Chet gets SHREDDED!

Tell us about your life before you started the program. How did you feel about yourself and your body?* Before I started P90X, my life was stagnant. My wife and I were stressed all the time, low on energy and just drained. We have 4 children (18, 13, 8 & 6), and I just didn’t have the stamina to give them the time they needed. Instead, I gave my time to the couch, potato chips and salsa every night. Though I am 42, I felt like I was 72. I have Degenerative Joint Disease in both shoulders, Meniere’s disease and I was recovering from having ½ my meniscus removed from my left knee. But in reality, my situation was not any different than most people my age. I had issues just like everyone else and just let life (or lack thereof) get in the way. I used to be in pretty good shape, but over the years, my body started shifting…down. My chest and arms shrank while the “spare tire” grew. I became ashamed of the way I looked. Looking in the mirror, I often wondered who was looking back at me.

What inspired you to change your life and begin your transformation journey?* My family…period! One day I came across some pictures of me from about 10 years ago and I thought “Man, that guy would be really great for my kids and wife!” It was surreal. They were pictures of me wakeboarding, playing ball and having all sorts of fun. I thought to myself, “Where did that guy go?” How in the world could I go from being so active, to running out of breath just mowing the lawn? What would it be like for my wife and kids to have a dad, and husband, so full of the life and energy I once had? Well, as fate would have it, two nights later my wife said that she wanted to try P90X. That was my sign!

What is the greatest challenge you faced before beginning the program? How did the program and Beachbody® help you overcome that challenge?* The greatest challenge I faced was finding the time and energy to give the program my all. We have a motto around our house, a philosophy that we teach our kids. “You don’t have to be the best, but you must GIVE your best in all that you do!” I wanted to make sure I was able to give my best, but I just didn’t know how I would do it. So, with a leap of faith and a lump in my throat, I made the commitment. Within two weeks, I started to realize something. I realized that, even though I was committing an hour a day to P90X, I actually had more time for my family. The increase in energy and confidence kept me away from the couch, enabled me to do things more quickly, & eliminated my need to take up time by needlessly surfing the internet or browsing the TV trying to find something to watch. I realized that I had all the time I needed; I just didn’t have the energy to take advantage of it before.

Why did you choose this particular program?* My first program was P90X, and I loved it. It set the stage for my journey, something I would carry with me the rest of my life. I chose P90X because of Tony Horton’s mantra, “Do your best and forget the rest.” I identified with that. It embodies the same principles that we teach our kids. We try to instill in them that we do not expect them to BE THE BEST at all that they do, but we expect them to GIVE THEIR BEST at all that they do. After the incredible gains I acheived with 2 rounds of P90X (both physically and mentally), it was time to switch gears to a program that would pack on the size and mass. It was time for Body Beast. And let me tell you, Body Beast is like NOTHING I’ve done before. It took me to a whole new level. Body Beast delivers that pure blood pumping, muscle burning, fire in the belly intensity that I have been looking for. It made me dig down deep and find a POWER that I didn’t know existed. It made me release MY INNER BEAST!

What in particular did you like about the program you chose?* With P90X, it was Tony’s enthusiasm and motivation that kept me going. He made me want to give it my all, which translated into awesome results. Body Beast struck a different chord. Sagi knows all the right buttons to push, he knows how to make you challenge yourself. In the end, that is what fired me up, and kept my will power on high alert. It became a battle of will, me against me, every set…every rep. The instructions are spot on, and the music really sets the tempo. And, the way the workouts flow, the “Dynamic Set Training!” Oh man, it leaves no muscle fiber untouched. If you can’t grow on Body Beast, you just can’t grow…PERIOD!

Describe the results you achieved with your Beachbody program. Which achievements are you proud of?* Where do I start? At 42 years old, I am now in the prime of my life…period! Because of P90X and Body Beast, I did what some people say is almost impossible to do. My body fat dropped TREMENDOUSLY, while my muscle mass went up EXPONENTIALLY! My waist shrank as my arms and chest grew in spite of the fat loss. I exceeded all my personal expectations, simply because I bought into the Beachbody System. All of it! The workout programs, Shakeology, Challenge Groups, my Coach…EVERYTHING. By the time I was done, I was able to do 20 pull-ups, and nearly 70 push-ups within 60 seconds. It’s no coincidence that other areas of my life have drastically improved as well. My job performance his noticeably increased, I am sleeping better, stress has deminshed, my relationship with my wife has improved, and I have tons of energy for my kids. For the first time in my life, I really know what it feels like to live.

How has your life changed since completing your Beachbody program?* It’s not just the programs that have changed my life for the better, it is Beachbody in general. It is the Beachbody philosophy. It is the Culture. It is the family atmoshphere that you get in the Challenge Groups. It is the relationship you build with your Beachbody Coach. I am stronger, fitter, healthier, happier and more alive than ever before. But, more importantly, it has changed the life of my family because of how it has changed me. I can now give my best to the people who count on me, because I learned how to take care of me. As a result, my kids now have a dad who has the time and energy to be with them, not just be around them. I am more engaged, attentive and tolerant. My wife now has a husband who is more confident and sure, and willing to do the things I previously didn’t have the energy to do. Not too long ago, I wanted to be the man I was 10 years ago, but now, I wouldn’t want to be anyone else.

How did participating in a Challenge Group help you reach your goals? How did your group support you and keep you accountable? Participating in a Challenge Group was really the glue that kept it all together. It was an amazing feeling to be able to share all my ups and downs with others who where going thru the same thing that I was. Who would have known that such strong bonds and relationships could be built from an online group? Seeing, day in and day out, the transformations of others, really inspired me to push even harder. Not only did I not want to let myself down, I didn’t want to let them down either. The accountability factor is just what I needed…that little extra push, that little extra motivation and inspiration goes a long way. If I was feeling tired and beat from a long day, all I needed was a few minutes in the group to see what others were doing and saying, and I would be pinging off the walls and ready to go. If you’re not in a Challenge Group, you don’t know what you are missing.