You know that thing they say about age being just a number?

It’s true. And no one knows that better than James Padilla.

A year ago, James weighed in at 220lbs, standing 5’7″ at age 39. After discovering The Gym, he realized a goal of wanting to lose 20lbs, bulk up, and basically be in the best shape of his life by the time he hit the big 4-0. Little did he know he’d surpass even his own expectations… and then some.

When James met Chris, his previous ways of working out and dieting (stolen mostly from magazines and friends’ advice) went out the window. He began taking his diet and workouts seriously and dropped that initial goal of 20lbs pretty fast. The new outlook he had on himself propelled his drive for success even more. So, when Chris suggested he compete in the NPC Northern Competition- a month before his 40th birthday- James stepped up to bat.

To date, James has lost a whopping 60lbs and is in better shape than men 10 and 15 years younger than him. He’s even had the pleasant problem of losing so much weight and toning up, that he’s complained about having to shop for smaller clothes more and more frequently.

So… is this guy happy at age 40?

“Hell yeah, I’m happy!” he says. “I have an excellent trainer, an awesome group of people at The Gym that encourage each other to succeed, and I bust my butt everyday.”

It’s true… we’ve seen him bust his butt. But what he probably won’t admit is he’s always the one to pump everyone else up during class when we’re feeling a little weak.

James can’t emphasize enough the amount of positive influence Chris and The Gym has had on him. Thanks to his experience he has a new lease on life, and he has a message for Chris: “You are truly an amazing person, trainer and coach. You gave me the tools I needed to become the better person I am today.  Thank you Buddy, I appreciate everything.”