Good morning and happy Saturday! 🙂
Recently, I sat down for a podcast conversation with one of our long-time Mavy Wellness members, James.
When James first found our community two years ago, he was 60 years old. He looked back on a lifetime of cycling through every diet imaginable: Weight Watchers at 8 years old, liquid protein programs, P90X, bodybuilder splits, and relentless weight fluctuations.
He told me that whenever he used to listen to success stories on podcasts, he would think to himself, “That is so far-reaching. That will never be me. I’m just not worthy of that.”
Fast-forward to today at 62 years young. James has dropped 20 lbs and maintained his weight in the 140s effortlessly for two full years. He completed his very first triathlon at 61, finished a half marathon, and regularly swims, runs, and strength trains every week. He was recently elected to the board of his local running club alongside athletes half his age, and he routinely runs up four flights of stairs at the school where he teaches.
When I asked him what was different this time after decades of failed attempts, he didn’t talk about a secret food or a magic exercise routine.
He looked at me and said, “You looked through the screen on one of our calls and told me, ‘You are an athlete.’ Those three words shifted everything for me.”
Diets ask you to become smaller for a while. Identities ask you to become someone new for good. A diet has an end date, and when the date comes, the old you comes back. An identity has no finish line. James did not get lean by being stricter. He got lean by becoming a person who trains.
For decades, James viewed himself through the lens of the overweight kid who was picked last in gym class. Because his underlying belief was “I always regain the weight,” his actions naturally pulled him back to that old baseline. But the moment he embraced the identity of an athlete, his daily choices shifted naturally. He stopped asking how to lose five pounds fast and started asking how an athlete fuels, recovers, and trains for a lifetime of vitality.
During his two years with us, life didn’t stop for James. He traveled across Italy and Spain, suffered a cycling accident that fractured his pelvis, and navigated a genetic cholesterol diagnosis.
In the past, any single one of those obstacles would have caused him to quit completely and fall back into old habits. But instead of abandoning his health, James relied on his baseline. He kept eating whole, dark leafy greens, stayed active within his limits, and focused on what he could control. Consistency was never about having a perfect journey; it was about building a baseline so strong that life’s curveballs could never reset his progress.
The most inspiring part of James’s story isn’t his scale weight or his race medals; it is his genuine excitement for life. He built a vibrant community of training partners, made lifelong friends, and stepped into a level of energy he didn’t even have in his twenties. Physical health is simply the vehicle that allows you to show up fully for your family, your community, and your future.
James told me at the end of our interview, “I used to think success stories were for other people. Now I know that if I can do this at 62, anyone can.”
If you are over the age of 50 and ready to stop guessing, stop cycling through fad diets, and build a lasting transformation rooted in strength, bone density, and whole-food plant-based living, we are here to walk that path with you.
Your journey starts with a single step.
I invite you to book a 1-on-1 strategy call with my wife, Ivy, over at https://mavywellness.com/
On this call, Ivy will look at your current routine, help you identify what has been holding you back, and map out a clear, step-by-step game plan tailored to your lifestyle. The call is completely free, educational, and designed to set you up for the next two to three decades of vibrant health.
👉 Book your strategy call with Ivy here: https://mavywellness.com/
Have a fantastic weekend,
Sincerely,
Maxime Sigouin
A favor for a friend 🌱
My friend Carleigh Bodrug just launched her brand new cookbook, Quickies, and I would love your support for her. Carleigh has been helping promote my book to her audience, so I am happily returning the favor.
Carleigh is a two time New York Times bestselling author and the creator of PlantYou. Quickies is packed with more than 140 easy plant based recipes you can get on the table in 20 minutes or less. Every recipe includes a Plant Point counter with a big focus on fiber, so you know you are feeding your gut what it needs without overthinking it.
If you grab your copy during launch week, you also get six months of her weekly meal plans and shopping lists free, plus a few bonus ebooks. Order your copy here, then claim the bonuses with your receipt at quickiescookbook.com.
Thanks for showing her the same love she showed me.
P.S. You can listen to James full success story episode below 👇
