This story is part of our ongoing “First Steps” series, where we share extraordinary stories of men who transformed their bodies, minds, and lives with a focus on the first steps it took them to get there (because, after all, nothing can change without a first step!). Read all of the stories here.
I'VE STRUGGLED WITH my weight on and off my whole life. There were times when I would try to prioritize fitness but never kept it up for more than a few months. This is probably because my motivation to lose weight was often motivated by looks rather than health. In 2012, I became a massage therapist. Working a physically active job kept me in decent shape, but not having supplemental exercise meant my habits weren't in the right place. This was really noticeable when I moved within the industry to focus on educating in 2015.
When the pandemic hit, all exercise completely stopped. My husband is immunocompromised, so it limited my options. I tried online classes and was able to keep at it for a month, but my motivation quickly depleted. Even though I could have controlled the situation, it didn't feel that way. I went through two years with little to no physical activity besides walking our dog. Eventually, even walking the dog became a risk where minor missteps would hurt my ankle for a day. I was by no means in fantastic shape before 2020, but looking at me, you wouldn't have worried about my health. That was not the case by 2022.
In 2022, I was 35 and returned to exhibiting at trade shows and teaching workshops for a light therapy company called LightStim. The long hours for multiple days didn’t used to be a problem. But after the first day back, I could barely walk. I had to limp back to my hotel room. It opened my eyes to the fact that I couldn't do a primary function of my job and one I enjoyed. It took me a few months to get some momentum going, but it was at that moment that I knew something needed to change.
I thought that something gentle and low-impact would help me get back into the game, so in May 2022, I went to a barre studio I’d attended previously. But shortly after that, it closed its doors. I was scared I would lose motivation if I didn't find something quick. Barre helped me realize I liked dance-based fitness, so I searched for something to replace it. I found AKT, a whole studio devoted to dance-based workouts.
The First Class
I WAS NERVOUS before going in—I felt decades older than I did two years ago. The Intro class combined aspects dancing, resistance bands, and step aerobics. I appreciated the positive, upbeat atmosphere, and the club lighting was great because I could still see my form in the mirror without being self-conscious. The class was a blast, and I knew I had found my new fitness home and signed up for an unlimited membership immediately. AKT was my sole workout for just shy of a year. I averaged 21 classes a month but went six times a week if my travel schedule didn't get in the way.
The physical changes started to happen almost immediately. I started barely doing a pushup on my knees and needing multiple breaks while planking. Week after week, I could do more for longer.
On top of everything else, having a class type where I couldn't use my phone gave me a forced mental break from doomscrolling. Working out there also felt good and became something I'd look forward to all day. I got to know all the instructors and members before each class started, and they became an essential part of my life. So many aspects of my life felt fulfilled by going back to classes.
I Added Strength
AKT STILL POSED a challenge, but I was finally at a point where I could do more, and adding strength training was a great way to up my game. I found a studio this past August— BFT (Body Fit Training)—that does strength training in a group setting. It was perfect, since it combined my love of class settings with structured, goal-oriented challenges.
One thing I love about dance as a workout is that it exercises the body and mind. Learning and remembering the choreography is almost like a puzzle. There's a high when it is all successfully put together by the end of class; you genuinely feel a sense of accomplishment. They give you three weeks to master choreography before it changes, giving you enough time to come back and finesse anything you didn't perfect. More than any other workout I've ever done, it connects you to—and makes you aware of—your body.
Most guys I know say they hate cardio. What I always wonder is, do they just hate boring cardio? With cardio machines, I never liked doing the same thing for 30 minutes; it always felt like a chore. Dance is fun. It's dynamic, creative, and hits you from every plane of movement. It also rapidly increases your flexibility, which matters in strength training. To anybody skeptical of doing something dance-based, I suggest going to a structured, fitness-focused setting to start. Everyone is a beginner since choreography changes constantly, and you're working too hard to feel self-conscious.
Currently, I work out six times a week, and do a half-hour, moderate-paced walk on my off days. I started at 248 pounds, with a 42-inch waist, and now I’m down to 195 with a 34-inch waist. Now, I'm looking forward to reaching some lifting PRs and getting my body fat percentage under 15 percent. I'm also working on boosting my VO2 max.
Prior to AKT, my relationship with food—especially sugar—as a reward and for comfort needed work. My diet hasn't changed drastically. Any changes are more a natural result of getting rewards from working out. This slowly replaced the need to seek it out in food. This has also led to me drinking less alcohol.
At 37, I look better and feel younger than I have at any other point in my 30s. I no longer feel my quality of life needs to take a hit just because I'm getting older. My advice would be to start your weight loss journey with one change. After that thing becomes a regular part of your life, making other changes to support the process is easier.
The Big Takeaways for Me
Tip 1: Recovery is Just as Important as the Workout.
AT 37, MY body isn't as forgiving as it was. Recovery is a huge part of my process because I don't want anything to stop me from working out, especially since I enjoy it and want to push myself. I make sure to incorporate whatever I can at home, like stretching and percussion massagers, and I'm lucky enough to use our LED bed at work 2+ times a week. Also, shoutout to AKT for being a lifesaver and incorporating foam rolling into tone-based classes.
Tip 2: Keep a Variety of Goalposts.
DURING THE WEIGHT loss process, my body would constantly change. The changes didn’t always feel like they were for the better at first. As my core strengthened, my skin and excess fat would look more jiggly before catching up. None of my measurements made progress in a straight line. Having a variety of objective and subjective metrics to compare helped with finding the silver linings when one plateaued (or went in the wrong direction).
Tip 3: The Best Workout is the One You'll Actually Do.
CLASS ENVIRONMENTS WORK for me because I'm extroverted and love being a part of a community and something greater than myself. I'm cheap, so unlimited memberships keep me coming back consistently because I'm determined to make each class cost as little as possible. As a gamer, the awards and metrics-based system at BFT gives me the same endorphin rush from achievements in video games. Think about who you are and what you respond to, then find yourself workout environments that match that.
