Fit by Design: How AI and Tech Fueled My Year of Health and Fitness Transformation

When my father was the age I turned last year, he had a massive heart attack and almost died. I remember it like it was yesterday. Fortunately, he recovered and went on to live many years after that. My dad had always been in good shape, which made it even more shocking how quickly his health declined..

I saw many parallels to my own situation. As a younger man, I was mostly in good to great shape. I spent many years playing basketball, cycling, running marathons, and generally staying active and fit. But, due to injuries, aging, and the stress and busyness of middle age, I fell out of shape. My doctor had already put me on blood pressure medication and wanted to put me on cholesterol medication.

It was time for a health and fitness transformation. I had been telling myself for years it was time to prioritize my health and fitness. I did not want my family to worry about me at this age, like we did with my father. And, I remember my father telling me to take care of myself and not lose my health. On my father’s birthday last year, I changed everything. Here’s my story of how I used AI and tech to get in great fitness and health.

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Where my health and fitness transformation started

As I mentioned in the intro, my doctor was starting to worry about my health. I was way into the obese range (I should note, I’m always on the bigger muscular side. Even when I was in great shape and running fast marathons, the BMI scale would say I was overweight. I can’t rely on BMI alone, and you probably shouldn’t either), I had a lot of stress in my life, and I didn’t have the stamina I wanted. My cholesterol was high, as was my blood pressure. All leading toward bad things.

Even in poor shape, I still worked out a few times a week, mostly through weightlifting, some short and slow running on the treadmill, and occasional cycling. However, it was not a coordinated workout program. If I worked out, I worked out; if I didn’t, I didn’t. Probably a bigger problem was that my diet was atrocious. I was larger than I had ever been in my life, and I didn’t like the way I looked or felt.

I made up my mind to change it all. Here are my initial goals:

• Drop 20 lbs in the next 3 months.
• Be able to run a 5K in the next 3 months.
• Workout almost every day – make it a habit.
• Reduce how frequently I eat, the amounts I eat, and don’t eat past 7 PM.
• Stay off cholesterol medication. I asked my doctor to wait six months and see what I could do before going on medication, and she agreed.
• Reduce or eliminate my dependence on blood pressure medication (i.e., lower my blood pressure).
• Don’t get injured!

Those were my goals to start. Longer term, I wanted to best all of these, but I thought I’d see how things would go before fine-tuning my longer-term goals. And the injury goal was key. Injuries played a large part in my health and fitness decline. Every time I tried to push, an injury would get in the way (achilles tear, achilles tendinitis, knee issues, elbow issues, etc.). I had to figure out how to do this in the new reality of being much older than I was in my prime fitness days.

It wasn’t easy to admit I needed a big change, but setting these goals gave me the focus I had been missing for years.

The importance of a data-driven approach

When it comes to improving your health and fitness, guesswork only gets you so far. What moved the needle for me was adopting a data-driven approach. Tracking and analyzing real numbers gave me the clarity I needed to understand what was working, what wasn’t, and how to adjust intelligently.

Using a smart scale to monitor trends in my weight and body composition, a blood pressure monitor to stay on top of cardiovascular health, and a smartwatch and heart rate strap to track my training load and recovery, all provided concrete data that helped remove emotion and assumption from the equation. It’s easy to feel like you’re making progress (or not) based on how you feel, but data either confirms or challenges that narrative in real time.

Data empowered me to spot patterns—like how certain foods affected my blood pressure and glucose levels, how much I’ve recovered affects my workouts, or how incremental progress added up over time. More importantly, it allowed me to make informed decisions quickly. I wasn’t flying blind or waiting for an annual physical to get feedback. I could adjust my fitness routine, nutrition, or sleep habits on the fly based on objective metrics.

This approach turned my health journey from reactive to proactive. Instead of responding to health issues after they arose, I could monitor key indicators and make small changes before things became problems. If you want sustainable, long-term improvement, using data isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Now, let’s talk about the specifics of the tools I used throughout this journey.

My health and fitness transformation toolkit

Looking back, I used an incredible amount of technology to assist me on this journey. Here is the tech I used across the journey, and how it played a role in reaching my goals.

Polar Vantage V3 Fitness Watch

This watch is the cornerstone of the data I collected and used to intelligently move through this journey. This watch allows me to know:

• How active am I in a day
• How far and how fast I’ve run
• The number of calories I’ve burned
• VO₂ Max
• My level of recovery from my activities the previous day
• My heart rate during workouts and my resting heart rate

Speaking of heart rate, I like accurate readings during my workouts. The optical sensor on the watch performs well for regular runs, but is less accurate for activities where my heart rate changes rapidly, such as interval runs and weightlifting. To obtain more accurate data, I use the Polar H10 heart rate strap.

The data reported by this watch is incredible. Some examples are that the portal provides reports about your overall cardio load over time, activity over time, and it even uses your running data to predict how fast you would run a 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and even a marathon!

Withings Vision blood pressure monitor

I’ve already written a full review of the Withings Vision blood pressure monitor. In short, it is a smart blood pressure monitor that logs accurate readings of your blood pressure and heart rate over time. You can access those readings via the Withings ecosystem and even download the data and/or send it to your doctor. This has been invaluable as I work on managing my blood pressure.

Withings Smart Scale

This scale allows me to track not only my weight, but my body composition (body fat%) and many other health metrics that I’ve used to track my progress. Conveniently, all of the data is logged over time in the same Withings app and ecosystem as my Withings Vision blood pressure monitor.

Connected treadmill and smart bike

I wrote a review of my NordicTrack treadmill a few years ago. It’s a treadmill like many others, but the key feature for me is that it is connected to the iFit ecosystem, which logs my workouts (including heart rate data) and allows me to pick from individual workouts and workout plans that fit my fitness goals. Since a large part of my goals are around running, this is arguably the most important part of my toolkit. I also have an iFit-enabled exercise bike that I use as a change of pace workout.

ChatGPT and iFit AI assistance

AI can be used to help with so many things, and I have made good use of it for my fitness journey. I tried out two different AI coaches. First, I tried iFit, which is tied to my exercise bike and treadmill. It will offer to schedule workout sessions for you and send you texts about the workout sessions you completed. It will also ask you about your goals and help you track your progress towards them.

For me, it seemed quite limited. When I was using it, it was in beta, so it could have gained a lot my features. My primary issue with it was that it recommended and scheduled workouts I did not want to do. And no matter how many times I told it to stop doing that, it kept doing it. I could live with that, but then, when I wouldn’t do the workout it recommended, it would chastise me about not having done the workouts! I stopped using it because I found it more annoying than helpful.

ChatGPT, on the other hand, has been extremely useful. I go into details about how I use it and give tips on how to use it in my review of ChatGPT as a fitness coach, so I won’t duplicate that here. However, it can be used as almost a bona fide fitness coach and is as flexible as you want it to be. You just have to use the right prompts and give it the right data and goals.

Editor’s Note: Check out my review of the Stelo continuous glucose monitor, which I used to learn a great deal about how my body reacts to various stimuli.

My initial progress and adjusting my goals, plan, and approach

My health and fitness transformation got off to a great start. I changed my eating and workout habits and the same time and saw significant measurable improvements across my resting heart rate, my heart rate during similar workouts, my weight, and my body fat percentage. Seeing all these improvements was really motivating.

I also progressed much faster than I thought. I’ve never tried to make these kinds of significant improvements at this age, and I wasn’t sure how my body would respond. I reached my first few goals (drop 20 lbs, be able to run a 5K, reduce my eating, work out almost every day) in less than 2 months. And, importantly, I didn’t get injured and felt much better. My blood pressure was lower, too.

At about this time, I started using ChatGPT as a fitness coach, and using it, I developed and refined my running and fitness goals over time:

• I kept increasing my running goals as I worked with ChatGPT to gradually tweak the kinds and frequencies of my runs. I eventually had the goal to run a sub-2-hour half-marathon!
• I kept dropping my weight goal further and further, as I realized I had developed really good habits for eating and exercising, and I needed to drop more weight to reduce the risk of injury with all the running I was doing.
• I have worked with my doctor to steadily decrease my blood pressure medication, as it seems to be getting better and better.
• And, my cholesterol has significantly improved, and as of now, I’m not on any cholesterol medication.

Micro decisions based on data

Some of my data-informed decisions affected my daily and weekly workouts instead of just changing my overall goals. My Polar watch gives me regular feedback on how recovered I am from previous workouts, and sometimes I would adjust the intensity of my workout based on that feedback, which also takes into account the quality of my sleep. Additionally, I would try to get more rest and sleep, and even adjust my diet to eat more or a different type of food.

Similarly, if my resting heart rate rose for a few days straight, I would dial it back. On time, it jumped 10 beats, which alarmed me. Turned out, I had COVID-19. My watch was an early indicator that I was physically compromised.

I credit monitoring and responding to all this data with keeping me healthy and mostly injury-free while pushing myself and making great progress in my health and fitness transformation journey.

Automating good fitness and health habits

A large part of making progress on my fitness was automating my habits. The first habits I changed were around my eating. Specifically:

• I stopped snacking on whatever was around. All snacks became intentional, and were things I bought and planned
• I tried to eat at the same time (or close to it each day)
• I tried to buy and plan for most of my meals in advance, to make sure they fit my eating plan
• I simply tried to eat slower, avoid getting second servings, and when eating things off my food plan, just eat less of them

I also changed my fitness habits:

• I decided to make sure I always got my workouts in by doing them first thing in the morning
• I made sure to warm up and stretch before every workout, and to stretch after each workout to help with recovery and injury protection
• I scheduled short walks into my workdays
• I planned each of my workouts weeks in advance
• I tracked my results and progress daily

Effectively, I made fitness part of my identity and lifestyle, not just a task. Automation is a significant aid in health and fitness. You can find out more ways automation can help with your health and fitness transformation and other aspects of your life by picking up a copy of my Life by Design: Automate to Master Time, Health, Money, and Unlock Personal Success book.

Editor’s Note: Be sure to check out our article 5 Signs You’re Ready to Automate Your Life (And Where to Start).

Roadblocks and issues

Most long journeys worth taking run into hindrances, and my health and fitness transformation journey was no different. My first obstacle was just staying with the changes I made. Changing my eating, working out, and routines all at the same time was a shock to my mental and physical states, as well as to my schedule. I was able to stay motivated and committed by seeing the progress I was making as I examined the data.

The second roadblock I ran into was an injury to the back of my knee. Early in my running journey, I pushed it too hard one workout, and it hurt behind my knee even when I was walking. The pain went away after a day, so I tried running again, but at a much easier pace, and the pain returned. This was frustrating. I decided that I needed to give my injury more time to heal, even though running was helping my fitness a lot, and I was starting to really enjoy it. Because I didn’t want to lose my gains, I replaced running with riding the exercise bike for a month, and then slowly and methodically readded running to my routine, making sure to go slow and not get injured again.

Vacations and the holiday season are wonderful for mental health and relaxation, but not so great for fitness. They present problems because I want to enjoy them! So, I eat and drink more, and generally don’t follow any strict diet. Plus, when traveling, I have to adjust workout routines and times to accommodate whatever equipment and running paths I have available to me. During these times, I made sure to keep working out consistently and to return to regular eating habits the moment they were over. Sure, it was hard to see progress slowed, but getting right back into a regular groove wasn’t too difficult.

The results of my health and fitness transformation

So, what did I accomplish on my health and fitness transformation over the last year? A lot:

• I lost over 80 lbs while increasing my muscle mass
• My blood pressure went from high to stable, allowing me to decrease my blood pressure medication
• I went from not running much to running a half-marathon in under two hours
• My confidence to push myself to more (like a full marathon which I recently completed in under four hours) increased
• My body’s response to being pushed in different ways was no longer a mystery. I was worried about this being much older than when I last pushed myself this hard, but I know how to do it smarter now
• I got stronger
• I have plenty of energy each day
• Lots of people gave me compliments on my progress!

Lessons Learned and What’s Next

Looking back on this past year, the progress I made wasn’t just physical—it was a shift in mindset. I didn’t just want better health; I had to work for it, with consistency, focus, and intentionality. Here are some key lessons that really stuck with me:

• Data makes a difference. Tracking everything—from workouts and heart rate to sleep and blood pressure—gave me objective feedback and early warning signs. It kept me honest, and it helped me make smarter decisions.
• Progress isn’t linear. Some weeks were frustrating. The scale didn’t move. I felt tired. I had setbacks. But sticking with the process still paid off. Over time, all those small wins added up to big change.
• Habits matter more than motivation. Motivation can get you started, but habits keep you going. By automating key routines, I took decision fatigue out of the equation. I didn’t have to wonder if I’d work out or eat well—I just followed the systems I set up.
• Recovery is part of the process. I’ve had injuries derail me before, so I made rest and recovery non-negotiable. Stretching, adjusting intensity based on recovery data, and listening to my body helped me stay consistent without getting hurt.
• Health is a long game. You don’t get fit in a week, and you don’t lose it overnight. It’s not about short-term fixes—it’s about building a lifestyle that supports who you want to be years from now.

Editor’s Note: Also, AI can be a game changer in fitness and many other ways. Check out How I Use AI in Everyday Life to Work Smarter and Live Better.

Most of all, I learned that transformation doesn’t require perfection. It requires persistence. And with the right tools, mindset, and systems, you can reclaim your health and build the future you want.

Next up for me is training for a full marathon, coming up with ways to stay motivated by having variety in my goals and workouts, and getting faster. I also want to be able to drop my blood pressure medication completely, and make sure I stay off cholesterol medication by continuing to improve my diet.

Key Takeaways: How you can start your own tech-driven health and fitness transformation journey

This section mostly summarizes the key points I’ve made in this article. To get started, all you need to do is:

• Start with goals and baseline measurements
• Invest in a few quality tools like a fitness tracker and scale (don’t overbuy)
• Use AI as a coach or assistant, not a crutch
• Let data guide you, but stay flexible
• Design your environment and habits intentionally
• Take it slow and reassess as you go

I should also mention that you should make sure and consult your doctor, especially if you have any health conditions. I worked with my doctor to make sure she was okay with the activities I was taking on.

Final thoughts

Transforming your health and fitness isn’t about one big decision—it’s about the countless small ones you make each day. For me, technology and AI didn’t just track my progress—they helped guide it, giving me the feedback and structure I needed to stay consistent, avoid injury, and keep leveling up.

This journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been worth it. I feel stronger, healthier, and more in control than I have in years. If you’re thinking about taking your own health and fitness seriously, start by getting curious about your data, build sustainable habits, and don’t be afraid to get a little help from tech. And remember—you don’t have to be perfect, just persistent.

If you want more on how to use automation and tech to improve not just your health, but your whole life, be sure to check out my new book: Life by Design: Automate to Master Time, Health, Money, and Unlock Personal Success.

Where are you in your health and fitness transformation journey? How has tech helped you? Let me know in the comments and on X (Twitter).