On September 30, 2008, I was laid off from my job as an assistant project manager because the company I worked for ran out of work. I was 24 years old, 360 pounds, single, unemployed and unhappy. This was not how my life was supposed to be five years out of high school. I decided to work on the things I could control. I hit the job trail, the produce section of the grocery store and the gym. In two years I had found a job, was promoted, and lost 120 pounds. I wanted to learn how to run, so I hit the trail. Slow at first, but eventually by last summer I was running 35-40 miles a week.

Stingy body fat would not go away despite everything I had already accomplished. I went to a doctor for a check-up in August and my cholesterol was 350+. Lipid profile tests and other bloodwork revealed some genetic issues that I will need to overcome to move forward.  Undaunted, I continued working on my cardio.  This culminated with my first half marathon in Atlanta in March. With all of this progress, I still have a lot to do.  I am now 240 pounds (I am 6'4") but my body fat content is way too high. Medication and diet restrictions have improved my cholesterol but I am now re-focused on weight training and other ways to seriously burn body fat.

I joined Life Time yesterday and plan to use this facility to the fullest.  I am excited about the possibilities and excited about the upcoming basketball leagues.  My goal is to lose 25 more pounds while turning body fat into lean muscle. I am registered for another half marathon in November and plan to run a full in January. This summer will be focusing entirely on resistance training to reduce body fat.

I recently turned 28 years old.  In four years I went from a 360 pound unemployed, lazy waste of space to a 240 pound long distance runner and my career is thriving in addition to night classes towards an MBA. Did any of it happen over night?  Only the decision to start.

My name is Andy Lipman. I have cystic fibrosis and am 38 years old. When I was born, doctors told me I'd be lucky to see my teens. That's all I need to motivate me every day when I work out at Life Time Fitness Sugarloaf. I am a true gym rat. I completed P90X earlier this month. Besides working out, I also am an avid runner who has done the Peachtree Road Race every year since 1997. My goal is to rid the world of cystic fibrosis (CF), a terminal genetic disorder. CF is the same disease that took my sister. I started a foundation in her memory that has raised $1.25 million, am a motivational speaker and also have written three books. I continue to fight every day so that one day other children and young adults no longer have to fight this battle.

Thank you Life Time Fitness for helping me to have a longer lifetime.

Andy Lipman

Duluth, GA Sugarloaf location