Before	After

Mark

Before I started at Average Joe’s, I would have to say that I was really not doing well, mentally or physically. I was obese, my attitude toward life was poor, and my relationships with my family seemed very strained at times. I was anxious and depressed. I couldn’t play with my kids the way a father should because I was tired all the time: the littlest things would exhaust me and make me more anxious and more depressed. Because I was depressed, I turned to the only thing that I thought could ‘help’ me: eating. But that only made my weight worse, making me more tired, more anxious, more depressed.

I realized I had to do something because I was caught in a never ending pattern, a circle that could only have an unfortunate ending.

I decided to focus on my health and fitness as I realized it was my one hope to break this cycle.

I heard about Average Joe’s from a friend of mine and his wife who were participating in the boot camp. They seemed to be losing an incredible amount of weight. I also saw an article in the Berlin Citizen about it and liked the idea of a local, 24 hour gym I could get to within 5 minutes (I would have no excuses that ‘I didn’t have the time to work out’).

I met with Joe in early November of 2008 and we went over everything. I liked the atmosphere, and everyone that was there seemed very supportive of each other. He talked to me about the boot camp. At first it seemed a little intimidating but the next one wasn’t due to start until January: I had time to train for it. I decided to join.

Joe started me off at a pace that was good for me (nothing too intense; nothing I couldn’t handle). I started with walking, dynamic stretching exercises, some lifting, pushups, and of course abdominal work. He helped drive me to push myself when I needed it. I found myself wanting to come more and more.

I lost 6 lbs right away. Then the holidays hit. However, I kept up with the workouts, steadily improving all the while, and I actually maintained that 6lb loss through them.

In January, the boot camp started. The diet was hard at first. The workouts were intense, and increased in intensity. We did some fun activities too, not just staying in the gym (bowling, laser tag, indoor rock climbing). But the results were dramatic! I had to buy new workout pants after the 1st two weeks because the ones I had were literally falling off me and I couldn’t tighten them anymore.

During the boot camp, I also learned a lot about my body and the food I had been eating. I learned how quickly that kind of food can translate to unwanted weight (the hard way!) and the importance of better nutrition. I learned how important it is to continue to work out on your own, not just as part of the boot camp sessions. I really found that the only way to achieve what I want to achieve is to work for it: something we all know but I had forgotten: but relearned.

My life has now changed (for the better). People I haven’t seen in a while barely recognize me. Even people that I do see regularly have noticed a change, not only in my weight but in my behavior and outlook on life as well (again, for the better!). I have more energy and approach things with a vigor I haven’t had in a long time.

To date, I have lost 49 lbs since I started in November, 43 of them as part of the boot camp. I still have a little way to go to reach my ultimate goal but I am incredibly close now: closer than I thought would have been possible. From starting with walking in November, I am now running 3 miles a clip, and increasing my pace every week. Pushups and abdominal work are much easier now (don’t get me wrong, they are still hard, but I can do more of them than I ever could). My overall strength and stamina have dramatically improved.

All I have to say is, thanks Joe for helping me help myself!