Body Transformation: Feed The Machine!

AGE 15 HEIGHT 5'9" WEIGHT 120 lbs BODY FAT 7%	AGE 17 HEIGHT 6'1" WEIGHT 168 lbs BODY FAT 8%

I was always a skinny kid growing up who wasn't athletic and unable to gain weight. It wasn't an issue in elementary school because nobody was concerned with the way I looked. When I entered the unforgiving hallways of middle school, I was relentlessly reminded that I was skinnier than the average 13-year-old girl.

For two years, I accepted that I was a stereotypical ectomorph incapable to change the size of my body. I played football during my freshman year of high school, but found it difficult to lift the bar off my chest. I injured myself halfway through the season and decided lifting weights wasn't my thing. Meanwhile, my friends got heavier and stronger while I stayed at 120 pounds.

At the beginning of my sophomore year, I tried cross country to find refuge in a sport that could play to my advantage. I was mediocre at best and grew tired of my frail body; if it didn't help me become an outstanding long distance runner, it wasn't helping me at all. It was a curse. My friends thought of me as "the skinny kid" and respected me according to that title.

I was constantly surrounded by bigger guys at school and social acceptance seemed to effortlessly place itself in their lap. I was big into chess and classical piano, so the addition of my skeletal body didn't do me any favors with the ladies. Finally, I made up my mind to transform my body no matter what. I couldn't let myself be remembered as the skinny kid. I wanted to prove everybody wrong.

I found a beat up bench press and some weights in my garage and spent hours researching nutrition and training strategies. I realized that being an ectomorph made it difficult to get big, but not impossible. With that realization, and a gym membership from my parents, I started training hard and never looked back.

Motivation and discipline were key. From the first day I got my gym membership, I realized it was my passion. I looked up to men's physique champions like Jeff Seid and was determined to look like them. I set long-term goals, but focused on the short term. I ate until I felt sick, then ate some more. I made sure to hit my macronutrients daily, even if it meant staying up late to cook an extra meal.

I saw results after a few months, and the small changes in my body motivated me to keep going with more intensity. I started to become obsessed. The gym became engrained to the point where I felt weird if I didn't go. The most important role in my transformation has been knowledge. I spent countless hours online and read books to find new ways to tear my muscles down and build them up. Correct form and a diet constructed for my personal needs were the key to my success.

The aspect that challenged me most was gaining weight. I had to lift heavy and diet hard. I'm naturally full after 2,000 calories. To gain weight, I constantly strive to eat 3,500-4,500 calories. It's difficult and doesn't feel great, but the results are worth the effort.

I would love to be a personal trainer and help people. I know it's possible for anyone to overcome their body type if they have the know-how and motivation to do so. Maybe one day I will compete, but that will require a few more years of training.

Ignore what everyone tells you and the temptation to live with the body given to you. If you want to be shredded, go for it. Do research, follow your diet, and give 100 percent effort in the gym. It comes easier for some than others, but it's impossible for no one.

Bodybuilding.com played a large role in my transformation. It's the number one site I use to look up information. You can find anything; exercises, diets, strategies, forums, and supplements.