“Hey Steve.  Steve. STEVE!” we would shout. Time and time again the family would call his name on our family vacation in Disneyland in Florida when he was 19 years old. Steve would just have a blank stare on his face. No response. This was an ongoing issue for on our trip and that’s when my mom knew something was wrong. We got home and things only got worse. Steve started having bad delusions of what he perceived to be true and we knew we had to do something then. Our mother took Steve to Regions Hospital where his new life would begin: a life of weight gaining, medications, delusions, hearing voices, and the worst – the thought of never being able to live a normal life. Steve was diagnosed with bipolar and schizoaffective disorders.

He was also diagnosed with diabetes a few years after all of this, due to the combination of his diet and medications. His diet was terrible for several years due to his depression. A side effect of one of his medications was his brain wouldn’t register when he was full, so he would constantly feel hungry and eat out of boredom because he was so limited on activities due to the disorder. The medications (15-20 pills per day) slowed his metabolism down quite a bit and, with his depression, he was unmotivated to do any physical activity.

Steve had a pretty traditional background as a kid. Four of us boys were raised by our single mother, who was just trying to provide for us. Steve was a standout athlete. Wrestling was his favorite sport; he placed in the Minnesota State wrestling tournament in his younger years. He broke two of our high school weight lifting records and still holds one. Weighing 148 pounds, he bench pressed 275 pounds. After being put on medication, he gained about 80 pounds in the span of a year. Up until now, he has not being able to shed a single one of those pounds. Time and time again, he would have a new workout plan or a new nutrition plan, only to fail a week or two into it. He just didn’t have the willpower and support to carry him through. That was a six-plus year process of Steve losing a couple pounds, feeling good, and then eating badly, just to put the weight right back on.

As his brother, I’ve cared and wanted more from him because I knew he had more to do with his life than what he felt he could. I knew getting him to Life Time was going to change his life, but I didn’t have any idea how much and how great the changes would be. In the early summer of 2010 I got a job at Life Time Fitness and after six months of talking / persuading / convincing / and finally making Steve come to the club. He started T.E.A.M. Weight Loss and I joined him. We made an agreement that I wrote down on paper, had Steve sign, and posted it on his bedroom door every day to remind him. It stated “I will lose 10 pounds in December. If I do not I can no longer be on Aaron’s membership at Life Time Fitness” – signed Steve Benson. I took the class w/ him to be his support. That was the biggest step he’d made in close to a decade.

Steve lost 12 pounds in the month of December. Currently, he is down more than 30 pounds total. His doctors — the ones who said he’d never be able to lose any weight – say his blood pressure levels are at an all -time low. He is no longer taking any diabetic medications. His psychologist says she’s never seen him better. Our family can’t believe the improvements he’s made. Steve is in a better spot in life than most any “normal” person I know. He’s happy, and this is only the start.

When Steve joined Life Time Fitness, it marked the start of his new life. A life of fulfillment, satisfaction, and not just hope, but actually living a life he’s proud to live. He’s not just letting days go by. He’s living his life now. He’s not just getting older, but is having life experiences and building wisdom. Day by day I’ve see improvements. He just bought math books for geometry and calculus. There’s a notebook full of math problems no one else in the family can do but Steve. He’s a gifted person and is FINALLY starting to realize what he’s capable of.

Yes, he has a chemical imbalance in his brain that is an obstacle most people don’t have, but because of all of the help he’s received at Life Time from our family of supporters, he has pushed himself to overcome that crutch.

Here is a day in the life of Steve Benson now:

Wake up at 8 a.m. and takes his medication.

After drinking his coffee, he comes to Life Time for T.E.A.M. Weight Loss.

He comes early so he can: talk to the front desk staff, say hi to Tony/Sam and the rest of the advisors one by one. Then he stops by the chiropractic office and innocently flirts with the girls there. On his way to the locker room he says hi to the Ops staff. From there, he changes and goes up to the class where I’ve been told he is the entertainer. Steve’s nickname is “The Furnace – The fat burning machine”. Everyone in the class loves Steve and Steve’s attitude went from cheating and complaining in the class to pushing harder and motivating.

None of that would have been possibly without the help and support of every single person here at the club. This is more to him than just losing weight. This is a chance of a lifetime for him to be whoever he wants to be and he’s taking full advantage.

I’m very proud of my big brother and know this is the start to something great for him.

Steve will be able to, for the first time in his life, fit into every single ride at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. All four of us brothers try to go once a year. Every year, Steve couldn’t go on the two biggest and best roller coasters in the park and I didn’t know if I could go another time to see that look of disappointment on his face when he didn’t fit. Now the only thing he has to worry about is how much fun he will have.

Steve hasn’t lost the most weight in the world. Steve isn’t yet where he wants to be. This is still the beginning of his journey, but in the few months he’s been with us at the club he’s accomplished more in those months than he has in the previous nine years combined. His challenges are things most of us take for granted. His starting point was much lower than most of us can relate to, but he continues to do it all with that big smile on his face.

NOTE: The original news story and video can be found of Twin Cities MyFox9.com.

]]> http://blog.lifetimefitness.com/2011/04/22/life-time-cycle-hits-the-news-to-talk-about-bike-safety/feed/ 0 lifetimefitnessblog http://blog.lifetimefitness.com/2011/04/04/a-second-chance-a-life-time-member-success-story/ http://blog.lifetimefitness.com/2011/04/04/a-second-chance-a-life-time-member-success-story/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:01:24 +0000 lifetimefitnessblog http://blog.lifetimefitness.com/?p=280 ]]> My name is Maria Luz Pizarro. I am 67 years old and originally from Spain. In March 2007, I came to Houston to live close to my daughter. For many personal reasons, including the death of a family member, depression and physical ailments, I lost track of my weight and personal health.

Two months after arriving in Houston, I was hit with a horrible pain in my leg. I was told it was sciatica and for five months I lay in bed, barely able to move, considering a very risky and expensive surgery. My daughter, concerned for my health, told me about a new fitness center built close to the house and we agreed to visit it on Open House day, February 5, 2008.

That day, I fell in love with the Life Time Fitness center. I had never seen such a beautiful place and the people were so friendly and kind. On my first day, I was weighed in at 282 pounds. A personal trainer helped me choose the right equipment for me. I decided at that moment I was going to follow a strict diet and exercise every day.

Nine months later, I lost 100 pounds … I feel great!!! I spend four to five hours, first working on the machines and then I go swimming at the awesome pool.  Life Time Fitness is a home away from home for me. I always feel welcome, the trainers and staff are my friends, and their support and kindness keep me going.

Losing weight is a choice; Life Time Fitness made that choice easier for me. It gives me the tools to a better, healthier me. Like many people, I hoped for that miracle pill that was going to make me thin. But I found that the miracle is in me, and loving myself was important in making the decision to change how I was eating and living. It takes effort, but with effort also comes appreciation — and it has made me stronger. I feel great and I enjoy my life … a second chance to make it right.

Thank you Life Time Fitness!

Sincerely,

Maria Luz Pizarro
Member for Life

•    50% off CardioPoint or CaloriePoint when you buy a Polar heart rate monitor
•    25% off at the MediSpa when you book before March 13, 2011
•    $100 off MediSpa
•    Complimentary skin analysis
•    20% off massage services

So mark it on your calendars and join us for this exciting event!

Starting at 10:00am on March 6, 2011, Life Time CEO and Founder Bahram Akadi will lead the two-hour cycle event which hopes to have 1,100 participants.  Life Time members and guests can register for the event on the Ride of a Lifetime event page for a cost of $50 and $65, respectfully.  The cost of the event also includes the purchase of a new 2011 Life Time Cycle jersey, which will be worn during the ride.

Later in March, Texas will be holding their annual Ride of a Lifetime as well, which we will highlight here in a couple of weeks.

Here are some images from last year’s Minnesota Ride of a Lifetime on our Facebook Page, which was both incredibly fun and record-breaking!

Below is the video for Commitment Day, and make sure to get all of the details on the website!

Even when you leave the club, your Life Time experience does not stop.  We offer a full range of online resources for you to explore and use to access information that is important to you and your journey to a Healthy Way of Life.  You can join our online community, myLT.com, read our new Life Time Weight Loss blog, use our MyPlan calorie and exercise tracker, interact with us on Facebook and Twitter… and that is just a few of the many places to catch us online!

We run and sponsor some of the best-of-the-best athletic events in the country.  From the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series: Race to the Toyota Cup to the epic Life Time Leadville Trail 100 to Indoor Triathlons across the country – Life Time gives you the chance to compete to achieve your personal best.

This post is for ALL of our existing members who may already know us and utilize many of things we offer on a daily basis.  This year we challenge you to try something new.  Set a goal of a Healthy Way of Life and ACHIEVE it!  We are here to help!

For all of you out there who are looking for a place to achieve your goals, Life Time is the place for you.  Check out our website to see where the nearest locations are to you and what programs and services we offer.  Give us a call – our Life Time representatives are here to help you!

Finally, we want you to become familiar with who we are.  Take a couple of minutes to watch the video below.  We feel it gives you an idea of who Life Time is, and why we are THE Healthy Way of Life Company!

-Bob Stanke, Community Engagement Manager at Life Time

It is no secret that America continues to have a problem with weight gain and all of the serious health conditions that come along with the growing epidemic.  At Life Time, we know that a large majority of our members are concerned about their health and they take the time to visit our clubs and compete in our events, all with the end goal of living a healthier way of life.  But what about our children… the future of our country?  Are we setting the proper examples of that Healthy Way of Life for them?  In some cases, yes.  I talk with members all of the time who put a lot of value in teaching their children about making good food and exercise choices.  They work hard to set examples of being committed to healthy routines and eating healthy foods.  However, there are still too many social pressures that exist outside of our homes that children face every day.  The key is tapping into a child’s habit-forming years, when repeatable processes can be molded into their every day routines.  No easy task to say the least.  Most problems that grow over decades do not have overnight solutions.  They take time, effort and commitment.

Last week, Life Time CEO Bahram Akradi held a press conference to announce a new commitment that the company is going to take in regards to the issue of children’s nutrition.  The details can be found in the official press release issued by Life Time yesterday morning, but I wanted to touch on a very important part of Mr. Akradi’s vision for the whole initiative… the community aspect.  During the press event, as well as during several post press conference interviews, Mr. Akradi talked about the importance of finding a school that is committed on the inside as well as on the outside, with strong parent endorsement and involvement.  In order to achieve success, starting with one school and hopefully expanding across the country, it will take the time, effort, and commitment of various individuals to help our children learn the valuable facts about nutrition.  It is my belief that it will even take more than that… it will take all of us as a community of Life Time members and employees.

At Life Time, we have seen success come in the form of “teams” throughout our existence.  We train in teams with things like our TEAM BOOT CAMP programs, we compete in teams like in our basketball and tennis offerings, and in our clubs and corporate office we work in teams to try and bring the best health and fitness services around.  Now it is going to take an even bigger team performance to change the way our children grow up and achieve a Healthy Way of Life.  As our members, we know you understand the value of a healthy lifestyle because you utilize our programs and services each and every day, and as employees we see the stories of success that result because of that.  Now we need to come together to help change even more lives – the lives of our children.  Teamwork breeds success, and now is the time to come together as a team.

It doesn’t matter which school starts this journey with Life Time towards better nutrition for children, what is important is that we all help in the cause.  We can follow that school, see how change is being made, and then start implementing those changes in our lives and the lives of those around us.  Could you imagine the example we could set for our children (whether they are your children directly or even neighborhood children who live down the street) if each one of our members took the time to make one new healthy choice today and then help a child make that same choice?  Then building those choices into repeatable actions that will become habits in their lives?  The combined number of members and team members of Life Time working together would be incredible, so much so that the impact would make a visible impact across the country.

The only way we can get this done is by working together as a team… as a community of individuals and families who are concerned about the future of our children.  We work hard training for sporting events or to lose those last ten pounds… now let’s work hard for children and change the direction we are heading.

As the selection process for a school begins, we will make sure to keep everyone informed of the progress on our blog, and it is my hope that together we can find a way to defeat childhood obesity.

Is the Life Time Leadville Trail 100 on your bucket list?

What are the “can’t miss” opportunities inside of Life Time Fitness?

Let’s say you had one week to do all your favorite things at Life Time… what would they be?  Or maybe you have a friend who is looking for something new to try… what would you recommend?

Maybe it is that certain Group Fitness class with that one instructor that you can’t miss, or that Run Club lead who always knows the right routes to get your blood flowing, or maybe that nail technician in the LifeSpa who gets it right every time you go in for a pedicure.

Tell us what would be on your Life Time “bucket list”.  Let us know the club where the experience takes place and even the instructors name if you have it.  For example, my bucket list would include getting a massage at the Fridley, Minnesota club with Nicole – someone I would recommend hands down!

So, what’s on your Life Time bucket list?