Here are the Fall 2005 Winners!
Congratulations to all of the Fall 2005 Lean Body ChallengeT
competitors! Your dedication and determination to finish the Challenge
has helped each of you make unique and dramatic body and lifestyle
transformations. Whether you placed or not - you're all truly winners!
Your added confidence is inspiring and infectious - and we intend to
share your stories in the next few months. Keep
an eye out in upcoming Coaching Club newsletters to learn more about
these amazing individuals. For now, it is my great pleasure to
introduce to The Grand Champion for the Fall 2005 Lean Body Challenge: Michelle Heibert, of Niverville Manitoba, Canada! 
In just 12 weeks, Michelle lost 17 pounds and 8% body fat. Here's what she had to say about her experiece: "I'm
so proud of myself! I made a plan and stuck with it. The more organized
I was, the easier it was to stay focused. I also noticed that the
leaner I got the more motivated I was to go to the gym. I've always
heard that women who lift weights get big and bulky, so as a result,
they end up losing their feminine shape. But after completing the Lean
Body Challenge, I have more feminine curves than I have ever had
before. This routine has now become a way of life. It has not only
affected my life, but also those around me. My family and I have really
appreciated the recipes that came with the Labrada tips. Thanks to the
Challenge, I have a new level of confidence." |
Congratulations, Michelle! Here are the rest of this year's winners, listed by division. |
Most Inspirational Once
in awhile, a special Lean Body Challenge candidate comes along that we
feel has overcome amazing obstacles and made such positive strides in
their life that they get our Most Inspirational award. We reserve this
category for just a few candidates and it is a special award to us.
This time around we had a Lean Body Challenge candidate who truly moved
and inspired all of us. Here is Paul Adams in his own words. Paul Adams
Most Inspirational
Spring, TX |  | | Paul lost 10 pounds and 6% body fat on the Lean Body Challenge program. |
"I
have never felt better in my life, not only with the way I look, but
with my irritable stomach, [the Challenge] has balanced me out and
given me a new life from so many different aspects. Going to the gym
and lifting weights was, is and always will be a major stress reliever
from all of life's troubles, problems and the many long, hard sleepless
nights that I spend at work. It has helped me to be able to refocus my
direction and work toward new goals, not only for my physical
condition, but my overall mental well-being - all this thanks to you
and your Challenge. You not only helped me to succeed with my goal, you
helped my whole family succeed in our goals by all of us taking part in
this Challenge as a family. A long story short, I was involved in an
ambulance accident in 1997 that took the life of my patient and my
partner. Two years following the accident I almost took my life, but
thanks to Jesus, my family and the introduction to a gym, I began my
long journey of learning how to live again and accept what lay before
me. Your Challenge helped me to finally overcome and excel in achieving
my goals. The
hardest part for me during this Challenge was trying to balance the
meals and meal frequency with my job as a paramedic and my crazy
24-hour shifts. It is extremely hard to maintain this when you go to
work at 7:00 and may never see the station for another 16+ hours, and
trying to eat the proper foods to achieve my cuts, but to maintain
enough mental and physical energy to make life-threatening decisions in
an instant for my patients. The toughest part of it was coming home
from work after being up at least 30 hours and going to the gym and
having the mental function/focus to work out, but after about 15
minutes in the gym I would catch my second wind and there was no
stopping me. There are not enough words to say how much I thank you for
allowing me to partake in such a wonderful experience." |
30 - 39 Division Jason Harakal
2nd Place
Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada |  | | Jason lost 12.5 pounds and more than 3 inches in the waist on the Lean Body Challenge program. |
| "At
the start of the 12-week program I weighed 172 pounds and had a 32-inch
waist. I found that at the beginning I could not finish an upper body
workout of chest, shoulders, and triceps in one session due to
exhaustion and lack of conditioning. By the end of the 3rd week I had
dropped 2.5 pounds and one inch off my waist and was now able to finish
my cardio workouts in one session versus splitting them into two or
playing catch-up with body parts. During the next 6 weeks my wife
started to really notice the changes in my body and realized how
dedicated I was to finishing this program, as she had seen my previous
"attempts" at getting in shape. What amazed me was how quickly I went
from being barely able to finish a 20-minute session on the elliptical
trainer to having to increase the intensity to reach my heartbeat
target. I haven't been this fit and in shape ever. My size 30s are back
on with room to breathe!" |
Lawrence Magana
3rd Place
Chicago, IL |  | | Lawrence lost 35 pounds and 10% body fat on the Lean Body Challenge program. |
| "All
of my clothes fit so much better. It feels like I have a whole new
wardrobe because I could not fit into half of them before. I actually
had to go out and buy a new belt, and a smaller one at that, because my
pants were falling off my waist. My strength and cardio are much
better. I feel better, sleep better and look better. I am much more
knowledgeable on health and fitness. All of these things together, plus
the compliments and questions that I get about how I did it make me
feel great. I can't tell you how happy I am that I participated and
finished this Challenge. Oh yeah, the tuxedo that I wore at my wedding
fits great! My compliments, my success, the way I look and feel - those
are all my real prizes." |
40 - 49 Division Kevin Mitchell
1st Place
Downingtown, PA |  | | Kevin lost 25 pounds and 7% body fat on the Lean Body Challenge program. |
| (Prior
to signing up for the Lean Body Challenge, Kevin had a major arm injury
requiring surgery after a complete tear of his distal biceps tendon.) "When
I began the Lean Body Challenge, I could barely curl 5 pounds for 10
repetitions with my right arm. Most every upper body exercise required
me to use extremely light weights because of the injury and how weak I
had become. In the beginning, I felt I'd never make a difference in my
physique because I was not able to handle enough weight to challenge
the muscles. But I did the exercises as Lee outlined, and workout after
workout, I'd increase my weights a little. And then it happened!
Instead of just moving weights, I was actually feeling muscles
contract. Now the right arm that struggled to curl 5 pounds, can curl
50 pounds. How exciting! That's in 12 week's time! And that's just the
beginning! Thank you Lee for helping in my recovery." |
Stacey Mitchell
2nd Place
Downingtown, PA |  | | Stacey lost 10 pounds and 4% body fat on the Lean Body Challenge program. |
| "My
husband was injured in April. We are both self-employed massage
therapists, and due to the nature of his injury, he was physically
unable to work, and also to tend to his basic needs like showering,
dressing, cutting his food, etc, for over 3 months. Needless to say,
our lives turned upside down. Trying to maintain the business and the
home and be my husband's caregiver has taken its toll. The effects of
the enormous amount of stress showed up as exhaustion, a racing heart
rate and sleepless nights. The heart palpitations that I was
experiencing before the Challenge have ceased! My blood pressure was
102/60 at my last exam, and my weight has dropped 10 pounds. My body
feels hard now! If I touch my quad or my delt, I feel a nice hard
muscle instead of soft mushiness. I've increased my cardiovascular
output too! I have more endurance and energy. I feel that my heart is
so much healthier now." |
Scott Wertenan
3rd Place
Spring, TX |  | | Scott lost 40 pounds on the Lean Body Challenge program. |
| "I
am on blood pressure medication and after 7-8 weeks (during the
challenge), noticed that my blood pressure was getting too low. After a
visit to my doctor, my blood pressure medication was reduced. Even
though hypertension runs in my family I am still hopeful that
continuing this lifestyle will enable me to be taken off the medication
completely. Physical successes include getting stronger. Emotional
success includes the recognition and praise from my family, friends and
co-workers who noticed that I have lost weight and encouraged me to
keep up the good work. . I have successfully made the healthier
lifestyle change. I have not only succeeded in losing the weight that I
had hoped to lose, but have improved my health as well, cutting my
blood pressure medication in half. My attitude in life in general is
more positive. I'm looking forward to next summer's family trip to the
beach. I plan to incorporate more of my healthy food choices into our
family diet so that my children will begin to learn better eating
habits. I also intend to spread the word as I have been doing in the
later weeks about the type of program I am doing and the fact that it
is not just a 12-week Challenge, but also a Lifetime Challenge."
|
50+ Division Terel Humphrey
1st Place
Spring, TX |  | | Terel lost 24 pounds and 13% body fat on the Lean Body Challenge program. |
| "I
dropped 4 inches from my waist, 1 inch from my neck and a total of 23.6
pounds. My blood pressure improved from 168/110 to 132/90. My emotional
improvement centered on my increased self confidence, I am much more
positive about life, my family and my career! The relationship with my
wife of 20 years has never been better. I feel so much younger and have
so much more energy that it ought to be against the law! I've become a
true disciple of what this Challenge represents and what Labrada
Nutrition is all about. I've learned how to eat much healthier, using
excellent Labrada products to help me achieve weight loss and better
health. I will continue to improve my body with exercise and proper
eating for the rest of my life. This experience has changed my life for
the better, and I can't express how much I appreciate this contest,
which added a little additional incentive during those times of
struggle and doubt." |
Michael Harris
2nd Place
Okemos, MI |  | | Michael lost 4% body fat on the Lean Body Challenge program. |
| "I
not only built bigger traps and shoulders, I put on half an inch on
each arm and gained an inch in the chest and almost an inch in the
neck. Can you say new wardrobe? None of my old shirts will button
anymore! I'm almost 60 years old - an age when most men are pushing
around pot bellies and riding golf carts! I'm pushing around weights in
my gym and I'm bigger, stronger and leaner than ever - and it shows.
Gaining mass the hard way is pretty simple, but I put on 8 pounds of
muscle at an age when just keeping it is hard work!" |
To learn more about the Lean Body Challenge, click here.
|
|