Last night, Extreme Weight Loss fans cheered on Mike Epstein from Voorhees, New Jersey as he lost 220 lbs with the help of Chris and Heidi Powell, TV Celebrity Transformation Specialists and Vemma Bod•ē Spokespeople. Mike started the year at 417 lbs and by year’s end, he surpassed everybody’s expectations, breaking the record for the lowest-body-fat percentage of any contestant ever on the show.** “Since I’m pushing 50 years old, I was definitely concerned about how my body was going to react to such rigorous exercise requirements,” says Mike. “With Bod•ē Burn, I always had energy for my workouts. At night, I used Bod•ē Rest to give me the best sleep possible.”**
Getting healthy for the family
“My ‘Why’ of going on the show was always my family,” says Mike, a father of three who recently celebrated his 20th anniversary. ”It was always my desire to get in better health for my family and ultimately for myself.” In college, Mike was an avid athlete and adhered to strict eating and weight lifting routines for years, keeping health and fitness a priority until the death of his father when he was in his 20s. That proved to be the tipping point, and the weight started building from then on.
I tried every diet, conventional and unconventional, to achieve weight loss and keep it off,” says Mike. “I was the world’s best yo-yo dieter. I could lose weight, I could gain weight, but I could never keep it off. I could teach every diet that’s out there on the market. I think the difference this time and the reason that it’s going to stick is the way Chris and Heidi helped me approach it. It’s really about transforming your mind first, and then your body will follow. It’s really true about all aspects of life as well. Once you transform your mind, there isn’t anything that you can’t do. You just have to believe! And I did! Chris and Heidi gave me challenges that I never thought I could accomplish. But once I did, there wasn’t anything that I couldn’t do.”
Starting the program
Mike started his one-year weight loss journey on Extreme Weight Loss over 200 lbs overweight and was the first-ever contestant to fail the initial physical exam in California. But under Mike’s excess weight, Chris recognized an athlete at heart who had more than the usual motivation to get healthy. Chris chose Mike despite his medical condition (hardening of the arteries) and Mike rose to the challenge, exercising rigorously and doing an admirable job of sticking to the carb cycling program. “Working with Chris and Heidi Powell was an amazing experience,” says Mike. “They focused on the transformation, not just losing weight. They helped me believe that I can accomplish anything if I put my mind to it. When you see my episode, and you see me run a 5K or box 12 rounds with a professional boxer, you’ll understand that someone pushing 50 normally can’t do these things.”
Optimizing workouts with Bod•ē**
“With the requirements of losing so much weight in a short period of time, you need to be able to optimize your day,” Mike shares. “This includes getting the best workouts possible, getting optimal nutrition, getting as much rest as possible and keeping your mind in the right place at all times. Using Bod•ē Burn and Bod•ē Rest, I was able to accomplish all of these goals. I used Bod•ē Burn early in the day and late in the day to keep my energy up and keep my body filled with good protein and plenty of vitamins.** The key to my success was keeping my body burning fat at all times and keeping it rested as much as possible so that I would be ready for my next workout. With an awesome taste, the Chris Powell Bod•ē Shake is a great base for protein smoothies and all sorts of protein recipes.”
Record breaking results
Mike started out wearing 68-inch pants and whittled down to a lean 34-inch waist.** “I reached my goal weight and exceeded even my expectations,” says Mike. “Not only had I lost 220 pounds, but I got my body fat percentage down to 10 percent from a high of over 50 percent.** It was the lowest body fat percentage of any cast member in the show’s history. Not bad for a guy who was turning 50.” And as his body fat percentage tests show, the weight he lost was almost all fat. “In the nine months between taking body composition tests, I had only lost 3 pounds of lean mass and 125 pounds of fat mass.”**
Mike says that since his one-year transformation, he feels amazing. “I haven’t felt this way since I was half this age. I can’t wait to go to an amusement park with my kids and ride all the rides. Simple things like fitting into a restaurant or a chair with an armrest or a seat at a sporting event — even though most people don’t understand this, it’s a huge accomplishment for me. No more seatbelt extenders on an airplane, I’m not even afraid to sit in a window seat or even a middle seat in an airplane. I used to get on an airplane early just to make sure that I fit in the seat. Not anymore! ”
Setting new goals
After losing so much weight in such a short period of time, Mike decided his body wasn’t finished transforming. “At the end of the year with Extreme Weight Loss, I decided that I needed new goals to set for myself and a new transformation began. I gained approximately 25 pounds from my low of 196 and it was all good weight.** I used the Bod•ē Shakes to help build muscle onto my body, and I did pretty well.** Not only did I gain muscle, but I also lost fat — something you shouldn’t be able to do at 50 years old, so I was now proving everyone wrong. And I continue to set new goals for myself every day.”
Mike says his experience on the show with Chris and Heidi has been life changing for his family as well. “Not only have I transformed myself and my body, but each of my family members has benefited from this experience as well. They’ve learned new, healthier eating habits and incorporated more exercise into their daily lives. My wife got into better shape, my children got into better shape, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen them as happy as they are now. My oldest son is starting college this fall and I feel really confident that ‘the freshman 15′ won’t be creeping up on him.”
Looking back on the past year, Mike feels a great sense of accomplishment in achieving his goals. “Being a more active participant in my family’s activities is what I always wanted to accomplish,” he says. “Now I can do things physically that I couldn’t do with them before. I am now a participant, not a spectator.” He says he wants to pay this forward by helping other people realize that they can do anything they want to do once they put their minds to it. “My new life has given me so many opportunities and I thank Chris and Heidi Powell every day for this wonderful gift. I feel like I won the lottery! I truly do! Chris and Heidi and their wonderful kids are friends for life. They are a part of our family!”
*Results not typical, your results may vary. The success or failure of each individual is dependent on their own efforts. The Company has generally expected results which can be obtained by visiting http://VemmaToday.com
**Results not typical, you may not do as well. Two pilot studies conducted by Vemma showed that 55 participants who followed the Vemma Bod•ē Transformation Plan for 12 weeks using Vemma Bod•ē Burn, Bod•ē Rest and Bod•ē Cleanse, lost an average of 14.8 pounds. Not all participants will complete the plan, or accurately follow the directions and guidelines of the plan. Vemma Nutrition Company recommends you follow a healthy approach to weight loss by consulting with your physician or healthcare provider before starting any new exercise, diet plan, nutrition or supplementation program, particularly if you suffer from any medical condition or regularly use prescription or over-the-counter medications. The Vemma Bod•ē products as part of the Vemma Bod•ē Transformation Plan should be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and 10 minutes of daily exercise.
