Vital Stats
Name: Jesse Lile
Email: [email protected]
BodySpace: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/jesselile/
Before: May 2008
Age: 23
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 200 lbs
Body Fat: 25%
After: January 2009
Age: 24
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 165 lbs
Body Fat: 9%
Why I Got Started
I've always been athletic and in good shape, I even did MMA (cage fighting) for a period of time. But in February 2008 I lost my job and along with it, my motivation to stay in shape. I decided to go on a journey of self destruction that I almost didn't recover from.
I was partying (literally) six to seven nights a week. Beer, pizza, cheeseburgers ... whatever I could get into my stomach after midnight was medicine for my self induced "disease." I didn't care about anything but living fast and finding my next drink.
I was starting to wear hoodies and tight undershirts to cover my new found weight problem. No one else noticed any changes in my physique because they were super sizing themselves along with me. One day I woke up and realized I had to separate myself from that lifestyle or I wouldn't make it much longer.
How I Did It
I packed up and moved 700 miles away (MO to TX) to warmer weather and better surroundings. I began exercising everyday and eating healthier than ever. I'm a strong-willed person so I knew I could get my desired results if stuck to it. I was doing cardio at least twice per day with some moderate lifting mixed in.
My daily eating routine never went above 1500 calories per day, and I closely monitored my fat grams. I allowed myself one cheat meal a week as a little reward for my hard work. Within three months I had dropped 30 pounds and was enjoying having my old body back.
After almost five months I had lost the final ten pounds I wanted to get rid of, and decided to start working on putting some muscle mass back on. I've been diligently hitting the weights (with a little cardio mixed in), and ramping up my protein intake.
After a total of seven months I've lost a total of 40 pounds and put back on about five pounds of muscle. I'm not aspiring to become a bodybuilder or model, I just love feeling and living healthy and can't imagine going back to my "dark days."
I recently got a tattoo on my arm that says "determined" to always remind me how far I've come with the support from loved ones, motivation, and determination.
"If you don't like who you are and where you are, don't worry about it because you're not stuck either with who you are or where you are. You can grow. You can change. You can be more than you are." -Zig Ziglar
Suggestions For Others
Transforming your body takes hard work and lots of time. The most important thing is eating better, it doesn't matter how hard you work out if you're putting bad things into your body. Eat frequently and get plenty of protein.
It can not be a "diet," it has to be a lifestyle. Nothing is more motivating than feeling healthy and looking your best. You must sacrifice things in your life to achieve your goals, and stay determined!