Growing up I actually liked school, except for a single, 45-minute period each week: gym class. You see, I was the overweight kid who struggled with all things athletic; from doing a forward roll to running a lap (I HATED to run) to climbing the rope in gym. I was an overweight kid who became an overweight adult.
Just before turning 40 I’d decided that I had to make a change because in addition to being overweight, I was also on medications for high blood pressure and diabetes. I knew I was on the path to lots of future health problems and perhaps an early death. I have four sons who I wanted to see grow up and for whom I wanted to set a better example. I wanted to lead an active life, doing things, like hiking, that most people take for granted but which are a huge struggle when you’re overweight. So I set about losing just over 100 pounds in about a year and a half completely by controlling my diet while doing absolutely NO exercise (not even walking around the block).
After finally losing the weight I realized that I needed to get fit to keep the weight off and enjoy the active, healthy lifestyle that I wanted. That’s when I came into this kettlebell gym and Colin put me through a free, 30-minute “orientation” that nearly killed me. I’d never joined a gym before and being incredibly cheap, I decided early on that if I was paying for unlimited classes I was going get my money’s worth. That’s what initially drove me to get out of bed to get to the 6am class. However, after a while, I realized that I felt much better all day if I made it to the gym in the morning (especially if Kerry read an inspirational story). Even on those cold winter mornings when I just KNOW we’ll be running to the dumpster, I also know that I’ll be glad I was there (even though I STILL hate running), so I drag myself out of bed. I love the fact that no matter how comfortable I get with the classes, there are always some exercises that will humble me and all of them can be tweaked to take it up a notch.
Being my first gym, I’m sure that 212 has ruined me for all the other gyms in the world because I’m certain that none can compare to what Kerry and his team have built here. Beyond the training and the classes, they’ve built a community focused on encouraging everyone to be the best they can be. Since coming to 212, I have an entirely new relationship with health and fitness than I ever had throughout my life. Thanks to Kerry, Colin, Sean and the whole team at 212, I’ve been able to exceed my expectations for what I could accomplish. I’ve been getting MUCH more than my money’s worth for 4 years now. I’m now active, going hiking with my boys and my new bride, Lori; one of the many wonderful changes in my life over the last few years. I still have goals to accomplish (gain muscle, lose fat, climb the rope, etc.) and I know, with the help of the help of the team at 212, I will achieve them.