I was always the skinny kid growing up, and spent lots of time playing sports. For the 7 years I was in the US Army, I was also generally fit. But upon leaving the Army in 2003, I started to gain weight due to lack of exercise and eating fast food all the time. Every morning I would grab a chicken biscuit (hey, I was eating chicken, that’s healthy, right?) a soda, and hash browns or fries for breakfast. Then I’d go out for lunch, get the biggest burger on the menu, and eat the entire thing. On the way home, I’d stop at a fast food place or order pizza for dinner. Before I knew it, I had ballooned to 240 lbs. and was always tired.
One day I woke up completely out of breath, like I had been underwater for hours. I knew I had sleep apnea, and at some point I had probably stopped breathing. Luckily, that time I woke up. I will never forget that turning point, when I knew something was wrong and decided to change my life.
I chose P90X® because I’d seen the infomercials multiple times and figured, “If these guys can do it, so can I.” I liked the fact that P90X is a total-body program, and I didn’t have to buy a bunch of weights or equipment. The greatest challenge I faced was finding the motivation to change my exercise and eating habits. I would start P90X and quit a couple of weeks later, start back up, and then quit again. I did this about 3 times. I finally committed fully when I was invited to Jon Congdon’s “Comeback Kids” P90X Challenge Group by my Beachbody Coach. That time, I completed the entire program.
Click here to find out more about the Beachbody Challenge and Challenge Groups
The motivation and support from Challenge Groups is phenomenal! Posting motivational pictures and quotes on social media sites, as well as seeing others’ results, kept me accountable and helped me reach every goal I set. I drink Shakeology® every morning after I workout, and it’s also played a key role in my transformation. It leaves me feeling full, and gives me tons of energy throughout the day so that I can accomplish all my tasks. I definitely sleep better, and my mood is better than it has been in years.
To date, I have lost 62 lbs. and 22 inches off my body, and am in the best shape of my life. Even when I was in the US Army, running and exercising every day, I never had the definition in my abs, arms, shoulders, and legs that I have now. I’m more active, have more energy, and can accomplish things I only dreamed of when I was overweight. I’ve completed an 11-mile mud run (with more to come!), and am a better employee, husband, and father.