Click on this audio link to listen as I break the news to Jeff Hansen, Winner of the 2010 Lean Body Challenge, that he has won! http://labrada.com/lbcwinner_NY2010.shtml
Congratulations to Jeff, who followed our Lean Body program to drop 30 pounds and 12% bodyfat in just 12 weeks and become our Grand Champion. Jeff will be flying down to Houston, Texas to work out with me in my Labrada Nutrition Gym, then will be jumping on a beautiful cruise ship to enjoy an all expenses paid Caribbean cruise for two to Cozumel, Mexico. Check out all the winners and learn about the Lean Body Challenge. You could be our next winner!

For almost everyone competing in this Challenge, the sand is pouring through the hourglass; the end is within reach! Some have already finished and have their comparison pictures. Finish the challenge and send them in!

I have both sets of my pictures and there is a nice improvement; however I am one of those people who look at the areas that still need work. When I look at my pictures, I don’t see the improvement as much as I see what still needs to be improved. If you are like me, my advice would be to show your before and after picture to another person; in my case, I have my wife to look them over.

Another set of eyes that are not your own are important and won’t be self-depreciating. They will look for and point out your improvements. Next –> SEND IN THE PICTURES. Quite a few times, I have helped guide people through this challenge, and they make nice physical improvements, yet for some reason, they can’t make the final decision to submit everything. I had a friend who even went so far as to type out their questionaire but still didn’t send it in!

If you are like me, know that while your 12 week challenge is complete, you still have more hills to overcome. I personally need to eliminate more bodyfat and I have set both short and medium term goals for myself that I will meet.

For both myself and my wife, the end of our challenge was only the end of twelve weeks. Nothing has changed, the meals are the same, the workouts have picked up in intensity, and our single cheat meal remains. WE have chosen to use the twelve week challenge as a springboad for continued success.

Don’t fall back into bad habits; celebrate your success for completing a tough challenge and set more goals for yourself!

Ok, I know I haven’t been updating this blog as much as I would have liked to; (and some of you have let me know about it….often) life gets crazy at times for all of us. I also have been struggling to come up with a topic that isn’t a rehash of the same information. I decided that since I have had a few challenges and set backs while competing in this Challenge, I would share some of them to let you know that things happen to all of us. (more…)

So you’ve been making great progress on your diet, when all of sudden… you stop. Your weight is not budging the scale to go down, your abs are not getting more clearly defined, and all of the happy moments of the prior weeks seem to be evaporating.

What to do? (more…)

You know the feeling, it’s late at night and you are driving home. You had a nice day at work and the radio is blaring just the perfect mix of music. Out of the corner of your eye, you spot it…suddenly the deer darts in front of your car…as your mind races, your heart starts pumping through your chest! In a split second you swerve to avoid the collision.
Most drivers education classes teach the concept of defensive driving. You drive your car in a manner where you are prepared for something to happen out of the ordinary. (more…)

Here are some common issues people could be having. My wife and I have had some of them, so I am going to post how we overcame some temporary obstacles.

Diet: First I have heard from several people that they are getting tired of eating the same thing over and over. I can tell you when I first tried the challenge, I was eating chicken, broccoli, and a half a baked potato for almost every meal. (more…)

I was working and having a difficult time. For some reason, my pants wouldn’t stay where they were supposed to. I “hitched them up,” only to find that a few minutes later, they had slipped back into their original position. Since I was at work, my thoughts were not really on my clothing, and I continued to play a game where I would pull my pants up and they would fall back down.

After doing this for awhile, I took a break and walked back to the bathroom. Had I grabbed a pair of pants that were too large? Was some small gnome pulling my pants down as a joke? Had I forgotten to wear my belt today? My belt?!?! Maybe that was the answer, I grabbed the belt and tightened it to the next hole. Surely, that was the issue. Nope, pants were still too loose. I grabbed my belt and tightened it to the SECOND hole. AHA! Success and SUCCESS!!!

Three weeks in and down two belt sizes! I fist pumped the mirror and went back to work in a significantly better mood. No longer plagued by the thought of that gnome…

Take a moment a recognize a personal success no matter how small it may appear!

I am in my second week of the challenge and wanted to post some notes to help other contestants. The thoughts that I provide are just nuggets of knowledge that I have gained while competing in this challenge…. (more…)

Four days. Four days until the deadline. Registration is still being accepted up to January 11th. If you have already made your New Year’s Resolution and are determined that this is the year that you are going to: lose your love handles, pack on some muscle, get in great shape, or just improve your health; this is the challenge for you!

Most people make New Year’s Resolutions and are unable to stick with it. This year, be different. This year make those wishes a reality. Take the challenge, follow the program, FINISH A RESOLUTION!!

A few weeks ago I watched a popular weight loss show that runs on TV. I was especially interested in this particular episode because it was going to chronicle past contestants and show “where they are now.” Towards the end of the show, they interviewed a former winner who had put most of his weight back on.

He talked about how he had been caught in a downward spiral and the weight kept creeping on. The man was visibly shaken and embarassed because of the weight gain. The next day, on some popular “social” websites, I read different opinions on how he could let that happen. I heard comments about him in the gym and at work.

I know how it happened. I know what was going on in his head. I know the feeling. It was happening to me.

A few years ago, I was a morbidly obese 300+ pounder who ate subs, fries, chips, and cheese sticks. I was given a wake-call during a routine physical from my doctor and proceeded to lose near fifty pounds by crash dieting.

Over the summer, Lee Labrada appeared at a work conference and made the announcement that he was going to introduce a special Lean Body Challenge that applied only to us. I sat up, took notice and informed everyone that I was going to win it. Once the challenge kicked off, I was focused; I didn’t do everything correctly, but in the end, I emerged as the champion.

That should have been the end of the story…..

I have had my share of life stress during that time: we had another baby, I had a few health issues, we bought a house etc. Because I didn’t learn the correct ways to eat, (I ate the same foods over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and……..) I eventually fizzled out.

This is my notice that I am back! Registeration is completed, workout plans are organized, and most importantly, my MEALS are organized CORRECTLY. I am here to help others; at work there are some who have joined this challenge and I am going to support their efforts as best I can.

This time, this challenge, I will correct the many things that went wrong and move forward.
Here I go again…….