The letter that started it all...

This is a letter I wrote back in November 2004 to myself that started my journey with Power 90 and Beachbody. I was extremely depressed and a bit intoxicated when I wrote this. It was about 1:30am Saturday Morning and I just left my friends at the bar. I owned Power 90 for about a year and a half prior to this but never really committed as you'll read. This was me hitting rock bottom but more importantly it was the moment I made the decision to change my life and control what I can control.

11/13/04

Letter to Joe Petri

I can’t stand going out anymore. Not only is it not fun anymore but I feel like a tub of crap. I’m 25 years old, 220+ lbs, and my confidence is crap. I ‘m not gay but I see all these other guys who have good looking girls on them and they aren’t nearly as fat as I am. Not to mention the health risks of being overweight, diabetes, increased risk of heart disease, um…becoming fatter!!! You’re single, and a good looking guy, get back to where you were when you where in high school…you might not get the girls but you just might…it’s 50/50. You need to lose weight. This feeling of being fat and inadequate isn’t fun. You run into people from HIGH SCHOOL or even COLLEGE and you hope they don’t think you look fat but deep inside you’re thinking the first thought that crosses your mind…”Do they think I’m fat” or “God, I hope I don’t look as fat as I really am” but guess what? You do and you need to do something about this. Stick with it for 90 days…only 90 days…you talk about goals and accomplishing every one of your goals set to date concerning your career, now it’s time to set personnel goals. If you can accomplish losing 30 lbs in 90 days, 10 lbs a month, you’ll be happier and more positive and then maybe you can start focusing on quitting smoking and not be embarrassed to talk your shirt off. Remember the Final four in 2004….look at the pictures, fat and overweight. 2005 able to lose 20 pounds and look decent…with power 90 (90days of committing yourself) you could be ripped. Remember the feeling of looking at the mirror at yourself, feeling inadequate and depressed. You need to do this and keep it up. I hope you can. You’re better than this…Brighton Football Rules!!! Dah!!! Where did he go? Number 59 is still inside you and you can bring him back, new and improved…Just remember those feelings…looking in the mirror, not fitting into your suits for an interview, no tone, no definition, no shape…fat. YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!!! SET THE GOAL!!! ACHIEVE THE GOAL!!! AND JUST PUSH PLAY!!!!

You’ve successfully lost some weight in the past….but you’ve even more successfully put that weight back on plus some…once you lose some weight, don’t become satisfied. Where you satisfied when you could only bench 185? No, you went on and maxed 225…where you satisfied squatting 285? No, you hit 305 don’t quite never except the minimum, push to be the best. Work wise, where you happy with a number 2 ranking? No, push to be the best that you can be, don’t become complacent. It’s in you and you can do it. You hate, HATE the feeling of seeing people you are better then. And even though you know it in your heart that you are better than them they still look better then you do!! And yes, it is what’s inside the person that counts but being healthy and inside helps too. DO NOT brush this off….you may be drunk but drunkenness speaks honesty…,DO NOT LET YOURSELF FALL SHORT AGAIN!!!!

Signed,

YOU

My Power 90 Transformation. 31 lbs lost in 90 days. December 2004 to February 2005.

Power 90 - the Grandfather of P90X. This program started it all.

http://www.JoePetri.com

February 2009