Here is Troy’s Incredible story in his own words…

In November of 2009, at 17, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Prior to getting sick, I was a very active and fit kid. I played many sports and never had a need to go to the gym or to work out at all. After a month of chemotherapy and radiation I had lost 10 pounds of muscle mass. After 6 months, I was down 40 pounds. My hockey season playing weight was a lean 180 lbs, I was currently 140. My self esteem was incredibly low, I avoided mirrors and going out in public; something had to be done.

For Christmas in 2010, a friend of mine got P90X as a gift and asked if I would join him to workout. I can’t remember what my original ‘fit-test’ results were, but I know my push ups started in the single digits. The first 90 days were an incredible challenge, but by the time April rolled around I was starting to get my normal body back.

Round 2 was a hybrid with many Beachbody videos. Some P90X+, some 1 on 1′s and Shaun T’s Insanity and Asylum. I saw very noticeable gains in my body composition and fitness levels. By the time summer was over, I was confident in my own skin again. During Round 3, I focused a lot on nutrition and started to eat very clean. I also paid a lot more attention to form on exercises and tempo. This round was purely P90X and was an effort to get me ready for the soon-to-be-released P90X2.

With P90X2, I have employed a carb-cycling technique to my diet, which has been incredibly effective (dropping my BF% to 7) and have really tried to strengthen my lower body and increase my balance and coordination. I still feel as if my fitness journey has only just started and every day I see more room for growth.

My motivation along the way was just to get back to my old self. Once I reach that point, I was hooked and wanted to see more and more improvement. Fitness and nutrition has become a huge part of my life and that is solely because of Beachbody.

Looking to change your health/fitness?  You can Try P90X Today By Clicking Here!

 

 
Here is Nicks story in his own words:

Those first pictures are from my high school days (circa 2002-2004). Between my junior and senior years of high school, I went from 240LBS to 190 LBS following the Atkins’ Diet (ALL meat, cheese, eggs, and fattening foods). It worked for me, but in retrospect was not the healthiest way to make it happen. Anyway, after high school I went to college and my weight fluctuated between 185-200LBS. After I graduated college, I cut down to 175lbs by eating “healthy” and lifting and doing cardio at the gym. My 175 body was still 20% body fat… I was eating about 16-1800 calories per day (not nearly enough), and much of it was frozen or processed “diet foods”.

Then I discovered P90X. April 2009. Best decision ever. I followed the first round to a T, dropping about 10LBS (from 172-162) and from 20% body fat to around 8%. I was counting every single calorie, and every single macronutrient… but again, in retrospect, my diet lacked MICROnutrients. After my first round of P90X, I started P90X plus, but mobilized a rib and couldn’t lift my arm for about 3 months… I took it a little too easy. I gained some chub back (I was trying the paleo diet), and lost a little muscle. To get back into shape, I did another round of P90X. I finished that round at 170 (the weight I was when I first started P90X, and about 7% body fat (so I gained almost ten pounds, most of it muscle!). After that, I did a round of Insanity. I actually GAINED weight doing Insanity, but lost body fat %. My legs got stronger. Then I did Asylum, and that’s when my diet really started to shift. Asylum recommended cutting out dairy, so I did it, and I’ve never looked back. Asylum got me shredded (that video shows me right after my round of asylum). Then I decided that i wanted to add some mass. I ordered some P90X 1-on-1s and started lifting very heavy, increasing my caloric intake to about 3000 per day. All the while, I continued to tweak my diet, aiming for the highest number of “nutrients per calorie” (nutrients per calorie has since become my mantra whenever people ask me about my diet). It’s not about being Vegan, or not eating meat, or whatever… it’s all about getting the most nutrients per calorie. That’s all that matters. Why? So I don’t have to count calories. So I feel Energized. So I can eat AS MUCH AS I WANT!… and I do eat more than anyone I know. So that brings us to today, Week 6, Day 1 of P90X2. I’m between 172-175 pounds, roughly 8-9% body fat. I don’t count calories. I work hard when I work. And I have fun feeling good and mentoring other people when it comes to health and fitness. I work at Shelton’s Farm Market (my family owned business since 1947) where I oversee the implementation of “Healthful Options” including organics, natural foods, and foods for people with specific dietary needs. I’m also our resident Fruit Peddler. In addition to working at the Market, I am a Personal Trainer at the YMCA, where I work with a multitude of clients, ranging from 10 year old kids to 38 year old 300+ women. Being able to empathize with an overweight person is something that sets me apart from many of the other trainers I know, and I’m happy and proud to have come so far over the past 10 years. Whewwwww!!!! p.s. Here is my first P90X video (parts of it even made it into the P90X infomercial!)

Want to ask Nick how he did it and how he can help you?  You can ask Nick on Facebook by Clicking Here!

Talk about a full body transformation!   Jarret, took to P90X and Insanity and got insane results.  I was amazed when I saw what he has done in this short time.  It just goes to show that no matter where you start, you can turn your life around through these fitness programs and a good healthy diet.  Jarret went from being completely out of shape to a whole new person.  Yes, that is the same guy!  The dude is crazy ripped and is doing things he never thought he could do.  I saw him crank out over 80 push ups in 2 mins.  How awesome is that?  Jarret has become a very active member of my fitness group on facebook and is continuing to inspire those around him with his results.  What are you waiting for?  If Jarret can do it so can you!  Here is what Jarret had to say in his own words.

Jarret’s Story in his own words:

I have always been up and down with my weight. I began to gain a lot of weight during my wife’s first pregnancy eight years ago. My weight fluctuated a lot in the Last eight years. I was at my heaviest (275 lbs) in 2005 after my family and I were displaced and lost all that we own due to hurricane Katrina. I am in construction and am a pastor at my local church, which brings me to my transformation story. A missionary from Mexico came to my church and was talking about how important it is to stay fit for the Kingdom of God; especially him and his team who travel a lot by foot. He was talking about being fit and then he did it; threw up the x symbol. I figured if this man can do it then I would give it a try, not just for me and my family but also to be ready for anything or place God may call me to go. I started in January and I weighed over 265 lbs. I started off with dieting and limited p90x a couple time a week. I saw great success just dong as much I could when I could. I did a steady diet and p90x exercise till about may until i got a copy of insanity. I did insanity straight through and saw amazing results. I am 90 percent through the asylum and anxiously awaiting to start p90x again and p90x2. My current weight is 192 lbs. and I am at 9 % Body fat. that is a weight loss of about 73 lbs in 9 months. I will continue to keep hitting play and enjoying being in the best shape of my life. Thanks Beachbody!

Want to ask Jarret how he did it?  You can find Jarret through his website Ripped4TheKingdom.com .

Kathryn’s Insanity Results in her own words:

Over the past two months, I’ve experienced the best fitness journey and transformation my body has ever gone through in my entire life. So many people have asked me about Insanity and my results that I’ve decided (probably in poor judgement) to post Scott (my husband) and I’s journey.  Hopefully as an inspiration to others.

Background:
Scott and I started Insanity on July 14, 2011. I had just stopped nursing our 8 month old and was ready to get my pre-pregnancy body back. Scott had been running consistently for about a year (completing a 5k and half-marathon), but wanted to get in even better shape before training for a marathon. So, we saw an infomercial on Insanity (a 60-day Extreme workout program), learned that my friend had a copy and we decided to try it.

The Program: Insanity

Month 1:

The first day of the program, you complete a Fit Test, which is basically an assessment of your fitness level. It takes about 20 minutes, including warm up and cool down. Let’s just say, the first Fit Test was a workout in and of itself. We were nervous about the first “real” workout the next day. We’d heard “If you think the Fit Test is hard…wait until you get to the actual workouts.” The next day, we did the first Plyometric Cardio Circuit and by the end, we were laying on the floor, covered in sweat and exhausted. The next day, we woke up so sore we could barely walk. But, we go through the day and “Pushed Play” for workout #2 Cardio Power & Resistence. As we struggled through the warm up, we realized that we were actually starting to feel better, and by the end, we felt great! So, we kept it up. We worked out 35-45 minutes a day, 6 days a week. The workouts actually reminded us of old sports drills we’d done in high school. (me – Volleyball and Basketball; Scott – Football)

At the end of the second week, we took the Fit Test again. It wasn’t as difficult for us and we weren’t really tired at the end, but we did see an immediate jump in the results and a decrease in our measurements. That was motivation enough to keep going! By the end of month 1, I was getting pretty used to the workouts and was ready to do some new routines (but was also scared of the month 2 “MAX” workouts!). We did the Fit Test again, and again saw measurable results in the progress we’d made and could visually tell the change in our bodies. After month 1, you do a “Recovery” workout for the week to help your muscles recover from the pounding you’ve put them through for 4 weeks, but make no mistake, it’s still a workout!

Month 2:

The first day of month 2 was like Day 1 of the program all over. We were drenched and exhaused after the first 60 minutes Cardio Conditioning workout (that we did AFTER we did the Fit Test). We each burned about 1,600 calories that day. But, we kept pushing play and kept getting stronger. And, before we knew it, month 2 was over. We’d finished the program! That is a GREAT feeling!

In addition to the Insanity exercise, we also counted our calories and drank protein shakes to help repair the muscles we were tearing/building. We used the iPhone app from MyFitnessPal.com to monitor what we were eating and how much. We didn’t allow ourselves any “cheat” days or meals, but, especially as we got into month 2, we were burning so many calories, it didn’t matter. And we actually found that we were having a hard time eating ENOUGH calories, especially me.

Observations:
Throughout the program, I was constantly amazed. I was in awe of Scott’s physical transformation in his strength and endurance, and was shocked at my own body’s transformation. For example, I went from not even being able to do one push up to being able to do 30 push up jacks.

One thing I struggled with (and still do, really) was that it’s not how much you weigh that’s important, but your fitness level and measurements. Going into the program, my main goal was to lose weight. After my second baby, I’d lost 65 lbs over the course of a year and after having my third child, I was ready to get that pre-pregnancy weight back. However, I’ve learned that though I haven’t lost a “ton” of weight with this program, my fitness level is so much greater (muscle built) and my measurements were dramatically decreased. You can see them below, but I lost 8 inches in my waist alone. The difference this makes is in how my body looks as its losing the weight. Though I lost weight before, my skin was not elastic and did not shrink as I lost the weight. I had even considered getting plastic surgery to remove the extra skin. Now, I don’t have to consider surgery. With Insanity, as I’m losing the weight and building muscle, my body is reacting in a completely different way. You can see from my pictures below. My body is firming up on its own. I never saw results like this with any other form of weight loss program.

Results:
The results really do speak for themselves. I was nervous about posting mine on here (I think Scott’s are great), but I remember how inspiring others’ photos were for me when I was going through the program that I decided to just suck it up and post them. Proceed with Caution! Not for the faint of heart….

BTW: Our scale was broken, so we didn’t get accurate before and after weights, which is why weight is not included on here.

Fit Test Results:

Measurements:

Me:
Waist: -8″
Hips: -3.5″
Chest: -3.25″
Total Inches lost: 14.75

Scott:
Waist: -5″
Hips: -4″
Chest: -2″
Total Inches lost: 11

What’s Next?
Scott has already started training for the full marathon he’s going to be running in April, and I am starting a Recovery Week tonight, and then Round 2 of Insanity for me begins next Monday!

Think you have what it takes?

This is why I would recommend everyone to monitor their body fat while they are going through a program like P90X, Insanity or TurboFire.  It might even be easier than you think, and it will give you a much better idea how well you are doing with your fitness.

There are several ways you can measure body fat so I will try to touch on all of them so you can determine which is best for you.  The first, is through scaless that do Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis… or BIA for short.  These work by sending a harmless electrical signal through your body and measure the resistance.  It’s basically a way to measure body density.  The only problem with this form is it can be thrown off very easily.  Too much water, too much muscle mass, different temperatures can all throw off the number and make it less accurate.  If you are consistent, scales can be a better way to monitor your body fat but not the initial measurement.  When I have used the scale version it has registered me at 10% body fat…I am down in the 4-6% rage so it can be off if you are muscular.  But there are better ways….

One of the more accurate ways to measure body fat is by using a Body Fat Caliper.  They are fairly inexpensive but a great tool that you can find on here or on amazon.  The only downside can be human error, so I recommend you have someone help you with your measurements, but it is a quick and easy way to determine your body fat more accurately.  I really like a website called www.liner-software.com that has a great place to put your measurements and have it calculate it for you.  They also provide multiple methods so I would try a few and determine which you like and which seem the most accurate.  It won’t give the exact number but you can definitely find within + or – 1% where you are at.  For example if you measure out at 12% body fat you can assume that your probably around 11-13%.  As you start using this method as your body fat decreases you can definitely monitor your decrease correctly.  If you go from 12% to 11% you can definitely assume you have lost 1% body fat.

The other form of measuring body fat is Hydrostatic body fat Testing (Getting Dunked) and Air Displacement Plethysmography or the “Bod Pod” (As seen on The Biggest Loser).  Both of these types of measurements take machines/facilities and trained staff in order to do them.  Both of these methods are quick, easy and usually cost around $50 per session.  If your looking to get a super accurate look at your full body composition then this is the way to go.  The only problem is that they are usually hard to find and cost a lot for what you can figure out using a body fat caliper basically.  Regardless, I decided to try the Hydrostatic testing and found out that I was at 4.5% body fat when I was determining how to get ready for the P90X2 Filming.  So it can definitely be worth looking into if your interested in getting another perspective.

Often we place to much emphasis on body weight.  When the scale doesn’t move we feel like we aren’t accomplishing our goals.  This isn’t necessarily the case.  What you should care more about is how well your clothes are fitting, and what is happening with your body fat %.  So instead of weighing yourself all the time, try using a body fat caliper and determining where you are at every 2-3 weeks.  Write it down, take your pics and monitor your progress.  I started at 16% body fat when I started P90X and finished at 8% on day 90.  I also went from 150lbs to 160lbs…if I wasn’t monitoring my body fat I might of thought I was doing something wrong.  I hope this gives you a better idea of how you can measure your body fat.

If you have any questions please feel free to comment!

Transform your body in 60 days with the most intense workout program ever put on DVD. Shaun T will push you past your limits to get the leanest, hardest body you’ve ever had.

My Insanity Review:

I wanted to write an Insanity review because of all the buzz it has been getting in the P90X community.  I have been doing P90X for over a year now and when Insanity first came out I was skeptical that it could deliver the same results.  As it turned out Insanity is one of, if not the toughest, workout ever put on dvd.

I got my first taste of Insanity when Beachbody sent me a preview disc with my latest One on One with Tony Horton video.  It was called Plyometic Cardio Circuit.  Thinking that it couldn’t be as difficult as Plyo X on P90X, I popped the dvd in the day I got it.  What followed was an ass kicking Insanity style.  Not only was I completely depleted when I finished but I immediately thought that it was tougher than the dreaded Plyo X.  Blasphemy, I know.

I had customers and coaches of mine try it as soon as it came out.  Every single one said it was the hardest workout they have ever tried.  Some couldn’t hang, but those that did got crazy results.  If you are looking to burn body fat and get cut up then this program could be for you.  The concept is high intensity interval training.  Going your hardest as long as you can.  But instead of taking long periods of rest, Insanity turns it on it’s head, and gives you long bursts of effort with short rest periods in between.  It’s mostly cardio based but has some great Core, balance and resistance moves.  The best part is, no weights or equipment is required.  All you need is a towel, lots of water, and the ability to push yourself to your limit.  What results is a 60 day program that gets you in peak physical shape.  If you can take the Insanity challenge and make it to the end than it is something to proud of.

During my first Insanity workout I burned 800 calories in 40 mins.  As you progress through you can easily burn 1000 calories in an hour.  Your not going to find that in any other program out there.  Insanity comes with a really nice looking dvd holder that fits easily in a book shelf.  They also give you an elite nutrition guide, and a calendar.  Both are essential for staying on track and getting the results your after.

I have to warn you though that Insanity is a high impact, no holds barred program.  If you have any issues with high heart rates, knee, joint or back pain, then you might want to try something else.  This program chews you up and spits you out.  But if you want a challenge there is nothing better.  INSANITY is an extreme and physically demanding workout. This is NOT for beginners or individuals with any medical condition that may be compromised by extreme cardio and strength exercise. Consult your physician and read the enclosed materials before beginning the program.

If you think you’re ready to take the Insanity Challenge, then click below to try it today!

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