I woke up at 5 a.m. this past Christmas.

Santa Claus was not at my house.

While most people were thinking about gifts and how to pay off those gifts, I was getting ready to go to the gym.

Usually the gym is busy every day that I go.

Christmas Day is different. It usually is not busy.

It is a day that is spent with family and friends.

There I was at the gym. I thought I would be alone.

I was not alone.

The gym has mirrors all over the walls. So everywhere I turned, there was someone I knew.

There was the guy who was 420 pounds to the left of me. The guy who was not active at all. The guy who was a selfish eater. Who would eat until he was not hungry, and then eat some more. The guy who was self destructive. Someone who was close to making his wife a widow.

Someone I did not want to be anymore yet could never forget.

Then to the right of me was a guy who lasted 48 seconds on the treadmill the first time he went to the gym. A guy who could not tie his shoes the first three months at the gym. A guy who should never have been in a gym. Yet, he was there. Every day he went. He got better. He got stronger.

The guy in front of me did not look as familiar as the other two people. He was strong. He was inspiring. He worked hard day in and day out to reach his goals. He had muscles while never playing a sport. He had a great family and a future.

I have been on this journey for close to three years. Yet, I am not even close to being done. After losing over 200 pounds, and gaining muscle, I realized I have a fun road ahead of me. But I do have a future. That is what healthy living has given me. That is what it can give so many others.

I worked out on Christmas. I worked out on Thanksgiving. Being a member of an Anytime Fitness gives me that privilege.

I go to the gym one day so that I can look forward to the other 364 days each year.

Tony Posnanski is a renowned blogger, chef, and an Anytime Fitness member. He writes about weight loss, fitness, motivation and more on his blog The Anti Jared or on Facebook.