My life used to be as big a mess as anybody’s. Hopefully you enjoy hearing all about it 😂

This weekend, aged 57, I did my first sub 30 Park Run. You've been part of the journey. Cheers dude.

Your channel has been my biggest motivation and guide to get fitter. The lack of bullshit and abundance of clear thinking is incredibly helpful. I’m around the same age as you and just started out last year. I’m doing parkruns and just started longer trail runs. My speed and endurance are not very impressive but I’m so much better than I was a year ago. Sincere thanks for increasing the likelihood that I’ll get to meet my grandkids.

Your videos have probably been my biggest motivation to get healthier, down 15kg in 4 months, and all of your videos have been watched. Have a good one Mark, thanks.

"keep it simple, keep it consistant" as a 40 year old guy I found this simple line so helpful. I'm an all or nothing type of person and end up having a 1 week blast at working out like a madman only to crash and end up at maccies or the pub. Thanks Mark this is the best/most logical fitness channel on KZfaq.

Man I needed this. Late at night, 3 wines down, prepping lunch boxes for 4 kids, been over a year since I could run after a bad knee injury. I will do a park run before this year is out. Thank you

"Not every hurdle is as high as you think it is" Followed by 'My life isn't great, do I want to compound it with poor health and fitness (to paraphrase slightly)' Mark, you've definitely given a great account of yourself and the problems a lot of people face. So cheers for the inspiration and entertainment 🙌

While your videos are chock-full of that English dry humour and wit (which a 58 y.o. Canadian is honour-bound to enjoy 😉 ), they're also chock-full of common sense. Keep it up, i'm not in that group of 1800 whiners. You inspire, without having to resort to yelling, being clumsy, or any other gimmicks! Refreshing! 👍👍

Mark, Since starting to watch your videos in January I decided I was going to train for triathlons and be an above average Olympic triathlete by the end of 2023. I did it! Today I placed 32nd out of 152 participants. Thank you for your achievable perspective.

I used the “I don’t have time” excuse for over a decade and it led me to catastrophic health issues. Over the past year I’ve been working out early in the morning before everyone else is awake (4 am) and for me it has been the best way to start reversing my health problems. My reasoning for this approach is simple and irrefutable… if you make exercise the first thing you do every day you will miss 0% of your workouts. I know this isn’t for everyone, but I’ve found this is the best way to make sure that nothing gets in the way of my progress. Thanks for the motivation

After each major point you made, my reflex was to reach for the thumbs-up button, forgetting that I had already clicked on it. Thanks for the ongoing motivation and entertainment.

@Mark, I think you underestimate the positive impact you are making out their in the world. I for one have been inspired by you to go from couch potato to my first Hyrox in January. Thank you my inspiration, guide and roll model.

So true. When life out of control sometimes the only thing I feel I can control is fitness and nutrition. Having that handhold then gives me the foundation to recreate the rest of my life.

People love to put hurdles in place because it then gives them justification to not do something. You’ve given people the answer to their questions and solutions to these hurdles, put people will still find ways to self sabotage.

Mark, you have no idea how much some of us appreciate your advice and pep talks. Seriously, thank you!

I Can honestly say that your channel has changed my life. It's by far the best fitness inspirational channel out here in my humble opinion. Iv'e gone from broken gym bro to aspiring 54 year old athlete. First 5km OCR booked for end of the month, Hyrox Birmingham next year and looking to my first ultra. I am loving the journey again. keep up the great work.

“It’s incredible - but not essential.” Genius.

Mark Lewis and Chris Broad (yes the abroad in Japan brit) and their fitness journeys have inspired me to get my gear in in my mid 30s. Obese atm, and want to get fitter by the time I'm in my 40s.

I will never forget the day I first went to a doctor to talk about depression. He gave me a fantastic piece of advice - "Get fit."

This is probably the best chat you have done ✅ the biggest thing I did was start bushwalking or Rucking. I grab my phone, pack earbuds water and 10kg weight. I never got into running but I can walk 10 km twice a week I started with just trainers and a few uni textbooks in my pack now I have a set of all tech boots and some poles. The idea is just find a green lane and go until the end of the iron maiden album rest and walk back to the car

This is such an important message. We all have those voices in our head and the excuses feel so real. We've just got to keep on ignoring them. Thanks for another great video, Mark 🙏

As you know people only want to hear what they want to know. They clearly do not hear what you are truly saying. I am like you there are times food just keep calling me. Gained 10 pounds back. Above average people just try again. So I am back at it. Thanks for your hilarious messages.

You’re speaking truth…thank you for this. Your willingness to be transparent and open about your life experiences really has helped shape where I am now.

So glad I took that path… what you are saying resonates a lot and I must say thanks for being bluntly honest about the journey ups and downs. Keep it going mate 👊

Might be your best video yet. Love the honesty.

Brilliant video Mark. Really appreciate the honest insight into the difficulties surrounding training and getting fit.

I found your channel earlier this year and I binged your content like a rabid dog. I still repeat watch some videos again now and then for more inspiration. You keep it real, and I pounce to your videos whenever I see a notification. Some of the points you make hit the nail on the head for me and give me a wake up call - such a my excuses for 'not having time'... Thank you very much for helping me turn a corner and begin to make solid, positive changes in my life. *From a 2+2=4 viewer*

Yours is one of the first channels I started following when I began my own fitness journey last year. I’m still here watching 👍. Good luck on Saturday. I should’ve been there with you but injury post Leeds marathon meant I’ve deferred till next year. Looking forward to seeing how you both get on!

Another inspirational video Mark. I'm using this when my alarm goes off tomorrow morning at 5.30 for my 90 minute run. Keep pushing!

Great video Mark. It's always good to listen to your straight talking to wake us up to the reality that it's up to us how we function. Good to laugh at ourselves too.

This is a fantastic channel filled with great insight mixed with superb comedic timing. Keep doing what you're doing with respect to the video style and format!

Thank you Mark Lewis....this has resonated with me so much as I am going through some of it atm. You are truly motivating!

You’re so real Mark. You’re comments are so well balanced. Always great to watch.

Following you for the last year or so but still incredibly motivating. Starting new training cycle to try my sub 20’ parkrun meaning that I’ll be watching your videos like crazy

Always found your videos motivating Mark, and I love your light hearted sense of humour. You’ve been an inspiration to me for a while. One thing I learned in my journey from flab to fit in my early 40s is - focus on small daily wins to win big 👍 Thanks for all the great advice you give.

Great video, currently going through a phase in my fitness where I wasn’t sure if I was doing enough to “make it” but watching this helped me realise that the simple things done with consistent effort will get the progress and results I’m looking for and that despite time constraints and life constraints it’s possible to make it work and I am making it work, slowly but that fine - keep going, keep believing in yourself and you will end up where you need to be all in good time 💪

Balancing motivation, compassion, understanding and wit as always. Brilliant video.

Sound, logical information delivered by a person who has been there. Thanks Mark. Your explanation ticks similar boxes in my world, and adds another nod of recognition that I'm doing something right.

That was brutally honest and open-hearted. If this doesn't get one from the couch, nothing will. I'm watching this on the couch, but after a modest training on my rowing machine trying to find a fitness routine rhythm. Thanks for the inspiration 😂

Your story is amazing and motivating, you deserve to be a lot more known then what you are, but I am very grateful I stumbled across your videos, stay hard💪🏽

Love every one of your posts Mark. You make me laugh, inspire me & remind me to enjoy the journey and not focus obsessively on the result. Keep em comin 👍

Your honesty is a blessing, and I think many people can relate, which will inspire people 😊

Your channel has been an inspiration this last few years. Honest, funny and down to earth. And nice watch by the way. Enjoy it 👍

I was well over 250lbs for more than 20 years. Got to 315 started getting majorly sick. Changed my diet, started working out, and have lost 95lbs 10 months in. Eat better get up and move you can do it.

Mark, I love you. Your wit, openness and humor gets me every time.

Thanks Mark! A huge inspiration, all the best from Copenhagen

Thank you for the reminder of how I began this journey because I could easily forget how hard and lonely it was as compared to now. Plus, watching you is just great entertainment! 🎉

Best video yet for me. Resonates with me deeply.

Hi Mark. Love your videos. They give me a drive to keep moving. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Positive self talk is important. Big yourself up, minimise barriers. Doesn't matter what it is, we are all more likely to start, and then complete a task, if we feel bigger than our chores, tasks, obsticals or anything that we want or have to do.

Mark you deserve 10 million subscribers man!! Thank you for what you do! I’m back on the journey to becoming healthy. This video is what I needed to stay the course.

The number 4 is my approach too, and it´s great to hear it from you. ;-) You are a true inspiration to the regular guys. Thank you.

Brilliant video, Mark! I can relate, and feel renewed in my motivation to keep achieving improved fitness, one small logical step at at time.

Just sat and watched this on the TV at 3 am after the dogs deciding I didn't need sleep tonight (neurotic rescues lol) and I had to come on here and just say thank you . Not just for this video, but for your channel . My fitness has taken a huge knock back and my weight a big jump up over the past couple of years and I'm in the process of reclaiming them . I have a new supportive partner and as well as training together we both get so much from watching your videos. Thank you for working so hard as a creator to provide both meaningful , humorous, insightful and fantastically put together content . Very much appreciated by so many .

Great video Mark, appreciate how honest and straightforward you are about fitness and life . I definitely can relate to most of what you said … keep up the good work ..

You are the most authentic man on KZfaq, keep up the good work 💪

Can definately relate to a few bits of your story and change from then to now. Your videos definately helped along the journey. Thank you.

Thank you! This has hit close to home! I have been making myself better for the last 15 years! With being a fat lard and being single, meeting my current wife and now a father I hear all the time ‘your fit! It’s easy for you!’ It’s taken a lot of time effort and sacrifices to be the way I am! They don’t see what we have to do! Yes I have problems controlling what I eat and drink but I train hard and I’m above average! Keep it up mate! Thank you!

Congrats on 250k subs! 🎉🎉🎉

Excellent video Mark, it hits all the right notes. My journey was a bit of motivation from friends and colleagues and then all the rest was from me, focussing on enhancing the good in my life, family, divorce, diet, belief and that helps to remove the bad. As you infer, perfect is an excuse or target that people use to explain to themselves what they see as a failing, remmebering where you started makes where you are all the better and more rewarding. Keep it up, one thing I have done each year I enter a new decade is reset all PBs and then use that as a motivator of how good can I get in this decade versus why can't I keep up with how I was in my 30s. Simple answer is you are a totally different person each month/each year so embrace that.

Mark YOU ARE SPOT ON HERE! Many who lose and keep off a large amount of weight end up with an eating disorder in a sense.. not in the "needs to see a doctor" way but its a definite issue that plagues you. Especially if like me you comfort eat. Thise hurdles never go away they just get managed. The worst being the time one! I lost 9 stone in 2 years. Started at 23 stone and 36 years of age. I Went from out of breath up the stairs to running a half marathon every weekend. But I still have binges followed by massive guilt a touch too often..😂 i still have a fight almost every cold morning as to whether i need to run today... and some days im afraid the duvet still wins. I've a long way to go. But if i can do it honestly ANYONE can. Your videos were a massive inspiration for me so thankyou too.

Love this video! Great to hear the backstory. I guess at that point in your life you had two choices and chose to improve and work on yourself. Well done and inspiring

Terrific video, thanks. Love the message and your openness which talks so clearly. 👏👍

Respect Mark, respect. Truth is good.

absolutely brilliant as ever Mark! An entertaining and hilarious inspiration!

Enjoyed this vlog, so true about time, you can either increase it by doing things later/earlier than you normally would or reduce time on things that don’t push you forwards.

Picking up on your advice bit - been watching your stuff for a couple of years now, and the only over arching advice I've ever noticed has been 'get up, move about a bit'. I'm blessed with time (now the kids have grown up), space in my garage, and the money to buy some reasonable quality gym kit to go in it. My primary hurdle is my interest plateaus after a few months so I have to find something new to do. Kinda envious of people who can find challenge from doing the same thing forever.

I always think the biggest factor is finally REALISING you are somewhere that you never wanted to be, so you run , pull & push away from it. 🙏

Very practical and down to earth perspective. Thanks for sharing

Great video, entertaining and motivational!

Great message, keep motivating and entertaining!

Cheers Mark ! I’m a 40 year old dad of 3 and constantly finding excuses! Good vid - appreciate it

Thanks Mark great video it's nice to hear someone talking sense.

I keep running on an off, just because I like running and exploring but eventually get frustrated that I want to run further but my mileage progresses slowly and I get bored of the area I can venture into before I get better and can go further. I usually miss running though, and your videos have consistently been the little push to make me put on my shoes again and go for a new run. Today I went the furthest I've ever been at 12k, my first 10k too, and I walked a good bit of it. But man it was cool to venture into uncharted territories. Thanks for helping :)

love how you manage to fit the "this is stupid" clip in every video

Epic video mark

Such a great video . Everyone can relate to this and learn. You made your own luck . Thank you and well done 👍🏻

By next year's time I'm going to participate on my very first Spartan Race in Andorra! Thanks to you and your channel that kept and keeps me motivated!

Thanks for this Mark just what I needed.

really great video thank you for sharing some of your story

Love this video! Totally honest. I’m healthy and happy but like to see your videos as you and your partner make me laugh and motivated.

It's brilliant not only that you have managed to turn your life around, but great that you have kept going over such a long period. Sure you are going to fall occasionally, but you just have to pick yourself up again 😉. It's sad to hear that originally you had no support as it is helpful to have friends and colleagues offering encouragement. Keep going mate!👍

I am impressed you "got out of it". That in itself is "above average" and likely a top 10 achievement. Keep sharing it's invaluable.

That last line is so good!

Mark, you are spot on, Im 57 and getting back into my running and some cross-training, most people just need to get their arse of the sofa 4/5 times a week to change their life, your message is clear, and best of all its funny, your crack is good. Keep it up

I love this. I must be so naive though, because I can’t believe that you have to explain yourself because of those kind of comments. I can so relate though. At the end of the day the only one who is truly going to help you, is yourself. I’m a mother of 7 and chose to get off the couch rather than become the one the put on a stone a baby. Because 7st extra would have made my life so miserable. But I would be rich if I got a dollar for every time someone said “it’s alright for you, you’re already slim”. No. I was slim and healthy because I did something about it and it wasn’t easy. It’s still not easy , but my health is s priority. I didn’t get the support either, but that’s more because family and friends didn’t understand. I had to motivate myself, still do. And that can be a mission in itself. But , again, like you I see the effect on my kids (now years down the road) also taking health seriously Keep up the good work and fight the good fight 😂

I’m always motivated and entertained watching this channel I’m actually on the treadmill as I’m watching

I like you Mark and your Sidekick, you speak the Truth! videos always enjoyable. People need to go out and get it no more excuses. The gadgets I love them but not a need stay consistent and the gadgets will come as you progress. go out and work your tale and be consistent. keep em coming.

Great video Mark! I didn't had all of those things that you mentioned in the video plus cigarettes and beers. But I had the drive to quit smoking and drinking, get my ass of the sofa and hit the road.

Awesome shoot of motivation here ! About crazy choices that you can make, as soon as I started to work, I noticed that I hated comuting in bus or train... So, I ride my bike everyday of the year whatever the weather and I beleive it's part of me being quite fit for someone who works in an office or home. Anyway, I love your aproach and how you can review your history honestly. Thanks !

The 'sofa v health' analysis is excellent - you at your best. Better than average advice

Well done! Thank you Mark!

You’re very inspirational and admirable! Thank you!

Great video Mark! I agree time is the biggest thing. Trying to balance everything and fitting training in to 5am or 9pm windows affects sleep mostly and that then affects everything else, chiefly discipline around food and neglegence of the mobility and recovery care you need from training as an older "athelete".

Keep up the great content , really relate to your journey and find the content inspiring, entertaining and informative and most of all not losing sight of the fact that although there will always be ups and downs fitness should be enjoyable and fun as we're not elite athletes 😊

mark is the realist man hes a legend

Only recently found your channel Mark, as I’m sure you will see via the analytics. Anyway, absolute gold. Love the motivation dispersed between the humour. Love watching and not feeling as if I’m being preached to. During lockdown I started to really jump back into running after a 9 year hiatus. At 40 I’m doing 5k around 22 minutes and 10k around 47. Being 5’ 8 and 72kg helps of course. It’s not greased weasel pace but not slow either. I’ve been pretty inconsistent the last year and a bit. After watching a few of your videos it’s make me want to double down and really get fit again.

Great motivation and putting things in perspective

You're one of my biggest inspirations tbh. Not trying to be the best, just better

Great video, humor not too shabby either! I am local to you (Bracknell Forest Runners) but almost started the other way around. In my 20's I did lots of mountain biking, road biking and running competitions and routinely ran 5km sub 20 mins. I then went to University and focused on my career and then family while trying to keep a base level of fitness. Not sure if I am now level-pegging and tracking upwards in time with age or if I am now falling behind the curve but in my mind I am competing against my former 20yr old self (now 42). Recent park run times are around 24 mins, 23 on a good day but the motivational struggle is knowing how fast I used to be with the same pair of legs. Reality is I enjoy it when I have finished (running), feel better for doing so, and therefore I should keep doing it. The battle is prioritising time for fitness and putting my former times behind me and focusing on improving my times from last month, not 2 decades ago! Quick question... how do you know you measure average fitness to know you are 'above average fitness'? VO2 max? age grading? Motivational sign-off... 'The race is long, and in the end it is only against yourself'.