Grant Zehnder
It may sound cliche, but there is no substitute for hard work. If someone tells you they have the “secret” to weight loss or success, they are full of it. A healthy diet and lots of exercise is the only way to get in shape and stay in shape. For me, the recipe was simple, eat healthy and work out as much as possible in as varied a way as possible.
My journey actually started a few years ago when Fitness Rangers initally opened. However, I did not commit fully the first go-around and eventually stopped coming in. I rejoined FR at the start of 2016 and fully committed to working out there every morning at 530am. The facilities are top of the line and it is close to home. The trainers and staff at FR are very friendly and knowledgeable. There is always someone there willing to help or toss out some practical advice. FR offers a much more personal and hands on approach as compared to other gyms in the area. I also appreciate how immaculate they keep the gym. You can eat off the equipment at FR.
When I started early this year, I cut out the booze for 3 months and followed a meal plan that Chris Hintz of Fivestar Nutrition put together for me (“Shredder Program”). The diet was the most difficult part, at first. But once you get past the first few weeks, and start seeing progress, it gets a lot easier, you just have to find ways to fit it into your lifestyle. Its really just a lifestyle change you are making & it’s all about cutting out bad habits and replacing them with good habits.
As for the workouts, I tried to find ways to hold myself accountable. Working out in the morning and having a partner really helped me. I could not hit the snooze button at 5am because I knew there was always someone waiting on me. Working out in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day and gets the diet off on the right track. For some reason eating healthy is much easier after you’ve worked out. I also found varying the workouts sped up the process. Resistance training, cardio, circuit training — don’t stick to just one thing. You need to do it all. Thats why Fitness Rangers is great, it offers a ton of variety. Don’t be afraid to hit a double day at the gym once in a while either. I chose to take weekly progress photos. The photos help because change is gradual. It is easy to get discouraged if you don’t see any progress in the first few weeks. They also hold you accountable on the weeks you don’t eat as healthy or workout as much because the photos don’t lie.
In the end after 3+ months of a strict diet and exercise, I’ve been able to lose approximately 35 pounds. My long-term goal is to continue working out on a daily basis and continue eating healthy. Even if I allow myself the occasional beer, glass of wine or cocktail. A more immediate goal is to get my body fat percentage down in the single digits.
Big thanks to FR for providing such an awesome space to work out and to Chris at Fivestar for keeping me consistent and giving me a recipe for succes!
