Something needed to change. It was post-COVID and I had gained as much weight during the pandemic as I had when I was pregnant and I had zero muscle tone. My family and I joined Life Time late December 2022 and on my first visit, my introduction to personal training, I saw the sign for the 60day Challenge. I was immediately drawn to it because it would give me the much-needed spark to work on getting my body back. I signed up that day and couldn’t wait to begin.

Starting the 60day Challenge, my goals were to lose weight and improve muscle tone. Ultimately, I wanted the clothes in my closet to fit again. I love challenges and while competition is fun, I enjoy seeing others improve as it motivates me to do better. It’s also one of the reasons I love Life Time. When I come to work out, the club is full of people of all shapes, ages, and sizes, all working on their personal goals. It is inspiring!

At the 60day kick-off, I purchased the 14-Day D.TOX Kit to improve my nutrition and food selection. I spent the weekend ensuring I had the proper foods to eat during the detox and then began the following Monday. I took a Life Time D.TOX Nutrition Class, taught by one of the personal trainers, to fortify my understanding about the detox process.  Changing my diet was not easy at first, but it got easier after the first few days and by the end of the two weeks, I didn’t crave sugar or junk food any longer. I also learned that certain foods were on my “do not eat” list, and dairy is one of them. While not as strict as during the detox process, I still adhere to the whole foods selection for my meals. I prefer cleaner eating and feel like I am on a much better path. I am also not having reflux like I was prior to doing the D.TOX.

The 60day Challenge gave me a solid, well-rounded exploration of the club’s offerings and the amazing personal trainers. For one, my partner and I set up weekly personal training sessions with our coach to learn more about what we could do together, support one another, and build a better lifestyle. Having a trainer get to know our strengths and weaknesses was critical to our progress.

I appreciated that our trainer continually assessed our bodies and quickly found what our unique issues were. One particular exercise we were shown was the Total Body Resistance Exercise (TRX). This strategy helped me maintain stability while I worked on my weakened hips, an issue that developed from sitting for long periods of time behind my computer.  Our trainer pushed us hard and kept us accountable as he helped us develop our fitness routine.

I also arranged for the Active Metabolic Assessment to gain an understanding of my cardio health and to help me pinpoint the best way to work out for weight loss. This process changed my whole outlook. I now use the heart rate zones to inform how hard to push during a workout.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Saturday “Sweat Sessions” and loved the introduction to a variety of trainers and workouts. I got to try Ultra Fit, Alpha Conditioning, GTX, Boxing, Pilates, and more. I found GTX was a great fit for me and I am continuing my health goals with GTX as my regular “go to” class. I also sprinkled in other classes outside of the Sweat Sessions and GTX. I took my first yoga class during the 60day Challenge and loved it. I went to enough classes that I began to understand what the instructor was coaching us to do without having to look at others. This was a huge accomplishment!

Using the InBody assessment on a weekly basis offered great feedback on my progress. At one point during the competition, my body did not change as dramatically as it had before. The InBody measurements were the same for two weeks. However, I adjusted my mealtimes and changed my workouts to the mornings and the results were positive. I lost four pounds in the last two weeks of the challenge. I was also able to see that it was fat that I was losing and not muscle mass.

I’ve now completed the competition. Our last 60day Saturday workout session was a post-assessment and I learned that I can run a little faster, do more sit-ups, more pull-ups, and a 30-second plank is a whole lot easier. I also lost close to 20 pounds and can now fit into most of my clothing. I’m really proud of my transformation in such a short period of time. The Life Time 60day Challenge gave me the spark to start the journey toward a healthier lifestyle and I intend to continue. My partner and I already set our own 30-day challenge to keep each other progressing toward our personal goals. We set up more personal training sessions and have opted to attend the 6:00 am GTX sessions during the week. I wouldn’t have made such wonderful changes had it not been for Life Time and the 60day Challenge.