By Joanne Michielsen
Have you ever wondered how some people seem to eat whatever they want and still stay in shape? For Gates resident Luis Chapman, the answer is simple.
“I run a 5K every day so I can eat whatever I want,” Luis said. “It’s as simple as that. You have to earn it first.”
Luis, who grew up in the Geneva area, moved to Rochester about six years ago and got into dog breeding and training. At one point, he had eight dogs and didn’t trust anyone else to care for them, which meant he spent most of his time at home.
He remembers watching the dogs run around the yard and feeling a little jealous.
Once the dogs got older and were fully trained, Luis found himself with a lot of free time—and not much to do with it. “I was just eating, playing video games, and watching TV.”
Four years ago, he joined Planet Fitness in Gates. That decision kicked off a weight-loss journey that has transformed his life.
Today, Luis weighs 196 pounds, down from 363. Along the way, he’s become a familiar face at the gym, affectionately known as “The Mayor” thanks to his outgoing personality and ability to connect with people.
The funny thing is, he didn’t always enjoy exercise. Luis played football in college, but running was never his favorite part of the game. “I didn’t even like running the football. I hated running,” he said with a laugh.
But once he started working out regularly, he discovered something he liked about it. Running challenged his whole body, and the routine gave him structure.
The first days weren’t easy, but he committed to showing up every day. “I forced myself, in a good way, to just get up every day and go in for one hour.”
The staff at Planet Fitness helped make that routine stick. Luis says the environment was welcoming and supportive, and they let him be himself—including ending workouts with a Ric Flair-style “Wooooo!”
For Luis, a workout isn’t about going through the motions. “I like to sweat and earn my food every day. I like to earn my shower.”
He laughs about the difference between his workouts and those of some of his friends. “They leave the gym looking clean, while I look like I really came here to do something.”
As the weight came off, Luis noticed changes beyond his appearance. “There are some people who will judge you by how you look. Now, I see the difference. Now everybody listens to everything I say.”
Even with the extra attention, he tries to stay grounded. One of the things he tells friends who are trying to lose weight is not to let the journey change who they are as a person.
At the gym, people often stop him for advice, encouragement, or sometimes just to talk. Those conversations can be about fitness, but not always. “You never know what somebody’s going through. If I said, ‘I’m busy right now’ or ‘I don’t want to talk,’ it could mess up their whole day.”
Some members have even told him they come to the gym because they know he’ll be there. While he appreciates the compliment, Luis wants people to find motivation within themselves.
“I tell them, ‘It’s you versus you. You can eat what you want if you come every day.’” Then he adds a reality check. “You can eat what you want, but not every day. Like, if you ate cookies yesterday, don’t eat them today.”
Part of what keeps him going is the desire to maintain everything he’s worked for. “If I take a week off from the gym, I see whatever I eat real fast. It’ll hit my face first, and then my stomach,” he said. “And what motivates me is just proving to myself that I’m not gonna let myself down.”
When people ask how he manages to run every day, he often shares the same advice he uses to motivate himself: “God always sends you a test. Don’t fail.”
According to RJ Vignari, general manager of Planet Fitness in Gates, that’s exactly what makes Luis stand out. “Luis’s story is inspiring because it’s real, and so many men can see themselves in it,” Vignari said. “What we try to do at Planet Fitness is create an environment where men can focus on their mental clarity and physical strength without feeling watched or evaluated. We’re here to be that support system, right in their own backyard.”
“Some people come to the gym to lift weights; I come to the gym to lift people up.”
–Luis Chapman
Luis never expected to fall in love with working out, but that’s exactly what happened. The experience has even opened a new career path. After completing an online certification course, he earned his personal trainer license and now works independently with clients.
For anyone thinking about making a change in their own life, his advice is straightforward: “If you have dreams of what would be the best version of yourself, do it. You don’t need anybody to motivate you. It’s all up to you.”
