From couch to champion: Alex’s inspiring transformation journey

Alexander Hansson admits this was the first time he’d ever truly committed to his health and fitness journey but has now created lifelong habits. With a half marathon under his belt and a current training plan for the Swedish Classic he says that his competitive nature has undeniably helped towards his success.

“I have never invested in myself before when it comes to my health. So, I had a little bit of money and felt like now was the time to do it. Nothing worthwhile comes for free. So I talked to a personal trainer, recommended by my colleague who also introduced me to Isagenix. We came up with a plan that worked with the IsaBody® Challenge and the Isagenix products.”

Mind over matter

“I would say 50% of this comes down to mentality. Everybody knows that you need to eat right and exercise, literally everybody on the planet. I worked as a chef for ten years so I know how a healthy, balanced plate should look and how to cook it. It’s just getting yourself there in your mind.”

“I actually found the IsaBody Challenge pretty easy. Some people may find it more difficult but for example I have a high metabolism which really helped whilst I was working out. It was all about finding out what worked for me. The difficult part is definitely going to be sustaining and maintaining my results. The hard work starts now!”

Alex shares that one of his biggest weaknesses is sweet, junk food and was concerned this would be his downfall but says that during the entire 16 weeks, he had no urge to eat it at all.

“I had two IsaLean™ Shakes a day, two or three healthy snacks and one meal at dinnertime. For me I’m either one way or the other, I eat too much or am very very strict. I knew I had to be strict in the beginning, so if my plan said 20g nuts that’s exactly what I’d stick to. It seemed silly on my plate at first but that’s how I succeeded. It’s not about taking things away or punishing yourself. People don’t see food as an addiction in the same way as other substances. It’s something I’ve struggled with but I’m working on that and know just how hard it can be.”

Staying motivated

“I don’t like going to the gym and it’s definitely not been my favourite part of the journey. I’d much rather run, cycle or ski. During my Challenge I even started training for a half marathon and ended up completing it in a great time. In Sweden, we also have something called a Swedish Classic made up of a 30k cross country run, 3k open water swim, 300km cycle and a 90k cross country ski – which you aim to complete over one year. I’m focusing on that right now. It really helps keep me motivated.”

“It’s more comfortable laying on the couch than it is going to the gym. Or driving to the shop rather than cycling. No matter what type of person you are. But it’s not going to help you in the end, you need a goal. I’m a very competitive person and whilst I may not be the most mentally strong, I do want to be the best and that really helped me.”

For anyone struggling with their eating habits, Alexander says that you have to think of your food as fuel, “People say to me, ‘I don’t eat more than twice a day’ and I say yes that’s the problem. That’s why you eat a lot of sweets for example. You need to eat around five or six times per day. It helped me not crave food because I made sure to fill up those gaps, quite literally. It’s like having your car and no fuel.”

He also says that the cash incentive and product coupon are a great reason to get involved, “Who doesn’t want to get some cash back? Taking part and completing the IsaBody Challenge means you can buy the products and feel like you didn’t pay for them thanks to the coupon. I’m very happy, it’s nice being in the top three. Of course I had a personal trainer and I had the great products but ultimately this was because of me and not anybody else, I changed my thinking.”

Are you up for the challenge? There’s never been a better time to commit to 16-weeks of transforming your health, fitness, and overall wellness goals. Sign up here today!

Weight loss should not be considered typical. A study showed an average weight loss of 24 pounds after 12 weeks. Participants took part in a calorie-controlled regimen of Shake Days and one Cleanse Day per week. For more information on the study, see IsagenixHealth.net.