Meet Tim (age 51, Executive)
Health and Wellness Goals: Tim wanted to lower his cholesterol and blood pressure levels without medication. He also wanted to avoid having surgery to relieve severe shoulder pain.
“I was working long hours, entertaining and going to business dinners. Life gets in the way and time passes. Soon, 10 years of that lifestyle catches up to you. When I came to Medcan, I felt like I was at a crossroads. I was heading toward a life that required surgery and beta blockers, or I could try another route. That’s what I chose.”
Medcan Strategy: Develop a personalized fitness-centred regime, supplemented by nutrition counseling and naturopathic guidance.
Tim started by working out twice a week with Medcan Fitness personal trainer, who helped him work on the fundamentals and mechanics of strength training. As a Type A personality, Tim had a tendency to push himself in ways that could cause injury. With his trainer, Tim learned ways to increase strength in his shoulder and correct muscle imbalances without hurting himself. Over the next three years, his workouts incorporated more progressions and challenging workouts.
Follow-up sessions with a Medcan registered dietitian and the naturopathic doctor provided guidance on a diet to help him keep his lost weight off, cholesterol levels down, gain more energy and diminish the pain and discomfort he was feeling in his joints.
“It’s just amazing how my body reacted positively over the years. I introduced fitness and different eating habits gradually over time, which was the best way for me. I was able to maintain and sustain it. Along with the convenient downtown location close to work, the personal trainers at Medcan have a wide array of expertise, which I’ve relied on during different parts of my training.”
Outcomes:
Blood pressure or cholesterol medication is no longer recommended
No longer in need of shoulder surgery
Diminished joint pain and inflammation
Over 50% loss in body fat in three years
Waist shrunk by six inches
Increased fitness level and frequency of physical activity, including more strength, tennis and CrossFit
Improved sleep
Aside from the obvious physical transformation, Tim started seeing incredible improvement on the tennis court and at the gym. This new found energy, strength and endurance inspired him to push his own expectations of what he was capable of achieving. He started playing tennis at a much more competitive level, and decided to enroll in regular CrossFit competitions. On the court and at the judged competitions, Tim, often the oldest guy in the room, not only matched the younger guys’ skills, but sometimes even beat them. Many of his peers started to ask him about his regime, wondering how to emulate him as they age.
“There’s been a snowball effect among my friends and family too. I tell them it doesn’t come easy and there will be roadblocks but it is possible. My 12-year-old nephew says he wants to be as strong as me. Whenever we’re at a restaurant he tells the waitress that he’ll have what I’m having.”