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AGE 47 HEIGHT 5'8" WEIGHT 169 lbs BODY FAT 15% |
AGE 48 HEIGHT 5'8" WEIGHT 192 lbs BODY FAT 12.5% |
I was small and thin as a child. In high school, I decided to try weight lifting. I didn't know what I was doing, but I still tried. I was a very active after high school and participated in sky diving, mountain climbing, karate, and biking. I'm the type of person that never sits still.
In my 30s, I had a serious back injury and was unable to walk. I could get around a bit, but for the most part I was in a wheelchair. I finally had surgery and the problem was corrected. They had me walking the next morning. By the next day, the nurses were telling me to stop walking so much and rest. I told them no. My goal was to walk from one end of the hall to the other and back. It took all day, but reaching the far wall and touching it was very rewarding.
I made the mistake of letting this injury hold me back from an active lifestyle. I didn't want to get hurt again, so I stopped being active and started to pack on pounds. I hit 198 pounds. This wasn't me. That's when I started working out, got back into martial arts, lost a lot of weight, and got down to 159 pounds. I was unhappy with how I looked, so I started weight lifting, put on a few pounds, and started feeling better about my appearance.
I started doing heavy weapons fighting in full armor and worked out harder to deal with the weight of the armor. I'm a performer at a renaissance faire. My persona is a barbarian, so I wanted to be in the best physical shape possible and build muscle. Last year, I was tired of being covered up because I didn't like how I looked. I hit the workouts hard and still didn't see the results I wanted. I adjusted my diet and finally started to see real results.
Raw dedication is how I got to where I am now. It started by learning how to walk again, forcing my way through injuries, and ignoring the pain and fear. My wife pushes me with encouraging words and laughs at me if I cry too much or stop too early.
Eating right has been the hardest part of this journey. In order to achieve my goals, I have to consume the right amount of macronutrients. My wife and I don't buy prepared foods anymore; we prepare our meals from scratch. We make one very large meal, divide it up into single serving containers, and put them in the deep freezer. We weigh and label everything so we know exactly what we're eating.
Cellucor C4 Extreme
1 scoop
MRM DHEA
25g
Fresh Brewed Coffee
1 cup
Oatmeal
3/4 cup
1% Milk
8 oz
Banana
1
Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup
1% Milk
8 oz
Natural Honey
2 tbsp
Edamame
1 cup
Salmon
8 oz
Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup
Pineapple
1 cup
Banana
1
Apple
1
Chicken Breast
8 oz
Jasmine Rice
1 cup
1% Milk
8 oz
Egg Whites
15 tbsp
Low-fat Pepper Jack Cheese
1 oz
Onions, chopped
1/4 cup
Green Peppers, chopped
1/4 cup
Whole-grain Toast
1 slice
I built my own workout and change it up every week. I had to build it around my work schedule. Working 12-hour days limits my gym time, so I do strength training on days I have off. When I'm do cardio on the three days that I work. (walking 10-12 miles during a 12 hour shift).
Machine Triceps Extension
2 sets of 6-10 repsTriceps Pushdown - Rope Attachment
2 sets of 6-10 repsStanding Military Press
3 sets of 6-10 repsSmith Machine Shrug
2 sets of 6-10 repsArnold Dumbbell Press
2 sets of 6-10 repsReverse Flyes
3 sets of 6-10 repsStanding Barbell Press Behind Neck
2 sets of 6-10 repsBarbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
2 sets of 6-10 repsButterfly
3 sets of 6-10 reps
Trail Running/Walking
10-12 miles
Barbell Curl
3 sets of 6-10 repsIncline Dumbbell Curl
3 sets of 6-10 repsTwo-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl
3 sets of 6-10 repsOne-Arm Dumbbell Row
3 sets of 6-10 repsWide-Grip Lat Pulldown
2 sets of 6-10 repsUnderhand Cable Pulldowns
2 sets of 6-10 repsStraight-Arm Pulldown
2 sets of 6-10 repsSeated Cable Rows
3 sets of 6-10 reps
Trail Running/Walking
10-12 miles
Barbell Squat
3 sets of 6-10 repsStanding Barbell Calf Raise
3 sets of 6-10 repsLeg Press
3 sets of 6-10 repsLeg Extensions
3 sets of 6-10 repsLying Leg Curls
3 sets of 6-10 repsBarbell Glute Bridge
3 sets of 6-10 reps
Trail Running/Walking
10-12 miles
Crunches
3 sets of 100 repsDumbbell Side Bend
3 sets of 50 repsFlat Bench Lying Leg Raise
3 sets of 50 repsOblique Crunches
3 sets of 100 repsHanging Leg Raise
3 sets of 15 repsSide Jackknife
3 sets of 35 repsPlank
3 sets of 2 minSide Bridge (Single leg)
4 sets of 1 min
Dieting is the most challenging part. It's constantly being changed. I may add or remove calories depending on what my weight is doing.
I want to keep pushing myself and stay healthy. My goal is to hit 225 pounds with less than 10 percent body fat when I reach 50 years old and enter my first bodybuilding competition.
You can only do this for yourself. I've always said: "Zero excuses, 30 percent exercise, 70 percent diet, and 100 percent satisfaction. We all have what it takes; it's just a matter of using that inner strength.
I'm a learn-as-you-go person. I found the information on Bodybuilding.com to be very helpful. I learned so much from reading on the site; how to eat, set up a routine, and have proper form on each exercise. I wouldn't be where I am today without the resources at Bodybuilding.com.