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| AGE 46 HEIGHT 5'7" WEIGHT 161 lbs BODY FAT 27% |
AGE 47 HEIGHT 5'7" WEIGHT 145 lbs BODY FAT 13% |
Why I Decided To Transform
I'm a school counselor and a happy husband and father of two wonderful children. I knew there was a problem when my kids, a 10- and a 12-year-old, asked if I was having beer with dinner. And by asking I mean ... on a regular basis.
Kids must not ask or offer alcohol to anyone, thus this pattern needed to stop and stop it did! A redirection was needed to live a healthier lifestyle and model appropriate behavior. Here's where Bodybuilding.com comes into play.
I've always enjoyed working out, but never found the discipline needed to see significant changes until I signed up for the 100K Transformation Challenge. This gave me 84 days to transform my mind and body. I'm fortunate to have had my wife (Leahmvb) join me in this venture because we have been supporting each other since the first day.
Our busy schedules as educators and having our kids involved in multiple extracurricular activities has exponentially increased this challenge, but that's what a partnership does ... back one another. I feel rejuvenated now that I train regularly and my outlook on life has definitely changed for the better.
This educator took a hardcore 12-week fitness course.
How I Accomplished My Goals
I struggled selecting a workout program that would suit my needs (and age) because they all appeared somewhat intense. I finally settled for "Kris Gethin's Hardcore 12-Week Daily Trainer." Not because it's less intense than the others, but because Kris seemed unique with his approach and discipline. The videos showed him in a different light ... struggling with illness, unable to eat his prepared meals at a restaurant and actually vomiting as a result of an intense workout.
Kris' program was followed to the best of my ability, but with some modifications due to lack of gym equipment. For example, instead of leg presses, I would do Jefferson squats of hack squats. Many other exercises required ingenuity for proper execution, which is why I considered them as 'brute force.'
I kept a record of every workout in my exercise tracker. Cardio was not recorded in the exercise tracker, but was performed at least five days per week in the form of cycling, jump rope or fast walking to meet my kids at their karate class on Tuesday and Thursday.
Within the first four weeks of this training, I reached and beat my first body fat goal going from 27 percent to 22 percent! This was followed by a new goal of 17 percent that was also beaten a month later.
I decided not to obsess with a third goal, knowing that these numbers were less impressive than my progress reflected in the mirror (at least to me).
Nevertheless, I recorded my stats on a weekly basis because I'll eventually want to refer to them as I continue to transform.
Motivation during the 100K Transformation Challenge is unique to the individual, but the ultimate goal is the same ... to win. I felt the best motivation was proving to me that I could and would change at will. My family was instrumental in helping me keep the momentum while transforming. A daily dialogue with my wife about our workouts, targets, and suggestions for food played a big factor in staying focused.
During some difficult workout sessions, I would remind myself that I could and would prove those people who doubted me wrong. I became fixated with this idea and as my progress pictures began to reveal noticeable changes in my physique, those doubters were silenced.
In addition, the support received from the other members of this competition and by reading the forums has been nothing less than stellar and I mean it with sincere gratitude. Thank you all!
What Aspect Challenged Me The Most
The greatest challenge was allocating time to train without faltering from the program.
Some days I would exercise for more than two hours, making home life difficult. My kids needed help with homework, my wife needed to follow her exercise plan; I had to work late some evenings, etc.
All of these factors can wreak havoc if one is not well prepared for the challenge. My wife and I worked out a plan where one of us was always "free" for the kids. They are the reason I entered the challenge.
My Future Fitness Plans
I turned 47 in April and feel ecstatic with my accomplishment, thus I continue to train on a regular basis … I believe I've become addicted to this lifestyle.
In a bizarre way I feel awkward and guilty when I don't exercise, so therefore I won't stop.
Suggestions For Aspiring Transformers
- Never quit or tell yourself you can't do it.
- Make short-term goals and strive to reach them, such as dropping 3 percent body fat by a certain date.
- Don't feel discouraged if you don't meet your goal. Revisit your workout log to determine what you're doing or need to improve on.
- Create your own BodySpace and track your progress with pictures and data.
- Join a BodyGroup and exchange information…also solicit input from others. Nobody was born with an athletic physique; this is something that you must create.
How Bodybuilding.com Helped Me Reach My Goals
Bodybuilding.com was instrumental in my transformation. I stumbled upon this site looking for exercises that I could learn and use with a new bench I had recently purchased.
This site provides a wealth of training exercises to choose from and its members' feedback from various exercises is valuable while assessing difficulty levels. The numerous articles were also of great significance as I was being educated in the art and science of Bodybuilding.
I didn't know much about proper nutrition or supplementation until I read various articles from this site. Being able to track my progress through BodySpace was perhaps the most valuable tool as I was able to compare and note changes in my physique.
I was amazed to see people my age and older with outstanding bodies and this helped keep me to continue with my training. I've reviewed other websites on bodybuilding, but none compare to the thoroughness that Bodybuilding.com has to offer.