Jonathan Welker decided to give it a shot. That’s been paying off.
Welker, a personal trainer from Aberdeen, has advanced from a starting field of more than 15,000 – in the MR 2023 Health&Fitness Competition – to the final 512 left in contention. The graduate of Pinecrest High School and Sandhills Community College – where he obtained three degrees – Welker is taking a wait-and-see approach to where he finishes.
“I just want to get as far as I can,” he said.
The contest winner, determined by an online vote, gets $20,000 and a two-page spread in Muscle & Fitness magazine. Welker is grateful for the support he’s received.
“So far, Moore County has been pretty good to me,” he said.
It goes without saying that to advance in this type of challenge requires plenty of hard work and dedication. Welker is not one to cut corners when it comes to conditioning.
“I train four to five days per week,” he said.
Each session goes from 45-90 minutes.
Because training people is what Welker, whose third degree from Sandhills was in exercise science, does for a living, a lot of his day is spent in the gym and around the associated equipment. As owner of Follow Me To Fitness, he’s been very creative in reaching customers.
“I worked at FirstHealth about four years,” Welker, who moved to Moore County as a child, said. “After that, I started my own business. I have a garage gym in Pinehurst. I also offer mobile personal training. I bring the gym to you.”
In addition, Follow Me To Fitness offers training outdoors. According to the company’s website, there’s an understanding that incorporating fitness into lifestyles isn’t easy. Welker aims to change how people view fitness.
He knows that exercising is only part of the equation. Eating right plays a key role in overall health. Welker’s knowledge of the nutritional end has been enhanced by working at Nutrishop, a firm with two decades of experience in sports nutrition, vitamins, weight loss and wellness.
“I’ve been working there several years,” Welker said. “I can help people at both ends of the spectrum.”
To learn more about Welker’s entry in the MR 2023 Health&Fitness Competition and/or cast a vote, go to https://featured.muscleandfitness.com/2023/jonathan-w-6.
Voting for this round ends Thursday, June 22, at 10 p.m.
If you want to learn about Follow Me To Fitness, visit https://followmetofitness.net/.
Feature photo: Jonathan Welker of Aberdeen is competing in the MR 2023 Health&Fitness Competition—contributed photo.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Dave Lukow.
Comments
Comments are closed.