*2010 911 Ultimate Transformation Challenge Champions*

Compiled by Real Solutions Editors

What inspires you to build your best body? If you're like many people, it's people who have already transformed their bodies before you…

There's just something about seeing before and after pictures and hearing stories about people who have accomplished great things that's so inspiring. Even after you've already accomplished your own transformation, reading about someone who's just recently experienced their own can provide the spark you need to reach an even higher level.

That's why, every year, iSatori and Real Solutions join together to sponsor the 911 Ultimate Transformation Challenge. We're proud to offer our support to the civil servants here in our local Colorado community. And each year, we're inspired by the transformations—in body, mind, and attitude.

We're sure you'll see why as you examine these amazing before and after photos and read through the inspirational essays this year's Champions submitted.

So let's get right to it and hear what our 2010 Champions had to say...

Marty Vanover Lost 45 ˝ Pounds, 12.6% Bodyfat, and almost 10 Inches Off His Waist, While Giving Up a 2-Pack-a-Day Smoking Habit!

Sgt. Marty Vanover
Denver Police Department
District 4

What inspired you to enter the 911 Ultimate Transformation Challenge?

My initial motivation for joining the contest at first was quite simple. I was a smoker for the past 22 years, typically smoking between two and three packs of cigarettes a day. I had recently turned 47 years old and realized the lifestyle I was living, which included a poor diet, no exercise, and chain smoking, was leading me on a rapid path to physical destruction. I had just come to a time in my life when I knew the poor physical condition I was in, combined with the cigarettes, was killing me slowly and worse yet, affecting my officer safety and job performance in an adverse manner.

There were times I would go on calls as a police officer and respond to a third floor apartment, and I would have to wait a minute or so before I knocked on the person's door because I was simply too out of breath from walking up three flights of stairs. I knew I would never be able to run after any criminals I encountered no matter what crime they committed because if I did catch them, I was too out of shape to safely take them into custody without being injured or, worse, killed.

Because of my poor health and physical condition, my life up to the beginning of the challenge was nothing more than a "train wreck" waiting to happen. In my heart I really wanted to quit smoking without gaining any more weight because I was already tipping the scales at 255 pounds with a size 42 waist.

As a police officer, I was ashamed of these facts, but up until this point, I never took the initiative to do anything about it. I was complacent. Then one day I was walking through the police station when I saw the poster for the iSatori 911 Ultimate Transformation Challenge. I immediately became interested and looked at the iSatori website for more information. I was amazed at the photo results former contestants had achieved when they competed in the previous challenges. The pictures of these former contestants was astonishing—the results they achieved were almost unbelievable.

Well, believable or not, I knew this was my ticket to quit smoking, so my initial thought was I would join the contest and hopefully just not get any heavier while I attempted to quit smoking for the 100th time in my life.

That is when something very strange and exciting happened in my life... something I will never be able to repay your company for… something it seems I could never do on my own. I joined your contest, completed the weigh in and photograph session, and decided I would give the contest an honest effort without cheating on exercise or diet.

After reading the materials on diet and exercise that were given to me at the initial weigh in, I began to eat totally clean, use the iSatori supplements, work out four days a week, and attempt to jog everyday. Although in the beginning I could only run for about 60 seconds before I was completely winded, I kept going and found I was able to run a little further every day. I never gave up, and every day the routine became a little easier until I found myself easily running five miles a day six days a week, lifting weights four days a week, and staying on an extremely clean diet consisting of balanced carbs, fats, and proteins without ever using a "cheat meal."

The results I was able to achieve using your products and information changed my life for the better forever. I will never go back to eating poorly, getting out of shape mentally or physically, and I will never quit running or working out. But the most exciting news is that I have kicked the habit of smoking, and I know I was able to do it because of the confidence and internal strength I gained while competing in the challenge, and achieving the results I did while exercising and dieting. I never worked out or jogged in my life because I did not think I liked it and therefore always made excuses like, "Why do I want to jog, I don't plan on running from anyone," or "I don't need to lift weights, that's why I have all these young muscular patrolmen working for me. They'll bring the crooks back to me."

Well, guess what—after eating well, working out, and jogging every day, I discovered I love to jog, and I really enjoy working out. Eating clean is not a challenge. It's simply a great way of life. The supplements sold by your company taste good and help develop muscle rapidly. Now I have a whole new outlook on my life and my job. When I am on the streets of Denver patrolling, I never worry about having to be involved in a foot chase or having to physically arrest a combative suspect because your transformation challenge showed me how to get in the best shape of my life, which in turn helps me do the job of a police officer with greater safety. Thank you, members of the iSatori Challenge Team!

What obstacles, if any, did you have to overcome to achieve your new, improved physique and complete the challenge?

There were basically three obstacles I encountered and overcame to complete the challenge and improve my physical appearance 110%.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with a femur bone that had began to die because of a previous skiing accident. The dead bone was spreading at a fairly rapid pace from the knee joint upward because of a lack of blood flow to the bone. The doctors warned me that in a matter of time this bone would crush under the weight of my body, and I would lose the use of my leg unless a cadaver replacement bone was located and surgically implanted to replace the bad femur.

In February 2008, the correct size cadaver femur bone was located, and the surgery was completed. It seemed it was just in the nick of time as I had been limping and was in great pain for the past two months prior to the surgery. The first two months after surgery I was in the bed with my leg in a machine that exercised it continually. After two months, I was instructed to stay in bed and off my feet as much as possible for the next five months with no weight being placed on the leg. For a total of seven month, I was bedridden, and it physically took its toll on me. I was already overweight and out of shape, smoking cigarettes like a steam pipe, but now I had ballooned up to 275 pounds, and all of the muscle I did have was now atrophying.

My doctor told me I would probably never be able to do certain activities again, including jogging or physical exercise that involved strain or weight being applied to my leg, and at that point in my life, it did not seem to bother me. But as time went on, I grew tired of carrying around all the extra weight, living an unhealthy lifestyle with all the dangers that go along with being obese. This is when I joined the iSatori 911 Ultimate Transformation Challenge. This is when I changed my life in a positive way forever.

A second obstacle I had to overcome during the challenge I spoke of in the first answer: I was a two-pack-a-day-minimum smoker with no intention of quitting. Because of smoking for 22 years, the initial 30 to 45 days of the workout process took a severe toll on me physically and mentally. Fortunately, every day I saw a very small transformation taking place, and this gave me the hope and incentive to continue with your program. It was not long that the grip of cigarettes no longer had a hold on me, and I really began to excel with your diet and workout program. The stronger I got, the more weight I lost, the more endurance I achieved all served to make me physically and mentally tougher and willing to push myself further with the transformation program. I believe the supplements along with the great information in your booklets regarding diet and exercise gave me the strength, knowledge, and determination to carry on no matter how tough some days seemed. The better my results got, the easier it seemed to continue on the program.

As I stated above, originally I just wanted to quit smoking and not gain any extra weight, but now I was in super acceleration mode, basically by changing my physical and mental condition forever. My contest goals changed and now became to win the contest and to never return to the physical condition I was once in. This contest is a life saver to anyone willing to get off his butt and give an honest effort. You should be commended for the help that you have given to so many people.

The third obstacle I encountered during the challenge was sort of personal but nonetheless stressful. In about week number 8, when I was really getting in sync with the work out and diet program, I was served with divorce paperwork. Now that was a little stress shocker that could have set me back to start smoking again, or maybe quit the clean eating or skip a work out or two because of the sheer need to get stuff done in my personal life. But I refused to give up on the gains I had made to date; I was too close to the finish line to quit now.

I continued to cook extra food twice a week and freeze any leftovers so I could stay on my high-protein, low-fat diet. I refused to vary from the recommended eating diet and portions and never even had one "cheat meal" during the contest dates. Although the stress of the final four weeks was sometimes great, I never picked up one cigarette and have not to this day.

I made a commitment to continue to live a healthy lifestyle, and your program showed me it was possible. The results I achieved in 12 weeks I believe were remarkable. I am excited to have been given the chance to compete in your contest; it probably saved my life or at the least extended it many years.

How has your job performance been positively affected as a result of your accomplishments and the transformations you've made in your physical appearance?

My job performance has been positively affected is so many ways. When you are a police officer and cannot walk up to a third floor apartment to answer a call without being out of breath to the point where you have to rest before knocking on the door, you have a weight and physical fitness problem. Most overweight and out-of-shape officers refuse to acknowledge or admit it. I was one of those officers. The reality is that police officers need to be in shape to properly do their jobs. Getting in shape is not as hard or scary as people think; in fact, it is fun and rewarding. I hope my story inspires others to come forward and take the transformation challenge and make some positive changes in their lives.

I was always leery about getting into any type of foot chase or physical altercation with people because I knew I was so out of shape I could be seriously injured or killed if the wrong suspect became involved with me in a physical altercation where they intended to harm me. Currently I feel I am in the best physical shape I have achieved in the last 20 years. There is no longer any call I shy away from. If a crook runs from me now, he or she just goes to jail tired because I will run them down no matter how far they run. Your program of eating right, exercise, and supplements have given me a new lease on life. One I wish I would have discovered many years ago.

Additionally I feel a positive change in my life in the way I carry myself now, displaying more confidence and pride in my uniform and the way I look. I feel 10 years younger; my energy levels allow me to work without being so lethargic and cranky. I feel I represent the Denver Police Department better now that I am not so out of shape physically and mentally. I believe this helps my officer safety, the way I look at policing, and the way I complete all aspects of my job.

I want to close by saying thank you all for what you do in the area of physical fitness training and diet.

Misty Hunter Lost 12.5 Pounds, Almost 7% Bodyfat, and 5 Inches off Her Waist to Gain Greater Energy, Vitality, and Confidence!

Misty Hunter
Denver Police Department

What inspired you to enter the 911 Ultimate Transformation Challenge?

Over the past year, my level of activity had dramatically decreased. I was constantly tired even though I wasn't doing anything throughout the day that should have caused me to feel as drained as I did. I felt guilty I didn't have the energy to play with my children as much as I wanted. I had also migrated to wearing sweat pants and t-shirts because they were the only clothes that still fit me. I refused to buy new clothes that fit better because by doing that, I would be committing myself to the size I was. I had never in my life weighed so much or had such a poor body composition, and I was determined to not let it become permanent. But every morning I went to the closet to get dressed was a strong reminder that I needed to do something fast because I had a closetful of clothes I couldn't wear and wearing baggy clothes and sweats didn't do much for my self-esteem.

What obstacles, if any, did you have to overcome to achieve your new, improved physique and complete the Challenge?

Thyroid Issues: I was diagnosed with some thyroid issues which I believe have led to the sluggishness and the weight gain I have recently experienced. In the past year, I have put on more weight than I ever have in my life. And truly, this was the hardest it's ever been to take it off. Even though it was difficult, it raised my spirits to see that it can be done and that I can overcome the medical condition in regards to the fatigue and weight gain.

Bad eating habits: I have a pretty busy schedule and when I cook, I cook for my children. We had many carb-loaded meals that I became addicted to! I LOVE pasta and had a very difficult time eating healthy. As I started my program, I began a very intense workout schedule with 45 to 60 minutes of hard cardio, six days a week. I mistakenly assumed that if I exercised enough, I could continue my bad eating habits. Through many support websites, I read numerous times that you can't "out-exercise a bad diet." For the first few weeks of the program, I lead myself to believe I certainly could out-exercise a bad diet and tried my best to prove it.

After seeing virtually no results other than a definite improvement in energy levels, I decided if I was going to put forth such a tremendous physical effort, it was near pointless if I didn't combine it with a healthy eating routine as well. As I began eating better, I definitely noticed a physical transformation and could finally SEE the results of my effort as well, which was very rewarding.

Lack of Motivation to Workout: Another large obstacle I encountered was the lack of motivation to complete my workouts. The workouts I chose to do were so physically demanding that every day, probably about the first three weeks, I waited until the very last opportunity I had to complete my workout, and I dreaded it the entire day. I probably lost half of the weight just stressing out about the workouts all day.

After I started seeing some results, I began looking forward to them a lot more. I actually got so motivated that I tried to double-up, once…

How has your job performance been positively affected as a result of your accomplishments and the transformations you've made in your physical appearance?

I think how you feel about yourself affects every aspect of your life. Prior to this challenge, I was mentally and physically drained. I made many excuses for myself at home and at work. I heard comments I had never previously heard about myself, "Well, you've got kids. You should get used to it"; "It's not bad, people just know you're a mommy!" that really upset me because it seemed to imply that I couldn't change the facts, and needed to accept the way I looked and felt.

As I continue to work at my "transformation," although it's been difficult, I find it's NOT impossible.

I also find I have more confidence in dealing with people on every level. I am more aware of my physical self than before and believe I convey that confidence to others as well, which is an important part of my job.

Obviously the increased amount of energy affects my job performance as well. Rather than trying to make an excuse not to do something, I look forward to doing my job and doing it well. Since it's a community effort, this is highly appreciated (and expected) by co-workers.

I don't have a difficult time saying no to the lunch break at Arby's, and I find that it tends to motivate others to say no as well, which is very rewarding.

2010 Round 2 911 Ultimate Transformation Challenge Starts August 23, 2010!

Are you a civil servant? Are you ready to build your Best Body in 2010? Then please visit www.911utc.com or call 1.866.688.7679 to learn more about the 911 Ultimate Transformation Challenge!

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