Steve Flintoff

This JYM Army member tells a truly inspiring story of how he overcame a serious drug addiction by going all in on his training and nutrition.

Written By Jim Stoppani, PhD

Updated September 28, 2023

Written by Steve Flintoff

I have always aspired to look what I call “Fight Club fit." I used to think Brad Pitt’s body in the movie was the ultimate and ideal physique: Not too muscular, not too skinny, but decent-sized muscles with an athletic look.

I've never had a six-pack. That is the one fitness aesthetic I have always wanted. I can remember during my early high school years, walking the halls, uncomfortable and insecure, sucking in my potbelly because I didn’t want it to poke out.

Growing up, I played sports in high school, so being fit was simply a by-product of the mandatory off-season workouts and coaching. In college, my fitness goals became more relaxed: I wanted to maintain a slim frame, while at the same time eating pizza and drinking beer. Later, this lifestyle extended beyond my college years and crept into my everyday life.

However, my goals have all changed with time. My fitness journey is rather complicated, and it didn’t begin until rather recently.

I am a 29-year-old recovering drug addict. I spent most of my adult life battling drugs and alcohol. Health and fitness will never be a priority when the only life you know is under the influence of some kind of illicit substance. My addiction was in absolute control of my life — it was killing me. I would go for days without sleeping or eating before I would collapse from exhaustion. This went on for years. I was so malnourished that my body cannibalized itself and fed on my remaining muscle stores for fuel.

If I had continued down that path, I wasn’t going to make it to my 30th birthday. I wanted a new life, something that wasn’t the hell I was living every day, yet I was unable to find the strength to get help. Then one day, I was blessed with the gift of desperation, and finally asked for the help and care I needed to get clean. I ultimately entered treatment.

After I got clean, I found great relief and solace in the gym. At first, I was following different programs and training hard, but I was seeing minimal results, and very slowly. Sure, I watched what I ate, but my nutrition was severely lacking the discipline and direction it needed to give me the results I really wanted.

I promised myself that I would never be one of those people who weighs and tracks their food. I was trying to out-train a poor diet. I refused to accept that abs are truly made in the kitchen. I grew extremely frustrated when I wasn’t seeing the results I sought. After all, I was busting my behind in the gym every day! I began to wonder what was truly holding me back.

I continued to train, often visiting the gym twice a day. I continued eating poorly. I remained frustrated and stagnant. But several months later, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and I saw an ad for the Super-Man Challenge on Jim Stoppani's page.

That was when I discovered Jim Stoppani and JYM products. I was curious and I decided to check it out. I looked the program over, but I decided not to sign up because I didn’t want to commit to the nutrition. I continued to struggle with slow results.

Fast-forward several weeks. I saw the same ad on my Facebook feed, but this time it showed the before-and-after transformations. I was absolutely shocked by some of the results. I could not believe the challenge winner’s transformation, thinking, “That is impossible; no one can do that in five weeks!”

Suddenly, Jim had my full attention. There I was, staring at photos of real people who had achieved the results that I wanted in just several weeks. That was all the proof I needed. I was convinced and willing to do whatever it took to look like that. I fully accepted that I needed to buckle down with the nutrition part.

Once I began researching Jim and his programs, I learned about JYM Supplement Science. Before I committed to JYM, I took a random assortment of supplements from different brands. I would stack one brand of pre-workout, with another brand of BCAAs, with another brand of creatine, fish oil, etc. I was clueless when it came to what I should be taking and when to take it. It was also difficult to discern between real science and “bro science.”

I was attracted to JYM products because all of the necessary ingredients were found in Pre JYM and Post JYM. It completely took out all of the guesswork. The right dose and ingredients are all found on the front of the product. I have not seen another company that puts the ingredient list on the front of the label. It is a testament to the quality of JYM supplements.

Furthermore, Jim and Mike McErlane do not have to pay people to back and rep their product. The general public and everyday people like me stand behind the product 100 percent because it’s that good. I now take the entire JYM line of products, except for Alpha JYM. I spent so many years of my life putting toxic things into my body that now I only want to take the best and highest-quality supplements; I wholeheartedly trust the superiority and ingredients of JYM supplements.

Several months passed and it was November 2016. I had been taking JYM supplements, working out, and eating however I pleased, but I still wasn’t seeing the results I wanted. But I was determined to get the results I dreamed of. So I joined Jimstoppani.com and signed up for my first challenge — the Holiday Shred Challenge.

Once I had committed, I jumped in headfirst. I read Dieting 101 and completely changed the way I ate. I had to convert to a full-fledged food prepper and macro counter. Hell, I was willing to do whatever it took to get that six-pack. I was primed with new tools, information, and supplements. I just needed to execute.

For the first time ever, I paired a workout program with a nutrition plan, and the results were phenomenal. In six short weeks, I had achieved the results I always wanted and more – I now had my six-pack! As I continued the challenge, I dedicated myself to consistency and improving myself daily. I was thrilled with my results and incredibly humbled when Jim named me the male grand-prize winner of the 2016 Holiday Shred Challenge.

The moment I saw the announcement video, I was so overcome with emotion. It was the culmination of all the time, focus, energy, effort, hard work, sweat, and everything I had put into my fitness journey up to that very point. It was also a poignant reminder of how far I have come.

After HIIT 100, I completed Daily Grind, Back and Fourth, and Super Shredded 8 (SS8). I have never achieved results like this. Using Jim’s programs, nutrition plans, and JYM supplements, I have added significant amounts of lean muscle mass while simultaneously dropping my body-fat percentage from 23 percent to 6.8 percent. I am in the best physical and mental shape of my life. Jim's programs have taught me that in order to get results, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone. You must get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

The life I live today is drastically different than the life I led just one year ago. I now choose to lead by example. I use the knowledge that I have gained from Jim Stoppani to positively affect others. Thanks to my dedication and consistency, I have been able to help others to make a change.

People have been so inspired by my enthusiasm and commitment to my own fitness that they have reached out to me for guidance and encouragement. The enjoyment that I receive from sharing my experience and this newfound wealth of knowledge with others is the true reward.

Now with a new lease on life, I have a new fitness goal. For me, it’s not to look a certain way or get to a specific body-fat percentage; rather, I train for a better life. While I still strive to have those highly sought-after six-pack abs, I recognize the importance of living each day with energy and positivity.

I want to be as far from my addiction as possible. So long as I am in the gym every day, I can continue down this positive path, one day at a time. I am so grateful for my health, the relationships that my journey has built, and the life I am able to live today. Jim and Mike are an important part of that. Thank you for helping me save my life. You two have done more for me than you know. Life is beautiful once you decide it’s worth living. Stay JYM Army strong!

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