Finalists / Cory V.
Cory V.
30.21% weight loss (82 lbs)*
*Results not typical
My motivation going into the 60-Day Challenge was self-centered. My goals were to be slimmer, feel healthier, and have less pain when I move. Although there is nothing wrong with these objectives, they would not have been enough to push me through the hard times. Only one week into the weight loss challenge, I received very discouraging news. My wife and I had been trying to have another child through in vitro fertilization, and we learned that our efforts were not successful. The frustration and pain that accompanies the infertility struggle is one of the reasons I feel I have struggled with weight loss efforts in the past. Once again, I was heartbroken. Not only did we miss out on the chance to have another child, now we also had nothing to show for the months of sacrifice and savings that went into this procedure. In the midst of this devastating news, I dug deep and became determined to move forward and win the prize. Winning the 60-Day Challenge would not only prove I could stay committed in the face of adversity, it would also give us enough money for another round of in vitro fertilization. An amazing transformation happened to me. My “why” changed. I didn’t just want to win for me, I wanted to win the Challenge for my family.
Although I now had a new perspective, I realized that without a plan and some assistance, I might fail. I had tried dropping weight in the past and failed to produce significant and lasting results.
I visited Life Time Fitness the week before the competition to meet with a Life Time Fitness nutrition specialist. She sat down with me, and together we came up with a game plan. She helped me realize that I frequently associated pleasure with wrong food choices. She said I would need to go through some pain and sacrifice to get to where I want to be, but that Life Time Fitness would be there to support me along the way. The nutrition specialist pointed me in the direction of healthy, delicious food choices that I could enjoy. Normal portions of vegetables, meat and fruit would be the foundation along with drinking at least 1 gallon of water every day.
The staff at Life Time Fitness put their arms around me and offered their assistance at every turn. I felt they genuinely wanted to help me be the best version of myself. Gavin is a personal trainer who provided support and advice anytime I needed it. Three weeks into the competition, I started to plateau. He recommended a test I could send to a Life Time Fitness lab to determine the cause. We learned I needed a few supplements to maximize my weight loss, including fish oil and a multivitamin. I never would have considered this if it weren’t for that test. I started taking the supplements and quickly noticed improvement.
At the beginning of the competition I thought the next two months were going to be about getting into shape and losing weight. The weight loss was a big part of the Challenge, but it created a desire in me that I didn’t expect. My weight loss became a catalyst for change in my life. I saw improvements in my marriage, my job, and my education. Wading through our infertility journey has been tough. My attitude and outlook on life have changed through my body transformation. We also have hope that by winning this competition, we can continue to build our family with the prize money. At work, I was placed in charge of a new division. In my education, I have a drive to learn and improve, and become the best I can be. I have set a goal to get my Master’s degree. It’s hard to believe that weight loss can have such an impact, but until you go through the transformation and feel the inner and outer conversion, it’s difficult to understand.
The real question is what’s next? In a culture of fast food and social eating, how will I maintain the loss? This is something I have struggled with for over a decade. Through this process, I learned that if the kind of food I need to eat isn’t available, I will not succumb to the temptation. I will wait. I can wait. It is worth the wait to eat when I have a healthy option that will benefit my body. I’ve also realized that sweets and all the foods that have paralyzed me from the achievements I desire are not a reward, but instead a punishment on my body. Having the opportunity to complete the Challenge for 60 days through Life Time Fitness was exactly what I needed. The process forced me to develop new habits. As I walk in to the club, I am surrounded by so many members committed to improving their lives. They have inspired me. Every morning now, my eyes pop open at 5 am to go exercise. I’m excited and grateful I have formed these new habits. I look forward to making my body stronger and continuing to enjoy great health. Thank you Life Time Fitness for giving me the opportunity to improve.