So… here is my story. Just a normal guy really with so much in common with many of those reading this post. Growing up I was considered a hardgainer forcing myself to eat multiple times a day just to maintain my weight… I was 100 pounds in my senior year of high school! Yeah, I was scrawny. I was then recruited to play sports in college and continued the hardgainer lifestyle from intense training year-round. That was until I tore the ACL in my knee during a game, requiring patella tendon reconstructive surgery. My once active lifestyle slowed considerably while I was confined to a bed for essentially one month after the surgery with light rehab. Of course my metabolism slowed as a result and I lost muscle definition and gained a significant amount of weight. Fast forward to graduate school several years later where I was studying to get my Ph.D. in Engineering… so much studying in fact that I continued to put on weight. School was stressful. I tried to become more active by playing sports in the university recreational program, however, my efforts led to another ACL tear, this time in my “good” knee. I also had another cartilage / meniscus tear in my previous bad knee. I attributed all of this to being in poor shape. FRUSTRATED, I GAVE UP…
The good news is that I finished my Ph.D., found a good job out of school and met my wife in the process. I was overweight but had a promising future. My new job required significant travel though. Exercise and good nutrition were not much of a consideration anymore. Once we purchased our first home my free time was non-existent. And of course my knees and lower back were in constant pain.
I suppose I owe this transformation to my wife… she had always wanted to run a marathon and, as such, signed up and started to train. I was proud of her. We were out of town one morning in Arizona for a friend’s wedding and she went for a 7-mile run at high elevation while I stayed in bed and watched TV on a beautiful Saturday morning. I wanted to do something to improve my lifestyle but didn’t know what. I certainly was not going to run a marathon with my bad knees… AND THEN HERE COMES THE P90X INFOMERCIAL! I think we all remember the day we first saw the P90X infomercial. Too good to be true, right? Well I did a lot of research and concluded that this program was NO JOKE and requires actual hard work to bring success. Exactly what I needed.
Fast forward to today… Multiple rounds of Beachbody® programs later and I am in the best shape of my life. Yeah, it’s hard, but the results will follow. The BEFORE picture above was taken at the Grand Canyon on the day I decided to commit to P90X. I was good at hiding the weight. I lost 20 pounds, 16% body fat and 7″ inches off my waist in my first round alone. I am much stronger and no longer have pain in my knees. P90X has strengthened the muscles surrounding my repaired ACL ligaments and provided much needed stability to the joints to function properly (Plyometrics anyone?). I have committed to, at the very least, a new round each new year.
This is my story, and I thank Beachbody® for the experience. Join me as I continue the journey!
BRING IT!!
Mike Nowak, Ph.D. (Rage9498)
P90X Qualified Premiere 5 Star Diamond Beachbody Coach
I am a Active 5-Star Diamond Independent Team Beachbody coach and have been using Beachbody products for the past five years, most notably P90X and INSANITY. P90X brought the structure and discipline that I needed as an Engineer to achieve an EXTREME level of fitness in a two-phase approach; lean out and then bulk up while maintaining low body fat percentage. I can help with both!! I have completed numerous hybrid rounds with multiple programs (check the HYBRIDS section of my website). I travel frequently so I can provide recommendations for BRINGING IT on the road. I am also the PROUD father of my young son and daughter and have learned to maintain a healthy lifestyle as a busy parent. Ask for tips! I founded TEAM RAGE on the message boards with 5000+ members. JOIN THE RAGE REVOLUTION!
You could change your life too, just the way I did. Here’s how to get started:
1) Become my Client, free, by signing up to “JOIN TEAM BEACHBODY” at www.teambeachbody.com/rage94982. (Make sure you see this confirmation sentence on the next page: “Rage94982 will be your Team Beachbody Coach!”) .
2) Pick the Fitness Product that is right for your goals and lifestyle.
3) Work on your diet. Basically, eat sensibly and healthy. I can help get you dialed in for max results.
4) Choose the best supplements to help achieve your goals and overall health.
5) Let me work with you to help guide you along your fitness journey. I’d be honored to be your coach and help you achieve your goals!
I have a STRONG and GROWING group of TEAM RAGE coaches… if you are interested in joining the coach Team, and / OR receiving 25% discount on BB products as a preferred customer, go to www.teambeachbody.com/rage94982 then click “BE A COACH!” … NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE, LET’S DO THIS! Active military members coach fees are waived!
Pictures of me with Tony Horton (P90X), Shaun T (Insanity) , Brett Hoebel (RevAbs and Biggest Loser) and Carl Daikeler (Beachbody CEO) from the 2011 Beachbody Coach Summit in Los Angeles. BRING IT!!
Me and Shaun T AFTER the INSANITY Master’s Class in Minneapolis, Minnesota 9.22.2011..
Me and Sagi Kalev from BODY BEAST at the Team Beachbody Coach Summit 2012 in Las Vegas!
Me and the LES MILLS PUMP trainers at Summit 2012
My wife and I with Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler after the Team Beachbody SuperWorkout in Las Vegas.
(She was 5 months pregnant in the picture and Carl said, “Oh my God, BE CAREFUL!”
With Tony Horton and Shaun T at the Coach Summit in Las Vegas 2012!
With Les Mills Combat Trainer Dan at Team Beachbody Coach Leadership Summit 2012!
With Tony Horton at the Mud Games in Minnesota after the 3.1-mile mud obstacle race… Tony said, “So THAT is what it looks like!”
With Body Beast Sagi Kalev at the Team Beachbody Coach Summit 2013! He liked the back of my TEAM RAGE shirt, “Rage. Become a Machine.”
With new Beachbody Trainer Autumn Calabrese at the Success Club Leadership Retreat in Dana Point, California! Autumn’s new program 21 DAY FIX is released February 2014!
Pictures from the expenses paid S.S. Beachbody chartered cruise to Cozumel and Cayman Islands in March 2014!
Pictures from the 2014 Team Beachbody Coach Summit in Las Vegas!!
Pictures from Coach Summit 2015 in Nashville, TN !!
With Carl Daikeler Beachbody CEO and 1,000+ in Minneapolis, Minnesota April 2017!!
With new Beachbody Super Trainer Chris Downing at the 2017 Team Beachbody Success Club Trip in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic including the first Shift Shop workouts (see pic with 1400+ after the first EVER workout… I am just to the left of Chris)!!
With Carl Daikeler at the 2017 Success Club Trip in Punta Cana!
Working “Securi-T” as a Beachbody Guard at the Team Beachbody Super Saturday September 2017 with the one-and-only Shaun T! 3 hours with this man was inspirational and I will never forget the experience. What a caring, thoughtful and motivational dude. Check out his new book!
What can I say. I was honored to get the opportunity to spend the day with Tony Horton as part of his security “Beachbody Guards” for the Super Saturday event in Minnesota. I have met Tony many times over the past decade at events and live workouts. He is one amazing person. Tony’s P90X program changed my life 10 years ago and I haven’t looked back since thanks to his motivation on the importance for this lifestyle. I have since payed it forward helping thousands do the same around the World. Tony has recently been overcoming some serious health challenges in his life, and it was great to see him come out and support us as he continues to recover. He looked great and inspiring as ever, thanks Tony!!
Hanging out with Beachbody Super Trainers @thechrisdowning @autumncalabrese @joelfreemanfitness at the Success Club rewards trip in Riviera Maya!! Such amazing and inspirational friends, honored to be helping others together around the World with health and fitness! 💪💯🔥
Hanging out at the exclusive Leadership party with Tony Horton, Autumn Calabrese, Joel Freeman, Megan Davies and Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler at the annual Coach Summit 2018 in Indianapolis!!
