Vital Stats

Name: Barb Herbert
Email: driven@shaw.ca
BodySpace: driven1

Before:
Age: 34
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 256 lbs
Body Fat: 40%

After:
Age: 37
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 125 lbs
Body Fat: 13%

Why I Got Started

I was a college student at the time that it happened. I was tired of being obese. I was tired of being laughed at by young and old alike. I was tired of the rude remarks from friends, family and complete strangers. My legs and my back ached all of the time.

As a matter of fact, I ended up in the hospital for over a week once because my back just quit. My body was telling me that it could no longer support my increasing weight.

Vascular and heart disease as well as diabetes runs rampant in both sides of my family, and I had seen the effects of obesity in several of my relatives over the years, so I was also quite afraid for my future health as well.

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My Body Was Telling Me That It Could
No Longer Support My Increasing Weight.

I could not do the things that I wanted to. I couldn't run, or ride a horse or even a bicycle. I was so embarrassed that I would not stand up to go to the washroom in a restaurant because I didn't want anyone to look at me. In short, I couldn't live a decent life.

I didn't have a defining moment that pushed me over the edge. It was more of a slowly growing unhappiness about the condition I had gotten myself into, as well as knowing if I continued down the path I was, I would surely end up with heart and blood sugar disorders.

How I Did It

Well, as I mentioned, when I decided to lose the weight, I was a college student in 2002, so money was tight. My college did not have a fitness center and joining a gym was financially out of reach for me.

So I began using an old, out-of-date Weight Watcher's system that my sister gave me, and went for walks and counted points. After graduation, I joined a small local gym and started with a very beginners circuit training and cardio routine.

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I Joined A Small Local Gym And Started With A Very
Beginners Circuit Training And Cardio Routine.

It nearly killed me, but I had a good, upbeat trainer and a whole lot of desire. I slowly moved out of the circuit training and progressed into 4- and 5-day splits. But at that point, I had been at it for 2 years and had said goodbye to 116 pounds.

I then had to move across the country from Ontario to Alberta for work. By this time I was bored with my training and struggling to keep the weight off. Quite by accident, I ran into a bodybuilding trainer and signed on with him and his wife.

Over the next year, they helped me increase my muscle mass and shed another 15 pounds to hit the stage at my first show in 2005 at 125 pounds. This made for a total weight loss of 131 pounds over a period of 3 years.

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I Had A Good, Upbeat Trainer
And A Whole Lot Of Desire.

Supplements

During the initial weight loss, I used a daily multivitamin supplement. Later on, when I began training for a show, I began using some fat burners, protein powders, CLA, BCAA's, L-Glutamine, as well as creatine in the off-season.

Diet

Meal 1:
• 1 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1 slice of fat free cheese
• 1.25 oz of whole grain cereal
• 3/4 cup of skim milk

Meal 2:

• 1 piece of fruit
• 4 oz of fat free cottage cheese

Meal 3:

• 2 low-carb tortillas
• 7 oz of chicken
• 3 oz of mixed vegetables

Meal 4:

• 2 scoops of whey protein
• 3 oz of mixed vegetables

Meal 5:

• 3 oz of baked potato
• 6 oz of chicken
• 3 oz of mixed vegetables

Meal 6:

• 1 1/2 scoops of whey protein
• 1.25 oz of whole grain cereal
• 1/2 cup of skim milk

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Barb Herbert.

Training

Big thanks to Brian and Donna Logue for helping me set up a customized plan!

Day 1: Back And Biceps
• Chin Ups: 20-30 minutes
• Seated Cable Row: 5 sets of 6-12 reps
• One-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Lat Pulldown: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Straight Arm Pulldown: 2 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Curls: 7 sets of 8-12 reps
• Alternate Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Preacher Curls: 4 sets of 12 reps

Day 2: Chest And Triceps

• Bench Press: 7 sets of 6-10 reps
• Incline Bench Press: 4 sets of 6-10 reps
• Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Cable Crossovers: 4 sets of 12 reps
• Skullcrushers: 7 sets of 8-12 reps
• Triceps Pushdown: 5 sets of 8-12 reps
• Rope Pushdowns: 3 sets of 12 reps

Day 3: Quads And Calves

• Leg Press: 7 sets of 6-10 reps
• Hack Squat: 4 sets of 6-10 reps
• Leg Extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Seated Calf Raises: 5 sets of 10-15 reps
• Standing Calf Raises: 5 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 7: Hamstrings And Shoulders

• Stiff Legged Deadlift: 7 sets of 8-12 reps
• Lying Leg Curl: 5 sets of 8-12 reps
• Seated Leg Curl: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 5 sets of 8-12 reps
• Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Front Dumbbell Laterals: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Rear Delt Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps

Cardio:

Right now I am in an off-season, so my cardio is pretty light at 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. However, during contest prep, I have done upwards of 3 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Suggestions For Others

If you are looking at a large amount of weight loss, break it into small segments in your mind and it won't feel so bad. Set a goal, and then hire the best trainer that you can afford that specializes in, and has a passion for that same goal.

Cut yourself some slack, and realize that there will be set backs and unexpected events in your life. You can't control them. Just hang on and enjoy the ride as much as you can.

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Hang On And Enjoy The Ride
As Much As You Can.

Develop a support group of like-minded individuals, and ditch those people from your life who are negative or who hold you back in any way. Work on developing a strong, quiet resolve. It will get you where you want to go.

femaletransformations@bodybuilding.com

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