As much we love success stories, we are also fully aware that sometimes context is necessary to truly appreciate it. That's the case for Logan Brimhall, who finished in third place in the men's category by losing 2.8 pounds of fat and gaining 3.1 pounds of muscle.
Logan is a person who describes himself as goal-oriented, so when he joined his first competition, it was a good fit for his personality. It was the kick-start he needed to start making some pretty big changes. Right off the bat, he kicked a habit he'd had for 14 years: He quit smoking.
"I've been smoke-free since I started," he said. "The Nutrishop staff pushed me to quit and explained just how much it would hold me back, and it gave me the drive to put 'em down."
An eight-year Air Force veteran, Logan was comfortable with the physical challenge of exercise that comes so naturally to our Challenges. But enthusiastic as he was, he was still limited in some ways. He suffers from spinal issues that prevent him from being able to perform deadlifts, squats, and other major compound movements. But he still found ways to get his work in, finding combinations of exercise to give him an adequate workload as he chased his goals.
"It was a different kind of challenge," he said. "A physical challenge, like racing a buddy or something, is normal for me, but the way you go into Nutrishop and jump onto a machine and break down what you’re doing a science, it was really awesome. You can get down to a really detailed level and micromanage what you did, and how it affected your results. That aspect was really cool."
Logan also made sure to rely on experts for advice, whether it was us here at Nutrishop or just people in the gym he trains at. He'd get tips on movements he could do or strategies he could try in his workouts. But the biggest help, he said, was unlocking his potential with some key supplements.
"I’ve been working out for a while but never got big into supplements, and I could lean down with no fat on me, but building actual muscle was a real struggle for me," he explained.
Indeed, he was already quite lean when he started--he measured at 10-percent body fat on his first weigh-in--so he needed an edge to push him to new heights. That's where we were able to help. We set him up with a stack that was perfectly set up for what he was trying to accomplish: Pro7 protein, BCAA Complex, Karbolyn, Jigsaw, N'Ject and N'Fuze. That combination was the key for him, as he wanted to put on size, but he didn't just want to look big--he wanted to gain strength and endurance of strength, too.
"I started having the best workouts I've ever had. I’ve gone to other supplement stores before, and what’s going to keep me going back to Nutrishop, and not the others, is that they're there to help," Logan said. "It wasn’t just, 'I sold you your product, so see ya.'"
As a full-time single dad with two little boys, there were plenty of things that Logan could have leaned on to slow his progress, including his back issues, but he refused to back down from the challenge. And once he got his diet and supplements right, nothing could stop him.
"I always hear, 'I can’t make the gym,' but I truly believe you can do what you want if you really want to. You have to prioritize what that is, though. You can find excuses, or you can find a way."