"Inspirational Success Story—Sean Larsgard"
No Longer an Average, Ordinary Skinny Guy!

Interviewed by Stephen Adele

Sean Larsgard thought he would be an average, ordinary "skinny guy" all his life—that is, until he entered a field study called Project MAS that would change his life forever. Now, six months later, he's gained 25 lbs of new, muscular bodyweight, got his life back on track, and won a free vacation to Las Vegas with Real SOLUTIONS, and now he's... Living His Dream. Discover how he did it and how you can too!

STEPHEN ADELE: Sean, your business had essentially crumbled. You had a mere $200 to your name, two kids, and an expecting wife. Some people might suggest fitness and physique development would not be a priority. Will you share how you felt at that point?

SEAN LARSGARD: It was like I was in a ship hanging halfway over Niagara Falls with my propellers hanging over the end, and no matter how hard I'd push on the gas, I was going down. I felt completely helpless. Nothing I did would turn the thing around. As a result, everything in my life was deteriorating. My business, my finances, my health, my emotions, my confidence... everything.

SA: With all those challenges, why did you decide to go for the Project MAS field study?

SL: There was one thing I knew for sure: nothing in my life was going to change unless I first decided I wanted it to change. At that point, I felt if I could change just one thing, it was my only hope. My body was something I knew I could control.

I broke the news to my wife that I had spent more than half of our money on this four-week muscle-building field study called Project MAS. I said if I can't do this, I can't do anything. It's only four weeks long, and although it will require a great deal of discipline and dedication, I can do that.

My wife smiled at me and said that if it was something I believed in, and it would help me feel better, she supported my decision 100%.

SA: I remember you telling me you were always considered a "skinny guy," so I take it you've always been interested in physique development and trying to gain muscular weight?

SL: Ever since I was 14. That's when I started to get into "physique development." By the time I was 17, I got more interested in the bodybuilding aspects of training and eating. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried, or whatever I did, I could never really gain any weight. Weight gains that lasted, anyway. So, to say I've been "interested" in gaining muscle is quite an understatement.

When I received the initial email to enter into the four-week Project MAS field study, it was like a scene from a movie. Here I am sitting at my computer, totally depressed—thinking to myself, what on earth is going to happen to me and my precious family? It wasn't a question of are we going to be evicted or is our car going to be taken away: it was when were we going to be evicted and when is our car going to be taken away?

At that time, I would delete most emails I received, even ones from people I knew. I didn't want to read anything. I was completely depressed. Yet, for some reason, when I saw what the study was for, I was curious.

Building my body was something I was always interested in, and here was something totally exclusive. It was different. It wasn't a typical "physique contest."

So I opened the email and read it. And you know what? As crazy as it sounds, it was almost like somebody was sitting next to me and whispering in my ear: you must do this. I grabbed my wallet, took out my bank card, clicked the email, and placed my order. I got really energized all of a sudden. It was exhilarating.

SA: Speaking of "physique contests," had you ever competed in any of the popular physique-development contests?

SL: Yes, believe it or not, I actually started Body-for-LIFE 11 times... but unfortunately, I never completed one of them. I think the longest I went was eight weeks.

SA: What was different this time—I mean, why were you finally able to complete a Program and set of goals?

SL: I think everyone can agree with me here: it seems inescapable that things just happen in our lives—things that prevent us from achieving our goals.

Unfortunately, for me, instead of dealing with these events and moving on, I would use them to rationalize why I simply had to "give up." I would use it as an excuse to stop training as hard and not eat as healthy or consistently as I knew I should. I would find myself saying, well... I'll just wait until "this" or "that" happens, and then I'll get my life back on track. Sadly, I kept waiting for this and that to happen, but it didn't.

It's like I was always waiting for things to be "just right" in my life before I could take action. Pretty soon, a week, a month, and then a year goes by. As a result, nothing ever changes. It's a pretty simple concept, but it took me a long time to learn.

Things will never be perfect in our lives, and you can't allow yourself to fall into that someday syndrome: someday I will do this; someday I will do that. That someday never comes because, as I've come to learn, things always come up. It's how we deal with them, instead of letting them derail us, that ultimately determines our ability to succeed at literally anything in life.

SA: You mentioned earlier that, on several occasions, you gained weight following various programs, only to find it was temporary. I know there are many guys, much like you, who find it extremely difficult to put on muscle and keep it. What's it like to be such a "hard-gainer"?

SL: You know, Stephen, it can be very discouraging. Because of the simple fact that it has always been difficult for me to not only gain weight but to keep that weight on... I had almost given up hope. Over the past five years, I've tried virtually everything to gain weight. I've tried dozens of different training programs and almost every supplement you can think of. You name it, I tried it. Still, after five agonizing years, I gained about four measly pounds. To tell you the truth, nothing else worked for me like the Project MAS field study, where I gained a whopping 16 lbs in only 32 days.

SA: Sean, it's been six months since the field study ended and you look even bigger than in your "after" pictures... so, I'd bet it's safe to say you've kept your weight on?

SL: Not only have I kept my muscle mass since the Project MAS study ended, but I've gained an additional nine pounds. That's a total of 25 lbs of new muscular bodyweight. Can you believe it? I love it... people come up to me all the time now at the gym and tell me I look "night and day" compared to what I looked like before.

SA: When you entered the Project MAS field study, what did you specifically set out to achieve?

SL: Like I said earlier, I knew if I could change my body, all other aspects in my life would change. But at the onset, considering this field study was to assess the effectiveness of a specific training program and nutrition plan, combined with the new low-calorie lean mass builder supplement Meta-CEL, my goals were purely physically. I was going to focus on this one thing, and that was it. I was determined to make a permanent change in my physique. Not just a small change but a totally drastic change. I wanted to, at the end the four weeks, make such a change that people I knew would barely recognize me. I had high expectations. I demanded great things of myself.

SA: What were your initial goals? Did you have any specific numbers in mind?

SL: Yes, I did. In fact, I used your SMART goal-setting technique. After entering the field study, I immediately set a specific, measurable, action-oriented, reasonable, and time-dated goal. My goal was to gain 18 lbs of muscle mass in 32 days by following the Project MAS guidelines. When I set goals, they are usually pretty farfetched—that's probably the only "un-reasonable" part of my goal setting. However, I learned when I was young, if you shoot for the stars, you're at least likely to land on the moon. And that isn't all that bad after all.

Despite my past failed attempts, this time, I really knew I could gain 18 lbs. I was sure of it. I knew if I followed this field study plan to a T, I would achieve all I set out to. And you know what happened in those four weeks—I gained 16 lbs of lean, muscular bodyweight... and I actually lost a little bodyfat too, which was a surprise. And, by the fifth week, I reached 18 lbs.

So, I was only a week off in my calculations. It was pretty amazing, to say the least. The best part, though, was that I accomplished what I had set out to accomplish. There's no better feeling than reaching your goals. And for me, it was a dream come true.

SA: Those were lofty goals. Most guys would be satisfied if they could gain 10 lbs of muscle in a year. I think it's incredible that you achieved your goals in only a month. Did you have a role model or a particular physique that inspired you to achieve more muscle mass?

SL: That is a great question. I have a lot of role models in my life. I strongly believe in following in the footsteps of those who have been successful before you. I used Real SOLUTIONS to cut out pictures of physiques that inspired me. Pictures of Shawn. Pictures of you. I actually cut them out and taped them into my field study manual. These photos helped me stay the course and remain focused on what I wanted to achieve.

Another person who was really an inspiration for accomplishing what I did was actually someone not even in the fitness industry. Tony Robbins. I had picked up some of his audio tapes a while back, and the tools he provides enabled me to overcome a lot of the challenges I was dealing with at the time.

They were all things I could realistically apply to my life and could apply to not only physical aspects in regards to Project MAS but to the mental aspects. I feel many people greatly overlook the mental aspects of training. You should train your mind as much as you train your body. So, I really took advantage of the mental practices, and they helped me tremendously.

SA: Let's go through what your success was in terms of the field study. I have your results in front of me. After 32 days, you gained 16 lbs of muscle. Your chest measurements went up almost three inches; your biceps increased by an inch, and your thighs grew by two inches. Your maximum bench press increased by over 50 lbs. You know, Sean, I've been studying muscular performance for over 10 years now, and I have to say... those are some HUGE gains. Overall, were you satisfied with your appearance when you completed the field study?

SL: I was extremely happy with my results. But I was happier with the way my family respected what I was able to accomplish. Anytime my three-year old sees a picture of somebody with their shirt off who has muscles, he points and says, "It's Dad." That is pretty darn cool, you know. Nothing can replace that feeling. Especially considering that before Project MAS, I wouldn't even take my kids to the pool because I didn't want to take off my shirt. Today, my confidence is much, much higher.

SA: What mistakes did you make before entering the field study, while you were trying so desperately to gain muscle mass?

SL: First, the biggest mistake I made was waiting until things were "just right" in my life. Second, I wasn't eating enough fats—good fats, like olive oil, peanuts, or flax oil. I always thought you should lower fat and found out by reading the Project MAS guidelines that lowering your fat intake actually makes it harder to put on muscle. Next, I wasn't training with enough intensity. I was resting far too long between sets. Again, this was something I learned how to overcome in the field study manual. And last, I wasn't using a support system. I had always tried to accomplish everything by myself.

Once I learned how helpful the team at iSatori was—the company conducting the field study—I found the support I needed. They answered all of my questions and were always there for me—good days and bad. I believe this made a big difference.

Plus, I found their Message Board on the Internet, where I was able to learn from other people's success. Pretty soon, I even started using this board to help answer other people's questions too. It was really fun to become a source of inspiration to others in the study.

SA: Those are really good points, Sean. I believe many people overlook the importance of a strong support system. So, what are your goals now... what do you want to achieve now that you've finished the field study and you've gained over 25 lbs since you started?

SL: Believe or not, I would like to gain another 25 lbs or so. And I'm confident I can. As far as my life goals, I moved my family to Utah, where we've picked up the pieces and re-built our lives. I have rebuilt my business. I'm proud to say, I've made more money in the first two months since moving than I had in the previous 12 months. So financially, things completely turned around. Literally every other aspect of my life has completely changed.

Now, I want to be a positive example to people—to all those who have struggled to gain weight. Hopefully, I can become an inspiration to people and show them that they can do anything they want if they simply decide to pursue it. You have to realize that the results I've accomplished... they are not the end. They're merely a new beginning for me and my family. I learned this is not a "four-week" thing. It's not a 12-month thing. This is a lifestyle. And I want to continue to set an example for my family and friends. I try to set some time aside every week to post messages and answer questions on the Project MAS Message Board the best I can.

SA: Sean, if you had to share one lesson to this entire process, what would that be?

SL: I would say it doesn't matter what happens in life—good or bad... all that matters is how you deal with it. It doesn't matter if you have failed in the past or dozens of times like I had. All that matters is what are you going to do right now. When I was 12 years old, I heard a quote that said "Some men have dreams, some men ACTually pursue their dreams."

It's about acting, following through, having that strong resolve to pay the price to achieve it. You might come up against roadblocks along the way, but it's not the end. All you have to do is change your approach and keep trying until you achieve your goals.

I have to say, it all starts with making a decision to change. That's the first step, although the most difficult. But, it's the key that will open the door to a new beginning. So, my one lesson would be to decide to change and stay the path until you reach your goals.

SA: That's a great lesson to share with others. Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers before we bring this interview to a close?

SL: Stephen, you know I didn't tell you this before... but years ago I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish in my life. I guess you could call this my "dream list." This past weekend in Las Vegas, with you and the Real SOLUTIONS team, three of my "dreams" were fulfilled. First, I went to the Mr. Olympia Contest. You not only got me into the pre-judging, right near the front row, but you took me to a first-class VIP party hosted by Weider. Second, I got to meet some of my favorite pro bodybuilders. And last, I am appearing in a magazine... but not just any magazine—one that I am honored to be featured in... Real SOLUTIONS.

Being here with you guys has meant more to me than I can express. I will never forget this weekend. And training with Mike Ryan at Gold's Gym was the icing on the cake. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

One of my other "dreams" is to impact and inspire thousands of people. This just may be the way for me to fulfill this. Thank you for opening the door for me.

SA: Sean, you opened the door yourself; we just helped you celebrate your victories. Your hard work paid off, pal, and we're all honored and proud to be your friends.

If you'd like to contact Sean Larsgard, you can find him on the Project MAS Internet Message Board or you can just write to us directly at editors@realsolutionsmag.com, and we'll make sure he gets your letter.

SEAN LARSGARD'S DAILY NUTRITION & EXERCISE PLAN

*Variations in meals would typically include a nice, juicy steak or a salmon steak. Sean would also eat a Ziploc bag full of carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower every day and would drink at least one gallon of water every day.

**Sean ate this much because he knew he had a naturally high metabolism, and it would probably take a little more than average required calories to gain the weight he wanted.

***Variations in caloric intake would only be +/- 200 calories.

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

When we received the last of the 479 subjects' feedback forms in the exclusive 4-Week Muscle Size and Strength Study called Project MAS, we were astonished. Like Sean, several of the participants made incredible gains in muscle size using one "almost-secret" supplement and following the Project MAS manual. While there were no "typical" results, after only 32 days, here is what we found:

• Avg Muscular Bodyweight Gain = 8 Lbs!
• Avg Bodyfat Loss = 3 Lbs! (Which we didn't expect!!)
• Avg Chest Circumference Increase = 1.75 inches!
• Avg Biceps Circumference Increase = 1.05 inches!
• Avg Leg/Thigh Circumference Increase = 2.30 inches!
• Avg Bench Press (Barbell) Strength Increase = 30 Lbs! (This is remarkable!)
• Avg Squat (Barbell) Strength Increase = 65 Lbs!
• And, Over 85% of the Test Subjects Reported Greater Strength and Increased "Muscle Pumps" in the First Five Days!

PROJECT MAS ROUND II! ARE YOU IN?

SERIOUS about improving your body? Get involved in this exclusive muscle-building study, try Meta-CEL, and compete for a fabulous list of prizes, like:

• An endorsement spokesperson contract with iSatori (the makers of Meta-CEL)!
• A free year's supply of your favorite supplements (a $1,000 value!)
• Being featured in every nationwide muscle and fitness magazine, should your results be published in Meta-CEL's national advertising campaign.
• An all-expenses-paid vacation to Las Vegas—for the Mr. Olympia Contest—including airfare, hotel, dinners, and VIP treatment (A $2,500 Value!)

If you would like to get involved in this exclusive muscle-building study and try Meta-CEL, and you consider yourself SERIOUS about improving your body, simply visit www.metacel.com/study/study2.asp.

Or if you can't wait, please call 1-866-688-7679 toll free (press option #4), ask to speak to one of iSatori's friendly fitness experts, and tell them you want "IN" on the 4-week "Project MAS, Round II," field study. Hurry! the deadline to enter is May 1, 2004 (at midnight), and there are only 497 spots available for participants. So, to avoid disappointment, call now and enter to win everything that Sean Larsgard did—new muscle, fame, supplements, and a free vacation to Las Vegas. Call 1-866-688-7679, or click below to find out all the details on how you can get started today:
www.metacel.com/study/study2.asp.

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