So how did you first hear about IMS?
Well, I was at a friends coffee shop, and he pointed out that I had gained a lot of weight. He told me about this trainer that he knows by the name of Jonce. This was a Saturday. I came in to IMS on Sunday for my consultation, and started my training that Monday.
What had you actually make an appointment and show up?
I’m 43 years old, and I know that excess stomach fat is very bad for you. I didn’t want to develop problems later in life. So I figured I’d get motivated and get back to where my ideal weight is, around 200-205lbs.
So how long have you been working out at IMS?
This is my fourth month, and so far I’ve lost 47lbs.
That’s amazing. So what keeps you motivated to keep going?
Every time I get up and take my shirt off I look better and better. My shirts fit good, I feel great, I breath great, I can move better, and I can even get out of bed easier. It changed my life dramatically, from waking up in the morning, to going to bed at night, whatever I do in between is what helps me get better, faster, and do what I do.
So aside from the physical changes, how else has training at IMS impacted your life?
Well my confidence has gone through the roof. I feel great, I look great. It’s given me a real vote of confidence that I’m at my ideal weight. Now when I put clothes on I look the way I want to look rather than them making me feel like I’m overweight.
In terms of nutrition, what to do tell yourself when you’re tempted to eat something that you know isn’t going to be good for you?
Well, I have this idea in my head that any time I want to eat a slice of pizza or a bacon cheeseburger, I think about my trainer Jonce. I know what he puts me through, and to eat that burger or that slice of pizza isn’t really worth it, because I know if I eat it on Tuesday and then I go to train on Wednesday, I’m not getting any better that day, I’m just working off what I ate the day before. So instead of getting stronger and losing more weight, I’m setting myself behind. So instead, I just wake up in the morning and eat healthy and stick to the program. Now don’t get me wrong, I will still eat a slice of pizza on occasion, but everything is in moderation and I don’t overindulge myself.
My motto is “whatever tastes good you eat; whatever tastes delicious you don’t eat.”
So it sounds like you’re keeping in mind that that instant gratification is going to pale in comparison in the long term to how you’ll feel about yourself if you do the right thing.
Absolutely. To get to where I want to get to, I know I have to follow the program.
What advice do you have for people who right now are struggling to stick with a nutrition plan?
I’m probably one of the laziest people when it comes to working out. I’ll be straight up honest with you. The only thing I can recommend is DO IT, DO IT, DO IT. You will feel great! When I first started training, I did two pushups, two minutes on a rowing machine, and I was done. I was at 251lbs. Now I feel wonderful. The first two weeks of training were hell. Since then it has gotten easier and easier, and better and better.
Whatever you do, whatever you decide to eat, think about what you’re going to eat before you eat it. Ask yourself, “is it really worth it?”.
I used to say to myself “I can’t wait until I get home and eat that bowl of pasta, it’s going to make me feel happy.”. And for that 5-10 minutes, it made me feel happy. But for the next 24 hours, I felt like crap, and I looked like crap, simple as that.
Many people go on a diet or have a personal trainer, but to lose 47 pounds in 4 months is really something else. What do you attribute having lost all of that weight so quickly to?
Support and positive reinforcement man. The way my mother looks at me, or my brother telling me “wow you look so different!” or “wow you lost so much weight!”. What it comes down to is that you always know what you look like. If you’re afraid to take your shirt off at the beach, then you know you’re overweight. So for me taking my shirt off, and feeling way more confident than I used to feel, that’s my motivation.
I think that in many ways most people know that they need to eat healthy and workout. It sounds simple but very few people actually do it.
Jonce told me a long time ago, “next time you go to the grocery store, or next time you go to the mall, or next time you go anywhere, look around, and see how many people are overweight.” And I never used to think about that or notice it, but now I’m mindful when I’m out and I see people, and I feel bad for them, because I know how I feel now compared to how I felt 4 months ago. After 4 months of hard hard work, I’ve becoming addicted. I’m addicted to doing what I’ve got to do, to get to where I need to get to. Once you get there, it’s much easier to maintain your body once you’re at your peak. But if you don’t get to your peak, you could workout for a week or two and then quit, and you’ll gain more weight than you had two weeks ago. So keep on doing what you’re doing, and keep on fighting. I don’t know anyone that loves to go workout, but you gotta do it if you wanna feel comfortable with yourself and if you wanna look and feel amazing.
“Whatever tastes good eat, whatever tastes delicious, don’t eat!”
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