Vital Stats
Name: Eric Holmquist
Email: eric.d.holmquist@navy.mil
Bodyspace: zombyfrog
Before: |
After: |
Why I Got Started
I am in the U.S. Military (Navy) and staying in shape is a bit of a job requirement. As I got older, I kept the same eating habits as I did when I was a lot younger. I was lifting heavy weights at the time and figured the more the better.
Next thing I knew I looked like a bloated warthog. I got sick of feeling fat, so in 2007 I changed my diet and workout to affect a change in how I looked and how in shape I was. Realizing that "bigger" isn't necessarily "better" I ended up losing almost 50 pounds and 7 inches off my waistline in about 4 months.
I feel MUCH leaner and I have far more endurance and stamina now, for whatever activity I need it for.
How I Did It
In 2007 while on a deployment to the Persian Gulf, I cut carbs out of my diet, almost completely. I did NOT cut any fat or meat, just anything made with sugar, potatoes, grains of any kind, and rice (meaning NO baked goods or pasta, which really sucked).
I also switched to a body weight workout a SEAL buddy of mine enlightened me on, no weights whatsoever. Simple pushups, pull-ups, dips, and a little treadmill work (little really). Worked like a charm, my body really responded to it.
Supplements
The only supplements I take are NO Xplode before my workouts and 3 scoops of whey protein immediately after it. (All my workouts are done at around 6 a.m.)
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BSN NO-Xplode
1 scoop
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Whey protein
3 scoops
Diet
I don't really monitor this too much anymore. The only thing that I do each day is the 3 scoops of whey protein after my workouts Monday-Friday. Other than that, whatever the wife is making.
I still try to stay away from carbs, and eat mostly meats, egg whites, and veggies. Other than that, I have NO specific diet plan, at all.
Meal 1:
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Whey protein w/ water
2 scoops
Meal 2:
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Taco Bell Chicken fiesta taco salad
1 (triple chicken, no sour cream or guac or sauce of any kind, did NOT eat shell, meat, veggies and beans only)
Meal 3:
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Whey protein w/ water
2 scoops
Meal 4:
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Whey protein w/ water
2 scoops
Meal 5:
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boneless skinless chicken breasts in teriyaki sauce
11 oz
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broccoli
1 cup
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rice
1/2 cup
Meal 6:
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steamed soy beans
1 cup
Daily:
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Water
1/2 - 3/4 gallons
Training
I do 40 sets of this circuit, adding 2 seconds of rest after each set (set 1: 25 seconds, set 2: 27 seconds, set 3: 29 seconds, and so on).
It all totals up to 800 push-ups, 400 pull-ups, and 400 dips. Usually takes about an hour.
Repeat 40x, 25 sec rest, add 2 sec to each additional rest period:
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Pushups
20 reps -
Pullups
10 reps -
Bench Dips
10 reps
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Jogging-Treadmill
43 min, 15% incline, 4.0-4.7 mph
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Bicycling
I occasionally take a 7-10 mile bike ride on Saturday mornings.
Suggestions for Others
It's simple, you CAN make a change in how you look and how you feel, regardless of how old you are. All it takes is a little hard work, some discipline, and dedication to diet and exercise (diet being the hardest of those two).
You don't even need a ton of supplements to do it either. I know I don't look like a bodybuilder or anything like that, but at 41-years old and in the military, I can see that I am in far better shape than some of the sailors and soldiers who are half my age that I see in the gym.
Don't let anything stop you, if you want it, TAKE it, don't wait for it to come to you, because it won't. MAKE it happen, you can do it. I did.