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by Myzone on Friday, 13 June 2025
For Alexander Oliver, working out isn’t just about losing weight. It’s more about reclaiming his energy, forming positive lifestyle habits, and reshaping his life from the inside out.
Over five years, Alexander has burned more than one million calories, lost 50 pounds and managed to avoid weight creeping back on all to improve his health span and general quality of life. Myzone has been with him every step of the way, playing a key role in his success.
Want to make your own lifestyle changes or encourage gym members to move more? Check out these tips to change how you think about habits and consistency.
A slow realisation; not a dramatic shift
“I certainly have a story to tell,” says Alexander, who recently captured his journey in his book: Million Calorie Mindset: Lose Weight, Crush Goals, Forge Habits.
“My lifestyle revolution hasn’t been triggered by a single event or dramatic moment, it has been a slow realisation. If I don’t make significant lifestyle changes, I risk missing out on the best parts of my life, especially the time spent with my three young children. I realised I was on a fast route to self-destruct and needed a re-set.”
Discovering Myzone: A new way to measure progress
When Alexander first began taking his fitness seriously, he was introduced to Myzone by his personal trainer, Jayce, at Snap Fitness in Grande Prairie, Canada.
“My trainer recommended Myzone as a means to track effort, via Myzone Effort Points (MEPs); not just time or calories. This really resonated with me,” he says.
“Myzone is integral to the gym’s training solution, playing a key role in group classes and PT sessions so using the tool became a natural part of my routine.”
Alexander uses the MZ-3 heart rate monitor during both cardio and strength sessions, using the real-time data to guide his training and stay accountable.
A fitness journey built on consistency
At the start of his journey, 45-year-old Alexander weighed 205 pounds. Although he battled weight issues throughout his 30s, he admits that earlier attempts to lose weight, mainly through extreme carbohydrate-limiting diets had only achieved short term results.
“These of-the-moment diets worked for a while, but they weren't sustainable,” he explains.
“I was lacking discipline, consuming too much alcohol and generally eating too much of the four Cs – cake, candy, chocolate and chips. I was exercising but all of my effort was being cancelled out by poor eating habits. Something had to change.”
Determined to break the cycle, Alexander shifted his focus to mindset and long-term consistency. He began stacking small wins daily, building habits from the ground up, and using Myzone to track his movement.
The importance of discipline and balance in health and wellbeing
Today, Alexander has transformed his lifestyle into a model of discipline and balance. He treats fitness like a job, working out Monday through Friday with a 90-minute session that begins at 4:50am, before starting his full time, paid job in sales and business development.
His routine includes a mix of five cardio and strength sessions per week, weekend walks, and a clean, high-protein diet. Monday to Friday, he keeps his calorie intake to around 1500, relaxing slightly to 2000 to 2500 calories on weekends.
“There’s no gimmick to it,” Alexander says. “Just structure, habit, and showing up consistently. And Myzone helps me track my effort zones religiously.”
How Myzone made the difference
For Alexander, Myzone isn’t just another fitness gadget, it is a critical tool that keeps him focused and engaged with his goals.
“Myzone has been an absolute game-changer for me,” he says. “The coloured heart rate zones give me the information I need to succeed in maintaining my weight goal, which is between 155 and 160 pounds.
”Alexander credits the yellow zone, working out at (80-89% of maximum heart rate) as his personal sweet spot. “I try to stay in the yellow zone because that’s where I feel I get the best workout,” he explains.
Using Myzone gives Alexander clear feedback during every session, ensuring effort matched his ambitions. Instead of focusing on time spent in the gym or calories burned, he is able to monitor the intensity and quality of his training, a shift that ultimately changed everything and empowered him to introduce consistency and focus.
Inspiring others to forge their own path in fitness
Alexander’s success isn’t just about the weight he lost, it’s also about the quality of life he has gained. He’s passionate about sharing his story with others who may be facing the same uphill battles as he once did.
“My journey hasn’t been about finding the perfect workout or the perfect diet,” has says. “It’s been about creating the habits, mindset and daily disciplines that make long-term success inevitable.
“Myzone helped me do this by feeding me real time information about the quality and intensity of my training. The monthly MEPs target and calorie counter also played a part, maintaining my motivation even when I really didn’t feel like working out.”
Achieving something previously impossible
Through hard work, a focus on long-term habits, and the power of Myzone, Alexander is proving that meaningful transformation isn’t a quick fix – it’s a million small victories, earned one heartbeat at a time.
“Myzone is playing an important role in me achieving something I thought was impossible five years ago. It wasn’t just about burning calories. It was about becoming someone who shows up, day after day. For that, I’m seriously grateful.”
To read more about Alexander’s journey check out his YouTube channel: and his Facebook page.
To purchase Alexander’s book: Million Calorie Mindset: Lose Weight, Crush Goals, Forge Habits, visit Amazon (only available in Canada).