NATCHEZ — When Bobby Turner decided he wanted to build and operate a fitness center in Natchez, his motivation was helping people change their lives just like he changed his.

Natchez Total Fitness on Northgate Drive opened Jan. 1, taking Turner one step closer to achieving his goal.

Turner said his desire to help others stems from a life changing experience of his own.

“Six years ago, I weighed around 400 pounds, and I realized I had three sons who were looking right at me.” he said. “I woke up one day and decided I had to get this under control, and set a good example for my family.”

Turner said his father was also overweight, and had many health problems due to it, and that a change needed to be made in his own life.

Six years and 215 pounds later, Turner said it was diet and exercise that helped him lose weight and get healthy.

“I started doing a low-carb, portion controlled diet,” he said. “I started eating five or six small meals a day, or one meal every three hours. I am still doing this.”

Turner said it is important when losing weight to watch the amount of calories you put in your body.

“There are five million diets out there, but if you don’t count your calories and watch what you are eating, you aren’t going to see results,” he said.

Turner said exercising started off slow, but he eventually got into a rhythm and remembered to exercise every day.

“When I started out I could maybe walk about a half a mile on a treadmill or an elliptical machine,” he said. “I started doing a little more every day, and before I knew it I was running a couple of miles on the treadmill.”

While Turner currently runs approximately six or seven miles a day, he also said doing some light weight training also helped him shed his excess weight.

“Anyone that is a big person does not need to get into heavy lifting,” he said. “You want more reps so you can burn off more calories.”

Turner advised those seeking to lose weight that cardio exercise is the best exercise for overweight people.

Turner also said that if you do lose weight, keeping the weight you lost off is harder than losing it.

“An alcoholic is only sober one day at a time,” he said. “People who are overweight have the tendency to gain that weight back. It is a battle just like anything else.”

Staying focused on your exercise and diet are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, Turner said.

“If you don’t keep it off, then you haven’t really done much to begin with,” he said. “Being able to live in the real world and keep it off, that is the biggest thing.”

Ever since Turner achieved his weight loss goals, his plan of building a fitness center was his No. 1 priority, and the Vicksburg resident decided Natchez was a good place to open shop.

“We did not see the need for one in Vicksburg,” he said. “My brother has lived in Natchez for a couple of years and he said the town is starving for places to work out.”

While he and his wife are still living in Vicksburg operating a pest control service, Turner said his encounters with the City of Natchez while working to start the gym have been very pleasant.

“I have been very pleased. Everyone has been so nice and helpful,” he said. “All the city departments we had to work with were very courteous and made things easy.”

Turner said Natchez Total Fitness houses a large variety of workout equipment including cardio, circuit training and free weights.

“We have everything you need for total body fitness,” he said.

Turner also said each piece of cardio equipment in the gym has its own personal television for members to use.

“All you have to do is bring some earphones and watch what you want to watch,” he said.

Turner said the gym will be open for use 24 hours a day, and staffed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. While there are currently no personal trainers at the gym, he is looking into adding some in the future.

“I already have a couple of local guys who are wanting to start training,” he said.

Turner said the first week of business went well.

“We have met a lot of good nice folks,” he said. “We have had a lot looking and a lot ready to make a change.”

Turner said the membership fee for the gym is $20 a month per family of four, but the family of four must include a husband and wife with two children ages 14 to 18.

The price will also be $20 a month for a family with only one child age 14-18, $20 a month for a husband and wife, and $20 a month for one individual joining.

Turner said the only way to pay is through a bank draft from your bank, and anyone interested in joining can just stop by Natchez Total Fitness during staffing hours.