"Within 5 weeks I had begun seeing my six pack for the first time!"
Thomas's Progress
Before
5 Weeks
6 Weeks
6 Weeks
What has happened so far on the program?
To understand where I am today you have to know where I came from. At 45 I was 200 pounds and probably about 35% BF. I also have a nerve disorder called Charco Marie Tooth (CMT) that is degenerative and eats away at your leg muscles and hand strength. It often causes tremendous pain in the hands, legs and feet. I was told when I was 13 I would be using a cane by the time I was 40.
So at 45 I was at a point that I couldn’t walk 15 minutes at Disneyland with my family before I needed a wheel chair due to the pains I was having. At this point I decided to loose weight by reducing my calorie intake, using the MyFitnessPal app. I lost about 25 pounds without exercising but I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror.
So I began doing P90X faithfully for 18 month. Lost more weight (22 pounds [153]) and gained muscle definition but I still wasn’t happy with how I looked. Still no six pack and small muscles.
Although I was now able to run, power hike up mountain trails and out perform others half my age, all without any pain. Doctors told me I was the only CMT person they have known to reverse the effects of CMT. I then decided to try Body Beast to gain some size.
I did that for 9 months and saw some improvements but not significant and still no six pack. I worked hard at working out for 2 1/2 years, never cheating and never skipping a workout but I still could not achieve my personal goals, six pack and some good size.
I had about resigned to the fact that it must be my age (48) and genetic make up and that I will never be able to have what I want. This is when, somehow, I found Mike Matthews book, Bigger Leaner Stronger, the reviews were so good I thought I would try it. I told my family that I am going to give this one more shot at the six pack and if this doesn’t work I will give up on it.
I began cutting right away (17% BF) by following Mike’s formula: nutrition, supplements and workouts. Within 5 weeks I had begun seeing my six pack for the first time. By week 6 it was all coming together and I’m down to about 8-9% BF. I want to give a shout out to Yohimbine as one of the key’s to my success.
Mike was able to do in 5 to 6 weeks what other programs couldn’t do or explain to me in 2 1/2 years. What is also amazing about Mike is he did this for me without one exercise video and only spending $6.99 for a book and a great web site.
I can’t wait to see what will happen as I set new goals and follow Mike’s formula’s. I am also being featured in a CMT Athlete’s calendar and I’m going to be profiled as a CMT Athlete on their FB and web page soon. You can be sure I will be mentioning Mike in this profile.
What, if anything, almost kept you from buying the book or starting the program?
Because I had tried several programs and looked at many more, all having success stories, it was hard to know who to believe. Trying to figure out who wasn’t just trying to grab some of the billion dollar business bucks of health and exercise. I didn’t want to give my precious time and energy to another program that wasn’t going to give me the results I longed for.
Also because Mike Matthews wasn’t a name I ever heard of and didn’t have a big publisher, I didn’t know if I should trust him. But when I read all the genuine reviews of his book, not to mention the price was right, I thought I had not much to lose but a little more time. A hindrance to the program was that I only owned a pair of Bow flex dial tech dumbbells and a incline bench.
But after talking to Mike on his web site, he is awesome about getting back to you right away, he helped encourage me to go ahead with it. Now, due to the results, I bought a squat rack, bench, lat pull, olympic bar and weights (215#), all for $100 used).
What do you like most about the program?
What I like first about the program was that it was based on real science and explained by Mike in terms that I could understand. No more, do this because I just say so or because it worked for me (not mentioning the drugs their on as well).
Second was that Mike broke everything down into easy to understand and follow terms, from nutrition, to supplements, to exercises and rest.
Third, and most importantly, is the results that I’m getting. I look forward to each day’s workouts because I know that results will come with all the hard work, no more frustration like the other programs would leave me with.
How does this program compare with others you’ve tried?
I really don’t need to say much more on this subject other than I am really appreciative of what P90X did for me initially. The downfall for me with that program was that it caused me to overtrain and endure a shoulder pain that took almost a year to overcome (about 95% healed now) and I was never able to achieve my goals.
Mike’s program is superior to all others in every way. Keep up the good work Mike and always stay humble and passionate about what you are doing.
How has what you’ve achieved with your body changed other areas of your life?
Because of the success that I have achieved I feel so much more confident and satisfied, due to being able to achieve something I sought so hard to do and almost gave up on. I once again have my confidence back and that sense of being able to do most anything I set my mind to.
Also getting to know Mike through the book, podcast, web, and interaction through the forum and email has inspired me to attempt somethings in my life that I had only talked about but never really committed to.
I am inspired to write some books that I have been told I should write by friends and family, books that I have been procrastinating on for a long time. Just writing them will be my first goal and success. I’m also about to enter into a self employed industry that I feel I could be very successful at, I feel right now the confidence and the self discipline I have achieved in my health and fitness will spill over to all areas of my life. I have achieved what the masses only make feeble attempts at and fail. I’m ready to take the world on.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
One of the biggest things I have leaned from Mike is how important the right balance of macro nutrients is along with the necessary supplements, to getting real change. I have been eating “healthy” for the last 2 1/2 years but not getting the results I wanted.
It wasn’t until I read Bigger Leaner Stronger and read many of Mike’s articles that I understood the importance of the right formula for macro nutrients and supplements for each phase of the workout life: cutting, bulking, and maintenance. That, combined with heavy lifting and HIIT cardio, in just a short 5 weeks, I was able to achieve great success.
I told Mike I would be forever thankful if following him led to meeting my current goals, well I am forever thankful Mike. I am nowhere near done with my physique but I can’t wait to see my 6 month and 1 year goals met and report back to you all my success through BLS and eventually BBLS.
