After identity theft destroyed his 23 years of business success in South Florida, Neal realized he was facing a low point in both his professional and personal life. At over 400 pounds, he realized that he needed to make a change not only for himself, but also for his wife Laura and two sons, Justin and Logan.
“I love my family, but I didn’t know if I would make it to my next birthday,” says Neal. “Most people my age don’t take care of themselves; they’re always taking care of everybody else. But you can’t take care of other people if you’re not there.”
Almost Like Destiny
Last summer, Neal and his family moved to Chandler, Arizona after he took a position with the Arizona Rattlers. Thanks to a challenge from owner Ron Shurts, President Chris Presson, and head coach Kevin Guy, Neal committed to finding a healthier lifestyle. It was this encouragement and push that Neal needed to get started, not to mention the fact that he had just moved in three miles from Isagenix World Headquarters. He now feels that his move to Arizona was “almost like destiny.”
Currently, Neal is seven months into his Isagenix journey and has released 119 pounds,* but he’s not stopping until he releases 200 pounds total. Recently, Neal is proud to say that he has weighed in under the 300-pound mark.
“I haven’t seen a two in front of my number in a long time, so I’m thankful for the opportunity to say this. Hopefully, it will help inspire other people,” says Neal.
How Neal Did It
Prior to coming to Arizona, Neal had walked daily for 16 straight months with little results. “I wasn’t seeing any progress. You know, I really wasn’t pushing my physical fitness level.”
So this time around, Neal followed a personalized fitness program and committed to six cardio workouts per week and followed a balanced diet with the help of Isagenix. “I had a certain number of proteins, fats, and carbs that I could eat each day, and Isagenix was part of that,” explains Neal.
Every morning leading up to his 7 a.m. workout, Neal makes sure to have a balanced breakfast. Thirty minutes before getting to the gym, he takes AMPED™ Power. He then makes sure to take AMPED NOx 10 minutes before his workout. “Power amplifies my strength, and NOx helps me train harder and longer,”** says Neal.
Afterward, he usually has either an IsaLean® Shake or an IsaLean Bar to give him the protein he needs after a hard workout. For a boost in the afternoon, he mixes green tea with e+™.
While Neal has diligently stuck to his balanced meal plan, he also admits that he misses pizza and says that “pizza has always been his weakness.” Now, to stay on track, Neal and his family make their own pizza, with a cauliflower crust:
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds cauliflower florets, riced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/3 cup soft goat cheese
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Pinch of salt
Direction
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- To make the cauliflower rice, pulse batches of raw cauliflower florets in a food processor, until a rice-like texture is achieved.
- Fill a large pot with about an inch of water, and bring it to a boil. Add the “rice” and cover; boil for about 4-5 minutes. Drain into a fine-mesh strainer.
- THIS IS THE SECRET: Once you’ve strained the rice, transfer it to a clean, thin dish towel. Wrap the steamed rice in the dish towel, twist it up, and squeeze all the excess moisture out. This will leave you with a nice, dry pizza crust.
- In a large bowl, mix the strained rice, beaten egg, goat cheese, and spices. Don’t be afraid to use your hands! You want it very well mixed.
- Press the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (It’s important that it’s lined with parchment paper, or it will stick.) Keep the dough about ⅓” thick, and make the edges a little higher for a “crust” effect, if you like.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400 F. The crust should be firm and golden brown when finished.
- Add your favorite toppings—sauce, cheese, and anything else you like. Return the pizza to the 400 F oven, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, just until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
- Slice and serve immediately!
Recipe by Detoxinista.com.
Neal plans to continue his process of combining Isagenix with his workout program to achieve his ultimate goal: “winning the game of life and losing 200 pounds.”
Neal says, “This is a marathon, not a sprint, and the Isagenix product line will continue to be a part of the winning formula.”
A Champion of Choice
Neal believes that you can go one of two ways in life: You can be a champion of choice or a victim of circumstance. “So in the backyard of a championship company like Isagenix, I decided to be a champion of choice.”
Neal is extremely proud of how far he has come, but what he is most passionate about is inspiring others to make the kind of lifestyle change that he did.
“I’m 58 years old, but I have a long life to live. I know there’s still gas in the tank,” says Neal. “Isagenix provided me the fuel to get to this point, and it’s not over. It’s never too late to make a change.”
*Weight loss should not be considered typical. In a study performed in 2012 by University of Illinois at Chicago researchers, subjects lost an average of 9 pounds with an average of 2 pounds of the loss from visceral fat after 30 days on an Isagenix System. The subjects also had a greater level of adherence and had more consistent weight loss from week to week compared to subjects on a traditional diet.
**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
