Client Spotlight: Ram Mody!

Ram at the beginning of his training journey; Ram today!

A proud member of the “early morning crew” at TFN, Ram Mody has made some jaw-dropping physique change since starting. He’s even had to drill new holes in his red white and blue lifting belt to fit his trimmer midsection!

Find out which lift Ram credits for banishing his back pain, and how he’s made such progress overall, with his coaches Justine and Max.

 TFN: How long have you been working with your coach, Justine?

RM: I started with Justine in February 2017, and have worked with her consistently twice a week.  She has proved flexible with my busy schedule, whether as a professional or as a father to a young child.  Justine and I have great communication and she always seeks to accommodate my work-life balance, so I'm never left with any excuse about why I'm not prioritizing working out.

TFN: Why did you start working together?

RM: Justine is approachable and friendly.  She listened to me about my fitness goals, and created a program tailored for my specific needs.  Although Justine drives me hard during the workout, she is seemingly always available for a quick motivation booster during moments of weakness.

TFN: How has your physique, strength, and/or mindset changed since you started?

RM: My fitness journey has been a challenge as I'm both seeking to lose weight while building muscle.  Working closely with Justine and Max, I have improved my BMI, increased my strength, and improved my endurance.  With those physical changes, I handle stress much better and I have much greater mental concentration in other areas of my life.

TFN: How many days a week do you exercise?

RM: In a perfect world, I would make time to work out three times a week, but I do what I can within the limits and demands of my life.  Twice a week works for now.   

Ram’s belt, with two drilled holes on the inside...and a third coming soon!

TFN: Life gets busy and people miss workouts, what's your strategy to stay on track?
RM: I prioritize my workouts and rarely miss them.  Despite having a busy schedule, I make the effort to get up early and hit the gym as the first objective of the day.  If I didn't, I know doing so would naturally fall in priority as other pressing matters eat up my time.  I hold myself accountable.  If I can't invest in myself, who will? Every day is a New Year's Resolution when I wake up, and my attitude is that I have to get smarter, get stronger, and get leaner every day that passes. 

TFN: How has addressing your nutrition with Max gotten you further toward your goals?
RM: Max is deliberate and cautious, and looks to create a workable game plan that has the highest chance for success.  He tracks nutrition and identifies the problem areas, while offering alternatives and solutions.  I've not had to eat birdfood and drink soymilk to lose weight.  Max is also great about discussing plans on how to tackle a range of real-life complexities, such as meal planning when extended family decides to stay over, eating dinner outs with clients, approaching food and drinking alcohol on cruises and vacations, and creating a nutrition strategy for business trips.

TFN: On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard do you work during your workouts?
RM: It really does matter on so many factors: Some days I'll try very hard and proudly proclaim a "10," but these are offset by the occasional day when I just can't quite focus, at which point I'd rate a "5."  For those "5" days, I can count on Justine making up the difference by getting me to push harder or changing up the workout to keep me going.

Deadlifts in the studio

TFN: What is your favorite exercise?
RM: By far, I enjoy the deadlift.  I don't know if it is true, but that is the exercise I believe has improved my posture and eliminated my backaches.  It has also put a "spring" in my step, and I now routinely use stairs over elevators, even in my business shoes.

TFN: How does being strong benefit other aspects of your life?

RM: As a father, it is nice to play with my son and not feel winded; it is nice to know that I can go to the airport and pick up the luggage, stroller, and diaper bag without breaking a sweat; it is nice to lift my son into the air and not feel my back tweak from the stress.  As a husband, I like being the "strong man" around the house and working on projects I've never previously considered.

TFN: What’s your #1 piece of advice to someone who wants to make significant fitness progress?

RM: think everyone has to find their own way to reach the goals they desire.  I valued consistency in working out, even during the coldest or most miserable days.  I also trusted the trainers for guidance in all aspects, such as the kind of protein shake to drink, or the kind of weightlifting belt to purchase., or understanding about how the body metabolizes certain foods.  In doing so, I stayed clear of snake-oil salespersons hawking the latest fads or gadget.  I have found a sustainable solution, and now enjoy true fitness for life!

Coaches’ Perspectives: Justine and Max

TFN: Justine, what do you think has accounted for Ram’s success so far? 

Consistency.  Ram stayed the course and never failed to stay on track.  He has shown a tremendous amount of dedication to his training and nutrition with Max.  I remember that first photo of Ram and how “hip hinging” was difficult just due to weakness in the lower back and core (pink Kettlebell in the photo is 18lbs).  Now Ram deadlifts close to 200lbs!!!  What a huge accomplishment! Ram’s level of willpower and motivation is what got him to where he is.  He is a prime example of reaping what you sow.  Even through stalling moments he kept chugging along his journey to weightloss and strength.  I am honored to be a part of it and so proud of you, Ram!  I applaud you for the changes you have made to your lifestyle!       

TFN: Max, why do you think Ram has achieved his physique progress?

Consistency! The key to Ram’s success is the fact that he has continued to follow our plan week in and week out virtually since we began.  The steps started and continue to be small, but when you continue building on these steps consistently for almost 2 years they yield big changes.  Ram also deserves credit for staying patient during phases where his weight did not change much, especially during the first few months we worked together.  The body is often stubborn to body fat loss, and for most people a lack of progress for any period of time leads to abandoning the plan.  Ram is a great example of how long-term nutrition plans work when someone is willing to trust the plan and stick with it.  One other benefit to note, he has been able to lose weight while enjoying his favorite foods and drinks in moderation.  He is not on a “diet” and there is no end date where he will start doing another plan.  He has changed his nutrition in a way that is balanced and sustainable, and he has found success on top of it.  Way to go, Ram!