2007 Transformation Contest

Well, it took awhile, but the Spectator’s Guide to the BodySpace 2007 Transformation Contest has been published!

Check it out, it’s a funny read! 

http://bodybuilding.com/fun/transformblogguide1.htm

Post by: bbcom_developer

In my best Michael Buffer Ring Announcer Voice,

“Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!”

I am very happy to be part of this project and will be working hard day in and day out to trasnform my body to a level it has never seen.  By way of background I am 40 years old and live in the Philadelphia PA area.  I first started weight training when I was a teenager and it is something that  has stuck with me throughout.  I, like others, have gone through difficult times.  Financial struggles, divorce……..However the one constant in my life has always been my love for the “iron game”.  I have found that when I am focused on fitness, they other parts of my life seem to fall into place.  Over the years I have immersed myself into learning the most I could about bodybuilding.  With the desire of putting my knowledge into practice I have been a personal traininer and competitive bodybuilder for some time. However over the past few years I found that I was “talking the talk” but not “walking the walk”.  Sure I was able to get people to transform and reach their fitness goals, however my own training was haphazard and my dedication to healthy eating was at its all time low.  Approaching 40, I took a mental inventory of several aspects of my life.  It was than that I decided to rededicate myself to the sport of bodybuilding.  10 weeks later I was on stage winning my first overall championship EVER.  The feeling of being focused towards a goal and the realization of the goal is something I will never forget.  As a parent I want to instill in my son the belief that he can accomplish anything in his life if he truly wants it and is willing to work towards it.  I still have some goals that I have yet to achieve in the sport of bodybuilding and I am now recommitted to achieving them.

My purpose for being in this contest?  Well there are several:

1) Give those reading this blog some insight into competitive bodybuilding and trasnfer some of the knowledge I have acquired over the years.

2) To show others who are nearing forty or more.  Age is just a number.  And sure the metabolism slows down a little, and the bones might creak a little more,and we might be busy carting our children to after school activities…….. However getting in shape and reaching your goals is within your reach and control

“The Race is not Alway Won by the Swiftest…………..But By Those Who Keep On Running! “

Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to my introduction.

I started out as a morbidly obese teen with alot of physical and confidence related issues. My last official stats were from Aug. 2005, when I weighed in at 307lbs at 6′. I had 12″ arms so you can assume my bf%. I’d say at least 45%.

I was very unhealthy, with high blood pressure, bad knees [which still haunt me], and I close to the top of the waiting list to get Diabetes.

The things that really bothered me however, was not being able to wear tee-shirts, not being able to fit in my desks at school, and just not being able to do anything socially.
I had no friends. I simply covered up, as I didn’t have the confidence to talk to anyone. I grew my hair over 2 feet long, so as to cover my face, to make it appear “slimmer”.

Anyway, it was bad times. In January of this year I decided to make a change. Basically all I did was eat less and cut some crap out of my diet. I got down to a steady 240lbs in a few months, and over summer I was turned to PSMF, an extreme starvation diet. I didn’t know jack about nutrition then, so I went for it. I lost 20lbs which I somehow managed to keep off until present day.

December; I started my first ever “proper” diet and exercise regime. So far the scale hasn’t moved, which is discouraging at times, but I can literally see my bf% drop in the mirror, which is always good.

Now, as for my goal in this 12 week period. I’m trying to cut down to where I’ll look good for summer; whether that’s 12%, 14% or 16%…Who knows. My goal weight is 180lbs. I can’t predict exactly what weight I’ll be happy with what I see in the mirror though. So we’ll have to find out.
My goal is to have that “Abercrombie model” look for this summer, which is so often referred to on this site as being homosexual, but that’s where I am currently in terms of muscle mass. An athletic look, I suppose.

Before Pics: Current bf% - 16-17%, goal bf% after 12 weeks, 10-11%
                 Current Bodyweight - 145 lbs, goal bodyweight 132-133 lbs

Current Maxs - Deadlift 285 lbs x 2 - Goal, 300 lbs x 3
                     Squat - 190 lbs x 4 - Goal, 205 lbs x 3
                     Bench Press - 140 lbs x 5 - Goal - 165 lbs x 5 (just started benching, so gains should be pretty fast)

Pics:

Some other random pics:

Nutrition

Heres my current diet setup

Meal 1 - 46g Oats with 1 Scoop ON whey

Meal 2 - 150g egg whites

Meal 3 - 150g Chicken Breast

Meal 4 - (pre-workout)  56g oats

Meal 5 - (post workout shake)2 Scoops ON Whey

Meal 6 - Post workout meal - 46g Oats

Meal 7 - 150g eggwhites

Meal 8 - 1 Packet starkist Tuna Creations Lemon Flavor, or 1 scoop ON Casein protein.

26g Dextrose with my in-workout Grape Xtend.

breakdown is 145g carbs/220g protein/ 40g fat

I also change my diet up every couple of weeks. I cut for 6 weeks, and then up my calories to around maintainance for 4 weeks to gain some muscle and strength or at the least give my body a break from being on a calorie deficit.

When i get bored of my current cutting diet setup I move onto a carb cycling program such as this:

Day 1 -  High

Day 2 - Medium

Day 3- No

Day 4 - high

Day 5 - Medium

Day 6 - Medium

Day 7 - No

The “no carb days” arnt REALLY no carb days, but ridiculously low (25g or so)

[b]A little about me[/b]

Currently finishing up my A-levels, and I will be going to university in the states next year (probably Urbana Champaign) to study nutrition/ or nutrition Biochemistry.

Im 18, and my life at the moment revolves around bodybuilding. I work with my tutor 2 and a half hours a day(which is pretty much all thats needed to get myself ready for my exams in June 2007). I train twice a day now, splitting my workout AM/PM so that i can hit all muscle groups as hard as possible. I train every muscle group 2x a week.

Only child, i do get bored sometimes, but when I do I log on here on the bodybuilding.com forums and help people out/update my journal(and now my bodyblog).

Anyway, Cheers!

This also happens to be one of my application essays for university, , but I think it communicates who I am pretty effectively.

“Furious Intensity would pretty much sum up what I’m all about. I lose myself completely to the highest practices of anything that I choose to pursue.
Nutrition and bodybuilding are two such areas that I am totally passionate about. Bodybuilding is not a sport; it’s a lifestyle. A dedicated bodybuilder’s day involves mind boggling levels of dedication and sacrifice, both in and out of the weight room.
By implementing a highly scientific and precise diet, and a solid workout plan formulated by my mentor, Layne Norton, a natural pro bodybuilder and a PhD student in UIUC, I lost over sixty pounds of body fat while adding some major numbers to all my major lifts in a period of just eight months. Using the knowledge, experience and results I gained, I have helped numerous people I know by formulating diets and training regimes for them, and often, training them personally.  Many are all now well on their ways to their goals. I will also be making my knowledge available for the period of January 07 till June 07, here in, India, as a free-lance fitness, bodybuilding, and diet consultant and personal trainer.

Equestrian was another such field that I delved deep into. Between my 8th and 11th schooling years. After only a year of rigorous training, when most riders would just be beginning to learn advanced principles, I had already mastered most of them and was winning medals in state and national level championships, placing within the top 3 in my age category almost every time.

  I am passionate about living a life of workability, freedom and possibility. I have participated in numerous programs and workshops such as Louis Hay’s and Nityanand’s, and  Landmark forum; a curriculum for living. Through these, and through my philosophically insightful nature, I have today come to be an immensely potent and unique being.

Hello BB.com! Sorry so late.As some know already, I’m overseas and on a totally different time schedule. Anywhoooo, I can’t believe I actually got picked for the contest. I’m extremely excited and anxious to get started. I would like to thank BB.com for giving me this oppurtunity. You’ve truely picked a winner(THE winner).

I’m 21 years old; originally from Houston, TX; currently stationed in San Diego, CA. I’ve been in the NAVY for approx. 3 years. I have two more years left on my enlistment. Upon being discharged I plan on beginning a lucrative career in the bodybuilding industry. I am currently studying for a personal training certification.Hopefully I’ll be ready to take the test upon returning to San Diego.  

From a very young age, I’ve always been active. Though I always enjoyed weight lifting and being fit, I at one time or another, would get too comfortable in the life of not caring. I would eat whatever I wanted and lack off in the gym. After stepping on the scale and noticing a 20lb. increase, I would jump back to reality and get my weight back under control. Even when I worked out I still ate whatever I wanted, but I would at least be maintaining some type of shape. I was the one who thought I could eat whatever I wanted if I just worked out.(simple lack of education) When entering into the 11th grade I began attending a Performing Arts High School that didn’t have recreative sports. Because of the lack of physical activity that I was used to, I pushed even harder to stay fit by running after achool with a friend of mine who was at the time struggling with weight problems. I probably put more into exercise then than when I played sports. I was determined not to end up like many of my classmates making excuses and getting fat from being lazy.I contiued with this even after graduation. After discovering I had no plan of what to do next in life, I enlisted into the NAVY in search of a probable career I would be fulfilled with. I entered a rating in which I wor with computers all day. Earlier this year I was blessed to have discovered that fitness is the place for me.  After experiencing more and more of what this industry has to offer and how much fitness and the education of it is desperatly needed in communities everywhere, I’ve found my place. I’ve been reading and doing research ever since. I recently decided that I would like to be fitness competitor. It will be some work and definitely a challenge but I really want to do this.

I was going thru a brief bulking phase for the last couple of months after realizing I had lost a lot of the muscle during the summer.  Once again due to lack of education, I went on a diet formulated by me and I lost 27lbs. Half of that I believe was muscle. My diet was not the hottest on the block and I was overtraining my butt off. Literally. lol. I’ve bulked back up to my muscular self without putting on any added fat. Now it’s cutting time. This will be challenging but not impossible. I’ve had some help from one of my fellow shipmates in creating a workout specific to my needs in order th strengthen my weakness and maintain my strong poiints. I’ll be doing the best I can on my diet considering my option(s) of “Good ole’ NAVY chow”. I’m currently at 25% body fat. In the next 12 weeks I’ll bring that down to 15% body fat. I’m not too concerned about my weight cause the inches and definition are all that really matter to me.

I would once again like to thank BB.com for all of it’s help. I’ve met some very inspiring people and have learned a lot of valuable information from this site and all of its sub-sites. I am grateful for this chance to really do some damage. Contestants I am very interested in seeing the progress we all make. But as we all know there can only be one winner. Haaahhaaahahaaaaaaaa! lol. See you at the starting line!

Well, first, about me - heres what I posted when they were choosing the contestants:

Why I want to be in the contest - Ive been training my ass off for the last 8 and a half months.All of this time, save 6 weeks where I upped my cals to give my body a break, ive been cutting. Being (apparently), an extreme endomorph, losing the fat that I want to is taking MUCH longer than anticipated. Theres nothing “Wrong” per se with my training/nutrition ; im working with Layne Norton , and hes one of the best, so there isnt much room for error

However, 8 months of hardcore dieting and training does take its toll, and my motivation has now become sporadic, peaking when im at the gym but dwindling towards the evening when Im tired and its time for cardio. this contest would be just what I need to get my ass back in gear and get this transformation running on top gear. Ive been wanting something like for awhile now; I even had an e-mail conversation with Ryan DeLuca about having a transformation contest on bodybuilding.com. While he agreed, something got messed up in the follow-up and it never happened. Now that its happening, I really want to be a part of it.

Also, while my physique isnt stellar yet, I feel I have almost unparalled drive and dedication.In the words of Layne Norton, “the kids just starting out, but hes god mad heart”. I believe that if I got a place in the competition, I would not only do brilliantly with my own body, I would greatly inspire the readers of my blog. I have already got multiple comments from people telling me how inspired they are by my zeal and that they find such enthusiasm and dedication very rare; I wish to expand the number of people that feel this way and find new motivation through me.

My History:

Ive been training on and off for the last couple of years. while my diet was horrible, and I gained way too much fat, my training was sound (and was based off model training routines i found here on bb.com) and I added some decent muscle. I then got “consumed” by world of warcraft, stopped training, and gained 60 lbs. Now im back, back in black, and ready to rock.

Some General Info:

I just turned 18, home-schooling my 12th grade (partly because I dont like the regular brick-and-mortar schooling system, but mostly because I wanted more time to train (the workload at schools here barely gives you a free hour everyday). I intend on going to University next year in the US, and will be majoring in nutrition or nutrition biochemistry. In all possibility, I hope to join Layne at the U of I at Urbana Champaign

I wont write too much per post - tends to get unreadable - coming up - ill be posting some more more about me ( a direct port of one of my university applications!), and will be posting my diet, training, and supplementation soon. Stay tuned!

Hello BB.com fans! I am BB2K. Words cant express how excited I am about this contest! Every morning when I wake up, it hits me…” You could very well be the 2007 bb.com Transformation WINNER!!”

I tell ya, it gets me going! Well, on to a little bit about me. I am 39 years old, I am married to a very beautiful woman (samoangirl) and have 3 awesome kids. I live in Independence, MO and I am one big Chiefs fan!…yeah yeah, they sucked this year.

I have competed in 1 Bodybuilding show in 2000, placed 3rd. I also competed in 1 powerlifting meet back in 92, placed 2nd in the 198lb class. In 2004 I injured my knee and it required 3 major surgeries. So now I am all healed up and ready for war!

Those that know me, know I love to help others and love to share what I have learned so feel free to PM me with any questions, if I know I will share, if I dont know, I will help you find out.

Anyway, I am looking forward to doing my best with this contest and wish all the contestant good luck!!! A BIG Thank you to Rich and BB.com for picking me and for everything they do!!

BB2K