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I’ve always been active but there was a time growing up, I was the short and chubby kid in school. As high school started, I grew out of it into a skinny twig. I felt uncomfortable with my stature...not feeling proportionate or built. I didn’t show great muscle tone either. I have enjoyed running and biking since high school, but never really enjoyed lifting weights. I owned a Bowflex but also never achieved the results that you see on tv…so in a nutshell I was disappointed and didn't know why I wasn’t getting the results I wanted.

A few things made me want to get into a healthier lifestyle….The main thing was to feel great about myself and gain my confidence back. My outward appearance needed some work. Second, I’ve noticed health issues in the family due to poor nutrition or lack of exercise so I want to choose a different path and lead a healthy and active lifestyle. I usually set the bar high for myself with all things but I put my foot down last year when I began this program and said enough is enough…let’s see some transformation and healthier living. It was my own personal challenge.

I decided to order the P90X program in May of 2008. I kept seeing the infomercials on tv and was really curious and impressed with what I was seeing. Normal people working out and understanding the concept of muscle confusion without plateau really brought my attention. Plus I was impressed with the physiques of the 'real' people on the program…That was really what I wanted to achieve. I made a decision to try it out and I’ve been loving it ever since. I am a believer as long as you follow the program and put in an honest effort every day, you will see change, and change for the good.

The major obstacles I faced when I started was being able to find the time to work out every day and keep my energy level up by the time I work out. My eating habits were bad and I worked 12-15 hour days with a new job. I’m not a morning person when it comes to exercise, but I got my workouts in after work in the evenings. My food pantry had so much junk food in it, I almost told myself I couldn’t do it when I saw the P90X nutrition guide! I basically had to throw everything away and start fresh…that’s really hard to do…especially get used to eating foods that you don’t eat much of. I had help and encouragement from a close friend who is a personal trainer about what to eat to shed the fat and understanding how to read nutrition labels. I started figuring out why I was never achieving the results I wanted…My nutrition was horrendous! I slowly started eating better and also saw the results happening quicker.

Comparing myself to how I looked then, I have developed better muscle tone in my arms, chest, stomach, and legs. I can see my abdominal muscles and my obliques starting to show. I can see the veins in my forearms and biceps starting to show and it’s really been good motivation. I can run without injury finally too. I’m not where I want to be yet…my lower abs still need more work and my arms and chest as well. I guess you can say I’m a perfectionist in a way. I’ve filled my cupboards with better nutrition foods and I’m eating better. I have more energy too and it’s great. My body is changing for the better and so is my attitude…I nickname myself Mattitude by the way because I feel like I take it up a notch when I workout and my attitude changes to a “yes I can do it!” Thank you P90X for transforming my life!