Congratulations Mikey Kolumbic
Winner of the First Synergy Fitness Lab Weight Loss Challenge
Age: 32 Height: 6’ 2”
Weight (before): 224.1
Weight (now): 201.9
Occupation: US Army Officer
Athletic History
I was a very active kid, playing every organized sport. In high school, I swam for the school team. In college, I participated in physical fitness with Army ROTC. Since 2005, I have been a member of big box gyms, but I probably would go once per quarter. I joined Synergy Fitness Lab in 2015, and try to attend as much as possible, as my work schedule permits.
Reason for Transformation
I’ve been saying for years that I am going to drop 20 lbs to feel better about myself, feel more light on my feet, and just achieve and overall healthier lifestyle, but I guess I lacked the right motivation to do it.
Explain the path that you took to get to where you are today
It all starts with small decisions that have a big impact! When the Synergy Fitness Lab Challenge began, I made it a point to try and do EVERYTHING possible that could improve my health. I started taking pictures of EVERY meal. While I didn’t log my food, or count calories, simply taking pictures of my meals made me more aware of what I was eating. It allowed me to actually “watch what I eat”. I committed to going to the gym more often, 4-6 days per week. If I was traveling for work, I would hit the gym at the hotel or go for a run, no excuses. I also got a FitBit around the time the challenge started which made me aware of how stationary I was at my office job. I set an alarm to move around the building every hour while at work. I hit 15,000-25,000 steps 6 days a week; it also helps that I try to walk my dog 30-90 minutes a day. Finally, my weekend activities changed. I stopped watching 8 hours of TV on a weekend, and stayed on my feet. My wife and I took advantage of the weather, and started stand up paddle boarding, running 10K’s, cycling, and going on hikes. I feel great, and have never slept better!
What are your goals in fitness & your athletic career?
I would like to improve my cardio endurance to be able to push through a 12+ minute WOD without draining myself after the first third of the workout. I think running and other cardio events help with this. To be specific to the world of Crossfit, I would love to get my strict pull ups down, master the double under, and finally do a Muscle Up! When I first joined Crossfit, I wanted to lift the most weight at the gym. Having dealt with certain joint injuries, I am content using the weight lifting/strength conditioning to maintain the strength in the muscles, without trying to “bulk up” or be concerns with how much I am lifting.
Advice that you would give someone that is at the beginning of their transformation
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS AND PLAY THE PART: Get rid of the bad food in your house. Make smart food choices, because no matter how you kill it at the gym, 1,200 calories of CheezIts is NOT doing you any favors. Help yourself to a new pairs of shoes, running shorts, or a new piece of sporting equipment. A monetary commitment to health is a GREAT incentive to follow through! If fitness is a part of your life, it should be apparent when you walk into your home, and no, I don’t mean smelling like dirty gym clothes. Having your running shoes by the door, or a bike or weights in your living room is motivating. Every time you see that item, you’re thinking fitness!
FIND A ROUTINE THAT WORKS FOR YOU. Not everyone has a dog, a pedometer, or even a gym membership, but there are tons of ways to get out and be active. Whether you like swimming, running, or biking, there is a healthy activity for everyone out there, and the good news is the majority are free. I consider the time and effort I put into my health as an investment into the future, so weighing the idea of a 5 mile run vs watching “The Bachelor” in the evening is a no brainer; consider what does more for your life. Write out a plan, and give yourself a rest day, a cheat meal (or two), where you can splurge a bit. It makes those meals more enjoyable. All in all, you need some flexibility in your schedule, but finding a good routine personalized to your lifestyle is key!
BE WARY OF WEEKENDS. Before this challenge, my weight was on that classic rollercoaster trend: lose weight Monday through Friday, then gain it ALL back Saturday and Sunday. If you commit to 1 healthy weekend, the results Monday morning on the scale should motivate you to try a second “healthy & active” weekend, and so on. If you find yourself in that rut, look at how you feel in your clothes on a Friday after a healthy week vs how you feel squeezing into those pants Monday morning! Its SUPER worth it to commit to a healthy active weekend!
Weight (before): 224.1
Weight (now): 201.9
Occupation: US Army Officer
Athletic History
I was a very active kid, playing every organized sport. In high school, I swam for the school team. In college, I participated in physical fitness with Army ROTC. Since 2005, I have been a member of big box gyms, but I probably would go once per quarter. I joined Synergy Fitness Lab in 2015, and try to attend as much as possible, as my work schedule permits.
Reason for Transformation
I’ve been saying for years that I am going to drop 20 lbs to feel better about myself, feel more light on my feet, and just achieve and overall healthier lifestyle, but I guess I lacked the right motivation to do it.
Explain the path that you took to get to where you are today
It all starts with small decisions that have a big impact! When the Synergy Fitness Lab Challenge began, I made it a point to try and do EVERYTHING possible that could improve my health. I started taking pictures of EVERY meal. While I didn’t log my food, or count calories, simply taking pictures of my meals made me more aware of what I was eating. It allowed me to actually “watch what I eat”. I committed to going to the gym more often, 4-6 days per week. If I was traveling for work, I would hit the gym at the hotel or go for a run, no excuses. I also got a FitBit around the time the challenge started which made me aware of how stationary I was at my office job. I set an alarm to move around the building every hour while at work. I hit 15,000-25,000 steps 6 days a week; it also helps that I try to walk my dog 30-90 minutes a day. Finally, my weekend activities changed. I stopped watching 8 hours of TV on a weekend, and stayed on my feet. My wife and I took advantage of the weather, and started stand up paddle boarding, running 10K’s, cycling, and going on hikes. I feel great, and have never slept better!
What are your goals in fitness & your athletic career?
I would like to improve my cardio endurance to be able to push through a 12+ minute WOD without draining myself after the first third of the workout. I think running and other cardio events help with this. To be specific to the world of Crossfit, I would love to get my strict pull ups down, master the double under, and finally do a Muscle Up! When I first joined Crossfit, I wanted to lift the most weight at the gym. Having dealt with certain joint injuries, I am content using the weight lifting/strength conditioning to maintain the strength in the muscles, without trying to “bulk up” or be concerns with how much I am lifting.
Advice that you would give someone that is at the beginning of their transformation
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS AND PLAY THE PART: Get rid of the bad food in your house. Make smart food choices, because no matter how you kill it at the gym, 1,200 calories of CheezIts is NOT doing you any favors. Help yourself to a new pairs of shoes, running shorts, or a new piece of sporting equipment. A monetary commitment to health is a GREAT incentive to follow through! If fitness is a part of your life, it should be apparent when you walk into your home, and no, I don’t mean smelling like dirty gym clothes. Having your running shoes by the door, or a bike or weights in your living room is motivating. Every time you see that item, you’re thinking fitness!
FIND A ROUTINE THAT WORKS FOR YOU. Not everyone has a dog, a pedometer, or even a gym membership, but there are tons of ways to get out and be active. Whether you like swimming, running, or biking, there is a healthy activity for everyone out there, and the good news is the majority are free. I consider the time and effort I put into my health as an investment into the future, so weighing the idea of a 5 mile run vs watching “The Bachelor” in the evening is a no brainer; consider what does more for your life. Write out a plan, and give yourself a rest day, a cheat meal (or two), where you can splurge a bit. It makes those meals more enjoyable. All in all, you need some flexibility in your schedule, but finding a good routine personalized to your lifestyle is key!
BE WARY OF WEEKENDS. Before this challenge, my weight was on that classic rollercoaster trend: lose weight Monday through Friday, then gain it ALL back Saturday and Sunday. If you commit to 1 healthy weekend, the results Monday morning on the scale should motivate you to try a second “healthy & active” weekend, and so on. If you find yourself in that rut, look at how you feel in your clothes on a Friday after a healthy week vs how you feel squeezing into those pants Monday morning! Its SUPER worth it to commit to a healthy active weekend!
