How Alvin Cooper Got in Rocking Shape
In 2013, Alvin Cooper, 48, of Dunnigan, Calif. found himself very overweight and very unhappy. Crazy work schedules, inconsistent workouts and a busy life all conspired against this natural gas and oil rig service technician, eventually culminating in 70 extra pounds and a chronic snoring problem. Finally, after a visit to the doctor where he was told the snoring was a result of being overweight, Alvin was ready to make a lifestyle change.
“I didn’t realize how bad and out of shape I was until I took my before pictures. I was told by my doctor that for my height and frame I should be between 180 and 185 pounds,” said Alvin. “I thought they were crazy. There was no way I would get back to that weight.”
But he did. In six months, Alvin dropped down to 175 pounds. “Now if I creep up to 188 I start to feel fat,” he said.
How Did He Do It?
After a visit to Diane Carlos, franchisee of Max Muscle Natomas, Alvin learned about nutrition, specifically how to consume the proper amounts of protein and carbohydrates and how to properly fuel his body.
It was during this initial visit with Diane in November 2013 that Alvin picked up his first issue of Max Sports & Fitness magazine and read about how lives were changed through Max Muscle Nutrition. This was the spark he needed and the moment Alvin decided he wanted to take ownership of his health and fitness once and for all.
Alvin and his wife Angie, married 25 years, are a true team and she is his number one supporter. She took all the information they learned from Max Muscle and ran with it. She shopped for the groceries, prepped the food, searched out delicious healthy recipes and helped Alvin plan and prepare all his meals. Alvin received additional support from gym owner Les Morris and his trainer, Craig Jones.
For Alvin, nutrition had always been the culprit for weight gain. He’d consistently been active and was always on the go but his meals were traditionally low protein, high carbohydrate and high sugar, and his sweet tooth usually got the better of him with habitual midnight snacking. That all changed December 1, 2013 when clean eating became a way of life for him, thanks in large part to his wife.
“My wife was amazing. I told her I was content with eating the same thing over and over but she would come up with all kinds of creations to make meals interesting so I would not get bored with the food,” Alvin said. “All her meals were delicious, never boring. She is an excellent cook and I couldn’t have done it without her, that’s for sure!”
Meal planning was a big deal for Alvin because he often works out of town, even out of state, and sometimes has to live out of a hotel for days in a row. Additionally, he works 12-hour shifts and the only way he was going to be successful was if his meals were planned and prepped ahead of time with a great deal of care and consideration. With Angie’s help, Alvin would head out town for work with a big cooler on wheels and armed with the proper fuel for success.
Not always near a gym when he traveled for work, Alvin learned to adapt and make do with whatever he had available. He would run stairs for his cardio and always traveled with dumbbells and would do pushups and dips in his hotel room or on work out during his breaks if necessary. “You don’t have to belong to a gym to get into shape. You can use what you have in your own backyard, he said. “You can always do something.”
Alvin believed in himself and went from 245 pounds and 29 percent body fat down to 175 pounds and 8.2 percent body fat. Healthy living became a way of life. “I achieved what I set out to achieve.”
Alvin’s Stats
Before: 245 lbs. and 29% body fat
After: 175 lbs. and 8.2% body fat.
Max Muscle Products Alvin Used
• MaxPro
• Emerge
• BCAA
• Max ARM
• MaxxTOR
• FBX
“My favorite Max Muscle product by far was MaxxTOR,” he said. “I cannot believe what I was able to accomplish on this product.”
By Jackie Classen
