Tom before his life changing improvements in health and fitness.
How does an ordinary person begin to do extraordinary things? Who would ever think about going back to college at the age of forty, after being recently remarried and beginning a new family? Who would after six years of college at a major Big Ten University wrapping up a long forgotten bachelors degree decide to continue on and spend another three years in a Masters degree program? Who would after graduating with a Masters degree in a technological field decide to pursue a year’s worth of training in the health and fitness field to become a certified personal trainer from one of the most demanding of all certifications, NASM? And, who would while working toward the personal training certification decide to prepare and compete in a body building contest as a rookie, one month before his 51st birthday? Who, meet Thomas Matt, ordinary guy who wants and does and accomplishes extraordinary things. A person, who never lets the thought of failure ever enter his mind, continues to reach for the highest of stars and has the vision to see through the darkest of night.
Thomas Matt is a small town Michigan boy, who grew up playing baseball, football and just being a regular kid, never that great of an athlete, a competitor, but lazy as far as pushing it to the farthest of limits. A kid who had talent, but was too social to take his god given talent seriously, like most kids of the 70’s, ordinary.
Making a move to Southern California in 1980 on the premise of finishing college, Thomas spent more time as a bartender and partier than a serious student, flaming out in 1983. Fitness and nutrition, well if it was sold at a liquor store he probably tried it, that however as we know does not happen. Becoming a dad in 1986 did little to settle the party boy down, and after a nasty divorce decided in 1995 to move back to his roots of small town Mid-Michigan, to raise his now seven year old daughter. The party boy was slowly growing out of his bad habits.
As what happens to so many people of his generation Thomas realized that being in your mid thirties and having a serious issue with alcohol, it was time to seek counseling and change his ways. You are not getting any younger, any thinner and will never attract that right person living that life, fat and out of shape beer drinking lushes are not all that attractive to quality women.
By 1999, getting sober in shape and finding the key to life in healthier living Thomas reconnected with a high school sweetheart, and was married in 2001. Only through making a major lifestyle change, finding his “why”, could this have ever happened. Change, though hard is still very doable, if you have that desire and that “why”.
Flash forward to 2009 and the dream of a lifetime was born, building a health and wellness business to rival no other. Deriving the desire of giving back, pulling coaching skills from poor lessons of the past, building on the new never give up attitude, the ordinary guy reinvented himself and now is the founder with his wife Sandra of GRT Fitness & Wellness.
Now in 2010, with his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Telecommunication Information Studies and Management completed he decided to pursue a personal training certification suggested by the staff at Michigan State University, NASM. Now completed Thomas has built a health and wellness business with his wife Sandra, who is in the process of augmenting her Bachelor’s degree in Medical technology with a certification in nutrition and wellness/ weight management. Their core mastermind group consists of Regie Riedier, COO, and Mickey Hadick CIO, and together they have and are in the process of taking GRT Fitness and Wellness to the highest of levels, with the mantra of providing a diverse and consistent approach to health and wellness, networking and building an internet and personal training empire rivaled by some as the finest in the country.
Thomas just completed competing in the Flint all Natural Body Building contest in Flint Michigan, in April of 2010 and as a rookie competitor, placed 3rd in the Grand Master category, men over 50 years old, utilizing only whole foods and strength training. Gaining the knowledge necessary to help others who are seeking to lose those unwanted pounds from years of neglect, this ordinary guy has gained the awareness to help you get your body back. Who better to counsel than a former hard partying, overweight guy who has been through the darkest of tunnels, only to come out on the other side a new man.
He can help you discover your “why” and get your life back on track. As we say at GRT, “invest in your health and well being”, because it’s the only life you’ve got.
Thank you for taking the time to read this bio, it’s all true.
Tom Matt after his life changing improvements to health and fitness.
