Brian Marx, 41, Physical Education Teacher, Milwaukee, WI
How much weight have you lost? 30 pounds
Tell us what the “old you” used to be like. I wouldn’t say I have changed much from the old me. I just knew I needed to lose some weight to be better for myself and to set a better example for my students. I started running about two years ago and I had completed a marathon at Walt Disney World, but I knew I needed to be healthier.
What prompted your weight loss? I was always wanting to lose weight but never found anything that worked. Running wasn’t doing it for me no matter how long I trained or how hard I worked out.
How did you lose the weight? I used a fitness app to count the calories I took in and followed the Holiday Hottie and Hottie Body Fitzness Challenge.
How long did it take? I started the day after Thanksgiving (Nov 28) and I lost pound #30 on Feb 7. A total of 71 days.
What was the hardest part? I miss eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Pizza is one of the biggest things to give up.
Most fun part of your weight loss? I love seeing the results. Not only in appearance, but in my running times.
Most rewarding experience? Hearing people notice how much weight I have lost as well as setting a Personal Record for the 10K during Star Wars weekend at Disneyland.
Who/what inspires you when you feel like quitting? I joined an “I Run 4 Siblings” group and I run for a four year-old girl names Alexis. She has a sister with a disability and I just want to do things to let her know I am thinking about her. I also love knowing Fitz will give me a special PITA (pain in the ass) training session if I slack off.
How has this weight loss changed your life? I feel better about myself and my body feels better when I run and work out.
Have any advice for others who’d like to lose weight? Don’t diet. Just watch your caloric intake, follow Fitz’s exact formula for weight loss, and join as many of her challenges as you can.
Your must-have fitness equipment. My running shoes and a treadmill. I hate the extreme cold and heat so most of my training is on a treadmill.
Favorite training song: It changes with my mood so I have 3 top songs.
- Run This Town by Jay-Z
- Cruise by Florida Georgia Line
- It’s Who You Are by AJ Michalka
Obviously I have a wide range of music I enjoy.
Favorite healthy food: Fitz’s Protein Power Potato
Favorite not-so-healthy food: Pizza, but since I don’t even include that any more … my weakness is any kind of cookies.
Funniest /weirdest/most awkward experience during your weight loss journey: Weirdest thing is a few times I based where I went to eat on whether the restaurant had it’s food nutrition online, so I could enter it into my app to see what I could eat. I also have eaten really small meals all day, so I could have a really good desert or some ice cream at a hockey game later that night.
Future goals: I am going to run a few half-marathons this summer and train like crazy to run the Dopey Challenge in January at Walt Disney World. Then a month later I am going to run the Ragnar Relay from Miami to Key West with some of my Disney friends!
Brian, You are the ULTIMATE hottie and a hell of a lot of fun to work with. You’ve shown such amazing discipline, losing 23 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day and do a fantastic job showing how fun fitness can be. Plus, you’re an incredible role model for your students. I’m grateful you’ve allowed me/us to contribute to your success. Congratulations! Fitz and the entire team at Fitzness.com
