I owned a gym and let myself go
My name is Andrew Lewis. I’ve been in the fitness industry for over 12 years, and nine years ago I opened Norse Compound, a gym that’s still running today.
I’ve known what works for years, which is what makes this next part embarrassing. In 2017 I was a 260-pound powerlifter who couldn’t tie his own shoes. I got down to 190 and figured that was behind me.
Then last year I stepped on a scale and it said 210. Over 20% body fat. I’d spent a few years completely dialed in on building Norse Fitness, and honestly, I was just going through the motions. Training when I could (which wasn’t often), and eating whatever was most convenient.
In January I set a goal to get below 170 before my son arrived in April. And whatever I did had to keep working after he showed up, when the sleep was gone and the time went with it.
So I built a plan around my actual schedule, set a few daily rules I wouldn’t break, and had a bro hold me accountable. I went from 210 pounds to 168.
After that I saw it everywhere. For nine years I’d watched dads walk into my gym fired up and disappear a month later. Same guys who hadn’t missed a day of work in a decade.
So I took what worked for me and turned it into something they could follow. That’s this challenge, built around a newborn, a nine-year-old, and a schedule that was already full.



One more thing about those photos. I came off TRT two years ago so my fiancée could get pregnant.



