08/30/2025
âšSaturday Member Spotlightâš
Today, weâre shining the light on Ken who has been with us since we opened in 2023. He was wanting to be surrounded by like-minded people and find a gym that would hold him accountable. âMy goals were to simply get back into shape, lose weight, put on muscle, and meet new friends. I basically wanted a new lifestyle-out with the old, in with the new.â
Since Ken has joined, heâs experienced numerous changes!
Physically, he has gained strength, shed body fat, improved his mobility, has experienced greater stamina, better balance, more energy, and has even lowered his resting heart rate and blood pressure. When it comes to the mental, Ken has experienced a confidence boost, improved mental resilience, stress management, and better mental clarity.
What keeps Ken showing up and working hard? âI show up because itâs no longer about âgettingâ in shape, itâs about âstayingâ in shape, physically and mentally, for the life I want to live. The gym is my playground, my therapy, and my proof that consistency beats motivation every time.â
Heâs also recognized the importance of fitness as we age. âI know that by working out my body and mind, Iâm reducing my risk of âage-related cognitive declineâ which is a fear of mine. I definitely donât want to be a statistic. Iâve seen peers slow down with age and I refuse to let that be me. Every workout is a middle finger to Father Time.â
His tip for prioritizing his sessions? âSchedule workouts like meetings. Block them out on my phone calendar and protect that time. âWould I skip a doctorâs appointment?â I think of my workouts as preventative healthcare.â
While he has experienced MANY wins, Ken has also had a handful of challenges come his way. His biggest one being a traumatic brain injury back in 2023. Kenâs determination and resiliency during his recovery was outstanding. âFBBC gave me a sense of purpose when I had none. It put some kind of normalcy back into my life. Even though I felt I couldnât do much of any workout, I still tried, the coaches were amazing at keeping me motivated and safe by altering the workouts to suit me until I was given the all clear.â Heâs happy to report that heâs cleared to return back to work 1 year early!
Ken is a busy family man who understands the demands of life! âIâve had to accept that some weeks will be 100% on point; others, 50%. Thatâs life. When big responsibilities or must do obligations hit (caregiving, work crises), I shift to âmaintenance modeâ, sometimes itâs just 1, but try for 2-3 short, intense sessions a week to maintain my progress. â
For those who are just getting started on their journey, hereâs Kenâs advice:
- Consistency > intensity. Focus on showing up, even if itâs just 2-3 days a week at first. Progress happens in months, not days.
- Celebrate small wins like walking farther, lifting slightly heavier, or just feeling less winded.
- Avoid comparing yourself to others. Your journey is yours alone.
- Adjust when needed, thereâs no shame in knee push-ups or lighter weights.
- Recovery is part of the process and matters just as much as the workout.
- Nutrition fuels results - you canât outwork a bad diet. Focus on whole foods (protein, veggies, healthy fats) and donât deprive yourselfâbalance is key. A treat here and there keeps you sane.
Ken has a list of future goals, but his current goals are busting out some unassisted pull ups along with still working to shed some body fat. In the future he wants to deadlift 1.5x his bodyweight along with competing in a race!
To close out Kenâs amazing testimony, his last gold nugget of advice, âFitness should enhance life, not consume it. If one of your goals stops being fun, itâs time to pivot.â
Weâve been absolutely blessed to have Ken be a part of our Fit Fam and are looking forward to providing continued support as he keeps showing up and working towards his goals!
Gooooo Ken! đ
