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Feeling psyched about improving his health, Bobby was diligent in his strength training, eating balanced meals, and walking regularly. But as we all know, life takes over and can throw us an unexpected curve ball from time to time. In Bobby's case he was laid off from his job as a Marketing Executive for an Electrical Contracting Firm.

This monumental set back is enough to make anyone become depressed and forget about dieting and exercise. It's very important at this time to be loving and supportive to yourself and/or to your partner. Losing weight is incredibly difficult for anyone.

In the Fall Issue of Your Life! Magazine.com, Bobby Schanz started a healthy weight/strength training regime and wanted to lose weight and become fit for his 50th Birthday this coming February. Bobby invited us to photograph the start of this project, and he tipped the scales at 315.6 lbs! As of this writing, Bobby has lost almost 30 lbs and now weighs 280 lbs! Congratulations Bobby!

Although Bobby continued his weight/strength training classes with Pete Cerqua founder of ChronoDynaMetrics in Manhattan, he started slipping back to his old eating habits. He skipped breakfast, stopped drinking water, neglected to walk regularly and binged often. It didn't take long for his weight to climb back towards his initial weigh in of 315 lbs. According to Pete,

"Anything that makes a person depressed will work against their fight to lose weight. It is very important for everyone to start out their day with a healthy breakfast. More calories in the morning and less before bed will speed up the weight loss program."

Once the shock of losing his job wore off, Bobby was able to refocus on becoming healthy and fit once again. We were all moved by his motivation, drive and excitement during the past few months. He has since hired a nutritionist and is eating 5-6

While working with Bobby at his apartment, I noticed he cringed each time he went up the stairs. Cerqua is adamant about his strength training classes. "I tell people not to start aerobic exercise when there is a substantial amount of weight to lose! If Bobby were to go running or engage in a similar aerobic type activity, he would surely finish off his knees. He needs to continue to strengthen his body and lose weight by dieting." Please check with your doctor before making any changes in your diet and exercise program.

Like many people who are trying to lose weight, Bobby didn't feel comfortable shopping for new clothes until he lost a total of 50 pounds or more. We discussed his hair style, his use of hair products, his clothing and whether or not he should shave his beard off completely.

mini meals during the day. Bobby is now walking a few miles daily, and most importantly he has continued with his strength training program. Bobby's friend helped him rewrite his resume, and he allowed Lady Barber to give him a more upscale head-to-toe makeover for his upcoming interviews.

Bobby has beautiful salt and pepper hair. I cut about two inches all over, and added a styling gel by Goldwell to control the flyaways and to add a nice shine all around. I also showed him how to style and lift his hair using a hair dryer to

Since Bobby felt his face would look fat if he shaved his beard, we compromised to a close trim.

Lastly, we tackled Bobby's wardrobe. He was so used to wearing a casual look to business

meetings as seen in his "before" shot. Once Bobby was groomed and styled for his "after" shot, he felt excited about his new image. You can see the difference in his overall demeanor between the "before" and his "after" photo.

Bobby is exuding confidence and happiness because he took control of his life. It's only a matter of time before he lands his dream position, but more importantly by making his health his first priority, he will have something really big to celebrate on his 50TH birthday this February. Go Bobby!

Photography: Helen Macchina

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