Bodybuilding.com - Male Transformation Of The Week - Gert Louw.

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Did you know?
My supplement list was not designed to enhance muscle, but to add to health benefits.

Gert always wanted to have the coveted six-pack abs and good arms. After a close call with death he gained a new appreciation for life and wanted to make a change. See how his new outlook and training helped him lose 4 inches off his waist and more!

Male Transformation Of The Week - Gert Louw.

By: Gert Louw

Before:

After:

Vital Stats

As I did not lift weights to be competitive, but purely for the health side, my stats are incomplete.

Before:
Biceps - 15.5"
Waist - Before: 36"

After:
Biceps - 16.25"
Waist - After: 32"

Why I Got Started

OK, I always wanted a 6-pack and good arms. And I've been lifting on and off for the past 8 years. However, after my sickbed in which I nearly died, I had a new mission to get healthy again and a new appreciation for life. I also became a follower of Christ and my whole life-focus changed. I just wanted to make the most of the body God has given me and to do it for his glory.

How I Did It

How does the expression go?

"Blood, Sweat And Tears!"

First of all I changed my eating habits... big time. No alcohol whatsoever, lots of water/veggies and everything healthy. And yes, protein every 3 hours from waking up to going to bed.

My health had a bit of a setback in December 05 and I could not consume solids. But it was a blessing in disguise, since it helped me to really getting ripped. For the whole month I drank just protein/meal replacement shakes and my workout program stayed on track.

View Meal Replacements Sorted By Top Sellers Here.

AST Presents: Ny-Tro Pro-40
EAS Presents: Myoplex
EAS Presents: Myoplex Original Ready To Drink

On the workout side: The most important for me was to not skip sessions. I just kept at it and mentally focus my mind to release all my anger/frustration/stress into the workout session.

I stuck to my routine day in and day out.

I started initially working out at my home gym (which is well equipped). But when you reach a certain level, you need the encouragement of other dudes working out around you to push you to the limit.

Click Image To Enlarge.
June 2005 - December 2005.

Supplements

My supplement list was not designed to enhance muscle, but to add to health benefits.

I used the following 3 times per day:

Sample Week Of Diet

No alcohol!
4L water per day.
VERY little carbs.
No animal fat.
Fair amount of good fats (omega3/6 - Flaxseed Oil + Fish fats)

Since we run our own business, time is at a premium and my diet is nearly every day the same and quite boring.

06h00 (upon waking up) - meal replacement shake
09h00 - Bowl of oats with fat-free yoghurt
12h00 - Green Salad with whey shake and a fruit
15h00 - Whey shake with fat-free yoghurt and a fruit
18h00 - Meal replacement shake or fish with green salad
20h00 (just before bed) - pure protein shake (slow release)

Sunday mornings, me and wife will have a nice oily breakfast (eggs+bacon, etc...)

No Cheating in between.

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Cheat Meals Are Not Necessary!
Cheat meals have some value, and while such food can serve a mental need, refeed meals will provide all the physical benefits of cheat meals while maximizing fat loss.
[ Click here to learn more. ]

Sample Week Of Training

I change my workout routine frequently to make sure my muscles stay in guessing mode...

Working out 6 days in a row and then 1 day rest.
Focus on a single muscle group per workout (Alternating between Abs and Calves every 2nd day after my main muscle group workout).

Day One: Chest
Day Two: Biceps
Day Three: Shoulders
Day Four: Triceps
Day Five: Legs
Day Six: Back

Working each muscle to failure on 8th rep of each set and nearly always do 4 sets per exercise (sometimes 5).
For all muscle groups I am doing 4 - 5 different exercises per workout, changing the exercises regularly.
Rest very little in-between sets. (30sec to 1 min)
Warm up VERY WELL! before starting with routine with light weights + 5 minutes on the treadmill.

A bit more about my bicep workout:

Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls (Shown Standing) - 4 sets of 8 reps each arm.
Standing Alternating (Concentration) Cable Curl (Machine), pulling cable from bottom upwards - 4 sets of 8 reps each arm. Slow deliberate movements concentrating on feeling the burn in the bicep.
Barbell Curls - 4 sets of 8.
Standing alternating dumbbell hammer curls - 4 sets of 8 with each arm.
To finish off, Seated alternating dumbbell concentration curls - 4 sets of 8 with each arm.

print Click Here For A Printable Log Of My Bicep Workout.

I believe my success is 80% due to dieting/supplementing correctly and 20% due to exercising.

Suggestions For Others

My big change around came after I faced death and had a new appreciation for life and became a follower of Christ. So it was relatively "easy" for me to stay on track because my whole life changed.

So what I do suggest to others is to change a couple of your bad habits as well when you start working out and make it a worthwhile change to become a better person on all aspects of your life. It makes it a worthwhile change and in my opinion makes it easier to stick too.

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Habits: Your Month-Long Guide To Change.
Here is a four week strategy plan I've put together that you can use to pick up or break a habit. It will ease you in and make you feel more comfortable.
[ Click here to learn more. ]

If you just want more muscle or to look better, it is a shallow target you set for yourself and as such makes it so much easier to bale out off.

Click Image To Enlarge.
After 17 Years Of Marriage We Are Blessed With Our First Baby.
Working Out Will Be More Difficult Now.
But I Am Not About To Throw The New Body Away. Stay Tuned...

If you take a decision changing your life for the better in things that really matters and just as part of it also start living more healthier and enhancing your body it is a decision that carries much more weight and makes is that much more worthwhile to stick too.

Hope this helps brothers!

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