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John Glenn drops 25 pounds and recommits to a second transformation

August 26, 2017

One of the most rewarding things as a trainer is assisting someone in regaining their health and building a better quality of life. John Glenn needed help. He had considered making lifestyle changes for a long time, but when he got injured, he realized he had no choice and signed up for my 12-week body transformation.

John was a former athlete, and he was no stranger to working hard and lifting weights, but as a business owner and father, he had a hard time finding the time to take care of himself. His weight ballooned to the heaviest it had ever been. In addition to not feeling good physically and experiencing high amounts of stress from the daily grind of running a business, John had also hurt his lower back and was in a great deal of pain. “I was hoping that if I dropped some of the extra weight my back pain would start to go away,” he said, but that wasn’t his only reason for committing to fitness. “I wanted to feel better, but I also knew that I could end up having some bad health issues if I didn’t start to do something.” So we began his fitness journey at the beginning of summer, and he started losing weight right away. 

Although we made quick progress, John’s back did not get much better, so we had to modify the workouts so they were low impact and each movement was isolated to keep his back in a natural position to protect it from further damage. Some weeks went great, while others were more difficult. John’s back would flare up and make it more difficult to do cardio and other exercises, but we would adjust and move on depending on how he felt, and he never gave up. All the while he continued to make more progress and drop more weight. Over time, John’s injury stabilized, and he began to see major changes in his body.

At the end of the transformation, John had dropped 25 pounds and had dramatically transformed himself from the inside out. But more than anything, he had changed his mind-set and has fully committed to taking control of his health. “I go to the gym three to four times a week now. I’m pretty dedicated to it. I sleep better at night; my stress level has decreased and my clothes definitely fit me much better, that’s for sure.” When asked what advice he would offer to people trying to make a change, John said, “A lot of it is just finding the time to work out. When you are busy and working a lot, you are not thinking about taking care of yourself, but the difference now is I find time to do it, and it’s part of my life.” 

John has committed to starting another 12-week challenge with a group of friends as a contest to see who can lose the most body fat, and he will again be working with us to achieve his goals. I can’t wait to start the second phase with him next week, and I am looking forward to seeing what he can accomplish this time around. It takes a lot of dedication to commit to eating healthy during the summer at the beach, but John did an incredible job. Stay tuned for an update and his final results. I’m sure it will be inspiring!

  • Chris Antonio is a personal trainer and former world-class weightlifter. He has been lifting for more than 20 years and has trained a wide variety of clients ranging from All-American athletes to the average person trying to get into shape. To send a question to the Ask the Trainer column, email Chris at chris@antoniostraining.com or check out AntoniosTraining.com.

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