Chris Najera: Sled Pushes vs. Burpees
1) What inspired you to improve your fitness and join a facility like The Fitness Edge (FE)?
Playing sports year round, from the time I was five until I graduated high school kept me in great shape. After high school I had enough of the waking up early to hit the gym and to say I let my self go would be an understatement. Fast food, soda, energy drinks, and every types of junk food know to man were my daily routine. I never felt "fat" so I didn't feel the need to join a gym, or do any type of exercise. That all changed when I had hurt my back. I went to the doctor and when they weighed me it was a big surprise to see the scale go up to 330 lbs. I was disappointed and upset that I had let my self go that far. I felt overwhelmed and didn't know what to do about it. My girlfriend, now wife, had offered and purchased a membership to one of those big gyms for me but for those three months she paid for I had gone zero times. Life went on and nothing about my lifestyle had changed. That was until we got married and moved into our first house. My wife started going to a new local gym, The Fitness Edge, along with my sisters and dad. She would come home and tell me how great this place is and that I need to check it out. I heard the same thing from my dad and sisters. After tons of peer-pressure I finally gave in and went to one class, I was hooked and the rest is history.
2) What is your biggest challenge when it comes to staying consistent with both your nutrition and fitness?
The biggest challenge to be consistent with my fitness is juggling my work and family schedule. Taking a leap of faith I decided to change jobs and go part time to be a stay at home parent that solved the work portion. Having family close by that is willing to watch my kids for a few hours 5 days a week solved the babysitting portion. Nutrition was and is still my BIGGEST challenge day in and day out. I had tried multiple "diets" that gave me some results but were not sustainable and I ended up putting weight back on or giving up because it was to boring. My wife and I hired a health coach and she changed my life forever. She helped me make lifestyle changes and inspired me to become a health coach. I now have a greater understanding of how to fuel my body, mind, and spirit. That combination along with exercise had enabled me to become a better version of me. While I still enjoy partaking in the occasional "bad" food I don't let it derail me like it has in the past.
3) What is your favorite exercise and why?
Gosh this is a loaded question umm...Muscle makers, wait no burpees, wait no sled pushes. How can I pick just one? It's almost like asking me which kid is my favorite. I love a challenge and always pick the "hardest" exercise to start with that way I either get them done first or if we are doing a timed station I do that exercise more. I guess if I had to choose it would be ... SLED PUSHES. They bring be back to my football days of pushing the sled around the practice fields and they also turn your legs into Jello and like Herb Brooks use to say "Legs feed the wolf."
4) What do you do mentally to stay focused on your health goals?
To stay focused I remember why I started on my health journey. To be the best father, husband, son, brother, friend, and role model I can be. I can't do that with no energy, bad habits, and most importantly if I am not around. I also carry my wedding picture around with me so I can show off my gorgeous wife ... secretly I keep it to remind myself of how BIG I let myself get and that I will never be that guy again.
5) What do you enjoy most about FE?
Scott Johnson, he is a real hunk and working out is so easy when you have some eye candy to help motivate you. On a serious note it is the people that I get to sweat with, the insane workouts, and great trainers that push you. It feels like a gym Rocky would go to, what I mean by that is there isn't a bunch of equipment cluttering up the place just the bare essentials needed to get you the results you want.
