Listen HERE on Spotify: The Proudly Different Podcast – Episode #1
Why I Opened a Gym: The X
After almost two decades in the fitness industry, one question that has come up recently from our newest clients is, Why did I want to open a gym in the first place? The answer is simple and direct: I wanted to help people solve the root causes of their struggles and create permanent changes that lead to lasting results.
Why The X Works
The X has achieved incredible success by focusing on long-term results and applying principles that we’ve honed over time. These principles have led to more than 10,000 pounds of total weight loss across all the years of The X, and our current 150 clients have collectively lost over 3,000 pounds—and that number is still growing every single day.
I opened a gym because I wanted to offer something different. And that’s exactly what The X offers. We are proudly different, and our approach is designed to create lasting, life-changing results.
The Problem with Most Gym Experiences
In my experience, most gym environments are all about over-promising and under-delivering. People are promised personalized solutions, yet they end up in generic fitness classes where everyone is just rushing through exercises in an attempt to burn as many calories as possible. Coaching is often reduced to adult recess with a lot of cheerleading rather than offering actual guidance, and nutrition advice is nothing more than recycled information— “you just have to do it,” they say— but that doesn’t address the real issues.
None of this is designed to help someone get to the root of their struggles. It’s not people-focused, and it doesn’t offer practical solutions that meet people where they are in their lives. I felt like there was nothing in the fitness industry truly offering what was essential for achieving long-term success.
The Birth of The X
That’s where The X came in. I wanted to create a space where people actually felt like they belonged. A place where they felt heard, understood, and, most importantly, seen as human beings first. I didn’t want it to be just about workouts or strict diets that tell you what to eat and what not to eat. It had to be about real-life solutions that extend beyond the gym and the food you eat.
I wanted to build a place where people knew someone was on their side, working together with them on what truly mattered in their lives. The goal wasn’t just to hand out a plan but to really understand who someone was before offering up any advice. When someone came to me for help, I wanted to learn about them—about their history, struggles, successes, and motivations. Why did their goals matter? How would achieving them impact their life?
Practical Solutions That Make Sense
Once I understood all that, I could begin to diagnose the situation and offer up practical solutions that made sense to the individual. Everything we did together had to be something that they bought into—something they were confident in and felt in control of. It had to be unique, organic, and tailored to their life.
I know that many people say, “Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.” But the truth is, that approach doesn’t work in the long run. Success rates for following a plan blindly are essentially zero. What works is mentorship—teaching people how to think for themselves, to be flexible, and to be resilient. Sticking to a rigid plan forever is simply not sustainable. The real secret to lasting success lies in adaptability and practicality, not in sticking to an idealized plan.