SONKI FITNESS ALL-STAR (February 2010)

BACKGROUND:  I’d been in and out of gyms for several years before starting with Sonki Fitness, and the problem that I always had was commitment and effort.  I was getting into my middle thirties before I started, and I figured that I’d better pull out all the stops, as it was only going to get harder to get into good shape as I got older.  That was when I found Sonki Fitness.

I’ve been in the program for nearly two years now, and I’ve been more consistent and successful with Sonki Fitness than I was at any gym I’ve ever joined.  I’ve doubled the amount of push-ups and sit-ups that I can do, and my best mile time is four minutes faster than the time I clocked on my first ever fitness assessment.  My weight has actually stayed about the same, but I’ve traded fat for muscle.  I still feel like I’ve got a long way to go before I’m where I want to be, but I’m completely confident that the road I’m on will take me there. 

What is your current exercise routine?  I shoot for boot camp six mornings a week, but I usually end up hitting four or five.  On top of that, I bike to work as often as I can and try to get in a yoga class once a week.  Also, I’m always happy to get some kind of physical activity in on the weekend like skiing or snowboarding, or a good hike or bike ride. 

What is your motivation to stay in shape?  I’m a big guy, and I feel like I’m going to start having problems as I get older just from carrying around this frame if I don’t keep myself as fit as I can.  And besides, who doesn’t want to look their best?  So that’s my long-term motivation, but I get motivation from Sonki and Katie every day.  When you’re committed to their instruction, and they tell you to push it harder, you can’t help but give that extra effort.

What is your greatest challenge to staying in shape?  My biggest challenge is fending off temptation, temptation to eat poorly, to take a day off, or whatever.  It’s easy to make excuses, or to rationalize giving into an indulgence or a lazy decision.  I find that staying mentally focused is harder than anything I do physically. 

What is your key to success?  Don’t think about it – just go!  When you wake up, or get off work, make going to boot camp an automatic decision, like putting gas in your car when you’re on “E.”  I also find that staying busy helps keep me from eating too much throughout the day.  If I’m bored, I’m much more likely to snack on something when I don’t need to be eating.   

What do you like about Sonki Fitness Boot Camp and how has it affected your life?  The best part of Sonki Fitness is the feeling that you are part of a group of people who have goals similar to yours.  As you get to know faces, then names, and then people’s stories, you feel like you’re on a team, and then on top of the motivation that you give yourself, on top of the motivation that you get from your trainer, you are motivated by the desire to not let the team down.

The other great thing is that, aside from the muscle, endurance, and weight loss benefits, Sonki’s program has given me the opportunity to push past what I thought were my physical and mental limits.  I know that I’ve started doing some particularly grueling sequences of the last two years with the thought “oh no, I’ll never be able to do this,” only to be surprised by my ability to do whatever has been asked of me. 

What advice would you give to others about fitness?  The more you make exercise a part of your routine, the easier it becomes to fit exercise into your routine.  I started going just two days a week, and when I wanted to jump up to five days, I wasn’t sure how I’d fit all of that into my life.  Well, I not only did that, but I started biking, hiking, diving, and attending yoga classes. 

Any other comments?  See you in Hawai’i this Spring!