NEWARK, Ohio — Fitness has always been a big part of Charlie Smith's life. Smith, a Centerburg High School graduate and owner of Newark-based Elite Performance,  played basketball at Ohio Wesleyan and then decided to turn his fitness journey into a career.

"I knew my eating habits, I knew the sweet tooth that I had. And I knew that if I didn't continue with athletics or fitness, I knew the direction that my health would more than likely take,” Smith said.

Smith said he tries to balance a healthy lifestyle with life's indulgences. 

“I still enjoy sweets as I said. I still have, you know, an alcoholic beverage. And I still can maintain my health, maintain my fitness. So I'm really trying to show that you don't have to be extreme if you don't want to, and still live a healthy, active lifestyle,” says Smith. 

Smith, who runs Elite Performance Fitness with his wife Tami, trained his father and mother in law, both in their mid 60s, trying to prove age is only a number. 

“[I] started coming here 13 years ago. I was about 50 pounds heavier, and I lost about 5 percent of my body fat. So you have to stay consistent, stay focused on what your ultimate goal is,” said Bremen resident Doid McCandlish Jr.

Smith said in his experience, between the ages of 35 to 45 is when most folks put fitness on the back burner, and by your mid 50s, some come to regret it. 

But he says challenging yourself this new year and avoiding bad pandemic habits can make a world of difference in both your physical and mental health. 

“During the pandemic, most people were seated more than usual so whenever we sit, especially our hips, our hip flexors, those muscles tend to tighten up. If you've not worked out in a while, you kind of think about, the oh man, I'm going to be so tired and out of breath. But really when you're done, you feel so much more accomplished. And that personal interaction only kind of amplifies and benefits the mental health side,” said Smith.