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| AGE 13 HEIGHT 5'6" WEIGHT 120 lbs BODY FAT 8% |
AGE 15 HEIGHT 5'8" WEIGHT 155 lbs BODY FAT 7% |
Why I Decided To Transform
I was basically born into a life of physical conditioning because my father is in the military. He's been in the Navy for about 23 years and has been my main source of motivation. He's pushed me to my limits and brought out the best in me. Yet, I wasn't seeing any gains. So, about a year and half ago I went and signed up for gym and it was the best decision I've ever made.
Lifting is basically my life now. I remember days in school when all I could think about was the gym and which body part I was going to hit that day. Lifting became an everyday ritual for me and I loved it.
Before I started lifting seriously, I was around 120 pounds with barely any muscle tone and was tired of seeing that in the mirror every day. I was getting tired of being the smallest one in my family. I wanted to prove not just to myself, but to those around me that I could get bigger. Well, it worked.
Family members who I haven't seen in long time were shocked at how much bigger I was. This made me feel great, pushed me to get even bigger, and put in more hard work every day. I was making more and more gains and I was completely proud of myself. Even the trainers from my gym were shocked at my improvement. One of them actually told me, "I've never seen a teenage boy work so hard!"
I even have some of older men who work out at my gym tell me I'm one of the strongest teen boys they've ever seen. All I can say is that my life is completely different now. I have more confidence in myself and know if I really want to do something, all it takes is hard work and dedication.
How I Accomplished My Goals
To get where I am now was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. It took away hanging out with friends, missing parties, and even having to spend 2-3 hours at the gym. This really frustrated me. Sometimes I just felt like giving up because I knew that was easiest, but I had to stay strong and keep moving.
Every day before I left for the gym, I would listen to some type of bodybuilding motivation video. That's what drove me to get through a workout. It was my main source of inspiration. It takes sacrifice to become a professional bodybuilder. That's what my mindset is now.
It takes sacrifice to get success no matter what is it. Through the pain of heavy lifting, spending countless hours in the gym, and the days I spent being sore all over my body, it was all worth it. I love where I'm at now. It's the greatest feeling in the world when you can take your shirt off and see all the eyes just staring at you.
What Aspect Challenged Me The Most
I think keeping my diet strict was the hardest part. It was really easy to give in when all your friends eat is fast food. I stayed strong throughout and didn't give in.
My Future Fitness Plans
I want to continue lifting and hopefully it will take me somewhere in life. There are days when I just want to quit, but I know I can turn this into a career if I just keep pushing myself.
It's my dream to compete in bodybuilding shows. Bodybuilders are a special group of athletes and that's where I feel like I belong.
Suggestions For Aspiring Transformers
My advice for aspiring transformers is that it's not all about the weights.
Your diet has to be right; you need plenty of sleep and most of all you have to be dedicated if you want to see results.
You can't expect to see any changes if your diet is crap and you hit weights maybe once or twice a week. This type of training and dieting is a lifestyle.
How Bodybuilding.com Helped Me Reach My Goals
Bodybuilding.com is the best fitness website on the internet. It had everything I needed and more. It provided me with great new exercises, inspiration, and most of all, motivation. The articles just filled me with knowledge. Now I can go into the gym and know exactly what to do.
Lastly, BodySpace. That helped me out tons. Seeing all those transformations was amazing and very encouraging.