Finalists / Elliot R.

Elliot R.

72.84% change in body fat percent

*Results not typical

ELLIOT F

The Challenge:
It all started with a challenge. One of my first few days in Life Time, Chad (PT Dept. Head) heard me asking about the 60- Day Challenge. After talking to him about it he mentioned having a representative from our club for the top 60 Day Challenger. Chad pushed me that day not just to enter the Challenge, but also to truly compete & win. He asked why it couldn’t it be me, said that it should be me and that he will expect it to be. His final words? “No pressure.”

A Needed Change:
The need for change had been long coming. I have only one kidney & it has very little function. Doctors had concerns about my weight & the stress it put on my kidney. Most alarming was my family’s heart history. A paternal grandfather who died in his early 50s, & a paternal uncle who died in his late 40s… both of a heart attack. My father has made it to his late 50s but runs multiple marathons a year. I had to choose a path. I could continue living as I did & end up like my grandfather/uncle, or I could make changes & extend my life.

Beyond physical health, I suffered mood swings, laziness, & embarrassment in my life. I grew up an athlete, competing at a collegiate level. Now I couldn’t bend over to tie my shoes without my gut becoming a hinderance. I would breathe heavily from walking up stairs, sweat with very little movement. I hated being in pictures, couldn’t stand what I had become. I was addicted to carbs. I had trouble functioning without them, bad mood swings if I didn’t get my fix, just like a drug addict.

I wanted to be fit again. I wanted to grow old with my fiancé, watch my future kids grow up, actually live again. The last 5 years of my life as a slob made me realize my life was just passing me by, wasted. Life Time is what finally offered a tipping point for that change.

Forming a Team:
Day one we were impressed with Life Time. Healthy, happy, & motivated people worked out & worked there. They were inviting, supportive, & glad we wanted to make a change. The atmosphere at Life Time Fitness was addicting. It represented a new lifestyle & it was something I began to crave. Not only was it motivating, but it also set expectations for us. If we were going to do the Challenge, we had to do it right & represent our club well. I knew I couldn’t do this alone; I needed a team to help me.

Right before the Challenge started, I met Reed in passing &he happily spent 30 min. sharing his knowledge on health & fitness. Rarely do you get to see someone so passionate about their job. His knowledge was vast, & he was adamant about sharing it to better others. Reed also shared that competitive drive that I once had & was striving to find again. I knew right then I wanted Reed to be part of my team. The training I received from Reed was something I never experienced before. This was not just about motivating me, but also about education. Reed made it clear that by the end of the Challenge, I would know enough to continue on with my new lifestyle.

I knew nutrition & cardio would also play a key role in reaching my goals. Kaely & Kamal spearheaded my nutrition program, while Steven Goelzer took over as my metabolics coach. Kaely & Kamal not only told me what to eat or how much to eat, but they also told me why I needed to eat like this. Although the 60-Day Challenge was a major focus, Kaely & Kamal insured that I was gaining knowledge that would last me far beyond this challenge & allow me to continue my new lifestyle. Steven analyzed my metabolics via Life Time’s ActiveMetabolicAssessment. He was able to analyze how my body was burning fat & carbs during exercise. He was able to use that information to build me out a cardio plan at peak efficiency for my body.

My New Life:
Through 60 days I lost over 37lbs & 17% body fat, a 72% change in body fat. I’m a new man. It was as if I was reborn, given a second chance. Motivation, mental acuity, & mood have all drastically improved. My doctors are ecstatic. My relationships, & businesses have grown thanks to my new view on the world. The obsession for health has spread to other aspects of my life. I’ve been shown what I am capable of. If I can do this, I can do anything! Every day I find new ways to challenge myself mentally, physically, & emotionally. I found my new addiction: I crave pushing myself to new limits, seeing what I am capable of, & making the best version of me. I found self-worth again, I find value in who I am, & most importantly I am living again. My team at LT provided me with the knowledge, experience, & tools to feed this new obsession & continue my new life style indefinitely.

My Challenge to You:
My team changed my life. I will never be able to repay them for that. All I can do is pass on what they did for me & help motivate others. I hope my success has been a motivator to others. I challenge you to find the best version of you! Find your team & change your life forever. Do the next 60-Dday Challenge, & win it. It all starts with a challenge. No pressure.