4R75’s BodyBlog

I was really having trouble managing my bodybuilding and fitness goals. I couldn’t seem to stay on track. Plus, I endured three and a half months of unemployment earlier this year. The good news is, I finally got a job about 80 miles away from my hometown. I like this job much better than the job which I lost due to the economy. I now live in Hebron, Kentucky - a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. I really like living here. I grew very tired of living in my small hometown in Indiana.

My gym is the Fitworks Fitness Center in nearby Florence, Kentucky. Recently, I decided to get a personal trainer to help me reach my goals. I was embarrased that I had let myself go to 243 pounds and 30% bodyfat. My trainer’s name is Steve - which is my first name also. Steve is a pretty easy-going guy, but when it comes to training and discipline he is extremely tough! My first session was last Wednesday, and let me just say that I have never gone through a more difficult workout in all my life! Friday night was lower body training, and it was brutal! I was so sore after these sessions - but I got an incredible muscle pump from all this hard work. I know the hard training is going to pay off as time goes by. I signed up for one year of training, so by this time next year, I should be looking good. Steve is having me log my diet on fitday.com. For me, getting a trainer was worth the expense.

My training and dieting have not been going as well as I would like them to be. I admit I have been in a bit of a slump lately, but I want to keep at this thing. I do get a little concerned about my heart condition and having days when I don’t feel well, but I know I can still do this thing. I have been trying to concentrate mostly on cardio for right now. I want to build up some cardiovascular endurance. My doctor told me it’s ok for me to work out.

Today at the end of my weight training workout I did a 45 minute cardio session. I think maybe I did too much. I’m totally exhausted now as I sit here at the computer. Everyone seems to have a different opinion when it comes to doing cardio to burn off fat. One person says you should do a long, low-speed cardio session after your workout, then another advises doing a shorter session but with more intensity. Yet another person comes along and says you shouldn’t do cardio sessions before or after weight training, but at a separate time of day - because you’ll be burning off hard-earned muscle if you do that. People also disagree on whether cardio twice a day is a good thing. One thing they all agree on is you must find out what works for you. That’s what I’m going to do. I’ve made some great progress on the amount of weight I can lift (in a short time), and this is all really exciting!

I’m really just getting started with bodybuilding, at least on a serious level. It’s really exciting! I’ve been following the recommendations in the "Quick Start Muscle Building Guide" by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson. This book has really helped me. It explains everything in a very simple way to help get you moving forward in a bodybuilding program. I am scheduled to work out three days per week for the first two weeks. I just finished week one; now I am getting ready to start week two. I am trying to set long term goals as well as short-term. I want to see what kind of shape I can be in by 2012 when I’ll be 46. I want to do all the things I never wanted to put the effort into when I was younger.

Welcome to the Bodybuilding.com BodyBlogs. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!