by Deion Clifton
Nate Widom, a member of HAC’s marketing team and man of quiet determination, embarked on a journey of self-improvement when he signed up for the 2024 Lifestyle Challenge. Stepping out of his comfort zone, he aimed to not only win but create a sustainable, healthy routine that would endure beyond the challenge. I had the privilege of delving into Nate’s Lifestyle Challenge experience as the third-place winner.
“I’ve tried [working out and dieting] before, even a couple of years ago,” Nate says, “and it just wasn’t sustainable. I didn’t enjoy working out, found difficulties keeping a routine, and I didn’t enjoy the foods I was eating.”
As a dedicated graphic designer and marketing assistant for the club, Nate’s professional journey has been intertwined with the Lifestyle Challenge. His role in creating marketing materials, conducting interviews with past winners, and writing articles with HAC’s certified dietitians and personal trainers for Enhance Magazine has exposed him to a range of wellness methodologies and styles of training. This prepared him for the challenge and enriched his understanding of the lifestyle changes it advocates.
Last December, he was designing the layout for the January 2024 issue of Enhance Magazine. The issue included a testimonial from Rusty Giles, a HAC member who participated in the 2023 Lifestyle Challenge. “He lost the challenge, he didn’t place, but he really learned from it. And so that’s why I wanted to give it a try—no matter if I win or lose. I just wanted to develop a more effective lifestyle that wasn’t miserable for me,” Nate said. He knew he needed motivation, and once he read that testimonial, he knew he had to sign up.
Nate’s success in the Lifestyle Challenge is a product of his commitment to continuous learning. He says, “I give a lot of credit to just being here and being around, whether proofing nutrition articles I didn’t write or writing them myself.” His role at HAC has provided him with a wealth of information on diet and exercise which allowed him to apply this knowledge practically in his journey, a testament to the power of continuous learning in personal growth.
Back in late 2022, Nate met with Jeannie Versagli, one of HAC’s registered dietitians, to discuss how people can still make nutritious food choices when dining out. “She mentioned all these foods I love to eat already that you could just update,” he recalls. “Yeah, I can have a healthy burger if I want to. I just have to make the adjustments.”
Read “Expert Tips on How to Eat Healthy in a Pinch” on our blog here.
The easiest part of the challenge for Nate was the nutrition. The research he has conducted throughout his time here, on top of his conversations with HAC dietitians Jeannie Versagli and Ashley Boyer, really hit home for him. The realization that he could improve his diet by simply topping off his favorite foods with veggies and substituting sauces was one that made all the difference in Nate’s journey. “I could eat 95 percent of the foods I ate already. I could make it better with a few simple adjustments.” He concludes, “I’m not really giving up anything. I’m adding stuff and just making things a little bit different, but it’s still good.”
Nate clarifies to those who ask that working out isn’t necessarily his favorite thing to do. “Maybe I’m the first Lifestyle Challenge winner that will openly say I hate working out, and if you see me sweating, I’m absolutely in misery,” he chuckles. “But I’ll be happy when it’s done, and I’ll know that it’s to better myself.”
“Maybe I’m the first Lifestyle Challenge winner that will openly say I hate working out.”
Therefore, the biggest challenge for Nate was exercising consistently. So, he found ways of putting in work that wouldn’t take up large chunks of his time. A perk to working at the Hockessin Athletic Club is access to equipment and resources all around you. Outside of his two weekly sessions with premier personal trainer Jo Jo Riccardi, his workouts occurred sporadically, stepping away from his desk to do 20 minutes of weight training here and there during the day, speed walking to his car, and finishing his day with cycling on an old stationary bike he dusted off and placed in his room at home. Nate would commit to doing 350 minutes of exercise per week, which averages out to just under an hour daily.
Just as you might utilize the screens on any of the main fitness floor cardio equipment, Nate has found ways of distracting himself while doing cardio as well. “I just cycled to reality television,” he says. Gaming has also helped take his mind off working out. “I put my Nintendo Switch on the holder, and you hold it right where the handlebars are. So, I can easily play video games as I’m burning calories.”
Nate found these distractions to be a great help. “It makes everything a million times easier! And – I will fully admit because I do hate it – I will do everything in my power to distract myself as much as possible.”
“I could eat 95 percent of the foods I ate already. I could make it better with a few simple adjustments.”
After 12 weeks of training, Nate shed 4.4% body fat. It took consistency despite a lack of movement in his body fat percentage for the first half of the challenge. But before he could even think about giving up, master personal trainer and registered dietitian Ashley Boyer reassured him. “Apparently, it’s normal for people to lose body fat percentage in large doses later on,” he recalls. Still a bit skeptical, Nate hung on to Ashley’s words and put faith in the process. “I was like, ‘Okay, I trust you. I don’t have the personal training or dietitian expertise, so I’m gonna have to trust you,’ and I just did it, and I’m glad I didn’t give up.”
Nate credits the learning opportunities his work has afforded him for his success in this challenge. “To make a long story short, just having the connections and knowledge of being in this role, and then physically being at the gym anyway,” evidently propelled Nate to the winner’s circle.
He feels hopeful for the future as he continues his journey toward a more sustainable, health-conscious lifestyle. He encourages everyone to get serious about their health and wants to make it clear that you don’t have to spend all day and night in the gym or give up any of your favorite foods in the process (yes, even sweets). “It’s okay if you want to enjoy cake. If it comes up, eat that – cake is good. But just make sure you can accommodate afterward with something nutritious.”
