"Time to CHANGE!"

Thursday, June 9, 2016.  That was the day that I decided that it was time to change.  In fact, those are the exact words I wrote in my copy of Michael Matthew's book: Bigger, Leaner, Stronger.  I knew something had to be done.  I was tired of feeling weak, tired, and slow.  I recognized that the direction my life had been heading was not right nor healthy.  I knew that in order to fix my unhealthy lifestyle I had to make a complete, 180 degree turn in my attitude.  

Before v. after; roughly the same weight. 

Today marks one whole year of following a weight training and nutrition plan, and I have never felt better physically.  My current personal bests at the three main compound lifts (Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift) are as follows: Squat - 315 lbs; Bench Press - 260 lbs; Deadlift - 350 lbs.  I didn't take my nutrition seriously until March of this year, but even so my body has changed drastically.

My note to self my first day.

Time to change.  That's certainly a powerful statement.  Just like I knew that physically something had to change we all must recognize that if we are not followers of Christ something has to change.  The Apostle Paul declares in Romans 3:23 that "all have sinned" and "fallen short of God's glory." That means ALL.  Every.  Single.  Person.  If you are not a Christian, something has to change.  The Bible calls this change "repentance." 

Jesus says in Luke 13:3, "I tell you, no, but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."  Peter the Apostle commanded those on Pentecost to "repent" of their sins and be baptized.  This repentance is a recognition: "Hey, the way that I've been living is displeasing to God.  God loves me so much that he sent Jesus to die for me.  I love him and recognize this truth and I don't want to displease him anymore.  Time to change."  

Just like I made a 180 degree change in my physical lifestyle, to be a Christian you must make a 180 degree change in your spiritual lifestyle.  If you are not a Christian, it is time to change.  Are you ready? 

COLOSSUS FITNESS INTERVIEW & future vision for the blog!

Colossus Fitness' logo, visit them at http://www.colossusfitness.com/

I first touched a barbell when I was 12 years old.  The moment our 7th grade P.E. teacher allowed us to enter the weight room, I was hooked.  I lifted weights every school day of my 7th and 8th grade years.  Unfortunately, an abdominal hernia decided to form and greatly slow my progress.  The years that followed were a seesaw of inconsistent training.  I would train until my hernia would get so sore that I had to quit.  Finally, at age 25, I conquered my fear and had my hernia repaired. From the moment my doctor cleared me to train, I hit the weights.  The past year has been a journey of growth and learning.  

As I've progressed on this fitness journey, I've come to realize how closely fitness and faith relate to one another.  Because of this, I have decided to take this site in a new direction: one that chronicles my faith and fitness growth together.  I hope to explore fitness truths to illustrate spiritual truths.  Just like solid Biblical information is crucial for your spiritual health, solid fitness information is crucial for your physical health.  And, coincidentally, just like with the Bible, there is a lot of misinformation floating around in the fitness community.  That is why I am honored to have been able to interview my fitness heroes for today's post.  

Colossus Fitness is composed of Josh Wilkinson and Kyle Grondin from Toronto, Canada.  They offer an online fitness coaching service that is customized specifically for YOU.  If reaching your fitness goals is important to you, then you can reach them by clicking here.  With nearly 36,000 YouTube subscribers, 55,400 Instagram followers, and 12,100 Twitter followers it is safe to say that Josh and Kyle have become successful with their business. 

What I like so much about them is that their content quality is second to none, and they are just sincere, good people.  Their YouTube has a family-friendly atmosphere and a laid-back style.  This is important, because I believe that the sooner people get into fitness, the better! With so much confusion and deception in the fitness world today, look no further than Colossus Fitness for information you can trust!

To follow them on social media:

Colossus Fitness on YouTube

Colossus Fitness on Facebook

Colossus Fitness on Twitter

Colossus Fitness on Instagram

ColossusFitness.com

Without further ado, here is the transcript of our interview. 

Kyle Grondin of Colossus Fitness

Jonathan: When did you start weight training, and why? 

Colossus Fitness: We both began weight training approximately 7 years ago. We've always been extremely athletic, and began lifting weights to become better at the sports we played and just gain overall muscle mass!

Jonathan: When did you decide to offer fitness coaching? 

Colossus Fitness: We decided to offer online fitness coaching approximately 2 years ago.

Jonathan: How did you two meet, and what influenced you to start a YouTube channel? 

Colossus Fitness: We both played on the same hockey team a long time ago.  A few years later we had met up for a workout. At this time, Josh had the channel but wasn't posting much. From there we decided to begin filming videos together and it all grew from there. 

Jonathan: Colossus Fitness is a cool name, how did you come up with it? 

Colossus Fitness: We were looking for a word that represented "big, aesthetic, strong, etc" and a lot of words were taken. We came across the word "Colossus" and fell in love with it.

Josh Wilkinson of Colossus Fitness

Jonathan: Who has been your biggest influence in life and why? 

Colossus Fitness: There are many influencers online that have completely changed my life. I give a lot of credit to personal growth gurus such as Darren Hardy and Grant Cardone. They've just overall changed my way of thinking in business, life and even fitness as they inspire me to be better every single day.

Jonathan: What are some of your biggest training mistakes? 

Colossus Fitness: I used to think spending 3 hours in the gym was correct. Or even "clean" eating to lose weight, and I would just end up binging very often. I've gone in circles for many years but I'm glad to know I've been able to find what works best for me.

Jonathan: Where do you see Colossus Fitness in the future? 

Colossus Fitness: We see Colossus Fitness growing continuously into the best online coaching business there is. A long term plan is to also invest in our own fitness studio where we can train clients and film our YouTube videos freely.

Jonathan: What is your favorite exercise and why? 

Colossus Fitness: Squat because it's all about standing back up when something heavy is taking you down! It's just an amazing feeling getting under the bar with hundreds and hundreds of pounds.

Jonathan: What are your all time PRs in the 3 main compounds? 

Colossus Fitness: Josh: Deadlift - 612lbs; Squat - 545lbs;  Bench Press-345lbs.
Kyle: Deadlift - 525lbs; Squat - 420lbs; Bench Press - 270lbs.

Jonathan: What advice do you have for people new to fitness? 

Colossus Fitness: Trust the process, learn to do everything correctly from the start such as proper form for each exercise. Don't compare yourself to others, especially those who have been lifting for years. Focus on yourself and stay consistent!