Have you been thinking about entering the Challenge but something keeps getting in the way and you haven't done it yet? I understand that. I had put off getting healthy for 20 years before 1997; something kept getting in the way. It took Bill Phillips begging me and then telling me I was a dead ant farmer to get me up and moving and back in control of my Life. Then he gave me and nine other Champions US$50,000 and a new Corvette for doing it! We are doing something like that again this year; we are looking for one person to get up off the couch and get in control of his or her Life, and we want to award him or her US$1,000,000! One person, US$1,000,000! PLUS one New Zealander and one Australian will win a BMW Z4 for a year!!

Look, 20 minutes have passed since I started writing to you. Soon, 20 days will have passed since you read this. Before you know it, 20 months will have gone by and then 20 years. It is going to happen and nothing can change it. What can and will change is you! I heard a song once that said, "Time goes by". Oh no, it doesn't. Time stays, we go by ...

We have many people who have accepted the invitation to get healthy and completely turn their Lives around and be in control. The same minutes and hours and days will pass for them and the people who do nothing but continue to exist in the "comfort of their misery". Please don't be one of those "do nothing" people. Not tonight, not tomorrow, not ever again. No more hanging on to an always tired, do nothing, barely get one foot in front of the other lifestyle. The time is now. The entry date is today. The change and improvement begins the second you call and enter the Challenge.

Remember I told you, the 84 days will end and the journey is the reward. Yes, the US$1,000,000 is wonderful and would be nice to win, but it pales in comparison to the freedom and accomplishment and pride you are going to feel when you regain control and are healthy again. A Million Dollars, a new LIFE and all in 84 days.

Let's do it!

Porter Freeman

As Albert Einstein said:  "In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity".  I truly believe this.  We all go through rough patches in life, some times are worse than others but it is the attitude you have towards these times that can make or break you.

Four years ago I suffered a neck injury playing rugby.  As a result, I was told I could not play contact sport any longer due to the risk of further serious injury.  I live and breathe sport and had always prided myself in being strong, healthy and fit.  As time moved on I found it very frustrating feeling weak and not being in control of my body.  I found the mental adjustment of not being able to play the sport I loved much tougher than that actual injury itself.  This was one of the biggest downs of my life.

The next four years of my life were the most difficult I had faced.  The self-loathing I was experiencing turned me into a beer-swilling grump filled with angst.  I lost contact with friends and became extremely withdrawn.  I had put on excessive weight, felt less masculine and found it embarrassing being naked in front of my partner.  I subconsciously knew but didn't want to acknowledge the negative effect my behaviour was having on my family.  I made the decision that I needed to turn my life around in order to lead a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.

To achieve this goal, I needed to firstly focus on my health and fitness as this was the core issue.  Someone recommended "Body For Life" and lent me the DVD.  After watching it I was inspired to complete this challenge so I purchased a copy of the book.  I soon realised that the people who succeeded in this challenge were no different to me.  I was carrying more body fat than I ever had before so my goal was to try and get my body fat percentage as low as I possilby could, while still building lean quality muscle.  I learnt a lot about nutrition and used the guidelines to prepare my meals and set my foundation.  EAS provided a vast range of tasty supplements to use, which optimised the benefits of my new diet.

Short intense weight and cardio workouts kept me mentally sharp instead of long monotonous workouts where intensity tended to wane.  My challenge became a type of jigsaw puzzle; the further I progressed the easier it was for the pieces to fit.  I kept my before photos on the fridge which recharged my enthusiasm and was a constant reminder of my goal.

The benefits from giving 110% to the BFL challenge are endless.  Not only have I rebuilt my physique and achieved my goal, but more importantly I have rebuilt many things on the inside like my confidence, character and self-esteem.  I seriously recommend that when you see the next BFL challenge, use it as I did to guide you out of the hole you may think is too deep.

I would like to thank BFL and EAS for helping me rebuild my life and my fiance Kelly for giving me her unconditional love and support.

Jared Wilson