I have two problems. The first is a competition problem, and the second is a math problem — and since I really dislike math, we’ll get to that later.
Let’s start with competition. A lifetime of playing sports wired my brain to frame challenges like this as a competition against other people. I’d either crush the opponent (motivated by anger) or avoid getting embarrassed (motivated by fear). It worked — until it didn’t. That kind of fire burns hot, but it also burns out.
So if I can’t compete the way I used to, how do I keep myself motivated?
This is where reframing the competition comes in. My therapist, Dalila Bass, says that seeking an external opponent is always going to be temporary — but competing against myself? That’s sustainable.
“I think you should be your own competitor,” she told me. “If you ran a mile in 20 minutes one week, shoot for 19 the next. That way, the competition is consistent and sustainable.”
That’s the shift I’m working on now. Instead of trying to prove myself to someone else, I’m learning to set personal benchmarks and focus on beating those. And in that way, this challenge still feels familiar — there’s a deadline, there’s discipline, and there’s a clear goal. But the motivation comes from a healthier place.
And that brings me back to the math problem.
THE MATH I CAN’T IGNORE
As of my most recent weigh-in, I’m at 275 pounds — down five pounds since the last episode. That’s great, but it comes with a hard reality check.
As of this writing, I have 138 days left until my 56th birthday, and I still have 51 pounds to lose.
Losing 1.5 pounds per week won’t get me there.
My latest InBody analysis confirmed what I already suspected — while I did lose weight, my muscle mass percentage dropped slightly, and my body fat percentage rose slightly. This reinforced the challenge of balancing calories in, calories out, and macros to ensure muscle retention and fat loss while accelerating results over the back half of the program.
Analyzing my meal tracking, my fitness output, and my resting metabolic data, the numbers show what it will take:
— Daily calorie intake: 1,800-2,200 calories
— Daily calorie burn needed: 3,100-3,500 calories
— Daily caloric deficit required: 1,294 calories
In other words, this is challenging — but doable.
Mickal Thomas, my trainer at the Shades Valley YMCA, is helping me find the right balance between burning calories and not wrecking my body in the process.
“If the calories you take in aren’t enough to sustain your workouts, your body starts cannibalizing muscle,” he explained. “And if you push too hard every day without recovery, you won’t be able to come back and perform. So it’s all about balance — what you put in, what you take out, and how well you recover.”
ADJUSTING THE PLAN
To get there, I’ve made some key adjustments:
— More protein, cleaner carbs to fuel workouts and recovery while staying in a deficit
— Two HIIT sessions per week
— Two strength training workouts per week
— Four HOTWORX sessions per week for low-impact, high-efficiency burn
— 7,000-10,000 steps per day, with 12,000-15,000 on rest days
— Monitoring everything with WHOOP to track strain, recovery, and sleep, and using MyFitnessPal to manage caloric intake and macros
One of the biggest differences this time is recovery, which is where both HOTWORX and IV therapy at Prime IV Homewood play critical roles. Training in an infrared-heated studio not only amplifies calorie burn but supports recovery as I work out, something that has become increasingly important as I push my body at 55.
“The first thing I think of is HOTWORX is all low impact,” said Danica Kempinski, studio owner at HOTWORX Vestavia Hills. “So there’s no extra stress on the joints, which is great for people working on mobility. The second thing is the infrared benefits — you’re recovering as you work out. That’s why you don’t feel as sore when you leave here, as opposed to working out at a different gym.”
I’ve also been challenged in new ways, especially with movements that test my core strength, like Pilates and yoga. It turns out that things that look easy on video can be brutally hard in practice. But as Kempinski reminded me, consistency is key.
“You’ll see progress over time by consistently doing the same movements,” she said. “You might start with your feet on the ground, but soon you’ll notice you’re holding positions longer and getting stronger.”
IV therapy at Prime IV Homewood has also become part of my recovery routine, helping with hydration, muscle repair, and reducing fatigue so that I can stay consistent without burning out.
I’m also using ProjectLeanNation for meal prep, which helps me stay on track while balancing a career that includes running six media brands and launching major initiatives like Creator Collective, Under the Lights and The Transformation Project.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The math problem isn’t going away. I know what it’s going to take every single day to hit my goal. But this time, I’m approaching it smarter — competing against who I was yesterday, not who I was 20 years ago.
And that’s a competition I intend to win.
Next month: It's a marathon, not a sprint
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