The 2019 HealthSPORT Weight Loss Challenge transformed not only participants bodies, but their lifestyle habits. Below are the amazing transformation stories of our runner ups, Bri Mullaney, Matt Mullaney, Sean Maloney, & Sean McAtasney.
Check Out Bri’s Weight Loss Challenge Story:
I was excited to begin the weight loss challenge as a way to push myself after having my second baby last August. I was struggling with horrible postpartum anxiety and this was a great goal to work towards and push myself to the next level!
The gym became a healthy escape for me, where I felt like I could be myself and hold onto a piece of my identity that I felt I moved away from in my motherhood journey.
While the pandemic had other plans for the end of the challenge, I am still proud of all the hard work I’ve put in at home, even when that means having to workout with a baby in my arms and a toddler at my feet!
Check Out Matt’s Weight Loss Challenge Story:
I’ve had a hard time with my workouts for the last few years. I got to the point where I hit a wall and I wasn’t enjoying the gym anymore. I just didn’t have anything that was motivating me to dig deep and fight for a goal. It was and endless cycle with the same five workouts with the a plateau and no gains. It was simple and not challenging. Luckily, at HealthSPORT there are awesome trainers who actually care about you and your fitness.
I can’t remember who first asked me if I wanted to participate in the weight loss challenge. I think it was a collective of my wife Bri, Jamie, and Shane. At the Christmas party last December, my Wife and Shane both told me I should do the challenge. Then Jamie told me I should do it. I guess everyone saw something in me I just simply didn’t. I always felt like the HSPFit class setup wasn’t going to be for me, but then I showed up for the first day of the challenge and it was an AMRAP with Shane 5:30. I WAS HOOKED. It was so much fun and challenging. I got to try and keep up with Sunny “I had no chance”. (Sunny is a machine.) It was such a difference gym experience, and one I’ve never had. It felt so good to be part of a group of motivated gym people. I first started with 3 days a week. And I quickly moved to 5 HSP FIT classes a week. I had 3 with Shane and 2 with Jamie.
The HSPFIT class worked so well for me be because it was a different challenge everyday and all I had to do was get my self there and the trainers were ready to rock.
Then, right when I had hit my stride and was ready to finish the last few weeks of the challenge, the pandemic hit and I felt so down that I was not going to be able to be part of the group classes. It was honestly very hard for me to stay really active during the pandemic. I guess you just don’t know what you have until it’s gone. My wife and I were able to do some running to keep active (I ran a few “half marathons” during it all), but I just got so tired of it and I quickly realized that what I had at HealthSPORT was so awesome. Luckily I have been able to work full time, and my work is very physical, so that has kept me moving! I have been eating healthy and overall feel I have been able to maintain a lot of the progress I have made, but nothing compares to the community I had in the gym during this challenge. I was glad to be able to wait to write this because I was able to schedule 5 hard training sessions to finish this challenge with a bang (thank you Jamie!) I just want to thank the staff at HealthSPORT for helping me to achieve my goal of not only weight loss, but confidence in myself, and an overall healthy lifestyle. It’s just the beginning!
Check Out Sean’s Weight Loss Challenge Story:
My journey started at 365lbs, heavy drinker, and ate whatever I wanted and then some more. I had finally had enough of struggling to walk up stairs, do simple yard work and just ached from the weight on my joints, then throw in the ever growing list of prescription meds, two different high blood meds, pain meds, cholesterol meds, like 9 pill every day. I was gonna die and knew it, so I did they only thing that I used to love and was tolerable on my body I got my fat a** on my old mountain bike, and started riding again, did really good and watched my diet, but still drank like a sailor. I dropped about 30lbs and was feeling good about myself and the changes but was still pre-diabetic.
Then one day my daughter who was on a mountain bike team took me for a ride on the local trail. Me being dad and wanted to show off on a big downhill, I hit a bad rut and down I went down at 29mph (I know that because when they found my computer that was the last recorded speed). I ended up tumbling and finally head butting a rock, smashing my helmet in 4 places. Ending result: fractured hip, 9 broken ribs, and crushed my neck almost paralyzing me. My biggest surgery was they fused my neck from C2 to T1. Basically I have pins in every disc in my neck connected by a rod on either side, I lost feeling in both feet from the spinal injury (that’s how close I came to being paralyzed). They told me after the surgery I would never ride a mountain bike again on a trail nor would I be able to ride my road bike, my answer to that was f*** you.
Leading up to my surgery was a nightmare filled with lots of pain meds and alcohol to suppress the depression and pain I was in from my neck and from watching the scale keep rising. Two years ago is when I had my neck fusion, it took me 6 months just to ride around the block. I literally would spend two hours a day laying on my foam roller arching my neck back strengthening it and gaining flexibility in my neck to ride my bike.
I joined HealthSPORT and started working out last year saw the Weight Loss Challenge and wanted to do it because I needed a challenge and the help from the staff to push me. Well I was scared and honestly physically not ready and chickened out, so this year when I saw the sign go up I said “This is it.” I got the money together and entered, I finished my last beer and promised myself no booze during the challenge (little did I know it would go on so long, lol but still haven’t had it).
I hit spin classes, joined HSPFit classes, I was so nervous to workout with others watching but the trainers that were there for me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, You pushed me hard. Since COVID hit I lost access to the gym, did online classes and thank you for them, been riding my bike, in fact I sold my stash of herb for the year and bought a new bike…lol.
Now today I ride what I call the goat hill. I used to stop 3-4 times to get to the top but now I ride it non-stop in almost my hardest gear. The first time I did that I cried in joy.
I used to wear 4X now I wear a 2X and I am 40lbs away from weighing what I was when I was in the best shape of my life. I’ve given up sugar drinks, alcohol, only take two meds (non medical related pill), my BP is fantastic. But best of all I am f***ing back from the dead.
Thank you HealthSPORT for starting my journey cause it has only began for this 52yr old guy. PS: I am signed up for my 1st Xterra in August but think it will be cancelled but regardless I will go there and do it by myself, Because I CAN NOW.
Check Out Sean’s Weight Loss Challenge Story:
Well, it was about time that I did something about my overall health and this challenge gave me the opportunity to do just that. Despite the additional challenge of the pandemic, I was able to reach my goals thanks to the help of Travis and the staff of the Fortuna HealthSPORT. Thanks a lot guys.
