Getting Ready for Retirement: Kirk’s Journey with Weight Training & Nutrition

Kirk here. At 62 I reached out to Mike for fitness training. I didn’t know what exactly I needed, but I did feel I was in trouble. Despite being active in recreational soccer, as a player and referee, I had put on about an additional 10 pounds each decade since my 20s, and was overweight.

Mike introduced me to weight training at my local fitness centre, something I had never done before; and, it wasn’t too long before I felt stronger. Initially I did not lose weight, in part because I was building muscle. But I totally did not appreciate what was next: the nutrition side of Mike’s business.

One day, instead of weight training, Mike and I sat down over coffee to discuss nutrition & diet. That hour was life changing for me. I immediately started to closely monitor caloric intake together with exercise. I made adjustments to what I ate, and how much. Within about 18 months of working with Mike I had lost 20 pounds, a weight loss I would not have thought possible, and felt great. And I stuck to diet carefully through COVID restrictions when gyms were closed.

I’m 68 now, retired, and continue regular weight lifting combined with healthy eating. I use Mike’s app to track the weight & reps in each of my gym trips, which I find helpful. I also like Mike’s approach to diet, because it’s realistic. Of course I overeat on occasion, especially at family gatherings like Christmas. But I keep to my diet over the long term and have maintained my weight loss for 6 years now. I like that, a lot.

Today I stay in communication with Mike, read the newsletters he sends out, and occasionally consult about my personal trajectory. I feel fortunate to be healthy in my late 60s, and attribute that to expert guidance, a structured plan, and consistent application of what I learned.