Then I looked back to the last time she was pregnant and remembered the additional 30 pounds that I had put on—and kept on. There was no way that I was going through that again. My pant size was already increasing as it was.

In addition, there were all the excuses that I could formulate for not getting with the program: too busy, past injuries, feeling silly at the gym. These were only a few of the phrases that I had been using to avoid doing any exercise.

I also recalled all the past injuries that I had had, and I was worried about interfering in my recovery from them. Shoulder surgery a couple of years earlier. Broken ribs last year along with a severe head injury. Foot surgery--more than several years ago. All more excuses!

Then it happened. My physical. After the doctor weighed me, he gave me the lecture: “If you want to be around to play with your sons, you need to lose at least 20 pounds—and quickly.” A couple of weeks later, one of our good friends had a heart attack. And I knew that maybe this was the time to get going with a program.

Luckily for me, I had purchased Protrack a couple of years earlier and decided to see if there was an update. That’s when I came across the Global Health & Fitness (GHF) web site. I filled in the survey and signed up for the newsletter. After receiving the first newsletter, I decided to join.

The first place I went was GHF's Members Only Chat Room. That’s where I met Chad. I gave him all the reasons why I couldn't find time to work out. He told me what I could be doing and encouraged me to enter GHF's fitness contest.

Well, the light went on in my head after taking the Before pictures. I was totally disgusted by the way I looked. I knew then that I would need to work really hard to get any improvement. I started off slow (really slow), but once there were signs that improvements were happening, I decided to try just a little bit harder. Funny thing: there were even more improvements. Was it possible that I could now start making some life changes and enjoy this exercise thing?

Well, it happened. After several months on the program, I started to see some real gains. Then one of my old excuses became a reality: the impingement on my shoulder started to act up and stopped me from working my upper body. Chad and his sports med experts sent me information on how to work the shoulder, and after about a month of slow rehab, I was able to start lifting again.

What made things really worthwhile was when my 5-year-old son asked, “Daddy, where has your fat belly gone?” That's when I realized that the changes were now becoming noticeable to other people.

I needed more so I changed gyms and started working out with a former body-builder. I noticed vast improvements, just from using the correct form on some of the exercises. Also he took a look at my diet and helped me reconstruct it. What's more, he followed up with me daily to make sure that I was sticking to it. No more Wendy's for lunch, wave goodbye to Burger King, say adios to McDonalds, who needs shares in Coke. Hello to canned chicken, egg whites, water, and more water.

The final week arrived in the competition. Oh, what a difference! More energy and vigor. Bursting with enthusiasm! Oh, not to mention the 38 pounds of fat that I lost, the 29-inch waist that had started at a tight 36 (cough). Legs that I get comments on from all the trainers at the gym and the girls (don't tell my wife). Did I mention my abs?  I now look better with my shirt off than on when I’m at the beach. Arms where flab was. A chest that you can see dance in the mirror. I no longer seem to get lower back pain from sitting for hours.

None of these results would have been possible without the encouragement and guidance of Chad and his staff—and my loving wife Julie. When I started, I never thought it was possible to transform your body so radically and still feel good. Chad kept me on the path through the weekly emails, personal consulting, and the Thursday online chats. Taking photos every few weeks also helped me to see the improvements that weren’t always noticeable in the mirror. Thanks, Chad and GHF!”

Gary Sarchet garysarchet@hotmail.com
GHF’s First Place Contest Winner, 2000
Bellevue, WA

We're also very pleased to announce our second place winner, and recipient of $1,500 worth of fitness equipment, Brent Van Pelt. He also made incredible changes in his appearance, fitness level, and overall health. Following the GHF program, Brent lost almost 8% bodyfat and added more than 90 pounds to both the bench press and squats exercises! At the age of 42, Brent now looks absolutely phenomenal! See for yourself; his Before and After photos and essay are below…

“You can say you build a relationship with your body just as you build a relationship with a partner. No matter what planet you are from (Mars/Venus), your health and fitness goals should be a priority in your life.

Listed below are 12 primary factors that men and women need in a relationship. Let’s take the same factors and use these toward how I treat my relationship with health and fitness. 

 1.       Caring
Changing your attitude and starting to care about yourself is the first big step. Take concern for your well-being and change your lifestyle for the better.

2.       Understanding
Take the time to understand consistent exercise and good nutrition and how you can benefit from it. Educate yourself with Global-Fitness.com and their professional staff, not a steroid magazine or a “towel-folding” personal trainer at your local gym.

3.       Respect
Earn others’ respect with your consistent devotion and commitment to your training, and respect others who have done the same.

4.       Devotion
Devote the time necessary to be successful with your fitness and nutrition program. Make time and don’t make excuses that you don’t have any. Set goals and stick to them.

5.       Validation
You have the right to feel great and eat healthy. Stay away from negative people with poor health habits; partner up with someone who has the same goals. There is nothing wrong in going to a party and eating vegetables and drinking water. Don’t feel you have to validate your fitness goals and lifestyle.

 6.       Reassurance
Global-Fitness.com is there for you and they care! They are there for you 24 hours a day with any help you could ask for. I personally want to thank Chad and Steven for being there for every question and referral. Where else can you get the personal touch and professional help 24 hours a day all year?

 7.       Trust
Trust in yourself. Do the best you can do and you will be rewarded. Remember consistency is the main key and you will see improvements. You will develop a healthier lifestyle that will change your attitude, motivation and focus toward everything you do. 

 8.       Acceptance
Find a workout partner with a positive, accepting attitude that affirms both your fitness and nutrition goals. Remember, stay positive and be around positive people with the same attitudes and desires. 

 9.       Appreciation
Appreciation is the natural reaction to being supported. Give encouragement to others during their workouts and support them as they try to reach their goals. Hopefully you will run into people who will do the same as you continue on with your own goals.

 10.    Admiration
Consistent exercise, good nutrition and finally reaching your health and fitness goals is admirable. Your workouts and devoted nutrition habits have paid off and you are now feeling the best feeling, and it’s about you. Admire yourself and the goals you tackled; reach for the stars and keep going.

 11.    Approval
You don’t need anyone’s approval but your own. Get out there and set those goals; build your self-esteem and join that positive group or partner. Global-Fitness.com and their qualified staff are there for you. They will approve of your commitment to a healthier you and be with you all the way.

12.    Encouragement
Encourage those around you so that they too can better themselves physically and emotionally with a committed fitness and nutrition plan while focusing on their goals. As you encourage others, they will in turn encourage you and create a positive atmosphere. 

Good Intentions Are Not Enough
I would like to remind everyone that just showing up at the gym and going through the motions of what you think is a good workout is not enough. Get with a personal trainer or experienced workout partner to go over your workout and nutritional plan from www.global-fitness.com; then use it wisely. You will be rewarded with better health, physical appearance, an emotional lift, and you will feel so much better. 

I can’t explain or put into words how much better I feel about myself and everything around me since I’ve reached my goals in fitness and nutrition. This 12 week contest gave me the drive to enter the Oregon Natural Drug-Free Bodybuilding contest on September 16, 2000, just after my 12 week program. I’m in the best shape of my life at 42 and look and feel 32. (Ok, if I had a little more hair, I would.) Thank you, Global Health & Fitness for the opportunity, personal guidance, and motivation you gave me.”

Brent Van Pelt brent@velocitus.net
GHF's Second Place Contest Winner, 2000
Boise, Idaho

Congratulations Gary and Brent, you're an inspiration to us all! We're very proud to have you both as GHF members; it's been a real pleasure helping you achieve your fitness goals. Gary, we really enjoyed celebrating with you and your wife in the Caribbean on our first place cruise! And Brent, enjoy your $1500 worth of fitness equipment from BodyTrends.com. 

And if you’d like to take a look at Tami Sandmeyer’s Before and After photos and essay (our 1999 first place winner), please click here. GHF members, we really hope this provides the motivation and inspiration for you to know that you too can make amazing improvements in how you look, feel, and perform. And click here to check out photos from our 1999 First Place Caribbean Cruise with Tami and her husband, Steve. If you're ready to make a change, we'd love the opportunity to personally help you reach your full potential.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln, "You can have anything you want-if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose." Ready to take the challenge? Click here to get started.