Joe Murphey, of East Cobb, started Sparkle Fitness on February 16, 2021. He has lost 30 pounds. Joe is in the Bear Bones Band, a party band featuring hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and beyond. Joe is also an attorney. He has mediated more than 3,500 cases in 20 years.  

HOW DID YOU FIND SPARKLE WELLNESS?  

My wife, Susan, began nutritional counseling with Jacynta. After vetting Jacynta with some of her personal training clients, who all gave rave reviews, I enrolled. 

WHAT WAS YOUR TURNING POINT?  

COVID-19 seemed to have one of two effects on people; some hit the gym, and some hit the fridge. I gained weight and was inactive. I knew I had to make a change. I was approaching my 60s, facing numerous  health issues and an overall loss of strength, energy, and  balance. I wanted to walk my daughter down the aisle,  enjoy grandkids, and continue with music. I was aging  before my time. 

WHAT CHANGES DID YOU MAKE?  

I learned to focus on protein and veggies. I still allow  myself a treat, including a scotch, but I think about what  goes in before it goes in. I activated the MyFitnessPal  app, and I track my food and drink. Having to account  for what you eat makes you think twice. 

  1. The first step was committing to personal training  three days per week. I need accountability, and  showing up and doing the work was a big part of the  change.  
  2. Jacynta helped me set specific lifestyle goals next.  As a drummer, loading in, setting up, breaking  down, and loading out my equipment is physically  demanding. Much of the work I do in training helps  me with the physical rigors of being a drummer. The  improvement I have made in my strength, balance,  and stamina is far more important than the weight  loss. I’m in better shape now than I’ve been in for the  past 20 years. 
  3. There is always room for improvement. I cannot  totally reverse the aging process, but Jacynta has  shown me I can extend my life. I feel younger now  than I did five years ago when I started this journey. 

WHAT IS YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE?  

I exercise with Jacynta three days a week, 45 mins  per session on Zoom. Jacynta helped me develop a nice  workout area in my basement with dumbbells, kettle bells, an adjustable bench, medicine balls, etc. Between  performances and rehearsals, I exercise with the  band. Additionally, mediation involves a lot of walking.  Mediators spend all day moving through multiple rooms,  meeting with parties to the dispute. 

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACED ON  THE JOURNEY?  

Living life is my biggest challenge. My workouts are  at 7:45 am. A late business dinner with wine and cocktails  can tempt me to cancel that workout. Jacynta taught  me that showing up is critical. I have been a little worse  for wear some mornings, but I push through.  

HOW HAVE YOU TRIUMPHED ON YOUR JOURNEY? 

The success of my journey is measured by the quality  of my life. For example, this summer, I spent two weeks  with my son, daughter, and son-in-law hiking the Cotswold  Trail in England. If you want a challenge, try hiking for two  weeks with three people half your age. I kept up. 

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?  

Someone reading this has probably just broken their  New Year’s resolution to diet, go to the gym, walk the  dog each morning, or whatever. My challenge to you is  to get back on the horse. You’ve got this! 

Registration for Sparkle Wellness is underway. For  more information about Sparkle, contact Jacynta Harb  at www.sparkleanewyou.com or call 404.242.5062.