Why I Got Started
I was feeling really bad already about the way I looked in the mirror or the way clothes would look on me. (My wife told me one day, "Stop pulling your T-shirt on the sides, because you are going to mess it up.") I realized, that I'm trying to make the T-shirt not show the fat on the sides of my belly when it's not the T-shirt, it's me who has to change in order to look good in it.
Unfortunately, I had also developed a really bad eating habit which is what it took for me to look like that, and was even more unfortunate that I didn't realize how much fat I was gaining. One day I looked at myself in the mirror and said, "Oh man, how did I get here?"
For most people including me, when you get to that point you just give up, because you tend to think that it is impossible to change, or that it is going to be really difficult. If you add up these types of situations: the fact of not knowing anything about proper nutrition, many other wrong theories and misconceptions like: "Don't eat carbs if you want to lose weight," or "You need to eat fruits and veggies only, because meat and carbs will stop you from losing weight," plus the environment we are exposed to every day; it can take any person of normal weight to obesity very quickly - especially an unhealthy and low-esteemed individual.
Another critical thing that made me want to change as dramatically as I did was going to the beach. I would feel bad taking my shirt off (or not) in front of friends because either way it would show a sign that there was something wrong.
One of the main important elements that made me realize early enough was my family. Like any family, they always wanted the best for me. Starting with my mother, she would tell me, "Hey, watch out, you are eating too much," or "Are you going to eat again at this time?" Also my uncle, who luckily enough for me is a bio-chemistry scientist, always advised me how bad it was to drink too much soda or any soda at all, and how much sugar was in it.
These types of situations allowed what I had left of my conscience to start throwing red flags and warnings signs that I needed to change a lot of things in my life, starting with my physique, to eating healthy, to exercise, to quitting smoking and to stop drinking alcohol.
How I Did It
By the end of December 2011 I was really hitting rock bottom, upset about my weight. One morning I woke up and started searching for "fat loss diet plans." Suddenly I found a result from Bodybuilding.com which gave me some samples of diets, etc.
Since I didn't have knowledge at all about the proper path I should follow in order to do things right, I needed more than a diet plan, so I started crawling the site up and down until I found the Kris Gethin 12 Week Daily Trainer.
The moment I started reading the program and watching the videos I felt it was exactly what I needed for that 180-degree turn in my life.
I would say that when you are at a beginner level, this is exactly what you need, because otherwise you might overlook some small pieces of good information and methods that will make a lot of difference at the end of the road.
This program contained everything that anyone would need to achieve a good transformation: Workout Plans, Nutrition Advice, Motivation and Supplementation. Of course the main thing in order to achieve this the right way was something I already had: I wanted to do it really bad, I was feeling very bad about myself and I was hungry to start seeing the best version of myself in the mirror.
From day one, Kris starts leading you into how to mentally, physically and motivationally surpass barriers that lead to a better physique.
The best part of doing research constantly in order to do things right is that you get to learn, improve and develop better strategies to reach your goals. On December 30, 2011, my wife and I went to the market, got everything we needed to start the program, cooked it and set it up, and on January 2, 2012, we started the program.
My wife has been a major component in my success, since she has not only been there with me following the program as well, but she is also my workout partner, encouraging me and helping me push every rep of every set until I leave everything at the gym.
My mother also deserves a lot of recognition here, because since my wife and I work and study, she would help us by cooking and preparing the rice, broccoli and sweet potato, that way when I would get home I would focus on cooking the fish and chicken and my wife would help me out preparing and putting everything on containers for the next week.
The other person who really helped me out was my uncle. He is a biochemistry scientist and works as quality control manager for a company that create all kinds of pills and supplements, and he is the person that reviews the formulas of the pills in order to approve it for production.
With that in mind he was the person who helped me out with picking the supplements based on what they contained, as well as giving me advice and explaining to me how nutrients work and get absorbed and delivered to the muscles.
The rest of my 12-week path was following the program exactly how Kris did it; no cheat days, no alcohol, which for me came really easy because even after finishing the program and before starting the next one I didn't drink during that week of rest; and the best part is that right now it's more like I lost the desire and feeling for drinking, not to mention that I also quit smoking.
It's amazing how something I used to do frequently I find so disgusting right now; either way I'm glad it happened like that.
The rest was a lot of effort, looking toward my new goals and leaving behind the old me. Your mind tries to trick you into doing things wrong at the beginning just because the body is not used to dramatic change.
In my case, that didn't affect me directly, because with the frequent meals, the mirror telling me how things were changing rapidly, and the fact that if you break things, you are leaving behind the effort you put earlier, I was able to stay on track.
I didn't feel the necessity of doing anything else outside of the program. Remember, is not about the genetics, or having "heavy bones" like some people say or even the "I have a slow metabolism" excuse, It's all about eating right, working hard and putting in a lot of effort for what you are pursuing.
Suggestions For Others
In order to start a transformation you need to:
- Acknowledge and recognize the stage you are on. This will be like the spark that will give you all the dedication you need to accomplish the rest.
- Stop thinking about how hard it is and start thinking how easy it will be looking at yourself in the mirror and seeing the physique you desire.
- Research as much as you can about nutrition, supplements, etc. Go to the Forums and read about the success path that others have followed and have accomplished to get similar results to those you are looking for.
- If by any reason you feel less motivated than the day before, charge yourself up by going to Bodybuilding.com and watching other member's transformations, stories, etc. Music is a really good resource when going to the gym, it will keep you focused, and it will keep others away from disturbing your workout.
- Focus on learning. Research and read as much as you can about the program you are on, the exercises you will perform, techniques, proper form, how to avoid injuries, etc. It is not always necessary to throw a lot of money on a personal trainer, or special attention. Proper methodology, learning and focus will be your best allies.
- Learn from success. There are a lot of people with plenty of knowledge on Bodybuilding.com. They offer their tips and feedback one way or the other through the entire site. Like I said: READ, READ, READ!