Guest blog post by this week’s Transformation Tuesday spotlight Josh Green:
When Derek first informed me that I was this week’s Transformation Tuesday selection I had 2 thoughts:
1. FINALLY!
2. Turn it down (politely of course)
Those of you that know me well know that I’m incredibly honest. The reason that I considered turning it down was because my story is an incredibly personal one that kind of breaks down some of the walls that I’ve built up. 
You see, I’ve always been heavy. When I was a kid, my grandmother used to call me ‘husky’ or ‘big boned’ which was the nice way of saying ‘fat’. Unfortunately, grandma was the nicer than most others.
I still remember a time in middle school where a ‘friend’ invited me to go tubing. I was excited until I overheard him tell someone else that the only reason I was invited was so he wouldn’t ‘be the fattest one on the river’. I of course ended up not going.
Things as stupid as that shouldn’t affect self-worth or self-confidence but it does. Truth be told, I haven’t been shirtless in public since I was very young. I have friends that have been close for 20 years that have never seen me shirtless. It’s crazy how something as ridiculous as body image can prevent so many life experiences (pool parties, water parks, sports, etc).
As I got older, I tried many times to drop weight. I would try to eat healthy, try working out, joining gyms, trying supplements, starvation, or whatever I saw on TV.
Each and every time I failed miserably. The weight kept adding on and as it did, my level of embarrassment grew.
As I got bigger and bigger I also doubted more and more that anything could be done about it and because of that, I just had to accept it.
One of the ways that I have always been able to hide my true feelings and misery was through self-deprecation in the form of humor. I’m the first to make fun of myself before anyone else. It was so much easier mentally and emotionally for me to make a fat joke about myself before someone else did. It was a coping mechanism and it’s always worked.
It wasn’t until I saw a pic of myself posted on Facebook that I literally got sick to my stomach because I didn’t even recognize how big I became. I peaked out at almost 250lbs! Enough was enough!
July 2013 I really decided to make a change. I joined a gym and started going a minimum of 5 days a week. I was working my butt off and started seeing some decent results over the next 4 months. I lost some weight, was toning a bit, and feeling pretty darned good.
December comes around and some friends asked me and my wife Lisa to join Derek Kuryliw’s New Port Richey Bootcamp. I turned it down. I wanted nothing to do with flipping or jumping through tires or jumping rope. I’ve been working out by myself. I didn’t need to go anywhere else. Besides, my gym was open 24/7 and I could go whenever I wanted and work out in the air conditioning.
Also, I had many other reasons (“excuses”) that I immediately had thought about preventing me to join. After more ‘firm’ encouragement from our friends, Lisa was committed to join but, only if I would too.
First night I wasn’t scared of showing up I was pumped and ready to go. I had been working out for months so I was ready for whatever this Derek dude was going to throw at me….or so I thought.I signed us up more for more Lisa than for me.
The motivation from the group of then strangers and now close friends was AMAZING! I never felt like I had so many people really believe in me and be dedicated to my success.
These people didn’t know me or have any clue about anything otherthan that I was there for the same reason they were: to change our lives. I left that night worn the heck out. I was beat, I was drenched in sweat, I was about to throw up but I WAS HOOKED!
Over the next 6 weeks I dropped 16 lbs of pure gooey fat and gained 13 lbs of solid muscle.
The scale only moved 3 lbs but inches fell off like crazy!
My peak pant size was almost 44” and I am now in a 34”.
I was wearing snug XL shirts and am now wearing a Medium polo as I type this.
I look ‘normal’, I fit into ‘normal’ clothes and as my trainer/friend Rich Berrian would say, “ I’m making gains!”
While I still have a ways to go, I have come such a long way. Most of my success has been from January on and I complete contribute it to Derek and his team at New Port Richey Bootcamp along with all of the awesome people that I’ve met there.
Derek is the first to say that if we aren’t hitting our goals, then he isn’t doing his job.
He gives us all the tools and eliminates all of the excuses. I have nobody else to blame but myself if I’m not moving in the right direction and if I veer off a bit, Derek and the LiveFit community is right there to get me back on track.
I am so happy to have been coerced into joining 4 months ago and I can’t wait to see my results as time progresses!
If you are on the fence, close your eyes and jump on in! I assure you that you won’t regret it.
I look forward to working out next to you and helping you change your life for the better! 
Can’t stop, won’t stop. Get on the train or get off my tracks,
Josh
Limited 48 hour “Josh Green Referral Special” —->
https://derekkuryliw.com/acceleratedtransformationprogram/
