John W.

“So…why did you call me? What do you want to be different about yourself?”

I really didn’t know how to put it into words that didn’t sound trite and superficial when Jackson asked me that question on the phone. Over the years of being involved in all levels of professional hockey as a photographer I’ve gotten to know many pro athletes. I’m family friends with three Stanley Cup winners. I don’t get star-struck. But it was still a little unnerving to be one-on-one on the phone with Coach
Jackson only a few days after finishing Four Weeks to Fat Loss 2.

“I…Well…”—I could feel his impatience growing across the dead air while my throat went dry and I started to sweat my social-anxiety sweat. Finally I just blurted, “I want to be able to mow the grass in the summer without a shirt on and not be embarrassed.” Holy shit did I really just say that to one of the Tonal coaches?

“Cool,” he responded immediately, unfazed.

It was only a few weeks later, on one of the weekly coaching calls, when the topic came up and we got into a lengthy discussion that delved way deeper than that initial, superficial ‘why’.

For me, it was a lifetime of being the ‘fat kid’ and always feeling uncomfortable with my body. It was seeing some of my family members being morbidly obese and struggling to even walk. It was a lifetime
of feeling embarrassed with my own appearance. But I had discipline for my workouts. I knew I was ready to work hard. I felt like I had most of the right pieces but no idea how to put them together
properly. It was never feeling like I was a proper athlete.

I was a D1 college volleyball player. After college I played competitive volleyball, picked up soccer and golf, started to run, which turned into Spartan races, which turned into multiple Spartan trifectas each year, which turned into triathlons. But I’ve never considered myself an athlete. All throughout that
twenty-odd years of being super active and athletic, I bounced around with a sizeable spare tire and
fluctuated from almost 270lb down to a “skinny-fat” 188lb. I was never what I would consider “in shape” in my entire life.

“I was on a vacation recently away from my Tonal working out in a hotel gym. I caught a glimpse of movement in the mirror; I glanced over and thought, ‘damn that guys ripped.’ But it was me! I don’t recognize myself anymore. Even my wife said she doesn’t recognize me anymore either. It’s crazy to think that after 47 years of wanting to be fit, I’m finally here and I have no plans of stopping now.” 

“Clothes that I couldn’t even fit into are now baggy on me. I’m wearing size 34 jeans for the first time since high school. While I still have some loose skin, very little of me jiggles anymore. I have visible muscle tone for the first time in my life.” 

“Starting from a base of pretty much nothing, my progress just blows my mind. Aside from the normal aches and pains from lifting, my joints don’t hurt anymore. I can run easier. Hell, even my posture is better! My weight is in check and I’m in the ‘healthy’ range for the first time as an adult. I’m 40 years old and in the best shape of my life, but look out because I’m just getting started.”