Mike was tired of looking in the mirror and constantly being unhappy with his physique. So he decided to try the Body-for-LIFE challenge and shed the weight. Read on to learn how he dropped 40 pounds right here!

Before Before:
200 lbs 		After After:
160 lbs

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Vital Stats
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Name: Mike Packham
Email: skinny@packhams.org
BodySpace: OldManSkinny
Forum Thread: OldManSkinny's Recipes

Before:
Age: 53
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 200 lbs
Body Fat: 35%+
Waist: 37"

After:
Age: 61
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 160 lbs
Body Fat: 8%
Waist: 32"

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Why I Got Started
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I'm an old man by bodybuilders' standards. Yet I'm not ready to lean back, relax, and be the roly-poly Grandpa to my 24 grandchildren. Back in 2001 I was at 200 pounds, my shirts all puckered out at the buttons, and I was looking at having to buy, yet again, pants with a bigger waist.

I realized I yearned to look in the mirror and see vigor and vitality. In February of 2001 I came across Body-for-LIFE and started implementing that plan of nutrition and exercise. By December I was down to 145 pounds.

I Realized I Yearned To Look In The Mirror And See Vigor And Vitality.
Enlarge Click Image To Enlarge.
I Realized I Yearned To Look In
The Mirror And See Vigor And Vitality.

What an impact this has had on my life! I've learned how disciplined I really could be with time, focus, and even basics - sleeping, eating, drinking, working. This transformation has empowered me. I proved I have a force within me that can accomplish any purpose.

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How I Did It
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Since that first big move into a fit lifestyle, I haven't stopped. Many people have made impressive transformations, but then return to their old habits, losing sight of the ultimate goal. I had enough intrinsic motivation and love for my new body that I didn't let myself do that.

Since That First Big Move Into A Fit Lifestyle, I Haven't Stopped.
Enlarge Click Image To Enlarge.
Since That First Big Move Into A
Fit Lifestyle, I Haven't Stopped.

I have kept learning more about bodybuilding and nutrition, implementing the ideas into my workouts and eating. Over the 7 years since that first push, I have missed very few planned workouts. My lean muscle mass has gradually increased as I've continued to drop body fat to where I am now consistently 8% at 160-165 pounds.

I Have Kept Learning More About Bodybuilding And Nutrition.
Enlarge Click Image To Enlarge.
I Have Kept Learning More About
Bodybuilding And Nutrition.

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Supplements
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Diet
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I'm a firm believer in 6 meals a day, making sure every meal is high in lean protein. I push for high-fiber carb in the meals around my workouts and plenty of "good" fats - flax, fish oil, olive oil, nuts, etc. especially later in the day.

I am a celiac so I've got an arsenal of alternative flours that actually have better nutritional properties-millet, quinoa, amaranth, soy, sorghum, buckwheat, brown rice, and garbanzo. I mill the grain and then bake my own bread products to match my nutritional needs.

Celiac Disease:
Celiac disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. Oats may contain gluten as well. When a person with celiac disease eats foods containing gluten, an immune reaction occurs in the small intestine, resulting in damage to the surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients from food.

Eventually, decreased absorption of nutrients (malabsorption) can cause vitamin deficiencies that deprive your brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, liver and other organs of vital nourishment, which can lead to other illnesses. The decreased nutrient absorption that occurs in celiac disease is especially serious in children, who need proper nutrition to develop and grow.

No treatment can cure celiac disease. However, you can effectively manage celiac disease through changing your diet.

Breakfast is always based on eggs. Three meals are based on lean meat or fish. And bedtime finds me with a bowl of fat-free cottage cheese and my homemade yogurt-fat and sugar free-mixed with nuts or ground flax seeds and a serving of psyllium husk for fiber.

Mike Packham.
Enlarge Click Image To Enlarge.
Mike Packham.

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Training
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After doing several Body-for-LIFE 12-week challenges, I branched out and tried many different variations. My favorites have been the two Maximum Growth programs by Stephen Adele. I have also learned a lot about nutrition and muscle development from Michael Mejia's and John Berardi's book, Scrawny to Brawny.

I often do a 3-way split, something like the following, but I'm always adding interest with drop sets, partial rep sets, different combinations of supersets, and changing out various exercises to target the muscle groups from different directions, grips, positions, etc.

READING THIS WORKOUT LOG
Perform each number of reps that corresponds to the set that you're on. For example, Bench Press: 5 sets of 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 reps. Your first set will be for 15 reps, the second set will be for 12 reps, the third set will be for 10 reps, and so on until you complete the exercise.

Superset - Supersetting involves doing two exercises with no rest in between.

Failure - That point in an exercise at which you have so fully fatigued your working muscles that they can no longer complete an additional repetition of a movement with strict biomechanics.

Mike Packham.
Enlarge Click Image To Enlarge.
Mike Packham.

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Suggestions For Others
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Dial into your own inner strength. You have to really want to make a change before you will be able to weather the storms of self doubt, temptation, and the power of old habits. Once you have your own mind set, you need to solicit help from friends and family. Tell them of your plans and ask them to help keep you honest and on track.

I appreciate my wife of 40 years. She is in mid-stage Alzheimer's, yet she keeps asking me about my goals. She goes with me to the gym every day. Smiling from her stationary bike, she brightens when I strike a bodybuilding pose. You folks here on Bodybuilding.com give high-fives and compliments to keep me going.

Mike Packham.
Enlarge Click Image To Enlarge.
Mike Packham.

I'm still an old man, but neither the mirror nor my activity level would indicate it. This transformation and new lifestyle has been my Fountain of Youth.


over40transformations@bodybuilding.com

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