What began as a routine rehabilitation session for his second hip replacement took an unexpected turn when a stranger discovered that Adrian Wanliss was a former dancer. Motivated to reclaim his fitness after retirement, he went on a wellness journey that would lead him to lose 20 pounds and get into the best shape of his life.
“After surgery, the rehab was intense, and the programme I was enlisted in was specific for dancers, so I was surrounded by those who still performed but were coming back from injuries,” Wanliss told The Gleaner, noting that it was the trainer’s comment on his physique that was a wake-up call for him.
“When I [shared that I] used to dance but I was retired, [the response was] ‘Oh, because you look kind of big’,” he recounted.
With this new lease on life, the former dancer got to work, seeking guidance from fitness experts to kick-start this next chapter of his journey. What he discovered through a tango of trial and error was that nothing beats knowledge, dedication, and consistency.
He enlisted his dear friend, a personal trainer, to help him navigate the wellness world with a fresh perspective. Later, he moved on to another trainer who took a closer look and designed a programme tailored to his goals.
“I told the trainer that I had a very special case. I had two hip replacements – one three years old, [and] the other, a few months ago. So we worked on pain management,” he said, adding, “Then I shared that I wasn’t able to eat certain foods like other fitness folks because I have chronic kidney disease. That’s when the trainer went ahead and did some research, before coming up with a plan that worked.”
DAILY ROUTINE
A typical day for Wanliss begins with a kind of detox. He usually starts with a glass of freshly squeezed lemon water to support his metabolism and boost his immune system. “At one point, I was making this detox lemonade by blending washed lemons with the skin [and] filtered water, cinnamon, and honey,” he said. He then follows it with green tea or an espresso, grabs a banana, and heads to the gym.
“Depending on the day, I will go between cardio and legs or cardio and upper body, or just upper [body] or just legs. But I do like cardio. The workouts last between 45 to 90 minutes daily, depending on the availability of machines or how long I take to do the exercises,” he highlighted.
Post-workout, he has a greens-and-fruits shake, though he only drinks it once he arrives at work. The rest of his day consists of salads for lunch and dinner, with snacks of blueberries and nuts in between.
Since going on this journey at almost 180 pounds in December of last year, Wanliss has managed to maintain a steady weight of 160. To sweeten the deal, he challenged himself to complete a 10k race in under an hour, and he was able to achieve this goal in 55 minutes.
“It felt good to reclaim my life and put me first. Stress causes inflammation and weight gain, so I also had to work on that with my career. Even though I watched the scale, it took me a while to notice any changes. It was when others started pointing it out that I began to see. But I am happy to be at my performing weight once again. Now, I plan to maintain this while I work on toning and definition,” he revealed.
His advice to anyone looking to restart their wellness journey is to find an experienced trainer who can guide them in both exercise and nutrition. “If you were someone who was active and you are going back into it, understand that you have to go into it with a different type of mindset. Your body is different, so you’re going to have to approach fitness and wellness differently. It’s going to take some getting used to, but it’s really about pacing yourself, finding your rhythm again, and finding what works for you.”