By Timothy J Murphy, CAE

This past July, I observed the ten-year mark of being a client at Exercise Inc. That overweight and sluggish guy that went online and asked for more information about the program is not the guy I see today in the mirror. Interestingly, if one had told me then that ten years later, I’d still be at it, I would have deemed that person unstable. Well, a decade later and I’m still going, crushing each week’s workout, and consistently getting stronger – I guess that defines standing the test of time.

My overriding motivation ten years ago was losing weight. What I learned is that muscle-building and muscular definition work hand in hand with weight loss. The more toned I became, the more active I became. It’s a great cycle, and being fit seems to magnify the joy of daily life.

The journey of achieving proper weight and BMI meant setting an aggressive goal, listening to my coach’s counsel, and staying at it, even when I didn’t really feel like it. My original goal was to lose 80 pounds. I actually lost 90 pounds, and yes – it’s still gone ten years later. The strategy has stood the test of time.

According to John Hopkins Medicine, most people who lose a moderate to large amount of weight regain it 2 to 3 years later. So, that begs the question – how did I avoid being part of the norm? Am I special? No. Lucky? No. Overly disciplined? No. Stubborn and persistent? Absolutely.

I recently had a conversation with Bo Railey, owner of Exercise Inc, in which we discussed the concept of “mindset”. When one adopts the mindset of an athlete, for example, and begins to behave like an athlete, then he/she will eventually achieve the results of an athlete. When one takes on the mindset of a fit, healthy person, they eventually become a fit and healthy person. This is exactly what happened to me, and it has kept me going all this time.

I have been a long-time believer in the philosophy and the results achieved by working with an Exercise Inc coach to achieve goals that many might think aren’t possible. My coach, Kyle Truitt, has been with me every week of those ten years; and it is that relationship and professional knowledge and encouragement that keeps me accountable and adhering to the right path to fitness.

To recap the last ten years, here’s what happened – I started with the program in the summer of 2014 when I was 51, and just shy of 250 pounds; with a 40-inch waist, and a suit size of 48-50 portly. Fast-forward to today, and I am at 160 pounds (give or take a few), a 28” waist, and a 38 slim cut suit. But that’s just the weight loss part; my visible muscle groups are bigger and much more defined than ever. Ten years ago, I’d get tired just taking a flight of stairs; now, however, I routinely enjoy numerous physically demanding sports, and run fun races like the Indy Mini, Monumental Half Marathon, Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving, and the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Half Marathon, as well as local 5K and 10K routes. A lot has happened in 10 years; none of which I predicted or envisioned when I began.

I have a few tactics I think will help you achieve the results you desire, too:

• When you feel like quitting, don’t. You’ll get tougher each week. Very soon, high effort and high achievement are second nature.
• Let the Simple 9© be your nutrition guide. It’s the collection of healthy habits that is the cornerstone of a nutrition plan that fuels your body while reducing your waistline.
• You aren’t going on a “diet”; you’re forging a forever lifestyle that will become an integral part of a healthier you.
• You aren’t done when you reach your current set of goals; the transformation is ongoing.
• Celebrate your weekly, monthly, and annual successes. That feeling of achievement will keep you motivated.
• Give 100% effort when working out. You’ll then translate that into giving your all in everything you do in life that is meaningful to you.
• And finally, adopt now the mindset of what you are about to become. We can more readily achieve that which we can see.

Some years ago, I used to find myself saying, “If only I would have started when I was in my 30s rather than my 50s…” The truth is that we cannot turn clocks or calendars backwards; we can only experience the present and work toward a more fulfilling future. I hope you’ll join me in the ongoing transformation and making your own fitness strategy stand the test of time!

The preceding was a guest post from one of our clients, Tim Murphy. Since he began training at our Zionsville location with Kyle in 2014, Tim has lost over 90 pounds, reduced his waist size from 40 to 28 and reduced his suit size from 48 portly to 38 slim, among improvements to other key health metrics. To hear more about how 20 Minutes A Week has benefited Tim, check out his Client Spotlight.