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| AGE 34 HEIGHT 5'3" WEIGHT 83 lbs BODY FAT 9% |
AGE 37 HEIGHT 5'3" WEIGHT 115 lbs BODY FAT 15% |
Why I Got Started
In early 2003 I was diagnosed with an auto immune disease. I decided to get myself as healthy as I could through exercise! It sounds like a great plan and in fact it was! I got myself a great pair of sneakers and took up running.
Well, I kept running but neglected the nutrition aspect of the equation! With my ongoing health issues I continued to run, battling it the only way I knew how or so I thought through exercise.
By 2007 I had dwindled to a whopping 83 pounds. Yes that's right 83 pounds! People made a lot of hurtful comments to me. I got so sick of hearing, "YOU ARE SO SKINNY!" Or worse, "You could hoola hoop through a cheerio!" I would go home and cry.
I wore big clothes so people couldn't see how skinny I had become. In the mirror naked, I scared myself. I didn't even know where to start! In my mind I had a vision of the body I knew I wanted. Wishing is one thing but taking action is quite another!
The final straw came when I injured my knee and ended up on crutches. I was sent home from the hospital on crutches and landed on the tile floor. I fell so hard the crutch went up my arm and when I hit the tile I fractured my rotator cuff!
They say everything happens for a reason and I truly believe that accident saved my life!
How I Did It
When I was still on my crutches, my dad took me to a local gym. I was a runner and so not interested in the weight room. The only problem was I couldn't RUN! This was my turning point! One of the trainers, Paula, a former bodybuilder, took a liking to me and we became friends.
I told Paula of my desire to pack on some serious muscle! Everyone laughed at me, but not Paula! She told me if I wanted to look like that I HAD TO EAT! So I would go home and put pictures of my (goal body) on my refrigerator. I kept a food journal too! We would review it and slowly but surely I saw results!
This was just my beginning! I now had a serious love for the weight room and was relocating to a new city. I purchased the Arnold Encyclopedia and it became my bible! I read it cover to cover! I was in a new town, with new confidence and my health started to improve.
Weightlifting and eating healthy was no longer a thought it was my lifestyle and I was dedicated to both! I started to see more results as I added even more clean calories to my diet.
Then I had a setback; it left me so sick I was unable to drive my car. I never thought I would see the day inside the gym again! Once again my health improved, and I was back in the gym. What a treat just to pick up a dumbbell! There was no stopping me now! Both my mind and body were ready to do some serious work.
I kept increasing my calories by adding more clean carbs. I adjusted my workouts and did the basic movements. I took more days for rest, so I could grow. I was consistent, determined and lifted heavy, while listening to my body.
My health still has its peaks and valleys. When I have a setback, I stay positive and think how far I have already come and how much sweeter the victory will be once I return! When I return, my dedication and determination are that much stronger making my goals limitless!
Suggestions For Others
- Don't worry about what others think of you. Focus on YOU!
- Get in the zone. This puzzled me forever, but once that light bulb went off, what workouts! Really focus on the muscle and squeeze.
- Brief but intense! I found when I pushed myself hard and gave it my all, I was in and out of the gym in 60 minutes or less.
- Rest days are when you GROW, not in the gym.
- Carbs, carbs, carbs! If you want to get big don't be scared of your carbs!