A Larger Purpose

It’s Thursday evening and Renaldo Isaac is checking in to his neighborhood gym in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The 32-year-old real estate agent is training his chest today, with a goal of increasing his weight on the bench press.

Isaac is no stranger to physical fitness, having competed in sports from his childhood through college, nearly a 19-year span.

He played football in high school and ran track at East Carolina University. His time running track was an experience he wouldn’t trade for anything. “It was so much fun. I enjoyed every minute of it. I was able to compete with some of the best runners in the country.”

His love of fitness came as a result of his ability to compete at ECU. Isaac said he initially worked out to keep up with those whom he ran against.

But once he realized his talent of running wasn’t enough for him to compete on the track, Isaac knew he had to train harder. He said his love of fitness came once his talent matched his overall training.

With almost two decades of working out under his belt, Isaac has seen his body transform and goals evolve through the years. “I’ve always been a small guy, so initially I wanted to gain size and muscle mass. Currently, I’m just looking for new ways to push my limits, get stronger, tone and add size.”

But now, fitness serves a larger purpose in his life. Isaac said staying fit adds structure to his daily routine and helps him focus on his job. “After I graduated from college I stopped training all together. I figured since my sports career was over, I didn’t need to stay active. I would ask myself, ‘What’s the point?’ But living just to work and pay bills killed my drive and energy.”

After seeing his physique, people always ask him for health and fitness advice. “The most common question I get is what can I do to lose my stomach. I tell people that there are just two key ways to do that and it’s through dieting and having a devotion to exercise. Don’t just do cardio, add some resistance training as well.”

With people still in the early stages of their New Year’s resolutions, Isaac is encouraging people to stay the course.

He said people who are struggling to stay consistent should find someone who shares their same motivation to workout with.

When Isaac is not at the gym lifting weights, you can find him at a local track running sprints.

Although he sticks to a clean diet, his one weakness is carrot cake, something he will never cut out completely.