This week we are featuring a remote employee – Mark Weaver! Mark is a Market Center Manager in Illinois! He has been with the company for close to 1 year! Read through what he had to say about his current wellness journey in our question and answer session.

 

What is your motivation in your wellness journey?
I have always been athletic and was a varsity track athlete in high school. After high school I got into weightlifting but was fairly irregular and fell into hype work outs. It wasn’t until my father passed away unexpectedly that I decided to be more regimented with my exercise, diet, and health. My family is very active and as a parent I want to be able to be the type of dad who can keep up with his kids…and most importantly out-bench his daughter’s boyfriends.

What is your weekly exercise routine?
6 days a week I lift weight for 45 minutes a day followed by 20 minutes of low-intensity cardio (walking at an incline, stair master, biking). I start most mornings with a 20-minute HIIT session fasted (on an empty stomach). I’ll typically target back and bicep muscles together two days a week. Then chest, shoulders, and triceps another day. And finish with legs and abdominal work outs and then repeat that all over again.

What has been the best part of this journey?
I’m able to see results yearly based around my goals. Whenever I talk about life, discipline, change, etc. – it’s a very tangible way to communicate how hard work does yield desired results.

What do you find is a daily struggle?
Getting to the gym is always the easy part for me. I thoroughly enjoy it. The struggle is maintaining a diet that helps me achieve my goals. A snack here and there can ultimately cause you to justify more and more poor choices.

What is your favorite part about exercise?
One of my favorite parts about exercise is the community it’s provided me. My wife and I work out together sometimes for a date. My best friend and I will lift together. Even my pastors and I will work out together. Having fitness be a part of my most important relationships just adds a deeper level of value to them.

Where are you currently seeing success?
Currently I’m dieting to lose body fat. Since beginning training to lose body fat weeks ago I’m down to 180lbs from 204lbs. I don’t plan on stopping until I reach 175.

What are you the most proud of?
I’m proud that my daughters want to be strong like their dad. We have had the opportunity with several gyms to not just drop off our kids at the childcare, but actually bring them out to the gym floor and train using free weights. Both of my daughters enjoy this, and I believe teaching them healthy exercise and eating habits will always let them know how to stay and be healthy.

If someone wanted to start their own journey – how would you encourage them?
Just add one thing at a time. Many people want to “do it all” and frankly, that’s a lot and leads to people giving up on everything. Eating, dieting, supplements, sleep, water intake, strength training/working out. Start with one discipline, turn it into a habit, then repeat with something new.