Over 40 Amateur Of The Week: Colleen Holiday

I started weight training in high school because I was bullied by all the girls in my new school. I was always the odd girl out and weights were an outlet for me to vent and also made me feel strong inside and out. I find still when life gets tough-I train harder-it's my way of working things out.

I love the people who work out. We are a rare breed and the people in my gym and the friends on BodySpace always give me that extra push to reach my goals. They all are amazing and have a story to tell that inspires you to be your best.

I train 6-7 days a week. I am on a 6 day split and I often do cardio at 6am and then go to the gym or do cardio in the afternoon that consists of a HIIT program or the elliptical, treadmill, bike or step machine. Sometimes I'll do 15 on each machine, sometimes I'll do an hour. For myself, I like a leaner frame therefore; I change up my routine often. The body adapts quickly but the weight training basics are the same but just variations to change it up and to avoid overuse injuries. I literally never do the same program twice or amount of sets. My average sets are four but I may do up to seven. I divide my training into periods of heavy lifting and muscle endurance.

I have an auto-immune disease that affects my joints, I also have mild arthritis from my early twenties, however, I would have never known about it had it not been for the x-rays issued after a car accident. I have no arthritic pain at all because of the constant weight training all of my life. I wouldn't even know I had it. My auto-immune does cause some muscle pain but it has never stopped me from an exercise. I do have to watch carefully for over training because I will become fatigued. I supplement well with vitamins, a multi, d, c, calcium and a pre-workout vitamin c pack. I hit weak areas twice a week and those are glutes and triceps.

I have always told my clients that I can eat anything want. I just don't want what "you" are eating. My diet is pretty straight forward - I truly love the body builders/fitness style of eating.

I used to be vegetarian but with the protein powder I can get by with mostly fish and a little chicken or turkey. I never eat red meat.

I eat protein laden spaghetti for a cheat meal or shells stuffed with low fat ricotta and spinach or ground turkey. My cheat meals are always healthy. Peanut butter and all fruit on a wheat roll up is a cheat meal.

I like wine and often cut carbs to have a glass. I don't often measure but if you do it once you an eye ball how much you are consuming.

If I am really looking for something sweet a Cliff bar suffices and if you put it in the microwave it tastes even better.

I used the Bodybuilding.com protein and carb calculators and aim for those grams. Roughly I should be taking in 113 grams of protein and 236 grams of carbs. I'm lighter on the protein because I tend to gain with more protein.

Fitness is a fountain of youth of sorts. Just look at the people on Bodybuilding.com!

Every day I find another person that is just utterly amazing and not only in their attractiveness but in their resiliency. Bodybuilding builds more than muscle, it builds character.

Two things. Watching people who do not feel well, you can see it and they wish they would have taken better care of themselves when they were younger. It is a quality of life thing to be healthy. Second thing-the mirror!

For starters, those mean chicks in high school, a few ex-boyfriends and just plain tenacity! I love doing the impossible!

I may do one contest. Right now I am getting my web site together. I want to inspire people to reach their best at any age. I just want to keep on being impossible!

Don't let anyone get in your way and get on Bodybuilding.com. We're all cheering for ya!

Alicia Marie, Patrick Manu Bateman, (not a professional bodybuilder but wow) He is incredible and a fantastic person. To tell you the truth, the people on BB.com wow me the most.

Features? HA! I scan Bodybuilding.com morning, noon, and night. I learn something every day, more than in any of my certifications.

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