Blaine Wood says he was “skinny fat” when he got divorced in his late 40s. He had known what it meant to be in good shape from his earlier years in the military. But then, newly single again, he also knew that he needed to get his strength and looks back before he
could re-enter the dating field and feel good about himself.
“I had absolutely no confidence,” says Blaine, now 53. “I had to do something. I had to get healthy. I knew I had to get back out there again, and it was going to take some work.”
Long story short: He put in the work, as you can see in the above “before and after” pics.
Throughout life, at any age, we have many solid reasons to exercise regularly and eat right, of course. It’s good for our physical and mental health. It helps us feel better and move better.
And there’s no shame in admitting that lots of people work out to maintain a physically attractive body. There’s nothing wrong with that – for any age, gender, or marital status.
Maybe looking traditionally “hot” isn’t important to you, and that’s perfectly fine. But there’s nothing wrong with wanting that, either, as Blaine’s story shows. He’s now happy, healthy, and in a strong relationship.
He learned what so many people are learning: that fitness is for everyone.
And so is feeling better about how you look.
How He Did It
Blaine didn’t want to rush right into a gym membership. He wanted to test his commitment and work up to that. So, he started doing calisthenics, jogging, and improving his diet. Before long, he saw progress, and then started riding his bike… and finally, he rewarded himself with the gym membership.
“And that helped me so much with my confidence – how I feel about myself,” says the father of two young boys. “I feel great. And if I hadn’t done that, then who knows where I’d be today.”
For Blaine, the preparation for the gym was key – in his exercise routine, and in the kitchen.
“I started feeling more confident pretty quickly, started seeing results,” he says. “I started feeling better, especially after changing my eating habits. I wasn’t eating right. But once I cut out all the sugars and the processed food, I started looking and feeling better – and that gave me more confidence.”
Confidence Is Good for Everyone
He’s emotionally stronger now, too, after the divorce a
few years ago. It’s all been a snowball effect, he says, improving all aspects of his life.
“It just keeps getting better and better,” Blaine says. “And when people notice the changes you’ve made in your lifestyle – when they notice that you’ve changed your body composition and say that you look better… It’s really a good feeling.”
Talk to us today, and let us show you the fun, safe, and effective way to meet your own fitness goals, whatever they are.
Holly Kouvo is a personal trainer, functional aging specialist, senior fitness specialist, brain health trainer, writer, and speaker.