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Vital Stats
Name: Mike Gilligan
Email: la_isla14@yahoo.com
BodySpace: la_isla
Before:
Age: 54
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 205 lbs
Body Fat: 30%
Waist: 37"
After:
Age: 54
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 165 lbs
Body Fat: 13%
Waist: 32"
Why I Got Started
I always considered myself athletically inclined and at 54 I still feel strong. I grew up with 5 brothers and my oldest brother constantly challenged me physically. I wrestled in high school and had a decent weight lifting record.
As I grew older my priorities started to change and the only exercise I got was getting in and out of the golf cart. Carol, my wife, is in great shape and has been consistently exercising for more than two years.
Carol laid down a serious challenge for me to get into shape. Carol was concerned for my health and didn't want to be sitting in the waiting room of a hospital for some doctor to tell her my prognosis was "not good."
I got the message, got out of bed, and onto our elliptical at 5 a.m. on September 27, 2009. I weighed 205 pounds and had body fat of 30%. I promised Carol I would weigh less than 175 pounds by January 1, 2010.
Click Image To Enlarge.
I Have Always Considered Myself Athletically
Inclined And At 54 I Still Feel Strong.
How I Did It
I began by using our elliptical twice per day for 30-45 minutes at 5 a.m. and 30-45 minutes at 8 p.m, 7 days per week. We have a set of dumbbells up to 30 pounds and an Olympic bar with 150 pounds of plates.
I also did crunches (too many to count) on a Swedish ball everyday. On day one I started eating healthy foods that were not processed and drinking a lot of water. I began to lose weight immediately.
By the end of the 7th week I was at my goal of 175 pounds and it was only November 14, 2009. I looked in the mirror and could not believe the transformation. Before my transformation I hated to look in the mirror and most of the pictures of me were horrible.
By December 1, 2009 I lost 40 pounds. The fat had been melting away day-by-day and my abs began to show some real definition. One of my co-workers told me about Bodybuilding.com - it is the best place to find everything I need to elevate my effort and get me the right information.
At my age I don't have a lot of quality bodybuilding time left and so everything I do is with a sense of purpose. I began to read everything I could about weight loss, muscle gain and diet while checking out some true bodybuilders with years of experience.
Now I'm trying to gain weight (muscle) and compete with my bodybuilding peers. Wish me luck, and say a prayer or two.
Click Image To Enlarge.
Everything I Do Is With A
Sense Of Purpose.
Supplements
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Diet
Meal 1: Pre-Workout
- 1 piece of fruit
- 1 serving of Muscle Milk
Intra-Workout:
- 1 serving of Size On
Meal 2: Post-Workout
- 2 servings of oatmeal
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- 1 serving of Muscle Milk
- 1 cup of coffee
- 1 glass of skim milk
Meal 3:
- 1 large apple
Meal 4:
- 6-7 oz chicken
- Vegetables
- Sweet potato
Meal 5:
- 1 serving of Muscle Milk
- 1 granola bar
Meal 6:
- 5 oz fish
- Large salad
- Snap peas
- 1 pita bread
Meal 7:
- 1 handful of almonds
- 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter
- 1 large apple
Training
During my weight loss phase I used the elliptical for 30-45 minutes (interval settings from maximum resistance to minimum resistance), twice a day, seven days per week.
Day 1:
- Crunches: 3 sets of 50 reps
- Pushups: 3 sets of 25 reps
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 20 reps
Day 2:
- Reverse Crunches: 3 sets of 50 reps
- Seated Cable Rows: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Barbell Squats: 3 sets of 12 reps
- Dumbbell Step-Ups: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Barbell Deadlift: 3 sets of 12 reps
Day 3:
- Crunches: 3 sets of 50 reps
- Barbell Curls: 6 sets of 10 reps
Day 4:
- Crunches: 3 sets of 50 reps
Day 5:
- Reverse Crunches: 3 sets of 50 reps
- Lying Triceps Press: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Dips: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Pushups: 3 sets of 25 reps
Day 6:
- Crunches: 3 sets of 50 reps
- Decline Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Bench Press: 3 sets of 15 reps
Day 7:
- Crunches: 3 sets of 50 reps
Suggestions For Others
I look at the lines at all those fast food restaurants and don't understand why the people that choose to pay for food that will, bite by bite, slowly kill themselves when there are so many other healthy options available.
I will never stand in that line again. The toughest step to a healthy life is the first one. If I can do it - you can do it.
Start today, it's not too late. Thank you Bodybuilding.com and all my friends, especially my very first friends William Teo from Singapore and AmySuds from Wisconsin. God Bless, Mike.
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The Toughest Step To A Healthy
Life Is The First One.