This straightforward program helped him drop 22 pounds and get toned.
Kevin Chorniak, 53, grew up playing sports. When his level of activity slowed in his 20s, his weight went up. But he took charge with healthy eating and activities like mountain biking, HIIT cardio, yoga, triathlon, and weight lifting. But when he had major hip and back problems that he learned were linked to a herniated disc and some other medical issues, he scaled back on workouts and running. "Combine these fitness changes with getting older, an increase in blood pressure and cholesterol, and a diet that was not great, I started gaining weight. I found it incredibly frustrating and depressing." This COO at BTC Capital Management thought that might just be part of life as you get older. And then he found a trainer who specializes in over-50 training plans and what happened surprised him. Here, in his own words, is how he dropped 22 pounds and got toned:
AROUND DECEMBER 2022, after I'd started gaining weight, I decided to make some changes and put my health first. I discovered and committed to doing a Movement Vault mobility routine 15 minutes a day, five to six days a week for six months to see if it helped my body. Within two to three months, these stretching and mobility video classes helped me feel more flexible, and I was managing my back with no pain medication or quarterly steroid injections, which I had been receiving for a year. I'm convinced had I been doing this when I was younger I would have avoided 75 percent of the injuries I've had from working out.
Over the course of the spring/summer of 2023, I also started taking 1,500 mg per day of turmeric, in addition to a daily vitamin I was already taking. Within a few weeks, my body stopped hurting so much, other than typical muscle soreness.
By the summer of 2023, I was feeling really good and felt like doing more in the gym. Slowly I started pushing myself a little more to see how my body felt. The more I did, the stronger I was getting, without pain or injuries. Soon I was back to doing things in the gym I never thought I'd do again and was feeling great!
In August 202,3 I stopped drinking alcohol because of how my body started to react to just a couple of drinks. I also really started to work on dialing in my diet, focusing more on fresh, whole foods, fruits and vegetables and cut way back on processed foods, sugar and sweets. It didn't take long for me to see results. I dropped about 10 to 12 pounds and added a little muscle over about three months. I was shocked. But my progress stopped there, and I wasn't sure what else to do.
I KNEW I was still missing something and needed help. For the last couple of years I've been in search of the right person that could help me dial in the last 20 percent of my nutrition and workouts. I wanted a coach and trainer that focuses on guys who are age 50+ that could help me with all the finer points, get things dialed in, and continue this journey that I thought was well past me at 53. My goals are and have always been pretty simple: I want to look and feel good and stay as healthy as I can as long as I can.
Earlier this year, I came across the Max Muscle at 50 article, and the trainer it mentioned, Bryan Krahn. Out of curiosity, I looked up Bryan and connected with him. Within two weeks, I hired him. The last four months of working together have been an incredible transformation; one I truly didn't think was possible.
I started training with Bryan in April 2024. Since then, he has provided my workouts and nutrition targets. Within a week of working out with Bryan, I started to notice and feel my body changing. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was feeling different. But I was pleased and it helped in providing motivation to stick to the plan.
My current training schedule starts early: I usually get up about 4:15 to 4:30 am and have coffee and a banana to get the day started. Before leaving the house, I start each workout with about 15 to 20 minutes of some type of mobility exercises -- usually the Movement Vault ones.
When I get to the gym -- I by 5:45 am -- I do workouts that are usually 50 to 80 minutes, depending what I'm doing that particular day. Currently, I lift weights four days a week, with two days of cardio. Cardio is a combination of HIIT workouts and Zone 2 cardio. I walk regularly and get a minimum of 7,000 steps per day (usually many more).
My program with Bryan is now beginning to transition from a cutting, fat loss phase to a bulking, muscle building phase. When we started, I'd been 166 pounds; now I'm down to 144. I'm really looking forward to this transition and what the next several months of my journey will look like.
Historically, my diet contained way too many carbs and fats and not nearly enough protein. Now, I'm consistently eating a lot more fruits and vegetables. Many of my favorite meals are pretty simple. Some of my go-to's right now are:
To help with meal planning, I found it helpful to order pre-made meals for three to four dinners each week. It makes it easy to know exactly how many calories and macros I'm getting with each meal. I generally try to avoid dishes with a lot of extra sauces, salad dressings, etc., where it's hard to know the ingredients and estimate calories and macros.
These three tips have made my fitness transformation a success:
Over the last four months I've worked hard at being consistent with my nutrition and workouts rather than perfect. While I strive to hit my targets 100 percent of the time, it's nearly impossible to do all the time. When life gets in the way and I miss a target or two, I just start again the next day and refocus on my plan. Tomorrow is a new day and I just get right back on the plan.
It's a process that takes time and effort. I'm generally not the most patient person so I've needed to keep reminding myself of this. Bryan has coached me on this a few times as well. There have been periods when I've seen no progress, felt like I regressed, tweaked a shoulder or elbow, etc. Refocusing and recognizing changes don't happen overnight and if I continue to stay the course and follow the process, it works!
While it takes time and effort to log your emails, track your weight, log your measurements, track your workouts, take periodic photos, etc. -- you have to. It's really the only way to stick to the plan and get it right. Fortunately for me, I had already been doing a lot of this. I already tracked most of my meals and worked out regularly. But I recall when I started tracking my meals a few years ago how challenging it was. It takes practice and patience. Over time, I have definitely learned my guesstimates of how many calories and macros I was eating each day is way different than what I was actually getting when I started to log my meals.
I had all but convinced myself I was over 50 and gaining weight was just part of life. Then I found Bryan, and with tweaks to my training program and nutrition and a lot of focus, I've been able to transform my body in ways I didn't think was possible. Honestly, it's been easier than I ever expected but definitely requires time, patience and a commitment.
I feel great and have a lot of energy. This transformation has given me a great deal more confidence. It's helped my mental health to know that with the right focus and program, you can have greater control over your health, weight, and fitness.