Penticton City Councillor running in fitness magazine cover model contest

Councillor cover model?

Photo: Jason Reynen

Jason Reynen is in the running to be win $20,000 and be featured in Muscle & Fitness Magazine

A Penticton City Councillor has entered the Mr. Health and Fitness Competition, looking to show off his consistent work in bettering himself.

Jason Reynen is hoping to be featured on the cover of Muscle & Fitness Magazine and take home $20,000, a portion of which he pledged to the BC Children’s Hospital if he wins.

Reynen told Castanet he started his fitness journey about six months ago, when he was in a place where he wasn't eating well and was unhappy with how he was feeling.

"I decided to flip a switch, hired a coach, and decided that it was time to dial my nutrition in and take accountability," he said.

"I get up at 4:30 a.m. every day and train from 5 to 7 a.m. I add in a little extra stuff when I can, but I don't want to take away from my kids, my wife, or my business, or anything else that takes up my time, such as [city] council."

He hopes to inspire other dads looking to get fit and be able to keep up with their kids, with four of his own.

"Even through social media, lately, I've had a lot of people reach out to me through there, kind of in the same spot, just dads feeling run down, feeling like they want to move in a direction and just don't know how," he said.

"I don't even think it comes down to motivation so much as it comes down to signing a deal with yourself and saying, 'Okay, I have the priority to take care of myself so I can take care of everybody else.'"

His goal was also related to training for a bodybuilding competition.

Reynen said he found out about the Mr. Health and Fitness contest through social media and jumped at the opportunity.

To keep in the competition, participants must have enough votes to stay in the top five of their group over the next six weeks.

"Every grouping that we're in gets cut from 20 to 15, then from 10 to five, and then if you're in the final five, all those votes, even from the very beginning, carry you forward," Reynen said.

"If I get to make it to the top five, they reset the votes and then put us in quarter finals."

With the $20,000 prize on the line, Reynen hopes to save some of it for his kids' future and some to go to the Children’s Hospital to support families going through some of the hardest moments of their lives.

"I personally have known a couple of friends of mine who have had kids in tough situations. Thankfully, they've all gotten over cancer as kids."

As a former Iron Man and CrossFit athlete, Reynen said he's looking forward to another step in his health and fitness journey.

To learn more about Reynen's bid to win, click here.