed to believe – that I could really potentially win the whole contest. Cully’s reaction to my progress motivated me to finish strong. He coached me and wrote focused workouts for me, including introducing a stretching routine to improve my flexibility.

Another great perk of my Life Time membership is how it is honored at other Life Time locations throughout the country. I had to travel to St. Louis mid-challenge, which threatened to derail my training, but instead, I was able to continue my progress by training at Life Time Frontenac that week.

Lastly, the 60day challenge pushed me to get back in the saddle, literally. In April, I started consistently participating in two or three EDG cycle classes per week, along with two outdoor bike rides per week. I used to dread early mornings, but now I look forward to the 5:00 a.m. EDG cycle with Callie or Aurora. Empowered by the average watts I achieve at the start of my day, I find myself moving throughout the rest of the day with a sense of self-assurance, energy, and focus.

I began the challenge weighing 262.6 pounds with 37.2% body fat. Just 60 days later, I weighed 219.4 pounds with 24.9% body fat this morning! I could not have achieved this without the help of Life Time staff including Todd, Cully, Callie, and Aurora, and the support of my family, my friends, and my coworkers who cheered me on and held me accountable throughout the challenge. Although the 60day challenge is over, my fitness goals are just beginning. I have registered to ride in my first 100-mile bike ride and have gained a support group of friends at Life Time South Tulsa who will be there every step of the way.

I cannot thank Life Time enough for hosting this impactful challenge that has revealed to me my strength, shown me the limitlessness of my will, and inspired me to change my life for the better forever. Thanks to your incredible facilities and top-tier staff, I know how to continue this journey with great determination.