FITNESS CHALLENGE
After a lifetime of training, exercising and maintaining a generally healthy lifestyle, I found that I had reached a plateau. I felt as though I had reached a point in my life where I needed something different, a program that would re-inspire and challenge me, while simultaneously allowing me to achieve new levels in health and fitness. The struggle to continue maintaining a healthy body recently became especially significant to me, as I suffered a health setback, caused by my disability.
I am a disabled veteran of the Israeli Air Force, where I was wounded, and suffered a spinal cord injury that left me paralyzed. At the time of the injury, which occurred in 1973, I was told that I would never walk again, and that I would be permanently wheelchair-bound. I found that to be unacceptable.
After 18 months in an Israeli hospital and three back operations, I regained partial use of my right leg. Although my left leg remained paralyzed and without any feeling whatsoever, this slight improvement gave me the motivation to push myself to walk again, a goal I have since achieved and surpassed. In fact, the severity of my injury inspired me to go further than I ever had before - I became a 6th degree Shihan or Master in Survival Hisardut, an Israeli Combat Art that I developed, and now teach, as well as in Japanese Kyokushin Kai, traditional full-contact Karate.
As a Shihan or Master, I came to realize that in many ways I served as a role model for my students and clients, both able-bodied and disabled. I felt that I owed it to myself, my family, and my students to gain back the body I used to have, in order to maintain lifelong optimal health.
But where to begin? The market is flooded with gimmick diets and quick fix programs that promise much but deliver little. I was looking for a comprehensive, state of the art program that would be simple and effective now and for years to come, when health issues can often become critical. A program where the focus would be placed not on achieving a specific weight, but rather on overall health and body composition, through the enhancement of lean muscle mass and the reduction of body fat. I wanted a program which would be both very thorough, and yet simple enough that the need for guesswork would be eliminated. Impossible you say? Well, I figured if I’m going to dream, I may as well dream big!
After many years of searching, I found the TRA Program, and made a commitment I will never regret. No doubt you ask yourself what was so unique about this system that compelled me to choose the TRA Program?
The answer is simple. I found that TRA gave me the knowledge and support I needed for a complete change of lifestyle, one that incorporates all the comprehensive aspects of a healthy and fit life – that is, one emphasizing exercise, proper nutrition, and superior supplementation. I began TRA with great enthusiasm, and I decided to challenge myself to the limit of my capabilities – a level of commitment I am familiar with as a former member of the Israeli Special Olympics swimming, basketball, and track and field teams. What I wasn’t prepared for were the dramatic results.
I followed the program and used the products faithfully through my training. At first, I experienced increased energy and stamina, and an overall increased sense of strength and wellbeing. By the third week, the results were astonishing. People began noticing that I was doing something different - and something that truly worked.
Since then I have completely redesigned my body and with the ongoing help of these exceptional products, combined with ongoing training and discipline, I will be able to maintain it for years to come. The beauty of the system is in its simplicity – everything is already designed for you, and organized into a simple, realistic lifestyle program.
In addition to the benefits the program has brought me, following are some tips I developed in order to achieve my goals which I would like to share with you.
· I prefer to do my training in the morning, since you can always plan when you will wake up - but you can never be sure of how (or when) you are going to end the day. I give myself an additional hour and a half in the morning to complete my exercises. Nevertheless, the program is flexible, and you must choose the time that suits you best, as you will be more likely to follow a routine that works for you.
· I alternate the days between my aerobic and strength training exercises. Since I am disabled I cannot run, so I substitute this with alternate exercises. I swim, exercise with a punching bag, or use the Elliptical cardio trainer to achieve my cardiovascular benefits.
· I plan my six meals a day ahead of time, as this allows me to avoid temptation. Examples of this are boiling two dozen eggs at once, baking half a dozen potatoes and yams, cooking chicken breasts and always having lots of fresh fruits and vegetables handy. My secret for the sweet tooth is freezing red grapes – although most cubed fruit tastes terrific frozen.
· Hydration is an important issue in our daily lives; so I carry a bottle of water with me at all times, wherever I go. You would be surprised to find how often the human brain mistakes thirst for hunger.
· I keep a track of my progress by taking weekly photographs - this really helps keeps me motivated.
· I make sure to get enough rest.
· Last but not least, I use my Pharmanex supplements, and the TRA meal replacements as substitutes for two to three of my meals each day.
Through the physical challenges that I faced, I learned to convert my frustration into motivation. Through the TRA Program, I learned to love what I must do to maintain optimal health.
Very truly yours,
Miki Erez
( Grand Prize Winner : Most physical change - Top male)
