Sam Centellas: Journey to Health

Meet Sam Centellas. You might know him as the Executive Director of La Casa de Amistad, a community center on the Westside of South Bend, you might recognize him as one of the key coordinators of Westside Wednesday, or perhaps you may have seen this early morning gym-goer at O’Brien Fitness Center, cycling on a spin bike or participating in 5:30 a.m. yoga. In any capacity, Sam has achieved many successes this past year, including losing over 50 pounds with a membership at O’Brien Fitness Center.

Motivated by the need to live a healthy life and set a good example for his kids, Sam implemented a fitness journey, which started with an early morning workout.

“I have heart disease in my family and have always put off doing more to get in shape,” Sam wrote on his blog regarding the start of his lifestyle change.

Sam committed to a goal of losing 25 pounds before he turned 40. Like many others who like to get sweaty before 6 a.m., he began using O’Brien Fitness Center in the mornings to fit in with his busy schedule. He attributed the inviting and low-pressure atmosphere as one of the reasons that he loves going to O’Brien, as there is no judgment toward newcomers. 

Inspired by the progress he was making at O’Brien, he continued his fitness regime at home by doing push-ups as part of his routine – nearly 200 a day.

“I spend about 45 minutes to an hour at the gym, 4-5 days per week. On the days off, I still do push-ups or some curls at home with my weights,” said Sam, “I started a weekly yoga class. I usually try to get my son to do some with me, or like last Friday, I took both the younger ones with me to a Zumba class.”

In addition to working out, Sam also changed his diet to include healthier foods. With the combination of spending time at O’Brien Fitness Center and eating a healthy diet, Sam doubled his original weight loss goal.

Sam commented, “After losing the first 35 pounds, I ventured and tried running again […] Now, 50 pounds down, I am running regularly, and it makes me glad I pushed myself. I love running early in the morning and watching a South Bend sunrise.”

This goes to show that it’s never too late to improve your health. Sam had been a member of O’Brien for a year before he began using the facility consistently, and now, he utilizes the fitness center several times a week.

Whether you’re already an avid visitor of the gym or you just want to get moving a little more throughout your day, the staff at O’Brien Fitness Center is there to help you realize and achieve your health goals.

Sam said, “I appreciate the staff being so supportive of my goals. Their smiles keep me coming back!”