“I Graduated P90X Three Times and Lost a Total of 120 Pounds”

^†Results vary depending on starting point and effort. Bradley is an independent Beachbody Coach.

Meet Bradley J.! He participated in The Beachbody Challenge and won the $500 Daily Prize for November 3rd!

Tell us about your life before you started the program. How did you feel about yourself and your body?
As long as I can remember, I was always overweight. It only got worse as the years passed. Being obese became a lifestyle. I saw no future for me as a normal person, and I envied those around me who had flat, toned stomachs. For the longest time, I dreamt of having an actual neck and eyes that didn’t naturally squint on their own. I yearned to see my toes when I looked down. I desired so badly to see my belt buckle when I tucked in a shirt. I became discouraged and depressed buying 2-3x shirts and the very select style of pants/shorts with a waist size of 44. As time went on, I felt as though my size gradually increased. My metabolism seemed to halt. Regardless, I seemed to force myself to be content with who I was, but there were always feelings of sadness and depression because I knew it was almost entirely impossible for me to participate in physical activities. I would begin to sweat in a matter of minutes simply by jogging. I began to hate myself for having let my self-control escape and take a path of what seemed to be eternal obesity. The hard truth is that there was more than one time in which I honestly contemplated if life was worth living in this state of obesity and depression. There was one particular day in which I was so broken and swallowed up in depression I hurt myself. My inside was so upset with my outside that I lacerated it to ease feelings of hate and anger. Once I had done it, I fell to my knees sobbing, pleading to God for help. I didn’t want to live this way anymore. Life didn’t seem worth living if I had to be overweight and unhappy.

What inspired you to change your life and begin your transformation journey?
At this time, I gained control over my thoughts, and began to think in terms of the future. I yearned for change. I pleaded with myself to change and strive for a happy, physically active lifestyle. I began to take small steps to achieve this dream I had developed. I weighed myself to begin, and found it at exactly 315 lbs. It was time.

What is the greatest challenge you faced before beginning the program? How did the program and Beachbody® help you overcome that challenge?
For the next few months, I struggled. But, it helped me gain confidence that I could exercise and do these workouts with Tony Horton as my Coach. Excitement began to develop inside knowing I was gradually losing calories through this program. After about a month of Power 90, my weight was around 300 lbs. It had helped drastically so far! I had heard of another program by the same instructor called P90X. Although I don’t believe I technically graduated from Power 90, I felt as though I was ready to begin P90X. I remember specifically laying on the floor literally crying after the warm up which included various yoga positions. I was unable to do pushups and even exhausted myself after 3-5 of them on my knees. There were numerous times I wanted to give up and forget even trying to lose more weight. It was too hard, and it hurt. Even though I thought this way, I remember what Tony Horton continually said in all of his workouts: “Bring it.”

Describe the results you achieved with your Beachbody program. Which achievements are you proud of?
Time went on and I made changes in my life with what food I ate, and I became very strictly devoted to my workout schedule. Each week, I would weigh myself and smile as I gradually saw my weight decrease from 315 to 300, 290, 280, 270, 260, 250, 240, 230, 220, 210, 200 to my current weight of 195. In the span of a year, I graduated P90X officially three times and lost a total of 120 lbs. My shirt size became either medium or large with a waist of 32. I was thin, my belly had been diminished, and I found out I was “cute” and “attractive” for the first time. I was happy. My depression had sailed away.

How has your life changed since completing your Beachbody program?
To this day, I have been doing various P90X routines as well as other Beachbody programs to keep myself physically fit, mentally awake, and, most importantly, happy with who I am. I promise that with a decision to commit, you can succeed with this program. I love P90X and Beachbody for what they’ve created that has literally changed my life forever. Having lost all that weight and having experienced such a dramatic change in my life, I have taken it upon myself to pay it forward and help others who are struggling with obesity or other physical challenges. I am now a Coach for Beachbody, and it is my passion to help others change their lives. If you have found that you might be in a similar situation that I was, I promise you that there is hope. You can change if you want to. Make the decision. Commit to it. And bring it.

You can change your life, too. Take the Beachbody Challenge, for the ultimate motivation to get fit! Select any Beachbody program and once you complete it, share your results for your chance to win cash and prizes.