Member Hall of Fame
Rich Hull

Added 10/04/2003

I joined Champion Health and Fitness one year ago this past October for a variety of reasons, the most important one being my health.

I just had a doctor's visit that didn't go very well. My weight was way up there (270#) as well as my blood pressure (150/90). These two things, combined with the fact that I was right in the middle of a divorce after 17 years of marriage, adding to my stress level and depression, caused me to become a "heart attack waiting to happen." I was eating poorly, not sleeping, and didn't really have a good outlook on life.

I went a couple of weeks and then had a Health Assessment. What an eye opener! My weight was still up (259) as well as my blood pressure (140/79) giving me a Mod-high risk (5) for heart disease. My stress (38) and depression (36) were mild but higher than I wanted them to be. My nutrition habits were fair at best, and my preventive care was poor. The strength rating was the one bright spot at 99 lbs., then the sit and reach was poor at just 10". Then we got to the body fat percentage part.

Talk about being depressed. The three areas that were measured; chest (23mm), abdomen (46mm) and thigh (27.5mm) gave me an overall body fat percentage of 27.9% (lean 186.7 lbs and fat 72.3 lbs, metabolic rate 2652). Here I was, a 34 year old man, being told that I have the "Wellness age" of 40!

I started going about 3 times a week, but wasn't really seeing any results and getting very frustrated. Then the holidays hit and between mine and my children's schedules, I didn't make it for about three weeks and only went once in January and twice or three times in February. Not motivated at all.

In late March, I met Liz, purely by chance. Although the connection wasn't immediate, it was enough motivation for me to get back into the swing of things. I began going again three times a week, more if I could fit it into my schedule. When she noticed that I was losing some weight and working out, it made my want to really improve.

Beginning in May, the weight really started to come off and I started feeling better about everything, mostly because of Liz's positive outlook and how happy she made me feel. There is something to be said about being around positive people, which is something that the staff at Champion also creates; a positive atmosphere  where a person gets great feed back and constant encouragement. Negativity breeds more negativity and just brings a person down.

She started coming to the gym with me as a guest and has sense joined. Together we push each other to succeed. She has become my own 'personal trainer'. She is a breath of fresh air, not only for me, but for my children as well.

I recently had another Health Assessment done to see the progress that I have made in a year's time; well, since March as I was still well over 250 lbs.

My weight is now at 219 lbs! A total loss of 51 lbs! My blood pressure was down as well, to 124/88. these two, combined with the questions, dropped my risk of heart disease to LOW (1). My stress (27) and depression (22) also dropped to the LOW area. My nutrition improved to the average area as did my preventive care. My strength rating improved to 125 lbs and the sit and reach improved to 17.7", both in the excellent range. The body composition part was a worry of mine, but that too, improved: chest (6mm), abdomen (26.5mm) and thigh (11.5mm). This gave me a body fat percentage of 13.9%!! And the real kicker was my "Wellness Age" dropped to 22!

I began in a size 42" waist pants and have had to buy new ones twice, as I am now in a size 36" waist. I have missed just one day in the past year for sickness since joining, which is a huge benefit. My children are both members also, as is Liz's son. We all enjoy the facilities and what Champion has to offer. It is a place where a family can come and be able to benefit from a healthier lifestyle.

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