Back pain mitigation and ripped as a result

brandonrf

About 4 years ago I injured my back. I have tried ciropractic care, physical therapy, and was about to go in for epidural steroid injections. But something clicked in me when I started to see results from my workouts. In 2011 I did a full round of P90X and it was working to keep me back pain free for the most part. I still had aches but that was not as bad as the searing pain that would occur before my life changing experience with working out.

I fly all over the world in the military and I operate very heavy objects and move them in my aircraft. Its a hands on job and I get to fly with the cargo and airdrop it as well. Very fun job that has taken me all over the globe. The problem is the hard landing in austere locations and the huge 108x88" pallets that stuff is moved on is loaded and unloaded via mine and my buddies backs. Over the years this has worked on me and weakened me. I had finally had enough.

In 2011 I was doing physical therapy and noticed I needed to kick it up a notch. I did a round and half of P90X and looked and felt great. But got lazy and weak again. I did another round in 2012 and again in 2013 but still it was only enough to keep me in the 93 percent during my fitness tests and the back pain would come back.

In 2014 I decided to make a major change. In February I started P90X and decided I would ease into it and make it a life style change. I just finished my second round of p90X. And have all but eliminated my back pain. There are just some days its tired and well those days are manageable and dont require me to have surgery or injections.

The next phase.
The past few months I ate started to eat better but didnt eat clean until 18 days ago. In just that short time I shrunk and started to see my abs. I switched my macros to 40 40 20 roughly and quit creamer and sugar all together. My abs are coming through and I am feeling stronger and stronger in my core.

Its life changing. This is the 5th time I have done P90X over the last few years and always lost interest but this year is different. I have been working out since Feb 1st and havent stopped. I ate better but not clean enough. I now have decided to incorporate the newer cleaner diet using fitness pal. So excited about my transformation and cant wait until I see what comes of the new nutrition over the next month or so. I think its really the thing that is going to get me to my 10 percent body fat dream.

Things I have bought this year are power blocks sports 5.0, pull up bar, a gym membership, bowflex body fat scale, and a few other odds and ends.

I started off my first round at home working out in the AM. Then the second round went to the gym to lift bigger. The end of this round I started eating right and in about a week or two started to see my abs.

This third round with the eating I think I will see 10 percent. The body fat scale from bowflex says I am 15 percent, but the one at the gym said I was closer to 11. Not sure which is right but from my pics I am somewhere between 15 and 12, I think... I am at 194 lbs right now and have lost 10 lbs. My daily intake with workouts is about 1800 calories so I know I am going to get smaller not bigger. Once I hit about 190 I think that is when I will up the calories back to about 2500 to stay lean and mean. LOL

Thank you Tony Horton, want to meet him someday, and my fitness pal for making this thing so easy even I can do it.

PS I know how to tag images and post my before and afters but it doesnt let me. I am guessing its due to the low post count.

Pippa_ttc

Well done on your progress so far :bigsmile: also, you look great on your profile pic :blushing:

Kate7294

Congrats!

eclaireya

Fantastic! As someone who has suffered from back pain for the last 2 and a 1/2 years, this is so encouraging for me to read. I have done the PT and the epidural injections (I will NEVER do the injections again, they left me worse off then I was BEFORE the injections) and nothing seems to work. Yoga helps some, but I'm hoping that regular exercise will help heal me as well.

Thanks for your story and CONGRATULATIONS! And thank you for your service as well

VastBreak

Sounds like true dedication!! Way to go!
Thanks for serving

brandonrf

Thank you all. Still have a ways to go but I am gaining strength in my back like I have never had before. This site, MFP, and p90x changed my life. I am so thankful.