1. What were your reasons for deciding to accept the Body-for-LIFE Challenge 2001?
Mentally and spiritually I was dying inside because I had lost my sense of purpose and mission. I was tired of battling religious and government inequalities. I despised the way I looked. I didn't like myself or this planet and basically wanted off of it. My nerves were shot because of substance abuse which almost took my life twice in January 2001. I needed to do something positive with my life and it was my time to choose: death or LIFE.
2. What inspired you to stay on course throughout the 12-week Challenge?
Inwardly, I dug deep finding peace that said, "I'm a good person, and I can do this!" So, I initiated positives into every area of my life. I welcomed outward encouragements from family, friends, co-workers, Faith United community, The BFL Guest Book, Muscle Media, Body of Work, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, and Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism. Rekindled enthusiasm, support groups, personal affirmations, and the Body-for-LIFE Challenge gave me an opportunity to believe in life again and thankfully achieve many personal victories.
3. What obstacles did you have to overcome? What adversity did you transform into positive energy, in order to complete the 12-week Challenge?
First, I had to LET GO of giving up on myself, see myself in a positive light, strip away all negatives and followthrough by replacing them with positive energy and activity. I overcame my shift work handicap through dynamic work-out/meal planning. Never having used free weights before, combined with the possibility of recent past, work-related elbow/neck injuries reoccuring, lingered over me, and both were overcome by an intensely focused mind-set, that disallowed error, and strict adherence to proper technique. Everything went wrong on Day 20 - I ran my race. Day 24's obstacle is beyond my control. My Challenge Kit arrived. I had no "Back Photo." I wasn't about to give up giving up "giving up." I fought through Days 53-55 when my body's reaction to a non-EAS Creatine almost shut down both kidneys. The other side of tears is joy. Both my journal entries of Day 56 say it all - I'm not supposed to be here, but I am, thanks to the vision of one man whose hand I've yet to shake. I've learned that: "Adversities often disguise themselves, but once identified become the opportunities through which High Point Living is obtained."
4. How did you measure your physical progress from "Before" to "After"? (Bodyfat percentage/body composition; pant size; dress size; scale weight; health indicators, such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, etc.) Please describe your physical improvements in terms of how you measured them.
Debbie, the gym's (NRG) appraiser took my BEFORE (Day 2, Feb 27/01) and my AFTER (Day 86, May 22/01) Stats using a Fitness Assessment Data Sheet and the TANITA BODY COMPOSITION ANALYZER TBF-300 GOAL SETTER. I watched 3-1/2 inches come off my waist (36-1/2-inches to 33-inches); 27.6 pounds of Fat Mass LOSS (42.6 to 15.0 pounds); Fat % drop (21% to 7.9%); 15.6 pounds of Fat-Free, Lean Muscle Mass GAIN (160.2 to 175.8) and 12 pounds of Weight LOSS (202.8 to 190.8). I couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear while blinkin' away tear-filled eyes. I am so happy! I far surpassed all my physical goals!
5. Did you use nutritional supplements during your 12-week Program? If so, which ones did you use (please be specific), and how much did they help you? Would you recommend those supplements to others to help them achieve the results you have?
I used the following Nutritional Supplements: NHF Ultra Whey More, Creatine Monohydrate (day 29 to Day 54) - afterwards "only Creatine Monohydrate from EAS BetaGen & Phosphagen HP," Labrada Glutamine, & Optimum Nutrition Taurine Powder, EAS Myoplex Nutritional Supplement Bars, EAS Myoplex Ready-to-Drink Shakes, EAS CLA, EAS Methoxy Factor HP, Ephedrine & Caffeine Wake Ups, & NHF Ultra Amino-Peptide 2000 tablets. I firmly believe the Myoplex Bars & Shakes, BetaGen, Phosphagen HP, CLA, & Methoxy Factor HP were dynamic contributors (along with my meals, |
