At Body Basics, we have a lot of clients in their 60’s. In fact, our main clientele is between 50-70 years old. I would estimate 90% of our clients would say they want to improve their overall fitness, stay healthy, and feel/look fit. As the owners, Christine and I (James) stay in close contact with all our clients and their trainers. One day while in the studio saying hi to a particular client, I saw noticeable change in his physique. His body fat had gone down, he looked incredibly toned, was able to work and push his body hard, and overall was happy and healthy. I said something to his trainer, Melissa (who is an absolute rock star!), and she confirmed he’d made some changes to his diet, upped his training to 4 days a week and was owning the process 100%. He was strong, fit, athletic, healthy….and over the age of 60. I was so impressed with not only his results, but just how well the trainer/client relationship had allowed for this type of transformation. David is 62 years old, has a body fat of 10% and maintains a healthy fit lifestyle that I think we can all aspire towards. Here’s a bit of his story during his time at Body Basics…
James: How long have you trained at Body Basics, and why do you train at Body Basics and not another studio?
David: I've trained at Body Basics about 2 and a half years continuously. I have trained at other gyms, but always on my own and never with a trainer. I chose Body Basics because I knew friends who trained there. I've continued at Body Basics because I became convinced of the many benefits of working with a trainer. Importantly, because of the familial culture you've created at the facility, I look forward to coming in because everyone--trainers and clients--always seem happy to see me. It's a super welcoming environment for all fitness and age levels.
James: How long have you been training David?
Melissa: I have been training David for a little over a year and a half.
J: In the last 6 months, I’ve noticed significant changes in your muscle gain and body fat loss? Can you tell me about these changes in your physique?
D: In the most recent 6 months, as my body gained strength and I grew more confident in using the techniques I've been taught relative to each exercise, I've noticed changes in muscle tone, and a more athletic, leaner look. I've lost about 10-12 LBs, virtually without losing muscle mass, and most recently measured 10% body fat! Not bad for 62! Results like these make me want to continue because I want to utilize the results of my training in athletic endeavors like hiking, golf, running, and anything else in which I take an interest.
J: What were David’s goals for training, and how did you help him accomplish his goals?
M: David's goals were to decrease body fat while maintaining muscle mass and strength. He also enjoys running and walking in the foothills with his dogs, so maintaining a good aerobic base was important to him as well. I put David on a strength training program and asked him to trust the process. We did strength training 2-3 times per week and metabolic/resistance training the other day.
J: Most of our clients want to lose weight and gain muscle, do you have 2 things you could share that might help others towards these goals?
D: Though I can't say I'm done, I can say my weight loss and increase in strength, muscle mass, and flexibility are interim objectives on the way to maintaining a healthy lifestyle--being able to do things I want to do as I age, like travel more and remain as active as possible. That's an objective that sustains me and makes it easy for me to stay with a training program. I've also made diet and nutrition an important part of the equation. I keep it simple. I try (try being the key word) to eat what is good for me without denying myself too much, and I am disciplined in not consuming more calories than I burn during the day. No structured or fad diets. Nothing I consider unsustainable, and no punishing myself if I mess up one day or one weekend.
J: A lot of our clients want to accomplish what David accomplished, is there anything you saw David do differently that helped him succeed? Is there anything you did differently with David that led to his success?
M: David was very determined to meet his goals, and he was motivated and disciplined! Training is something David looks forward to and he comes in and works hard while he is having fun! While training was important to David and he was getting some results, the process really sped up when he took the advice to make sure he was eating enough protein and drinking enough water. I saw David was really committed to reaching his goals, so I gave him these basic nutrition guidelines to make sure he was fueling his body for the training sessions and everyday activities.
J: You seemed to really work well with Melissa, what is it about Melissa that meshed well with you?
D: As I mentioned above, before starting at Body Basics I'd never worked with a trainer. It's no coincidence I've only seen and felt the changes to my body and mind since I've worked with a trainer. Melissa has been training me for about a year and a half. From the beginning I've felt comfortable training with her. She seemed to know immediately what I was capable of and has crafted an incremental series of programs that formed a foundation of strength and technique that became the basis of building muscle and changing my physique. While Melissa is professional and mature and an obviously capable trainer, training doesn't always have to be serious. She likes to laugh and is somehow able to balance hard training sessions with a light-hearted approach. It also helps that we have the Montana and birthday bond. We're both from the same area of Montana, and we share a birthday! I'm lucky to have her as my trainer.
J: I see you and David having a lot of fun during your workouts; what is it about your time with David that has worked so well?
M: I look forward to David's training sessions every time he comes in! He loves training and working hard! We have so much fun and while it may look like we are just joking around and having a great time, we make sure to push the intensity and increase the weight to keep him progressing! I believe training should be fun and we should celebrate new personal records and reaching goals! His positive attitude towards training and reaching his goals really makes all the difference!
If you’re interested in getting results like David, reach out to us. Even if you’re not in Boise, our personal trainers can train you virtually and still get you results. Check out our 10 health principles quiz. Take it and see how you score and where you might need to some work. It’s free and a great place to start.