by Rusty Giles
When I entered the Lifestyle Challenge in January, my goal was to win. All I had to do was lose body fat and build muscle.
My meeting with Jeannie [Versagli] was awakening. She showed me the easy changes, like substituting fresh fruit in my oatmeal instead of raisins and brown sugar. She also showed me the difficult changes like refraining from partaking in my favorite libation, scotch, and wine with dinner. I decided that if I wanted to win this challenge, I would make the changes and I did.
While I had worked out with Denise [Boyle] in the past, she exposed me to a huge change in my exercise routine. I love cardio but avoid resistance training. She worked with me and developed a comprehensive and flexible program that I could do and see tangible results. Jeannie showed me that, while exercising at 80-95% of maximum heart rate is wonderful for your heart, it won’t contribute to weight loss. I dialed back the intensity and saw results.
A couple of months into the challenge at one of my weigh ins, I realized I was trailing some of the participants. At that point, I could try to win the contest or permanently change my lifestyle. I opted for the latter. Since then, I have maintained all of my changes and continue to reap the benefits. My weight continues to drop, and my workouts are rewarding. I’m not sure what my body fat is, but that’s not important.
The reason I’m writing this is because I had my annual physical last Friday. I was a bit alarmed when my doctor asked if I had someone do my blood work. He said the numbers have changed dramatically. He looked at me and said it was obvious that I had lost weight. He also asked if I was using a trainer. My HDL is now even with my LDL at 76. HDL went up with total cholesterol at 169. Triglycerides went from 210 to 94. Glucose went from 106 to 95. Blood pressure is down, and I feel great!
The Lifestyle Challenge worked for me. While I didn’t come in first, second or third, I have changed my lifestyle and enjoy the benefits. Thank you for your help!
About the Lifestyle Challenge
The Lifestyle Challenge is a 12-week exercise and accountability program HAC offers at the start of each year. Participants receive a training package of their choice with one of our certified personal trainers for the challenge duration.
Though the “challenge” part of the Lifestyle Challenge uses body fat loss as the primary metric for success, there’s something to be gained even if weight loss isn’t your goal. Meeting with a trainer who can accommodate your individual circumstances, whether they be issues with balance, muscle weakness, or just limited time to exercise, is a good idea no matter where you’re starting from or what you’re hoping to achieve. Plus, in addition to personal training sessions, the program includes nutrition coaching, a workout logbook, weekly weigh-ins, and other tools for a well-rounded approach to not just weight loss but whole-picture health.
Ready to get in and get results?
Visit hac.fit/Lifestyle and sign up for the 2024 Lifestyle Challenge before January 15th.
