Justin Riley

My next Overcoming the Odds article is on a man I've known for nearly 15 years.  I met Justin Riley at one of the many Fitness Centers I worked and worked out at and have kept in touch with him over the years.  Justin Riley has been involved in Physical Fitness for most of his life.  It's been a part of his Motivation to succeed as a person.  However, there are various obstacles hes had to overcome in relation to his physical fitness goals and his relationships with people.  Justin says that even though he always focused on getting big and as strong as he possibly could, he was overweight for many years.  "I had the knowledge of how to do it the right way but just wasn't implementing it to myself," he says.  At one point, Justin was 5'8 and 260 lbs. wearing a size 40+ pants.  Justin says he was not Happy with himself or where he was.  "What you saw on the Outside was how I felt on the inside" Justin says.  He was involved in Church but was not implementing his beliefs into his own life much like he wasnt implementing what he knew about fitness into his routine.  One day, a friend of Justin's from work presented him with a Weight Loss Challenge.  Justin complied and went from 230 to 183 lbs.  He had not been that weight since college.  Justin says he felt comfortable with his weight loss and began to slip back into some of his old ways and put the weight back on again.  In addition, he was making bad decisions in terms of his relationships with people.  He was hanging out with the wrong people and instead of focusing on his relationship with God was obsessed with trying to develop a relationship with a girl. He was trying to be something he wasnt to win the love of others. Justin claims he had an awakening when he watched Tyler Perry's "Madea gets a Job."  "After watching the film, I realized that you find your identity with God first and you let him bring the right person to you," Justin says.  He then quit dating and changed his way of thinking.  Even though he faced various obstacles, Justin went from 215 to 170lbs.  "Being in the Fitness Industry, I needed to look the part," Justin says.  In addition, Justin began implementing his Christian beliefs into his life.  As he did, he found more confidence in himself as a leader and even became a ministry leader in Birmingham.  Justin then made other changes in his life in regards to his finances.  As Justin built confidence in his Fitness and leadership abilities, he had the vision of 12 One Training.  This comes from the Bible Quote.  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with perseverance the race set out for us." (Hebrews 12)  Through his 12 One Training, Just was able to help people lose weight and get physically fit.  He noticed the changes that happened in the people he helped were reminiscent of the changes that happened to him. One of the main things that changed in Justin's life was his relationships with people.  "When I made God #1 in my life, that's when he brought me my fiancee Ashley," Justin says.  He continues his training and reaching out to others.

Justin Riley OVERCAME THE ODDS of failing to reach his fitness goals, failing to find confidence in himself as a leader, and failing to make the right relationships.  I am proud to call this man a friend and coworker.