Adam Finds Fitness and Friendship

In spring 2019, 24 Hour Fitness member Adam Schneider decided he needed to start over. He had slipped into a downward spiral when his marriage fell apart, affecting his physical and mental well-being. By creating a stable foundation centered on his health, he planned to begin rebuilding his life.

Schneider researched his options. When he discovered a 24 Hour Fitness location near him, it seemed to signal the second chance he was looking for. Yet fear held him back. He knew the path he should take, but he wasn’t sure he was ready for the work he’d need to do to move himself forward.

With encouragement from the general manager, Kyle Murphy, however, Schneider conquered his fear. “Kyle encouraged me and created a safe environment where I felt comfortable facing my body and accepting what I needed to do for myself physically and mentally,” he says.

Schneider realized he would need reliable help to accomplish all of his goals. He signed up for personal training with Fitness Coach Donovan Autajay. Together, they embarked on a 7-month journey to turn his life around.

In the beginning, their sessions were twice a week for an hour each time. Eventually Schneider gained enough confidence to expand to training six days a week on his own. After two years, he has achieved an incredible physical and emotional transformation.

“Don’t ever feel that you are stuck where you are,” he says, “because with time, all is possible.”

24Life: Was there a point when you realized you had to shift your priorities, to create time and energy for fitness?

Adam Schneider: My marriage ended, and I just felt horrible. I was overweight, depressed and had no energy. I felt that if I didn’t get healthy I would never be happy. So, I went online and looked at the closest gym to me, which was 24 Hour Fitness. But I didn’t make the decision. Then the gym manager called me and convinced me to come in. He helped me feel comfortable enough to start my journey.

24Life: How has building a consistent routine helped you make progress? What do you do when you feel you’re getting off track?

AS: Training was really important at the beginning because I wasn’t motivated to work out on my own. And even if I was, I didn’t really know what to do. It took about six months working with a personal trainer twice a week until I started going additional days on my own. The personal trainer was very important for me because no matter how I felt, if I had a training session scheduled, I would do it. And I always felt better after the session. After a while, I just knew that no matter how much I may not have wanted to go to the gym, I would feel better after and be glad I went.

24Life: Fitness can be a “team sport” when you have the right people in your corner. Who is on your team, and how do they help you succeed?

AS: It was very important for me to have developed a group to work out with at least once a week. Donovan Autajay, Sherri Winger and Angel Cruz were always a part of that group, with several others coming and going over time.

24Life: What advice would you give someone who is ready to make a change, but is not sure where to start?

AS: I have four pieces of advice.

All that said, Kyle calling me and asking me to come in was critical—hearing his story of getting fit and having him encourage me helped a lot. Having a trainer was really important to keep me committed even when I didn’t feel like it. And developing friends to train with was important, too. It felt really good not just to have someone be there for me, but to have the opportunity to be there for someone else.

Results not typical and may vary per individual. With a regular diet and exercise routine, typical weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. Please consult a physician before starting or changing a fitness routine. Personal training and virtual personal training available to 24 Hour Fitness members for an additional fee.

photo credit: Adam Schneider