“256 POUNDS…and I really wasn’t concerned. I had once been at 278 and with most of my friends gaining weight as they got older it seemed that I was the only one who looked better now than ten years ago. I could jog a couple of miles without a problem as even and flirted with weights now and then. I felt great most of the time and believed the despite the extra weight though I was healthy. But the truth was I looked horrible in pictures and it was only a matter of time before my weight, bad eating habits (fast food, sweets, etc) and a family history of diabetes caught up with me health wise.
My parents and I run a family business and I run my office from their home. They were members of Anytime Fitness and my mother talked with C.J. She was concerned about my weight and while I maintained in the 250 pound range for the last couple of years she knew I was still too heavy. He told her to send me in to talk with him.
I had been thinking about getting a personal trainer for awhile but was too lazy to do the proper research and kept thinking that all I had to do was work a little harder and hit the fast food joints a little less. With her prodding I made an appointment with C.J. around the end of November 2008.
I liked C.J. right away as he seemed very personal and with his build I knew he knew what he was talking about. I told him that with all my years of reading up on fitness and running endless miles of pavement and swimming miles at the rec center and eating right (sometimes) I knew what I was doing but just needed a little guidance.
At that point in the conversation I believe C.J. thought he was just dealing with another clown who thought he knew more than he did and in the end was going to start out strong only to once again become board with the routines and quit when instant results did not come easily. He was almost right….almost.
I would have thought the same thing as I basically told him I had been working out for my entire life yet looked like someone who never did. I signed up three months of training to start after the New Year as not to impede on my holiday party season. I even stopped by a fast food joint on the way home for dinner as a last meal (it wasn’t but I always liked to tell myself that right before another failed attempt at dropping weight).
I attended the gym a couple of times during December and one day noticed the poster featuring Bart Morrison as the winner of the total body challenge. “I could do that” I said to myself. Over the next couple of days I thought about it more and kept looking at the before and after pictures of Bart whenever I was at the gym. I noticed we both had similar builds (the before one) and then it became clear…….CRYSTAL CLEAR. I COULD DO THIS!!!
That was it. I could not wait to get started. I was going to be the next winner, NO! I was going to beat Bart’s weight loss and kick total butt at the same time.
We did meet C.J. had a book for me that outlined my entire workout, eating regimen, supplement page, and everything I needed. A blueprint to a healthier life. All I had to do was read and follow. It was the exact guidance I needed. I found as C.J. went over everything that for years I was doing it all wrong. Eating the wrong foods at the wrong times in the wrong amounts. I was exercising the wrong way and doing the wrong exercises. For all those years I did everything WRONG. What a waste of time. WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!
Well it was time to get it right.
We had our first personal training session (also my first personal training ever) and I was hooked.
I really enjoyed it even though he beat the hell of me. I was ready to come back for more. I was going to win that damn contest if it killed me.
Because of the limited times I had available to train, C.J. asked if I would mind having Loren Sisson (one of his trainers) work out with me for the next session. I did not mind mixing it up with someone new and besides, I had met Loren earlier that week as he offered to help me out when I was working out alone one day. I found him to be very professional and mature beyond his years. We hit it off immediately. One of the aspects of training with Loren that I liked was that he challenged me on a constant basis to “bang out that extra rep” or to try out a different exercise.
With Loren’s expertise in changing up both the degree and various types of workouts, and C.J.’s overall guidance (he was always watching out of the corner of his eye) I began to see small but suttle changes. My weight started dropping, clothes got looser, family was noticing.
But as good as I thought I was doing, C.J. knew I was still not really giving it everything I had. I was lazy with the cardio as I preferred to run in the afternoon and evening so that I could sleep in most days. After another morning of not seeing me along treadmill row he made his move.
Ironically I was on the treadmill when I missed the call from him. When I finally got in touch he let me know in not so many words that he knew I wasn’t really giving it my all and that I had a great chance to make major changes in my life. I just needed to work harder and start earlier.
I felt really bad about that conversation because I had indeed promised him when I first committed to the program that I would work hard. I really felt like I was letting him down. Then I decided to make some changes.
I added a couple of extra days with Loren (all in the morning) and stopped the minor cheating on my diet plan (yes I did sneak in an Ice cream cone or slice of pizza here and there) but I could not sneak in past C.J. He can just look at you and know. He would have made a great KGB officer.
With new dedication in cardio and a couple of extra workout days, my weight loss suddenly picked-up…….incredibility. Pounds seem to come off with ease even though the work itself was hard. Once I had fully “drank the Kool-Aide” and followed the Program there was not stopping me. I was a machine, a beast, a hurricane, a tornado in a trailer park.
As the weeks went by my results were nothing short of astonishing. I went from thigh 38 size jeans to loose 36’s. Even before the tags came off the new jeans I had to take them back for 34’s. I went from avoiding the mirror at all cost to trying to find new places in the house I could put more up.
And through it all I managed to ask millions of questions (most of which I had to re-ask several times over as I never wrote down the answers) bug the crap out of everyone, break equipment (accidents I tell ya, accidents) sweat gallons and gallons, and make improvements on an almost daily basis.
One of my favorite things to do was to try crack Loren up with an ill-timed joke or story. All too often another client would be within earshot and on a good day weights would hit the floor unexpectedly along with some laughter. To those I offended I apologize.
As the total Body Challenge comes to an end I find myself about 58 pounds Lighter and much more muscular. To say I look like a different person is a gross understatement. I AM A DIFFERENT PERSON.
I have to give thanks to C.J., Loren, Jenn, (ELITE USA) Bart Morrison, Anytime Fitness, my family (especially to Mom who got it started) for all their support. I could not have done it without them.
I fully credit the program that was created for me by C.J. for not only changing my life…….but saving it. Thank You.”