Eric Aumand

A devastating car accident didn't stop this JYM Army member from taking control of his body and his life.

Written By Jim Stoppani, PhD

Updated September 28, 2023

Written by Eric Aumand

My story begins in 2012: I was a victim of a traffic accident between a driver texting at the wheel and a double-trailer truck which sent my car airborne, flipping several times in the air before crashing down on the highway. The car continued to roll, landing hard on the roof until my car finally came to a stop on its roof, crushing my spine like an accordion. I spent a lot of time on my back following that accident and I gained so much weight from inactivity that it has been a nightmare and a struggle ever since.

I really wanted to get back into shape and rehabilitate my body due to chronic back pain as a result of the accident, which I've been doing ever since. When I started my fitness journey, I just wanted to do that – get back into shape. What happened next was unexpected: I found a family and a community of people who believe in Jim Stoppani as I do and who have helped push my journey beyond what I initially set out to do.

I’ve lost well over 30 pounds of fat since the beginning of my fitness journey, 20 pounds of it during the Holiday Shred Challenge (which was only six weeks long!) by following the program and nutritional guidelines to a T. I put on a few pounds of lean muscle – not sure how much, but I can say I put on one inch on my biceps alone in the six weeks of the challenge. I went down several sizes around my waist and I now sport a 32-inch waist and have to wear a belt! My transformation took six weeks from the “before” to the “after” photos.

The results shown are from the Holiday Shred Challenge, which was the HIIT 100 program. I should note that prior to this challenge, I was following my first Jim Stoppani program, Shortcut to Size, and had completed 10 of the 12 weeks before hopping onto the Holiday Challenge! So when you look at the “before” photo, take into consideration that I had already lost a ton of weight and started getting some lean muscle. I was really in the worst shape of my life before I started doing Jim’s programs.

Since I started the HIIT 100 program, I've been following Jim’s Dieting 101 guidelines and I continue to see results every week. The more I lose, the less it becomes noticeable, but when I look in the mirror or put on my clothes I see and feel the difference. Toward the end of the program, I introduced Intermittent Fasting into my regimen and that seems to be yielding great results alongside the Dieting 101 guidelines.

Along with my meals, I also supplement to maximize my results. I use the entire JYM supplement line, including Pre JYM, Post JYM, Post JYM Dextrose, Pro JYM, as well as the support supplements Omega JYM, Alpha JYM, Vita JYM, Shred JYM and ZMA JYM. This way, I know and trust I'm getting everything my body needs in order to maximize my results, both while at the gym as well as at home during recovery.

It can be difficult to stay on track; we are our biggest obstacles when it comes to training because our mind is a very powerful tool that can either help us or hinder our results. At the gym, I would often want to quit because I was tired or I would start to convince myself that the results aren’t coming fast enough, or this or that. In the end, I didn’t give up, stuck to the program and put my trust in Jim Stoppani, PhD. Boy, am I ever happy I made that decision!

I also found a great source of inspiration and motivation through the JYM Army. If you haven’t yet, ask to join the JYM Army Facebook group – you won’t regret it! Every day, men and women alike with the common goal of bettering themselves exchange ideas, tips, little challenges and all kinds of different things, including videos and the likes and friendships that have been developed within this community. That's something I've never seen before in any other fitness or bodybuilding group or supplement supplier. JYM Army is a source of continuous motivation, and a strong one at that!

If I may offer a bit of advice to anyone who wants to start training, the first thing I would say is to be prepared to make some changes, perhaps a few sacrifices. Nothing in life comes free or easy. I had to give up some very enjoyable, though bad, habits that I still miss. But I know now those habits are terrible for my body, so certain types of foods and goodies I stay away from and save them for specific times where it’s OK to eat.

My second piece of advice is to take some time and EDUCATE yourself about supplements. The Doc has a great learning tool called the Supplements 101 course. Take that at least two times, heck, even three times in a row, and you'll understand so much more about your own body, supplements and what's good or bad. This is necessary to move forward, otherwise you're just putting the wrong supplements in your body, probably at the wrong times.

Next, discuss your goals with your immediate family, because they'll be the ones who you see every day and they need to be in your corner! Their support of your goals is crucial!

When you step into the gym, leave your ego outside and stop trying to impress the dudes and gals who have been lifting for years. Start small, focus on form, the mind-muscle connection, and watch Jim’s videos. He'll help you learn how to safely and properly lift to get maximum results. Don’t try to impress others by lifting heavier than you should.

I can tell you this: It’s pretty cool to walk into a party of friends and family during the holidays and have them look at you and make comments like, “Whoa, looking pretty buff there!” or “Damn man, you're looking great!” It’s a nice feeling.

I subscribe to JimStoppani.com and it's the best investment I've made in a long time. I plan on doing every single one of his programs – they're all outstanding! He’s literally the mad scientist when it comes to programs.

And you know what? I am 40 years old, and I made the decision since the beginning of all this that... why the hell should I just be content with being healthy – let’s get BUFF! So I’ve decided that at age 45 I want to step onstage. Yep, a bodybuilding competition! Obviously, it will be an amateur one, but heck, why not? I don’t even need to win – just to be eligible to step onstage to me means I'll have already won. So keep an eye out, JYM Army and visitors alike. In the next five years I’m going to continue to transform myself into one hell of a machine!

Good luck to you all on your own journeys and feel free to talk to me anytime on our JYM Army Facebook group! Cheers!

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