First simple rule in life: If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.

My name is Amy, and this is my journey to a transformed life.  It’s hard to put into words how much my life has changed after committing to the 60day.  When I first heard about the program my first reaction was, “No way, that’s too much time, commitment and work.”  Being a working mom of three girls, extra time is not something that I have an excess of in my life.  Between the stresses of working in healthcare serving cancer patients and managing staff each day, coupled with running kids all over town in the evenings for their activities, it was hard to find the time to devote to myself.   I found myself putting everyone else’s needs above my own with the acceptance of “that’s just what busy moms do.”  Long term though, I realized that this was not sustainable.  I wanted to strive to be the very best mom, boss, mentor, and friend and that meant I needed to put a little time into myself.

As I talked it over with my husband, we talked about all the ways we could participate in the 60day together.  We met with our trainer Ryan, and he shared with us the many benefits and opportunities associated with joining the program.  My husband and I decided to sign up together so we could be each other’s motivator, encourager and accountability partner for the next 60 days.  We believed that together we could push each other and challenge each other to work hard and train hard for the next 60 days to see what kind of results we could achieve.  We were excited about the fact that we would have each other for motivation and support at home, at the gym, and in the kitchen.  An advantage of doing this together is that there is an appreciation of what the other person is going through.  What we learned is so life changing that will impact the way we live forever, which is a benefit we never expected.

My story begins a little different than many others.  I have never been in a position that I struggled with weight, nor have I ever monitored or tracked my food intake.  I have always been active and enjoyed exercise, but have never been on a strict routine of working out or had any fitness goals to challenge myself.  As I entered my 40s, I could tell that my weight was slowly creeping up, my physique was changing and it wasn’t as easy to lose any extra weight that had crept on.  I initially weighed in at 26% body fat and that’s when I realized that thin didn’t necessarily mean healthy.  I knew I needed to make a change and it was up to me to make that change a reality.  I was ready to take back control of my overall health.

My past fitness routines consisted mainly of cardio but it was the consistency that I lacked.  When I stopped seeing results from my previous fitness habits, I realized that it was time to try a new routine if I wanted to achieve the transformation in which I had hoped.  Because I was small and a female, the thought of lifting weights was somewhat intimidating to me.  However, Life Time makes it easy to get the equipment that is needed to effectively workout.  I never had a bad experience where I felt uncomfortable or embarrassed that I was working out among some of the most muscular individuals I had ever seen.  I was so relieved at how easy and comfortable my experience was, which made my workouts something I craved and looked forward to each day.

I realized that exercise was only a small piece to a transformed life.  I had always heard that nutrition was key so I had a nutrition plan created, and for the first time in my life, I tracked everything that I put into my mouth each day.  When I started tracking my food intake I was amazed at how much I could really eat in a day when I focused on eating the right foods.  Changing my eating habits has given me an awareness of what fuels my body and how much better I feel when I focus on proper nutrition. I saw positive changes week after week during my weigh in and the results were the biggest motivating factor that kept me encouraged.

The 60day has had a positive impact that extends into our entire family.  Our kids have realized the importance of healthy eating.  They came with us to the gym at times and took advantage of some of the classes offered and other activities such as racket ball, indoor turf, swimming, basketball courts, climbing wall and healthy food options at the LifeCafe.  Life Time makes it easy to incorporate a healthier lifestyle into the entire family, which is something we will continue long term.

Getting stronger and leaner aren’t the only benefits that came from the 60day.  It has done something for me that I never expected.  I have gained more confidence and knowing that I can reach my fitness goals motivates me to set goals in my personal life as well.

I went after what I wanted, and I got it.  Thank you, Life Time, for changing my life. I’m ready to continue living life to the fullest.