Connecticut Dad Loses 160 Pounds, Becomes Coach With Rowing Routine

An innocent comment from his preschooler sent Jason Henriques on his weight loss journey.

Henriques told Today.com last week that he and son Wyatt, then 3, were playing on the dining room floor when Wyatt said, “When I get big like you, I want a big belly like you.”

At the time, Henriques was 37 years old and his obesity was seriously affecting his health. He battled asthma, allergies, herniated discs, torn ligaments in his knees and gastrointestinal issues such as colitis, gastritis and gall bladder problems.

His son’s comment was an epiphany of sorts for Henriques. The next day, with Wyatt in a stroller, the father of three went for a long walk. He maintained a daily constitution of 3 to 12 miles a day until Connecticut’s winter weather found him looking for alternative paths to fitness.

After joining a gym and taking advantage of free personal training services, Henriques was introduced to the challenge and reward of rowing machines.

“I was on a routine of walking, running and cycling. Driving shook it up and change is hard sometimes,” he told Today.com. “But I liked it because it didn’t have the impact of running or cycling on my ankles. It felt great.”

According to Healthline, rowing, designed to mimic the motion of rowing a boat, is almost a full-body exercise. It stimulates most major muscle groups, including the lats (latissimus dorsi), upper back (rhomboids), quadriceps, hamstrings, core, biceps and forearms.

In terms of calorie expenditure, rowing is comparable to running, but has much less impact on the joints. The exact calorie burn depends on several factors and varies from person to person.

On average, a 175-pound person can burn 555 calories per hour with moderate rowing and 833 with extreme intensity.

The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.

Henriques, now 44, appreciates the balance that running and rowing offer, “Running is the perfect counterpart to running because you can build your endurance on the rower without impact. And once you’re out on the road, you can use the rowing as a recovery from your run.”

He recently completed a 48-mile streak, driving 4 miles every four hours for 48 hours.

In the first year of his health journey, Henriques lost 160 pounds.

“I just fell in love with the whole world of fitness and how I felt afterwards,” he said.

In the years since, his gastrointestinal problems have subsided, his joint pain has disappeared, and his allergies and asthma have lessened. While he still has herniated discs, core-strengthening exercises, including rowing, have helped him build the muscles needed to protect his spine.

In addition to physical exercise, Henriques revolutionized his relationship with food. He and his wife rid their home of junk food, and with the help of a food diary, he identified which foods aggravated his gastrointestinal problems.

Henriques and his family also began to pay more attention to where they source their food. And while buying fresh, local and organic items comes at a higher cost than the processed and packaged foods he used to consume, it’s a price he’s more than willing to pay.

“I’m investing in my health now versus spending money on health care later. I’m investing in the quality of my life,” he explained.

Henriques’ passion for health and wellness has even helped him forge a new career path. He was invited to audition and eventually join the team at Row House in Monroe, Connecticut, training the others in the morning before work.

Henriques has recently expanded his role at Row House, taking on the position of general manager, a step up from being a self-employed photographer. “It was a little scary,” he said, “but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

He believes his fitness journey and health issues have made him a better trainer. “I can relate to people who have them, and I can be stricter on fitness because I know being out of line can make some injuries worse,” he told Today.com.

As a trainer, Henriques is open with his clients, sharing stories and struggles. “Someone else in that room might be going through something similar. They can relate. I really enjoy building those connections,” he said. “I had the potential to help other people who might be going through something that I went through. What’s better than that?”