"I have always been proud to be an athlete. All of my years as a kid, a teenager and even a young man were spent playing basketball and golf and being active. In my 20s, 30s and even 40s, I had trained for and run 15 marathons.
Nevertheless, I stepped on the weight scale last December and was shocked at how much weight I had gained. I needed to do something other than fad diets and train for a marathon because, at 50 years of age, I had discovered that training for a marathon on a regular basis in order to help me manage my weight was an even greater physical challenge.
My wife, Kristi, and I joined Fit-4-Life right after Christmas last year. I dedicated myself to lifting weights on a regular basis and to use the elliptical machines and treadmills for cardio fitness. I also put myself on 2,000 calories per weekday and followed suggestions that were posted at Fit-4-Life.
Since January 1, 2012 I have lost 40 pounds! Decreasing the calories, sticking to a consistent weight lifting routine and using the cardio equipment at Fit-4-Life made the difference. I am very proud to have made this significant weight loss and my goal is to not only maintain my weight but also continue losing more weight. People who do not see me daily or weekly will comment on my weight loss. For example, my daughter, Marlina, who is away at college in Illinois, after not having seen me in two months, told me, 'Dad, you are getting so skinny!' That alone reinforced my time, effort and work at Fit-4-Life!
I still have another 15 – 20 pounds that I would like to lose; yet, I realize that, like life, weight management is a journey. I am thankful for my loving and supportive family—to me, my family is my greatest accomplishment in life. I am also grateful for my health; staying fit will allow me to enjoy the time I spend with my family now and in the future. I am glad we have the Fit-4-Life center here in Hillsboro—I really enjoy working out here, the atmosphere is fantastic. Thanks.
-Greg Zimmerman
Greg being very active throughout his life in sports; running numerous marathons on a regular basis to manage his weight but had come to realize that something was missing. He had the desire to stay healthy but found he had to work even harder to keep his weight off. The missing key component was strength training. Strength Training builds muscle. The more muscle you add to your frame the higher your metabolism. The higher your metabolism the more calories you burn.
We at Fit4Life are proud of your accomplishments Greg and you definitely deserve to be Member of the Month. You are a GREAT Role Model for other men old and young!
